Chapter 1,208

…

"Hey, listen, Tonks, now is not the time to talk about this, Dumbledore is dead..."

"But……"

Before Tonks could flip the table over in anger, the door to the school doctor's office suddenly opened.

Hagrid walked in with heavy steps. It could be seen that this incident had a great impact on Hagrid.

Hagrid has been working for Dumbledore all this time. It can be said that he is a stupid giant and a little cute. No one else would let Hagrid get a decent job, even in Hogwart. I am now a professor of Care of Magical Creatures at a world-famous school like this.

If Dumbledore was willing, he could find a better person to take on this responsibility, instead of a giant who would teach these underage wizards from a giant's perspective.

This shows how much encouragement Dumbledore gave Hagrid, acknowledging Hagrid's knowledge, even if it may not be applicable.

But what is certain is that Hagrid is definitely Dumbledore's most loyal subordinate. He is willing to die for Dumbledore and even do things that Hagrid is unwilling to do.

Hagrid came in, the little part of his face not covered by hair and beard wet and swollen. His body was shaking with sobs, and in his hand he held a huge, tear-stained handkerchief.

"I...I'm ready, Professor," he choked, "move...move him. Professor Sputraw has put the children to bed. And Professor Welliver is still lying down. But he said he would be fine soon, and Professor Slughorn said he had informed the Ministry.

"Thank you, Hagrid." Professor McGonagall stood up and turned to look at the group of people gathered around Bill's bed. She continued, "As soon as the people from the Ministry of Magic arrive here, I will go and meet them. Hagrid, please inform the Heads of House...Professor Slughorn can replace Slytherin...I want them to see me in my office immediately."

Hagrid nodded, turned around and walked out of the room thoughtfully.

Professor McGonagall lowered her head and looked at Fanlin and Harry.

"I hope you two can come too. Of course, before they come, I want to say a few words to you. If you are willing to come with me..."

"Then, see you later..." Fan Lin shook his head, and then followed Professor McGonagall out of the ward.

The stairs outside were deserted. The only sound that could be heard was the dirge of a distant phoenix.

Harry was a little distraught, which was a huge blow to Harry. In fact, they did not go to Professor McGonagall's office, but to Dumbledore's.

It took Harry a few seconds to realize that, of course, Professor McGonagall had been interim Headmistress... apparently she was now Headmaster... so that office behind the gargoyle was now hers...

"Fan Lin?" Professor McGonagall stopped.

Fanlin took a step forward and waved his hand, and the door to Dumbledore's office opened.

In fact, after receiving the core brought to him by Fox, even Dumbledore could not enter the office without permission. Of course, Dumbledore may have other methods, but in fact, Fan Lin Now dominating all of Hogwarts.

"Thank you, Albus told me, but I didn't expect to get to this point." Then Professor McGonagall stopped talking.

In silence, they walked up the moving spiral staircase and entered the circular office.

For a moment, Harry was a little panicked. He didn't know what he expected to see: the room might now be covered with a layer of black cloth, or maybe even Dumbledore's body was lying inside.

In fact, the room was exactly as it had been when Harry and Dumbledore had left it a few hours earlier: gleaming silver instruments whirring and whirring on spindly-legged tables, Gryffindor's sword on the The silver moonlight reflected in the glass box, and the Sorting Hat was placed on the top of the bookshelf behind the table.

Nothing seemed to have changed. Harry looked at it dullly. Suddenly, Harry's eyes shrank.

A new portrait has joined the ranks of the late Headmaster of Hogwarts... Dumbledore is sound asleep in a golden frame on the table, his half-moon glasses hanging on the bridge of his crooked nose, looking peaceful And peaceful. After staring at the portrait for a while, Professor McGonagall made a strange movement, as if wrapping herself in a steel coat, and then she walked around the table and looked at Harry, her face elongated.

"Harry," she said, "I want to know what you and Professor Dumbledore did after leaving school tonight, and of course, you, Fanlin, you and Dumbledore have been behind our backs, including the Order of the Phoenix. Everything you do inside..."

"I'm sorry, Professor, although I don't think this is important, but it is still confidential." Harry shook his head, going to witness the greatness of Voldemort? Witness how powerful Voldemort really is.

Harry didn't want to say this kind of thing, it would cast a shadow on everyone.

Even the Ministry of Magic has silenced it.

Except for Scrimgeour and a few important officials, only he, Fanlin and Dumbledore knew about this matter, and everyone else had their memories wiped away...

"I think this might be important..."

"Sorry, Professor McGonagall!" Fan Lin shook his head and interrupted Professor McGonagall's speech, "Whether it's based on Dumbledore himself or other confidentiality regulations, I think..."

"You have to be clear, Al! Due to the death of Professor Dumbledore, I think you should realize that the situation has changed..."

"I don't think so," Harry said with a shrug. "Dumbledore never said I could stop following his orders if he died."

"Harry, you should learn to judge..." Professor McGonagall frowned, and a rare hint of weakness appeared on the serious Professor McGonagall's face.

"I respect Harry's judgment just as I respect you." Fan Lin said sincerely, "I can only tell you that at the right time, everything we have done can be made public, but that is not now. ,professor."

Professor McGonagall opened her mouth and was about to refute when Harry interrupted.

"But... there is one thing you must know before the people from the Ministry of Magic come. Ms. Rosmerta is controlled and she is helping Malfoy and the Death Eaters. This is what the necklace and the poisoned wine are..."

"Rosmerta?" Professor McGonagall repeated suspiciously, but she was interrupted by a knock on the door before she could continue. Professors Sputraw, Welliver and Slughorn came in, followed by Hagrid, who was still crying, his huge frame shaking with extreme grief.

"Snape!" Slughorn suddenly shouted, the most shocked, pale and agitated person standing up. "Snape! I taught him! I think I know him!"

But before anyone else could answer him, a sharp voice came from a high wall: a sallow-faced wizard with a short black beard had just walked into his empty canvas. "Minerva, people from the Ministry of Magic may be here at any time. They have already left the Ministry."

"Thank you, Phineas," said Professor McGonagall, turning quickly to the professors. "I wanted to talk to you about what happened at Hogwarts before they come," she said quickly. "In my opinion, I'm not sure the school will be able to open next year. The headmaster of the school died at the hands of one of our colleagues. This is It's a terrible stain on Hogwarts history."

"I'm sure Dumbledore would have wanted the school to remain open," Professor Sputraw said. "I think as long as there is a student who wants to come to school, the school should remain open for students."

"But will we have another pupil?" said Slughorn, wiping his sweaty brow with a silk handkerchief. "Parents would rather their children stay home."

"I can't blame them for that. In my opinion, I don't think Hogwarts is any more dangerous than anywhere else, but you can't force other mothers to think that way."

"It's normal for them to want their families to be reunited."

"I agree," Professor McGonagall said. "In any case, it is wrong to say that Dumbledore never thought about facing the dissolution of Hogwarts. When the Chamber of Secrets was opened again, he once thought about closing the school... …I must say, the killing of Professor Dumbledore was more troublesome than the Slytherin monster roaming the unknown parts of the school castle… It was a disaster that has never happened before in the history of Hogwarts Things like this, even in the darkest of times.”

"But we must negotiate with the Ministry," said Professor Welliver in his short, high-pitched voice; he had a large bruise on his forehead, but it looked like his fall in Snape's office had not No big deal. "We must follow procedures and not make hasty decisions."

"Hagrid, you haven't said anything yet," said Professor McGonagall. "What's your opinion? Should Hogwarts remain open?"

During their conversation, Hagrid kept wiping his weeping eyes with his tear-stained handkerchief.

Now Hagrid raised his swollen eyes and said hoarsely, "I don't know, Professor... that should be decided by the Head of House and the Headmaster..."

"Professor Dumbledore always values ​​your opinion," Professor McGonagall said gently, "I do too."

"Well, I want to stay," Hagrid said, big tears slowly falling from the corners of his eyes and flowing into his tangled beard. "This is my home. This has been my home since I was 1 year old. If there are still children who want me to teach them, I will definitely do it."

Hagrid suppressed his grief, but in fact, it was too difficult for Hagrid.

"But... I don't know... Hogwarts without Dumbledore..." He choked back a sob, wiped his eyes again with his handkerchief, and fell silent. Wanted to see if anyone from the Ministry of Magic had arrived.

"Then I agree with Professor Welliver that the right thing to do is to consult with the government and leave the decision to them. Now, as for sending the students home... there is an argument that they should be sent home as early as possible. If necessary, we can Arrangements are made for the Hogwarts to arrive tomorrow...

"What about Dumbledore's funeral?" Finally, Harry couldn't help but ask.

"Well..." Professor McGonagall's voice trembled, and her strength seemed to have been lost.

"I...I think Dumbledore's last wish was to be buried here, in Hogwarts..."

"So we're going to do that, right?" Harry asked hastily.

"If the Ministry of Magic considers this an act of private privilege," said Professor McGonagall, no Headmaster has ever been..."

"There has never been a principal who did more for the school than he did," Hagrid growled.

"Hogwarts should be Dumbledore's eternal resting place," Professor Welliver said.

"Absolutely," Professor Sputraw said.

"In that case," Fanlin said hesitantly, "the students should be allowed to go home after Dumbledore's funeral."

"Yes, that's right!" Harry agreed, "They all wanted to tell him..."

The last word got stuck in his throat, but Professor Sputraw finished it for him.

"goodbye."

"Well said," squeaked Professor Welliver. "Well said! It is fitting that our students should pay homage to Dumbledore. We can arrange for them to go home after that."

"Agree."

"I guess...okay..." Slughorn said in an excited voice. And Hagrid let out a muffled whimper in agreement.

"They are coming soon. Professor McGonagall stared at the square and suddenly said, the Minister of Magic... It seems that he has brought a delegation..."

"Then...can we leave, Professor?" Harry asked immediately. He had no desire to see Scrimgeour tonight, or to be interrogated by him about what had happened.

"You two can go," said Professor McGonagall, "quickly."

She strode to the door and opened it for both Harry and the others.

"Please wait a moment, professor..." Fan Lin said, stretched out his hand, and a rune similar to a flame appeared in Fan Lin's palm, but now the light of the flame was very little.

"This is……"

"Core Control..." Fan Lin shook his head, "Dumbledore handed Fox to me, and then I discovered this. I think you need these more, although... although they have no effect anymore, The Death Eaters had been setting it up for a long time, and they destroyed almost all the nodes."

"good!"

Fan Lin nodded and followed Harry quickly down the spiral staircase and walked through the deserted corridor.

Harry left his invisibility robe on the top floor of the Astronomy Tower, but it didn't matter; at least, Harry had no intention of doing so.

As the two people walked in the corridor, they didn't meet anyone, not even Filch and his cat, not even Peeves.

They didn't meet a person or ghost until he entered the passage that led to the Gryffindor common room.

Everyone went into hiding and the Death Eaters breached the castle, at least, so far.

Didn't Dumbledore also suffer at the hands of Death Eaters?

"Is this true?" The Fat Lady whispered when she saw the two approaching, "Is this true? Dumbledore...is dead?"

"Yes." Harry said. She let out a wail. Without waiting for the two of them to say the password, he turned forward and let them pass.

Just as Harry had guessed, the common room was packed to the brim. Silence struck the room as he passed through the hole behind the portrait.

He saw Dean sitting with Seamus: that meant his dormitory was now empty, or almost empty, except for Hedwig...

Fox is still mourning in the square.

Without talking to anyone or making eye contact with anyone, Harry and Fanlin walked straight through the house and into the boys' dormitory.

Ron was waiting for the two of them, sitting on his own bed, not yet changing into his pajamas.

For a while, no one spoke. Fan Lin just walked over to collect Fox's residence. Soon, he would leave here with all his things. Fortunately, nothing was left behind.

"They're talking about closing the school," Harry said.

"Lupine said they would do it..." (To be continued)