Chapter 121: The Lucius Plot

For a while, no one spoke, the hallway was very quiet, and Ivan thought they had already left.

Then he heard a sound again. It was Hagrid's resounding, loud cry.

"Keep your voice down, Hagrid, you'll wake the two boys inside," Professor McGonagall said sternly. "I know you're worried about them, but can you calm down for a moment? it's been an hour since we got back from Hogsmeade, and you're still crying!"

Hagrid wiped away his tears with his large handkerchief and tried to calm himself. His sad cry was stifled into a whimper, sounding even more uncomfortable.

Ivan stirred slightly, and Madam Pomfrey walked toward him from the end of the darkened room. He turned to look at her.

She handed him the largest piece of chocolate he had ever seen. It looked more like a small rock.

"Ah, you're awake!" said Madam Pomfrey, placing the piece of chocolate on the table next to Ivan and beginning to break it into a small chunk.

"I have something to tell the headmaster." Ivan sat up in his bed.

"I don't think it's in your best interest. You are both absolutely exhausted, both physically and magically. You'd better lie down on the bed and wait until I think you're all right."

"No, this is very important." Ivan remembered the ominous dialogue between Greyback and his Masked companion. It was obvious they were planning to do something really bad.

Ivan jumped out of bed, as did Hermione. Madam Pomfrey wanted to stop them, but their voices had already reached those in the corridor, Dumbledore, Cornelius Fudge, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick and Hagrid. The five of them immediately entered the room.

"Ivan, Hermione, how are you now?" Hagrid ran in anxiously, hugging them both tightly, tears of sadness streaming down his tangled beard. He sobbed and said, "It was all my fault, I drank too much and it took me a while to react after I heard the werewolf howl."

"We're all the same, Hagrid!" said Professor McGonagall. "We are all responsible for this matter. We should have responded quicker."

"Who would have thought that in Hogsmeade, this sort of thing would happen on Christmas Eve? But now that we're here, we won't bother you. You'd better lie down." Fudge turned to Pomfrey, asking if they ate chocolate.

"Wait a moment Minister, I have something to say." Ivan looked at Dumbledore and said hurriedly, "The ones who attacked me and Hermione, they seem to be up to something. They mentioned werewolves and Muggles..."

"Yes!" Hermione nodded hastily. "It looks like there's a werewolf gathering, and they're going to attack Muggles."

"Guys, you must have heard it wrong." Fudge's expression changed when he heard Ivan and Hermione, and he looked uncomfortable at both of them. "It must be that attack that scrambled both of your brains. Greyback, that horrible monster, must have terrified you both."

"I'm not scared and I'm not confused!" said Ivan irritably. Fudge's nonchalant attitude annoyed him greatly.

He could sense that all the Minister wanted was reassurance.

If it were true that there were werewolves plotting to attack Muggles, such a thing would surely bring panic to the entire magical world. It was far more serious than Black's escape.

After all, Black was only one person, but werewolves numbered in the hundreds.

If what Ivan and Hermione said was really going to happen, it would lead to angry mobs plunging the Ministry with complaints. Fudge would probably end up losing his seat. This certainly wasn't something he wanted to see.

"Guys, I know what you've endured" His lips twitched into a grudging smile. "What you need to do now is stay in bed and rest until tomorrow morning. Then your minds will be clear again..."

"My head is very clear now, and I know what I'm talking about!" Ivan said aloud, "Minister, the attack is far from over. Someone had planned all this behind the scenes. Only Greyback came to Hogsmeade, and the other werewolves were..."

He didn't finish his words when Madam Pomfrey suddenly stuffed a large piece of chocolate into his mouth.

He was stunned and she took this opportunity to force him back to bed.

"Gentlemen!" said Madam Pomfrey in exasperation. "I must insist that you leave. These two children are my patients - they shouldn't be disturbed!"

"Oh, I'm not disturbed. I'll tell them what happened." Ivan desperately forced the large piece of chocolate down his throat.

"Professors, what Ivan said is true. I also heard the werewolf saying these things." Hermione quickly followed him.

"For goodness sake, you should hurry up and lie down!" Madam Pomfrey turned and looked at Dumbledore and said hysterically. "Headmaster, please leave at once. These children need attention, is this the right place for this? at the hospital? I must insist..."

"I'm sorry, Poppy, but I think it is necessary for Mr. Mason and Miss Granger to continue," Dumbledore said calmly, looking carefully at Ivan through his semicircular glasses, "Cornelius, I think the information they gave is very valuable, and that Fenrir Greyback's actions tonight were very suspicious."

"All right, all right, Albus, since you believe that, then I-," Fudge's words were not yet finished, and the door to the room was open. Snape, who wore a black robe, and Lucius Malfoy, who also wrapped his body tightly in a black traveling cloak, entered. The faces of both men were grim.

"Good evening, gentlemen!" Lucius' face wore a cold smile.

"Malfoy, what are you doing here?" Hagrid stood up and glared at Lucius with his large, shaggy head. He shouted angrily. "Go away and leave Hogwarts - you are not welcome here!"

"My dear friend, please believe me. If it wasn't an emergency, I wouldn't have come here. I'm not very happy to be here either." Lucius looked disdainfully at Hagrid, smiling and saying, "Please be careful with your use of words. Three months ago, the Hippogriff you raised attacked my son in your class. He was right in..."

"It's all right, dear Lucius! The Committee for the Elimination of Dangerous Creatures has taken care of that. They'll give you a statement in due course." Fudge's hand wiped the sweat from his forehead and he didn't want Malfoy to speak any further.

Thanks to the intervention of Newt Scamander and his association, public opinion surrounding the incident had been putting a lot of pressure on him, and there was no need to complicate the matter further.

"Of course, Minister!" Lucius' eyes glanced at Dumbledore, then quickly turned to Fudge. "That little mishap is no big deal. In fact, I have more pressing matters. I heard from the Ministry that you were here and asked Severus to bring me. I hope I'm not disturbing anyone. Dumbledore, you don't mind that I didn't warn you of my arrival, do you?"

"Of course not. Hogwarts is always open to people of good will. Come whenever you like." Dumbledore's voice sounded very polite, but flashs of anger could be seen in his blue eyes.

"Thank you for your understanding. I have just learned from Severus that an unfortunate attack occurred in Hogsmeade. Two students were attacked by a werewolf that had suddenly appeared." Lucius' grey eyes twinkled as he looked at Ivan and Hermione.

Ivan immediately understood that he was the one who had planned all this.