[HP]Aluet

I almost spent the night in torment, and I planned to tell the principal about it early the next morning, but after thinking about it, I went to Professor Dumbledore.

"professor."

"What's the matter, Ashley?"

"Hagrid's spider didn't attack anyone, he's innocent," I said.

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed.He is waiting for my next message, but he doesn't seem surprised by this, he just wants to confirm something.

The office was eerily quiet for a long time.I shut my mouth tightly and struggled.

I don't know what to say, I'm pretty much sure Riddle released something from the Chamber of Secrets that caused Mettle's tragedy.

I excused him in my heart, but the facts seemed to make it difficult for me to give myself a satisfactory explanation.I told myself how unfair it would be to Hagrid if the professors did this to him.

"It's Tom Riddle . . . probably."

A strong sense of guilt swept over me, and even though I was sure I had done nothing wrong, I still felt a flash of remorse.

……

"In case she goes to tell the professor..."

"will not."

……

He seems to... really trust me.

It's all in the past, why should I say it...

Dumbledore was silent for a while, then patted me on the shoulder lightly, walked past me to the door, motioning for me to follow.

"Professor." I stood still and stopped him.He turned around in response.

"Will he be fired?—I mean, if it is true."

"I think so, it's a serious matter, and if you could provide some details—"

"I don't think he knows what's going on."

"I know you grew up together, but being Tom's scapegoat for no reason seems unfair to Ruburt. You need to tell me what the hell you saw, Ashley."

I let out a sigh of relief. "Sorry, professor, I have no way to provide evidence. I was afraid that I didn't see the truth. I just happened to bump into Riddle nearby, so I thought he did it. It was me who was rude, and it shouldn't be him."

Dumbledore looked into my eyes steadily, and I looked straight at him without flinching, and the sound of my heartbeat rang clearly in my ears.

However, his penetrating gaze made me feel anxious, and I finally lowered my eyes.

He sighed insignificantly. "Aisley, you need to think again."

"Do you think it's him?"

"It doesn't matter what I think, what matters is whether he actually did it."

I pursed my lips and shook my head: "I'm not sure—I can only be sure that it wasn't Aragog who hurt Myrtle...I've heard that voice before, it's more like a snake than a spider. Hagrid is innocent, I I wonder...does he still have a chance to go back to school and continue his studies?"

Dumbledore didn't answer me, leaning against the door, thinking seriously.

He gave me one last deep look: "Go back, Ashley."

"And Hagrid?" I asked.

"Of course I would like to believe him. But if no definite evidence can be found, there is no reason to exonerate him." He returned to the chair and sat down again, "However, I will try my best to let him stay. Alright , class is about to start."

When he was leaving the auditorium at noon, Riddle was called by Dumbledore to say something.I watched nervously, but at the end of what they said, Riddle still had a natural expression, as if nothing happened.I was slightly relieved.

Unexpectedly, he never mentioned this matter to me, as if he didn't know it at all.

"I'm sorry." I hesitated for a long time before opening my mouth.

"Sorry for what?" He wrote the homework at hand with a normal expression.

"...you know." I finally made up my mind and felt the need to explain this issue to him, "You can explain it clearly to the professor, saying that you don't know what's in the secret room, why do you have to... Arago Crane to blame that monster? If I'm not mistaken, it's a basilisk, isn't it?"

He stopped writing and stared straight at me, his eyes revealed some long-lost coldness.

"You have to be clear, if it's not him, then it's me. Moreover, only by catching a murderous eight-eyed spider can Hogwarts be closed." He seemed to be explaining a very normal thing, his tone was calm and calm , "You have to take the overall situation into consideration, don't you?"

"Is this the big picture?" My eyes widened in disbelief, I was sure that there was an insurmountable gap between our ideas, but when I wanted to refute, I couldn't dig out any powerful words, "So it should be Let innocent people die for the so-called overall situation? And in the final analysis, who caused all this? If it weren't for the basilisk, Hogwarts would not be facing closure." I suddenly felt a little angry, and I thought I It was the first time I spoke to him in this tone.

Yet he doesn't seem to be what he used to be either.He was not as annoyed by my attitude as I imagined, but all the peace and warmth on his face disappeared, like looking at a puppet that had broken free from its strings, disappointed and indifferent.

"If it weren't for you insisting on getting entangled in Hagrid's affairs, it wouldn't be what it is now."

"You know it's not him—"

"I don't understand," he frowned slightly. "You do what you want, and I do what I have to do. Isn't everything all right? Why do you have to interfere with things that have nothing to do with you?"

"But Hagrid is innocent, don't you think it's too much to be expelled like this?" There seemed to be a cloud of air pressing on my chest, and the suffocation made me almost unable to speak a complete sentence in one breath.

"You still don't understand, Ashley." His attitude softened inexplicably, but the indifference in his eyes made it hard for me to accept, "You shouldn't care about him. This is Slytherin's mission in itself, and Huo Time for Gewartz to do some cleaning up, too."

"I really don't know what you want, Riddle." I shook my head, tired of speaking, "You shouldn't be like this."

"I don't need you to tell me what to do," he cut me off.

We just sat there in silence, no one moved.

"I know you can't understand." The atmosphere froze for a long time, his tone softened, as if he had made a big concession, "I don't ask you to have the same purpose as me, I just hope you don't hold Assimilate my thoughts."

"I didn't want to assimilate you, I just thought it was wrong."

"It's nothing wrong, Ashley." He sneered, "What I want to do, no matter what the process is, it's worth it. And you... as long as you don't interfere with me." He looked into my eyes , the voice was very soft, "You know, I don't want to use any means against you..."

Those dark gray eyes were like whirlpools, I didn't even know when I lost consciousness, some messy memories in my mind seemed to have been turned over.I frowned, looked away, and forced the discomfort out.

"I... I didn't say it." I didn't know why, so I couldn't help explaining.

"I know." He raised his eyebrows and responded with a smile, "Of course I believe you."

……

Professor Dumbledore really did what he said.With his efforts, Hagrid was arranged as a gamekeeper and did not leave Hogwarts, but lost his eligibility to study in school.

Hagrid was staying in a small wooden cabin next to the Forbidden Forest, which we usually called "Hagrid's cabin".

I knocked on the door.

"Aisley! Oh, come in!" The water was boiling in the room, and the lid of the kettle jumped and squealed.

"Hagrid... the water is already boiling," I reminded.He just went to put out the fire and poured me a cup of tea, looking a little embarrassed.

"Where's Aragog?" I looked around and asked.

"He... well." Hagrid scratched his head sadly, "I put him in the Forbidden Forest, and they all thought Aragog was too dangerous—but he really didn't hurt anyone, you have to believe... ..."

"Of course," I said, "that matter has nothing to do with you or Aragog."

"That's good." He breathed a sigh of relief, his expression relaxed a lot.

"Unfortunately... there is no way for you to continue studying." I couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

"Sigh." He sighed and shook his head, "It's not a big deal, I just want them not to wrong Aragog, he really didn't do anything—oh, right." His eyes lit up, "You don't have class today, right?"

"Yes." I replied.

"Then... shall I take you to see Aragog?" He pursed his lips a little nervously, "As long as you don't get discovered, you'll be fine."

"Okay." I agreed without thinking.

He led the way into the Forbidden Forest.Even in the daytime, the Forbidden Forest still feels gloomy.

After I followed him into the depths of the Forbidden Forest for a long time, I finally saw a huge black spider opening its eyes behind the tree stump.

It's been a while, but Aragog has grown so fast that he is now about the size of a large dog.

"Aragog, look who's coming," Hagrid called.

Those eight eyes stared at me a little panickedly: "Hello, Ashley."

"Long time no see." I said.

"Hmm." It shook its body, bent its legs again and closed its eyes, losing interest.

"I think he's probably sleepy," Hagrid explained.I nodded.

When we were walking outside, I suddenly saw a big black and thin horse in the distance, with a pair of huge and ugly bat wings on its back.

"What's that, Hagrid?" I pointed at it.It was gnawing on a dead cow in front of it with its head down, and the stench of carrion could be smelled from such a distance.I frowned uncomfortably, and subconsciously shrank behind Hagrid.

"Thestrals." Hagrid continued to walk forward calmly, turned his head after two seconds as if he suddenly remembered something, pointed to the Thestrals over there, and confirmed to me again, "Which one are you talking about?"

"Yes." I said.

"You can see it too?" He seemed a little surprised, but soon his tone became natural again, "Oh, it's okay, it's okay, thestrals generally don't attack people, they eat carrion."

I sat with Hagrid in the hut for a while longer, and then I was going to go back.

"Don't you want a piece of rock cake?" He pointed to a tray of raisin cakes on the table.

"Thank you." I picked a smaller piece, put it in my mouth and took a bite, which almost broke my teeth.Enduring the numbness of my gums, I waved my hand at him with a smile, "I'm going back, goodbye, Hagrid. I'll see you again when I'm free."

I turned around and pushed open the wooden door to go out, walking towards the castle, while looking at the undamaged rock cake in my hand, I squeezed it hard with my fingers, but it didn't move at all, it seemed like a stone.

I think of that greasy and burnt sausage that sticks out in my memory.

...I should have imagined how disastrous Hagrid's cooking was.

I sat blankly at the wizard chess table in the lounge for a long time, until I saw Riddle appear across from me at some point.

"What, are you angry?" Seeing that I hadn't moved for a long time, Riddle pushed down a knight in front of him with a finger, and leaned back on the chair back.

I shook my head.

"Okay, my fault." He said flatly, without seeming to apologize, "but Hagrid is fine now, isn't he? He hasn't suffered any losses."

It was indeed a great thing for Hagrid to stay.Although he should have spent seven years in school safely, what else could be done after this was the case?

I stared fixedly at his face, no matter what, I couldn't get angry anymore.

"Do you know Occlumency?" he asked suddenly.

I shook my head.

"Want to learn?"

"What's that for?"

"Protect the mind from foreign intrusion," he said. "Some things...even if you don't tell them, others will know."

I looked at him half understanding.

"I'll teach you." He smiled, stood up and held out his hand to me. I hesitated and held him back. He looked down at his watch, "It's still early, there's still time."

"Where?"

He didn't answer me, and took me straight up to the eighth floor.I looked puzzled at the empty wall. He walked back and forth across the mural three times as if performing some ritual, and the same gate as last time appeared on the wall again.

"Do you still remember this place?" He pushed open the door, and what he saw was an empty and bright room.

"here is……?"

"I don't think anyone else will find this place." He looked at me looking around, "I want to try something."

"Thinking of what?" I asked.

"what ever."

A broom appeared in my mind, and when I turned my head the next second, I was surprised to find a broom standing in a corner not far away.

This is how the same thing?

I heard Riddle chuckle.

"Anything you want." I stared at the broom for a while and explained.

"This is a good place, everything you need can be found here." He met my gaze and became more serious, "Take out your wand, Ashley."

I blink for no reason.

"Just do it, I'm teaching you Occlumency," he said, "I'm going to start."

"You can disarm me, or use any other method you can think of." He naturally pinned a strand of hair from my forehead behind my ear, "But...it's best not to need a wand."

I nodded.

" Legilimency."

Everything around me flickered and disappeared, and pictures flashed through my mind like a movie.

However, in addition to the familiar fragments, there are also some things that are very strange to me.

I almost forgot to resist, even I wanted to see those memories clearly, but I finally remembered what I was going to do, trying to keep the mess of emotions out.

When I came to, Riddle held my arm to keep me from falling, and he looked a bit taken aback.

"What... what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he replied, "You're doing great, Ashley."

So every weekend, I would come to this place with him to practice Occlumency, but this magical room is different every time.

As for the fact that he usually disappears inexplicably, I don't think I should pursue his affairs too much, but I don't know if he has closed the secret room, and that basilisk still makes me feel uneasy.

"Don't always go out so late... There is no one in the corridor, what if something happens?" I said a little worried.

"It will be fine." He looked at me with a serious face with interest, then thought for a moment, took out a mirror from his bag and handed it to me, "If you are worried, you can contact me at any time."

"Two-way mirror?" I took it.

"Yeah. Responds to whatever I'm doing." He strokes my hair and leaves the break room.