Events at Hogwarts

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In the Great Library at Hogwarts, Hermione Granger was reading a book about magical creatures.

"Hermione, are you all right?" Lorenzo asked as he made his presence known to the girl.

"Oh, hi Lorenzo," she was startled by the boy's arrival. She was trying to tidy up her clothes and hair to look a little more presentable after crying in hiding because of the comments Ron had made about her to Hagrid.

"I'm reading about magical creatures. I've just got to the chapter on hippogriffs," she said over the book, trying to hide her still slightly puffy eyes.

Lorenzo glanced at the book she was holding and decided not to bring up the fight she'd had with her friends. "Hippogriffs? For the Bicuço case?".

"Yes, exactly. They're fascinating creatures, but Bicuço is in danger because of the accident caused by Malfoy," Hermione remembered that Draco was to blame for the whole situation.

"I heard he was very arrogant and ended up annoying Bicuço," Lorenzo commented on what he had heard. "I've also done some research, I hope it all helps Hagrid."

"Hagrid is struggling with his classes after becoming a teacher and with this trial he doesn't have time for anything else, if something isn't done Bicuço could be sentenced to death," she said sadly to the young man.

"Don't worry, we'll do something to help him," the young man assured her.

"I know. I think the key to saving Bicuço lies in the details of the incident," she said, searching for a solution to prevent the death of the innocent animal. "We have to prove that he was provoked and acted in self-defence," Hermione tried to come up with a plan.

"But how are we going to prove that? Malfoy was the one who provoked him, but no one seems to want to hear that truth," Lorenzo commented angrily.

"We need to gather evidence, witness statements," she was more animated now, no longer thinking of Ron or Harry. "Maybe we could talk to Hagrid to find out more details about Bicuço's behaviour before the incident."

"Good idea! What if we can persuade Dumbledore to intervene? He has influence," Lorenzo suggested.

"I don't think that's possible, because Hagrid doesn't want him involved in the case." Hermione remembered Hagrid's refusal to ask the Headmaster for help.

"That's a shame, but then we have to move even faster. We'll look for more information and come up with a plan to help Bicuço," the information that they couldn't count on the Headmaster's help didn't shake Lorenzo.

"We have to do everything we can to make sure he isn't executed unjustly," her focus was now solely on this case. "Thank you for cheering me up," she thanked him.

"No problem, I just wanted to see your smile again," he smiled at her.

Hermione blushed slightly with embarrassment and turned her attention back to the book to hide it.

*****

In one of the castle's corridors, under the golden light of magical torches, two teachers, Lupin and Nathaniel, walked side by side, discussing Harry's lessons.

"Harry has a great talent," the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher exclaimed excitedly.

"I understand your excitement, but let's teach him patiently, so we don't skip any important steps," Nathaniel tried to control Lupin's enthusiasm.

"Don't worry," Lupin replied dryly, putting aside his enthusiasm for Harry and remembering that Nathaniel was the one who had captured him.

Nathaniel had obviously noticed his colleague's rudeness towards him, but he didn't care because he knew the reason for Lupin's attitude.

The DADA professor certainly hadn't had a good time at Snape's hands, and even with Dumbledore's company, Lupin must have suffered at least a little.

{Flashback - Nathaniel}

[Dumbledore talking to Nathaniel]

"You'll be using the Potion of Truth, apparently," Nathaniel said with a twinkle in his eye as he and the Headmaster climbed the stairs to the castle dungeon. "Snape is in charge of preparing it?"

Dumbledore nodded, "Yes, it's quite a complex potion, but Snape is capable enough to prepare it," the gleam in the old wizard's eyes was visible.

"Its effect is to make anyone incapable of lying," Nathaniel commented. "But I don't think the Ministry will approve of us using it the way we're going to," he said sarcastically, because he really didn't care what the Minister or his staff thought about the case,

"They probably won't approve!" exclaimed Dumbledore.

"Only if they're informed," Nathaniel laughed. "Which they won't."

"Yes, true again," Dumbledore also smiled and agreed. "But you see how fascinating it is how a mixture of ingredients can reveal the absolute truth," he said of the potion's functionality.

"Having access to indisputable information can be an advantage in many situations." Nathaniel agreed with the question, knowing that on many occasions, knowledge of accurate information had determined who would come out on top in a conflict.

Dumbledore pondered, "But it's also very dangerous, don't you think? If the potion is in the opponent's hand," he asked Nathaniel to find out the professor's thoughts.

Nathaniel agreed thoughtfully. "Of course, such a resource can be used by both sides."

"That's why the Ministry is trying to seriously regulate the trade in potion ingredients," the Headmaster pondered the laws Minister Fudge had created to prevent the use of Veritaserum.

"They try, but in our wizarding community, with so many ways to get what we want, there's always a way around the Ministry," Nathaniel speculated.

"You make an understandable point," the Headmaster agreed. "But it's always good to remember that sometimes the truth can do more damage than a lie, and this potion should not be misused," he warned.

{End of Flashback}

"Looks like we'll be splitting up here, Lupin, I have some business with Professor Minerva," Nathaniel commented as the two of them reached the corridor leading to the Transfiguration teacher's office.

"Of course! Bye," Lupin replied quickly and went to see the Headmaster, he really didn't like being around Nathaniel after what had happened.

Minerva McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and Head of Gryffindor House, was sitting in her office concentrating on some papers when Nathaniel knocked on the door.

"Hello," he said as he made his presence known outside.

Minerva replied when she noticed him, "Come in, Professor Winter-Heart," allowing him to enter. "What can I do for you?" she asked.

"Professor McGonagall, I've come to enquire about the analysis of Harry's confiscated Firebolt," he said, explaining the reason for his visit.

Minerva pondered the matter, as Nathaniel was the second person to ask about the broomstick that day.

Earlier, Oliver Wood, captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, had spent a long time trying to persuade her to return the broomstick to Harry.

"I've started the process of validating the broom, but we need your help," she revealed of the progress of the case.

{Flashback - McGonagall}

"I told you, Wood, I'm not giving Harry his broom back," Minerva said earnestly to the young Captain who was begging in her office.

"But it's a FireBolt. FireBolt," he pleaded, almost with tears in his eyes.

"I know, Wood, but it's for Harry's safety," she explained.

Wood was distraught, for he saw the broom as the key to victory. "We'll be champions with it, Harry will be the star," he tried to appeal to the teacher's emotional side.

Minerva really wanted Gryffindor to win the Quidditch Cup, but her position as a Hogwarts teacher and her duty to ensure the safety of the students was more important.

"I can't be biased, Wood, end of story," she ended the conversation.

Oliver left the office completely pale, as if his soul was no longer in his body, muttering through the corridors like a ghost.

"My trophy... Firebolt... my trophy," he had his dreams destroyed by Professor McGonagall.

{End of Flashback}

"The Firebolt is one of the finest brooms ever made, but I understand the need for caution to ensure Harry's safety." It was still a secret between him, Snape and Dumbledore that Sirius was in the Headmaster's care. 

So Nathaniel couldn't tell Professor Minerva that there was nothing wrong with the broom.

"Here's the Firebolt," Minerva pointed to the broom carefully propped against the wall. "It looks extraordinary at first glance, but we need to make sure it hasn't been enchanted or altered in any dangerous way."

"Of course," Nathaniel agreed as he pulled a pair of gloves and a magnifying glass from his pocket and began to meticulously inspect the broom.

"I'll start by checking the core of the handle," he announced as he began his inspection.

"What about the enchantments for speed and stability? These are crucial elements to this broom's exceptional performance," she asked.

Nathaniel had already prepared the necessary items. "I'm going to use a magical detector to check every part of the Firebolt for any sign of questionable enchantments." 

Professor McGonagall was eager to hear the results. "Any findings?" She wanted to ensure Harry's safety, but if the broom didn't present any problems, it would help the Gryffindor team win.

"So far, everything seems to be as expected. The Firebolt appears to be authentic and unaltered," Nathaniel said, announcing the results of his search for anything wrong with the broom.

"I'll do a thorough analysis of the protective enchantments, just in case," Minerva also wanted to check a few points regarding the Firebolt.

"Of course! Here you go, Professor," he said as he handed her the broom.

After a few moments with the broom, Professor McGonagall finished her validation.

"The security enchantments are intact and working as expected. There are no signs of malicious tampering," she said with a sigh of relief. "I'm grateful for your help," she thanked Nathaniel. 

"I think we can return the Firebolt to Mr Potter," the wizard commented.

"Yes, I agree," she replied positively. "I think he'll be happier at the time of the match."

*****

Ron and Harry walked down the corridor on their way to dinner. 

"What do you think it is?" Ron asked Harry after the latter had mentioned that Lupin might be ill.

"I don't know yet," Harry replied thoughtfully. "But it can't be serious, otherwise Dumbledore would be there to help him," the boy had enormous faith in the Headmaster.

As they walked, they heard a loud sound of impatient footsteps behind them. 

It was Hermione, walking behind them, carrying her rucksack full of books that wouldn't close. 

"Why are you making so much noise?" asked Ron, irritated. 

"Nothing," Hermione replied in a superior tone, slinging her rucksack over her shoulder. 

She didn't want the boys to trample on her feelings again. 

After complaining to Professor McGonagall about their welfare and being ignored by both of them, she decided not to get involved with them again.

She quickened her pace to pass them both.

"Hey! Wait," Ron said as he tried to stop her. "I was wondering what Lupin's problem was," he said.

"Well, isn't it obvious?" the girl said with a look of superiority that got on Ron's nerves.

 "What is it?" he asked curiously.

"I'm not going to tell you," Hermione smiled victoriously.

"If you don't want to tell me then don't," Ron replied harshly.

"Fine," Hermione said arrogantly and walked away. 

"She doesn't know anything," Ron said to Harry, glaring spitefully at the girl as she walked away. "She's just trying to get us to talk to her again."

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