Part 46

 Garrett, with all his equanimity, looked her straight in the eye. He had lied to his aunt before, but these were not serious things, for example, "I don't throw my stuff around, no, I really did my homework, but my neighbor's owl ate it!" But now, for the first time in his life, he had to lie to his aunt for real.

 "Really?" Matilda didn't believe him, but she knew how he behaved when he was lying. Now she didn't see any signs of lying in him, and yet her whole gut said that he was lying or not telling the truth. At that moment, a distinctive knock was clearly heard from the entrance. Matilda immediately turned around and left the common room. Garrett exhaled sharply and sat back down on the couch.

 By early morning, a whole group of magicians from the ministry came to Hogwarts, and all of them were attracted only by the cave that Matilda and Sharpe discovered just yesterday. Everyone stood around and stared at the sphere and figured out what to do with the new discovery, and the boy who was sealed inside it seemed to have been forgotten altogether.

 "We should carefully study this phenomenon. I think the discovery of a new kind of magic will excite the magical community," said an old man in a cylindrical hat with a bushy beard, barely holding himself together, adjusting thick-lensed glasses.

 "No, it can be perceived as the discovery of a new dangerous weapon. It is better to keep silent about its existence, and even better to get rid of it," the man standing next to him cautiously commented on his point of view.

 "I beg your pardon?! How can you say that? Perhaps we are now dealing with a long-lost kind of magic. How dare you allow such a thought as destruction?!" A tall, skinny woman hung with gold jewelry from head to toe objected.

 At that moment, a young man appeared out of nowhere right in the middle of the crowd.

 "Let's discuss this when we move this area to the Ministry of Magic!" Smiling, he added in the silence that followed. Among all those present, he was distinguished by his youthful appearance.

 "Tavish! How 'nice' to meet you here!" The rich sorceress spoke through her teeth.

 "And I'm so glad to meet you! You look dazzling as usual, Madame Kenna!" The young man nodded slightly in her direction, which caused the woman to just roll her eyes.

 "And where is the director? Mr. Black?" Someone from the crowd asked. Everyone started looking around, but only Sharpe and Weasley were there from school.

 "While our 'very busy' principal has not yet arrived, I will speak on behalf of the school," said Matilda, taking a step forward.

 "Of course, he probably doesn't even know what's going on right under his nose," added the old man standing closest to the sphere. He cast an appraising glance at the Weasleys.

 "I assure you gentlemen, Principal Black knows what is going on at his school, and he, like all of us, is concerned about what is happening!" Matilda protested, trying not to fall into the dirt, but even with all her severity, these words hardly came out of her.

 "Mrs. Weasley, how nice to see you as deputy director!" The young man replied, smiling.

 "Mr. Tavish, I haven't seen you since high school," Matilda said happily.

 "I'm not surprised you're working at the ministry now," Sharpe chimed in. "Just three years ago, you sat in my potions class." They shook hands.

 "No, thanks to such wonderful teachers, I became who I am now," Tavish replied kindly.

While everyone was standing idly discussing the latest news, the sphere began to slowly rise up.

 "Look!" Kenna exclaimed, taking out her wand and pointing it at the sphere. Everyone around started up and followed her example. No one expected that the ball would suddenly begin to hover over them.

 "I told you that we need to get rid of him!"

 "Where is the director?!"

 "If we don't take any measures now, the school will be in danger again!"

 "Let's all calm down!"

 "As having the highest status among the magicians here, I command!" Get rid of this dangerous sphere!

 "There is a child inside! You won't dare do anything to him!"

 "That's enough!"

 Noah couldn't move; he had no idea where the voices of strangers were coming from. He didn't even have the strength to open his eyes.

 "It's okay, I won't let anyone hurt you," a voice said directly above him. And in an instant, he was overwhelmed by a feeling of immense warmth and care, as if he had forgotten all his worries. The fear disappeared like a hand; the corners of his lips lifted in a soft smile, and he fell into a very deep and soft sleep.