Every person who greeted him seemed to be filled with curiosity, as if they all wanted to know the truth from him. Faced with their gaze, Harry's heart suddenly overflowed with anger. He was already angry enough, but now he was even more furious.
Hermione was attacked without explanation and remains in an uncertain state of life or death.
However, these people showed no concern for Hermione at all; they were more interested in the spectacle. Harry would have liked to draw his wand and cast a spell on the students lined up on either side of the corridor, who were whispering and glancing at him with strange eyes.
Although he knew that this was human nature, Hermione was not their close friend, he still couldn't control the hatred that arose in his heart. This feeling of hatred was like when he first heard that his parents were killed by the betrayal of his best friend last year.
"I hope you can control your emotions, Mr. Potter——"
Professor McGonagall noticed the hatred in Harry's emerald eyes, and she said firmly, but her tone softened as her gaze touched the scabbed bloodstain on Harry's cheek, a mark of the stones from the ground. She squeezed his shoulder gently with the arm she was using to comfort him.
"You should trust Professor Dumbledore and Professor Brean, Miss Granger will recover and the murderer who persecuted her will be punished, he will spend the rest of his life in Azkaban ——"
"Such scum deserve to be killed, not put in Azkaban!" Harry said with hatred.
"That's not what a young wizard should say, Potter. Anyway, leave it to Professor Dumbledore and Professor Brean, they will punish the murderer!"
Professor McGonagall heaved a heavy sigh in her heart and pulled Harry into the already overcrowded Hospital Wing.
In the Hospital Wing, Madam Pince rushed around the beds, binding and cleaning the wounds of the wailing wizards. Her rotund face was full of worry and madness.
Today was a leisurely day for her, as it was for many, save the two first-year wizards who had sprained their ankles in the teasing staircase and a few third-years with a bad case of the flu needing to lie down.
But she hadn't expected her day of relaxation to end so abruptly. After finishing her rounds and preparing to go down to the dining hall early for lunch, just as she stepped out of the hospital door, a rumbling like a muffled thunder rolled down the staircase.
Then, one after another, patients were rushed into the Hospital Wing in front of her, and even Madam Pince brought in two villagers from Hogsmeade with glass pieces stuck to their shoulders!
"Oh!"
Once she finally snapped back to reality, her domain was packed with the injured.
"Who can tell me what the actual situation is!"
Faced with the little wizards waiting to be bandaged, Madam Pince broke down and shouted.
Though Harry felt fine, Professor McGonagall forcibly laid him on the hospital bed and summoned Madam Pince to examine him.
The care she provided was rougher than Harry had ever experienced before. Her insistence on examining his eyes for any sign of magical incursion was nearly enough to rip his eyelid off.
"How about it, Poppy? He was quite close to Miss Granger at the time."
Professor McGonagall looked worriedly at Madam Pince as she moved around Harry.
"I think there's nothing serious, Minerva——"
Madam Pince pried open Harry's mouth while checking his tongue.
"Of course, this child has been frightened. A cup of hot chocolate milk will do wonders for him, and he'll be as good as new if he sleeps soundly. The milk is over there on that table, Minerva. If you could help me with that would be wonderful——"
After the check-up, Madam Pince rushed off to deal with the glass shards in the Hogsmeade villagers, while Professor McGonagall pushed her way through the crowd to help him pour milk, and Harry finally had time to take a look at the chaos in the Hospital Wing.
Everyone Harry knew from Hogwarts seemed to be here.
Harry saw his four housemates, Neville, Seamus, and Dean, who were standing by the door, stretching their necks to see if they had been affected by the explosion and whether they were okay. They had come to visit them after hearing about it.
Ginny, Colin, Fred, and George - members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team and classmates in P.E. class. Harry also saw Cedric and Cho Zhang in the crowd, peering inside. They were all eager to know what had happened, but Harry didn't want to deal with them now; he had no insider information to share.
Ron was one of the more seriously injured, with a thick layer of white gauze wrapped around his head, likely due to excessive bleeding. In a state of unconsciousness, he looked pale. As Madam Pince moved to stop the bleeding on McMillan's lips, she pulled the curtain over Ron's bed to help him rest better.
Then, Ron's face disappeared from Harry's sight.
Harry had no other task than to sit in silence, watching the chaotic scene around him, his head ringing.
"How is Miss Granger, Minerva?"
These affected students were brought back by Madam Pince, Professor Moody, and Professor Flitwick. After the Hospital Wing was somewhat organized, they all gathered around Professor McGonagall to ask about the situation.
"Abhorus said that Miss Granger's injuries were under control——"
In a short while, Professor McGonagall was also breathless. With the help of Professor Sprout, she spoke in a low voice.
Although she said this, everyone could tell that things were not simple, especially Professor Moody, who had been close to Hermione. He knew exactly what she had gone through.
There were many injured, but fortunately, their injuries were not severe; most had only been impacted by the shockwave.
When Snape arrived, the Hospital Wing was already well-organized, and the curious little wizards outside had been driven away by Professor McGonagall and the others to avoid disturbing the patients' rest.
"How is it, Severus?"
Upon seeing Snape enter and sit down to rest, the few professors sitting nearby immediately surrounded him. Professor McGonagall, with a worried expression, asked quietly,
"What new developments have there been with Albus?"
Harry's eyelid twitched slightly, and he immediately perked up his ears.
"Granger has been taken to St. Mungo's by Dumbledore, and the aurors from the Ministry will be protecting her safety——"
Snape glanced at Harry's bed behind Pomona, and he could tell that Harry was eavesdropping. However, he just moved his hooked nose and didn't reveal him.
"Albus also left, saying he would investigate the matter——"
A Omniaster had just returned to Hogwarts late the night before, staying for only two days before leaving the school again. Professor McGonagall merely pursed her lips, but she had no feelings of anger in her heart.
Who planned this attack and what is their purpose?
The professors in the Hospital Wing moved away to discuss, and Harry strained to hear, but he couldn't make out what they were saying.
Harry slowly opened his eyes and looked toward Ron's bed.
The curtain covering Ron's bed was moved by a gentle breeze. Harry saw Ron's pale face flash before him, only to be covered by the curtain again. The pale sunlight outside was somewhat blinding, but had no real heat. The gentle breeze blowing into the hospital room was very quiet, almost oppressive.
A commotion at the hospital entrance drew Harry's attention. He heard the heavy steps of Hagrid and the voices of Mrs. Maxima and Professor Karkaroff.
Professor McGonagall hurried past his bed, rushing to quiet them down. Harry quickly closed his eyes and turned his head to the side, feigning sleep, while his clenched fist under the blankets had already left his nails imbedded in his palm.
(Chapter ends)
