Chapter 28 Bad News

"Yu, I suggest that we need to suspend training for a while." Dumbledore handed Mu Yu a glass of lemon sorbet, "Sometimes it's good to change the taste. You've been drinking it for more than a year. Chocolate."

Mu Yu took the drink and sipped it.

"I told you before that you don't need to hide anything at your age. Young people should be more unrestrained." Dumbledore looked around at the portraits in the principal's office. Many of the portraits had already begun to take a nap.

Mu Yu put down the cup. Her concealment methods could not be hidden from Dumbledore. Dumbledore must be well aware of her declining mental state. She thought about what she once said to Tom Riddle, playing the most exciting chess game with the greatest white wizard, and now it was a joke.

She couldn't even control her own mental state.

"Professor..." Mu Yu was struggling with her words. She had already developed a habit of weaving pre-planned lines for everyone.

Her words were stopped by Dumbledore: "Yu, do you have something to tell me?"

Fox snuggled aside and dozed peacefully, and the burning candle made a faint crackling sound.

Mu Yu answered very quickly: "No, Professor."

Dumbledore looked at her for a long time: "Well, good night," he suddenly said when she was about to walk out, "There is one thing you have to remember, Yu, Hogwart Ci will not refuse anyone who needs help."

Mu Yu didn't even know how she walked out of the principal's office. She didn't go back to the lounge and went directly to the tower. It should be said that she spent a week in a row on the tower. Only the cold wind from the tower at night could keep her from falling asleep. Only by avoiding sleep can we avoid continuous dreams.

No matter it's the corridor that he can't escape no matter what, or the white-lit empty space filled with questions.

"You've been here for a week straight. You won't be the one to forget the password to the Slytherin common room." Helena glanced at the book on puppet refining that Mu Yu was reading, and she took it back with some boredom. look.

Mu Yu has been on this page for a week.

"Little girl, you are worried."

Helena was always quiet, and she never muttered noisily into Mu Yu's ears. Tonight was an exception.

Mu Yu closed the book with a snap: "I didn't." She still tried her best to maintain a gentle tone.

She found that she couldn't even stay in the west tower now, so she packed up her books and prepared to go back. She should probably practice making puppets in the dormitory again. She has scrapped several sections of agarwood. She had never experienced such a setback.

Maybe just indulging in other things is a good way to get rid of your inner demons.

"Your mother has something for you!" Helena suddenly shouted at her back. The Ravenclaw ghost, who has always been elegant and aloof, rarely makes such a fuss. Her ethereal voice echoed in the late night corridor.

"The most inaccessible tree has a scar on the trunk. Press it and you can find what she left behind."

Mu Yu turned back suddenly, her voice trembling slightly: "You, you said What."

Helena's calm expression concealed sadness: "Olivia came to Hogwarts once before she died. She predicted everything. Your grandfather would not tell your parents, and she also predicted everything. One day you will find out the answer yourself, she begged me to tell you the place after you know the answer."

The ghost's face is gradually blurring, and she is gradually fading away.

Mu Yu didn't know how she left the tower. She walked down the stairs mechanically.

The most difficult tree to get close to... There is a Whomping Willow on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Harry and Ron accidentally hit that tree when they drove to school, otherwise Ron's wand would not have become like that.

The huge clock pointed to twelve o'clock at this time. Mu Yu couldn't care less about whether it was a curfew, she just wanted to go to the Whomping Willow. She was not as concerned about Olivia's relics as Helena imagined, but just a desperate person anxiously trying to grasp at a straw.

The corridor on the first floor started to drip again. Myrtle must have made the corridor a mess again. The ruthless and crazy atmosphere in the pipeline has never dissipated. On the contrary, it is becoming more violent and thirsty for blood and killing every day.

More and more water accumulates. Bright red fonts slowly appeared on a wall at the corner of the corridor on the first floor. Harry also turned the corner at this time. He had just ended his long and tortured confinement at Lockhart's place, and found it here by following the sounds he heard in the pipes. He carefully walked through the stagnant water, and the red letters on the wall were even more dazzling.

The secret room has been opened. Those who are enemies of the heir must be alert.

A dark shadow hung beneath the burning torch. Harry rubbed his eyes and could barely see the black shadow. It was a cat with stiff limbs. Mrs. Norris.

Mu Yu apparently also noticed something unusual in the corridor. She raised her head and met Harry's eyes. Harry stared blankly at Mrs. Norris who was hanging motionless under the torch, and then looked at Mu Yu opposite. His eyes widened: "Is it... dead?"

It sounded like a stupid question.

Mu Yu walked through the stagnant water and stood beside Harry. She calmed down faster than Harry. Mu Yuzai looked at the stiff cat carefully: "No, it's just petrified. Harry, we have to tell the professors right away."

Harry nodded, but at this time he heard what he had been hearing again. There is a neighing sound.

"Kill, kill, kill."

"Yu, you, did you hear that?" Reason told him that it was very suspicious for Mu Yu to wander in the corridor on the first floor in the middle of the night, but he could not doubt Mu Yu. In their first year, they fought together against Voldemort and the two men who broke into Hogwarts to steal the Philosopher's Stone.

Of course Mu Yu could feel the surging energy, but how did Harry know.

Snake… was the first word that flashed through her mind.

"We need to tell the professor immediately." Mu Yu pulled Harry's sleeve and insisted.

But before they could start, there was a sound of footsteps running from the other end of the corridor. Before Mu Yu had time to cast the phantom talisman, Filch was already in front of them. The first thing he saw was the cat hanging on the torch, and he let out a shrill scream. Filch pointed at Mu Yu and Harry tremblingly: "Yes, it's you who killed my cat."

He grabbed the two of them without any explanation: "Very good, one is a Slytherin and the other is a Gryffindor. " , It just so happens that Professor McGonagall is on night patrol tonight, come with me."

Before he could make any further moves, Professor McGonagall had already walked over: "There is a portrait saying that someone was heard screaming in the corridor on the first floor. What happened?"

When she found the cat hanging on the wall and saw the line of blood-red fonts, she covered her mouth in disbelief: "Oh my God, my God."

She was about to say something, but there was another burst. The sound of footsteps was not just one person this time, but a group of people. Dumbledore and Snape were walking at the front, followed closely by Xu Yu and Shen Qitong.

For some reason, Mu Yu felt dizzy.

Something bad was about to happen, something worse than Mrs. Norris being petrified.

Mu Yu even hoped that time could be frozen so that they would never come back.

Unfortunately, no magic can withstand time.

"Minerva, you are here too. Severus and I are going to the Slytherin common room. Here..." Dumbledore spotted Muyu and Harry. He also saw the petrified Mrs. Norris, and he stopped talking.

His eyes fell on Mu Yu again. There were a lot of things there, pity, sadness...

Mu Yu could hardly breathe.

Xu Yu's face was cast into a shadow in the jumping firelight: "Xiaoyu..."

"Don't say it, please, don't say it."

Filch interrupted her, pointing at them and saying to Dumbledore : "Headmaster, it was them, they killed my cat!"

Dumbledore said calmly; "Let's find a place to solve everything one by one." He turned to Professor McGonagall and said, "I remember The closest one to here is Lockhart's office, Minerva, please come with us."

Professor McGonagall nodded. Filch glanced at Harry and Mu Yu with hatred, then carefully took Mrs. Norris from the shelf and held it in his arms. The group of people walked toward Gilderoy Lockhart's office.

Gilderoy Lockhart looked like he hadn't woken up when he opened the door to his office: "It's very late, sir, I don't know..." He closed it while looking at a group of people walking over. mouth.

"Something happened in the corridor on the first floor. Your office is the closest. You don't mind if we use it temporarily." Dumbledore said directly.

"Ah, of course, of course no problem." Gilderoy Lockhart opened the door wisely, "Come in, Professor Dumbledore." When he saw Harry, he looked surprised: "Harry, why are you here? Your confinement ends at eleven o'clock tonight."

Harry saw Snape hiding in the corner, his expression was very strange, as if he was suppressing laughter.

He has already made a mistake once and should be fired this time.

Harry couldn't help but imagine, and even imagined, the Dursleys gloating about their misfortune back at No. 4 Privet Drive.

"It's just one of those unfortunate things." Dumbledore said, "Mr. Xu, it's better for you to tell me first."

"No, no, I don't want to hear it."

Mu Yu had given up all thinking, as if she now The meaning of existence is to repeat this sentence mechanically.

"Xiao Yu," Xu Yu held Mu Yu's hand. The girl's hand was as cold as a piece of ice, "Zi Huai, your grandfather..."

Everything around him began to blur. Mu Yu felt like his soul was like a piece of rotten wood, turning into ashes under the last heavy rain, flowing away from this body that was also beginning to deteriorate.

The next words left only an untuned buzzing in her ears: "He... passed away."

Xu Yu couldn't help but choked up: "Xiaoyu, my condolences."

But she didn't know if it was due to the bad situation during this period . Due to the illusion caused by his state of mind, she always felt that Xu Yu's choked voice was extremely strange, as if it was forcibly spliced ​​together.

Mu Yu barely held on to the table to prevent himself from falling. She hadn't slept well for a week, and now she felt extremely sleepy. She just wanted to sleep. She even came up with some ridiculous ideas, ideas that only those who were called incompetent by her grandfather would have. Maybe when she gets some sleep now, she will realize that all this is an illusion brought about by her inner demons, and everything is fine. She can also receive her grandfather’s owl, which will contain her favorite moon cakes, sweet-scented osmanthus cake, and even Lantern Festival. He will definitely continue to wait at Mingyuan Mountain to have her favorite porridge and crabmeal dumplings prepared, waiting for her to come home from vacation.

He would gently enlighten her, telling her tactfully that nothing lasts forever, neither power nor immortality.

He will break down all her disguises one by one and advise her that peace and joy are the path she should pursue in this life.

He will go to the abyss to find her without hesitation and bring her back to the light at all costs.

I wonder if the fiery red Bianhua flowers on Mingyuan Mountain are still in full bloom. Who will patiently fertilize and water them? Will they still stretch their slender and graceful petals in the bright sunshine of the fragrant sea?

She no longer has a home.

Mu Yu didn't cry, and her eyes didn't even turn red. She firmly remembered her grandfather's words, crying is the behavior of a weak person.

She stared at the oak table, unwilling to look up.

Shen Qitong stepped forward and hugged her, patting her back gently like coaxing a child: "Cry if you want, Xiaoyu."

Mu Yu raised her head, her eyes were slightly red, but she still refused to fall. A tear: "Did Grandpa die peacefully?"

When no one answered, she tightened her grip on the jade pendant and raised her voice: "I just want to ask, did he... die peacefully?"

Xu Yu glanced at the jade pendant in her hand. , and quickly withdrew his gaze, and then said with a worried look: "Xiaoyu..." "

Mr. Xu, she has the right to know." This was the first thing Dumbledore said after entering this office.

"I found it," Shen Qitong said before anyone could ask. From the hoarse voice, it could be heard that she was as sad as Mu Yu. "I went to visit Master, and when I went in, I found...he was lying on the bed. On the sofa, it's like falling asleep."

"No." Mu Yu was calmer than ever, "There is a formation in Mingyuan Mountain, and only grandpa and I can open it...if she goes in. Grandpa has... Who opened the formation for her? There must have been another person entering before Qitong."

She said this to completely rule out Shen Qitong as a suspect.

"Xiaoyu, we know there is something fishy about this matter, and I will do my best to investigate." Xu Yu said righteously.

Mu Yu quickly turned the jade pendant in her hand, and after a few seconds of silence, she said solemnly to him: "Of course I believe you."

The dim light in the room blurred her expression for a moment.

Dumbledore suddenly interrupted: "Mr. Xu, Yu must be very tired now. We can wait until tomorrow to discuss the subsequent property arrangements. She needs to rest."

Professor McGonagall also added: "Yes, this poor child is already Enough is enough. Albus, I suggest that Miss Mu take a two-day break. After all, her studies are generally fine. Of course, Severus, you are her headmaster, what do you think?"

Snape was slow. He said: "I don't have any objections."

Filch was reluctant. He pointed at Mu Yu and said: "But, she killed my cat."

Professor McGonagall faced Filch angrily for the first time. Roared: "Your cat was just petrified! This is a very advanced magic. A second-year student cannot perform such magic at all!"

Dumbledore summed up briefly: "Minerva is right. About this I only have one question, Yu, where did you go after leaving the principal's office?"

"West Tower," Mu Yu said without thinking, "I have been in a bad state recently and like to go there to relax. I just met Ravenclaw. "

Then there is no doubt. It's already very late. Harry, Yu, why don't you go back?"

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore." Mu Yu bowed to the three professors again.

Shen Qitong still looked worried: "Xiaoyu, do you want me to accompany you tonight?"

Mu Yu forced a smile, and no one noticed that her nails had sunk into the table: "Thank you, Qitong, but tonight I will only Want to be alone for a while."

Harry didn't want to stay here at all, so he followed Mu Yu and left. They walked down the empty corridor on the first floor. He wanted to open his mouth to say something, but for a moment he didn't know how. Mu Yu's face looked even more unreal under the firelight.

There's always something to say, Harry thought. He was racking his brains to think of words, but any words seemed so weak at this time. Before he could think of what to say, Mu Yu had already spoken: "Harry, I'm fine. I just want to be alone." She showed her always gentle smile: "Thank you."

He obviously didn't say anything, but Mu Yu had already thought of everything. The light of the torch reflected on her face, making her even less cold.

However, her figure slowly walking away was completely opposite to her gentle smile.

Gaining and losing again is the only pain comparable to loss.