Chapter 164 - 163 — Even the Ghost Was Petrified

Chapter 164: Chapter 163 — Even the Ghost Was Petrified

# Chapter 163 — Even the Ghost Was Petrified

Because of Vesey’s behavior, anyone who wanted to speak ill of Harry would find a secluded place where they wouldn’t be discovered.

If Harry and the others happened to catch them, they would immediately apologize and leave, making it impossible for Harry to even get angry at them properly.

In short, there was never a shortage of people who suspected that something was wrong with Harry.

Some even believed that Harry’s poor relationship with the Dursleys was his own fault.

Sometimes, Harry really wanted to beat them all up.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t.

There were simply too many of them for him to fight.

Besides, they had only heard rumors. They hadn’t actually concluded that Harry was responsible for the attacks.

That left Harry utterly speechless.

All he could do was stick close to Vesey and the others as much as possible and try not to listen to those people.

But one day, when he went to the bathroom, he happened to run into Hagrid.

Hagrid was carrying two dead chickens and looked rather angry.

"A lot of them have died this term. I ought to ask Madam Pomfrey for some medicine!"

Harry comforted him for a while before continuing upstairs, his mind wandering.

After walking for some time, he realized that he’d somehow ended up in a secluded corridor.

The lights were dim, and a biting cold wind blew in through the windows.

Harry didn’t pay much attention at first and continued walking forward. He could always turn back later.

But then—

His foot struck something hard.

He warily lowered his head, only to find Justin’s stiff face lying right at his feet.

He hurriedly pulled his foot back.

That wasn’t all. There was someone beside Justin who surprised Harry even more.

"Nick!"

The name escaped his lips.

Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, had been petrified too.

Harry had never expected this.

Could ghosts be petrified as well?

No!

His heart suddenly began pounding like a drum.

Glancing at the trail of spiders fleeing through the window, he knew he couldn’t stay here.

If he remained, the entire school would accuse him of petrifying Nick and Justin.

If he disappeared from the scene, at least they wouldn’t have a reason to keep suspecting him forever.

There was a secret passage nearby, and he knew where it was. He could leave through it.

But—

It was too late.

Just as Harry was about to move, Peeves suddenly emerged from the secret passage.

"Well, well! It’s the Heir of Slytherin, Potter! What is little Potter doing here? Up to no good, are we? I’m going to report you to—"

Peeves’s voice abruptly cut off.

He stared at the petrified Nick with his mouth hanging open. Then he straightened up and immediately moved as far away from Harry as possible.

He began shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Come and see! Someone, come quickly! Potter’s done it again! I caught him red-handed! Even ghosts aren’t safe from him!"

"No, shut up..."

Harry’s voice was weak.

His legs felt like jelly. He couldn’t even imagine what kind of punishment awaited him.

Would he be arrested?

At worst, he’d be expelled, wouldn’t he?

Before, those people hadn’t had any evidence. But now Peeves was a witness!

**Bang!**

**Thud, thud, thud!**

Every door along the corridor flew open. Students poured out in droves, and many more came rushing up from other floors.

Harry was soon surrounded.

He felt as though his fate had been sealed.

"He’s been caught red-handed this time, hasn’t he? I wonder how his sister is going to defend him now!"

Ernie appeared in front of the crowd and shouted triumphantly.

"Shut up!"

It was Vesey’s voice.

As before, she stood up for her brother without hesitation.

"It’s impossible for my brother to have done such a thing! He’s been away from us for barely ten minutes. He couldn’t possibly have had enough time!

"Besides, petrifying a ghost is absolutely beyond the abilities of an ordinary student. Even professors might not be able to do it! Don’t just follow the crowd and jump to conclusions!

"Furthermore, whether my brother is a bad person is something for the professors and the headmaster to decide. If they can’t settle the matter fairly, we can take it to the Ministry of Magic instead of letting you spread nonsense here!

"A monster, a threat, a dangerous presence has appeared in our castle. We should be standing together, not fighting among ourselves!"

[Ding! Energy Points +10]

[Ding! Energy Points +10]

[Ding! Energy Points +10]

[...]

"Well said!"

Professor McGonagall, who had arrived with the others, gave her approval.

She ordered Ernie to step aside.

Even Professor Sprout, Ernie’s own Head of House, looked displeased with him.

Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout carefully carried Justin away.

Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall used a large fan to move Nick.

Before leaving, she turned to Harry.

"I’m sorry, Harry. Although I don’t believe you’re the culprit, as Vesey said, you still need to be taken to the headmaster for questioning."

Harry nodded.

That was fair enough.

After patting Vesey on the head when she tried to follow him, Harry insisted on going to Dumbledore’s office alone.

He agreed with what Vesey had said. If he hadn’t done it, then he hadn’t done it. There was no reason to be afraid!

Even so, he couldn’t help feeling nervous when he arrived at Dumbledore’s office.

But the office was empty. Only a few people in the portraits were snoring in their sleep.

Harry glanced at the Sorting Hat resting behind Dumbledore’s desk, and an idea occurred to him.

He cautiously approached the hat and placed it on his head.

It sat just as it had when he first arrived at Hogwarts, almost covering his eyes.

"Is there something troubling you, Harry Potter?" the Sorting Hat asked with interest.

"I once told your sister that she could come to Dumbledore’s office and take me away whenever she liked. I’d really love to have another chat with her. Did she tell you about that?"

Harry thought for a moment, then nodded.

"She did."

But he had assumed the Sorting Hat had only been saying that out of politeness.

"I wasn’t just being polite!" the Sorting Hat protested. "I genuinely enjoy talking to her. She’s like a pure-hearted elf in this world!"

Harry couldn’t help smiling.

Then he remembered why he’d come to speak to the hat in the first place. Dumbledore would probably be back soon, so he needed to get to the point.

"Well, the thing is... I wanted to ask you something. Do you still stand by what you said before? I mean..."

The Sorting Hat lowered its voice. "You mean the matter of being sorted into Slytherin?"

"Yes. Do you still think I belong there?"

"Yes. I think it’s the House best suited to you, and you could achieve great things there..."

Before the Sorting Hat could finish, Harry pulled it off his head.

He tossed it back onto the table.

"You’re wrong!"

He felt stifled, as though he could barely breathe.

He was about to curse the Sorting Hat a little more when he heard a strange sound behind him.

Harry quickly turned around.

There was no one there.

Only an old-looking bird stood nearby.

It looked like a half-plucked turkey.

The bird was gazing at him with sorrowful eyes, and the strange sound he’d heard was still coming from its beak.

Whenever it moved, a few feathers drifted to the floor, making it look utterly miserable.

Harry couldn’t help wondering: if Dumbledore’s bird died right in front of him, would people start spreading rumors that he’d killed yet another bird?

He found a grim sort of amusement in the thought.

The Heir of Slytherin, reduced to killing a bird? That would be far too trivial.

Just as he was thinking this, the bird suddenly burst into flames.

Harry nearly jumped out of his skin.

He’d only been thinking about it! He hadn’t actually intended to earn himself another terrible rumor!