After surveying the scene for a bit, the two decided not to linger on the wall any longer. The priority now was to find Ginny.
As the young girl landed, just as she was pondering where Ginny might have gone, Glenn grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her closer to him.
"What's wrong?" Hermione looked up, her train of thought interrupted, but she knew that Glenn wouldn't pull her without reason, "Do you have any ideas about Ginny?"
"Don't act rashly." Glenn briefly replied with these three words and indicated Hermione to look back the way they came.
Since Glenn and Hermione were the last young wizards to arrive at the scene, there was no one behind them, but now it was different. Hermione peeked out from behind Glenn and saw a familiar figure slowly walking towards them.
It was Ginny they were looking for.
Hermione raised an eyebrow, ready to run over and check on the girl's condition, but realized her wrist was firmly held by Glenn. Thinking it through, the words that were about to escape her lips got stuck in her throat, and she swallowed them slowly.
She lightly bit her lip and eventually spoke up, trying to maintain the usual tone and demeanor she used when talking to friends, despite her forced calmness.
"Ginny, come over here." Hermione gestured, and Ginny, who had already reached this corridor, noticed the commotion and hesitated for a moment before finally walking over.
Only upon closer inspection could one see that Ginny looked very unwell. Not only was her complexion pale, but her cheeks were slightly sunken, her red hair was a bit messy, and the strands at her temples were damp, sticking to her face.
"You don't look well... Did you go to the infirmary? No wonder we didn't see you earlier." Ginny stopped about a meter away from her, but Hermione seemed unconcerned, as sharp as ever in noticing Ginny's unusual state, and quickly provided an excuse for her, "Did you have trouble sleeping again last night?"
This was Ginny's explanation for what had happened to her.
Ginny nodded, seemingly agreeing with Hermione's words, showing a hint of discomfort as she held her forehead, "I went to Madam Pomfrey for some medicine. Although I'm still a bit uncomfortable, I'm feeling much better now."
"But what happened here?" she asked.
"...The Heir of Slytherin launched another attack, just outside our common room," Hermione replied. "If you're not feeling well, you should tell us. It's not very safe at Hogwarts right now, and it's dangerous to walk alone."
Ginny nodded, "I understand, Hermione. Sorry to make you worry."
Hermione felt a chill in her heart, but she continued talking to Ginny.
"You don't seem to be in good shape today. We're having a pajama party in dormitory 102 before lights out tonight. Can you still come? I mentioned it to you yesterday."
The young girl looked both expectant and worried, her big brown eyes shining as she looked at Ginny.
Ginny hesitated for half a second and naturally replied, "I don't think I can make it. You guys have fun without me."
Glenn listened with interest to Hermione's feigned childish remarks while observing Ginny's physiological reactions.
Rapid breathing, accelerated heartbeat, increased body temperature, sweaty palms, dilated pupils...
"Lying."
Glenn gave his assessment.
"Oh, what a pity. Make sure to rest well when you go back," Hermione sighed, looking regretful. At this moment, the crowd ahead dispersed, and Dumbledore, who had somehow taken the petrified young wizard away, disappeared down the corridor. The other young wizards scattered like birds and beasts, each hurriedly heading back to their dormitories, and the path to the Gryffindor common room was no longer blocked.
"Glenn and I need to go to the library. Ginny, you should go back and rest," Hermione said.
Ginny nodded, turned around, and left, following the main group of Gryffindors back to the common room.
Hermione said nothing, watching Ginny's figure disappear into the passage behind the portrait of the Fat Lady. She then pulled Glenn towards the staircase, her hand completely soaked with sweat.
"Ginny is not 'Ginny.'"
"If it were the real Ginny, she wouldn't have responded to what I just said to her with so many words."
Speaking too much leads to mistakes, trying to add to the conversation only exposed the truth.
"And the pajama party thing is fake," Hermione whispered uneasily. "I never mentioned such a thing to Ginny last night."
Overconfident, not believing for a second-year wizard to trap her in conversation.
"She's been controlled by the Heir of Slytherin!"
As a result, her true identity was seen through by Hermione.
"Don't be agitated." Glenn squeezed Hermione's hand, signaling her to calm down. "I could feel she was lying just now."
"So what do we do now?" Hermione asked urgently, trying to calm herself but still a bit flustered.
After all, hearing about someone being controlled might not feel like much, but when it happens to someone close to you, especially a friend, it becomes incredibly eerie and frightening.
"Wait," Glenn said, continuing to explain, "Wait for Ginny to break free from the Heir of Slytherin's influence."
"We can basically determine that guy's modus operandi now."
"There were a few small bloodstains on Ginny's robe, and she had sweated a bit, with her temples damp from sweat, and her hair blown messy by the wind."
"Her complexion was even paler than before, and when we saw her, I could sense the blood flow in her body slowing down."
"Physiological reactions after intense exercise, I suspect it was running to avoid the approaching wizards."
"The Heir of Slytherin is indeed controlling Ginny's actions to command the serpent to attack students."
"Hermione, you must have tried to sense Ginny's state earlier, right?" Glenn asked.
Hermione knew what Glenn was referring to, and she nodded, "The holy power I transferred to Ginny has indeed completely disappeared, leaving no trace."
"After Ginny left us last night, she must have come into contact with something, whether a person or an object, which led to her being controlled by the Heir of Slytherin again."
"Later, once we're sure Ginny's consciousness has returned, we'll go find her."
"For now, let's make some preparations for what's to come."
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