Chapter 65 — The Marauder's Map
No one knew which House had started the rumor, but a strange story had spread through the castle.
It spoke of a ghost who had been single for a thousand years, wandering Hogwarts and taking revenge on couples.
Of course, the ghosts of Hogwarts had always denied that such a spirit existed.
Douglas, however, had always suspected that he, Bill, and Charlie might have indirectly created the legend themselves.
Back then, the couples they reported had probably cursed them in frustration.
He clearly remembered several upright Hufflepuff seniors once discussing in their common room how to curse ghosts.
After all, during their school days many girls had written love letters to them.
Yet the three of them had remained completely single until graduation.
The pure kind of single.
Of course, what Douglas was doing tonight wasn't only about protecting the "purity" of Hogwarts.
More importantly, it was part of his long-term plan to introduce morning exercises as an official activity at Hogwarts.
As an ordinary professor, he couldn't simply demand that students wake up early and go running.
But through detention, the number of students participating could gradually increase.
He silently thanked Hogwarts for trusting its professors enough to let them design their own detention tasks.
Just as he was about to search for the second wandering couple, he noticed something unusual on the Marauder's Map.
A single ink dot was moving toward the Forbidden Forest.
Douglas recognized the name immediately.
It belonged to a third-year Hufflepuff student.
Douglas frowned.
It was already late at night, and the student was heading toward the Forbidden Forest—and from Hufflepuff of all Houses.
When he studied the movement carefully, he realized the destination was not near Hagrid's hut, which made him feel slightly relieved.
Recently Douglas had often used his morning runs as an excuse to pass by Hagrid's place and check on his chickens.
Hagrid had noticed Douglas wandering around his cabin every morning.
Although Douglas never disturbed his sleep, being watched by a professor while napping still felt strange.
When Hagrid realized Douglas often glanced at the chickens—whether intentionally or not—he assumed Douglas wanted to make beggar's chicken again but was too embarrassed to ask.
So Hagrid generously offered to give him three or four chickens.
Douglas had declined.
Apparently even Hagrid, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, had become cautious about his food.
Returning his focus to the present, Douglas saw the ink dot nearing the edge of the map.
He immediately ran toward an open corridor.
Then, accelerating suddenly, he stepped on the wall with his left foot and kicked upward with his right—
Using the long-forgotten technique of running on air.
Above Hogwarts Castle, a cry rang out—
The call of a crane that had not been heard for three years.
He Once Wanted to Ride a Crane to Ascend to Heaven, but Instead Became the Crane
Black robes.
White wings.
A red crown atop his head.
Under the moonlight, a massive red-crowned crane soared across the sky above Hogwarts.
It glided silently through the clouds before diving sharply downward.
Like a streak of white lightning, it descended toward the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Douglas returned to human form, quietly hiding behind a tree as he observed the Hufflepuff student.
The student had clearly noticed something white descending nearby.
After hesitating briefly, he deliberately changed direction and continued walking.
Douglas sighed softly and followed deeper into the forest.
This was precisely why he disliked using his Animagus form on school grounds.
It attracted far too much attention.
And a creature like a red-crowned crane didn't exactly belong in Scotland.
It was easy for people to draw the wrong conclusions.
Unfortunately, this transformation was not something he had chosen.
Becoming an Animagus had cost him three full years of effort.
The first step alone had failed seven times.
A mandrake leaf must be held inside the mouth for an entire month—from one full moon to the next.It cannot be swallowed or removed.If it leaves the mouth even once, the entire process must begin again.
For a Hufflepuff, that requirement had been extremely difficult.
The second step had also failed four times.
His luck had been terrible.
During the next full moon, the leaf soaked in saliva must be placed inside a transparent vial and exposed to pure moonlight.If clouds block the moonlight, the process must begin again with a new mandrake leaf.
He finally succeeded on the seventh attempt.
Douglas couldn't help sighing.
Seven truly was a magical number.
Once the first two steps were completed, the rest was straightforward—as long as one remained careful.
If he hadn't known that Animagi could retain their sanity in Azkaban, avoiding the full effects of the Dementors, he might never have persevered so many times.
At the time, Douglas had feared Voldemort's return.
As a Muggle-born wizard, he might one day have his wand broken.
If he were imprisoned in Azkaban, becoming an Animagus could prevent him from losing his mind while waiting for Voldemort's eventual defeat.
During his time at Hogwarts, Douglas had often imagined merging magic with cultivation traditions.
He dreamed of turning his broom into a flying sword, converting Potions into alchemy, and creating talismans to subdue ghosts.
Upon graduation he had imagined wearing a Daoist robe, ascending to heaven atop a crane while awed wizarding fans watched in admiration.
Perhaps that dream had influenced his transformation.
His Animagus form had indeed become a crane, elegant and otherworldly.
The only problem—
He had wanted to ride a crane.
Not become the crane being ridden.
After Bill Weasley once joked about wanting to experience flying on Douglas's crane form, Douglas had never transformed in front of him again.
The only people who knew about his Animagus form were Bill and Charlie.
Well…
Some of the creatures in the Forbidden Forest knew as well.
While Douglas drifted through these memories, the Hufflepuff student had already stepped deeper into the forest.
Fortunately, the distance between them was small, and the student had not noticed him.
Douglas observed quietly, trying to understand the boy's purpose.
The student moved cautiously, glancing around nervously.
Even from hiding, Douglas could see the boy's body trembling constantly in the dim moonlight.
The boy was muttering something under his breath.
When he reached a spot illuminated by moonlight, his trembling grew even worse—as though a monster might leap from the darkness at any moment.
Douglas rubbed his nose.
If you're this afraid, why come into the Forbidden Forest at night?
The student attempted the Lumos Charm three times before finally lighting his wand.
Then he pulled out a silver knife.
After carefully measuring the distance from the forest edge, he began carving words into the bark of a nearby tree.
Even while carving, he looked ready to run at any moment.
Douglas frowned slightly.
Was he leaving a message for someone?
He waited silently until the student finished.
The boy then ran out of the forest in panic, nearly crying.
After confirming with a Revealing Charm that no one else was nearby, Douglas stepped forward.
He illuminated the tree with his wand.
The carved words read:
"Patrick Quincy is no coward!"
Douglas's mouth twitched.
After waiting so long, this was what he had been watching?
He checked the Marauder's Map again.
The boy was still some distance from the castle.
Douglas decided to catch up and ask why.
Suddenly, another detail caught his attention.
On the map, several names were overlapping at the door of his office:
George WeasleyFred WeasleyArgus FilchMrs. NorrisPeeves
Douglas soon caught up with the student.
The boy's name was Patrick Quincy.
Because he was a Hufflepuff, Douglas didn't immediately deduct points or criticize him.
Instead, he helped the boy to his feet after startling him badly with his sudden appearance.
It took a while for Douglas to calm him down.
Eventually the truth came out.
"Professor… everyone looks down on me.
But I'm really scared…
The Astronomy Tower is so high. Every time I climb it, I feel like I'm going to fall.
In flying lessons I've never gone higher than ten feet.
I'm also afraid of the dark.
And I don't have much talent for magic. I learn far slower than everyone else.
Originally a Slytherin student wanted to make a bet with me, but I refused.
My classmates told me it didn't matter.
They said Hufflepuffs don't care what other people think.
But… Zacharias Smith called me a coward.
He said I had damaged the honor of Hufflepuff.
That he couldn't even hold his head up in front of students from other Houses anymore.
So… for the honor of Hufflepuff…"
Douglas looked into the boy's sincere eyes and chose to believe him.
A little Legilimency had helped.
He hadn't entered the boy's memories, but the spell allowed him to sense that Quincy was telling the truth.
Douglas also remembered Zacharias Smith—and not fondly.
He had always wondered how Smith had ended up sorted into Hufflepuff.
The Sorting Hat deserved a negative review.
Finally Douglas spoke with some regret.
"Mr. Quincy, I'm glad you care about the honor of your House.
But unfortunately I cannot reward this behavior.
According to school rules, wandering the castle at night and entering the Forbidden Forest should result in fifty points deducted from Hufflepuff."
He paused.
"However, as a fellow Hufflepuff, I admire your courage in trying to defend your House's honor.
Therefore I will deduct twenty points instead.
Professor Sprout will inform you of your detention."
Douglas escorted the boy back to the castle and parted with him in the entrance hall.
Before leaving, Douglas said gently,
"Mr. Quincy, don't try to prove your courage through such meaningless actions in the future.
Sometimes the courage to restrain foolish impulses is a far greater form of bravery.
And remember—
Your classmates are right.
Hufflepuffs truly don't care what other people think.
Protecting the honor of your House takes many forms.
Good luck."
After saying that, Douglas hurried toward his office.
After all—
Who knew what might happen when those four troublemakers were gathered together?
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