Mysterious Journey

Chapter 906: Severe Punishment

Hogwarts, Ravenclaw Common Room.

The sky outside the window gradually darkened, and Hogwarts, which had been bustling and lively all day, gradually returned to silence.

However, compared to other areas of the castle, before the tranquility of this day finally arrived, the Ravenclaw little wizards, crowded in front of the mirror, chattering about clothing matching and exchanging campus gossip, had one last scheduled activity:

[Hogwarts Quidditch Social Evening (Organized by Gryffindor)]

Apart from school-wide banquets, there weren't many social gatherings at the Hogwarts house level.

Unfortunately, the few small-scale banquets before—such as the Slytherin cold buffet, Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party, and the Hufflepuff harvest festival—Ravenclaw had missed them all for various reasons.

Therefore, this social evening was a huge temptation for Ravenclaw students.

"Are you really planning to go, Marietta?"

"Why not? If we don't go, won't we become a laughingstock for Cho Chang and the others?"

Marietta Edgecombe casually said, adjusting her earrings in front of the mirror.

"Besides, even though the theme of tonight's party is a Quidditch social evening, you don't really think everyone will just be standing there chatting about Quidditch, right? I heard Cedric Diggory from Hufflepuff will be there, and also those returning graduate students should also attend the banquet. This is a good opportunity—"

"Anyway, we agreed, Cedric is yours, but Bill Weasley is mine."

Skelly Foster shrugged her shoulders, meticulously applying eyeliner, and said worriedly.

"I heard that this Weasley senior hasn't had a girlfriend while he was in school, and I don't know what type of girl he likes. I hope he's not like his dragon-loving younger brother, that would be too much of a headache..."

"But Charlie Weasley is really handsome—"

Another Ravenclaw girl joined in, somewhat infatuatedly.

"And such boys are reassuring and not unfaithful. I heard he can handle several dragons alone—that's much better than some useless playboys." As she spoke, this girl glanced at Roger Davies, the "former Ravenclaw captain," who was sitting gloomily by the fireplace playing chess, raised her eyebrows with some disgust, and then continued to daydream about Charlie.

"Have you seen Charlie Weasley's arms and chest, those strong, sturdy muscles? It's really—"

"Too bad he's too dark-skinned and a bit too boring."

Marietta flicked her hair, and said with some regret.

"Speaking of which, besides that clumsy little boy, the other Weasley boys are all good, whether it's that Gryffindor prefect who usually looks proper, or those twin brothers—"

"Ahem?"

"Cough cough—"

Just then, they suddenly heard two slightly dissatisfied coughs beside them.

Marietta and the others turned around sharply and realized that Head Girl Penelope Clearwater and Head Student Meriel had appeared behind them at some point. Compared to Meriel, who looked helpless, Penelope's eyebrows were almost standing up.

Penelope had known for a long time that some people in her house coveted her boyfriend, and now she had caught them red-handed.

"You—" She crossed her arms with an unfriendly expression, preparing to declare her sovereignty.

"The banquet is about to start, ladies. You haven't registered with me yet—"

"Miss Peach," who had been promoted to Head Student this semester, raised the notebook in her hand and said calmly, as if she hadn't heard their conversation just now. "Given that today is Saturday and because of the social evening, the curfew time for the castle tonight has been temporarily extended to 11:30 PM, but only if you register in advance."

"Penelope and I are about to leave. If you don't plan to go, then afterwards—"

"We're going! Of course, we're going!"

"Okay, then—Marietta, Skelly, Nyssa... I've remembered."

Meriel's eyes lingered on Marietta and the others' faces, and she said meaningfully.

As she spoke, Meriel pulled out a ballpoint pen from her chest pocket—a little gift that George had given her during the summer—and quickly wrote the names of the three girls in her notebook, then added a small horizontal line on the side.

She didn't expect that George, that childish guy, would have someone trying to snatch him away.

"Alright, Penny, let's go... Your man might be waiting like an idiot, right?"

After simply updating the list of potential little bitches, Meriel didn't bother with those three little things anymore, turned around and playfully patted Penelope's butt, teasing her successor like a female hooligan.

Compared to her and George, who had established their relationship in advance due to a "contract of sale," Penelope and Percy's progress was obviously slower.

If it hadn't been for her and George's matchmaking last semester, maybe that uptight Gryffindor prefect wouldn't even know what a confession was—after having this relationship, Meriel and Penelope, who already had a good private friendship, became the closest girlfriends.

"Hey? Don't call me that... And... Head Girl Meriel, you're the Head Student now—"

A thin layer of blush appeared on Penelope's face, and she bit her lip somewhat angrily.

Ever since Meriel somehow found out Percy's nickname for her, she had been teased and ridiculed by this senior. And what annoyed her the most was that Percy, that idiot, still hadn't been able to get the weapon that could allow her to fight back from George.

"What's wrong? Has that become the exclusive name for that goose?"

"Percy isn't a goose, he's just especially serious—"

"Okay, okay, a particularly serious goose, but I really didn't expect him to actually be silly enough to insist on writing you a love letter every day during the summer until school started... Compared to that reckless guy George, he's really too—"

"Too... Too what?"

Penelope's eyes lit up, and she immediately regretted that she had reacted too quickly.

Noticing that she almost slipped up, Meriel quickly changed the subject and didn't continue talking about her little boyfriend.

For so many years, this was the first time Meriel had encountered such a bold boy who dared to secretly drive a flying car to pick her up for a joyride while her father wasn't home—the only regret was that because they had been having fun outside and forgot about the time, they were caught red-handed when he dropped her off, and she was almost beaten to death on the spot by her angry old father as a pig stealing the vegetables.

Fortunately, the Weasley family's response was quite appropriate.

After learning that their son had caused trouble, Mr. Weasley specifically took a day off from the Ministry and, together with his wife, personally escorted the "hit-and-run" "vegetable-stealing pig" to the Stripp family and unhesitatingly sold the pig that had been raised for more than ten years.

"No, nothing... Too childish, that's all—"

Meriel's gaze wandered for a few seconds, and she said casually and unnaturally.

George Weasley, that energetic little rascal, was clearly three years younger than her, but at certain times he was stubbornly overbearing to the point where she was helpless—and what made her grind her teeth the most was that after teasing her halfway, he stubbornly insisted on being innocent.

"Oh—"

Penelope said oh meaningfully, her eyes scanning Meriel's slightly flushed cheeks.

Perhaps Percy, that silly thing, couldn't ask anything, but her helpers now weren't just Percy—she had already figured out the Weasley family's "family food chain." Ginny, who had just entered school this year, could eat all her brothers alive.

Slightly oppressing and bullying Percy to buy off little Ginny was such a worthwhile trade.

…………

Meanwhile, in Professor McGonagall's office.

"...The general situation is like this. I hope you can understand how much trouble you've caused the school."

Professor McGonagall looked stern, with a hint of weariness.

Under Dumbledore's good words of persuasion, Madam Malkin of Malkin's Robes for All Occasions finally left Hogwarts, but as a condition for appeasing her, the Slytherin team became the second team in the school to receive sponsorship.

"And I also promised that lady that I would severely punish you—"

She pursed her lips tightly, her eyes scanning the faces of the Weasley children who were sitting obediently in a row.

"Ginny, Fred, George, the three of you—well, given your bad behavior, you are not allowed to enter the Hogwarts Great Hall for dinner tonight—now the punishment is over, you have been taught a lesson, you can go back to the dormitory..."

"Back—it's over?" Fred couldn't help but be stunned for half a second, and said falteringly.

Professor McGonagall has always been known for her fairness and sternness. Unlike Professor Snape, who is recognized as being biased, if Gryffindor students violate discipline and bump into her, the result is often not good—anyway, they have never been given special treatment.

"What's wrong? Weasley... Aren't you hungry—"

Professor McGonagall frowned impatiently and pointed in the direction of the door.

"The social evening is about to start. As the winners of today's game, perhaps the Gryffindor common room is more suitable for you than my office—Bill, you stay for a while, there are some additional punishments for you."

"But didn't you just say you wanted to severely punish us..."

Ginny said confusedly, looking at her brothers, at a loss.

Just now, Fred and George vividly described Professor McGonagall's strictness to her.

"Huh, isn't this already a very severe and excessive punishment?"

Professor McGonagall waved her hand, pretended to be surprised, and pushed up the glasses on her nose, smiling gently.

"Don't be silly, children... We professors are not so confused that we would turn around and defend a foreign witch who insults students. If you can be a little smarter next time, forget it... Anyway, you go up first, everyone is waiting for you."

"What about Bill—"

Fred and George looked at each other and stood there without moving.

Obviously, they didn't intend to leave the office until they heard the punishment result for Bill.

"Okay, okay..."

Professor McGonagall sighed helplessly and walked to the desk to pick up a piece of paper.

"Given Bill Weasley's bad behavior in the Quidditch stands, after discussion by the Hogwarts professors, you will be confined every Saturday this semester—the confinement content is to go to the Hogwarts kitchen and cooperate with the house-elves to complete their daily work. In addition, you will also be confined every night, with the same content as Saturday."

"Uh—that's it?"

Fred looked at Professor McGonagall, and after waiting for a long time, he realized that she seemed to have finished speaking.

Since the Hogwarts kitchen was ransacked last year, the school quickly added a school rule. The Hogwarts kitchen is now almost equivalent to the restricted area of the Hogwarts library. Unless there is a formal professor's permission slip, no students can enter that area.

In Fred's opinion, this was more of a blatant privilege reward than a punishment.

"This is a very serious and solemn punishment decision."

Professor McGonagall put down the parchment in her hand and looked at Bill very seriously, trying to hold back her smile.

"As a pure-blood wizard, you now have to work like a house-elf—I understand this may be a little too unacceptable, but you must be responsible for your actions. And Madam Malkin obviously also feels that only such a punishment can be equivalent to the harm and insults she has suffered before... I hope you can learn a lesson in the future..."

"Understood! This is indeed too much of an endurance test—"

Fred nodded with a serious expression and replied earnestly.

"That's right, Bill, you must reflect on why you have to endure such humiliation—"

George also breathed a sigh of relief, singing a duet with his twin brother.

Pfft—

Watching the performance of her two treasure brothers, Ginny couldn't help but laugh out loud.

And the seriousness on Professor McGonagall's face ultimately couldn't be held back. She waved her hand helplessly.

"Alright, stop showing off here—if you want to perform stand-up comedy, I believe the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room will be more suitable for you... Now you can go back, right? I have something to talk to Bill alone. If you still don't plan to leave, then this time I will deduct points and really give you detention..."

Professor McGonagall's voice returned to the familiar crispness and sternness of before.

…………

Watching Fred and the others disappear outside the office, McGonagall waved her hand, and the door closed automatically.

"Alright, now it's just us."

McGonagall rubbed her temples and looked at Bill with a frown.

"Please explain why you did this, Mr. Weasley. This is not in line with my understanding of you."

Professor McGonagall's expression was exceptionally serious, and her lenses flashed with strange brilliance.

"Because Madam Malkin very viciously cursed Miss Granger. Unfortunately, I and Aeliana were just a short distance away from them, and the scariest thing was that Miss Casselana's hand was glowing at the time..."

Bill scratched his cheek and replied helplessly.

"...Okay, I roughly understand."

Professor McGonagall nodded in realization. So that was the insurance that Dumbledore had mentioned before.

"Good job, Weasley, thank you for your hard work. Go upstairs to attend the banquet. I'll be responsible for finishing up..."

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Yay!