Harry Potter: Charlie and the Candy Factory

The night was quiet, covered by thin clouds, and the moon appeared and disappeared. Outside the castle, there seemed to be a wind blowing, blowing the leaves on the branches of the willow, making a subtle rustling sound.

Harry and Draco were sitting in the aisle between the bookshelves in the restricted book area, with the lantern emitting a warm yellow glow, back to back, each reading the books in their hands quickly.

The pages of the book in their hands kept turning. As time passed, various books with different covers and sizes began to pile up around them. In a short time, the originally spacious aisle was completely filled with books.

Block.

Finally, with a "Peng" sound, Draco closed the last book in his hand with force.

Then he twisted his somewhat stiff neck, turned his head tiredly, looked at Harry behind him, and asked

"How's it going? Did you find any clues there?"

However, Harry's answer also made people feel helpless.

Harry also put down the book, sighed, and shook his head wordlessly. The meaning he expressed was naturally self-evident.

Immediately, Harry raised his head and looked through the window not far from the library at the lightless night outside. He rubbed his sore eyes and couldn't help but ask.

"What time is it, Draco?"

"have no idea."

Draco supported the ground with his hands, stood up reluctantly, stretched his stiff torso and completely numb legs, then pondered for a moment, and estimated

"It's probably past twelve o'clock."

After saying that, Draco stretched out his hand to pull Harry up, who was also sitting in the aisle, and then bent down to lift the lantern.

"I have been searching for so long, but I found nothing..."

Harry said while moving the books on the floor back to the bookshelf next to him. His little face was unabashedly filled with frustration.

However, compared to Harry's frustration, Draco was very open-minded.

He smiled, put the lantern aside, and continued to bend down to collect the books on the ground with Harry, while calmly comforting Harry in turn.

"Actually, I have long thought that this is not something that can be done easily and casually. Otherwise, with my uncle's intelligence, it would be impossible for me not to make up for this spell until graduation. Right?"

After hearing Draco's words, Harry's mood indeed improved a little, and the original depression on his face also eased a bit.

He looked at the other person, smiled and nodded.

Then, he suddenly thought of something and suggested:

"Maybe next time we can ask Ron to join us. The efficiency will definitely be much faster with one more person!"

However, in the face of Harry's suggestion, Draco couldn't help curling his lips and continued the work of packing the books at hand, mocking casually

"With his brain, let alone improving work efficiency, as long as he doesn't hold me back, thank God."

It was no surprise that the two people were hurting each other. He knew that the two people would not have any other conflicts except their words. So he just smiled at Draco's words.

, continued

"Ron just doesn't like to think. To be honest, from the perspective of a friend, Ron can be said to be a very reliable guy."

Draco shrugged noncommittally, but didn't say anything more.

The two people were talking while quickly tidying up everything around them.

Then he took the lantern that had started to flicker faintly and walked along the way he came from, towards the Slytherin lounge.

As he walked on the road and looked at the lanterns that were flashing faster and faster, Draco knew that the little kerosene he had prepared was probably all used up.

Fortunately, I took out my magic wand and used the "fluorescence flash" to illuminate the road...

After a long period of unremitting study and training, although Draco is not yet at the level of passing the O.L.W. Wizarding Examination, it is more than enough compared to a third-year student.

For small magic like fluorescent flashing, it can be said to be even more convenient to use.

"Harry..."

Suddenly, Draco turned his head, glanced at Harry who was holding the lantern for him behind him, and asked

"Did you see any interesting books in the restricted area?"

"Well..." Harry was stunned for a moment, then raised his head, and after pondering for a moment, he replied

"I remember a book about a famous dark wizard from the fifteenth century..."

"Besides this?"

"There is also a book about vampires. There are many semi-anatomical pictures on it, but because it is densely packed with words, I just glanced at it briefly and put it back."

"Cool... I like vampires." Draco confirmed this. He nodded and also shared his gains.

"I found a book that when opened, a human face would come out of it, and that face would smile at me... and a scroll about alchemy in the 16th century, what's it called... "Human Skin Alchemy Scroll""

"Really human skin?" Harry opened his eyes wide and felt a gloomy wind blowing around him, causing him to shrink his neck.

"Probably...it feels strange to the touch."

Draco didn't take it seriously. Probably because he often secretly came into contact with his father's forbidden items with black magic at home, so subconsciously, he didn't feel fear because of what it said about "human skin rolls", but instead felt a sense of fear.

In high spirits.

…………………………

Soon, the two people passed through a winding maze-like corridor and came to the corner leading to the stairs.

As long as they go down the stairs, it won't take long to return to the Slytherin dormitory. By then, they will still have a lot of time to rest in order to cope with the numerous classes and homework tomorrow.

Thinking this, Harry seemed to feel a little sleepy. He couldn't help but yawned, and his steps became a little lighter.

However, just when the two of them came to the corner of this corridor and only needed to turn a corner to reach the stairs, a sudden sound caused their footsteps to stop abruptly.

"Okay...I understand."

The voice was low and hoarse, and in a daze, it gave Harry a somewhat familiar feeling.

The sleepiness that had just arisen was immediately dissipated by this sound.

The foot he raised immediately floated in mid-air, as if frozen, without any movement.

Subconsciously, he turned his head and looked at Draco.

At this moment, the wand in Draco's hand has been extinguished. The light that originally shrouded the two of them quietly disappeared.

"Who is it?"

Harry carefully leaned against the wall, just like he did when he first met Filch, and then asked Draco in a low voice.

Draco frowned slightly. He shook his head and said nothing. Instead, he took a step carefully, arched his body, stuck out half of his head, and cast his gaze in the direction of the stairs.

What he saw was a blurry figure.

The man looked like he was wearing a large robe. His back was turned to them, so no other details could be seen.

He didn't hold anything like a lamp in his hand, and he didn't use fluorescent flashing lighting like Draco did.

It was as if he was born to adapt to such darkness, and could see everything clearly with just the faint moonlight coming in through the glazed windows.

The man just stood there and didn't move much. He just occasionally said something to himself. Although his voice was very small, Draco could vaguely hear something similar to "Okay", "If so"

An answer like "Whatever you wish" looks like you are having some kind of conversation with someone.

However, he did not see any other figure. The stairs were empty, with only that person standing there...other than that, there was not even a ghost.

At midnight, the castle shrouded in darkness... in the gloomy corridor, a figure stood there, muttering to himself in a low and terrifying voice.

All these are put together, and it can be regarded as a qualified horror film without any other modifications.

Even Draco, who could talk and laugh with Harry just now when he mentioned the human skin roll, couldn't help but feel goosebumps rising all over his body, causing his slightly frowning brow to curl up into a knot unconsciously.

Harry also followed Draco's example, bowed as hard as he could, exposed his head from behind the wall, and looked towards the strange figure.

He held his breath, widened his eyes, and looked carefully through the thick lenses of his glasses... He even forgot to breathe for a while.

Not long after, the figure started to move.

He leaned down, knelt down in front of the empty staircase, and gave a big gift. Then he stood up again and walked along the stairs towards the third floor.

It wasn't until there was an uncomfortable sound of "creaking" from the old stairs that the figure completely disappeared from the sight of the two of them. Harry finally came to his senses and took in a sharp breath of cold air.

Lung, then turned his head and looked at Draco.

"Who is that guy!?"

Harry's slightly trembling voice revealed his complicated mood and fear.

I originally thought that it was just a trip to the restricted book section with Draco, which was no big deal. At most, being caught by Filch and being punished together was no big deal.

Anyway, I heard from Ron that his two twin brothers were invited to Filch's office almost every day because of such disciplinary violations, and they are still alive and kicking now, and they even find opportunities to take revenge on Filch and do some things.

Pranks and the like.

What he didn't expect was that just as the two of them had completed their mission and were about to return to the Slytherin lounge, they encountered something so sudden that he wouldn't have guessed even if he had to think hard.

.

Who is that cloaked figure?! Is he the professor we know? Or a student, or a guy running in from outside...

For a time, countless conjectures poured into Harry's head, causing him to fall into confusion on the spot. However, no matter what, the only thing that is certain is that no matter from which aspect, this guy,

They are definitely not good people...and what on earth is he going to do at this time?

Just when Harry, who was extremely at a loss, couldn't help but look at Draco, the only reliable person around him, Draco narrowed his eyes and stared in the direction of the stairs, lost in thought...

Not long after, he finally answered Harry's question.

"I don't know who he is, but..."

As he said that, he straightened up and pulled Harry to walk to where the figure was standing just now.

Facing the stairs, as long as they go down, they can go directly back to the Slytherin lounge, have a good sleep, and pretend that nothing happened. Wait until tomorrow night and continue to go to the library to find

With their original purpose, which is the so-called "spell"...

And if it goes upward, no one will know what will happen...or in other words, no one will know what they will face.

Draco's eyes were still bright, and even in the absence of light, Harry still felt that he could see the confident light in his eyes.

He used his fingers to push his hair back... Although it was not supported by hairspray, Draco still managed to keep it as oily as it was during the day.

Just listen to him continue speaking calmly

"But I know where he's going."

As he spoke, he raised his head, looked at the stairs gradually disappearing into the darkness on the third floor, and asked:

"Harry...do you remember what's on the third floor?"

At this moment, Harry was in a state of confusion. Hearing Draco's words, he bit his lips and was about to shake his head subconsciously, but suddenly - he seemed to think of something again and suddenly froze.

For a moment, he recalled what Dumbledore said when he stood in the middle of the top seat in the auditorium and looked around at the young wizards when school first started.

[The corridor on the right side of the third floor is a forbidden area... If you don’t want to die miserably, it’s best not to go there! 】

"You mean, he's going to the corridor that Principal Dumbledore doesn't allow us to pass!?"

He raised his head, looked at Draco in disbelief, and almost shouted the words in his mouth.

Draco laughed and nodded without surprise.

"pretty close."

The hand that was originally holding the wand tightened. The stairs leading to the third floor seemed to have turned into a monster's tongue at this moment, and the darkness turned into a bloody mouth, capable of swallowing up anything that came close.

…

But the more this happened, the smile on Draco's lips became more obvious.

"How's it going, Harry?"

He took a step forward, stood on the stairs to the third floor, raised his chin towards Harry, and stretched out the hand that was not holding the wand.

His choice has been self-evident since then.

Harry looked at Draco, and there was a trace of hesitation in his eyes... But soon, that hesitation completely dissipated, and courage rekindled in his chest. He nodded, and then took a step forward.

, and then firmly held Draco's hand.

"Walk!!"