Chapter 525: The Ferret!
“Harry, are you okay?” Evan hurried over.
“I’m fine, Ron’s hurt pretty bad. Malfoy talked bad about his parents, he’s so angry!”
Evan, Harry and Hermione helped Ron up, and the poor fellow was completely knocked out by Goyle and Crabbe. They were both ruthless. Ron’s face was black and blue, and his school robe was covered with footprints.
There was a silence born out of terror in the entrance hall, as everyone looked at Moody.
Goyle and Crabbe stood there staring at the shuddering, white ferret on the ground, and they did not dare to move.
“You three better take Mr. Weasley to the school hospital. I’ll take care of things here!” said Moody, his normal eye looking at Evan, the other one pointing into the back of his head.
Evan and Harry struggled to help Ron up. They hadn’t left yet when they heard another roar coming from their side.
“LEAVE IT!” Moody shouted.
Crabbe was about to pick up the white ferret, but when he heard Moody’s shouting, he was so scared that he froze.
Moody started to limp toward Crabbe, Goyle, and the ferret, shaking his wand vigorously.
The white ferret gave a terrified squeak and took off, streaking toward the dungeons.
“I don’t think so!” roared Moody, pointing his wand at the ferret again.
The white ferret flew ten feet into the air, fell with a smack to the floor, and then bounced upward once more.
“I don’t like people who attack with their opponent’s back turned,” growled Moody as the ferret bounced higher and higher, squealing in pain. “Stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do…”
The ferret flew through the air, its legs and tail flailing helplessly.
“Never … do … that … again -” said Moody, speaking each word as the ferret hit the stone floor and bounced upward again.
“Professor Moody!” said a shocked voice.
Professor McGonagall was coming down the marble staircase with her arms full of books.
“Hello, Professor McGonagall.” said Moody calmly, bouncing the ferret still higher.
“What, what are you doing?” said Professor McGonagall, her eyes following the bouncing ferret’s progress through the air.
“Teaching,” said Moody.
“Teach … Moody, is that a student?” shrieked Professor McGonagall, the books spilling out of her arms.
“Yes,” said Moody.
“God!” cried Professor McGonagall, running down the stairs and pulling out her wand.
A moment later, with a loud snapping noise, Draco Malfoy had reappeared.
He was lying in a heap on the floor with his sleek blond hair all over his now brilliantly pink face.
After a while, he got to his feet, wincing.
“Moody, we never use Transfiguration as a punishment!” said Professor McGonagall with frustration, “Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that?”
“He might’ve mentioned it…” said Moody, scratching his chin unconcernedly, “but I thought a good sharp shock was necessary. Look at what they’ve done to that child.”
Professor McGonagall saw Ron standing beside him, supported by Evan and Harry, and she gasped again…
“Who can tell me what’s going on?” Her mouth was tightly pouted.
“Three against one, and in a sneak attack, I saw it all from the stairs!” said Moody in a rough voice.
“All right, 20 points from Slytherin, Mason, Potter, take Mr. Weasley to the school hospital, and so do you, Miss Granger!” Professor McGonagall turned to look at Moody and frowned. “Moody, what Mr. Malfoy did is wrong, but we don’t usually use Transfiguration as a punishment. We give detentions or speak to the offender’s Head of House!”
“I’ll do that, then,” said Moody, staring at Malfoy with great dislike.
Malfoy, whose pale eyes were still watering with pain and humiliation, looked malevolently up at Moody and muttered something in which the words “my father” were distinguishable.
“Oh yeah?” said Moody quietly, limping forward a few steps, the dull clunk of his wooden leg echoing around the hall. “Well, I know your father of old, boy… You tell him Moody’s keeping a close eye on his son … you tell him that from me… Now, your Head of House will be Snape, will it?”
“Yes,” said Malfoy resentfully.
“Another old friend,” growled Moody. “I’ve been looking forward to a chat with old Snape… Come on, you…” And he seized Malfoy’s upper arm, pointed his wand at Goyle and Crabbe, and marched them off toward the dungeons.
Professor McGonagall stared anxiously after them for a few moments, and then waved her wand at her fallen books, causing them to soar up into the air and back into her arms.
“You guys go to the school hospital soon.” She sighed and said, “The rest of you, hurry in for dinner. Do not gather here.”
Evan, Harry and Hermione took Ron to the hospital, and along the way, the three of them were still discussing the matter.
“I can’t believe that Moody turned Malfoy into a ferret; shame that Ron didn’t see it,” said Harry.
“Professor McGonagall said that it was wrong; he can’t punish a student with Transfiguration,” said Hermione, “He could have really hurt Malfoy. Fortunately, Professor McGonagall stopped it in time.”
“It’s Malfoy, Hermione!” Harry pointed to Ron. “They made Ron like this, and they deserved to be punished.”
“But…”
“Moody doesn’t care about school rules. He has his own set of principles,” said Evan.”And he’s afraid of nobody.”
He had to admit that Caresius acted really like Moody, and that what happened was exactly what Moody would do.
As long as he went on like this, the whole school should focus on him, which would create opportunities for Barty Crouch Jr to make his move.
It was also unclear who Barty Crouch Jr. was impersonating, and it was a real trouble to find him as soon as possible. But Evan didn’t have a clue about who he might be hiding as.
While he was hiding well, he still wanted to take Harry out of school. Sooner or later, he would make his move and be known.
At that time, if Evan played his cards right, he should be able to get close to him, and get even more information from him…
After the lot brought Ron to the school hospital, Madam Pomfrey soon healed him.
Ron woke up and everyone told him what had just happened.
Even when he heard that Moody had turned Malfoy into a bouncing ferret, Ron didn’t feel much better.
“That’s what he deserved, isn’t it?” said Ron, shaking his fist hard, “He insulted my parents so, any kind of punishment is not too much for him. I really want to be stronger and then give Malfoy a good lesson, as well as Goyle and Crabbe, turning all three of them into slugs and stepping on them!”
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