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In the common room that evening, when the excitement had finally burned out, and we were just sitting together on the couch, drawing schemes with regular pencils, deliberately adding nonsense and giggling stupidly at it, scaring the other students away, something incredible happened. Professor McGonagall walked into the common room, and some of the seniors even dropped their bottles of butterbeer out of their hands in shock - it was so unexpected. The professor walked over to our couch.

"Mr. Knight, Miss Granger."

"Good evening, Professor," breaking away from the schemes, we rose from the couch and nodded.

"May I use the silencing charms?"

We nodded again, and McGonagall circled a line around us with her wand. These are some other spells unknown to me.

"The Headmaster asked me to tell you that it's time to 'kidnap'...Miss Granger. He also said that you, as someone who has fully guessed the whole point of the task, can be present at ... the 'abduction.'"

McGonagall tried to keep a poker face, but it still conveyed the professor's dislike of what was happening.

"Of course, for your peace of mind and confidence that everything will be fine. However, the other headmasters and organizers will be there, along with Madame Pomfrey. No one will believe that you were able to figure out and calculate the point of the second task so accurately. The Headmaster would not want to discredit Hogwarts and our ministry against the background of finally improving relations between countries and schools. That's why we don't recommend you to go openly. But you will go anyway?"

"Absolutely."

"Are you familiar with the Concealing charms?"

"I am familiar with the whole complex of concealment. But from the eye of the Moody, pardon the tautology, it won't hide me, will it?"

McGonagall smiled.

"It won't. But he knows that you know... Oh, forgive me too," the professor smiled again.

"Is there anything I need to take?" asked Hermione.

"Nothing, Miss Granger. By the way, do you have any idea who else will be kidnapped?"

"I can guess," I smiled, "that it's Ron Weasley," I bent one finger, counting. "Fleur Delacour's younger sister, I don't know her name, that's two. The French girl Krum was with at the ball is three."

McGonagall looked at me with no longer hidden surprise.

"Astounding insight."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Did I tell you anything?" the professor looked at me with feigned incomprehension. "I'll be back in just a minute."

The professor removed the silencing charms with a motion of her wand. I immediately began quickly casting every conceivable concealment spell on myself and eventually managed to do it so quickly that no one even noticed my disappearance. Although, in fairness, it should be noted that this corner with a sofa in general, in a strange way, does not attract much attention.

"Are you worried?" I asked Hermione out of nowhere, to which she only shook her head.

"I know exactly how things work and what I should expect. The wand, as I understand it, will not be taken away from me. And if they do, you'll see. Then just summon it, and when you get me out of the lake, give it to me. And then we'll be good to go."

While we were talking, McGonagall walked over to Ron and Harry sitting nearby, playing chess. Just three seconds of conversation, and Ron's indignant cry erupted:

"But I didn't do anything! Why?"

"Well, ask the headmaster, follow me," the professor replied sharply and clearly, and turned to leave, glaring at Hermione. She understood without a word and followed the professor. So did I, along with everyone else.

We walked briskly through the corridors of the castle. Rarely did a student cross our path, for it would soon be bedtime.

"Whatever happened, it wasn't my fault," Ron complained, scowling.

"I don't doubt it, Mr. Weasley."

"Eh... what's she doing here? Did they do something with that de... Max?"

"You'll find out, Mr. Weasley."

"Eh... But..."

"Shut up, Mr. Weasley, or I'll be forced to use Silencio on you."

"Eh..."

And so we reached the gargoyle that had already opened the passage to the stairs and went up to the Headmaster's office. McGonagall prudently held the door open.

"Passed..." I whispered softly, and the professor nodded almost imperceptibly.