Glenn focused on the images displayed within the recording crystal, his eyebrows slightly raising.
The crystal had captured everything: the culprit's face, figure, and the entire process of harming the chickens. Aside from over a month's worth of useless footage, the recording clearly revealed the perpetrator's identity.
"So, it was Ginny Weasley, the girl we saw that day," Glenn thought to himself as he reviewed the entire sequence of Ginny's actions.
Hermione's earlier assessment of the injuries on the chickens had been spot on. The tears and bruises on the carcasses were indeed caused by Ginny Weasley's violent pulling, beating, and smashing.
Withdrawing his consciousness from the recording crystal, Glenn noticed the little girl beside him sneaking curious glances his way. Without hesitation, he handed the crystal to her.
Ginny was Hermione's friend. If this truly reflected Ginny's character, Hermione should know so she could avoid her. If Hermione had a different perspective or opinion, they could discuss it together.
Moreover, Glenn found the scenes in the crystal somewhat peculiar.
Ginny Weasley's movements and posture in the recording didn't quite match what he had observed personally.
While the discrepancy could be attributed to different perspectives or his inability to use heightened perception for deeper observation and comparison, Glenn felt it necessary to investigate further.
This wasn't just for Hermione's sake—it was also for Hagrid's safety.
As Hermione watched the recording, Glenn began pondering and forming hypotheses in his mind.
One possibility was that someone had seen through his setup and, knowing he had noticed Ginny Weasley hiding behind Hagrid's hut that day, deliberately used Polyjuice Potion to impersonate her and commit the crime, framing Ginny in the process.
Another possibility was that Ginny Weasley herself had discovered his setup but couldn't dismantle it on her own. To confuse and mislead, she might have intentionally altered her posture and avoided using more efficient methods of killing.
And then… there was the most unsettling possibility…
Glenn's raised eyebrows furrowed into a frown.
After his experiences at Hogwarts last year, Glenn had come to believe that nothing was too strange to happen in this so-called "safest place in the world." For all he knew, this could be another case of an old dark wizard's fragmented soul, like Voldemort's, possessing and controlling Ginny Weasley.
In any case, this matter couldn't be ignored. Glenn had to get to the bottom of it to feel at ease.
While it could simply be a misunderstanding—perhaps Ginny Weasley was just a psychopath who enjoyed torturing small animals—it was better to wait until the investigation was complete before jumping to conclusions.
If it wasn't… Glenn's expression darkened further.
If it wasn't, and it turned out to be some malevolent entity wreaking havoc at Hogwarts again, he'd have to complain to Dumbledore about how "Hogwarts is like a sieve."
I just want a peaceful life with Hermione. Why does all this weird stuff keep happening?
Tsk. Maybe I should transfer to the North China School of Sorcery and seek refuge with my grandmother.
"Glenn, this…" Hermione had finished watching the recording crystal's contents. She turned to Glenn, her face full of disbelief. "This?"
Instead of responding directly, Glenn asked her, "Do you think she's capable of doing something like this?"
Hermione shook her head firmly. "From what I know of Ginny… no, she wouldn't do something like this!"
"Even though the recording device clearly captured her committing the act?" Glenn pressed.
"Even though the recording device clearly captured her committing the act," Hermione replied earnestly.
Glenn wanted to say more but, seeing the determination in Hermione's eyes, decided against it.
"I'd like to investigate this myself first and observe Ginny for a while," Hermione said after what seemed like a significant internal struggle. She glanced briefly at Hagrid, who was still diligently keeping watch nearby, and then lowered her voice. "Can we keep this from Hagrid for now? I feel like, until the truth is clear, it's better not to let him know the culprit is Ginny—or someone with Ginny's face. It feels unfair to Hagrid since it's his property being damaged, but if there's something deeper going on here, I don't want him to misunderstand or dislike Ginny. I also don't want Ginny's reputation to be tarnished."
Whether it was for Hagrid or Ginny, the kind-hearted little girl wanted to do her best to prevent her friends from getting hurt.
Glenn nodded. Knowing Hermione as well as he did, he had expected her to think this way.
This was Hermione.
He then shared his various hypotheses with her and gave her detailed instructions. "If that's the case, Hermione, continue treating her as you normally would, but observe her closely for any unusual behavior. Keep your distance subtly to avoid putting yourself in harm's way."
"Your safety is the most important thing. Nothing else matters," Glenn said softly, holding Hermione's hand. Through his black eye patch, he gazed at the little girl.
"I-I understand." Hermione blushed at Glenn's concern, her eyes darting away before stubbornly returning to meet his. "I'm not a little kid anymore. I know what I'm doing! You should have more faith in me."
She patted her slightly rising and falling chest and raised her chin in a gesture of assurance. "Leave the supervision and observation to me!"
"What supervision and observation?" Hagrid, finally noticing the two whispering behind his back, turned around and asked in confusion.
Since Hermione had made her request, Glenn decided to respect her wishes. Although there might be some risks involved, Hermione was no longer a weak girl incapable of defending herself. While she still had a long way to go to reach the level of Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, or even the more powerful Professor Dumbledore, her abilities far surpassed those of her peers. She was more than capable of protecting herself.
Not to mention, she was armed with numerous magical tools gifted by Glenn and his grandmother—things like "Killing Intent Detection," "Auto-Defense," "Spatial Transfer," and "Instant Recovery." She was practically a walking fortress. Even if someone as powerful as Dumbledore attacked her, she could hold her ground for over five minutes.
She was like a little turtle in a shell!
Though, of course, the little girl would never admit to such a comparison.
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