"Hagrid, the recording crystal did capture the culprit who killed the roosters," Glenn said, after deciding on their next steps. He threw the recording crystal onto the ground and destroyed it with a Blasting Curse before turning to face Hagrid. "However, the person was wearing a hooded black robe, so their face couldn't be identified. But I've memorized their posture, movement habits, and other details. Hermione and I will help you resolve this matter."
Glenn fabricated this plausible "lie" effortlessly, his expression calm and unflinching. Hagrid merely nodded, showing no surprise.
"That's to be expected. People who do sneaky things like this wouldn't expose their faces to others," the giant muttered, as if he'd anticipated this. "They'd rather hide in the shadows, like unnoticed little rats."
That much was true. Who would commit misdeeds without wearing something to conceal their face and figure?
Even kids pulling off minor pranks would instinctively cover their faces. Ginny's behavior and attire were clearly unreasonable.
Something was definitely off here.
Moreover, based on the footage stored in the recording crystal, the incident occurred at night. By calculating the total duration and proportion of the recorded scenes, it could be inferred that "Ginny" acted between midnight and one in the morning.
Could a timid, well-behaved first-year girl, as Hermione described her, really sneak out of Hogwarts after curfew for a midnight stroll?
Setting aside whether she'd dare to, what would be her motive? Why kill roosters?
From what Glenn knew, the Weasley family's youngest daughter might have only met Hagrid once during their visit to Diagon Alley to buy school supplies. Even if her brothers—like Percy or the twins—had mentioned Hagrid to her, could they possibly have planted negative ideas about him?
That was highly unlikely. Hagrid, with his kind-hearted and approachable nature, was well-liked by everyone. Moreover, as a fellow Gryffindor, he naturally exuded a sense of camaraderie among the Gryffindor lions. The Weasleys were also friends with Hagrid. Logically, the chances of Ginny harboring hostility toward Hagrid were extremely slim.
Considering all this information, the conclusion was clear: Ginny couldn't possibly have acted out of animosity toward Hagrid.
Of course, if it were some rare case of dissociative identity disorder or another mental illness, that would be a different story.
In any case, further investigation was necessary.
Had Ginny Weasley not been Hermione's friend, Glenn would have already reported this matter to Dumbledore and the other professors, having Ginny detained and interrogated.
Unfortunately, that option was off the table. Since Hermione was willing to fight for her friend's reputation, Glenn felt it was only right to stand by her and support her efforts.
"This matter is temporarily settled. The next step is for you to observe carefully, Hermione," Glenn said once Hagrid had escorted them back to Hogwarts. "Just interact with her as you normally would, and make sure this doesn't interfere with your daily routines. After all, studying and strengthening our abilities remain our top priorities."
"I understand, Glenn. Don't worry." Hermione reached out to pat Glenn's head. Glenn had started growing taller; the boy who used to be shorter than her was now her equal in height. This realization filled Hermione with mixed emotions.
Good news: Glenn was growing taller! Soon, she'd be able to snuggle into his arms and act spoiled!
Bad news: Glenn was growing taller… She wouldn't be able to cradle him and ruffle his hair anymore…
Sensing Hermione's complicated expression, Glenn tilted his head in confusion.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing. I was just noticing that you're finally getting taller~" Hermione turned her head away, feigning nonchalance to avoid Glenn's gaze.
Such an embarrassing thought couldn't be revealed to him.
Seeing that Hermione didn't seem inclined to explain further, Glenn didn't press the matter and turned his attention back.
"Let's go."
"Mm."
...
Nearly a month passed without Glenn bringing up the matter of Ginny Weasley again because he knew Hermione had already begun observing her.
By "observing," it simply meant that Hermione paid more attention to Ginny during their daily interactions as friends. Other than that, her behavior remained unchanged.
Clever as she was, Hermione knew how to act naturally and conceal her intentions.
"I've noticed that Ginny's mental state seems to be deteriorating lately." On Halloween, while discussing the matter with Glenn, Hermione shared her recent observations. A hint of worry flickered in her eyes. "The dark circles under her eyes seem to be getting worse by the day."
Hermione paused in thought, then twitched her lips hesitantly. "Do you think she's sneaking out at night like her mischievous brothers?"
She winced at the thought. If that were the case, no wonder Ginny was so exhausted!
Although there was still no concrete evidence to prove that the real Ginny was the actual culprit behind the rooster killings, Ginny Weasley's vitality was undeniably diminishing.
Since Hermione had shared this with Glenn, he too had begun paying occasional attention to Ginny Weasley's condition.
Indeed, as Hermione had said, at an age when young witches and wizards should be brimming with energy, Ginny Weasley's vitality seemed entirely subdued, showing no signs of life on her face.
Moreover, her complexion looked terrible. Comparing her current appearance to the Ginny Weasley Glenn had seen at Flourish and Blotts, it was evident that the little girl's condition had significantly worsened.
Such unnatural changes were undoubtedly influenced by external factors. The human body had a self-protection mechanism; biological instincts wouldn't allow someone to continually engage in self-harming behaviors. For example, when someone stayed up late, they would either fall asleep involuntarily or pass out from exhaustion. This was the body's way of protecting itself. Of course, if the body suffered irreversible damage, the protective mechanism could fail, leading to sudden death.
If that were the case… assuming the figure captured in the recording crystal was indeed Ginny Weasley and not an imposter, combined with Hermione's observations…
Could it be that Ginny Weasley was being controlled by something?
No way, not again?
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