The Silent Witch of Hogwarts

Chapter 77: Professor McGonagall's Orders

As sunlight streamed through the curtains and the clock on the wall pointed to noon, the silver-haired girl lying on the bed opened her eyes with a soft moan.

Where is this...?

Loila stared at the ceiling for a few seconds before recognizing that this was Hogwarts' infirmary.

Did I... faint?

She vaguely recalled what had happened the night before: how she had helped Hagrid defeat three poachers and then rescued the unicorn… Then Hagrid began… began to boast about himself…

Loila shook her head, her face slightly flushed, and then pulled the blanket over her head.

No, no! I absolutely mustn't think back to what Hagrid said, or I'll faint again...

Although I've already embarrassingly fainted once... oh no, if you include Mr. Lockhart's class, that should be twice.

It seemed that she had gotten used to fainting, or perhaps because Hagrid was the only one around, Loila didn't feel too ashamed... at least not as as ashamed as when she fainted last time.

Just as she was thinking this, Loila suddenly heard the door open.

Mrs. Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall walked in slowly.

"You're awake, Miss Hamilton," McGonagall said first. She nodded slightly to Mrs. Pomfrey and then walked over to Loila.

We met again at the school hospital...

Loila quickly pulled the blanket up to cover her flushed face, then only revealed her blue eyes as she watched McGonagall slowly sit down, looking somewhat awkward.

"Good...good morning..." After a slightly awkward silence, Loila whispered, "Professor McGonagall...Professor McGonagall..."

"Miss Hamilton, you remember what happened last night, don't you?" McGonagall composed herself and said slowly, "About the poachers."

"I...I remember," Loila answered softly. "Are they...are they all alright?"

Because of their attack on Hagrid, Royla felt that she might have gone a little too far.

"Them?" McGonagall paused for a moment before saying, "Of course they're alright."

"The Ministry of Magic took them away early this morning," she said, then seemed to remember something and asked, "A Mr. Parkinson's even came to see you."

Her gaze fell on a large box of candy on the bedside table: "Those Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans were brought by him."

Mr. Parkinson's?

Loila immediately thought of that talkative Auror from the Ministry of Magic... He even brought her a gift... albeit a Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean.

However, this was the first time someone had sent something to Loila while she was sick, even if it was just Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

Loila vowed that she would eat all of those things, even though they were Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

Hmm... Loila glanced at the Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and thought it would be better to give them to Dumbledore.

"Ahem." McGonagall coughed, bringing Loila back from her random thoughts.

"Miss Hamilton, there are a few other things I'd like to tell you, but before that, I have a few questions."

"Ah...you...you say it." Upon hearing the word "question," Loila instinctively felt nervous. Her two pointed ears, which were hidden under the blanket, immediately stood up and peeked out slightly from under the blanket.

"Have you been getting enough rest since you arrived at Hogwarts?"

"Huh?" Loila was taken aback; she hadn't expected McGonagall to ask such a question.

Did you get enough rest?

I go to bed at 1 a.m. and wake up at 7 a.m. every night... I guess that counts as a good rest?

Back in Nurmengard, this was considered a form of health maintenance.

"Yes," she replied. "I go to bed very early every day."

One o'clock in the morning is already the next day in a way, isn't it? It's definitely very early for the next day.

"So what else did you do besides teaching?"

"I..." Loila hesitated for a moment before saying, "Researching magic arrays... and Miss Lovegood... ah, it's nothing..."

"And there's reviewing magic array knowledge, repairing magic arrays... magic array items." She paused and added, "And replying to... replying to the students' letters..."

"Is that all?" McGonagall shook her head, somewhat puzzled. "But Mrs. Pomfrey said..."

"You're in much worse shape than when you fainted and came to the school clinic last time," McGonagall said, straightening her expression. "Before that, you were just suffering from some malnutrition."

"But now I'm clearly overworked."

"Overworked...?" Loila's eyes widened slightly. She didn't expect to hear such a word applied to her. Back in Durmstrang, she sometimes didn't even sleep all night.

Even so, she felt full of energy... but these past few days she seemed to be a little... a little tired.

"I might be sick... I'm sick." Loila thought for a moment and explained, "It shouldn't be anything like... overwork or anything like that."

“But that’s not the case.” McGonagall shook her head. “Mrs. Pomfrey said you’re not sick.”

But she hadn't done anything different from before... Loila pursed her lips, a little confused, wanting to say something, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she felt a tickle in her throat.

"Cough cough cough..."

Hearing her cough, McGonagall nodded and said, "I have finished asking my questions. The rest is up to me and Headmaster Dumbledore to decide."

"With...with Dumbledore?!" Royla had a subconscious feeling that something was wrong.

"Given your recent health issues, we'd like you to take a few days off until after Halloween." McGonagall paused, then added, "You won't need to teach during this time."

"Huh?" Loila's mouth gaped open in surprise, her pointed ears twitching with excitement.

This seems like a good thing! I don't have to go to classes anymore, and I don't have to reply to students' emails... I can devote myself entirely to research... But what about the courses? Loila did promise to be a professor...

Although she felt she wasn't a very good teacher...

"That course..." Loila asked softly.

"We will put Mr. Lockhart in charge." Professor McGonagall's tone didn't seem very good... Loila nodded timidly, which was considered an agreement.

Seeing Loila nod, McGonagall continued, "Also, you're not allowed to study magic arrays anymore."

"Huh?!" Loila sat bolt upright, staring at McGonagall, her usually timid eyes now filled with displeasure. "No...no...no, no!"

She shook her head excitedly: "If I don't study magic arrays... I'll die!"

"And there's a brand new magic circle!" She hadn't even had a chance to unravel the new magic circle in Mr. Riddle's diary yet, and now she was resting!

I'm going to die!

Dumbledore, you bastard! You were up to no good! So you were planning to kill me this way?!

Mag seemed to have anticipated Loira's vehement opposition, and she shook her head slightly, saying, "Miss Hamilton, this is not a request."

"This is a notification," she said, slowly rising to her feet. "During your time as a professor at Hogwarts, we are obligated to ensure your physical well-being."

"And," she paused, looking at Loira's pale, ashen face, "only with good health can one better serve Hogwarts, right?"

"Do you want to betray our trust because of your health?"

"Trust...trust?" Loila's body trembled violently.

"You won't let us down, right?" McGonagall continued, "How about you get some rest during this time?"

"Disappointed...?" Loila hugged her head and shrank into the blanket.

"I...I understand..."

"That would be wonderful." McGonagall pursed her lips and walked away from the school hospital.

Watching her retreating figure, Loila bit her lip in dissatisfaction.

Who taught Professor McGonagall to... become unable to refuse anything related to trust and disappointment?