Harry Potter: The Golden Viper

0270 Tracking

"I think Draco needs a little more time, Professor Snape–" Bryan calmly said, breaking the silence. "After all, he may have never dealt with such a situation before."

Snape instinctively wanted to retort, but before the words came out, he saw Draco's shoulder tremble slightly, as if he was trying to break free from something. His heart softened, and he couldn't help but stop.

"Well, I hope you can try to reconcile with your friends, Draco. I hope to see a change in you before Easter–"

Snape said with a gloomy face. He looked at Bryan and hesitated for a moment before couldn't help but ask,

"When did you become acquainted with Lucius, Bryan?"

"It's not really an acquaintance, just a chance encounter–"

Bryan said lightly. He saw the doubt in Snape's mind and glanced discreetly at Draco, who was listening intently. Bryan's gaze was deep and penetrating, as if he could see through Draco's soul.

"He encountered a little trouble personally, and during our last meeting, he learned that I am good at solving problems for others, so he came to see me."

Bryan said vaguely, without revealing any details.

Snape wasn't a fool. He immediately realized that Lucius must have encountered something far more than a small trouble. Otherwise, he wouldn't have rushed into Hogwarts during the Christmas holidays and asked him to introduce Bryan. With this in mind, Snape's thoughts turned, and he suddenly remembered something.

Not long after the start of this school year, Draco took the initiative to find him and said that someone was threatening his parents. When he asked who did it and why, Draco remained silent.

Later, he specifically wrote a letter to Lucius to inquire about this matter, but all he got was Lucius's vague explanations. Because nothing unexpected happened afterwards, and then there was the incident of Sirius infiltrating Hogwarts on Halloween, so, Snape had completely forgotten about this matter.

'So, Lucius came to see Bryan this time, hoping that he could help solve this trouble?' In an instant, Snape guessed the approximate truth of the matter.

After a moment of silence, Snape squinted his eyes and said in a soft, melodious tone,

"Is there anything I can help with, Bryan?"

"Just a small problem, Professor."

Bryan smiled and emphasized again. 

Since Bryan didn't want to get him involved in this matter, Snape didn't want to force it. He now understood that the student he is optimistic about no longer needed his protection. On the contrary, perhaps one day in the future, he would need his help.

"Hmph, I didn't expect–"

When Snape and Malfoy left, Sirius immediately asked Bryan to turn him back into a human form. He was tired of being a cat, and he wanted to talk to Bryan about what he had seen and heard. 

"That Snivellus seems to care about his own house students. I bet he wouldn't treat students from the other three houses like this."

Sirius said with contempt, referring to Snape's concern for Draco.

Waving his hand to open the surveillance screen, Bryan calmly watched Snape and Draco walk through the third-floor corridor, down to the first floor, and enter the Great Hall. He followed them with his eyes, not wanting to lose sight of them. 

After giving some simple instructions, Snape went to the staff table, where he joined the other professors for lunch. He looked serious and worried, as if he was thinking about something important. Draco walked towards Crabbe and Goyle, who were waiting for him with stiff steps. They looked nervous and uneasy, as if they were afraid of Draco. Draco ignored them, and sat down at the Slytherin table, where he picked up a plate and a fork.

"I have something to do outside for a while–"

Bryan said calmly, turning off the surveillance screen. 

"If you feel bored alone, I can take you to Remus."

Bryan offered, knowing that Sirius would prefer to spend time with Remus, his old friend and fellow Marauder.

"Remus is working,"

Sirius said, declining Bryan's offer. He understood that Bryan was trying to get rid of him, and that he wanted to do something on his own. He took a copy of the Daily Prophet from the corner of the table, admired the wanted poster that had not been removed from the front page, and lazily waved his hand.

"I don't want to disturb him. You can lock the door if you're afraid I'll cause trouble by running around." Sirius said, jokingly. 

"It's not that I don't trust you, Sirius–" Bryan said cheerfully, locking the door with a casual gesture.

During the meal, the Great Hall returned to its usual noisy atmosphere. About three-quarters of the students had returned, sitting in small groups at the four long tables, passionately discussing the upcoming Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Quidditch match on the first Saturday of the new term. They were excited and eager, looking forward to the game.

Bryan floated lightly past the students, not disturbing anyone, because the young wizards couldn't see the invisible Director of Student Safety Office. He moved swiftly and silently, like a ghost. 

At the Slytherin table, Miss Pansy Parkinson sat next to Malfoy, a few empty seats away. She looked sadly at Malfoy, who was mechanically eating, with a hesitant expression. Unfortunately, Malfoy's cold reaction made her hesitate. 

Draco, Vincent, and Gregory, the three of them were the odd ones out in the Great Hall. They treated eating as a task, and there was no communication between their friends.

In this fast-paced environment, Malfoy and his two lackeys quickly finished their lunch. Then, without wasting any time, they got up and left. However, there was a small incident when they walked out of the Great Hall.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron came down the stairs from the other side. The three of them seemed to have had a pleasant Christmas holiday, with slightly fuller cheeks. They were walking towards the Great Hall, chatting and laughing, but when they saw Malfoy coming towards them, the three of them immediately stopped in their tracks. 

Harry and Ron's eyes lit up with anger, and even Hermione, who rarely antagonized anyone, glared at him angrily. 

'What kind of trouble has arisen now?'

Bryan furrowed his brows, standing a few steps behind Draco. He watched the scene with his arms crossed, not wanting any unnecessary conflicts to arise at this moment. 

Fortunately, a conflict did not occur. Hermione was the first to suppress her anger. She pulled the two eager young wizards away, and prevented them from starting a fight. Draco and his two lackeys didn't linger either. They walked directly down the stairs on their right and went to the basement. They didn't look at Harry, Hermione, and Ron, or react to their hostility. 

Bryan followed the three of them all the way to the Slytherin common room in the underground. He passed through the stone wall, and entered the dark and damp room. He saw Draco, Vincent, and Gregory, who went upstairs and entered the dormitory.

Standing at the bedside of the three unlucky boys, Bryan surveyed everything in the room with a powerful gaze. He scanned every inch of the room, looking for any clues or evidence. He saw the exquisite chandelier hanging from the ceiling, casting a dim light over the room.

Bryan's feet were a few feet above the ground, floating and wandering in the dormitory. He moved around the room, inspecting and analyzing everything. He was invisible and intangible, like a ghost. The eerie green light from the lake outside penetrated through his body, leaving no trace of light and shadow on the ground and walls. 

'Not here.' Ten minutes later, Bryan made a judgment.

For most of the afternoon, Malfoy and his two lackeys lay stiffly on their beds like puppets. Even when their roommates, Nott and Zabini, returned from the holiday, the three of them didn't get up to communicate with them.

Bryan maintained great patience, "sitting" on the air, quietly waiting.

It wasn't until the sun set and the water at the bottom of the Black Lake turned pitch black that the three of them sat up one after another. After tidying themselves up, they calmly walked out of the dormitory.

When Bryan saw Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle walking into the brightly lit hall, with the ceiling reflecting the pure and mysterious starry sky of late winter and early spring, he felt a little disappointed.

However, he quickly adjusted his mindset and, while the young wizards were not paying attention, he sneaked two potato cakes into his sleeve. He leaned against the marble door frame leading into the hall and leisurely chewed on them. They were still warm and crispy, and he savored the buttery and salty taste.

There were more young wizards in the hall than during lunchtime, and soon Harry and Ron appeared in his line of sight. However, Hermione did not accompany them. Bryan guessed that this diligent young witch had already started her study plan for the second half of the school year. She was probably in the library, surrounded by books and parchments.

Not only Bryan noticed Harry's presence, but also Oliver Wood, the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team on the Gryffindor table.

"Hey, Harry!"

The Gryffindor team captain pushed aside the chair behind him and hurriedly approached Harry.

"Did you have a good Christmas?"

"Except for being forced by Filch to clean every bathroom from the first to the eighth floor, everything else was fine," Harry complained. 

"Oh, well–"

Harry's response made Wood a bit embarrassed,. However, after taking a deep breath, he steered the conversation towards Quidditch.

"During the holidays, I thought a lot, Harry. Since the last match, I've been thinking, if the Dementors come again in the next match. I mean, we can't afford to lose, um, of course, I believe Director Watson has effectively deterred them, but…"

Wood paused, looking somewhat embarrassed. 

"Oh, about that–"

Even if he had to clean all the bathrooms at Hogwarts again, Harry didn't want to lose his spot on the team. He quickly said, "After the last match, I've been in contact with Professor Lupin about how to deal with them. I think… I can handle it, I mean, if there aren't too many Dementors."

"Oh, that's great–" Wood's hesitant expression faded, and his face brightened. He clapped Harry on the shoulder and smiled. "If that's the case—I don't want to lose you as a Seeker, Harry. You're the best we've ever had. By the way, have you ordered a new broom?"

"He doesn't need to order one, Wood," Ron finally found an opportunity to throw in this explosive news. He grinned and winked at Harry. "Harry received a Firebolt for Christmas."

"But I can't use it for now."

Before Wood could express his surprise, Harry voluntarily explained the problem.

"Professor Lupin believes that the Firebolt was sent to me by Sirius Black. It is said that he is hunting me, and throwing me down from the sky is the easiest way to fulfill his wish. Professor Lupin thinks that I shouldn't use the broom until it has been checked by Professor Watson."

"Did you go to see him?" Wood asked eagerly.

Harry and Ron looked at the empty seat next to Snape at the staff table, and Harry said gloomily, "We've been waiting for him, but he hasn't come back yet. I wish he was as 'dedicated' as Filch."

Bryan, leaning against the door frame, rolled his eyes. 

"But today, when I was discussing Quidditch tactics with Cedric, he told me that Professor Watson has already returned to the school. He apparently came back early in the morning and greeted Professor Sprout while she was having breakfast."

Harry immediately showed a surprised expression. He was about to say something, but Draco walking towards him made him close his mouth warily.

Bryan, not caring about how Harry and his friends were planning their own actions, followed Draco upstairs. 

Draco's pockets were bulging, containing a large package of food. Seeing this, Bryan smiled slightly. 

Along the way, the three Slytherin boys were very alert. They chose secluded routes and tried their best to avoid the occasional young wizards passing by. They finally arrived at the Owlery, and hurriedly entered the dark and crowded room.

Bryan stood on the windy corridor, bathed in the cold moonlight, with a calm and serene expression. 

'Unexpected, but reasonable'

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