[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-wizard-war-at-hogwarts":3,"chapter-wizard-war-at-hogwarts-wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-85":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Wizard War at Hogwarts",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2358058,4612,"Chapter 85: The Fourth Attack","wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-85",85,"\u003Cp>After the conversation on Valentine’s Day, Harry and Ron both felt they had made their peace, ready to face any dire situation. Yet miraculously, for a long time afterward, their house life remained calm and peaceful, just as it ought to be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In March, Colin’s petrification had receded to his ankles, and Professor Sprout’s mandrakes thrived; Justin’s recovery was imminent. Nearly all students had almost forgotten about the Chamber altogether—even when someone mentioned it, they assumed the attacker had ceased his deeds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Malfoy’s meetings continued as usual, but their topics had shifted from the Chamber’s mystery to idle gossip. Harry once slipped in to eavesdrop and found them speculating about Percy and Penelope, claiming they had kissed in an empty classroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry went back to ask who Penelope was, and learned she was a Ravenclaw prefect, a smart and beautiful girl. Many jealous girls mocked her Muggle-born status, accusing Percy of being “blind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peaceful life, interesting knowledge, small gossip among classmates—Harry thoroughly enjoyed this existence. It wasn’t until the end of March, when they began discussing course selections for the next term over the Easter break, that he grew slightly troubled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Available electives included Divination, Arithmancy, Muggle Studies, Ancient Runes, and Care of Magical Creatures. The first three clashed with each other; the last two clashed as well. Though Harry was interested in both Ancient Runes and Magical Creatures, he had to choose one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is there any way I can take both classes?” Harry frowned at his schedule. “Odd weeks for Runes, even weeks for Creatures would be fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I remember Percy took all the electives,” Ron recalled. “But it wasn’t pleasant—I recall he came home that year skin and bones, and Mum thought he was sick.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, I don’t want to give up Divination, Arithmancy, or Muggle Studies either,” Harry muttered. “Divination is so magical—Zhang Qiu’s master predicted most of our lives.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you have to admit, it only works when you don’t need it,” Ron said, sorting his Chocolate Frog cards. “I’d rule out Arithmancy first—it sounds like a headache.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Arithmancy can be skipped; Muggles study it more thoroughly,” Harry said. “They build mathematical models, quantify future predictions—quantitative economics, time-series analysis, regression analysis, Markov analysis. They even successfully predicted Neptune’s existence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re speaking a language I don’t understand. I think I’ll take Muggle Studies,” Ron shrugged. “If I get curious later, I can ask Zhang Qiu about Divination, or that Markov person about Arithmancy. But once we leave Hogwarts, it’ll be hard to study Muggle Studies systematically.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re right,” Harry thought carefully, then added Muggle Studies to his schedule.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, what about Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes?” Ron asked. “I heard Hagrid’s teaching Magical Creatures.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know—that’s exactly why I’m torn,” Harry said. “I’m curious what Hagrid will teach, but Professor Hipe is also an interesting man.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, do you remember?” Ron said. “When we went looking for Avalon, he told us we were too young to handle runic spells.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then maybe Ancient Runes won’t be worth much—maybe he’ll just make us read ancient wizards’ sonnets.” Harry recalled his painful experience learning Old English and Latin, laboriously reading ancient literature and memorizing word meanings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And Hagrid’s class is definitely exciting,” Ron said, adding Magical Creatures to his own schedule.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Harry and Ron discussed their choices, they asked Neville’s opinion, but he preferred to take classes with Hannah, so he ultimately chose Divination and Magical Creatures. Notably, Hermione enrolled in every possible elective—Harry suspected she planned to alternate odd\u002Feven weeks and catch up with extra study afterward, which he deeply admired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry had also considered taking more courses, but Quidditch weighed on him. After Easter, the final match of the year was coming—they needed at least 210 points against Hufflepuff to overtake Slytherin and win this year’s Quidditch Cup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night before the match, Harry met Zhang Qiu on the eighth-floor corridor. She looked drained and distracted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, Zhang Qiu, you seem down. What’s wrong?” Harry asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Divination said someone would steal the ‘key to evil’ from you today—I came to warn you,” Zhang Qiu said. “As for me being upset, I just saw another ominous black dog again. Don’t worry about it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The key to evil? Oh no—it might be the diary!” Harry didn’t hesitate; he sprinted back to his dorm. Ron was doing homework—no sign of a thief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry opened his trunk and found the diary still hidden beneath the Invisibility Cloak. He exhaled in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He locked the trunk again, stepped out, and grinned at Zhang Qiu. “It’s fine—the diary wasn’t stolen. I kept it safe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s good,” Zhang Qiu said, leaving with a worried frown, muttering in Chinese, “Then the progress is still short…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Harry walked back to the common room, he heard Ginny and Ivy whispering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She’s trying to steal the diary,” Ivy said confidently. “She told you someone would steal it so you’d rush back to check—and reveal where you hid it. That’s a Holmes trick.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t gossip about people behind their backs—it’s rude,” Harry said sharply. “No one can steal the diary. I hid it well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re biased, Harry!” Ivy retorted. “Zhang Qiu can suspect the Chamber’s opener is among us, but we can’t suspect she has other motives?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly! We all sent you Valentine cards, but you went to see Colin!” Ginny complained. “You’re such a fool—I just want to talk to Tom for a moment. It’s so sad—no one understands me—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ginny’s voice cracked with tears. Harry was at a loss—he had no idea what girls were thinking. He scanned the common room like a drowning man grasping for a lifeline and grabbed Percy’s sleeve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good prefect, go comfort your sister,” Harry said helplessly. “I don’t know why she suddenly broke down—I swear I did nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Percy soothed Ginny, Harry slipped back to his dorm. The diary once again caught his eye. He couldn’t help wondering what Tom thought about Ginny’s distress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Harry restrained himself. He knew tomorrow was the crucial Quidditch final—he needed rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, Harry arrived early at the Great Hall and shared a hearty breakfast with Wood and the rest of the Quidditch team, then discussed strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They went over opening tactics to late-game maneuvers. Wood knew Hufflepuff’s patterns inside out—he could suggest seven or eight different responses—but his only concern was Cedric Diggory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Harry, stay steady this match,” Wood said. “Don’t chase after him for tiny advantages. If you catch the Snitch before we score at least sixty points, you’ll lose the game for the sake of a single point.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand. Gaining an edge against him won’t be easy,” Harry said confidently. “But avoiding mistakes? That’s simple. Cedric’s too balanced—I’ve got this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until one minute before the match, Harry mentally replayed every training drill. His mind was entirely consumed by the upcoming game—until he saw Professor McGonagall sprinting across the field, carrying a massive purple microphone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry’s heart sank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The match is canceled,” Professor McGonagall announced through the microphone. A chorus of boos erupted. Wood looked stunned; he landed immediately and ran toward her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But Professor!” he shouted. “We must play—Gryffindor has waited seven years for this cup—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>McGonagall ignored him. “All students return to your common rooms immediately. House heads will issue further instructions shortly. Go back now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All Gryffindor students crowded into the common room as McGonagall read the school’s decree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All students must return to their dorms by six p.m. No one may leave after six. A teacher will accompany you to classes. Bathrooms and toilets may not be used without a teacher present. Quidditch training and matches are postponed. All evening activities are canceled.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Professor McGonagall rolled up the paper, her voice thick with emotion. “I have never felt such sorrow. If the perpetrator behind these attacks is not caught, this school may be shut down. Any student with information must come forward.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1308,"2026-06-21T04:54:27.874Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ae8f605bb37c4ef50b7a970162118126beff090eb51945a3b0aa909f6819e659","wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-86","wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-84",528,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwizard-war-at-hogwarts-cover.jpg"]