The course that was originally scheduled suddenly got canceled, and most of the students seized this seemingly stolen time to rest or play in the maze, while Vid and others headed to the medical wing.
From afar, they heard someone shouting:
"I almost got killed! I'm going to tell my father! You just wait, you big idiot, my father will definitely not let you off!"
Michael suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"Malfoy? The injured person is Malfoy?" He looked at Vid, "Then we probably don't need to check it out, right?"
"This isn't something good, Michael," Theo frowned, "Professor Hagrid might get expelled because of this."
Michael waved his hand, "Accidents during classes are perfectly normal. Who hasn't gotten injured in Magic Potion Class? Oh... Vid probably hasn't."
As he spoke, he was already prepared to turn around and leave.
Then, they heard Malfoy shouting loudly inside the ward, "And that damned beast! I'm definitely going to have it chopped! It's dead for sure!"
Michael's expression suddenly turned unpleasant.
"Let's go have a look," Vid said.
The group continued forward, and when they reached the door, they heard Harry's weak voice saying, "Shut up, Malfoy."
His voice wasn't loud, but Malfoy actually fell silent for a moment. Just then, Vid pushed open the partly open door of the ward.
Surprisingly, there were people lying on two beds.
Harry's clothes behind his shoulder were torn with several bloody slashes, his entire body was covered in blood, and his face was unusually pale.
Madam Pomfrey applied thick green ointment on him and then handed him a bubbling, foul-smelling liquid, asking Harry to drink it.
As for Draco Malfoy, his arm was bleeding, but not much, and it was already healing under the effect of a spell, yet he was still holding onto his arm and groaning on the bed, saying his arm hurt.
Hagrid was in the corner; the stool under his bottom was really too tiny for him, and Hagrid cautiously sat on it, with his hands on his knees, looking as if he was all shrunk up.
He gloomily gazed at the ground, completely unresponsive to Malfoy's insults, as if he was so disheartened that he had become withdrawn.
The arrival of Vid and others interrupted the slightly eerie atmosphere in the ward.
"Harry?" Theo asked in surprise, "How did you get injured?"
"Bad luck," Harry mumbled, then asked, "Why are you guys here? Shouldn't you be in class at this time?"
"Yes, Care of Magical Creatures Lessons," Michael glanced at Hagrid in the corner and said, "But since the professor isn't around, our lesson got canceled."
"I'm sorry," Hagrid said dispiritedly, "I apologize, I might not be able to give you all the lessons anymore... Hogwarts hasn't had a professor who only worked for one day."
"It's not your fault, Hagrid."
Harry quickly comforted him, "You said Hippogriffs are proud creatures and should be treated with respect. Malfoy intentionally insulted them, which angered them. This is Malfoy's fault."
"It's his fault!" Malfoy shouted angrily, "He shouldn't have brought such dangerous creatures to class in the first place!"
"Basilisks are even more dangerous, but we still faced them!" Harry shouted back angrily, "No wonder you didn't participate last time; turns out you're just a coward!"
Malfoy huffed and puffed, breathing heavily, though also somewhat guilty. He quickly glanced at Vid and Madam Pomfrey.
The reason he hadn't participated in the Basilisk challenge last semester was due to a fallout with Crabbe prior to that.
That incident was kept under wraps at his father's firm request, so Harry and the others did not know, but Madam Pomfrey, who helped rescue Crabbe, and Vid, who provided video evidence, knew the details clearly.
Madam Pomfrey acted as if she hadn't heard anything, merely handed the cup forward:
"Drink it, child. The claws of a Hippogriff might contain toxins. The wound on your back is too deep and won't heal easily."
The previously indignant Harry's face turned unpleasant, and he cringed while eyeing the frightening ink-green potion, preferring to challenge a Hippogriff directly.
But under Madam Pomfrey's stern gaze, Harry still took the cup, closed his eyes, and drank it all at once.
The suffocating stench of the potion spread, surpassing the smell of a hundred stinky socks, causing even Malfoy to show a sympathetic expression.
Madam Pomfrey seemed satisfied, then she sternly warned Vid and others, saying:
"Don't start conflicts in the ward. If you disturb my patients, I'll kick you all out!"
"Understood, Madam," the group replied one after another.
Once Madam Pomfrey left, Harry immediately covered his mouth, fearing he might vomit the potion he just drank.
Ignoring the adjacent bed where Malfoy was, Vid asked Harry, "Malfoy angered the Hippogriff and got attacked, and then? How did you get injured?"
Upon hearing that, the pained expression on Harry froze for a moment before he started coughing loudly.
Malfoy also averted his gaze, as if avoiding something.
It was Hagrid who spoke up, "Harry got injured trying to save Malfoy... It's all my fault. If I had caught Buckbeak then, none of this would have happened..."
"I shouldn't have freed them all; if I had just unleashed one Hippogriff's collar, I could have controlled the situation in time..."
"Or if I had realized there might be a problem when Malfoy was talking nonsense and rushed to their side immediately, this incident wouldn't have happened..."
"Maybe for the first lesson I should've taught something safer, like the Flöbo Caterpillar or something... Why did I think preparing a surprise would make students like me more? I messed everything up..."
"I'm really an idiot... I'm not fit to be a professor at all..."
As Hagrid sat there, it was apparent he had reflected repeatedly on the classroom accident, recounting his mistakes one by one, deeply regretting, tears almost dropping.
Malfoy snorted coldly, muttering, "Good that you have some self-awareness! The class you prepared was absolutely terrible!"
"Hey!" Michael was startled and quickly said, "Hippogriffs are indeed a surprise, I really liked them! And I definitely don't want to see the Flöbo Caterpillar in class!"
"Really?" Hagrid looked at him with teary eyes.
"Of course," Leian also said, "I look forward to our next Care of Magical Creatures Lessons, hoping you won't be absent again, Professor."
"And the Hippogriffs!" Michael added.
"But these creatures are indeed dangerous," Padma coughed lightly, tactfully saying, "For everyone's safety, could we take some measures? Regarding this, I have a few suggestions..."
The group surrounded Hagrid, helping the disheartened professor to redesign a safer and more interesting course.
Vid walked over to Malfoy's bedside, showing a friendly smile.
"What do you want to do?"
Malfoy immediately sat up alertly, and even instinctively reached for his Magic Wand.
Vid pressed down on the end of his Magic Wand, slightly leaning down, and smilingly said, "Malfoy, shall we talk?"