Just as the students breathed a sigh of relief after seeing the corpse completely destroyed, they were horrified to discover that the desks and chairs that had transformed into mud were no longer just a few in number. Their numbers increased exponentially in an instant.
They panicked and became flustered, even though they knew it was merely a Transfiguration and that they were not actually in any danger.
However, physical revulsion was still extremely difficult to overcome.
Even though the Inferi controlled by Malfoy were slow and had no sense of direction, they still posed a considerable threat.
The students were stretched thin. Despite their small numbers, the Inferi created a tidal-wave effect in the cramped classroom.
As soon as they knocked one down, another appeared.
They were no longer confined to desks, benches, chandeliers, or even the floor.
The students' available space became smaller and smaller, and they were gradually forced into a corner.
Just as a decaying hand was about to touch one of them, the bell rang to signal the end of the lesson.
"Good. Your performance was adequate. Today, our familiarization with and confrontation against the Inferi ends here."
Malfoy dispelled the Transfiguration on the objects.
The flames that had been clinging to the Inferius instantly fell away, scattering a few sparks before extinguishing completely.
Then the corpse gradually transformed back into its original form. Its limp, lifeless body wriggled back into place before reverting into a desk.
The students breathed a sigh of relief and gradually left the classroom.
Luna smiled and waved at him before lightly stepping through the door.
Today's class was over.
Malfoy strode down the corridor with long, hurried steps.
He soon arrived at the door of his office.
Malfoy reached out and gently pushed open the somewhat rotten wooden door.
It creaked and groaned as though the long-neglected, rusted hinges could barely move anymore.
Every opening and closing seemed like a painful groan—a protest.
The last time he had come here, it hadn't seemed quite this abandoned.
A wave of damp air washed over him.
The underground room was dark and cold. Some leaves and branches from magical plants lay scattered across the floor. After the moisture had evaporated, only withered stems and leaves remained.
He had inherited Snape's office.
The light was extremely dim, and a purplish-red silk curtain was drawn tightly across the window.
Beside it stood a small round table with tall legs. Several potted plants sat on top of it, growing vigorously, their branches and vines intertwined.
Their roots, stems, and leaves were all a bewitching deep red.
But there were some new additions.
An antique clock hung in one corner of the wall, while a new bookcase stood nearby, filled with old books.
There was also a faceless statue with a white skull mask hanging beside it. They seemed to form a pair, although it was unclear what would happen if the masks were put on.
These were probably some of the spoils Malfoy had collected while he was away from school.
He walked over to a wall made of black bricks and raised his head slightly, surveying everything before him.
Multi-tiered bookshelves were filled with books, most of them bearing cold, austere covers and exuding a profound, obscure atmosphere.
Most were related to Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts.
A thin layer of dust covered the shelves.
Malfoy lightly rubbed his finger across one of them, leaving an obvious mark.
He immediately frowned and began sorting everything by category.
For a long time to come, this would be his primary office, so at the very least, he needed to maintain a reasonable level of cleanliness.
Malfoy took the books out of the compartments one by one and placed them on the dark table in front of him before carefully wiping them clean.
Although he could have used magic to clean everything in an instant, Malfoy preferred to use the time to think.
When a person performed unconscious actions in a mechanical and repetitive manner, their thoughts could become more divergent.
For example, at that moment, his gaze was somewhat unfocused as he stared at the wall before him.
It was nothing more than an ordinary stone wall, containing no information beyond the textures and patterns on its surface.
In reality, Malfoy was simulating possible future scenarios in his mind.
Voldemort's possible moves.
Potential changes in the future.
With less and less information available, it was impossible to know what was actually happening.
Moreover, human nature was the most difficult thing to fathom, and Voldemort was no ordinary person.
Extreme individuals were even harder to understand.
The inability to control the future could create a powerful sense of helplessness.
"Completely cleaned up!"
"Return it to its original place!"
Just as Malfoy finished cleaning a book titled The Principles of Common Potions and was about to return it to the bookshelf, he suddenly heard a familiar voice.
The girl softly chanted a spell.
Malfoy stared blankly as the book slipped from his hand.
It was as though invisible chains had seized the book on the table and pulled it back toward the bookshelf.
"Draco, what are you doing? I've been calling you for ages."
He looked up at the sound of the voice and realized that Pansy had already walked over to him. There was a hint of reproach in her voice.
The door was ajar.
There were no secrets that needed hiding, and leaving it open also allowed some fresh air inside.
"I might have been a little distracted."
He coughed a few times.
"By the way, were you looking for something just now?" Pansy asked curiously, putting away her wand.
"Do you need my help?" she asked enthusiastically.
"No need."
Malfoy took out his wand and gently waved it through the air.
Aside from the neatly arranged books, the dust from the herbs, furniture, and withered leaves from expired plants automatically leapt into the rubbish bin.
The scattered parchment on the table was neatly stacked.
The quill was placed in the centre.
The ink cap spun through the air and jumped onto the top of the ink bottle.
"It's all sorted out," he said.
"Do you have any questions?"
He seemed to be trying to get rid of the girl.
"Aren't simple visits welcome?" the girl asked rhetorically.
"Then enjoy your tour."
Malfoy shrugged, extended his hand, and gestured for her to proceed.
There wasn't much to see in Snape's old office.
Girls certainly wouldn't like a completely dried-out toad with all four legs stretched out inside a glass jar.
Nor would they be particularly fond of an arm soaked in a special liquid that had remained perfectly preserved for decades.
Pansy looked around boredly.
Apart from animal specimens, there were only plant specimens.
However, the potted plants on the table caught her attention.
Suddenly, wisps of water vapour gathered around the potted plant, resembling miniature clouds.
Then the water droplets condensed and poured down.
The deep-red flowers suddenly glowed as the droplets touched them, changing from dark red to bright red.
Some sparkling droplets, caught along the veins of the leaves, were instantly absorbed and ignited.
The flames flickered for a moment in the dimly lit room before burning out completely.
The plants that had been growing vigorously quickly turned to ash.
But in the blink of an eye, several tender, pale-red leaves and buds sprouted from the soil.
"Draco, what kind of plant is this?"
Pansy leaned against the corner of the wall, bent down, and examined it carefully.
"Phoenix Feather Flower."
He sat in a chair not far away, his gaze casually sweeping over the flowers.
"Its appearance is very similar to phoenix feathers, and so are its characteristics. After burning, it begins a new growth cycle."
"It should have just finished blooming."
"The soil left behind after its 'rebirth' can be applied to affected areas to treat burns."
"All right, that's enough for extracurricular activities. Dark magic can't be dealt with like this."
Malfoy adopted a businesslike tone.
"Miss Parkinson, if you don't do your homework soon, I may have to continue being your teacher after class. I remember you have quite a lot of homework today."
He adopted a serious tone.
It had to be said that this threat had an immediate effect.
"Then I'm leaving. You won't secretly disappear one day, will you?"
The girl reluctantly wiggled her toes.
"The days ahead are long. Even if I leave, I'll tell you."
Malfoy spoke meaningfully as he watched the girl's retreating figure, as though hinting at something.
But in reality, the future was shorter than he had imagined.