Evan and his friends' silence did little to deter the growing number of students attempting to push through to them.
The crowded and noisy situation was becoming unbearable for the professors seated at the staff table. Snape took out his wand, pointed it at his throat, and cast a Sonorus Charm, then commanded,
"Silence! Everyone, return to your seats immediately!"
Snape's deep voice, amplified by the Sonorus Charm, boomed like thunder throughout the Great Hall.
Instantly, the noisy hall fell silent as if someone had pressed a pause button. The students crowding around Evan rushed back to their original seats at record speed.
Evan even saw a Slytherin student stumble and fall, getting stepped on by others, yet he quickly got up, tears streaming down his face, and hurried back to his seat. Such was the fear Snape instilled in the students.
Snape seemed satisfied with the effect and turned to Harry, saying,
"Potter, if you're planning to fabricate stories for attention, you can leave right now!"
Harry was shaking with anger, feeling that if he knew the Killing Curse Hermione mentioned, he might have used it on Snape. He hadn't said a word since entering!
Hermione and Ron were also indignant, but having learned from past experiences, they chose not to argue back loudly.
Evan was used to Snape's sharp tongue and even found it odd that he hadn't deducted points as usual.
After calming down and thinking it through, Evan sensed a hidden warning in Snape's words, though he couldn't understand why the prideful man would use such a harsh tone to remind them not to reveal any information.
Clearly, Snape should know that Harry, being straightforward, wouldn't understand and it would be ineffective...
Regardless, under Snape's strict control, Evan finally had a moment of peace, with only occasional whispers heard around him.
At the same time, Evan noticed that the faces of several professors showed obvious concern, except for Snape, who quietly returned to his seat, his gaze fixed on a corner of the staff table, his expression unreadable.
Following Snape's gaze, Evan saw that Quirrell's seat was indeed empty. He guessed that after this severe injury, Quirrell probably wouldn't return.
Absent, Quirrell would undoubtedly be the prime suspect in the attack on Hagrid. Unless Voldemort's mind was damaged, there was no way he would let Quirrell walk into a trap, especially since Quirrell couldn't withstand any investigation.
What surprised Evan was the giant eagle statue on the stage, where a translucent, blue-glowing phoenix stood.
"Are there blue phoenixes?" Harry also noticed this and couldn't help but whisper.
He thought it was beautiful, even more so than the phoenix he had seen in the headmaster's office, and just looking at it calmed his agitated mood...
"That's Professor Dumbledore's Patronus!" Evan explained.
Having read the original books, Evan knew that Dumbledore's Patronus was different from others, capable of serving as a medium to transmit messages. The presence of the Patronus meant Dumbledore was watching over them.
This also explained why, even before Professor McGonagall returned, the other professors were already prepared and had gathered all the students in the Great Hall.
Clearly, it was the work of the Patronus...
"Patronus? What's that?" Harry felt like he had reverted to his first day at school, unfamiliar with everything.
"It's a Patronus Charm, a powerful protective spell that summons a Patronus, which is a manifestation of the caster's happy memories. It's typically used against Dementors..." Evan explained.
Harry was about to ask what Dementors were when Evan, anticipating the question, quietly explained to divert attention from the others.
"Dementors are dangerous creatures, somewhat like the Grim reaper in Muggle lore, decaying and cold, feeding on happiness..."
Evan's mention of this immediately attracted the attention of the surrounding students. The Patronus Charm was an advanced spell, and even older students might not have mastered it.
Dementors were even less known, with many having never heard of them, so they were no longer concerned about the dragon and instead listened curiously to Evan's story.
After a few minutes, Professor McGonagall emerged from a side door of the hall, looking somewhat relieved but still frowning. Several professors approached to inquire about the situation.
Due to the distance, Evan couldn't hear what they were saying. As he was guessing, he saw the blue phoenix on the giant eagle statue gradually become transparent and then disappear into light particles.
At the same time, the closed hall doors opened again, and Dumbledore's figure appeared before everyone. Unlike his usual jovial demeanor, his face was somber, causing the whispers among the students as he passed the house tables to quiet down.
Stepping onto the stage, Dumbledore's gaze lingered on Quirrell's empty seat for a moment before he cleared his throat and said,
"The reason I've called you here at this time is to announce something important..."
Dumbledore's eyes scanned the room, and seeing that the students were all paying attention without any distractions, he continued,
"The school's gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid, was attacked by an unknown person during his patrol in the Forbidden Forest today. Although he is not in mortal danger... we have yet to find the attacker."
"From today onwards, the school will be on full lockdown. No one is allowed to leave the castle without permission. I will have available professors conduct regular patrols around the castle until the end of the term or until the culprit is caught!" Dumbledore's tone was serious, and it was clear he was not joking.
Evan was disappointed that even Dumbledore's personal intervention had failed to find Quirrell's trail. It would be much harder to locate Quirrell after this.
The students below the stage began to whisper among themselves, prompting Dumbledore to raise his voice,
"Aside from these unpleasant matters, I also need to award extra points to a few individuals here..."