Who let this Dementor into Hogwarts!

Chapter 257 Becoming a human is worse than being a toilet.
"A little disappointed," Cohen said, sounding somewhat dejected.

"What do you expect a toilet to say?" the count said sharply. "You don't want its first words to be, 'Why am I a toilet?'"

"Why am I a toilet?" the toilet echoed after the count finished speaking.

The water from the toilet's suction nozzle even sprayed out a stream of water in perfect coordination.

“You’ve corrupted it!” Earl Cohen criticized.

"The toilet was always like this, what do you mean I corrupted it?" the count retorted, shifting the blame. "Besides, isn't this exactly what you wanted? You yourself said you were a little disappointed..."

“What disappointed me was that it actually treated itself like a toilet.” Cohen shook his head. “I had imagined it would beg me to turn it into a person—like in those fairy tales.”

"Becoming a toilet is better than becoming a human," the toilet suddenly said wisely.

"Becoming a toilet is worse than becoming a human," the count sighed.
-
Ultimately, Cohen used this sullen toilet to replace the old toilet in the box hut.

“At least our concept was correct; it did have an independent soul,” Nico said. “But it didn’t touch on the deepest part of alchemy regarding the soul—the transformation of the non-soul into a soul.”

“So you mean we’re still using the soul that those two field mice gave birth to, right?” Cohen pondered. “But starting from the second round, only one side will be a real living being.”

“The birth of the soul has always been a difficult question to explore,” Nico said. “Because magic rarely touches the soul without inflicting destructive effects, it leaves many variables for research. But you are different, Cohen—you can easily touch them at the spiritual level…”

“When I was observing, it felt like the two souls first glued together, and then a new soul emerged from the point of contact,” Cohen frowned. “How come it didn’t seem any different from normal mating behavior?”

“In areas where few people venture, perhaps the truth always comes rather plainly?” Nico said with amusement. “Just like the rumors that have circulated about me, there are always people who like to claim that I am a Philosopher’s Stone created from thousands of dead people.”

"Did you take any measures afterward?"

“Those who spread rumors are only in their graves a few decades later, and rumors will be forgotten after a hundred years or so.” Nico waved his hand. “In reality, what makes up the Philosopher’s Stone is nothing terrifying.”

Cohen's brief enthusiasm for alchemy had almost worn off after studying the talking toilet. Leaving the box, Cohen planned to have dinner in the auditorium.

Cohen originally intended to take advantage of Dumbledore's promise to "help Cohen get leave" to enjoy a long vacation—but Fudge was not smart at all, and was eager to attack Sirius right there at Hogwarts, not even willing to wait until they returned to the Ministry of Magic to kill him...

And so Cohen's "no class" privilege was gone.

Old Deng is good, Fudge is bad.

“Cohen…”

When Cohen arrived at the lounge, there was only one person there—Hermione.

She hasn't dared to say much to Cohen these past few days.

"Hmm?" Cohen tilted his head and looked at the brown-haired little girl.

One look at her and you could tell she was there to apologize. Using the Patronus Charm on her Dementor friends would probably be seen by her as stabbing Harry and Ron in the back.

Although Cohen felt it was at most like taking a punch—the Patronus Charm Hermione used earlier didn't even qualify as a "punch," it wasn't without effect, at least it served to create atmosphere.

“I’m so sorry,” Hermione apologized. “I shouldn’t have used the Patronus Charm on you in the Shrieking Shack…”

“I didn’t really feel anything,” Cohen said. “The Patronus Charm wouldn’t have killed me—and I was definitely going to help Voldemort attack Harry. If you hadn’t used the Patronus Charm on me, it would have ruined the plan.”

"So... are we still normal friends?" Hermione asked cautiously, as if she had breathed a sigh of relief. "If you continue to let us copy your homework."

"Homework is something you have to do yourself!" Hermione frowned.

“This is the normal Hermione.” Cohen raised his eyebrows.

Hermione couldn't help but chuckle softly—she was indeed overthinking it.

In fact, she was overthinking it. As long as it didn't involve Cohen's parents, Cohen had always been a pretty easy person to talk to.

Of course, this excludes those who keep chasing after Cohen, who are simply annoying and not dangerous.

Hermione left the common room first, and the Earl, who was warming himself by the fireplace, suddenly said:
"Didn't you ask me to send a list to that guy named 'Wernher von Braun' last time?"

“Yes.” Cohen remembered—he had asked von Braun to help him check the current positions of the Silver Key members on the list. “You’re not telling me now that you didn’t deliver it that time, are you?”

“How could that be? I personally handed it to him,” the count said, raising his head.

"Then how could you mix up the gifts I gave Herbert and the gifts I gave Dumbledore?" Cohen asked suspiciously. "Dumbledore received the note I wrote for Herbert. I'm starting to doubt your competence..."

"That's probably because I was in too much of a rush back then because you were going to send me a gift..." The Count avoided Cohen's gaze. "Besides, the two packages looked too similar, and the labels weren't stuck on properly—wait, isn't the problem with von Braun right now?! So much time has passed, and he still hasn't replied to you!"

“Indeed…” Cohen said.

"Perhaps he was slacking off," the count criticized.

“He might be dead,” Cohen said. “Why don’t you go take a look?”

"What if I die too?" the count retorted. "There might be a bunch of lunatics with silver keys swarming around there, waiting for the first creature to go in so they can—"

“Then let Mr. Frando go and take a look.” Cohen thought for a moment. “Take Mr. Frando to Wernher von Braun.”

"good idea."

The Count flew out of the window, seemingly pleased to let Mr. Flando go and scout things out first.

After dinner began, Cohen followed the crowd to the Great Hall. Harry wasn't there, so Cohen sat down next to Ron and Hermione.

“Where’s Harry?” Cohen asked.

“He took some food to that room,” Ron said, biting into his steak. “He goes there whenever he has time, just like…”

“He craves family too much.” Cohen shook his head. “Let him vent at times like this…”

"What's wrong, Harry?" Fred leaned closer. "What are you venting about? Are you in love? Who are you venting to?"

“Merlin’s flowery socks, he’s even faster than us!” George said.

"How many clothes does Merlin have that you can change into?" Cohen said, covering his eyes.

(End of this chapter)