Hogwarts: Becoming the White Lord from Breathing

Chapter 30: Friends Don’t Need a Grand Thank You
As Hermione left, Professor McGonagall looked at Harry and Ron behind Damon.

When she saw Harry, her gaze paused for a moment before she said:

"So, you rushed here because you were worried about your friend's safety, right?"

"Yes, yes!"

Harry and Ron nodded repeatedly.

"Friendship makes you ignore the danger and terror of the troll. I think this is the courage that is unique to us Gryffindors." Professor McGonagall nodded, and her expression softened a little, which made Harry and Ron feel a little relieved.

But soon, their hearts started to lift again.

"I have to say, you're very lucky, but—I don't want to encourage such reckless courage. Therefore, you will neither be awarded points nor deducted points. Now, please leave."

The two of them exchanged a glance with Damon, gave him a look that said, "Take care of yourself, buddy," and hurriedly left their spot on the second floor.

Only after they had climbed two flights of stairs in silence and could no longer smell the stench of the troll did they completely relax.

"It seems that Damon wasn't bragging; he really spent all his time learning spells! Listen to his earlier conversation with the professor about the transformation from still life to animal. What does that mean?
They're already categorizing Transfiguration spells by difficulty level? Professor McGonagall never mentioned that in class!"

"Ron, I'm afraid we won't understand what Professor McGonagall says. Remember, we can only transform small, immovable objects. That's what they call still-to-still-object transformation."

Harry raised his head and saw the stairs in front of him extending like a road to heaven. He moved up with his head hung, his expression seemed to be lost and envious.

In his future, how long will he have to study at Hogwarts before he can have the strength of Damon?

Why did everyone else call him the savior? Why hadn't he shown anything special so far?

He was so ordinary and common, just like the weeds beside the Black Lake, which could be seen everywhere and could only be blown by the wind. For the first time, Harry felt the urge to become stronger.

The common room was packed and noisy, everyone eating the food that was served to them, but Hermione was standing alone at the door, waiting for them.

For a moment, the two of them felt a little awkward.

"Thank you—where's Damon?"

"He was kept here by Professor McGonagall. He probably has something else to say."

Harry responded quickly. For some reason, he and Ron both felt very embarrassed at the moment and hurried to their plates.

Hermione glanced at them, then turned her head to look at the entrance to the lounge, put her hands in front of her skirt again, and waited quietly.

She rehearsed it in her mind.

When Damon shows up, she will thank him politely and give him a bright smile.

From now on, she will become good friends with Damon and the others.

Perfect plan.

Ten minutes later, there was a noise outside the door, and Damon's hands reached into the cave.

The mere appearance of a pair of hands makes people subconsciously think of that incredibly handsome face.

Hermione suddenly felt a little nervous.

She subconsciously looked down and saw that the hem of her pleated skirt had been wrinkled by her clenched hands.

She smoothed it over calmly.

"Hermione, what are you doing standing here?"

Damon supported himself in the passage with his hands, smiling gently.

He was in no hurry to move forward. Instead, he lay down in the aisle, his blue eyes staring straight at Hermione.

Hermione's face began to heat up.

"I'm waiting for you."

She was glad that she could still speak such complete sentences.

"Wait for me? What for?" The boy's eyebrows raised slightly with a smile, and his face like a Greek sculpture suddenly became lively.

Hermione felt her face getting even hotter - 'I must be blushing real red right now!'

She couldn't help but think so.

It's really strange. She obviously didn't think so at first, and the atmosphere shouldn't be like this.

She would thank him solemnly, and Damon would respond well. They were still competitors, but also friends who appreciated each other, and the matter would be over.

What's going on now?

"T-thank you."

She said it shyly.

It obviously shouldn't be like this.

"Oh, that's what you're talking about."

Damon's hands suddenly began to move forward, and with this movement, his body followed suit, and the distance between the two continued to shorten.

He gradually moved closer to Hermione and said with a smile:

"You're welcome. Remember what I told you?"

"Wha-what?"

"We are friends, Hermione. Friends don't need a grand thank you."

"Come, give me a hand."

A slender hand stretched out towards Hermione. She subconsciously held it, but unexpectedly felt thick calluses on her fingertips.

Why does Damon have such thick calluses on his fingers when he is so young?
Her thoughts were wandering uncontrollably, and she heard Damon say:

"Thank you, let's go eat. I guess you didn't eat well today."

"O-ok."

Hermione put her concerns aside for the moment, and their hands touched and then separated.

At this point, Ron and Harry had one more "tutor".

However, compared with Damon, this new teacher seemed particularly strict.

She did not allow Harry and Ron to copy Damon's homework directly, but would list the reference books needed to complete the paper and let them find them themselves.

She would also give them some background information about the buildings they saw during their adventure in the castle, which added a lot of fun to the experience.

Since the troll incident, Hermione no longer cares so much about breaking school rules, which makes it easier for Ron and Harry to get along with her. Some minor frictions and disputes are always resolved by Damon in the form of "one-man show".

Whether it is Hermione, Ron or Harry, they are always very obedient to Damon's decisions. Ron even discussed with Harry privately whether Hermione has already given in to Damon in her heart?

After November, the weather becomes very cold.

The mountains surrounding the school were gray and covered with ice and snow, and the lake surface was as cold and hard as tempered steel.

Every morning there is frost on the ground.

From the upstairs window Hagrid could be seen, wrapped up in a long moleskin coat, rabbit-fur gloves, and huge beaver boots, defrosting his broomstick on the Quidditch pitch.

The Quidditch match that Harry had been looking forward to was about to begin.

In order to cope with the heavy Quidditch training, he didn't even tell Damon that he wanted to practice spells with them, and could focus on the Quidditch game.

On Saturday, he will compete in his first ever competition.

Because Snape constantly favored the Slytherin students, Gryffindor was currently ranked second in the House Cup - if it weren't for Damon earning points like crazy in Charms and Transfiguration classes, Harry was afraid they wouldn't even have gotten second place.

But as long as they win this game against Slytherin, their house cup points will reach first place!
(End of this chapter)