Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 287 Chapter 287: Branching

Do things like bubble-nosed monsters and curved-horned snorting beasts exist in the world?
This is indeed a problem.

Sheen, leading the Thestral, hadn't even thought for a moment when he saw Hagrid return, looking dejected.

“I think it’ll be wandering around for a while, so thank you again, Sheen. Leave the rest to me—keep up with me, first-year wizard!”

Hagrid roared, and the young wizards followed him, trembling, toward the small boat.

The rest of the people boarded the "self-moving" carriages, which lined up in a row and creaked and swayed as they traveled along the road.

They passed the tall stone pillars on either side of the gate leading to the school grounds, with winged wild boars atop the pillars.

Hogwarts Castle drew ever closer: its towering towers appeared even darker against the backdrop of the night sky, with the occasional window casting a dazzling red glow overhead.

“She’s really weird.”

Hermione frowned as she looked at the young wizards: Sheehan was reliable, but he never directly expressed his dislike; Justin was a complete idiot; Neville was even worse than Justin.

"Perhaps... I mean yes, based on what just happened, that's probably the case."

After noticing that Hermione's expression was not good, Justin quickly changed his tune.

The lobby was bathed in the red glow of torches, echoing with the footsteps of students.

They walked across the stone-paved ground and headed to the right through the two large doors leading to the auditorium, where the opening banquet was to be held.

The auditorium was filled with four long college dining tables, and the ceiling above them was pitch black without any stars, just like the sky they could see outside through the high windows.

Candles floated above the dining table, illuminating the few silvery-white ghosts that adorned the auditorium and the excited faces of the students. They chatted animatedly, exchanging news from the summer holidays, loudly greeting friends from other colleges, and scrutinizing each other's new hairstyles and clothes.

They parted ways here, and Sheen slowly walked toward the Ravenclaw table.

Strangely, the back of the long table was full, leaving only a few seats for Sheen at the very front.

The Ravenclaws stopped whispering after Sheen walked toward the long table, watching him with reverence as he headed for his seat at the front.

Will he return to the team?

Roger Davis seemed somewhat uneasy. The old captain had graduated contentedly, while he had just taken over the captain's position.

Last year, they won the Quidditch Cup and the House Cup. Look at these bronze and sky-blue ribbons, look at that portrait of a soaring eagle, every Ravenclaw knows whose achievement it is.

A certain young wizard has practically become a mascot of Ravenclaw, and stories about him circulate throughout Hogwarts:

He single-handedly defeated a troll, thwarted an unspeakable wizard's plot, and became the first wizard in centuries to be allowed to stay at school for the summer...

Just this summer, The Wizarding Weekly captured a picture of a young wizard entering the Fairy Tale Corner—he actually had an invitation!

They thought that shop had nothing to do with the young wizards at Hogwarts.

"Roger, don't be too greedy,"

Prefect Penelope offered a reminder, then turned and asked with a smile.

"Sheen, how was your summer vacation?"

“Very good, Prefect Penelope.”

Sheehan sat down in the front row, a seat that should have been Penelope's.

In the main seating area of ​​the auditorium, looking at the swaying old hat, even Sheen's usually calm expression showed a hint of emotion.

When he arrived at the branch campus, he naturally remembered the old man's utterly despicable behavior.

"Ginny Weasley—Gryffindor!"

Professor McGonagall is still in charge of the scholastic school.

A cute little red-haired witch took off the Sorting Hat, and the Gryffindor long table erupted in cheers. The Weasley twins almost stood on the long table to applaud.

Ginny glanced at the Ravenclaw table and then ran to the clapping lion cubs.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Do you know Sean Green?"

She asked the witch who was clapping beside her in a low voice.

"Wow—congratulations on finding the most famous one as soon as you enter the school."

The witch smiled and shook her head.

"Luna Lovegood!"

Professor McGonagall continued.

Then, scattered applause broke out on the Ravenclaw table. "Sheen, I heard you went to that fairytale shop. What do they sell there? Is it really one of those breads that can transform into magical creatures?"

Michael approached from an unknown spot around the long table, looking quite curious.

"To be precise—it's a biscuit, not bread."

Anthony, holding the book, corrected her.

"Okay, okay, as long as it's not Terry's sticky hash browns."

Michael raised his hands in surrender.

"That's a potato pie!"

Terry retorted in a low voice, slightly annoyed.

"I can't see any difference."

Michael mumbled something, as if trying to coax him.

"Of course, of course it's potato pie, definitely not potato bombs or potato airplanes or anything like that..."

They would start chatting on their own, and Sheen, holding his book, didn't pay much attention until a figure leaped down and sat down next to him.

"I'm Luna, nice to meet you."

She was completely unaware that her name had just been read aloud.

"Sheen Green".

Sheen replied.

Do you watch "The Quibbler" too?

Luna spoke in a singing voice.

“I have a part of it.”

Sheehan was referring to the interview invitation that Quixote had sent him during the summer, which he declined, but Mr. Lovegood still sent him a series of books.

"So you think Cornelius Fudge has his own secret army? An army composed of Heliopas?"

Luna said in a very serious tone.

"impossible."

At this moment, Anthony spoke slowly.

"It's true."

Luna said.

What is Heliopa?

Michael asked, looking bewildered.

“They are fire spirits,”

Luna said that her bulging eyes, wide open, made her appear even more insane than before.

"It was a colossal creature engulfed in flames, galloping across the land, capable of burning everything in its path to ashes—"

"They don't exist at all."

Anthony said just as seriously.

"Oh, it exists!"

Luna said angrily.

"Alright, you all work together to find evidence. Whoever's evidence is more reasonable is right, how about that?"

Michael quickly smoothed things over.

Sheen, lost in thought about ancient runes, quietly moved away from them; he had never been interested in the young wizards' squabbles.

The only thing that bothered him was the Sorting Hat; if he could retrieve the Gryffindor sword from it, his chances of winning might be much greater.

That sword was eerily powerful; it could kill a snake monster with a single strike.

However, the thought of the Sorting Hat's misdeeds caused Sheehan's thoughts to pause slightly. Headmaster Dumbledore had allowed him to have tea in the Headmaster's office during his spare time; next time, he would settle accounts with the Sorting Hat.

　Soon, there will be another chapter. This is Lu's fourth update today.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)