Hogwarts Study Panel.

Chapter 155: Love Saves the Day

It was a sunny Thursday.

Professor McGonagall disappeared; she didn't show up at Hogwarts all day.

She even skipped her Transfiguration class, instead adjusting the schedule with Professor Snape, which caused a group of young wizards to let out miserable wails.

Professor Snape wasn't in much better spirits either. After some Slytherins had suffered a major setback, Professor Snape deducted ten points from Gryffindor because Harry had misplaced a document!

They were still complaining when Harry and Ron arrived at Hope Cottage.

"I think he took advantage of Professor McGonagall's absence, Merlin's beard—I don't even know who to talk to about this!"

"Prefects? Percy would definitely say, 'Why does Professor Snape only punish you? Look at your own problems! Don't cause me any more trouble!'"

As they complained, they also saw Sheen waiting at the door of Hope Hut—a rare occurrence.

Mr. Owl's problem was very difficult for them, but for Sheen, solving it was as easy as eating and drinking.

"No! You're not allowed in! Little wizard! Little wizard who's fallen for someone else!"

"Mr. Owl shouted."

Harry and Ron glanced at it, complained briefly, and then disappeared. Instead, they started to suppress their laughter, unaware that Hermione, who had come with them, was already frowning and waiting to the side.

At first they didn't know why, but after being scolded a few times by Mr. Owl, they obediently waited to the side.

"Little wizard! Stupid little wizard! Dumb and clumsy! Just as ridiculously stupid as Gryffindor! Unless you tell me about a Gryffindor's stupidity right now, just wait!"

Justin, who arrived carrying some cookies, became everyone's savior. He glanced at the crowd standing in a row and smiled confidently:

"Let me do it. If Godric Gryffindor is still alive, then he is the giant squid in the Great Lake."

He spoke in a rhythmic, melodic tone.

Mr. Owl flapped his wings before letting them in.

in the hut.

Sheen reviewed his knowledge of ancient runes, then packed his things and prepared to go to the cellar to brew potions.

But they were blocked in the corridor by the Weasleys.

"What cookies did you choose? Anyway, I bet you did a great job!"

Fred said cheerfully.

"You are the great Green!"

George also seemed slightly excited.

"Oh—we really have no way to repay you. If Weasley actually manages to open the theater, we'll give you a small share!"

Fred blinked; his act of being moved was very convincing.

"Just a little bit, of course, two percent! What do you think?"

George took over the conversation.

Sheen walked past the twins, and if you struck up a conversation with them, you never knew how long the topic would go on.

"I bet you went to the professor to have runes inscribed on you, you're doomed, Fred!"

George suddenly exclaimed as if he had just remembered something.

"I remember now, George! Oh, oh, Merlin's beard, we don't know advanced Transfiguration, so—"

Fred suddenly ran over and stopped Sheehan.

"You need to change..."

George gave Sheehan's shoulder a friendly pat.

Sheen sometimes finds it hard to understand why the twins, despite their great achievements in alchemy, haven't mastered advanced shapeshifting.

He waved his wand, and a small jar containing a beetle was opened. Then, the beetle transformed into an owl at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Merlin's beard!"

Fred stared wide-eyed at George, his face contorted with a look of utter disbelief.

"Great Green!"

George winked at Fred, and then the two pretended to bow down.

The twins were quite amusing; on their way to the cellar, through all sorts of strange conversation, they obtained half-finished owl cookies from Sheen.

They then looked at Sheen with a strange expression.

"If you need advanced transfiguration knowledge from ancient runes—"

Why didn't you ask us?

"We obtained the 'O' in ancient runes!"

"We're naturally good at this!"

The two then tossed a book to Sheen and disappeared into the secret passage behind the portrait.

One Hundred Ways to Prank Ron

Sheen was somewhat stunned.

What is this...?

"Wrong!"

Then the twins darted back in and quickly swapped the books.

Ancient Runic Engraving Techniques

Holding the book he had been traded for, Sheen silently turned to the first page.

The more he looked, the brighter his eyes became.

Geminis truly deserve their reputation as alchemical geniuses; they are also highly accomplished in ancient runes.

Sheehan was certain that this was what he lacked. So when he reached the cellar, his steps were much lighter.

This scene, when witnessed by Professor Snape, inexplicably irritated him.

Time passed with the owl's comings and goings, and when Sheen emerged from the cellar, Sir Cadogan was already waiting at the cellar door.

Unlike usual, he watched silently as Sheen emerged from the cellar, then angrily mounted his pony.

A sudden downpour occurred that afternoon.

The torrential rain rolled down the sky outside Hogwarts like a huge pile of pebbles... like someone shaking a tablecloth from a very high window, all the friction sounds merging together to form a noisy din as they fell.

The rain hissed down from the sky, plunging all the roads outside the castle into darkness... A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, and the sky itself seemed to shake.

Sir Cadogan ran into the cellar amidst the torrential rain, shouting:

"Don't you understand? You fool, being accustomed to a hopeless situation is a million times worse than hopelessness itself!"

Just like that night years ago, he rushed into the cellar once again.

"Oh—my sir. He was always willing to sacrifice himself for others."

Mrs. Violet was at a loss for words.

"Okay, Violet, actually I don't think this is the right thing to do."

The plump lady was a little angry, and she stomped her foot hard.

No one knows what happened in the cellar, only that when Sir Cadogan crawled out with a bruised and swollen face, he looked at the cellar door with a "good enough, worth it" expression.

Professor Snape's black robes billowed without wind, like a roaring dark cloud sweeping down the corridor.

His destination was the spacious and beautiful circular principal's office.

A dazzling array of silverwares were on display, and beside them, a blackened kettle was still bubbling away.

The wizard with the long, white beard, Albus Dumbledore, sat behind his large oak table, his half-moon spectacles slipped down to the middle of his nose, his deep blue eyes gazing out the window at the torrential rain.

"Ah—Ms. Principal Delis de Winter, the world is both tragic and great in that it gives us no truth, but it gives us so much love."

Absurdity reigns supreme, love saves the day.

(End of this chapter)