The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 156 Repaying Snape's Favor

During summer vacation, Diagon Alley is always bustling with activity, and this liveliness sometimes continues until very late at night.

Today, however, is an exception.

As night fell, Diagon Alley seemed to be shrouded in the skirt of Nyx, the goddess of the night. The entire street was not only dark but also deserted, with hardly anyone in sight.

Even if one or two people occasionally pass by, they always look rushed.

Break the Cauldron Bar.

Although other shops closed early, Old Tom's bar was still lit up.

He stood behind the bar, wiping the countertop—which had been passed down for countless years—with a faded cloth, while his eyes occasionally swept over the two well-known figures in the hall.

Harry tensed up the moment he saw Fudge. He couldn't understand why puffing up his aunt would alarm the Minister of Magic. It all seemed rather bizarre.

"Minister! I didn't mean to use magic outside of school, I..."

"I'm so glad you're alright! Thank goodness." Fudge interrupted Harry, also letting out a sigh of relief.

If Harry really gets into trouble, not only will he be unable to continue as minister, but he'll be lucky if he doesn't face trial by Wizengamot.

"Harry, what did you just say? Blowing up Auntie's fat? It's alright, that's nothing."

"A small matter? Then why are you here?" Harry's eyes showed confusion. If it was a small matter, why did you come all the way here so late at night?

"Oh... haha! This is just a routine check, I'll be leaving in a bit!" Fudge told the lie skillfully.

"By the way, for your safety... I mean, after you flatten Auntie, you'll be staying with Old Tom for a while. I'll get you a nice room until you go to Hogwarts."

As if in a hurry, Fudge turned and walked toward Old Tom after he finished speaking.

In the pub lobby, Harry was somewhat incredulous and confused, but what he was seeing seemed like a good sign? Perhaps his mistake was being easily overlooked?

After calming down, I realized that everything I had experienced today was strange and bizarre. First, my aunt, who was overweight, ran away from home. Then, I inexplicably boarded a bus. Finally, I even met the Minister of Magic, who personally booked a room for me...

All sorts of things from the past flashed through my mind, but for some reason, I always remembered the black dog I encountered in the shadows while waiting for a bus by the roadside.

……

Harry eventually ended up staying at the Leaky Cauldron, arranged by Fudge.

As the first rays of sunlight rose over the northern hemisphere, the entire magical world of the British Isles erupted in excitement.

The entire front page of the Daily Prophet was filled with news of Sirius Black's prison break, and in the very center of the page was a ten-inch photograph of Sirius Black in prison clothes, roaring madly.

"Time flies! It really doesn't feel like it at all..."

Ino sighed and put down the newspaper in his hand.

I didn't feel anything before, but this time, after entering two great worlds in succession and traveling for nearly a year and a half, I really felt like I had been through a lifetime when I came back.

"If I want to repay a favor to someone, should I tie up their enemy and hand them over, or should I tell them the known clues?"

Ino leaned back on the sofa, staring at the pale blue ceiling.

A moment later, a sound came from the ceiling:

"Don't you already have the answer in your heart?"

"Yes, we have the answer. Hahahaha..." Ino laughed heartily. Today's Daily Prophet reminded him of how to repay Snape's favor.

Kindness should be repaid. Whether it was the Shadow Strike or the later lessons, Snape had been kind to him.

"How's your research on that flame going? Don't tell me you're just going to ignore it after lighting a lamp," Lina's cool voice rang out.

"What else can I do? How am I supposed to manage it? Even in that book you're reading, Newt Scamander, the Master of Fantastic Beasts, his description of the phoenix is ​​just a few words. Without any information, how can I conduct research?"

Ino's tone was somewhat helpless. The lamp hanging on the red maple tree contained a flame that he had specially lit with magic.

The flames of redemption and hope, intended to hatch a phoenix, are ultimately useless, but hanging them here offers some psychological comfort, better than nothing.

"You should visit them, go and learn from them! I... never mind! I just want to tell you that some knowledge won't be printed in books, especially books intended for the general public."

Lina's tone was tinged with nostalgia, and before Ino could speak, she continued:

"Some ideas, some insights, even some unverified speculations—this kind of knowledge will never appear in public books, and what you need is precisely this kind of thing that has not been made public."

"You're right!" Ino nodded affirmatively. "I'll go write a letter now and find someone to introduce us! We still have time during summer vacation."

Having said that, he decisively stood up and slowly walked to the desk by the window. If he wanted to visit Newt Scamander, having the old headmaster as an introducer was undoubtedly the best choice.

After half an hour.

After writing a well-chosen letter, Ino waved her hand, and the owl in the corner of the room flew to the desk.

He was growing increasingly fond of the shapeshifting owl that Professor McGonagall had given him; it didn't need feeding, he didn't have to worry about it getting sick, yet it could perfectly perform the job of a messenger.

As the owl's figure gradually disappeared, Ino slowly withdrew her gaze.

"Lina, have you ever thought about living independently? I mean, finding a world you like..."

Ino stopped halfway through his sentence because he wasn't sure if Lina would survive after he left in the fantasy world.

Similarly, on the cobwebs on the ceiling, Lina also fell silent after hearing these words.

half an hour.

A soft sigh came from the ceiling: "I don't want to lie to you, but let's talk about it later! If you can, could you buy me some more books about blood curses?"

"Okay!" Ino said firmly.

He always felt some gratitude towards Lina, or rather, the White Witch. Although she had imprisoned him for almost half a year, she had always treated him with courtesy, especially when she parted ways and bestowed upon him the inheritance of ice and snow magic, which directly opened a path to legend.

Kindness should be repaid; this is the way of the world. His experience in the fantasy world made him pay more attention to the cultivation of his mind.

"If possible, pay more attention to that flower in the future, connect with it, resonate with it, and you may reap unexpected rewards."

"And... that last spell, try to avoid using it if possible! It's really a bit too early for you at your current level."

Hearing these heartfelt words of advice, Ino smiled silently and sighed softly, "Thank you! Although I didn't intend to use it, it seems to have already manifested itself."

This time, after returning from two worlds, the legacy of the White Witch, the third and final spell recorded on the petals, has surfaced in her mind.

Perhaps it's the accumulation of magic, or something else entirely; in any case, things are just that magical. The magic that once only revealed its name is now clearly visible.

(End of this chapter)