The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 228 The Two-Way Mirror Sealed for Fifteen Years

Father, like son.

This statement is not a joke, because it truly reflects the differences in how the same problem is viewed from different perspectives.

"Thank you, Hermione!" Ino thanked her sincerely.

Looking at the girl who was shoulder-high to him, he no longer had the same attitude he had towards children.

"It's nothing!" Hermione said casually, but subconsciously turned her head to the side to avoid direct eye contact.

In just a fleeting glance, Hermione sensed something different about Ino's eyes—deep and bright. Under that gaze, she felt both annoyed and somewhat uncomfortable.

Ino didn't pay much attention to the girl's change in expression; his mind was now preoccupied with his speculations about the transformation of fire elements.

Special types of flames, if they can take on various forms, can be vastly different from a ball of flame and a flame capable of autonomous attack, such as the Neven Serpent.

Its performance is more than doubled; it's practically like having an extra intelligent combat assistant. Moreover, if the fire burns bright enough, it won't just produce one Rune Serpent...

The exchange lasted only a few minutes.

He felt he had gained much more than he had in the past six months of figuring things out on his own, and a sense of joy welled up within him.

Hermione was also delighted; this was a very good start.

She has now made up her mind to set aside some time to learn potions, because the good results she has achieved are essentially due to that bottle of Felix Felicis.

"There's something I want to talk about, it's about Transfiguration." After hesitating for a while, Hermione decided to strike while the iron was hot and pulled out a two-way mirror from her pocket.

"Professor Snape gave this to me before the holidays. I want to give you the other side so we can communicate about Transfiguration more effectively."

A slender, fair hand held a round mirror about two inches in diameter.

Hearing Snape's name, Ino looked at the two-way mirror in front of him and suddenly felt a sense of timelessness and a feeling of transcending time.

About twenty years ago, the same castle, the same academy.

If a Slytherin and a Gryffindor had actually swapped two-way mirrors, the whole story might have been completely different.

……

"Okay! We'll discuss this using the mirror when we have time."

Without hesitation, Ino took the two-way mirror and gently put it into her pocket.

"Yes! Let's discuss it through the mirror!" Hermione nodded emphatically.

Just then, another voice came from behind them.

"Although I'd love to pretend I didn't see it, I have to remind you both that curfew is in less than fifteen minutes."

Professor McGonagall covered her forehead, her tone somewhat helpless.

Throughout her decades-long teaching career, Professor McGonagall knew very well that such things could neither be prohibited nor stopped.

She always tacitly approved of the vague feelings between students, as long as they weren't too excessive, since everyone goes through that phase during their student years.

But the two in front of her gave her the impression that they weren't very smart.

Even though she knew curfew was coming soon, the two of them were still standing there motionless. If it weren't for the fact that this was the only way down the corridor, she wouldn't have wanted to say anything to disturb them.

……

Hearing Professor McGonagall's voice behind him, Ino immediately turned around.

"Sorry, Professor! We were talking about Transfiguration and forgot to check the time. We'll head back now."

Talking about Transfiguration? Upon hearing this explanation, Professor McGonagall's eyelids twitched involuntarily, and she felt offended.

Late at night, I was alone with the girl in the corridor. I turned around and told her that we were discussing transfiguration, but then I thought about how we were both good students that I valued.

"So, are you all finished discussing? If you are, then head back!"

Before Ino could react to Professor McGonagall's change in tone, she felt her cuff being gently tugged.

Then Hermione lowered her head and fled towards the moving staircase.

……

Nine o'clock in the evening.

I returned to my dorm right on time for the weekend.

His good fortune today kept a faint smile on his face.

Hearing the dormitory door open, Draco peeked out from behind the curtains.

"You're back so late today? Is something wrong?"

Hearing this concerned inquiry, Ino smiled and replied, "You go to sleep, what could possibly happen to me!"

"Oh!" Draco responded, then pulled his head back in.

A while later.

Draco's voice rang out again in the dormitory:

"Ino, do you have any ways to make money?"

"Make money?" Ino asked hesitantly, since the Malfoy family should never be short of money.

"Yes! Make money!" Draco poked his head out again. "I want to earn enough to buy a Firebolt!"

With Draco's explanation, Ino understood the reason. But it made him chuckle; the fire bolt wasn't some kind of light broom.

"Two thousand five hundred Galleons, how did you earn that?"

"I own a lot of shares! My grandfather decided on it when I was born," Draco blurted out without thinking.

"Shares?" Ino raised an eyebrow in surprise. "So, you'd dare sell them if they were in your name?"

Draco fell silent instantly. He dared not sell, nor could he sell, and he couldn't even mortgage it.

Because the circle is too small, no one dares to buy Malfoy's shares privately.

……

After seeing Draco pretending to be an ostrich, Ino stopped paying attention to him and instead started thinking about making money.

This is a problem that he has been ignoring.

Fairy tales and real life are never in conflict. Moreover, research on the Mirror of Erised, and even changing the media of wizards, requires having enough Galleons.

Without money, many things are not only difficult to achieve, but also prone to unexpected complications.

For the first time, Ino began to think about ways to make money in the future.

However, whether it's writing books or singing, it's just a hobby; he doesn't want to replicate Lockhart's path.

But aside from those two things, he couldn't think of any other way to make money for the time being.

It's not that they lack the ability, but rather that the market has long been divided up by pure-blooded companies.

Take wands for example. A young wizard's first wand purchase will cost no more than 10 Galleons, but a single unicorn tail hair suitable for a wand can cost as much as 10 Galleons. The Ollivanders are not a charity.

Therefore, for every wand they sold, they would receive a substantial subsidy from the Ministry of Magic, but no one knew exactly how much that amount was.

But one thing is clear to everyone: this is very profitable. However, since 382 BC, only Ollivander's wand shop has existed to this day.

That faded, peeling signboard is not only a testament to history, but also seems to be a silent warning.

Just as he was thinking about how to make money, Draco once again made a shocking statement.

"Ino, let's smuggle!"

"Pfft...cough cough! Say that again?"

At that moment, he realized he had truly underestimated the courage of purebloods, and couldn't help but re-examine Draco.

On the contrary, Draco nonchalantly replied, "I have anonymous shares in the dragon farm. My mother gave them to me, and nobody knows about them!"

(End of this chapter)