The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 365 Minister, Please Do Me a Favor

Boggart's black mist enveloped the entire ward.

Inside the room, Hermione quietly lowered her head after hearing the Blood Pact.

Especially after learning that this alliance was based on a bond of blood and affection, her cheeks flushed slightly.

Although ghosts don't feel hot, they can't help but feel shy.

Hermione looked down at her toes, her hands clasped over her lower abdomen, and did not respond for a moment.

……

at the same time.

Seeing Hermione remain silent, Ino was at a loss for words.

A blood oath was the best solution he could think of; it was a truly shared destiny where everyone prospers or suffers together.

He couldn't use the Sanctuary to force Hermione to comply, because that would be considered an act of harm, and the most fundamental oath of the Blood Pact is that one must not harm one another.

As for the addition of an emotional bond.

To be honest, the moment Hermione lunged out, many things were already clear...

Last night, after Snape left, Ino also tried to see things from Snape's perspective.

If Hermione had been lying there, would he have been able to stand in front of her to protect her from the Killing Curse...? Faced with the truth in his heart, he fell silent.

But what follows is a sense of being moved, a testament to the complex and ever-changing nature of the human heart, like a kaleidoscope that never stops turning.

Sacrifice is always the brightest shining point of humanity.

Hermione did it, but he hesitated.

And that is why he was willing to use the shelter as a token.

Because we should always repay kindness with the same kindness.

……

But it seems that Hermione is somewhat conflicted.

After a moment's thought, Ino slowly spoke: "Actually, if you don't want to..."

"No! I do!" Hermione resolutely raised her head.

At this moment, she no longer cared about being reserved or shy; who knew what might happen if she continued to be reserved?

"Are you sure?" Ino slowly raised her head.

"I'm sure!" Hermione nodded just as seriously.

"Alright! Leave the rest to me! We still need to do some preparations." A day later, a smile appeared on Ino's lips for the first time.

"And my mom and dad?" Hermione brought up the beginning again.

"Although the resurrection will be quick! But leave this matter to me as well. I happen to know a wizard who is skilled in the Oblivion Charm."

Ino said with a smile, while turning her gaze to the doorway surrounded by Boggarts.

With his mind at ease, he sensed a visitor at the door, and decided to have the visitor handle some matters.

"Then it's up to you! I need to take this opportunity to experience ghost life! Oh right... and Ginny too, I'm going to scare her..."

As she spoke, Hermione passed through the ceiling, and after her figure disappeared, she poked her head out again:

"By the way, remember to let me know when you're ready."

"Of course!" Ino nodded slightly, answering firmly.

As Hermione left, he reached out and touched the ice crystal coffin, and his figure disappeared from the spot.

……

Second floor corridor.

Professor McGonagall and Fudge stood silently outside the ward without saying a word.

Just when the two thought they wouldn't be able to see Ino today, the black mist that shrouded the door suddenly disappeared like a tide.

The door was opened.

"Excuse me, Professor! I was just chatting with Hermione!" Ino looked at Professor McGonagall.

With just one sentence, Professor McGonagall's usually calm eyes welled up with tears.

"I'm the one who should apologize! I didn't do a good job as vice principal!"

She took a deep breath, calmed herself down a bit, and said, "Well... but Minister Fookie needs to speak with you now!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Fudge's eyes widened suddenly, and he stiffly turned his head to look at Professor McGonagall beside him.

It's hard to imagine that a shrewd and calculating politician would one day lose control of his expression.

Shock, confusion, bewilderment, betrayal, helplessness, and a touch of grievance and resentment...

At that moment, Fudge really felt wronged. What did this have to do with him? He didn't want to come in the first place, but they forced him to come.

And then what happened? They came and said this...

But now he couldn't say anything, because the students opposite had already turned their attention to him.

"That's how it is... Mr. Swinburne! Um... because of Ms. McGonagall's strong insistence..."

There was no way to avoid it, so Fudge immediately and concisely stated his purpose.

"I understand!" Ino nodded calmly, then said, "But not now, because I have more important things to do..."

"Of course! It's nothing." Fudge breathed a sigh of relief at the refusal.

"You go about your business first. Leave the Ministry of Magic and Wizengamor to me! They can't blame a student for an accident; our duty is to be fair and impartial..."

At that moment, Fudge seemed to be radiating light.

He had no recollection of the time when a Muggle-born girl, barely 17 years old, was sent to Azkaban simply for conjuring a flower at her mother's grave...

On the other side, Professor McGonagall didn't say anything more after seeing Ino's resolute decision. With Fudge's intervention, everything would be fine.

But now, a palpable worry flashed in her eyes.

Over the decades, she had seen too many wizards driven to extremes by hatred. But at this time of year, she could only let them be; forcing them to preach would only backfire.

at the same time.

After receiving Fudge's answer, Ino nodded slightly and then said:

"Okay! Thank you for your understanding, Minister! But there's one more thing I need your help with..."

……

Time slipped away quietly during the conversation.

Hermione's appearance in the castle, in the Gryffindor common room, caused quite a stir.

This is actually normal. Although the young wizards are used to seeing ghosts, they only regard them as decorations.

The truly terrifying thing is when the people around you suddenly turn into ghosts.

Gryffindor Common Room.

Ginny looked at her former friend with teary eyes; the figure floating in mid-air was deathly pale white.

Not only Ginny, but everyone in Gryffindor looked sad, and George and Fred had lost their usual smiles.

Harry, Ron, Neville, Dean, Colin, Angelina... even Lavender, who has always been at odds with Hermione, secretly wiped away tears from the corners of their eyes.

……

When Hermione appeared in Gryffindor.

In the castle's underground chamber, Snape also took a sealed box from a shelf.

Upon opening, one finds neatly arranged feathers of the Veritable Bird, a material that is one of the most important ingredients in the formulation of the Veritable Acid Spray.

After hearing what happened last night, he had a feeling that he had seen it before.

This is so much like Godric's Hollow, the same killing curse, the same one-hit kill...

This time, he wasn't going to sit idly by and wait for his doom.

Magic can be countered. Legilimency cannot counter Occupy Central, and even some oath magic can counteract Legilimency.

Compared to magic, there is still no way to counter Truth Potion.

Moreover, the truth serum he's about to brew has actually been improved over a full fourteen years...

(End of this chapter)