The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 371 The Changing Times, Hermione's Transformation

Night falls.

The bright moon hung high in the sky, casting a soft glow.

The calm river surface seemed to be draped in a thin silver veil, making the waters appear dreamlike and mysterious.

A gentle breeze swept by, bringing a refreshing coolness and a faint fragrance.

It smelled of reeds, burdock, morning glory, and cosmos flowers.

In the gentle breeze, the vegetation on both sides of the river swayed and rustled, creating a true symphony of nature.

……

On the riverbank, under a dense thicket of reeds.

An elegant black swan lay quietly on a haystack, and beside him slept a small sea otter with beautiful silver and gray fur.

Hermione lay on the haystack, feeling the warmth and gentleness around her.

Although her eyes were closed, she was reviewing the past few days, from before her death to her rebirth, scene after scene.

All of this still feels somewhat unreal to her, even though it is a fact.

But today, after arguing and even fighting with the ducks, Hermione finally felt it was real.

That felt like being alive, not like a dream from which you could be easily jolted awake.

Lying on the haystack, the sea otter quietly stretched out its little paw and gently touched the soft feathers of the black swan beside it, before gradually drifting off to sleep.

……

At dawn, the rising sun came up.

A brilliant yet soft golden light illuminated the magical world, and the animals opened their sleepy eyes.

Of course, Mr. Owl is an exception; he is now preparing to return to his burrow and get a good night's sleep.

The tranquil lake surface of the night has once again become bustling and noisy, with swans occupying the best spot in the center, while the ducks remain entrenched in an inconspicuous corner...

But today is different.

A pure black swan, accompanied by a small sea otter, swam freely in the lake.

"Ino, what do you think Odette usually eats? Or what do swans eat in general? She's always hungry."

Hermione splashed in the water, turned her head, and asked curiously.

Odette was the name she gave the Ugly Duckling, derived from the princess representing the white swan in the ballet "Swan Lake".

"Although I don't know what Odette eats, I do know what swans eat."

A pleasant, elegant female voice rang out, and Hermione turned her head sharply, only to see an exceptionally beautiful white swan.

She has fluffy, white feathers like snow, a bright red beak like a blooming rose, and a graceful, curved swan neck.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop on your conversation. But they said yesterday that a handsome black swan has come to this river, so I thought I'd come and pay him a visit..."

"Oh! And this sea otter, I'm sorry I didn't notice you earlier. I hope you're not angry."

The melodious voice of the white swan rang out, but for some reason, Hermione thought of the black tea served at breakfast in the castle.

"I'm not angry! But I don't like being bothered by others either!" Hermione said, turning her little head to look at Ino.

Sea otters, ranked fifth in the world's cutest animals, are incredibly adorable with their heads tilted to one side.

"As you can see! My friend doesn't like to be disturbed!" Ino stretched out his wings and stroked Miss Otter's head.

Naturally, the two turned around and swam towards the other side of the river.

"Swans are omnivorous, generally feeding on small fish, clams, and of course, aquatic plants and various berries..."

On the water, Ino gave Hermione an answer.

"Let's go ashore and pick some fruit for Odette." Hermione looked at the lush forest on the shore, a fleeting look of longing in her eyes.

"Great!" Ino readily agreed to the suggestion; he also wanted to see the inhabitants of the forest.

When it comes to animal and anthropomorphic stories, no one can compare to Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales.

The Ugly Duckling, Elderberry Mother, Rose Fairy, The Princess and the Pea, The Nightingale, The Old Streetlight, and even the real Phoenix...

There are too many to count.

……

Swans are one of the most unique animals in fairy tales.

Although they sometimes appear arrogant, they never seem to appear in a negative light, not even in the story of the Ugly Duckling.

When the Ugly Duckling saw the swan, it was only kindly persuaded to leave, and was not mocked or attacked.

However, swans have a longer life cycle than many aquatic birds.

Depending on the species, it generally takes them 18 to 24 months, or at least a year and a half, to grow from chicks to adults.

But when it comes to time, perhaps in the tranquil animal world, time is the least noticeable thing.

Whenever Miss Cicada and Mr. Cricket play their duet, the animals know that summer is gradually fading away.

……

Autumn is here.

The forest paths are no longer as lush as they once were.

The fallen leaves have given it a new look, a golden carpet.

It feels soft and crunchy when you step on it.

The maple leaves are as red as fire, the ginkgo leaves are as golden as gold, and only the pine and cypress trees remain evergreen.

In the woods, a sea otter and some squirrels are sharing nuts they have just collected.

The scene looked somewhat strange, but once you were in it, it felt perfectly harmonious.

Ino watched Hermione interact with the squirrel quietly.

Unbeknownst to them, they had already been living in the forest for more than half a year.

From the blooming flowers of spring to the bountiful harvest of autumn.

The peaceful life made him reluctant to leave.

Similarly, he also understood Hans's intention: coming here was not only to help Hermione, but also to help himself.

For the better part of half a year, he lived like a swan. Not only did he not use magic, but he also didn't even open the seamless extension suitcase.

Even so, the magic of physical strength seemed to be nourished, not only growing rapidly, but also constantly being purified and refined.

In the woods.

Feeling the harvest and vitality of autumn, Ino smiled.

He was completely unaware that, compared to before, he had become increasingly fond of smiling.

The aloofness brought by the ice and snow magic has long since vanished without a trace.

Of course, this is merely a change in temperament, and has no effect on the magic of the bloodline; in fact, the magic has been enhanced.

Ino slowly raised her head and looked up at the clear blue sky.

He had a vague feeling that he could bring winter if he wanted to.

A true winter has arrived, instead of forcibly altering the weather with magic as before.

……

"Still spacing out and grinning like an idiot? Let's go! With these nuts, we won't go hungry this winter."

Hermione jumped down from the tree trunk and patted the swan that was staring blankly at the sky.

"Oh, right! And Odette, she's growing up too..."

Along the forest path, a silver-grey sea otter was chattering away.

On her back was a bundle made of leaves. The bundle was bulging and jingled as she walked.

For some reason, Ino felt a sense of familiarity.

Back when he set up his fortune-telling stall outside the elementary school, he always liked to tie some broken wind chimes he found to his canvas bag.

A unique charm arises spontaneously.

There's one more chapter, around nine o'clock, and everything will be explained clearly. Xiao Di is currently working hard to revise it.

(End of this chapter)