At Hogwarts, the story begins with deconstructing Avada Kedavra.

Chapter 78 "Coincidence"

Hermione Granger sat alone in an armchair.

After returning from the lake, she remained in this posture, still clutching the book "A Thousand Miraculous Herbs and Mushrooms" in her hand.

In a corner not far away, Harry and Ron were huddled together, examining the Invisibility Cloak.

They lowered their voices and discussed their plan to sneak into the fourth-floor corridor that night.

Hermione looked at them, her heart churning with intense turmoil.

"Should I tell them?" Hermione bit her lower lip, Lucien's casual words by the lake echoing in her mind like a nightmare: "That plant likes dark, damp environments—the way to control it is with fire."

She knew all too well that it was the devil's web.

If Harry and Ron weren't told, those two idiots who even stumbled over using "blink" would definitely be strangled to death under the trapdoor.

But if she does say it, how can she remind these two oblivious guys to remember it?

Time passed second by second, and the sun had already sunk halfway into the tree canopy.

Harry stood up, seemingly preparing to go back to his dormitory to get his wand.

We can't wait any longer; lives are at stake.

Hermione made up her mind.

She stood up from the armchair and walked quickly to Harry and Ron.

"Harry, Ron, listen to me." Her voice was tense with nervousness. "I hesitated for a long time about the first obstacle under the trapdoor, but I must tell you—if you fall down and encounter vines—"

"Wait, Hermione." Ron looked at her warily. "How did you know there were vines under the trapdoor? Or are you trying to use this excuse to lure us to Professor McGonagall?"

"I didn't!" Hermione shouted angrily.

"Don't blame us for suspecting you, Hermione." Harry's expression was also a bit strange. He frowned and looked the girl over. "You've been acting strangely ever since you came back from the lake, and just now you were even talking to yourself against the wall. Where did you get this information? What if it's false information deliberately leaked by Snape?"

"That was—" Hermione started to say Lucian's name, but the words caught in her throat. How was she supposed to explain it? That a Ravenclaw student, while eating snot-flavored beans, casually predicted the headmaster's defensive plans? They would think she was crazy.

"Bang!"

The portrait of the fat lady was suddenly and violently smashed open.

Hermione's words trailed off. The three of them turned at the same time and saw Neville Longbottom crawling in, panting heavily.

He was holding the wilted rice seedlings in his arms.

But unlike his usual timidity, Neville's eyes were shining, and his cheeks were flushed with excitement.

"Harry! Ron! Hermione!" Neville strode towards them, his voice rising an octave. "You won't believe who I just ran into!"

"Keep your voice down, Neville!" Ron quickly covered his Invisibility Cloak. "Are you seeing things?"

"It was Professor Dumbledore! I ran into the Headmaster in the corridor on my way back to the tower!" Neville exclaimed, trembling with excitement. "He stopped me and praised my talent for herbalism! He even asked me what to do if I encountered a type of vine in the dark that tightens as I struggled!"

"Vines?" Harry immediately grasped the key point. "You encountered vines?"

"That's the Devil's Web! I told the headmaster the Devil's Web fears light and fire!" Neville puffed out his chest, as if declaring a sacred mission. "Then the professor told me that fear is like the Devil's Web; the more you struggle, the deeper you sink. Just relax, look for the fire—"

I believe that in critical moments, you can save yourself and your companions!

'

As soon as Neville finished speaking, Harry and Ron burst into suppressed cheers.

"Great! This is the clue the principal gave us for passing the level!"

"Neville, you're a genius! The headmaster is secretly supporting us!"

However, Hermione only felt horrified.

She stared intently at Neville, where light and shadow met.

It's synchronized.

It was synchronized perfectly, down to the last detail.

In her mind, Lucian's lazy image of eating Dobby beans by the lake overlapped with the image of the aloof white wizard Neville was talking about.

"Lucian already knew—" Hermione screamed frantically in her mind, overwhelmed by fear and awe.

An hour earlier, Lucian casually uttered "devil's web and fire" by the lake.

An hour later, Dumbledore was in the corridor, giving Neville a hint using almost the same script.

Did Lucian have some kind of premonition?

No, in Hermione's eyes, the truth was far more terrifying than that.

Lucian didn't predict Dumbledore's actions; rather, he saw through Dumbledore's entire script.

He knows everything.

He knew what Dumbledore had put under the trapdoor.

He even calculated exactly which student Dumbledore would choose at dusk, at which corner of the corridor, and which student would be easily moved, to deliver this "sacred spoiler"!

So, the "booger-flavored bean" that Lucien ate by the lake was not an accident at all!

That must have been Lucien telling her in an extremely arrogant and subtle way:

Look, Hermione, the greatest white wizard of this century’s meticulously crafted director, is, in my eyes, as clumsy, disgusting, and utterly worthless as this stinky bean that tastes like booger.

"Hermione?" Harry turned around excitedly. "What were you trying to tell us? About the vines?"

Hermione looked into Harry's clear eyes and suddenly felt that everything in the room was utterly absurd.

If she goes with them, what does that make her?

Was he a tool used by Dumbledore in his script to assist the savior? Or was he a pawn used by Lucian to test Dumbledore's limits?

Besides, she was already tired of such meaningless adventures.

No, I will never blindly jump into the game.

Hermione took a step back. "What I was going to say was—" Hermione took a deep breath, making her voice sound cold and rational, "If you're in danger, I might not be able to help. I get too nervous; in a crisis, I might even forget how to wave my wand."

"What?" Ron's eyes widened. "But you just—"

"I still won't go." Hermione looked at Neville with a resolute gaze. "Since Professor Dumbledore personally entrusted Neville with this mission, it means Neville is the one."

He understands herbs, and he has the guidance of the principal.

"Navie, will you go in my place?"

Neville hesitated for a moment, then clenched his fist tightly: "I—I can! I will never let the professor down!"

Although Harry felt Hermione's departure was somewhat sudden, the addition of Neville, whom the headmaster had "handpicked," made him feel more confident.

Night finally fell, completely swallowing up the last rays of the setting sun.

Harry, Ron, and Neville donned invisibility cloaks and disappeared into the hole in the portrait.

The common room was empty except for Hermione.

She slowly walked back to the armchair and sat down, taking out the mint hard candy that Lucien had given her by the lake from her pocket.

She unwrapped the candy and put it in her mouth. The minty flavor made her mind clearer than ever before.

"You want to see a show, don't you, Lucien?"

"I'll sit here and watch. I'll see what kind of storm you, the chess player hiding in Ravenclaw, will stir up behind the trapdoor tonight."