Hogwarts: This holy light is righteously evil

Chapter 149 School Opening

After the meal, accompanied by the twins and Arthur, Puni strolled around the Burrow's courtyard.

As the two passed the goblin vegetable garden that the twins often mentioned, they gazed at the Weasley family's orchards on the hillside, enjoying the fresh and pleasant countryside scenery.

The twins then took Puni up to the third-floor bedroom, ready to reveal the surprise they had promised.

They have successfully cracked the manufacturing process of magic candy and are currently adjusting the formula to stabilize the magical effects. At the same time, they are developing a brand new product category, which is already showing the initial signs of commercialization and has a very promising future.

As soon as Puni picked up a small explosive device, the twins beside him instantly tensed up and looked flustered.

"Fred, George!" Mrs. Weasley's voice suddenly rang out from the doorway. "I've made it clear: these dangerous gadgets are not allowed to be kept in the bedrooms. If they explode, the whole house could catch fire!"

"Mom, this is our improved new product. Its safety has been optimized, and it will definitely not ignite the house!" the twins quickly defended themselves, trying to prove the safety of the new product.

But faced with Mrs. Weasley's resolute attitude, all explanations were in vain, and all kinds of fireworks and explosive devices were confiscated.

She then gently reminded Puni not to imitate the twins' dangerous attempts.

Seeing the twins' frustrated expressions, Puni found it amusing and took the opportunity to change the subject to ease the awkward atmosphere.

"Making fireworks props indoors is indeed too risky, and Hogwarts would not allow such items to circulate on campus."

In comparison, magic candy has greater potential for development and is more stable. Puni picked up a finished candy and examined it closely.

The twins immediately stepped forward and gave a detailed introduction to the current research and development progress.

Currently, they produce basic prank candies with mild effects, using simple and readily available ingredients, resulting in extremely low procurement costs.

"This project has great potential and will definitely become a hit among young wizards." Fred's eyes were full of anticipation. "You know best what your peers like. Most of the snacks you buy for Ravenclaw are bestsellers, which perfectly proves the market demand."

"Furthermore, once we enter the third year, we'll have access to advanced potion knowledge, which will allow us to develop more new types of candy and enrich our product range," George added, seriously planning his future entrepreneurial ventures.

Now, Puni is the largest investor in their startup project. The two are determined to keep this big investor on board, ensure the supply of materials for subsequent research and development, and do their best to promote the project's implementation and profitability.

After listening to their plans, Puni suddenly remembered the upcoming new semester and took the opportunity to make her request: "Could you help me collect my third-year course notes? Especially detailed notes on all the elective courses."

In his view, combining notes from outstanding senior students with lectures from professors can significantly improve learning efficiency.

The twins exchanged a glance and immediately understood.

This task is extremely easy. Angelina, who has excellent grades in school, has complete and detailed class notes, which can be easily borrowed. If all else fails, they can also use their popularity to find a way to get it done.

"Consider it a deduction from your compensation for subsequent research and development materials."

Seeing that the two readily agreed, Puni decided to finalize this exchange of equal value, so that the twins would not continue to owe him favors, and at the same time, he would solve his own learning needs for the new semester.

The two parties hit it off immediately and reached an agreement smoothly, and their relationship became increasingly harmonious.

The Weasleys were warm and hospitable, and the twins kept talking to Penny about all sorts of novel ideas, constantly refining magical gadgets that could be commercialized. As a result, their planned return trip was postponed several times.

During the afternoon tea break, everyone gathered in the slightly cramped yet warm living room.

Mrs. Weasley served up strong tea that she had personally brewed, and then replaced it with a plate of freshly baked handmade cookies for everyone to relax and enjoy.

Arthur leaned back comfortably in the armchair, his whole body relaxed, his eyes full of the ease that comes after a good meal.

He slowly sipped his hot tea, as if suddenly recalling a recent secret, and turned to look at Puni. His expression instantly became serious, and he lowered his head slightly.

"Speaking of which, have you heard about any unusual developments in the wizarding world lately? Gringotts was invaded by outsiders a few days ago."

He lowered his voice, "The Ministry of Magic has been deliberately suppressing public opinion and trying to cover up the whole thing, but such a big thing can't be hidden. It will soon be in the Daily Prophet."

"Arthur!" Mrs. Weasley immediately interrupted, her eyes clearly showing disapproval. "Don't talk about these things in front of guests, especially with the children still here."

As she spoke, she glanced worriedly at Ron and Ginny beside her, afraid that such negative news might frighten the younger generation.

"Molly, it's not that exaggerated. Almost everyone in the wizarding world is talking about it right now."

Arthur waved his hand dismissively and continued to explain the details to Puni, "The strangest thing is that the intruders left empty-handed after breaking in, without taking any valuables. The fairies were furious about this, but they kept their mouths shut and refused to reveal the exact location of the vault that was broken into."

Puni nodded slightly, understanding in his heart.

Attempting to suppress public opinion and conceal details of such a major event is indeed the consistent style of the British Ministry of Magic.

Fred and George immediately perked up their ears, exchanged a quick glance, their eyes filled with excitement and curiosity, intrigued by this bizarre and thrilling secret.

Ron listened, dumbfounded. This was the first time he had ever heard of someone breaking through Gringotts' layers of defenses, successfully entering, and escaping unscathed. He was filled with shock.

Percy, standing nearby, frowned slightly, feeling that his father shouldn't spread unverified rumors, but refrained from interrupting due to the occasion.

"By Merlin, this is extremely dangerous," Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, her face showing concern. "Arthur, stop talking. This is not a tea party for such horrific matters."

"Mom, this is so interesting!" Fred couldn't help but chime in.

Seeing that his wife was truly angry, Arthur had no choice but to back down, touching the tip of his nose to end the conversation: "Alright, alright, I won't say anything more. In short, the magical world is not peaceful lately, so all of you should be extra careful when you go out, including Puni."

Even though the topic was forcibly ended, news of Gringotts' attack had already quietly spread throughout the wizarding world and could not be suppressed.

Taking advantage of the adults' shift away from serious topics, the twins immediately switched the subject, enthusiastically sharing anecdotes about their younger siblings' daily lives and enlivening the atmosphere.

"Look at Ron!"

Fred gestured for everyone to look at his younger brother, Ron, who was carefully examining the cookies in his hand, checking for any tampering. He was extremely cautious. "George just secretly put a fake spider in there, which scared him so much he almost jumped onto the roof beam."

George immediately cooperated, exaggerating Ron's panicked appearance and screams. His vivid expressions were particularly comical, making Puni chuckle.

"Let's talk about our little sister Ginny."

Fred lowered his voice and looked at the red-haired girl who was sitting next to him, looking uneasy and glancing at everyone. "She's recently developed a new obsession. She's particularly infatuated with that boy who survived the ordeal. She spends all her time looking through her history of magic textbook and can practically recite those pages by heart."

The pleasant time passed quickly, and as evening approached, Puni prepared to get up and say goodbye.

Mrs. Weasley thoughtfully packed a large box of homemade cookies and handmade jam, insisting on giving it to Penny as a souvenir.

"You're welcome to visit again anytime, child." Mrs. Weasley gently embraced Penny.

"Thank you so much for your hospitality. It was a very pleasant visit today," Puni replied politely with a smile.

On the way back, the setting sun painted the entire sky a warm orange-red, and the scenery along the way was tranquil and soothing.

Harry's short month-long stay in Diagon Alley passed in the blink of an eye. Before he knew it, the calendar had turned to August 31st, and the last night before school started was quietly approaching.

Tete, the house-elf who had been taking care of him, reminded him that it was time to start packing his school luggage and preparing supplies for his trip to Hogwarts the next day.

This reminder finally brought Harry back to reality from his relaxed state of mind.

After a month of immersion, Harry had long since shed his initial confusion and trepidation about entering the magical world.

During this time, he heard countless stories about the daily life at Hogwarts from the wizards and students coming and going in Diagon Alley. His heart was filled with longing and anticipation for the magical school life that was about to begin, and he had no more fear or anxiety than before.

Of course, this anticipation still harbors a lingering unease.

Earlier, in Pony's shop, he happened to overhear the Weasley twins chatting with his younger brother. During their conversation, they mentioned the Sorting Ceremony for new students and even made up a thrilling story, claiming that new students must face and fight trolls in order to successfully complete the Sorting Ceremony.

Hearing this, Harry became wary and specifically sought out Penny to verify its truth.

Kopni did not give any direct answer, but simply patted him on the shoulder lightly, his attitude ambiguous.

Unable to get a definite answer, Harry became extremely persistent, even actively searching through various magic books in an attempt to learn how to fight trolls and prepare in advance for the unknown Sorting Test.

Draco was also among those who heard the rumors that day, along with Harry.

The following day, Draco specifically told Harry that the story of the trolls fighting was pure nonsense and a joke deliberately made up by the twins.

This was the information he learned from his mother, but she did not explain the actual process of the Sorting Ceremony in detail.

But Harry was still full of concerns.

Since there are no giants to stop them, what unknown creatures will the new students have to deal with?

The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became. He even felt that he needed to consult more magic books than he had expected.

He gradually realized that all the senior students who had gone through the sorting ceremony would tacitly conceal the truth about the ceremony from the freshmen.

This is both an unspoken secret among wizards and their unique pleasure—they enjoy watching new students' anxious and wildly speculative expressions.

Aside from this mix of fear and anticipation, Harry also felt a deep sense of reluctance to part ways.

Once you officially enroll at Hogwarts, your house-elf will end its caregiving duties and return to its original home.

This close companionship made it hold a very important place in Harry's heart.

After a restless night, the next morning, Harry packed all his school bags and planned to go to the Golden Dragon Magical Toy Shop to find Penny and head to the station together.

However, they were told that Puni did not need to come to the store to meet them, but would go directly from his home to Platform 9¾ to wait for everyone.

Then, through the house-elf's arrangement, Harry flew through the Fireplace Network directly to Platform 9¾ at King's Cross Station.

Then it left.

The companionship that felt like family suddenly came to an end, and Harry's reluctance to part grew stronger. He could only place all his hopes on Penny and quietly wait for her to arrive.

After waiting for a long time on the platform, Harry finally saw Penny.

However, Puni was not alone today. A gentle and graceful girl was by his side. The two walked side by side, chatting and laughing freely, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.

Harry watched the two of them interacting from a distance and stopped in his tracks.

He vaguely understood the proper boundaries and was unwilling to rush forward and disturb them, becoming an unnecessary bystander.

He secretly guessed that this outstanding-looking Chinese girl must be Puni's lover; the two were a perfect match in terms of temperament.

Even though Harry deliberately kept his distance, his direct gaze was still caught by the perceptive Penny.

Puni raised his hand to greet Harry, calling out to him from a distance, "Harry, over here! School life is about to begin, aren't you excited?"

Harry nodded quickly, his eyes brimming with anticipation.

Cho Chang, standing beside Harry, then looked at him with a gentle, bright smile and said in a friendly manner, "Hello, Harry. I've often heard Penny mention you. It's a pleasure to meet you formally. Welcome to Hogwarts."

This summer, Cho rarely went to Diagon Alley, and her few visits coincided with Harry's, making this the first time the two had a formal meeting.

Although she did not grow up in the wizarding world, she knew of Harry's legendary reputation, but she did not pay excessive attention to or idolize him like other young wizards.

Throughout the summer vacation, she focused on learning various basic spells with her mother. Now she was overjoyed and secretly thought about finding an opportunity to show Puni her progress.

"Y-hello!" Harry was slightly dazed by Autumn's warm and dazzling smile, and a faint blush appeared on his cheeks. He quickly composed himself and walked briskly to Puni's side.

King's Cross Station returned to its usual bustling scene at this time of year, with large numbers of Hogwarts students pouring into the station and ordinary travelers hurrying by, making the whole station a lively hub of activity.

Before long, the Weasleys arrived and started chatting with Harry.

Puni and Qiu boarded the train and, as always, chose a private compartment.

As Puni was chatting and laughing with Qiu, he inadvertently glimpsed the lively scene outside through the carriage window.

Ron screamed and hurried through the aisle of the carriage, looking flustered, while the Weasley twins followed closely behind, chasing and playing around.