The Wind and the Wings of Hogwarts

It's mainly a bit awkward.

He knew Dumbledore meant well when he said those things, but he really couldn't bring himself to change as the old headmaster had advised.

Scott searched the castle and finally found Helena in the garden.

"Good afternoon, Helena," Scott greeted her familiarly.

Helena, standing by the flowerbed, turned around. "Is there something you need?"

“Miss Grapland, the teaching assistant for the Magical Creatures class.” Scott sat down on a stone bench by the bushes.

Helena seemed to have paid no attention to the teaching assistant. She thought for a moment before realizing who Scott was referring to. "Her?"

“As far as I know, Wilmina Grapland graduated from Gryffindor,” Scott said. “But the Grapland who is now a teaching assistant, her magic is more Ravenclaw-like.”

Helena was somewhat surprised. "You mean, this teaching assistant isn't the real Wilmina Grapland? Right, Grapland..."

She murmured the surname, seemingly lost in thought.

“I remember now,” she told Scott. “Ravenclaw also had a Grapland, Stephanie Grapland, who graduated about 10 years ago.”

Scott hadn't expected to actually gain anything from Helena. "Maybe the teaching assistant now is Stephanie, not Wilmina? Are they sisters?"

"Probably, I only remember that Ravenclaw used to have that name." Helena seemed unsure herself. "You know, I don't pay attention to the relationships between students."

“Do you think Dumbledore knows about this?” Scott asked her.

Helena looked down at him. "You want me to bring this up with Dumbledore?"

Scott nodded. "I don't really like going to the principal's office."

“I don’t like it either,” Helena said.

“Alright.” Scott smiled helplessly. “Then I’ll ask Professor Dumbledore when I run into him someday.”

"Hmph, I'll go." Helena glanced at him and floated straight back to the castle.

Scott watched her figure disappear, then stood up and slowly strolled out of the garden.

That evening, Scott met Helena again in the public lounge library in Ravenclaw.

“I’ve already asked Dumbledore,” Helena told him. “Dumbledore knows about it. Wilmina was injured during an expedition, and her sister Stephanie took her place as her teaching assistant.”

After saying those words, she floated away without revealing why Stephanie was using the name Wilmina.

"That's good," Scott said with a smile.

He didn't care whether the so-called injury and replacement were real or not; since Dumbledore knew about it, he was relieved.

Chapter 323 An Irresistible Request

As Christmas approaches, Hogwarts Castle is gradually taking on a festive atmosphere, and students are generally becoming happier with the holidays drawing near.

Hermione is probably a typical exception.

Scott encountered her several times over the course of a few days, and each time he saw her with a sullen face, and she even avoided being with Harry and Ron during meals.

Scott realized that it was his suggestion to rescue Buckbeak that had caused the discipline-minded "Little McGregor" to be so conflicted and annoyed.

Of course, neither Harry nor Ron seemed very happy.

It seems they still couldn't get Hermione to agree.

Unexpectedly, Hermione approached Scott one afternoon.

She asked directly, her expression unfriendly, "Do you think I should do that?"

Scott had just come out of the arithmetic and divination classroom when he heard this, and the students around him looked at Hermione with curiosity.

"Come with me."

Scott did not answer Hermione's question, but instead gestured for her to follow him. The two left the corridor outside the arithmetic and divination classroom and came to a secluded spot.

He ignored the curious stares of others without any burden, while Hermione, who had taken the initiative to find him, looked uncomfortable.

Scott didn't seem to notice Hermione's discomfort and asked her directly, "Are you seeking my advice?"

Hermione glared at him. "Those two idiots, Harry and Ron, have no idea how serious this is. They think I'm a heartless person, all because of your advice."

At this point, her eyes welled up with tears of grievance, and she quickly lowered her head to hide it.

It seems that Ron, that silly boy, may have said something unpleasant again.

Scott skipped over her complaints and asked her again, "So, have you decided what you want to choose?"

“I don’t know.” Hermione was clearly very troubled. “Buckbeak is innocent, of course, and I didn’t want it to die, but…”

She looked up and glared at him. "Am I really going to betray Professor McGonagall's trust, or even break school rules and the law because of this?"

“I’m sorry,” Scott smiled slightly, “even so, I can’t make the decision for you.”

Hermione frowned. "Oh, of course you can't make the decision for me, but you've gotten me into big trouble!"

"Sorry," Scott said insincerely.

Hermione clearly sensed Scott's lack of sincerity, which made her even angrier.

"It's all because of you..."

She was probably too angry, and for a moment she didn't know what to say.

“Okay, you don’t know how to choose? That’s actually a very simple question,” Scott said.

Hermione said with a hint of sarcasm, "Then please teach me, Mr. Trollope."

"It's a binary choice." Scott felt he was being a bit out of touch, but he said anyway, "It's a matter of whether you want to obey the law or save Buckbeak's life."

This statement is essentially meaningless.

Hermione rolled her eyes immediately after hearing this, still wearing a mocking expression as she looked at him.

“You’ve already made up your mind, haven’t you?” Scott ignored her expression. “If you didn’t want to save Buckbeak, you wouldn’t be struggling with this.”

Hermione pursed her lips tightly.

Scott added, "Of course, if you can think of a better way..."

"That's enough, thank you for your suggestion!"

Hermione suddenly interrupted Scott, said something through gritted teeth, and then turned and stormed off.

Watching her departing figure, Scott couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

"...I should have kept quiet," he muttered.

The next day, he began to regret his loose tongue even more.

The next day at noon, Harry and Ron found him and earnestly invited him to participate in the rescue of Buckbeak.

Scott would have refused if it were just Harry and Ron, but the Weasley twins were also with them.

“You can’t refuse this,” Fred told him.

George added, "Last year when you invited us to join you in the search for the Slytherin heir, we immediately agreed."

“Yes,” Harry quickly replied, “You also told Dumbledore about how I could hear monsters talking.”

Scott ignored Harry and instead said to the twins, "That saved your sister."

Ron hesitated when he heard Scott say that, but the twins were not affected.

“Of course, you’re right,” Fred chuckled. “But that still can’t overshadow our fine qualities.”

George emphasized, "We agreed as soon as you asked, which clearly shows how much we value our friends."

Scott asked Harry, somewhat exasperated, "Why are Fred and George involved?"

“Oh…” Harry said somewhat awkwardly, “because last night…they overheard our conversation in the common room.”

"Everyone was already asleep by then!" Ron complained, frowning.

Scott was not surprised at all.

“I understand,” he said. “I know, the three of you are always plotting loudly.”

Harry and Ron felt a little uncomfortable upon hearing this, while Fred and George smiled smugly.

Scott thought for a moment and asked them, "So, you all know what kind of magical item Hermione has?"

All four nodded simultaneously, their eyes shining.

“That’s amazing!” Fred said. “I can’t believe what we’ve missed just because we didn’t take all the courses!”

“Of course, our brothers have never told us about that thing either, and I bet Percy has one too,” George said, somewhat disgruntled.

“Percy is one thing,” Ron said, pursing his lips. “But Bill didn’t even tell us.”

"What's the specific plan?" Scott asked again. "What are you going to do?"

"Of course..."

Fred and George exchanged a glance and then laughed together.

"To openly and honestly witness the execution."

"Go back to the past afterward."

"Secretly rescue Buckbeak."

"That's it?" Scott raised an eyebrow. "Rescue a hippogriff in front of everyone? Don't you think that's too difficult? Even if you succeed, how will you escape the Ministry of Magic's pursuit?"

“Buckbeak can fly,” Harry said. “And I have an invisibility cloak.”

Scott said, "So this plan doesn't need that many people at all; in fact, the fewer the better."

“Of course, Hermione and I will be the ones doing the work,” Harry said. “You two will stay in the crowd and provide us with some help behind the scenes.”

Hearing this, Scott finally nodded. "If that's all there is to it, I agree."

He thought for a moment, but couldn't help saying, "However, your plan still needs some refinement."

Chapter 324 Before the Execution Begins

Time quickly came to the day before the Christmas holidays, the very day of the execution.