The days at Hogwarts

But he couldn't accept this trust and emotion, so he could only refuse. "For some unspeakable reasons, you can understand that there is a protective magic in my memory. Others who peek into it will be cursed, a curse that even Dumbledore can't do anything about."

"There is a curse in the memory!" Hermione said in surprise. It was the first time she heard of such a thing.

Loren nodded solemnly. If it weren't for this reason, it would have been much easier for him to learn memory magic.

Hermione opened her mouth, wanting to ask about the inside story and details, but stopped herself. Since Loren said he couldn't tell her, then he really couldn't tell her.

She complained: "You are a wizard from a Muggle family, but you always have so many secrets."

Loren didn't dare to respond.

Hermione sighed, "I really can't do anything with you. So you practice Legilimency and I'll practice Occlumency."

Loren looked up at Hermione's eyes, which were as bright as stars.

Hermione's eyes swung left and right. She felt that Loren's gaze was too scorching. She didn't dare to look him in the face. She said in a panic, "It's just practicing magic. We are classmates. Haven't we practiced like this before?"

Could the previous magic be the same as Legilimency...

Ding!

Ding Ding!

Suddenly, there was a hurried doorbell ring.

It was not yet time for Wendell and Monica to go home from get off work, so they both turned their heads and looked at the door.

Ding!

Ding Ding!

The sound of the doorbell echoed in the quiet house.

"Who? Coming!" Loren responded and stood up to open the door.

Soon, Hermione heard a surprised cry at the door.

"Bates! Grandpa?!"

Loren was surprised at first, then astonished after a quick look, and then he was a little hesitant to recognize the old man in front of him.

His hair was smooth and dust-free, and it was obvious that he had sprayed half a bottle of mousse on it. He was wearing a linen suit, a red tie, and a white shirt, and his outfit was trendy and handsome.

But when it came to Grandpa Bates, Loren always found it very strange.

No, who are you, handsome guy?

Loren was stunned. Could a visit to an old place have such a big impact on a person?

But it seems understandable. He had been confined in the mountains for decades, his emotions had been suppressed. In his old age, he met his blood relatives again, who had been with him growing up. Just when Bates thought he was going to be buried in peace, his grandson suddenly received an admission letter from a magic school.

The world suddenly became different. Loren brought him wolfsbane potion, which allowed him to walk out of the mountains, out of the prison he had set for himself, and live freely in the sun.

The trip back to his old place made Bates regain his lost youth. After learning that there was a possibility of a complete cure and he didn't even need to take medicine, Bates became even more relaxed.

Chapter 138 Two Stars Get Closer

The feeling of reunion after a long separation was dispelled by a strange surprise.

Loren hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Aren't you hot in this?"

In fact, it is not hot. The climate in the UK is relatively cool in summer. In some formal occasions and business environments, suits are still the main clothing.

Bates laughed and scolded, "I haven't seen you for a year, and that's your first sentence?"

He reached out and rubbed Loren's head, looked at him with loving eyes, and said with a smile: "Let me see how much little Loren has grown in a year."

Loren then felt that the Grandpa Bates he knew had returned. His nose felt sore and he complained in a muffled voice, "Why did you travel for so long? I couldn't even find you during the holidays. I was learning wolfsbane potion at school..."

Loren kept complaining like a kid who couldn't get any candy.

Hermione heard the sound and rushed over, standing behind him. It was the first time she saw Loren's childish side. She was happy for him, but also a little worried about the upcoming separation.

Bates could only smile awkwardly as he listened to Loren's scolding. He raised his eyes and saw the well-behaved little girl behind him, and his eyes lit up.

He said, "You must be Loren's best friend Hermione, right? He told me about it in the letter. You are indeed a beautiful and kind child. Thank you for helping me take care of Loren."

Hermione blushed when she heard this, and inexplicably felt a little happy in her heart.

Loren looked at Grandpa Bates and asked, "What are you talking about? When did I write these words?"

The letter simply stated that he was staying at Hermione's house, and it didn't say anything else.

Bates looked at the little girl with a smile, and seemed satisfied no matter how he looked at her.

He is already in his seventies or eighties. If it wasn't written in the letter, how could he not guess that if he could let his classmates stay at his home, what else could he be but the best friend? As for being beautiful and kind, isn't it obvious at a glance?

Noticing Loren's gaze, Bates stared back at him openly.

What, you have an issue with what I said?

"Hello, Grandpa Bates, Loren also told me about you..." Hermione came to her senses, blushing as she welcomed Bates into the house and sat him down. She hurriedly took out tea and snacks to entertain Bates.

Bates and Hermione used Lauren as a topic and gradually became familiar with each other.

From the time when Loren was knocked over by a sheep when he was a child, but he refused to accept the defeat and insisted on wrestling with the sheep, to the time when Loren fell asleep and was distracted in class at school.

Loren, standing beside him, looked gloomy and shouted angrily, "Hey! I'm here, don't go too far!"

But neither Bates nor Hermione paid any attention to him and continued talking about interesting topics.

"Loren has been restless since he was a child. He always tricks the shepherds who go up the mountain with him into fighting with the sheep, and he hides behind. As a result, both boys are knocked over by the sheep, covered in dust and dirt, and come to me crying, asking me to teach the sheep a lesson." Bates laughed exaggeratedly when he said this.

Hermione smiled and poured Bates a cup of tea. "Grandpa Bates, have dinner at our house today. My parents would like to meet you. They want to find someone to share their experiences as wizard parents."

Bates suddenly felt a little guilty. Should we exchange experiences, share experiences of leaving children at home during the summer vacation?

He had a feeling that the Grangers wouldn't want to talk about these experiences.

Bates laughed. "I should be the one thanking you for taking care of Loren. How about I treat you to a meal?"

Hermione agreed with a smile and promptly called Mr. and Mrs. Granger to discuss the matter.

Loren saw Hermione leave and said to Bates bitterly, "It wasn't like this a year ago. You've learned some bad habits by revisiting the old place."

Grandpa Bates was so serious a year ago, but now he has become like this.

Bates showed a sad expression: "Well, you know, I'm already an old man, who knows how long I can live."

Loren was silent after hearing this.

Indeed, Grandpa Bates is a veteran of World War II and is now nearly 80 years old. Add to that the toll that being a wolf takes on his body every month and he is already very old.

Bates raised his drooping eyelids, secretly glanced at Loren's expression, and said, "So, my wish now is just that you are well. You don't need to achieve anything great, just grow up happily and become an adult."

Loren's heart felt warm and swollen, as if it had been ironed perfectly.

Bates continued: "I don't know what job you will do after graduating from wizard school, but you don't have to work hard to make money. You can take over my farm in Scotland in the future and it will be enough for you to live."

As he was talking, his words started to become strange, "Wait until you start a family, get married, and have a bunch of kids..."

"Stop! I'm only twelve years old." Loren knew Bates was not serious when he saw the suit. He thought he just wanted to live a wild life, but he didn't expect him to be so nonsensical.

Bates waved his hand dismissively. "We're talking about the future."

Loren didn't want to talk to him anymore, so he changed the subject and said, "Principal Dumbledore and I have a magic that may save you from having to transform for a few years. If everything goes well, it can completely cure the werewolf disease. If not, you can just use the magic again in a few years."

Bates wanted to say that he was 80 years old and that with the wolfsbane potion, it didn't matter whether it could be cured or not. But when he thought about the unpalatable taste of the wolfsbane potion, he didn't say it in the end.

He looked at Loren with suspicion. "Speaking of wolfsbane potion, are you teasing me on purpose? The potion you sent me is getting worse and worse, and you don't allow me to put sugar in it."

Loren knew why the potion was becoming more and more bitter and difficult to drink.

Damocles Belby began developing wolfsbane potion in 1970, and had long since achieved the effect of allowing werewolves to remain sane on full-moon nights, but Belby's unique configuration process could not be replicated by others.

The development of a potion cannot be concocted by just the developer. It must be successful only if all potion masters who meet the requirements can reproduce it.

It involves the method of configuration, the preparation of drugs, the influence of tides and moonlight, and there are some metaphysical factors involved. It was not until recent years that Belby finalized the formula, and there is still some work left to do to adjust the dosage and ratio of the materials.

The wolfsbane potion that Loren was able to get was considered Snape's beta version. It was said that the perfected formula would not be submitted to the Ministry of Magic for notarization until next year, and he would definitely get a second-class Merlin Medal of Honor.

To sum up, the more the wolfsbane potion is optimized, the harder it tastes, probably because Belby listened to some of Snape's suggestions for modifications.

You are such an old man, but you are still afraid of the bitter taste of medicine.

Loren said helplessly: "I will write to Headmaster Dumbledore right away. After we complete the magic ceremony, you won't have to drink the wolfsbane potion for a long time."

"It's not bad now. Except for the days when the full moon comes, it doesn't affect our daily life." Bates turned his head and saw Hermione who had just returned from the phone call. A smile appeared on his face again.

Before Loren could finish what he had in mind, he was thrown aside again. Compared with the enthusiastic Bates and Hermione, he felt like an outsider.

At dusk.

Mr. and Mrs. Granger returned home hand in hand. As soon as they entered the door, Bates, dressed in a neat suit, came to greet them with a friendly smile on his face. He shook hands with them, greeted them, and thanked them and praised them.

For a moment, Loren couldn't tell who the guest was.

"Nice to meet you, thank you very much for taking care of Loren..."

"Loren is a good kid..."

The three adults began to chat animatedly and laughed continuously until the sun had completely set, leaving only a few pinpoints of light.

"I know a restaurant on the Thames. Let's go there tonight," Bates suggested. He had eaten there the last time he sent Lauren to London.

Wendell said in surprise: "What a coincidence, we are planning to try that one too."

Loren and Hermione were pulled into the car. Loren saw the black car on the side of the road and then saw Bates's skilled driving skills. Only then did he realize that Bates's trip was actually a self-driving tour.

Five people, two families, and two cars drove towards the restaurant at a constant speed.

At the dinner table, the Grangers and Bates remained as enthusiastic as ever, talking about everything except their two children.

The two little wizards, who were the protagonists of the topic, sat quietly aside and ate peacefully.

"I never knew Grandpa Bates could be so talkative," Loren complained quietly to Hermione.

Hermione cut the food slowly, put it into her mouth slowly, and swallowed it slowly. She turned her head and asked softly, "Are you leaving tonight?"

Loren thought about it and said, "I don't know. It depends on what Grandpa Bates arranges."

Hermione stopped talking and ate the food in front of her in silence and slowly.

Loren was not so happy about the reunion with his family. He watched Hermione finish a steak for fifteen minutes, with more than half left.

Loren picked up the steak on his plate with a knife and asked, "Do you want some steak?"

"No——" Hermione paused before answering. She looked at the juicy steak on Loren's knife, then looked at the steak on her plate. She recalled Loren's trick.

If she refused, Loren might take her steak, and if she accepted, she might have to eat two steaks.

Hermione's mood suddenly became happier, and the corners of her mouth slightly raised an arc, "I eat my own steak."

Loren also smiled, and the two began to enjoy their delicious dinner.

Bates seemed to be asking the Grangers about something, and Loren vaguely heard words like "property insurance" and "municipal tax".

Mr. and Mrs. Granger were beaming with joy and smiles.

I couldn’t hear what came after that clearly, these parents were so mysterious.

After dinner, the two cars drove back to the Granger family's villa.

Bates drove Loren out of the car and shouted, "I have discussed it with the Grangers. I will ask them to take care of you for another night. I will pick you up tomorrow morning."

After saying that, Bates waved his hand, stepped on the accelerator and drove away.

Loren felt the gasoline exhaust spray on his face and stood there in a daze. Was he abandoned by Grandpa Bates again?

"Loren, go pack your bags." Monica patted Loren on the shoulder and took him into the house.

A melancholy look appeared on Hermione's face again. She sat on the sofa in a daze with a blank look in her eyes.

Loren didn't dare to look, he lowered his head and went upstairs to pack his luggage.

Monica strolled behind Hermione, hugged her and gently advised: "It's okay, you are classmates, you will see each other again soon. And Loren can't always live in our house, right?"

Hermione said nothing, burying her head in her mother's arms.

Wendell said angrily, "It's all Loren's fault. He disrupted our holiday plans. We opened the clinic thinking he could be your playmate, but now he's gone. He's really untrustworthy!"

"Don't blame Loren!" Hermione looked up and retorted, "I'll go help him pack his luggage."

She walked up the stairs quickly, making their footsteps make a creaking sound.

Monica looked at her daughter's back and smiled, "Being able to experience the emotions of parting with friends is also part of growing up."