The days at Hogwarts

This was exactly what Hermione wanted, so she nodded and followed Loren upstairs.

"I got a letter from Ron this morning. He asked if we could get in touch with Harry. There was no reply to the letters we wrote to him, not even a birthday wish." Loren pointed at Errol, who was sleeping upside down on the curtain rod, and explained to Hermione where it came from.

Hermione's eyes widened in shock.

Loren thought she was worried about Harry, so he comforted her, "Harry has his godfather by his side now, he'll be fine."

"No!" Hermione sat down on the bed and patted the quilt in regret. "We forgot Harry's birthday, and neither of us thought of writing him a letter."

Harry's birthday was July 7st, and they were on the boat that day and had forgotten about Harry's birthday at all.

Loren blinked. It sounded a bit… that the two of them forgot their friend’s birthday because they were traveling together. He coughed and changed the subject: “Ron invited me to visit the Burrow.”

Hermione looked up at him.

"I'm going to refuse him. I think Grandpa Bates might need my company more," Loren shrugged. "What do you think?"

“I also feel more comfortable at home.”

"I heard that there are many magical items in the wizard's house. I will go and see them when I have the chance."

“Our home appliances seem magical to them too…”

The two of them started chatting about the magic furniture. That's how second graders are, they always have endless topics to talk about and can never finish.

It was late at night outside when Monica called Hermione to chat for a while before going home.

"I prepared a birthday present for you. I wonder if you like it..." Hermione muttered softly with a blush on her face.

She prepared herself mentally for the whole night and finally suppressed her embarrassment and gave the gift.

Hermione took out a small pendant from behind her. The ivory-white thuja wood was carved into a smiling dolphin, with a streamlined body and simply carved fins and a snout. The simple shape conveyed the dolphin's agility.

There were some knife marks and flaws on the surface. Through these marks, Loren seemed to be able to see the little girl with her head down and concentrating, cutting the wood chips bit by bit with a handmade knife.

"You asked me not to disturb you just to do this!" Loren took the pendant with surprise. His heart seemed to be filled with something, hot.

Hermione explained seriously: "It's mainly for practicing spells. The pendant was only made during my break time."

Wearing the pendant around his neck, Loren held the little dolphin in his hands, stroking it constantly with his fingers, and looked at it carefully inch by inch in front of his eyes, with his grinning mouth never closing.

Although the shape is simple and the carving is not exquisite, it becomes more and more beautiful the more you look at it.

Looking at Loren's feedback, Hermione felt as if the happiness in her heart was about to overflow.

"What kind of wood is this? It smells so fragrant—"

When Loren looked up, he met Hermione's sparkling eyes. They were moist and the light reflected in them looked like bright stars and moon.

He couldn't help wanting to see it more clearly, and more clearly.

Hermione's cheeks flushed, and she lowered her eyes slightly, her long eyelashes fluttering. "It's made of cypress wood. I carved it myself. No, I didn't use Transfiguration..."

For some reason, she hid her eyes, and Loren felt that the thin lips of her rosy little mouth became more beautiful, like a pendant, which became more and more beautiful the more he looked at it.

Hermione once again felt the strange emotion she had when she saw Loren with the mole between his eyebrows in the library.

The two of them looked at each other at some point, with each other's faces reflected in their eyes. The light became dimmer and dimmer, but the face became clearer and clearer.

Boom!

dong dong!

There was a sound of window glass being hit.

The two of them looked away hastily like frightened rabbits.

Loren looked out the window and saw a white, shaggy owl tapping on the glass.

"Hedwig?" He opened the window and let the owl in.

Harry's Hedwig, with her beautiful white feathers, is so eye-catching that anyone who has seen her can recognize her at a glance.

It was the same configuration of a letter wrapped in a package. Loren opened the letter and read it quickly. The content was similar to what he expected.

After the birthday wishes, Harry briefly explained what he had been going through.

"Harry said that a house-elf named Dobby intercepted all his letters during the holidays. His godfather suspected that Malfoy did it and has already started an investigation." Loren simplified part of the content and relayed it.

Hermione smoothed her hair, the blush on her face not completely fading, "No, I'm glad you're okay. I'll go back first."

The little witch left the room quickly, but no matter how you looked at it, her steps seemed like she was fleeing in panic.

After counting the candies sent by Ron and the handheld game console sent by Harry, he wrote back to them, and Loren's 12th birthday ended like this. So plain, yet so beautiful.

……

"Honestly, what are you talking about...Diagon Alley, is there anything we should pay attention to?" Wendel asked nervously. He felt uncomfortable sitting in the passenger seat and no matter how he placed his hands and feet, even his clothes became unsuitable.

In the back seat, Hermione, nestled in Monica's arms, sighed helplessly: "I asked Professor McGonagall before, you can just go shopping normally, but you can't buy things with pounds."

The holiday was almost over, and they agreed to go shopping for supplies for the new school year, mainly to replace Hermione's worn-out quills, as well as books for the second-year Defense Against the Dark Arts class and Gilderoy Lockhart's complete travel journal.

The six strange creatures involved include female ghost, werewolf, troll, ghoul, snowman in a certain snow area, female demon and vampire.

When discussing the itinerary, both parents proposed to go on the tour together, and their attitude was firm. Loren and Hermione had no reason to refuse, so the five of them set out on the road to the Leaky Cauldron.

Bates, who was driving, turned his head, looked at Loren, then quickly turned back to look at the road. He asked tentatively, "Loren, how about I wait for you outside and not go to the wizard's Diagon Alley?"

Loren also sighed deeply. It was you who suggested going to take a look at home, and now that we were almost there, you were the one who wanted to back out.

"Come on, gentlemen, you're not even as calm as Hermione's mother."

Monica smiled and hugged Hermione and shook her: "This is because I believe that the two little wizards will protect us."

This calmness lasted until she saw the dirty and dark Leaky Cauldron. The black stains all over the exterior walls completely covered the original color of the walls. Monica just looked at it and didn't want to get close.

Not to mention the weirdly dressed wizards in the bar, looking at their clothes with strange eyes, every item was awkward.

Hermione held Monica's hand and explained softly, "If you come here by yourself, you won't be able to see the Leaky Cauldron. It's enchanted."

"The development of wizarding society lags behind that of modern industrial society. Our clothes are rare items for them. There are even little wizards from wizarding families in school who ask Muggle wizards to help them bring clothes."

Loren knocked on the wall with his wand a few times and opened the door to the magical world. "Welcome to Diagon Alley."

The people selling owls, cauldrons, and strange-shaped brooms surprised the Bates and his two companions, but others along the way were even more surprised by them.

After walking for a while, the three of them couldn't stand the stares anymore. The wizards' stares made them look like monkeys on the street.

When Loren and Hermione came out of Gringotts, Bates and the Grangers were standing awkwardly on the white steps. There seemed to be no place for them to stay on the streets of Diagon Alley, which had been widened by space magic.

"Hermione, how about..." Wendell whispered, wanting to leave.

Loren felt a little suffocated. They were all enthusiastic and cheerful people. They shouldn't have to endure such scrutiny, and they shouldn't have to be forced to give up their curiosity.

"Loren! Hermione!" A familiar voice rang out, and Harry ran towards them from a distance, his face covered in black coal dust.

Loren saw Hagrid's huge figure from afar, and his eyes lit up, "Harry, Hagrid, it's great to see you two!"

"This is my grandpa, Bates, and these are Hermione's mom and dad, Wendell and Monica." Loren pulled Hagrid over and introduced them, "This is Hagrid, our friend."

"Hello, Loren and Hermione are both good kids, you must be good parents too." Hagrid said with a hearty laugh.

Bates and the Grangers stared up at Hagrid's face before they reacted and greeted him. Although the big man was too tall, his eyes were very gentle, unlike those wizards.

"Hagrid, our parents are not used to the environment of Diagon Alley. Can you take them out for a drink? It's better to choose a cleaner place with not too many people." Loren asked.

"Of course! It's a good opportunity for you little ones to go find the Weasleys and ask them to take you shopping for school supplies." Hagrid agreed readily and was about to leave while pulling Bates and Wendell's clothes.

Mr. and Mrs. Bates and the Grangers were dragged by Hagrid like three children led by adults, and were taken away without knowing what was going on.

"By the way, Loren! Help me buy some medicine to repel carnivorous slugs!" Hagrid's voice came from afar, like thunder, dispersing the dark clouds in the sky and sprinkling clear sunshine.

Hagrid is like this. He is very happy to drink, and he will be even happier if he can drink with kind people.

Hermione fixed Harry's glasses, but when she looked up, she found that their parents had left them.

"Harry, did you go to Gringotts to get the money?" Loren asked casually.

Harry was still a little dazed, "I-I'll go after I find the Weasleys."

A family of red-haired people could be spotted at a glance even in Diagon Alley, among the crowd of strangely dressed wizards. They looked around and saw Ron, Fred, George and Mr. Weasley running quickly down the crowded street.

"Harry, that's great! Molly's going crazy," Mr. Weasley gasped. "She's right behind us."

"Where did you come from?" Ron asked.

"Knockturn Alley."

George and Fred shouted together, "That's so cool!"

Chapter 157: Inside Flourish and Blotts Bookstore

Mrs. Weasley couldn't run fast with Ginny, so she fell behind. She finally arrived just as the boys were expressing their admiration for Knockturn Alley.

"Oh, Harry... darling... I'm so scared..." Molly gasped, pulling out a clothes brush from her handbag and began to brush the coal dust off Harry.

Harry let Mrs. Weasley manipulate him with an obedient look on his face, and seemed to enjoy Molly's care.

After a brief introduction, Loren and Hermione met Ginny. Ginny is the youngest child of the Weasley family and Ron's sister. She is a cute little girl with the red hair of the Weasley family.

Soon, Molly learned that Harry had mistakenly entered Knockturn Alley, and the twins were very envious, and their hair stood up in anger. She kept nagging Harry not to go to Knockturn Alley again, and not to tell the twins about Knockturn Alley, so as not to arouse their curiosity.

Loren and Hermione fell behind again, standing with Ron, watching Harry get scolded.

"So, Harry responded to your invitation and is staying at the Burrow for a month, right?" Loren looked around but didn't see Black.

"Oh! What a pity you didn't come. Harry said this was the most interesting and happiest month he had ever had." Ron was very proud.

"And his godfather?"

"Sirius went to investigate Dobby, you didn't know yet..."

Dobby showed up at the Dursleys' house and made a big fuss, which made Peggy and Vernon uneasy. Ordinary people who have been living in the normal world are full of fear of such strange creatures and magic that disappears in an instant.

But Peggy claimed that she had made an agreement with Dumbledore, and she kept comforting Vernon and still let Harry live in their house. The air in those days was frozen and quiet. In order to let them live a normal life, Harry simply left the Dursleys and came to the Burrow as a guest.

Black believed that house-elves were only owned by wealthy pure-blood families. After entrusting Harry to the Weasleys, he claimed that he wanted to investigate something and left.

By the time the Weasleys and Harry came out with the money, Ron's story had just finished.

"It must be Malfoy." Harry said confidently, "I just saw Malfoy and his father in Borgin and Blog. They must be trading dark magic items."

Ron glanced at Arthur, then lowered his head and whispered, "My father has been trying to find evidence that Lucius Malfoy has committed a crime. They will be searching Malfoy Manor soon."

"That Dobby must be from the Malfoy family." Harry became more certain.

"Ron!"

Molly's sudden call startled the conspirators. Molly came over, stuffed a handful of copper Knuts into Ron's hand, and then loudly instructed the children, "Don't spend all your pocket money at once. I won't give you more. All right, meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour."

"Finally! Don't go to Knockturn Alley!" She yelled at the twin brothers who were leaving in a hurry, and left with Ginny.

Finally, only Loren and his three companions were left. They strolled along the cobblestone streets, and Harry bought four large strawberry peanut butter ice creams.

"As for me, there's no way to find out. The Malfoy family will never be found at the crime scene, even though their fingerprints may be all over the criminal's wand." Ron used another slang from the wizarding world, which sounded a bit poetic.

"At least you should tell Headmaster Dumbledore about this after school starts." Hermione sorted out her newly bought quill.

"How about we wait for Blake to find out the results and then convey them?"

"What if it can't be found out?"

Harry and Ron discussed the matter.

Loren carefully examined the unicorn horns in the drugstore window. They were slightly curved, without even a spiral pattern. "It's really fake."

He didn't care much about Dobby. As long as he paid more attention, he could get the notebook today and none of the problems with the basilisk would happen.

An hour later, they walked towards Flourish and Blotts.

The front of the bookstore was crowded with middle-aged women of the same age as Mrs. Weasley, with excitement on their faces. A large banner was hung in front of the window: "Gilderoy Lockhart - Autobiography for Sale - "The Magical Me""

"I always feel that our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is not very reliable." Hermione whispered.

She had liked Lockhart's books for a while, but after Loren pointed out the self-boasting in them, she could no longer read them, especially those full-page smiling illustrations, which made her feel uncomfortable.

"How can you say that about our new professor!" Loren sternly rebuked him. From now on, he is a loyal fan of Lockhart. If a fan asks the professor for advice on the Oblivion Spell, the professor will surely not refuse.

Hermione was stunned for a moment, then looked at him expressionlessly. This man was not normal again.

Harry and Ron were indeed curious about the new professor, so they pulled the two of them into the bookstore, lined up with Molly, and slowly moved forward with the line.

Gradually, they could see Gilderoy Lockhart. There were huge human-shaped standees in front of them, and there were more than one, all of which were winking and smiling at the crowd, showing dazzling white teeth.

The real Lockhart wore a blue stand-up collar suit, which set off his blue eyes and made him look like a polite gentleman.