The days at Hogwarts

Dumbledore waited patiently for them to quiet down, then announced in a loud voice that Gryffindor had won the House Cup again, causing the Gryffindor table to cheer.

Padma from Ravenclaw remembered what she heard in the Quidditch audience seats, and couldn't help but secretly look up at the guest of honor seats.

Professor McGonagall smiled brightly and toasted with Professor Flitwick beside her. Dumbledore still had a gentle smile on his face and nodded when he met her gaze.

Professor Snape had a blank expression on his face. He seemed to notice her gaze and turned to look at her, but he glanced away and then looked away.

"Loren was just joking with Hermione at the time, how could it be true?"

Padma felt a little amused at her own absurd idea. She shook her head, put the thought aside, and began to concentrate on enjoying the food at the banquet.

The celebration lasted for a long time. In the second half, the little wizards, after eating their fill, ran around the hall, chasing and screaming.

Colin squeezed in between Harry and Ron, gleefully pestering them for details about the basilisk incident.

"The basilisk is so abominable that it actually broke my camera. Don't worry, Harry, I will buy a new camera next semester and will continue to take pictures of you." Colin shouted.

Harry's smile froze, and he felt that the food in front of him seemed to have no taste.

Justin hurried over from the Hufflepuff table, shook Harry's hand, and apologized profusely for having doubted him.

Ginny hadn't known when she had found her way to the Ravenclaw table, talking absentmindedly to Luna, her ear fixed towards Qiu Zhang next to her.

The faculty and staff sitting in the guest-of-honor seats looked at the little wizards below with gentle smiles in their eyes, and did not care even though their noise almost shook away the starlight in the dome.

Professor Kettleburn said with a smile: "This is what makes Hogwarts so memorable. The students are always full of energy and sometimes they are cuter than magical animals."

"Silvanus, even if you say so, I still require you to retire and take some time to enjoy your old age." Dumbledore raised the goblet to signal him.

"Yes, yes..." Professor Kettleburn murmured. His mind was not on food and drink. His eyes were full of nostalgia for this castle and these noisy little wizards.

"I think animals are cuter." Hagrid's mouth was full of beef stew in red wine, and his words were a little unclear.

Professor Kettleburn's gaze fell on the half-giant and lingered for a moment.

Loren had attended several banquets at Hogwarts before, and this was his second year-end banquet. He noticed many things that he hadn't noticed the last time, such as the graduating students shouting the loudest, and the first-year wizards looking around curiously...

This scene happens every year. Group after group of little wizards come here in their boats, and leave when another group comes in their boats, leaving behind seven years of memories.

When the bright sunshine once again fell on Hogwarts, their final grades were handed out. Percy took a thick stack of parchment report cards and distributed them one by one, seeming to enjoy the job.

There are only “O (Excellent)” on the transcript.

Loren took a quick glance and covered his face with the report card, then lay back, sank into the sofa and went to sleep. The sunlight coming through the window made him feel lazy, and it was the most comfortable time to sleep.

After Hermione finished reading her report card, she naturally turned her gaze to him. The little witch rolled her eyes a few times, tiptoed over and took off the report card.

As if he was not used to the sudden bright sunlight, his eyelashes trembled a few times. Hermione directly covered his eyes with her hands, gently blocking the glaring sunlight for him.

Sitting on the armrest of the sofa on tiptoe, Hermione checked his report card with her other hand. A happy smile appeared on her face: "Tied for first place..."

After receiving the report card from Percy, Neville automatically skipped the Potions column. When he saw the big "O (Excellent)" behind Herbology, his smile almost reached his ears.

Harry tiptoed to peek at his report card from behind and angrily condemned: "Snape actually gave you a 'P (fail)'? If he hadn't been standing behind you during the exam, you should have at least got an 'E (exceeded expectations)'!"

"That's right!" Ron agreed.

Both passed the exam with high marks.

But Neville himself did not feel sorry. He smiled happily: "Like Ron said, it is impossible for everything to go smoothly in life."

At this time, Percy returned after handing out the report cards: "By the way, Neville, Professor McGonagall said that Headmaster Dumbledore wants to see you and asks you to go to the headmaster's office. The password is "Sizzle Honey Candy."

Neville blinked and asked in a panic, "Did Professor McGonagall say what it was?"

"No. But don't worry, your grades are great, you'll be fine."

"I know, I know."

……

Not long after, Neville came back in a daze, his eyes red and in a trance, he walked to the sofa where Loren was sleeping.

He opened his mouth, then hesitantly closed it.

He turned around and wanted to leave, but after taking a few steps he came back.

When Hermione came to her senses and was about to put the report card back on Loren's face, she looked up and saw Neville pacing around her and Loren.

"Neville, are you looking for Loren?" Hermione's face was a little hot, and she gently woke Loren up.

"I, I..." Neville stammered.

Loren opened his eyes and saw Neville's expression beside him - timid joy, hesitation that was eager for confirmation, and some panic-stricken disbelief.

Neville met his gaze and shouted in surprise: "Loren, I--"

"It's true. If you're not sure, just give it a try."

Neville stood there in a daze, feeling the same confusion as Harry. Could he really read minds?

Loren knew without thinking that it must be what Dumbledore said. He sighed and said, "Neville, don't worry. The holiday is coming soon. There will be a result soon."

"There will be results soon..." Neville murmured as he left.

The bright, warm sunlight shone through the window, but Loren could no longer fall asleep.

Hermione asked softly, "Why not give him a positive answer? With Headmaster Dumbledore's involvement, Neville will believe it, and it will make him feel much better."

"Because I can't guarantee success, giving someone hope that's within reach and then snuffing it out is the cruelest thing to do."

……

As Neville was anxiously waiting, the whistle of the Hogwarts Express sounded.

In front of the gate of Hogwarts.

"Why did you guys stay a few more days?" Ron asked depressedly, "I still want to play Bibi Every Flavour Beans with you in the carriage."

He pushed the suitcase irritably. "Forget it. Loren and Hermione, you two are always so secretive. Harry and I are used to it."

Harry didn't understand either. He scratched his head and said, "I don't know what you are going to do, but I wish you all the best."

He took out a quill and a piece of parchment, wrote a number twice on it, then tore it in half and handed it to each of them. "Remember to call me at the Dursleys, okay? I don't know what Sirius is busy with. He said he might not come home during the summer vacation. I can't stand talking to Dudley for two whole months..."

"Loren and I are neighbors, so one copy is enough." Hermione nodded with a smile and put the note into the pendant.

"Emmm," Harry said with a complicated expression, "Okay, see you next semester."

"goodbye!"

Harry and Ron dragged their luggage to catch up with the main group. Ron excitedly put his hand on Harry's shoulder and said, "Write me a copy of your phone number, quickly! My dad will definitely be able to get through to your house."

They were laughing and giggling, and the suitcases looked almost weightless.

After the two left, Draco appeared from somewhere, dragging a suitcase that was also weightless, and said goodbye to Loren and Hermione.

"Storage scales are useful, right?"

“Very convenient.”

"I wish you a happy summer vacation." Draco showed a hesitant look on his face, and finally said nothing more, "Then, see you next semester."

Loren and Hermione nodded, "Have a great summer, see you next semester."

Like an ancient giant beast falling into a deep sleep, Hogwarts became quiet, quietly revealing a different kind of atmosphere.

An unknown amount of time had passed before a white mist rose from the direction of the platform, accompanied by a loud whistle. The two watched the Hogwarts Express whistle away.

"Professor Flitwick is going to observe my Apparition at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, and it will be finished before lunch!" Hermione said first, the smile on her lips revealing her undisguised complacency.

"Then you wait for me at school, and we'll Apparate home together." Loren smiled, "I'll go to the headmaster's office to find Dumbledore and Neville, and then go to St. Mungo's Hospital."

The two separated in the hallway, one went towards the Forbidden Forest and the other went upstairs.

Half an hour later, an old man in a white robe and a long beard and two children, one fat and one thin, appeared in front of an old red brick department store.

A large sign saying "Closed for Renovation" hung on the dusty door, and the name of Tao Tao Co., Ltd. was blurred on the old sign.

It was the same scene as when Loren came last time. It looked deserted and run-down and had never been open for business. There were only a few broken mannequins in the window, with wigs crooked and in various postures, wearing clothes that were at least ten years old.

Dumbledore nodded to the ugliest model in the middle and said, "Hello, we are here to visit Frank Longbottom and Alice Longbottom."

Neville was very familiar with this place. Loren had also been here once. When they saw the dummy nodding and waving, the two of them grabbed Dumbledore's clothes and the three of them disappeared straight through the glass.

Entering the crowded waiting room, the sounds around me suddenly became noisy. The wizards and witches waiting for treatment sat on rows of wobbly wooden chairs, with extra eyes and noses on their faces, some even like elephant noses and fish eyes.

All kinds of strange sounds came from all parts of their bodies, such as whistles, elephant calls...

Healers and healers in green robes moved among the patients, with the emblem of St. Mungo's embroidered on their chests: a cross made of a wand and bones.

After entering St. Mungo's Hospital, Neville, who had been restless, suddenly calmed down. Looking at these patients with horrific symptoms, Neville tilted his head and said, "I actually always hoped that my parents also had these strange diseases. I mean, they look weird at first glance. The healer knows what's wrong and how to treat it."

Loren said softly, "Then you may get what you want. You will be able to see your parents' lesions today."

Dumbledore heard it, and his blue eyes flickered with complex lights and shadows. He did not participate in the conversation between the two young wizards of the same age.

Behind the fat blonde witch sitting at the information desk, Headmaster Dilys De Winter opened her eyes from her portrait frame and nodded and smiled at them. Dumbledore nodded in return.

First floor - Instrument Accident Department, second floor - Biological Injury Department, third floor - Strange Bacteria Infection Department, fourth floor - Pharmacy and Plant Poisoning Department, fifth floor - Spell Injury Department, sixth floor - Tea Room and Shop.

There are some stains on the sign, I don't know what they are, but it doesn't affect the reading.

"If I had come here alone in the past, I would have gone to the sixth floor to buy some gifts for visiting the patients. But today it might be impolite. We have to go directly to the ward." Dumbledore said, leading the two of them all the way to the fifth floor.

An old woman in a green robe and a pointed wizard hat was guarding the stairs.

Neville saw it from a distance: "Grandma!"

"Albus!" The old woman took the initiative to come forward, touched Neville's forehead, and pulled him behind her, "This is the Mr. Morgan you mentioned."

"Augusta." Dumbledore shook her hand.

Loren nodded politely, "Hello, Mrs. Longbottom, we met here last time."

"Good boy, good boy..." Mrs. Longbottom pursed her lips into a straight line. Her solemn expression tensed her muscles, making the wrinkles of old age on her face more obvious.

She didn't ask any of the questions that had been brewing in her mind for a long time. She was silent for a moment and said, "Let's not waste time. Let's get started."

Chapter 261 Illusionary Treatment

The old man was not as cordial as when he first met and greeted her, nor was he as morbid as when he encouraged Neville.

After taking off her fox fur clothes and removing the vulture decoration on her hat, she aged like a normal person, a normal mother, a normal grandmother.

Only at this moment did Loren seem to realize that she had an outstanding Auror son who had brought infinite glory to the Longbottom family. However, now, her son and daughter-in-law had been suffering from mental retardation for 12 years.

The group walked into the closed ward, maintaining tacit silence.

Loren originally thought that there would be some greetings after meeting the patient's family, just like the communication between a doctor and a patient's family before surgery, and that he might need to explain the process and principles of the treatment method in detail.

But nothing happened. The first thing old lady Longbottom said after meeting and greeting Loren was to let him start directly.

I didn’t ask if it could be cured, what the risks were, or how likely it was to succeed…

Walking through the corridor, they arrived at the closed ward with the name Janus Sichy on the doorplate. Therapist Meliam, whom Loren had met before, was standing at the door.

"Principal Dumbledore, Mrs. Longbottom." Meliam came forward. "The other patients in the ward have been moved. Only Frank and Alice are left. If..."

Meliam looked at the heavy expression on old Madam Longbottom's face, and the hospital's research request took a turn around her lips and turned into a common blessing: "I hope everything goes well for you. I'm in the room at the end of the corridor. Call me if you need anything."

After saying that, he left quietly.

Following Mrs. Longbottom into the closed ward, Loren found that the beds for Lockhart and other patients had been vacated, and he saw the two innermost beds at a glance.

Frank Longbottom's face was pale, his body was swollen, and his eyes were staring blankly at the quilt on the bed.

Alice Longbottom had a thin, drawn face, bulging eyes, and graying hair.

The moment Alice saw Neville come in, her eyes lit up. She quickly opened the drawer of the bedside table, found a piece of wrapper of Super Bubble Gum, and handed it to Neville with joy.

"Um, um!" She lost the ability to speak and gestured with movements that only she could understand.

Neville reached out and took the candy wrapper, holding it tightly in his palm.

So Alice smiled happily, hummed a song, and sat back on the bed, swinging her feet in the air.

Mrs. Longbottom did not scold Neville as usual. Her eyes stayed on her son and daughter-in-law for a short time, then she turned her head to look at Loren, with no extra expression on her face: "Please, Mr. Morgan... Please."

Dumbledore also nodded to Loren: "I have already told Madam Longbottom all the relevant information. Do as you wish."

"【Fainted】" Two red spells shot out from Loren's wand, causing the two patients to fall into a coma.

Dumbledore and Mrs. Longbottom stood quietly by, their expressions calm.

Neville looked at him in surprise.