The days at Hogwarts

"probably."

"Hey! What a bunch of weird guys..." Grandpa Bates shook his head and sighed, then looked at Loren seriously, "Don't learn to become that kind of weird wizard. Wizards are only a few people after all. You and Hermione will be in the future. You still have to return to the society of ordinary people, don’t get into those bad habits... you know?”

"Don't worry, I don't like vulture specimens either..." A hint of cunning flashed in Loren's eyes, and his words changed, "I like venomous snake specimens."

Grandpa Bates's eyes widened immediately. After realizing that he was joking, he grabbed the leg of a pair of trousers and slapped him on the back: "You bastard!"

The woolen fabric scratched my back without pain or itch, but instead gave me a silent sense of peace in my heart.

Not long after Loren calmed down, he started joking with Grandpa Bates again, causing the old man to laugh and scold him.

……

The next day, King's Cross station, platform nine and a quarter.

Monica was holding Hermione's hand and whispering not far away. The three men were squatting beside the aisle, staring at some unknown machine at the entrance, fascinated.

"Look at this pole..." Wendell said in a deep voice, "It lifts and lowers it, does it look like the action of throwing a pole and closing it?"

Loren: "..."

Bates: "..."

The two looked at each other and saw the same meaning in each other's eyes: It's over, this person can't be saved.

Before parting, the parents said what they had said a thousand times before. Saying it a few more times would not make any difference, nor would saying it at the platform make any difference.

Bates hopes that Hermione will help take care of Loren and supervise his studies. The Grangers hope that Loren will take care of Hermione and supervise her to live a good life...

In the eyes of parents, their children are always fragile and soft.

It's just that Monica's instructions to Hermione seemed to be different, but the station was too crowded and noisy, and no one else knew what they said except the two of them.

The two of them dragged their empty black suitcases towards the platform and disappeared into the brick wall... The three parents stared blankly at the place where they disappeared. After a long time, they came to their senses and turned around to leave without saying a word.

……

On the Hogwarts Express.

Loren and Hermione arrived early, and there were still many empty compartments in the car. They found a quiet seat at the end of the carriage. With the distant sound of the whistle, the train drove all the way out of the city, through the wilderness, and through the snow-covered fields. Country road.

Hermione, who was leaning on the window glass and looking out, withdrew her gaze and turned to look at Loren, who was unpacking the pile of cockroaches behind her: "I still think the handwriting on your homework is too sloppy."

Loren: "..."

Suddenly, I felt that the snacks on the table no longer smelled good.

"How about you go back to your dormitory and copy it again tonight, in case the professors don't recognize your handwriting and give you a low grade."

"It's better to get a low score than to have me do it again." Loren rolled his eyes and stuffed a cockroach into Hermione's mouth angrily, "Stop your mouth and talk less."

Different from the panic in the previous two years, Hermione is now able to calmly chew the cockroaches. She chews and swallows the candy: "Grandpa Bates asked me to take care of your studies, you should listen to me."

"Your parents asked me to take care of your life..." Loren stepped forward and stared into her eyes with a ferocious expression, "Now you should turn into a cat and sit quietly in the car!"

Hermione was indeed frightened and obediently stopped mentioning her homework.

Hermione raised her head and glanced at him quietly, then quickly looked away before he noticed.

She hasn't yet mastered the transformation technique of turning people into cats, so she needs to stay away from the edge for a while. When she returns to school, with the guidance of Professor McGonagall, and a little bit of diligence on her part, she will definitely be able to learn it soon.

When the time comes, turn Loren into a lion cat on Saturday, and turn him into a short-footed cat on Sunday. You can hold him in your arms and knead him as you please.

Working days?

He still has to go to class on weekdays, so just give him a break.

The train shuttled through forests and mountain peaks, occasionally passing through dark tunnels. When half of the candies on the table were put into Loren's stomach, he closed his eyes with satisfaction, tilted his head and began to sleep.

Hermione felt the sudden weight on her shoulders, closed the Transfiguration book in her hand, and looked at the man sideways.

The journey was not quiet. The wheels ran over the rails and kept squeaking all the way. But this man was not affected at all. His belly rose and fell evenly, and his breath between his mouth and nose carried a sweet smell of candy. His eyelashes Shivering from time to time, he seemed to be sleeping soundly.

It was indeed the most pleasing to the eye when he was sleeping.

Hermione began to wonder if she could turn him into a cat at night, so he wouldn't have to go to school.

……

In the mandrake garden of the third greenhouse of Hogwarts, adolescent mandrakes waved their leaves freely, making shrill cheers that ordinary people could not bear.

Their nursery has been expanded, and they will welcome more partners!

The faces of the middle-aged and elderly mandrakes on their stems were tightly knitted together. Looking at them cheering for joy, it was as if they were seeing themselves a year ago.

So young, so energetic, so high-spirited, and so... stupid.

The middle-aged and old mandrakes twisted their roots and drilled deeper into the soil.

The mandrakes shouted and cheered with all their strength, and their voices had similar magical power to the howling banshee. Ordinary people who heard it would fall into coma, or even become deaf and die. But now, the sounds of these strange magical powers are trapped by an invisible film, and the sounds cannot spread out of the garden.

This all stems from the three professors next to the desk.

"They have never been so excited..." Professor Sprout looked at these little guys with unconcealed joy in his tone, "It seems that the mandrakes have stronger social habits than we thought. This time The batch must be growing well.”

Professor McGonagall also had a satisfied smile on her face, and turned to look at Lupin: "In this case, Remus, are you finally relieved?"

Hogwarts took on the responsibility of taking on the wolfsbane potion to keep one awake and the mandrake needed for Animagus practice. Although the rest might be more difficult, at least it was a good start.

Although those magical shrill screams could not penetrate the barrier set up by Professor Sprout, Lupine was still in a trance, as if he was half asleep and half awake in a dream.

"I really don't know how to thank you..."

Lupine spoke softer than usual, like some kind of whisper. Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout failed to hear the following words clearly, and saw Lupine quickly come to his senses with a determined expression. : "Leave the rest to me."

Professor Sprout didn't know what to say. Professor McGonagall took over, but did not respond to Lupin. Instead, he joked: "I think mandrakes should be added to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. After all, they are The scream is dangerous enough, what do you think?"

"I don't agree!" Professor Sprout looked at Professor McGonagall with resentful eyes, "I don't believe you can't predict it, Minerva, it will only make my work harder!"

Professor McGonagall and Lupine smiled.

……

"Loren, wake up, we're here."

"Um……"

Loren woke up from his sleep with a thick nasal voice. When he opened his eyes, the sky outside had turned gray.

The snow at Hogwarts had begun to melt, but it had not yet completely melted. The damp water vapor condensed into a thick night fog around this ancient magic school, adding a hint of mystery.

You couldn't see the faces clearly from five steps away, but someone greeted them. Loren and Hermione listened to the voice and replied casually. After getting off the car, they didn't walk a few steps and randomly picked a Thestral carriage to get on. .

As soon as they sat down, they saw Seamus and Dean chatting. They were reading a copy of the Daily Prophet, each holding an end. On the page were photos of the explosion in Diagon Alley. I don’t know how the reporter took the photo.

Seamus and Dean looked up and saw an acquaintance getting on the bus, their eyes filled with joy as they reunited after a long absence.

"Loren, Hermione! Come and see this!" Seamus shouted, "You are so far away from the wizarding world, you must not know the big things that happened during the Christmas holidays-"

"Death Eaters are attacking Diagon Alley!" Before Seamus could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Dean who couldn't wait.

Seamus glanced at him dissatisfied: "You must not know who--"

"It's Bellatrix!" Dean's face was full of excitement, and he spat out a series of words in rapid succession, "Bellatrix Lestrange caused multiple explosions in Diagon Alley! Broken! The walls of the Cauldron were blown down, and I heard that the underground vault of Gringotts was blown open, and Bellatrix took advantage of the chaos to steal something."

"fine--"

"Fortunately, the Aurors had set up an ambush and snatched the things back. Although the Death Eater was not captured on the spot, he was seriously injured."

Seamus had a distressed expression on his face and his eyebrows were knitted tightly together. He didn't give up completely yet. He took a deep breath and said, "You can't imagine that at that time I -"

"Seamus was in Diagon Alley at that time, and he also saw Professor Flitwick!" Dean finished in one breath, smacking his lips with satisfaction.

"Ah!" Simo's mentality was completely shattered. He looked at Dean with a ferocious face, "You said it all by yourself, what should I say?"

He rushed forward and beat Dean with random fists. His words sounded particularly aggrieved: "I finally caught up with a wonderful adventure. Is it easy for me?"

"I went to Diagon Alley privately during Christmas vacation, and my butt was almost smashed into pieces by my mother, as if it had been blasted by a door-blow-up curse!"

“She even said she was going to stuff me in my dad’s stocking as a Christmas present next year!”

"Do you know how stinky my daddy's socks are? Do you know?"

Seamus whined and beat Dean.

Loren and Hermione fell into silence, and Loren indicated to Hermione with his eyes that it was better not to tell Seamus what they had experienced.

Hermione blinked in agreement.

The first dinner back at school was the opening banquet. After the little wizards entered the castle for a brief rest, they entered the auditorium one after another and sat at the long table of the academy after a holiday. After Dumbledore's brief speech, the auditorium was filled with joy.

Loren and Hermione were sitting separately. Hermione was going to report to her roommate on the progress of her relationship during the holiday. Loren was dragged by Seamus to sit with the boys and listen to him talk about Diagon Alley. legendary adventure.

"...You don't know how thrilling it was at that time! The nearest explosion point was only one block away from me. At that time, I saw flying gravel falling in front of my eyes. It almost hit me!" Seamo! The thumb and index finger pinched together, leaving only a gap for one finger, "It's just a little bit different!"

"You have no idea how thrilling that is!"

Ron was fretting over a roasted chicken leg and didn't pay attention to what Seamus said.

Harry had finished listening, and scratched his head: "Well... Loren and Hermione should know that they were also present at the time, the explosion was right in front of them, and it was Snape who used Apparition to send them back to school to avoid disaster. .”

"..."

Simo's expression gradually became dull, his eyes became distracted, he lowered his head and began to doubt his life.

Chapter 362 The first day of school, I want to take a vacation

Hogwarts Castle is once again busy with the return of young wizards, and the joyful popularity seems to have raised the temperature nearby. The weather continues to warm up, and the ice and snow are melting faster.

The snow clumps accumulated on the branches of the trees disappeared. When I got up in the morning, I could only see a layer of ice crust covering the leaves, and only a thin layer of translucent ice remained on the surface of the black lake.

The path on the grounds outside the castle was wet and muddy, making it squeaky when walking. There was more and more mud on the soles of the shoes, and the shoes became heavier as they walked.

The third-year Gryffindor and Slytherin wizards were standing on the field at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, waiting to start their first lesson after returning to school - Care of Magical Creatures.

"Oh, that's terrible..."

Simo raised his feet and glanced at the mud-covered boots. The muddy yellow mud almost covered the entire upper of the shoes. He wrinkled his face in disgust, "These are new boots my mother bought me."

"Yes, it sucks. I hate winter, I hate school..." Ron sighed sadly, "It would be great if I could always have vacation."

Harry looked at him in surprise: "But you told me yesterday that you wanted to start school soon."

"I want to start school and play with my friends, but I don't want to go to class." Ron had a "you don't understand my heart" expression on his face.

"Me too, me too!"

"...You don't know how boring the days after the holiday are!"

Taking advantage of the fact that there was still some time before class, the little wizards chatted about interesting things that happened during the holidays, and even talked about the attack in Diagon Alley. All kinds of outrageous rumors were like novel stories.

Loren and Hermione listened with interest.

In the group of Slytherin students next to him, the tall and fat Goyle rubbed his feet alternately, trying to remove the mud from his feet in this way.

Draco frowned as he watched, and finally couldn't bear it anymore. He waved his wand and cast a cleaning spell on his shoes: "Don't be a fool, okay? You are a wizard."

Goyle didn't refute a word and just smiled at his suddenly clean shoes.

Theodore Nott also rubbed his shoes, but not to clean them. Instead, he spread a piece of mud evenly on the shoes, probably to kill time.

Painting a pair of black leather boots khaki, Nott showed a satisfied look, raised his head and asked loudly: "Draco, has your family heard about that incident?"

"What?" Draco didn't quite hear.

"That incident in Diagon Alley..." Nott kicked the sole of his left shoe with the heel of his right foot, "I heard it was Mrs. Lestrange who did it. If it weren't for the help of a few professors, those idiots from the Ministry of Magic would have done it." Just let her get away with it.”

Draco said "Hmm" without a hint of saltiness: "Why do you mention this suddenly? Does it have anything to do with us?"

"What does it have to do with us?" Nott looked up with a meaningful smile, "Of course it does. Both the Lestranges were imprisoned back then, and most of their land and business would have been divided up. If it weren't for you If mother steps in, nothing will be left.”

"Now that Mrs. Lestrange has escaped from prison, attacked Aurors, and forced her way into Gringotts... the remaining half cannot be saved." Nott paused, "I thought the Malfoy family had already prepared and planned Eat this part.”

"I don't know about adults' matters," Draco said softly.

He was actually aware that at the beginning of January, another letter came from Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and that letter took away several thousand galleons from the Malfoy family.

The mother originally wanted to make some income from elsewhere and make up for some of the damage, but was dissuaded by the father.

Two days before the start of school, Lucius took him to Gringotts to open a private vault, exclusive to Draco, and deposited several huge sums of gold galleons into the vault, mostly earned from selling dark magic items. Yes, it was not recorded in the accounts.

Draco still remembered the complicated look on Lucius's face when he asked why he did this:

"Draco, the storm is coming. We can no longer move things up the trees at home, otherwise we will be the first to be destroyed by the storm..."

"But you can't just stay in place, you have to leave a way out..."