Chapter 37 Halloween
Although he thought this way, he hadn't decided whether to actually do it.
After all, the Old Bat was no pushover.
Who knew if he would give him a hard time in class.
But thinking about it, doing this on Halloween would be quite satisfying.
Late at night, the Dormitory was silent, and Xiao Deng fell into a deep sleep.
During the remaining days, Xiao Deng continued to assist Snape.
His basic skills in Potion-making were now completely fine.
And these days of interaction allowed Xiao Deng to gradually figure out the contours of Snape's personality.
"Professor, do you think the color of this Potion looks like the color of your floral underpants?"
"Childish!"
"If you have nothing better to do, go prepare ten sets of ingredients. You aren't allowed to eat until you're finished."
"Also, your Harry is quite smart. I taught him two Spells a couple of days ago, and he learned them very quickly."
What Xiao Deng received in return was Snape's death stare.
But Xiao Deng's skin had grown thick, so he just pretended not to see it.
The office was silent for a long time, then a flat voice squeezed out from between his teeth.
"That color looks like Dumbledore."
"Okay, I'll tell the Principal later."
"One hundred sets!"
...
One mischievous, one sharp-tongued, the two got along in their own way.
During this time, Snape also discovered that Xiao Denghad extremely high talent.
His Potion-making level was about to catch up to his own.
"Professor, tomorrow is Halloween, I would like to..."
"Finish the one hundred sets before you leave."
This time, it made Xiao Deng grit his teeth in anger.
By the time these one hundred sets were done, the whole day would be over.
I wonder if the little lioness misses me.
Oh, and Myrtle, I wonder if she, no, if that ghost is lonely.
It's all the Old Bat's fault!
When Xiao Deng came out of Snape's office, it was already approaching dusk.
Sure enough, the whole day had passed.
The Old Bat didn't even offer him a meal once.
As it happened, it was already time for dinner.
Although he could already abstain from eating, he still wanted to experience the joy of carbohydrates.
Just as Xiao Deng walked into the Great Hall, he immediately saw the trio who had just sat down.
Xiao Deng walked over slowly, and Hermione was the first to notice him.
She reached out and patted the seat next to her.
"Sit here!"
Seeing Xiao Deng's listless appearance, a flash of concern crossed her eyes.
She also glared at Harry, who looked completely confused, wondering what he had done to upset her!
Ron lowered his voice and leaned on the table.
"Xiao Deng, it's Halloween tomorrow, he won't still make you go over and work, will he?"
Xiao Deng puffed out his chest righteously.
"Go? Why would I go? I'm going to have fun tomorrow!"
The three friends all voiced their support.
When the day finally arrived, the little Wizards felt it was extremely hard to endure.
Time was too slow, when would class end!
The bell for the last class rang.
Boom~
Everyone swarmed back to their Dormitory to change clothes.
Xiao Deng wasn't in a hurry at all; his clothes only needed a bit of Transfiguration to be ready.
Xiao Deng walked unhurriedly toward the Great Hall, which was about to host the feast.
On the way, he happened to run into Professor McGonagall.
"Xiao Deng, aren't you going to change your clothes?"
Xiao Deng didn't say anything, silently picking up his wand.
Professor McGonagall suddenly realized.
"Oh, right, your Transfiguration has already exceeded the graduation requirements."
"Very good!"
Professor McGonagall was generous with her praise for Xiao Deng.
"But his Potion Class is still far from the mark!"
A flat, slightly eerie voice came, and one didn't even need to turn around to know who had arrived.
"Severus, you can't say that. How old is he?"
"You can't measure a child by your standards."
"Exactly, exactly!"
Snape glanced at Xiao Deng and didn't speak.
As it happened, a large group of little Wizards rushed in.
"I still have a cauldron of Potion, I'll come once I've finished."
Leaving behind a cold sentence, Snape left the Great Hall.
Professor McGonagall wasn't surprised by Snape's personality.
Seeing that the little Wizards had all entered, she also walked toward the faculty table.
Just as Xiao Deng wanted to turn around, a pair of warm, small hands covered his eyes.
"Guess who I am!"
Xiao Deng took some candy out of his pocket and handed it backward to the person behind him.
"Little lioness, have some candy."
Hermione puffed out her cheeks and took the candy Xiao Deng gave her.
"It's not fun at all. How did you know it was me?"
Xiao Deng turned around and reached out to touch Hermione's long hair.
"So you admit you're a lioness?"
"Then your costume should be a lion, not a kitten."
Hermione clenched her fists and said through gritted teeth:
"Don't force me to hit you on this joyous holiday!"
She gave Xiao Deng a big eye-roll, turned around, and found a seat. Xiao Deng quickly followed.
Not long after, Harry and the others arrived wearing bizarre costumes.
Harry was still wrapped in Ron's extra white cloth; it was just plain bizarre.
However, Xiao Deng wasn't very surprised anymore.
It wasn't because he had seen it before, but because among so many little Wizards, there was always someone more bizarre than them.
Seeing that Harry and the others had all come in costumes, Hermione looked at Xiao Deng with a puzzled gaze.
"They all wore costumes, aren't you wearing one?"
Only then did Xiao Deng remember that his outfit hadn't changed at all.
With a light tap of his wand, his clothes instantly turned into a black robe, and his hair grew a little longer.
Hermione looked at Xiao Deng's transformation in confusion.
"This looks a bit familiar."
"However, you look a bit like a bat."
Xiao Deng didn't explain, which made Harry and Ron feel uncomfortable holding back their laughter.
They wanted to laugh but didn't dare; who knew where the real bat might pop out from.
Speak of the devil, Professor Snape, having finished organizing the Potion, came in and sat at the faculty table.
Dumbledore looked up at him.
"Severus, you are a bit late."
"Researching Potion!"
Snape was concise and didn't say an extra word.
Professor Sprout kindly reminded him:
"Work is always good, but you also need to pay attention to rest."
Snape didn't speak, and the Professors weren't embarrassed.
Snape had always had this dead-fish face, like the fish at home had died.
As everyone arrived, Dumbledore began to speak, announcing the start of the feast.
Various foods instantly appeared on the table, and the atmosphere in the Great Hall reached a climax.
Xiao Deng also began to look for food suitable for himself.
Just as he took a bite of mutton, his sleeve was tugged by someone.
"Xiao Deng, I'm going to the bathroom first."
"Do you need help?"
"Hiss~"
Xiao Deng clutched the tender flesh at his waist and looked at Hermione.
She didn't pay any attention to Xiao Deng, snorted coldly, and left.
Shaking his head, at this moment, he should focus more on the food in front of him.
However, not far away, a pair of eyes were staring intently at Xiao Deng's figure.
Professor McGonagall followed Snape's gaze.
Hmm? What did she see?
It looked like a smaller version of a bat!
"Cough, cough!"
Professor McGonagall was directly choked by pumpkin juice.
No, little guy, are you that brave?
Professor McGonagall wiped her mouth with a tissue while nudging Dumbledore next to her with her elbow.
Dumbledore looked at Professor McGonagall with a puzzled face.
Chapter 38: Subduing the Troll, Saving Hermione
Professor McGonagall lifted her chin to signal, and Dumbledore followed Snape's gaze.
The moment he saw Xiao Deng, he burst into laughter.
He didn't care about his image as Principal at all.
"Severus, what do you think of his outfit?"
Snape glanced at Dumbledore, while also noticing Professor McGonagall holding back her laughter.
"Not much!"
"Dumbledore, there is something you probably don't know."
Dumbledore hadn't intended to see any reaction from Snape.
But hearing him speak now, he was actually a bit curious.
"Professor McGonagall apparently instructed Xiao Deng to turn a stool into you wearing flowery socks."
Dumbledore stared blankly at Snape. What was he saying?
His face gradually darkened, and he turned to look at Professor McGonagall.
"I never knew Professor McGonagall had such a habit?"
The calm voice sounded again.
"And stacked three Principals together to sit on their heads."
There was disbelief in Professor McGonagall's eyes as she looked at Snape.
How did Snape know?
Seeming to understand Professor McGonagall's confusion, Snape gave a forced smile.
"I happened to pass by that classroom when you were teaching Xiao Deng."
At this moment, Professor Binns suddenly popped his head out.
"Alright, how old are you all, still undermining each other!"
Only then did the sparks between the three of them ease up.
Snape stood up.
"I'm done eating..."
Before he could finish, a figure stumbled into the Great Hall and shouted:
"Troll! Troll!"
"Coming in..."
That distinct attire made it clear who it was, and after saying that, he fainted.
The word "Troll" constantly assaulted the nerves of the young Wizards, and they instantly fell into chaos.
Dumbledore waved his wand, and a booming voice rang out.
"Silence!"
"All students follow the prefects back to the Dormitory."
"Professors, maintain order and safety."
Immediately, the young Wizards moved in an orderly fashion.
"The other Professors come with me."
Dumbledore gave Snape a subtle look.
Snape nodded slightly, understanding Dumbledore's meaning.
Xiao Deng had only taken two steps when he remembered that Hermione was still in the restroom!
Without time to think, he turned and ran, only to be grabbed by Harry.
"Where are you going? There's a Troll, it's too dangerous!"
"Hermione is still in the restroom. What if something happens to her?"
"I have to go find her!"
"I'm going too!"
"If you guys are going, I'm going too," Ron also chimed in.
Xiao Deng nodded, said nothing more, and went out with the two of them to look for her.
Xiao Deng spread his spiritual sense, covering the entire teaching building directly.
Seriously, you go to the restroom, why do you have to go to the one on the first floor?
Is it closer to gravity there?
The corridors were filled with panicked students everywhere.
Xiao Deng, however, went straight to the first floor.
Harry didn't understand Xiao Deng's actions, but now was not the time for explanations.
He could only follow behind Xiao Deng. Ron was also shivering and terrified, but he didn't fall behind.
The further down they went, the more obvious that strange stench became.
That wasn't the smell of a restroom; it was the smell coming from the Troll.
Xiao Deng didn't use magic tracking; his spiritual sense was much faster than that thing.
Before they even reached the girls' restroom, Xiao Dengheard a scream.
"Ah!"
That was Hermione's voice!
Xiao Deng took the lead and immediately ran toward the place where the sound came from.
At this moment, Xiao Deng glanced at the dead weight behind him.
If they weren't there, he would have just used his movement technique to get there.
Pushing the door open, that smell was even more overwhelming.
A Troll over three meters tall, looking hideous, was brandishing a thick wooden club.
Hermione was dodging left and right, continuously avoiding the Troll's large wooden club.
Looking back at the corridor, if they reached the end, they would encounter a large number of students.
So it had to be dealt with here!
"Hermione!"
Xiao Deng shouted at Hermione immediately.
When Hermione saw Xiao Deng, her eyes lit up, and she actually rushed toward Xiao Deng immediately.
At this time, Harry and Ron also arrived at the scene.
Xiao Deng cursed internally, "Oh no," and immediately raised his wand.
The Troll had average intelligence; seeing Hermionerunning around, it immediately smashed its large wooden club down.
Its hand felt light, and the wooden club turned directly into a wisp of white cloth, drifting past Hermione's hair.
The Troll stared blankly at the strip of cloth in its hand, unable to understand what had happened.
By this time, Hermione had already run over and threw herself at Xiao Deng.
Xiao Deng held Hermione with one hand and pointed his wand at the Troll with the other.
"Wingardium Leviosa: Levitate."
The Troll immediately lost its balance and floated in mid-air.
Its limbs kicked wildly, but there was nowhere to gain leverage.
Xiao Deng had read relevant introductions in the Library.
Trolls have very high magic resistance, and the effects of magic attacks would be greatly reduced.
If he hadn't reached the Golden Core stage, he wouldn't have had a magical way to subdue it directly.
If ordinary students' magic landed on it, it probably wouldn't even be enough to tickle it.
He could only use this kind of soft magic to trap it temporarily.
If he wanted to beat it, Xiao Deng could definitely beat it to death, but Xiao Deng didn't want to kill it.
According to records, the number of Trolls is already very small, and it would be a pity if they were wiped out.
At this moment, Professor McGonagall finally arrived late.
"Good heavens! Merlin!"
"You defeated the Troll, are you hurt?"
Xiao Deng shook his head: "I am fine, Professor McGonagall."
Snape followed, his eyelids twitching as he looked at the mess in front of him, but he remained calm.
Xiao Deng looked at Snape, the corners of his mouth curling up.
"Professor Snape, where did you go? Why are you so late?"
"Is there something you can't let a snake see?"
Instantly, Snape's face darkened.
Professor McGonagall took a deep breath.
"That's enough, Xiao Deng, isn't it chaotic enough already!"
Then she looked at the Troll in the air, and Xiao Dengchimed in:
"I originally intended to kill it, but thinking that there aren't many Trolls left, we could keep it in captivity for breeding."
"Professor Snape's Potion making materials would also be somewhat guaranteed."
Xiao Deng looked back at Snape, but the other party calmly replied:
"Mr. Genius seems just as arrogant as Mr. The Chosen One."
"Do you think your Potion Professor can't get materials to make Potions?"
Professor McGonagall just nodded; she knew that there weren't many of this species left.
There were even people at the Ministry of Magic who wanted to raise some and release them back into the wild.
However, others didn't know, but she knew some things.
This Troll was reported by Quirrell for school use; if something really went wrong, it wouldn't be easy to explain to Quirrell.
But why did it go out of control?
Before she finished her thoughts, the two behind her started fighting again.
Professor McGonagall turned around and gave Snape a reproachful look.
"Xiao Deng was also thinking of you, don't be so ungrateful!"
"However, Xiao Deng's idea is indeed an issue, I need to discuss it with Headmaster Dumbledore."
Immediately, Professor McGonagall looked at the four of them seriously.
"Now let's talk, gentlemen and young lady, can you explain why you are here."
"The Principal clearly ordered all students to return to the Dormitory!"
"I need a reasonable explanation!"
Xiao Deng glanced at Snape.
Even though he still had no expression, after spending so much time together, he knew at a glance that he was gloating.
Chapter 39: Snape's Interrogation
Xiao Deng explained the situation, using the excuse that Hermione did not know the specifics.
Professor McGonagall nodded.
"You were also concerned for a fellow student's safety, so it is understandable."
"At the same time, you subdued the Troll, so your merits and faults cancel each other out. I will not pursue this matter further."
"The food from the feast has already been sent to your respective Dormitories, so hurry back."
"We will handle the aftermath."
Just as Xiao Deng and the others were about to leave, Snape spoke up.
"Don't dress indiscriminately; it looks like a hodgepodge."
Xiao Deng stopped and looked at Snape.
"Professor Snape, you might not have noticed, but I am dressed as a bat."
"Disrespecting a Professor, Gryffind..."
"I certainly didn't say it was you!"
"Professor McGonagall said so!"
After saying this, he grabbed Hermione and ran off immediately.
Snape turned to look at Professor McGonagall.
"Ahem, well, I still need to see Dumbledore, so I'll be going."
Immediately, the Troll turned into a small stone that fell into his hand, and he left in a hurry.
Halfway there, he couldn't help but laugh.
"This kid really knows how to cause trouble!"
Snape watched calmly as the people around him gradually left, then his mouth twitched.
"Little rascal!"
Xiao Deng and the others didn't stop until they had run some distance away.
Harry and Ron, who were following behind, were panting heavily.
"Run... you could have at least said something before running!"
Ron added, "Exactly!"
"But... you are truly amazing."
"Mentioning a bat right in front of the Professor."
Xiao Deng smiled without speaking, subconsciously reaching out to touch Hermione's hair.
Hermione swatted his hand away as usual.
Xiao Deng looked at Hermione in surprise.
You weren't like this just a moment ago when you were hiding in my arms with teary eyes.
By now, Hermione's reason had returned, and she blushed at her earlier behavior.
"The Professor told us to go back to the Dormitory, I'm heading back."
Before the others could react, she turned and ran off.
Harry looked at Hermione's retreating figure.
"It seems she was a bit frightened; she's not in the mood to hang out with us anymore."
"If she doesn't want to hang out, then she doesn't. I haven't even had a few bites of my chicken leg yet!"
Ron grumbled and complained the whole way.
But Xiao Deng knew that Hermione wasn't just embarrassed to see people.
Controlling the Troll in a single encounter was a bit of a blow to the extremely ambitious Hermione.
Indeed, just as Xiao Deng thought, Hermione was filled with disappointment on her way back to the Dormitory.
She studied so hard, yet when something actually happened, she could only hide in Xiao Deng's arms.
However, it had to be said that Xiao Deng's arms felt very safe.
They even seemed very warm...
Wait!
Hermione patted her cheeks, what was she thinking!
She should be reflecting on her studies right now!
But the more she emphasized it, the more Xiao Deng's shadow hovered before her eyes.
Little rascal!
At this moment, the little rascal had already returned to the Dormitory with Harry and Ron.
As soon as they arrived at the Dormitory, Neville and Seamus crowded around.
"Are you guys okay?"
Harry waved his hands.
"We're fine, we're fine. The Troll was subdued by Xiao Deng."
"Subdued?"
Neville and Seamus stared at Xiao Deng with wide eyes.
Seamus touched the eyebrows that had finally grown back.
"I thought the only difference between you and me was a bit of hard work."
"I didn't expect the gap to be this large!"
Ron muttered while lying on the bed:
"Comparisons are odious!"
"Harry and I just stood there and couldn't help with anything."
Xiao Deng revealed a gentle smile.
"That's not how it is when I tutor you in your studies."
"It's always 'close enough, close enough', but when it comes to the critical moment, you're always just a little bit short."
"Harry is a little better than you; at least he managed to use an Ignition spell during the chaos."
"Although it was useless."
Ron looked incredulous and sat up.
"Merlin!"
"The snide remarks you make don't match your smile at all!"
Xiao Deng waved his hand:
"Alright, alright, are you going to eat or not? I'm hungry."
Harry and Ron finally gathered around the food and began to devour it.
After all, they had a fair amount of physical exertion today, and facing the Troll was no small mental activity.
At this moment, in Dumbledore's office.
"How is your injury?"
"It's not a big problem, just a matter of a Healing Spell."
Snape replied expressionlessly.
"There were no problems when I went over."
"But why did the Troll come out?"
"Quirrell is the first person who should be suspected."
Dumbledore ate a lemon sherbet.
"But he fainted when he arrived."
Snape pressed on:
"How do you know if it was real or fake fainting?"
"Has your judgment, Dumbledore, become that poor?"
"Can someone with no ability be a Professor?"
Dumbledore did not speak; what Snape said was a fact.
As a top-tier institution, it is highly unlikely that anyone would be able to enter Hogwarts without meeting the capability standards.
Those who can enter must surely have strength that is among the top tier in the Wizarding World.
Seeing that Dumbledore remained silent, Snape narrowed his eyes.
"Could it be that you knew he had problems all along?"
Dumbledore smiled awkwardly; it was no wonder students were afraid of Snape.
It was truly because Snape was terrifyingly serious and his brain worked fast.
After a moment of silence, Dumbledore finally spoke.
"I do indeed feel he has some issues; just the smell of that garlic alone is inexplicable."
"Among Hogwarts Professors, how many can't handle a Vampire?"
Snape stepped forward, staring at Dumbledore.
"So you just let him stay at Hogwarts?"
"If he were to hurt even one student, how would you deal with the consequences?"
Dumbledore couldn't help but laugh as he looked at Snape.
"You are afraid that Harry will get hurt, aren't you."
"I am not!" Snape replied indifferently.
"Your concern for Harry sometimes gives me an illusion."
"You are his father; he should change his name to HarrySnape."
Snape's eyes flickered; why did this kind of statement sound so familiar?
It seemed someone else had said before that Harry was his own.
"Dumbledore, this kind of joke is not funny."
"If that's not the case, I can only guess that you have a secret crush on James."
"Dumbledore!"
"Alright, alright, let's not talk about this, let's get back to the point."
"I can guarantee to you that Harry will not be in any life-threatening danger."
Snape did not respond, and only spoke after a good while.
"You promised the same thing a few years ago."
Dumbledore was somewhat silent, looking at Snape, his voice hoarse.
"This time, I promise."
"I hope so."
The voice was still echoing, but the person before him had already left.
Dumbledore had one more thing he hadn't said: Quirrell's problem was very likely related to that person.
Back then, it was only said that he had disappeared, not that he had died.
If he wanted to make a comeback, the Philosopher's Stonewould be his target.
Why he didn't die, and what he was relying on to survive—these things needed to be figured out.
Otherwise, if he ran away again, who knows when he could be found.
Although these things weren't said, he thought that with Snape's intelligence, he would surely figure these out.
For now, he still had to keep a close eye on Quirrell.
If let loose, the danger would be unknown.
At least, it is still controllable for now!
Chapter 40: Malfoy's Request
The night passed without incident.
When Xiao Deng woke up the next day and headed to class, he noticed many gazes drifting vaguely toward him along the way.
Xiao Deng's mouth twitched. Had he become famous?
It was just a Troll; why make such a big fuss?
On the way to the Great Hall, Hermione saw Xiao Dengand immediately ran over, grabbing his arm.
Ron's naive mockery followed.
"Yo, it's been a whole night and you're still scared?"
Hermione blushed, realizing her actions were a bit abrupt.
"You have no idea!"
"Xiao Deng saved me, and I'm just expressing my goodwill."
Realizing it wasn't appropriate to keep holding Xiao Deng, Hermione let go.
"Alright, if we don't hurry, there won't be any food left."
Once Xiao Deng spoke, the group hurried toward the Great Hall.
Ron led the way, with Harry close behind.
Xiao Deng intentionally slowed down, falling to the back.
Xiao Deng gently tugged on Hermione, and she looked at him with confusion.
Xiao Deng asked in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"Before you were chased by the Troll, you went to the bathroom, right? Was it number one or number two?"
Hermione lowered her head slightly, then looked at Xiao Deng cautiously.
"Why are you asking that? It's not gentlemanly at all."
Xiao Deng was speechless. Can being a gentleman put food on the table? Or can a gentleman eat you?
"No, I was just asking."
"Being chased by a Troll like that, did you wipe? Or is your pants full of..."
"Hiss~"
A sharp pain in his waist shot through Xiao Deng's entire brain.
Hermione rolled her eyes at him and hurried to catch up with Harry and the others.
The overwhelming gratitude she had just felt was shattered by Xiao Deng's words.
Hermione's face flushed slightly as she walked quickly.
Little rascal! Not a single decent word comes out of his mouth.
Wiping? Is that even a question a person would ask?
The four of them found their seats and sat down.
Hermione, still sulking, just stuffed her face.
This surprised Ron, as Hermione usually didn't eat much.
Why does she seem to have a vendetta against the food today?
Ron nudged Harry with his elbow, but Harry was just as clueless.
Under their watchful eyes, Hermione actually took Xiao Deng's chicken leg and took a bite.
Harry swallowed and spoke cautiously.
"Hermione, do you have a vendetta against chicken legs?"
"No!"
Then, to their astonishment, she grabbed Xiao Deng's pumpkin juice and downed it in one go.
Ron finally couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Is your way of expressing goodwill eating Xiao Deng's chicken and drinking his pumpkin juice?"
Hermione froze, looking a bit awkward.
"Why don't you say anything when he eats mine?"
Ron was about to say something, but Hermione cut him off.
"Shut up and eat your food!"
Only then did Xiao Deng smile and try to smooth things over.
"Sometimes when people are shocked, their appetite increases."
"Eating a little more in one meal won't turn you into a pig."
"Clang!"
A clatter of silverware came from beside him. He turned his head to see Hermione glaring at him, puffed up with anger.
Xiao Deng's mouth twitched. Oh no, he'd forgotten this lioness was right beside him; his mouth was faster than his brain again.
Xiao Deng immediately grabbed Hermione, afraid she might just run off in a huff.
If she ran, she'd be even harder to coax!
He placed the pumpkin juice back into her hands while patting her hair.
"Not a pig, not a pig."
"Let's eat properly. It's my fault, I misspoke."
Ron didn't know why Hermione was so angry today and instinctively looked back at Harry.
As luck would have it, Harry was also looking at Ron, and they nodded at each other in unspoken agreement.
Hermione is really hard to deal with!
After saying all the right things and coaxing her, Hermionefinally picked up her food and continued eating.
Just as Xiao Deng finished coaxing Hermione, Goylewalked over.
Oh, look at that, our young master knows how to read the room now?
Xiao Deng was certain that in the past, even if their relationship wasn't that bad, Malfoy wouldn't have waited until he was done coaxing Hermione to approach.
It seems there must be something going on this time.
"I'm going to step away; you guys go ahead and eat."
Harry and Ron watched, bewildered, as Xiao Deng and Goyle left together.
Hermione, however, looked concerned; after all, in her eyes, Malfoy was quite lawless.
Xiao Deng walked over slowly.
Since his chicken leg had been snatched by Hermione, his eyes lit up when he saw the untouched one in front of Malfoy.
He casually grabbed the chicken leg, leaving Malfoy with a face full of black lines.
Your girlfriend steals your chicken leg, so you come to steal mine?
But Malfoy didn't mention it in the end; he signaled, and his two lackeys moved far away to eat.
"There are a lot of rumors today saying you defeated the Troll."
"Really?"
Xiao Deng swallowed the meat in his mouth.
"For the sake of this chicken leg, I'll tell you: it's true."
"Yesterday, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and quite a few Professors were there."
As soon as he finished speaking, Malfoy grabbed Xiao Deng's sleeve.
"I need to learn more Spells!"
Xiao Deng looked at Malfoy; his eyes were full of hope.
In that instant, Xiao Deng seemed to understand why Malfoy would condescend to approach him, whom he considered a Mudblood.
Although he was a young master, he probably faced immense pressure at home.
Pressure stemming from the upper echelons of bloodlines is common in the cultivation world.
Especially for families with only one heir.
Such people crave growth, crave to be seen, and crave to be recognized.
To prove they can shoulder the weight of the family and not fail the expectations of their noble bloodline.
Xiao Deng nodded slightly.
"I can teach you, but you must follow my requirements. Do you understand?"
Malfoy agreed readily, but was surprised to see Xiao Dengwave his hand.
"Don't agree too quickly; I mean you have to listen to me."
"So, things won't always go the way you want."
"I call the shots. Think about it; if you can't accept that, then give up."
Everything his way? Malfoy's rebellious nature flared up instantly.
But hearing the second half—'give up'—Malfoy fell silent.
"It seems you haven't decided yet. Come back when you have..."
Xiao Deng started to get up as he spoke, but halfway through, Malfoy pressed down on his shoulder.
"I agree!"
"Are you sure?"
"Very sure!"
"But I hope to start training today. Is there a way?"
Xiao Deng looked at Malfoy in surprise. Is he that anxious?
"There is, but it would be against the rules."
Malfoy laughed, laughing wantonly.
"What does that matter? My father is a school governor!"
Xiao Deng put down the pumpkin juice.
"Then it's settled. Sneak out tonight."
Xiao Deng finished speaking and stood up to leave. Malfoythen realized his pumpkin juice was completely gone.
Wait, mate, I didn't eat a bite or drink a drop, and it all went into your stomach?
Malfoy felt a bit annoyed and waved for his lackey to bring more food.
Xiao Deng returned to the Gryffindor table without beating around the bush.
"I'm going out for a night stroll to practice Spells tonight. Are you guys coming?"
A whispered warning came from nearby immediately.
"Night stroll? That's against Hogwarts rules!"
"You'll get punished if you get caught!"
Chapter 41: You didn't say we were going into the Forbidden Forest!
Xiao Deng rested his handsome face on one hand, looking at Hermione, who was issuing a warning.
"Then are you going to learn?"
Upon hearing this, Hermione, who had just been full of righteous indignation, immediately became conflicted.
At this moment, even Harry and Ron were in no hurry to chat with Xiao Deng.
They both watched Hermione's reaction with looks of amusement, as if watching a show.
After a good while, Hermione finally answered.
"I'll go!"
Hermione looked up, only to see three pairs of teasing eyes.
Before Hermione's expression could turn fierce, Xiao Dengimmediately changed the subject.
"Harry, Ron, what about you two?"
Harry had spent the first half of his life living under someone else's roof, and it had been difficult for him to finally reach the magical world.
He knew that if he didn't want to repeat the past, he had to work hard.
"I'll go!"
Then, three pairs of eyes gradually shifted to Ron.
Ron looked troubled; he glanced at Harry and Hermione, and finally made up his mind.
"I'll go too!"
Xiao Deng nodded with satisfaction.
"Then we'll meet tonight."
Harry suddenly grabbed Xiao Deng.
"Should we call Neville and Seamus too?"
Xiao Deng fell into deep thought; Neville seemed to have a faint aura of luck, just like Harry.
His own strength wasn't high enough yet to see anything definitive.
But if it existed, there must be a cause and effect.
This causal line should still be there, so it wouldn't hurt to call him.
As for Seamus, Xiao Deng couldn't help but offer a wry smile; who would dare to call him?
Any spell he threw could turn into an explosion; was he trying to make sure the patrolling Professor knew they were out after hours?
He explained his thoughts to the three of them.
The three of them nodded in agreement.
Indeed, Seamus's ability was plain for all to see.
The four of them reached a consensus at this point.
Once there is expectation in one's heart, time passes very slowly.
Finally, when night arrived, Ron was already unable to contain himself; with something on his mind, he couldn't sleep at all.
After Xiao Deng's spiritual sense sensed Seamus's state, he slowly stood up.
"Is everyone asleep?"
"No!"
"No!"
"No..."
"Get up, let's go!"
The four of them tiptoed, put on their clothes, and followed Xiao Deng out.
As soon as Xiao Deng came out, a person appeared in his spiritual sense.
It seemed he wanted to become stronger even more than Xiao Deng had imagined.
"Malfoy!"
Malfoy looked vigilantly in Xiao Deng's direction, his eyes slightly surprised.
"You brought so many people?"
"That's a huge point deduction for the whole Dormitory!"
It was rare for Malfoy to be able to make a joke.
"I have my reasons. We'll wait for one more person, and then we'll leave."
Malfoy understood; Xiao Deng was quite attentive to his wife, but he didn't say anything more.
As for Harry and the others, they naturally knew who Xiao Deng was talking about, so they didn't say anything.
Before long, a cautious figure appeared in Xiao Deng's spiritual scan.
"Hermione!"
Upon hearing Xiao Deng's voice, Hermione finally confirmed his location and immediately ran towards him.
Although it was dark, Xiao Deng still sensed the "tch" expression on Malfoy's face through his spiritual sense.
Xiao Deng didn't explain; he still thought that he and Hermione had a relationship.
"Everyone's here, let's go."
After walking for a while, Malfoy whispered in surprise:
"Isn't this the direction to the Forbidden Forest?"
Xiao Deng gave Malfoy a look that was half-smile, half-serious.
"The young master is very well-informed!"
Malfoy blushed; he usually came out for night walks, and now he was exposed.
Hermione immediately grabbed Xiao Deng.
"You didn't say we were going into the Forbidden Forest!"
"This is a serious violation of school rules."
Malfoy nudged Harry with his elbow and asked in a low voice:
"Is she always this fussy?"
Harry gave a soft hum, and Malfoy frowned and shook his head slightly.
"Then Xiao Deng must have it pretty tough."
Ron really wanted to say that it wasn't just Xiao Deng who had it tough; Harry and he did too.
But afraid that Hermione might hear, he could only think about it silently in his heart.
"Would you still come if I told you?"
"Alright, don't dwell on it, you're already here."
Hermione followed reluctantly.
Just as they stepped into the Forbidden Forest, Xiao Dengdirectly expanded his spiritual sense.
It didn't need to be too far, just a few hundred meters, enough to ensure their safety.
Sounds of beasts calling out rang out.
"Chirp, chirp~"
"Moo, moo~"
"Squeak, squeak~"
Everyone looked up in confusion; were there really so many nocturnal animals at night?
Others didn't know, but Xiao Deng had a face full of black lines.
They couldn't understand, but Xiao Deng could!
Various animals were saying, that human is here to fight again, run!
Xiao Deng said nothing, wandered around for a while, and found a suitable place.
"Let's stay here."
"Lumos."
Hermione came up to stop him: "This kind of light will attract many animals."
Xiao Deng curled his lips:
"Little Hermione, how about we make a bet?"
"If it attracts them, I'll grant you a wish."
"If it doesn't, then the opposite."
Hermione's vigilance was immediately maxed out; the little rascal must be up to no good again.
"No bet!"
Xiao Deng shrugged uninterestingly; the child was smart now and hard to fool. He then took out paper and pens from his bag.
Hermione exclaimed: "These are Quill pens!"
Even Malfoy cast a side-glance at Xiao Deng.
The ones used usually were ordinary Quill pens, which required dipping in ink multiple times.
But magical Quill pens had different effects depending on their type.
The few that Xiao Deng took out, although not high-level, just had ink magically compressed inside the Quill pen.
But taking out so many at once was also a considerable expense.
They had thought Xiao Deng was rich, but they didn't expect him to be this rich.
"Write down everything you want to learn."
"I'll organize them and teach you systematically in order."
The first one to write was naturally Malfoy.
Those from pure-blood families naturally had a better foundation than Muggles.
The second to write was actually Hermione.
She didn't know what Spells existed, but she could describe them, which was also a way.
Harry and Ron stared at the paper in confusion.
Harry was excusable, after all, he grew up in a Mugglefamily.
With luck on his side, even if he didn't teach him, he would learn a lot through various events.
Ron's brain was purely empty; aside from chicken legs, there wasn't much else left.
Neville scratched the back of his head, unable to write anything for a moment.
Xiao Deng had read in books about the aftereffects of using the Memory Charm too much.
Xiao Deng was very puzzled; if they really wanted to make him forget, why not just use Obliviate in one go?
However, this was someone else's private matter, and Xiao Deng didn't want to interfere too much.
Before long, Malfoy had written a whole page full.
"Hand it to me when you're done!"
Xiao Deng took what the others had written.
When he saw one of the papers, his pupils constricted slightly, but no one noticed.
Xiao Deng didn't make a scene and remained calm.
"I've taken a look and organized what you wrote."
"We will start from the daily, most commonly used ones."
Xiao Deng adjusted his Wizard robes and slowly stood in front of everyone.
"Let's start with the Repairing Charm; this spell is one that Hermione was able to self-study during the holidays."
"For those of you who have started receiving magical education, it shouldn't be difficult."
Hermione, being singled out, was exceptionally happy; this was an affirmation of her hard work.
Chapter 42: Rescuing the Unicorn
"... Reparo."
The continuous sound of spells echoed through the Forbidden Forest.
Hermione didn't cause any trouble either; even though she already knew how, she followed along and started practicing.
Watching them practice, Xiao Deng came up behind Hermione.
One hand protected her waist, while the other held the hand she was using to hold her wand.
Hermione was just about to rebuke him, but before the words could leave her mouth, a gentle voice reached her ears.
"This movement is the standard one!"
After saying this, Xiao Deng let go of Hermione, but she couldn't shake off the lingering sensation of warmth.
Her cheeks flushed red instantly, but fortunately, the light source had vanished, and in the middle of the night, no one noticed.
Little rascal!
Hermione suspected he had just done that on purpose.
However, when she swung her wand as Xiao Deng had instructed, the magic, which hadn't been very stable before, stabilized instantly.
Could it be that he really was just trying to guide her?
Xiao Deng's spiritual sense naturally didn't need a light source to see everyone's status.
I am a disciple of a legitimate sect; what is that suspicious look in her eyes for?
But Xiao Deng didn't step forward to argue; after all, that wasn't the point today.
Malfoy, however, glanced over.
This Xiao Deng really dotes on his wife, even giving her private lessons!
However, this spell was indeed simple, and under Xiao Deng's guidance, everyone mastered it.
"Alright, next is a daily spell, for unlocking."
...
Several people started waving their wands again.
Just as they were practicing, Xiao Deng keenly felt someone intrude into his spiritual sense range.
To be precise, it was a wild Owl.
It rushed toward the location where Xiao Deng and the others were at an extremely fast speed.
It didn't take long for it to land on Xiao Deng's shoulder.
"Chirp, chirp~"
"What!"
"Lead the way!"
Harry asked first: "Xiao Deng, what happened?"
"There's no time to explain, follow me first."
Xiao Deng followed the Owl and ran quickly.
He could feel that the cries of the animals in the Forbidden Forest were mixed with both fear and anger.
Upon arriving at the spot, the Owl dared not move any further.
But Xiao Deng's spiritual sense had already scanned the situation ahead.
A person in black was lying on the ground eating something.
Eating a Unicorn raw!
The Unicorn let out a miserable cry but was powerless to resist.
The scene was so terrifying that the young Wizards behind covered their mouths.
Xiao Deng made no unnecessary movements and raised his wand.
"Stupefy!"
The person was hit instantly and slowly fell down.
As the person fell, Xiao Deng did not lower his guard; a sense of crisis slowly rose in his heart.
The person who had just been hit actually stood up again.
He glanced in their direction and then immediately ran away wildly.
After that person fled, many animals watching from the shadows appeared within Xiao Deng's spiritual sense range.
Xiao Deng walked quickly to the Unicorn's side and slowly crouched down.
The Unicorn lay on the ground, powerless, with tears in its eyes.
Seeing Xiao Deng approach, its eyes brightened slightly.
It knew this human, who often looked for animals in the Forbidden Forest to fight.
But he would help treat the animals after the fight, so he wasn't a bad person.
Xiao Deng raised his wand.
"Episkey!"
The Unicorn's wounds gradually closed, not even leaving a scar.
However, Xiao Deng frowned.
The Unicorn's blood had been consumed, which was a fact that a healing spell couldn't change.
"Unicorn, listen!"
"I have no ill intentions, but you cannot stay here anymore."
"Your injuries won't recover in a day or two; I need to take you to find another safe place to heal."
The Unicorn was silent; besides the Forbidden Forest, where else could it go?
"If he comes back, you will lose your life here."
The Unicorn had no choice but to let out a weak cry.
Only then did Xiao Deng, amidst the stunned gazes of everyone, pick up the large Unicorn and carry it on his shoulder.
"Let's go, let's go find Hagrid first!"
Hermione immediately replied: "Go find Hagrid? Wouldn't that expose the fact that we snuck out?"
Xiao Deng shook his head slightly.
"We can't worry about that much right now. Do you know how serious it is that a Unicorn was being eaten?"
"The entire school will probably get involved in the investigation."
"Breaking school rules is already a minor issue."
This time, even Malfoy didn't step out to stop him.
Xiao Deng and the others immediately rushed toward Hagrid's hut.
On the way back, magical creatures stood on both sides watching Xiao Deng leave.
But not a single one came out to stop him!
Several people, panting, finally arrived at Hagrid's hut.
Harry stepped forward to knock on the door.
Hagrid's boisterous voice rang out from inside the hut.
"Who is it? Not sleeping in the middle of the night."
He opened the door.
"Oh, Harry, long time no see."
"Did you sneak out?"
Xiao Deng interrupted Hagrid's reminiscing.
"Hagrid, come take a look at this first."
Hagrid finally looked at Xiao Deng behind him, and Xiao Deng slowly placed the Unicorn on the ground.
"Why did you bring a Unicorn to my place on your back?"
"Wait a minute! Why does it look so weak?"
Only then did Xiao Deng tell Hagrid everything that had just happened.
Hagrid put away his smile.
"I need to report this; this is very serious."
"Unicorns are not ordinary magical creatures."
Xiao Deng continued after Hagrid:
"Yes, that's why I rushed over in such a hurry."
"Before I came, I already used a healing spell on it."
"But, as you can see, the wound has healed, but it is still weak."
Just at this moment, the Unicorn made a sound.
Hagrid comforted it: "Don't worry, we will protect you."
Xiao Deng crouched down and petted the Unicorn.
"Don't worry, I will help you find it."
After saying this, he looked up at Hagrid.
"There is no time to lose; you go report it to the school first."
"I might need to go into the Forbidden Forest one more time."
Hagrid pressed down on Xiao Deng's shoulder.
"Don't be impulsive, wait for me to call for help."
After Hagrid left, Ron asked Xiao Deng, shivering:
"Then what do we do now?"
Xiao Deng looked at everyone seriously.
"I am going into the Forbidden Forest."
"Given your safety, I suggest you stay here."
"At the same time, you can wait for Hagrid to bring the Principal and the Professors here to tell them what happened."
As soon as Xiao Deng finished speaking, a crisp female voice followed.
"I'm going with you!"
Just as Xiao Deng wanted to refuse, the others chimed in.
"I'm going too!"
"I'm going too!"
"I'm going too!"
"I'm going too!"
"I'm going too!"
"I... am going too!"
Looking at their faces, he sighed.
Forget it, let them all follow.
If he had gone alone, a sweep of his spiritual sense would have instantly found what he was looking for.
Now, with a group of brats in tow, he couldn't use the methods of the cultivation world.
However, it wouldn't have much impact, just a bit slower in efficiency.
"Then let's go!"
On the way, Hermione asked Xiao Deng quietly.
"It seems you can communicate with animals?"
Barely, it's just some small tricks taught to him by a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect back in the day.
Using spiritual sense to communicate with magical beasts allows them to express themselves more clearly.
It also happens to work on the magical creatures of the Forbidden Forest.
And just now, the Unicorn told him that there was another little Unicorn in the Forbidden Forest.
It hoped Xiao Deng could bring that one out too.
That is its child!
Chapter 43 Morning Inquiry
Xiao Deng's divine sense scanned over slowly, and he quickly found a shivering little creature.
When the little creature saw Xiao Deng, it cried out twice: "I can't beat you, you should leave."
Xiao Deng's face darkened. Did he really look like someone who loved fighting that much?
Even if he were to fight, he would have to find someone to fight in bed to make it satisfying.
In these deep mountains and wild forests, there were animals with a hint of intelligence everywhere.
"I was entrusted by your mother to come find you."
"She is already waiting for you in a safe place."
Just as the Unicorn foal hesitated, an Owl flew over and hooted twice.
The Unicorn foal then slowly stood up and came to Xiao Deng's side.
Xiao Deng picked up the Unicorn foal again and started walking back.
Halfway there, they ran into Professor McGonagall and the others, who were rushing over in a panic.
Seeing that the young Wizards were unharmed, Professor McGonagall breathed a sigh of relief.
Her expression immediately turned serious again.
"Are you all coming out here to break the rules?"
"If something happened, how would I explain it to your families?"
Xiao Deng curled his lip. What families?
He was all alone, he was Gryffindor, and he had even mocked the Heavenly Dao.
What was there to be afraid of?
Seeing Xiao Deng's expression, Professor McGonagallbecame even angrier.
"Especially you, Mr. Hehuan, getting carried away just because you have a little skill?"
"And you few, Xiao Deng can fight a Troll alone and protect himself, but can you?"
Hagrid spoke up from the side to smooth things over.
"Professor McGonagall, the children have done a good deed, why not let it go?"
Professor McGonagall looked at Xiao Deng, who was still holding the Unicorn foal, and her gaze softened.
"Settle the Unicorn foal first, then hurry back to Hogwarts."
Xiao Deng and the others immediately nodded in agreement.
The Professors went back into the Forbidden Forest to search, while they hurried toward Hagrid's hut.
Ron couldn't help but complain:
"Headmaster Dumbledore was right!"
"Professor McGonagall is really like a lioness!"
Harry tugged on Malfoy, who was standing next to him, signaling him to step back.
Malfoy didn't understand, but he followed Harry a short distance away and whispered:
"Potter, what are you doing?"
Harry didn't say a word; he tilted his chin, signaling Malfoyto watch.
Hermione immediately jumped out.
"It was clearly you who broke the rules, how can you talk about Professor McGonagall like that?"
"Besides, Professor McGonagall is doing this for our own good!"
"You really shouldn't speak ill of a Professor behind their back!"
Ron looked at Hermione's righteous indignation and couldn't help but shrink his neck.
He wasn't Xiao Deng; he couldn't afford to provoke this bomb!
He reached out to pull someone to his side, but unexpectedly grabbed empty air.
Turning his head, he saw that Harry and Malfoy were already standing far away.
Neville was still on the other side of Xiao Deng, and Ronturned back with a bitter face.
No way, was he going to have to face Hermione's attack alone this time?
That would cause a mental breakdown!
Just at this critical moment, a gentle voice came over.
"Stop playing around. We don't know if this Forbidden Forest is safe yet, hurry up!"
Ron looked at Xiao Deng as if he were his savior.
Ron immediately chased after Xiao Deng.
"Xiao Deng, thank you so much, you saved me."
"From now on, I will definitely follow whatever you say."
Malfoy watched this comical scene and tugged on Harry.
"Granger, has she always been this..."
Harry's hand directly covered Malfoy's mouth, shaking his head to signal him not to speak.
Malfoy understood in his heart; luckily he hadn't called her a Mudblood, otherwise Xiao Deng probably wouldn't be happy.
Harry would definitely have an issue with him.
Either Granger had this personality originally, or she had Xiao Deng as her backing.
Since he had promised Xiao Deng to listen to him, he, someone from a pure-blood family, would not go back on his word.
When the Unicorn saw the foal, its eyes were filled with tears, and it snuggled with its child.
Then it expressed its gratitude to Xiao Deng.
"Today's events were sudden, so training is temporarily suspended."
"If we resume later, wait for my notification. It will definitely be stricter recently."
Everyone nodded to show their understanding.
Ron pointed at the Unicorn and asked:
"Then what about them?"
Xiao Deng waved his hand and replied: "Hagrid is a professional at raising magical creatures."
"They will recover slowly!"
"Let's go back to the Dormitory first!"
Everyone left one after another to return to their respective Dormitories.
Hermione glanced at Xiao Deng and then went back too.
"Tomorrow, the Professors will definitely come to ask about tonight's events."
"You just tell the truth, no need to hide anything."
"Don't be afraid; the focus of this matter will definitely be on the poaching of Unicorns and the consumption of Unicorns."
Ron asked in confusion: "Why didn't you tell Malfoy and Hermione just now?"
Xiao Deng sighed slightly. Why was the gap between people so large?
With Hermione's rule-abiding nature, she would definitely tell the truth, and with her intelligence, she would certainly think of these things.
As for Malfoy, it goes without saying; it didn't matter if he said it or not, he had a father on the Board of Governors.
Before Xiao Deng could speak, Neville scratched his head and looked at Ron.
"Malfoy's father is a School Governor."
Imitating Malfoy's tone, it was a bit awkward.
But the strange tone made Ron's face darken a bit.
He couldn't possibly be less smart than Neville, could he?
With his questions, he finally returned to the Dormitory.
After being busy all night, physically and mentally exhausted, they didn't say much and soon fell asleep.
Just as Xiao Deng expected, early the next morning, they were all rounded up for questioning.
Xiao Deng and Harry naturally received the highest treatment, with Dumbledore questioning them personally.
Even though Dumbledore looked extremely kind, Harrystill carefully walked in and stood to the side.
Xiao Deng, on the other hand, walked into the office carelessly and looked around.
"Where is your bird?"
Dumbledore's face froze. Still bringing up Fawkes? He definitely couldn't let it have contact with him!
Before Dumbledore could speak, Xiao Deng sat down gracefully on a chair and reached out a hand.
Dumbledore stared blankly at Xiao Deng's action, not understanding what he was doing.
"What are you doing?"
"lemon sherbet."
Dumbledore's eyelid twitched slightly. He had given them a few times and now he was addicted, even asking for them proactively this time.
Dumbledore wasn't stingy enough to refuse such a small request.
But why did this feeling feel so strange? Wasn't he supposed to be the one questioning him?
While pouring a few for Xiao Deng, he turned to look at Harry.
"Do you want one?"
Harry looked at Xiao Deng, and Xiao Deng gave him an encouraging look.
"Then... I'll have one too!"
Being pestered by Xiao Deng for lemon sherbet felt quite awkward, but seeing the two children eating happily, he himself felt quite pleased.
A strange feeling!
"Back to the topic, tell me about what happened last night."
Xiao Deng then straightened up and recounted the events one by one.
The more he listened, the more serious the expression on Dumbledore's face became.
Fortunately, the Unicorn hadn't died completely, which made Dumbledore breathe a sigh of relief.
The blood of a Unicorn had significant effects, but the side effects were not something an ordinary person could withstand.
But the fact that the man in black could still stand up after being hit by Xiao Deng's Stupefy meant there were many problems.
Since Xiao Deng could subdue a creature like a Troll with such high magic resistance, it showed that Xiao Deng's magical power intensity was up to par.
Then what exactly was going on?
Chapter 44: A Fight Breaks Out
Dumbledore couldn't figure it out for a moment. Just as he looked up, he met Xiao Deng's gaze.
His heart skipped a beat, but he didn't make a sound.
"Harry, there's nothing else now. You should go back first."
"I still have something to discuss with Xiao Deng."
Harry looked at the two of them, bewildered, and then left.
"He's gone. What do you want to say?"
Xiao Deng stared intently into Dumbledore's eyes and said seriously:
"That person is Quirrell!"
Dumbledore was silent for a moment.
"Are you sure?"
Before Xiao Deng could reply, the door to Dumbledore's office was pushed open.
There were only a few people at Hogwarts who could enter without knocking.
Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape entered the office one after the other.
McGonagall glanced at Xiao Deng, then looked at Dumbledore.
"We questioned some of the young Wizards, and their stories are all more or less the same."
As she spoke, she didn't forget to glare at Xiao Deng.
"It was Mr. Hehuan who taught them Spells, which is why they went out."
"Professor McGonagall, I'm very sorry to interrupt you."
"I feel it is necessary for me to clarify things for myself."
The three of them all turned their gazes to Xiao Deng.
Xiao Deng noticed that Snape's eyes clearly held a hint of schadenfreude.
You Old Bat, just you wait!
"What I want to say is, it was they who wanted to learn from me, not that I demanded it of them."
"This cause and effect cannot be reversed."
"I am a victim as well."
The corner of Dumbledore's mouth twitched; you're the only one who can talk your way out of anything.
Professor McGonagall looked at Xiao Deng, wanting to say something, but held it back.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, how should these young Wizards be dealt with?"
Dumbledore slowly sat back down in his seat.
"These are all minor matters; the most important thing is to find the person who is drinking the blood and flesh of the Unicorn."
"This is far more important than those few students."
"Also, we need to ensure the safety of the young Wizards."
"Tighten supervision and patrols recently."
Dumbledore stopped halfway through.
"Xiao Deng, there's nothing for you to do for the time being. You should go back first. If there are any leads, we will find you."
"Alright, Headmaster."
Xiao Deng readily agreed, but then extended his hand again.
Dumbledore felt a bit dizzy; who exactly was the lemon sherbet for?
"You aren't short on money, can you just buy some yourself?"
Dumbledore complained while pouring some for Xiao Deng.
"I can, but if I mooch off you, I don't have to spend money."
"You'd better get out quickly!"
Xiao Deng left the office unhurriedly, and Dumbledorestared at Professor McGonagall and Snape.
"Are you two very happy?"
Snape didn't answer Dumbledore's question; he wasn't one for many words anyway, although watching the Old Bee get frustrated was indeed a bit pleasant.
"Oh, Albus, is it that obvious?"
Dumbledore ate a lemon sherbet to calm his mood.
"Is it not obvious? The corners of your mouths are almost reaching your ears, Lion."
Before Professor McGonagall could get angry, Dumbledore spoke first.
"Alright, back to the topic."
"Minerva, Severus, let me ask you a question."
"Do you think Xiao Deng could be a Professor in the future, or perhaps even Principal?"
"No!"
The two expressed their opposition in unison.
Professor McGonagall didn't even dare to imagine it; one Old Bat was already enough to give her a headache.
If another one who could cause trouble came along, Merlin, her hair would fall out!
Most importantly, both were her students.
It felt like the sky was falling!
Snape was more straightforward; although Xiao Denghelped him out, his mouth was truly nagging and vicious.
Every day he brought up Harry just to annoy him!
Just before Dumbledore could ask for the reason, a knock on the door sounded.
"Enter!"
A panicked Professor came in and shouted:
"Principal, Deans, hurry and take a look. Slytherin and Slytherin, Gryffindor and Slytherin are fighting."
This strange description left the three of them confused.
However, they captured the key information about the fight.
Professor McGonagall took the lead.
"Take us to see it quickly."
...
In the center of the Great Hall.
"Malfoy, tell us, why were you out wandering at night with the brutes from Gryffindor?"
Ron was a bit puzzled: "Who are these people?"
Hermione explained in a low voice: "These are all senior students from Slytherin."
"It seems Malfoy's behavior yesterday really upset them."
Harry chimed in: "But isn't Malfoy's father a school governor?"
"They dare to cause trouble even with that?"
Hermione didn't know about this, but Ron stepped up to explain.
"This brings us to the characteristics of Slytherin."
"His old man is also a standard Slytherin; if he knew he was hanging out with Gryffindors, he wouldn't give him a pleasant look either."
But who was Malfoy? He was the spoiled, only heir of the family.
He only restrained himself slightly in front of Xiao Dengand Harry.
He didn't give a damn about these guys!
Malfoy's hot temper flared after only a few words, and an argument erupted with the other side.
There were faint signs of pushing and shoving, and Percy prepared to step forward to stop it.
Before he could get there, a spell exploded in the center of the Great Hall.
Both sides were stunned. A cold light flashed in Malfoy's eyes, and he instinctively pulled out his wand and pointed it directly at the senior on the other side.
"Malfoy stood up for us just now."
"That senior was just insulting Gryffindor."
"Then what are we waiting for?"
"Get him!"
Gryffindor is all about courage; as long as you dare to start the fight, they dare to follow.
"What the f!"
"Gryffindor actually dares to make a move!"
Thus, the argument between the two turned into a magical bombardment between the two houses.
"Tarantallegra: Dancing Feet Spell."
"Densaugeo: Tooth-Growing Spell."
"Alohomora: Alohomora!"
"Muggle-Repelling Charm."
The person on the other side closed their eyes, and then, when there was no effect, they realized what it was.
This was a Muggle-Repelling Charm!
Damn it, they were treating him like a Muggle!
The person began bombarding the other side with magicagain.
By the time Xiao Deng came over to eat, the situation had already spiraled out of control.
The entire Great Hall was fighting, and there were even mischievous Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws taking the opportunity to fire off a spell, regardless of where they hit.
Dumbledore and the other two arrived shortly after, seeing magical lights flying everywhere from afar.
Professor McGonagall was just about to intervene when she was stopped by Dumbledore.
Professor McGonagall was about to argue with Dumbledore when she heard his words.
"Let's watch first; the children still have some sense of restraint."
Just like that, the three of them watched the chaotic bombardment inside, until a slow-moving person appeared.
Xiao Deng widened his eyes as he looked at the scene before him.
Damn, I came here to eat, how am I supposed to eat now?
How long have they been fighting, and when will it end?
Xiao Deng didn't want to wait and slowly took out his wand.
The three people in the distance began to breathe rapidly, their eyes widening.
"That movement, could it be..."
Xiao Deng pointed his wand downwards and slowly pressed it down.
"Finite: Finite Incantatem."
A massive wave of magic pulsed from Xiao Deng as the center, spreading to every corner of the Great Hall.
At that moment!
All the lights vanished!
All the Spells failed!
Everyone who had been cursed returned to normal!
Chapter 45: Fighting, Everyone Called to the Headmasters Office
"Albus!"
"With this child's talent, once he grows up, he could even join the Ministry of Magic, let alone become Principal."
Dumbledore did not speak, only watching Xiao Dengstanding at the entrance of the Great Hall.
Xiao Deng walked in slowly, and everyone's eyes fell upon him.
It was unprecedented shock!
This first-year student had neutralized everyone's magic.
Can one understand it as him being able to withstand all of them alone?
This crazy thought was born in many people's minds.
Everyone thought it was impossible, yet it had happened.
Before Xiao Deng could speak, a foul-smelling, excrement-covered person arrived at the Great Hall again and shouted:
"Weasley, come out here!"
The crowd's strange gazes all fell upon this excrement-covered person.
Xiao Deng's expression darkened. 'Damn it, you're ruining my moment of showing off!'
Whispers began throughout the Great Hall.
"Is that Filch?"
"Do you even need to ask? Being covered in filth is his calling card."
Xiao Deng wanted to laugh for a moment but held it back.
Only Filch could turn excrement into a famous trademark within Hogwarts.
Filch was about to walk into the Great Hall, and the young Wizards sitting near the entrance immediately backed away.
Filch found the Weasley Brothers in the crowd and pointed at them, roaring:
"Did you two put bombs in the dung pit?"
Fred said aggrievedly: "Look at our current state; do we look like we have time to bomb you?"
Only then did Filch notice that the entire Great Hall was not quite right.
"I can't deal with the others for now, but you two being tied up is deserved; it's just retribution."
"I will report this matter to the school and have Dumbledore punish you!"
After Filch finished speaking, Xiao Deng spoke slowly.
"Hey!"
"Mr. Filch, your detention report is about to be overdue."
Filch had been blinded by rage just now; only now did he remember that he had barged into the dining area covered in filth again.
Looking back, the young Wizards' eyes were full of disgust, eager to avoid him.
Who would be happy to see a filth-covered person shouting in a dining area?
Just as he was about to pick up his wand to help him clean up, he glanced at the Weasley Brothers.
The three of them all revealed knowing smiles.
Then, Xiao Deng changed his mind on the spot.
"Mr. Filch, you should go back and wash up first."
"I don't think you'd like me to use magic to help you."
Before he could finish speaking, Filch's voice drowned out Xiao Deng's.
"Who needs your help!"
Filch turned and left, with Xiao Deng's gentle voice coming from behind.
"I will still truthfully report your behavior to the Principal."
Filch's steps faltered, he glared fiercely at Xiao Deng, but still hurried away.
"Scourgify!"
The dripping excrement in the Great Hall was instantly cleaned up.
The wand that had just been lowered was slowly raised again.
The crowd's attention was once again captured by Xiao Deng.
"Ropes, come!"
Countless ropes emerged from the tables, continuously lengthening, and rapidly enveloped the group of people who had just been fighting.
The ropes interlocked and knotted continuously.
Everyone who had been fighting was tied up.
The rope went around their necks, tying two evenly spaced knots on their chests.
Then it wrapped around their thighs to their backs, where two more knots were tied.
The end of the rope came to the front again, passing through the first hole, and looped to the hole on the back.
After weaving through, it came to the second hole in front again.
Finally, it wrapped around their arms, binding their hands behind their backs.
Some were fixed to chairs, some to tables, and some on the floor.
Some were even suspended, legs spread, hanging in mid-air.
Professor McGonagall asked Dumbledore with a dark face:
"Is this what you meant by 'wait and see'? Is this good to look at?"
"It is simply disgraceful!"
Dumbledore smiled awkwardly.
"The knots tied by that rope actually look quite artistic."
Xiao Deng knew there were three old schemers watching behind him, so he didn't show favoritism to anyone.
The only thing was that he tied an extra bow for Hermioneto make it look a bit better.
Xiao Deng walked slowly into the center of the Great Hall.
"This is a place for eating; what are you all doing?"
In the silent Great Hall, no one dared to answer Xiao Deng's question.
Xiao Deng slapped the back of Neville's head.
"You're quite the talent, using Alohomora like this?"
"Specifically to open other people's trouser zippers."
"A zipper is also a lock, right?"
Neville laughed foolishly, as if he had received a compliment.
Xiao Deng sat down slowly and began to eat.
Everyone else watched in shock as Xiao Deng ate alone.
Only two people looked at Xiao Deng with eyes full of light.
Even though they were tied up too, they didn't care at all.
The effect of this prank was maxed out, especially in front of so many people.
"Why are you all looking at me? Eat and drink as you should."
Those who weren't tied up finally reacted and started stuffing food into their mouths.
Whether it had any taste or not, that was unknown.
Dumbledore looked at the comical scene inside and sighed with emotion.
"A large-scale, area-of-effect, group Transfiguration."
"This little Wizard's Transfiguration is almost catching up to the old lion!"
Professor McGonagall glanced sideways at Dumbledore.
"Albus, that joke is not funny at all."
"I agree." A flat voice came.
Professor McGonagall turned her head instantly, looking at Snape in surprise.
Snape did not look at Professor McGonagall and continued.
"I was talking about Dumbledore."
Snape's words made Professor McGonagall's mouth tremble with anger.
"You have no sense of propriety; I shouldn't have had any expectations for either of you."
With a cold snort, she walked toward the Great Hall.
Dumbledore chuckled and turned to Snape.
"She got angry over a joke."
Snape looked at Dumbledore indifferently.
"No sense of propriety."
Flicking his wide robes, he also walked slowly into the Great Hall.
The smile on Dumbledore's face slowly froze.
'So it's all my fault? Didn't you agree just now?'
Professor McGonagall walked slowly into the Great Hall, waved her wand, and all the Transfiguration magicdisappeared.
Seeing Professor McGonagall, the group of people who had caused the fight didn't dare to breathe.
She came to Xiao Deng, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.
Before she could speak, Xiao Deng asked first.
"Professor McGonagall, why don't you dare to open your eyes? Hoping it's just your hallucination?"
Professor McGonagall's expression froze; the emotions she had been brewing were interrupted.
"After eating, all participants go to the Headmasters Office."
Leaving this sentence behind, she hurried away after speaking.
Xiao Deng glanced at Professor Snape, who followed with an expressionless face.
'Wait, what are you amused about again?'
Seeing Professor McGonagall leave, Snape let his gaze linger on the Slytherin side for a moment before turning and leaving as well.
When the young Wizards of Slytherin were stared at, their hair stood on end.
Fortunately, he left without saying anything, otherwise, they were really afraid of receiving some punishment.
Only after Snape left did they breathe a sigh of relief.
The other young Wizards ate in large mouthfuls, finishing as quickly as possible to get to the Headmasters Office to admit their mistakes.
Only Xiao Deng was unhurried, eating his food elegantly.
Along the way, he didn't forget to drink all of Hermione's pumpkin juice.
Hermione choked while eating and had nothing to drink; she was so angry she wanted to hit Xiao Deng.
But most of the Gryffindor students had to go to the office, so they really had no time to deal with him.
After eating, they rushed to the Headmasters Office.