Chapter 181: Going to St. Mungo's Hospital
Xiao Deng reached out and stopped Lady Augusta who was about to leave.
"What do you mean by this?"
Xiao Deng revealed a gentle smile.
"Madam, Neville's parents have been in this condition for many years, haven't they?"
"When they have an episode, the Healers can only provide conservative treatment and physical restraints."
"This is to prevent them from accidentally causing secondary injuries to themselves."
"In the past, you simply watched the Healers perform these tasks."
"Am I right?"
Lady Augusta fell silent. Xiao Deng was right; in reality, whether she went or not didn't fundamentally change anything.
She could neither alleviate their pain nor cure them, and the task of restraining them was something anyone in the hospital could do.
She was simply worried and needed to see them herself, but seeing them only made her heart ache more.
When she looked up again, a glimmer of hope rose in Lady Augusta's eyes as she looked at Xiao Deng.
She thought of Xiao Deng's talent and Genius, and of his achievements that were difficult for others to replicate.
She thought of the title of Lord of Hogwarts...
"Do you have a way?"
"If there is a way to cure them..."
"No, even a slight alleviation, and you would be an honored guest of our Longbottom Family!"
Xiao Deng pondered for a moment and looked at Lady Augusta.
"I am not certain about that; I need to see their condition before I can come to a conclusion."
He did not boast or make promises, which made Lady Augusta feel more at ease and appreciate Xiao Deng even more.
If Xiao Deng had agreed readily, she would have had some concerns instead.
"Let's go."
"Then I will trouble you to take a look. Even if you cannot cure them, our Longbottom Family will still appreciate your efforts."
Lady Augusta called Neville over.
"Hold onto me, and I will take you there."
Xiao Deng patted Neville's sturdy shoulder, which had been that way since childhood, and looked at Lady Augusta.
"There is no need for such trouble."
"Hmm?"
Xiao Deng waved his hand, and the three of them vanished from the spot.
When they reappeared, the three of them were standing at the main entrance of St. Mungo's Hospital.
Lady Augusta looked at Xiao Deng in shock.
"Oh, heavens!"
"This is somewhat like Apparition, but it seems a bit different."
"Is this the power of the Lord of Hogwarts?"
Xiao Deng smiled slightly, neither confirming nor denying.
Lady Augusta did not press the matter; it seemed Xiao Deng did not want others to know about this.
"Let's go in and take a look."
The corridors of St. Mungo's Hospital were quiet, with portraits of old Healers hanging on the walls.
As they walked into Neville's parents' ward, they heard the wailing of Frank and Alice.
The wailing was sometimes painful, and other times they were just giggling there.
The Healer nearby saw Lady Augusta arrive and stepped forward.
"Madam, the wailing has lasted a bit long today."
"Usually, it should have stopped by this time."
Lady Augusta asked:
"Is there no other way?"
The Healer sighed.
"This kind of trauma to the Soul is generally treated conservatively."
"At most, we can heal external injuries or use Spells to soothe the patients."
"In other words, not deteriorating is the best possible outcome."
"As for a cure, it has always been a difficult problem in the Wizarding World."
After the Healer finished speaking, only the sounds of the patients struggling and wailing on the hospital beds remained in the room.
Suddenly, a gentle voice rang out. It wasn't loud, but it was just right for everyone to hear.
"When they wail like this, is it more out of pain or more of a silly giggle?"
The Healer nearby looked at Xiao Deng and immediately frowned.
Lady Augusta was about to explain for Xiao Deng when she heard the Healer's voice filled with surprise.
"Are you Mr. Hehuan?"
Xiao Deng smiled and nodded.
The Healer looked at Lady Augusta, full of excitement.
"Madam, this is Mr. Hehuan."
"A Genius Herbologist and Potioneer."
"He is a true Genius, even acknowledged by that foul-tempered Master Snape."
"I have read every paper he has published; they are extremely useful."
"Medicine and Potions have always been inseparable; perhaps Mr. Hehuan can help relieve your worries."
Xiao Deng touched his nose feeling a bit guilty; in reality, he had just shared some whimsical ideas with Professor Sprout.
Who knew that Professor Sprout would turn them into complete data and theoretical foundations to publish papers.
But had Snape ever publicly supported him?
Why didn't he know about it? He would ask him later.
Lady Augusta looked at Xiao Deng in surprise; she hadn't known about this before.
It seemed Xiao Deng wasn't just trying to coax her to gain her support.
The Healer looked at the two in the ward and said:
"In the past, the painful wailing was more frequent than the giggling."
"There might be one day a week of giggling."
"But this week, it has been twice."
Xiao Deng looked at the Healer, a flash of appreciation in his eyes.
"Well done, very detailed."
The Healer puffed out his chest and said:
"We are the best hospital; we can manage at least this much."
Then Xiao Deng frowned, which made Lady Augusta's heart skip a beat.
"Is there a problem?"
Xiao Deng nodded slightly.
"It means the condition has worsened."
The Healer was a bit confused.
"You can tell that from this?"
Xiao Deng did not answer the Healer's question immediately, but instead took out his wand and tapped it lightly on the Healer's arm.
The Healer recoiled and asked: "Mr. Hehuan, what are you doing?"
Xiao Deng crossed his arms and looked at the Healer.
"Does it hurt?"
"Of course it hurts, you cast a Spell!" the Healer complained.
"It's good that it hurts!"
"You are a normal person, you felt the pain."
"When a person can no longer even perceive pain, are they still normal?"
The Healer seemed to have a moment of realization.
"You mean that the reason they wail is because they can feel pain."
"The most primitive instinct is still there."
"And the giggling is the beginning of losing themselves. If they stop wailing altogether, does that mean they are truly beyond saving?"
Xiao Deng looked at the two people constantly writhing and nodded.
"After too much pain, even the instincts begin to go numb."
Xiao Deng raised his wand, and the Healer subconsciously took half a step back. Xiao Deng smiled.
"Humans have an instinct to seek advantages and avoid harm, just like you did just now when you stepped back."
"When their subconscious feels they can no longer hold on, they will seek a way to live that is less painful."
"And blocking out perception, accepting numbness, becomes their only choice."
"At this stage, I'm afraid it will be very difficult to wake them up."
The Healer bowed deeply to Xiao Deng; he believed that what Xiao Deng said made perfect sense.
Lady Augusta didn't quite understand the academic debate between the two, but she understood that her child might still be saved.
"Xiao Deng, do you have a way?"
Xiao Deng shook his head slightly, and Lady Augusta's eyes gradually dimmed; she had known this obvious answer all along.
"For now, I can only soothe and alleviate."
"True treatment is not possible right now!"
Chapter 182: Alleviating the Suffering of Neville's Parents
Lady Augusta raised her head again and grabbed Xiao Deng.
"You just mentioned real treatment..."
"Can it really be cured?"
Xiao Deng patted Lady Augusta's hand.
"Madam, I can try."
"It might not be a complete cure, but I can at least alleviate it."
Lady Augusta's lips trembled, her eyes filled with excitement.
"Good, good!"
"Even if it's just alleviation, I'll accept it!"
Xiao Deng glanced at Neville, who was already crying on the side.
"Please step back. I will stabilize them first."
Several people stepped back together, leaving space for Xiao Deng to operate.
Xiao Deng still wanted to keep a low profile; he took out his wand again and tapped it lightly.
The ropes binding the two were all undone.
"Mr. Hehuan, you mustn't. They will struggle..."
Before the healer could finish, he froze on the spot.
Neville's parents slowly rose into the air as Xiao Deng gestured and chanted several unintelligible Spells.
Then, with a flick of his wand, two specks of light shot out and landed steadily into their mouths.
The two who had been struggling constantly suddenly calmed down and stopped wailing.
The light from the Spells faded, and soft snoring could be heard from the bed.
"They... fell asleep just like that?"
"Mr. Hehuan's methods are truly unheard of and unseen!"
It seems the things in the paper were still conservative.
Mr. Hehuan must have more undisclosed secrets.
Lady Augusta and Neville rushed toward the two on the bed, cradling their faces.
This was the first time in all these years they had been in such close contact; Lady Augusta burst into tears instantly.
The healer walked over to Xiao Deng's side.
"Mr. Hehuan, could you sell us some of the Potion you just fed the Longbottoms?"
"Or, if you find it troublesome, we can pay for the recipe and brew it ourselves."
Xiao Deng smiled and shook his head.
The healer was a bit anxious. Although this Potion was extremely rare and precious, St. Mungo's could discuss any price.
As long as they obtained this Potion, he believed St. Mungo's reputation would reach new heights.
Only Xiao Deng probably knew exactly how the Longbottoms had been calmed down.
Xiao Deng had already thought of his excuses when he acted.
"Doctor, it's not that I don't want to give it to you."
"It's that you can't afford it, and you can't make it."
The healer was a bit angry.
"Mr. Hehuan, you may have great inventions and status, but St. Mungo's is not just an empty name."
"Are you looking down on St. Mungo's Hospital by saying such things?"
Xiao Deng waved his hand.
"You're overthinking it."
"Even for Snape and me, the success rate for this Potion is not high."
"Not to mention... one of its core Materials, just the Unicorn hair alone..."
"Can you afford it? How much can St. Mungo's Hospital obtain in a year?"
The healer's face froze upon hearing the first half. Even Snape had a low success rate? He was dumbfounded after hearing the second half.
What? Unicorn hair?
Is this a Material that can be easily obtained?
As everyone knows, Unicorns are a special group in the Wizarding World.
No race is willing to provoke them.
On one hand, they don't hold grudges against any race, and on the other hand, their combat power is not low.
Most importantly, if it is not given voluntarily, hair forcibly plucked has a curse effect.
By the time the patient is treated, the doctor would already be lying down.
So, Xiao Deng saying St. Mungo's couldn't make it was stating a fact, not looking down on anyone.
The healer awkwardly patted his clothes.
"Mr. Hehuan, I'm truly sorry for offending you. I really didn't know it was so troublesome."
Xiao Deng looked at the family scene in front of him and waved his hand.
"Methods for treating the Soul have always been a problem throughout history. How could a Potion that provides such alleviation be ordinary?"
"Perhaps there will be more suitable Materials or recipes in the future."
"But for now, only I have it."
The healer fell silent. The future? Who knows when that will be!
Xiao Deng was both stating a fact and giving a veiled warning, letting them put away thoughts they shouldn't have.
If he had any such thoughts before, he had none now.
Who could supply harmless Unicorn hair in bulk?
If that were the case, Ollivander's shop wouldn't be so popular.
Even if one were occasionally obtained, the ridiculously low success rate would be another test.
Even if successful, St. Mungo's Hospital having only one bottle of Potion sounds too ridiculous.
It would be better to tell the family that Soul injuries are hard to treat, which is easier for people to accept.
Most importantly, according to Xiao Deng, this Potion only provides alleviation, not a cure.
The cost-effectiveness is ridiculously low!
Lady Augusta slowly stood up and came before Xiao Deng.
She bowed deeply, and Neville followed his grandmother's example and bowed as well.
"Thank you so much!"
"You are our family's benefactor and honored guest!"
Xiao Deng quickly helped Lady Augusta up.
"Madam, you are too kind."
"This is only temporary alleviation, not a cure. There's no need for this."
"I will try my best to find a way later."
Great kindness needs no thanks. Lady Augusta didn't say anything more, firmly keeping this kindness in her heart.
Regardless of whether Xiao Deng managed to research a cure.
She had also vaguely heard how precious that Potion was.
Since he was willing to bring it out, this favor could never be repaid.
"Xiao Deng, let's go."
Xiao Deng asked with some surprise: "Madam, won't you stay a little longer?"
Lady Augusta shook her head.
"I have watched their painful manifestations for many years."
"Now that they finally have a moment of peace, let them have a good sleep."
Evening.
The three of them were seated, attended to by the butler and servants.
"Xiao Deng!"
"You have brought us hope and alleviated the suffering of Neville's parents."
"From now on, you are an honored guest of the Longbottoms!"
"If there is anything you need us for, just say it. The Longbottoms still have a say in the Wizarding World."
Xiao Deng sat on the stool and bowed slightly.
"Then I will respectfully comply and thank the Longbottoms for their kindness."
The atmosphere at the dinner table was harmonious, and Neville was eating with his mouth full of grease.
"Xiao Deng, why don't you stay at my house for a few days and guide me in my Spells?"
Hearing Neville say this, Lady Augusta also cast an interested look.
Xiao Deng thought for a moment. It wouldn't take much time, so staying for a few days would be fine.
He nodded and agreed. It was clear that Neville and his grandmother were very happy with Xiao Deng's agreement.
Meanwhile, in the Muggle world.
"Hermione Granger!"
"Tell me the truth, have you two broken up?"
"Did you bully him again?"
"Why hasn't he come over yet?"
"Do you know that your father and I both like Xiao Deng very much!"
Mr. Granger tapped the table to calm his wife down.
"Hermione, give me the truth."
"Have you two split up?"
Hermione scratched her hair, feeling a bit annoyed.
"No!"
"If not, why hasn't he come over?"
"Did you beat him up again?"
Chapter 183: Harry Wants to Go Out for a Walk
Hermione felt a bit dead inside. How had she never realized before that her mom and dad had this function of asking questions in a loop?
And why was she so stupid to insist on inviting Xiao Deng to stay at her house?
Well, now the whole problem was on her!
If he came, the Grangers would treat him even better than their own daughter.
If he didn't come, those two would still interrogate their own daughter about why he wasn't coming.
Mr. Granger tapped on the table to get Hermione's attention.
"We are talking to you, why are you spacing out? Be serious!"
"Don't you have that, what is it, Owl pager? Hurry up and send him a letter!"
Hermione couldn't help but roll her eyes. Had Mom and Dad forgotten one thing?
"You're still rolling your eyes?"
"If you're this impatient with your mom and dad, I don't know what kind of life Xiao Deng is living!"
Mrs. Granger actually started wiping away tears as she spoke, feeling sorry for Xiao Deng.
"Mom, Dad, my pet is a cat, a cat! It can't fly, so it can't deliver letters!"
Mrs. Granger, watching Hermione arguing her case, threw herself into her husband's arms.
"Tell me, do you think Hermione chose a cat as a pet on purpose?"
"In case there's a conflict or a cold war, she can stand on natural ground and make Xiao Deng take the initiative to apologize to her."
Mr. Granger was stunned; he had never thought about this aspect at all.
Glancing at his wife, he thought, women really do understand women!
Listening to her parents' increasingly outrageous guesses and words, couldn't they at least avoid her?
Hermione thought of a certain jerk and gritted her teeth in anger. Why did she have to face this alone!
But she didn't want to call Xiao Deng either; he must have serious business at Neville Longbottom's place.
She had read in a History of Magic book that the Longbottom Family was a famous pure-blood Family.
If they could get the support of the Longbottom Family, that would be even better.
Through reading, she also knew just how terrifying the Dark Lord's track record was.
Xiao Deng had already disrupted the other side's actions and plans several times; logically, they shouldn't let Xiao Deng off.
There was just one thing; she seemed to recall Neville telling her that they only had one child in their Family.
There shouldn't... be... any girls, right...
Others might not have much of a reaction, but Xiao Deng couldn't move his feet when he saw a pretty girl; this was something she had known since childhood.
Hmm, it was also an understanding she'd had since childhood!
However, how did he fall for Luna? She couldn't figure it out no matter how much she thought about it!
Just as Hermione was letting her imagination run wild, she was called back by the sound of her father tapping the table again.
"Child, do you have something on your mind? We've been talking for so long and you've been spacing out the whole time."
"If, I mean, if..."
"In case Xiao Deng doesn't want you anymore, you can tell Mom and Dad in time."
"You are still our daughter, we won't blame you."
Hermione's lips curled up; it seemed Mom and Dad still loved her!
She just knew it must be Xiao Deng's problem; who knows what kind of love Potion he poured into them.
As long as he wasn't around, Mom and Dad would definitely still be on her side.
"It's just a bit of a pity that we couldn't become one Family with Xiao Deng."
"You should behave yourself in the future, temper your personality; I'm afraid you'll never find a child like Xiao Deng again."
"If there's a chance, I really want to tell him that we treat him like a son."
Hermione's smile froze on her face, looking at her parents with a trace of disbelief.
Fk!!!
She didn't want to curse, but this was just too outrageous.
Xiao Deng, you wait, when you come, I will fight to the death with you!
Hermione stood up slowly with a blank expression.
"You guys are overthinking it, I'm going back to my room."
Hermione felt that saying anything more would be nonsense; Mom and Dad wouldn't understand.
Meanwhile, at Xiao Deng's house.
"Potter, I have to say, the food at Xiao Deng's house is really delicious."
Harry nodded in agreement.
"Xiao Deng is a noble by nature, his taste won't be bad."
"The butler who can stay at his house naturally has some skills."
"But Miss Parkinson, is the dinner to your taste?"
Pansy rolled her eyes at Malfoy where he couldn't see.
Look at Harry, he knows to ask how she feels, why is this guy like a block of wood.
"I think it's very good, the chef is very skilled."
Others might not know, but Pansy could see it clearly.
Malfoy initially wanted to be friends with Harry Potter.
It was just that he was too stupid at the time; if it weren't for Xiao Deng smoothing things over in the middle, the atmosphere between the two might not have been this harmonious.
But now living at Xiao Deng's house gave Pansy a constant illusion that she was the one who was redundant!
Malfoy lowered his head to eat without responding to their conversation, but his ears were pricked up high.
Why are you two interacting? Should I just go out for a walk by myself?
Harry suggested while eating: "Should we go out for a walk?"
Malfoy looked at Harry with an incredulous look.
"Potter!"
"Do you know if there is anything worse at Hogwarts than Dumbledore being the Principal?"
Harry looked at Malfoy with a confused face; he felt Dumbledore was actually okay!
But Harry still subconsciously asked: "What is it?"
Malfoy put down his bowl and looked at Harry seriously.
"You!"
"Harry Potter!"
"The Chosen One, a world-famous The Chosen One entered Gryffindor."
"Then you dare to do anything, dare to rush into anything, and after you cause trouble, someone cleans up your mess!"
"After it's cleaned up, you continue to act recklessly, without any regard for the fact that you are currently living under someone else's roof at Xiao Deng's house."
"Haven't you caused enough trouble for Xiao Deng?"
Harry felt a bit guilty; what Malfoy said was all correct, and it was a problem he hadn't thought about before.
But who could sit at home every day and stare at a man and a woman across from them?
In this house, Harry felt like he was the one who was redundant!
Isn't it really uncomfortable to just watch? You'd know if you watched!
Harry asked in a low whisper: "Then are you going out?"
"Go! Of course go! Right, Pansy?"
Pansy hadn't reacted yet before being dragged out by Malfoy to ask; why was he suddenly going again?
But if Malfoy was going, she would naturally go too.
Pansy didn't speak, just nodded to indicate her position.
Had Malfoy been driven crazy by Harry Potter, or was there another reason? Why was he so jumpy!
"We'll go out for a walk after we finish eating."
"Don't you have the crystal Xiao Deng gave you? Don't be afraid!"
Harry's mouth twitched. Who was the one lecturing people righteously just now?
And who is the one whining here now? Xiao Deng really spoiled him.
Malfoy finished eating, put down his cutlery, and looked at the two.
"We've been here for several days, I think we can go out for a walk."
"After all, we are still on holiday, I believe Xiao Deng will definitely understand our difficulties."
Pansy, who hadn't said a few words throughout the meal, suddenly spoke: "I heard you were drained by a Dementor last time?"
Chapter 184: The Big Black Dog Appears
Malfoy's expression faltered; the confidence he had just built up was shattered by Pansy's single sentence.
"Ahem! Don't worry about those details."
"If we don't worry about details, that means you've been drained by a Dementor."
"You have to know that last time, that was, that was an accident..."
"If it was an accident, that means you've been drained by a Dementor."
"Besides, Dumbledore also suspected it was a trap."
"Specifically designed to trap you, and then have you drained by a Dementor."
"It was a setup, most likely one for us to jump into, you understand?"
"I understand, you've been drained by a Dementor."
Malfoy's expression gradually turned to disbelief, his neck stiff as he turned his head to look at Pansy.
"I, I never knew you could say things like that."
Harry pursed his lips from the side, feeling that Malfoy was a bit pathetic, but also quite funny.
Harry felt a bit of regret—why hadn't he practiced Spells properly with Xiao Deng?
At the very least, he could have learned a recording Spell to capture this moment.
If he went back to Hogwarts and showed it to Ron, Ron would definitely mock Malfoy.
No, no, he'd been watching the two of them argue for years; there was nothing new about it.
This should be shown to Snape by Xiao Deng, to let Snape see the students of his own House.
What would Professor Snape's reaction be? Just thinking about it was full of anticipation.
Unfortunately, he didn't have such a Spell right now.
Pansy also saw that Malfoy's emotions were reaching their limit and immediately stopped; she knew Malfoy all too well.
She then patted Malfoy's chest to soothe him.
"Don't be angry, don't be angry, I was just saying it, I'm joking."
"You are the handsome young master of the pure-blood Malfoy Family, surely you have more grace than that."
"Didn't we say we were going out to play? Let's go."
Hearing this, Malfoy's expression finally improved a little.
Harry stood to the side, marveling—as expected of a pure-blood Family; it looked like flattery, but in reality, she was manipulating him the whole time.
If it were Ron here, the two of them would probably be staging another 'my father is better than yours' competition.
The three of them set out together, and Pansy curiously looked at the things around them.
"There seem to be some entertainment facilities over there, let's go take a look."
Malfoy agreed immediately. Harry didn't say anything; since both of them had agreed, what else could he say?
Pansy rarely showed her girlish side, sitting on a swing and swaying back and forth.
Malfoy very naturally sat on the swing next to Pansy.
Harry clearly saw a flash of understanding in Pansy's eyes, and he sighed deeply.
He'd better stay further away; if he went over to play with them, Pansy's mouth would probably be attacking him instead.
Harry stood next to the furthest exercise equipment, occasionally checking on the two of them, afraid that a Dementor would pop out somewhere and drain Malfoy.
Just as Harry was distracted, the exercise equipment beside him suddenly moved, giving him a fright.
"Bang!"
"Hey! Potter! Are you okay?"
Malfoy's timely inquiry came from a distance.
Harry felt that something might be wrong somewhere, but the exercise equipment itself seemed fine.
"I, I'm fine."
Harry walked two steps and moved to stand on another piece of exercise equipment.
Not long after he stood still, the circular disk beside him began to spin gently.
When Harry turned his head to look, it returned to its original state.
Harry scratched the back of his head; was he being too sensitive?
If there really were someone with ill intentions, they could have attacked several times by now.
Harry changed places again. Just as he sat down, the exercise equipment beside him made a noise.
"Creak~ Creak~"
Harry was now certain—this was definitely not his imagination or a coincidence; someone was definitely playing tricks.
"Malfoy, Parkinson!"
"Did you two cast any magic?"
The two of them said in unison: "No!"
Malfoy glanced at Pansy beside him.
"Something didn't go wrong, did it?"
"Let's go see!"
Pansy's expression was a bit poor; were they going to encounter something again?
The two of them came to Harry's side and watched as Harry raised his wand and circled in place.
"Potter, what happened?"
Harry took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down; Xiao Deng had said not to panic in any situation!
"Do you remember the noise from that equipment over there just now?"
The two of them nodded.
"I don't know what's going on, I didn't do that."
"But no matter where I walk, the exercise equipment there starts moving inexplicably."
"I don't know what happened!"
These words made the hair on the back of Malfoy's neck stand up.
"It wouldn't be an evil spirit, would it?"
Pansy slapped Malfoy on the back.
"Can you have some backbone? You are the young master of the Malfoy Family, can you not lose face?"
Malfoy tugged at Pansy's sleeve.
"Don't be so fierce!"
"It's not good to be so sharp when Potter is watching."
Pansy's gaze swept toward Harry on the side, and Harry immediately lowered his head to fiddle with the corner of his clothes.
"I don't know, I didn't hear anything."
This atmosphere, which was different from Slytherin, made Pansy feel a bit different, but she couldn't tell what was different.
However, the corners of her mouth curled up.
Harry Potter was quite sensible! When she looked at Malfoy, she pretended to be fierce again.
"You are a Wizard, haven't you seen ghosts?"
Malfoy's expression froze. Oh right, Hogwarts was full of ghosts, why was he so scared?
"If it really doesn't work, let's go back early."
Harry shook his head and then nodded.
"It's not easy for us to come out once, let's play a little longer."
"If we go back now, will you dare to take the risk to come out tomorrow?"
Malfoy glanced at Pansy beside him and nodded.
"Indeed, we've already come out today, we must bear some risks."
"If we knowingly come out despite weird things happening, that would be stupid."
"Let's agree on twenty minutes, we'll go back on time in twenty minutes."
Pansy and Harry both agreed with Malfoy's suggestion.
Harry didn't put away the wand in his hand, but waved it.
"You two go ahead and swing, don't worry, we still have Xiao Deng's crystal. If there's really a problem, we can contact Xiao Deng directly."
These words became Malfoy's reassurance, and he completely put his heart at ease.
He knew some things about Xiao Deng.
Immediately, the two of them returned to the swing area.
As soon as the two left, Harry had the feeling of being watched.
It was very sudden, very inexplicable!
Harry followed his intuition and looked toward the bushes on the side.
A large black dog with jet-black fur was staring straight at him.
This made Harry shudder, and he almost dropped his wand.
Harry pointed his wand at the big black dog and slowly retreated.
"Don't come over here!"
Unexpectedly, this big black dog actually spoke in human language.
"Harry, don't you recognize me?"
Harry was a bit bewildered; this dog could actually talk?
He had never heard in any class that magical creature dogs could talk!
Malfoy was the first to notice Harry's odd behavior in the distance and ran over, pulling Pansy with him.
They only saw a black dog standing opposite.
Malfoy wanted to pull out his wand to deal with it, but was stopped by Harry.
"It knows me!"
Chapter 185: Recognizing the Big Black Dog
Malfoy looked at Harry, his face full of confusion.
"There are plenty of people who know me. If I let my guard down just because of that, how would I even survive?"
"Between the light and dark sides combined, I've died more times than the Dark Lord has been gone."
Pansy spoke up unexpectedly from behind.
"Isn't you being fine supposed to be the credit of your father, the school governor?"
Malfoy's expression froze, and he ignored Pansy.
Malfoy had long known she was acerbic; at this moment, it was actually a friendly moment for him.
While the three were arguing, the Big Black Dog spoke up.
"Lucius's son?"
"You're not bad to Harry, so I won't pursue your issues."
Harry thought of Peter Pettigrew, who wasn't registered at the Ministry of Magic, and suddenly had a moment of inspiration.
"Are you Black? Sirius Black!"
The dog's face froze for a moment, then it began to laugh.
"Hahaha, hahaha!"
In the midst of the three people's shocked expressions, it transformed into a tall man.
He looked a bit disheveled, but one could still see a hint of handsomeness in his features.
"Harry, I'm out."
Harry had long known the sequence of events from Wormtail.
Sirius was the one who had been wronged and had been suffering for over a decade.
Yet, the first thing he did upon getting out was to find him.
The grievances Harry had accumulated over the years seemed to have found an outlet.
He rushed directly toward Sirius and hugged him tightly.
Sirius stroked Harry's head, his eyes brimming with tears.
"I've let you suffer all these years."
"Blame me, blame me for not getting out sooner, for not avenging James sooner!"
"But someone told me to come here to find you..."
Before he could finish, a slightly indifferent voice appeared among them.
"Are you sure you want to reminisce here?"
Harry also reacted; logically, Sirius should be in Azkaban.
But now that he was here, there was only one possibility: he had broken out of prison.
"Let's go back to Xiao Deng's house first; we can talk about everything once we get back."
Sirius was a bit puzzled, but he also knew this wasn't the time for reminiscing.
He transformed back into a Big Black Dog and secretly followed Harry and the others back to Xiao Deng's house.
"Can you tell me now?"
"Who exactly is this Xiao Deng you speak of?"
"His way of sending messages is very strange; he actually bypassed layers of guards and appeared directly in my cell."
"He told me to come here to find you, saying that once I arrived, I would know everything."
Harry calmed himself down and looked at Sirius.
"It's a long story."
"Xiao Deng is our classmate, but his abilities have long surpassed ours."
"The cause of this matter is still because of the Dark Lord."
Although Sirius had questions, he didn't interrupt Harry.
"The cause was the Dark Lord sneaking into Hogwarts to attempt to steal the Philosopher's Stone."
"He failed and left because of Xiao Deng's interference."
"But he didn't give up, and entered Hogwarts again with Dark Arts objects, attempting to open the Chamber of Secrets."
"Xiao Deng interrupted his plan again and successfully opened the Chamber of Secrets."
"After transferring the control of the Basilisk, he obtained the Land Deed of Hogwarts."
Sirius understood the first half; after all, the Dark Lord was too famous.
"A Land Deed?"
Harry nodded.
"A Land Deed with a magical contract, for Hogwarts."
Sirius's pupils contracted. He was from the House of Black and understood better what a Land Deed with a magical contract meant.
"Doesn't that mean he became the true Lord of Hogwarts?"
"Yes."
"But he is very low-key and didn't spread the word about this."
Hearing this, Sirius smiled; low-key, perhaps.
He had had brief contact with Xiao Deng and he indeed didn't seem like the type to be too ostentatious.
But there must be Dumbledore's shadow behind not making this public.
That old man values the big picture; bringing something like this out would just mean controversy and conflict.
"But if it's not made public, it doesn't count as a big deal, right?"
Harry took a sip of tea, imitating Xiao Deng.
"That's true; for you and me, the impact isn't very big."
"However, since he became the Lord of Hogwarts, he can perceive everything that exists within the grounds of Hogwarts."
"The youngest son of Weasley Family is named Ron, and he has a pet, which is a rat."
Sirius's pupils contracted; he seemed to know what Harry was going to say, and also why Xiao Deng helped him come here.
"This rat has lived for over a decade, and its name is Scabbers."
"But Xiao Deng saw the problem and took it down on the spot."
"It took veritaserum and told everything."
"Dumbledore said to let us wait, that he would go through the procedures at the Ministry of Magic."
Sirius let out a grunt from his nose.
"Go through the procedures?"
"Given the nature of those people at the Ministry of Magic, they wouldn't care about this at all."
"It's been so many years; they know it very well in their hearts, they won't bother with this nosy business."
"This Xiao Deng sees things clearly and found me immediately."
"I have to thank him for giving me a chance to know the truth and take revenge."
"Where is Wormtail now?"
Harry and Malfoy exchanged a glance and looked back at Sirius.
"He is currently being locked up in Hogwarts by Xiao Deng."
Upon hearing this, Sirius couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
If he is inside Hogwarts, I still need to get in.
But currently, I am a wanted criminal by the Ministry of Magic.
It would easily implicate Harry, who is still attending Hogwarts.
This put Sirius in a difficult position.
"Black!"
Malfoy subconsciously shivered when he saw Sirius look over; this person was a bit fierce.
Malfoy's voice slowed down quite a bit.
"I think you should regain control over the House of Black."
"I heard from my father that it should have been neglected for a long time."
Pansy held down Malfoy's shoulder; she didn't understand why Malfoy wanted to help someone from the House of Black.
The corners of Sirius's mouth curled up slightly.
"Go on."
Malfoy patted Pansy's hand to indicate she was fine.
"I think you have three choices."
"First, return to the House of Black; given the current situation of your Family, I think you really need someone who can stabilize the overall situation."
"Develop your own forces, assist Xiao Deng, and prevent the Dark Lord from attacking again."
"If he really returns again, how many families can withstand him killing them?"
"Second: You can pretend to be a pet and stay by Potter's side."
"Come out when necessary; this way you can stay in Hogwarts to take revenge, and you can also see Potter every day."
Sirius laughed.
"The Malfoy Family has produced a talent!"
"I didn't expect that old codger Lucius could produce a son like you."
"Are you really his biological son?"
Malfoy's face darkened; he felt offended.
"These ideas weren't taught to me by my father."
Sirius became interested: "Oh?"
"These were all told to me by Xiao Deng when he was teaching me Spells."
Chapter 186: Hermione's Parents' Indirect Entrustment
Sirius Black looked a bit surprised and glanced at Harry. Harry nodded silently.
"Most of our skills and Spells didn't come from Hogwarts."
"From the moment we entered Hogwarts, Xiao Deng has been leading us in our studies."
"After he single-handedly fought his way through the Forbidden Forest, he started taking us out for practical training."
"During this process, Xiao Deng would indeed teach him some things from time to time that I didn't quite understand either."
"But he also required me to remember as much as I could."
"We even had an argument before because Xiao Deng said his dad had a problem."
Malfoy immediately stepped forward and covered Harry's mouth.
"I was young and didn't know any better back then!"
"Why are you saying that out loud!"
Sirius Black took a deep breath.
"This Xiao Deng... I must meet him."
"A natural Genius!"
"I'd really like to spar with him if I get the chance."
Harry pursed his lips and tugged on Sirius Black's sleeve.
"Um, you might not be able to beat him."
"It only took him one year to fight through every species in the Forbidden Forest."
"And he has clashed with the Dark Lord many times, and it was always the Dark Lord who fled."
Sirius Black was stunned on the spot, then couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"If that's the case, I might really be no match for him."
"When the holiday ends, I want to have a chat with him in person."
"It's been so many years, it's time to go back and take a look."
Xiao Deng's consciousness had simply slipped into Azkaban to find Sirius Black.
He told him that Wormtail had appeared and told him to go find Harry.
Judging by Dumbledore's words, this Sirius Black was also a dazzling Genius back in the day, so he probably had a way to get out.
The other party hadn't asked for any help, so Xiao Deng didn't say anything more.
And he was now standing at the main gate of the Longbottom Family, waving goodbye.
"Xiao Deng, come visit often when you have time."
"The Longbottom Family will always welcome you."
"I will!"
Xiao Deng waved his wand, and a Disillusionment Charm was cast.
Lady Augusta stood at the door for about a minute and shook her shawl.
"Neville, let's go back in."
Neville nodded; Xiao Deng must have left.
In reality, Xiao Deng could have left at any time; he was just subconsciously holding back his abilities.
Seeing the two enter the house, Xiao Deng finally vanished from where he stood.
When he reappeared, he had already arrived in the Muggle world.
"Knock, knock, knock~"
"Who is it? Coming!"
Mrs. Granger slowly opened the door and froze in place.
Looking at the smiling person opposite her, she felt a sense of relief.
It's Xiao Deng! It's Xiao Deng! This child is back!
Mrs. Granger pulled Xiao Deng into her arms and hugged him.
"Great, you're finally here!"
"Dear, who is it? I thought I heard someone..."
Mid-sentence, Mr. Granger froze on the spot, unable to say another word.
Mr. Granger slowly stepped forward and hugged both Xiao Deng and Mrs. Granger.
"Good! Good! Good!"
"It's good that you're here! We missed you so much and were wondering if you would come this year."
Hermione rolled her eyes, speechless, watching the scene of the three of them hugging inside the house.
She felt like Xiao Deng was the biological child, and she was the one who had been picked up.
Why did it feel like ever since Xiao Deng arrived, her status at home had been getting worse by the day?
The Grangers ushered Xiao Deng into the house.
Mrs. Granger saw her daughter and her expression stiffened.
"What are you still standing there for? I remember Xiao Deng likes tea, go brew some!"
Hermione rolled her eyes at Xiao Deng and walked toward the kitchen reluctantly.
Xiao Deng quickly stopped her: "No, no need."
"It's too much trouble; Hermione will be unhappy."
Mrs. Granger pursed her lips.
"It's really hard on you to always be thinking of Hermione."
"We are to blame for not raising her well. This child is very willful; it's as if she can't see how good others are to her."
"Whenever we mention you, she gets unhappy and impatient."
Xiao Deng didn't respond to that. He could be self-deprecating, humble, and polite.
But he couldn't join the Grangers in speaking ill of Hermione.
Could their own daughter really see him, an orphan, as a biological son?
As long as they kept up appearances, that was enough. They liked him primarily because he was good to Hermione.
Only secondarily was it because he himself was a decent person.
This was still a bit different from his relationship with the Weasleys.
The three of them were chatting happily when Hermione came out of the kitchen.
She carried a tray, placed it slowly on the table, and poured tea for the three "big shots" in front of her.
Hermione had seen it clearly now: even if Xiao Deng farted, it would be considered a "reasonable" fart.
She had absolutely no status!
"I can probably only stay for a day or two."
"I really did have things to do this time; I've been busy all holiday."
"So I arrived late, please forgive me."
"And please, Hermione, try to understand."
Mrs. Granger kicked Hermione on the calf.
"Xiao Deng had a reason for being late, stop pulling such a long Face."
Hermione:??? Who exactly is pulling a long Face?
"I didn't force him to come!"
"How can you talk like that? Xiao Deng is so busy all day, yet he doesn't forget to come see you..."
Mr. Granger pulled Xiao Deng over.
"She's been spoiled by her mother. Come, try the black tea."
Xiao Deng accepted gladly.
The whole morning passed in a harmonious atmosphere, despite Hermione's sour expression.
"I remember both of you are dentists, right?"
Mr. Granger nodded.
"Yes."
"Dentistry is alright. In these difficult times, our income barely keeps us fed."
"If we had changed professions, we'd probably be living on the streets like the homeless out there."
Mr. Granger sat up straight as if he had suddenly thought of something.
"There is one thing I would like to entrust to you, Xiao Deng!"
"It's fine, please feel free to say it."
Mr. Granger let out a deep sigh.
"Dentistry is indeed a good, profitable profession."
"But it's really hard to do right now."
"The prerequisite for making money is that these people have the money to treat their teeth, maintain their teeth, and care for their teeth."
"With the current economy, more and more people are short on money. Many people, let alone treating their teeth, struggle even to buy a loaf of bread."
"We might go out of business at any time."
"So, I was thinking, if that day ever comes, I hope you can take in Hermione."
"The child has been willful since she was little, and I'm really afraid others won't tolerate her."
Hermione interrupted: "Dad, what are you talking about!"
Mrs. Granger patted Hermione's head and said:
"Child, you are different from ordinary children."
"Even if we don't go bankrupt, your future will likely be in the Wizarding World."
"We can't go there, but we don't want to hold you back from spreading your wings."
Xiao Deng took Hermione's hand. Hermione, however, felt a bit uncomfortable; her parents were right there!
"I will definitely keep her by my side, you two can rest assured."
"However, I believe that heroes emerge from chaotic times."
"Have you two considered expanding and strengthening your business?"
Chapter 187: Investing in a Dentist
The Grangers exchanged a glance. Want to? Who wouldn't want to!
But this isn't something one person can decide; at a time like this, just being able to eat is a stroke of luck.
"Xiao Deng, you're joking, aren't you?"
"Every industry is in a slump right now. Growing bigger and stronger? We wouldn't dare to even hope for that."
Xiao Deng couldn't help but shake his head inwardly. With such limited vision and scope, they were probably only cut out to be dentists.
It seemed they would need someone more suitable to take the helm.
Xiao Deng waved his hand, and the table was piled high with money.
"I'll bring in capital to invest in your dental clinic."
"If we take advantage of this time to expand vigorously, the future will be limitless."
Mr. Granger stared, dumbfounded, at the neatly arranged money.
"Is this real?"
"Your vision in business is much broader and further-reaching than ours."
"But Xiao Deng, I have to say this upfront."
"If all this money goes down the drain, we won't be able to take responsibility for it."
Xiao Deng shook his head again internally. The opportunity had been given; if they couldn't grasp it, there was nothing he could do.
"It's fine. I will arrange for a professional team to manage the hospital."
"You just need to focus on your own work."
The Grangers finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Alright then, go hang out with Hermione."
"We need to prepare lunch."
Immediately, Mrs. Granger pulled Mr. Granger away, and they left to go shopping.
Hermione glanced at the expressionless Xiao Deng.
"You're probably not very satisfied, right?"
While sipping the tea Hermione had brewed, Xiao Deng asked casually, "What?"
Hermione took Xiao Deng's hand.
"I mean, you must be a little disappointed that my parents didn't take you up on your offer."
"Opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared."
"If they can't grasp them, there's nothing that can be done."
"Mom said something very true, something I hadn't thought of before."
"I will most likely develop my future in the Wizarding World, and I'll probably come here less often."
"And you gave my parents a choice for a worry-free retirement, but they didn't see it."
Xiao Deng touched Hermione's hair and smiled.
"You have great talent, but right now you need to be at Hogwarts."
"So, let's just leave these things to others."
"They are your parents, and I can't just ignore them completely."
"It's not really about being disappointed or not; I'm just giving them a choice."
"Everyone has their own path. Perhaps your parents are happier being dentists."
"What about you? We haven't seen each other lately. Did you miss me?"
"I heard from your mom that you get annoyed whenever my name is mentioned?"
"If that's the case, I can set you free."
Hermione slapped Xiao Deng on the shoulder and rolled her eyes at him.
"You're doing this on purpose to mock me, aren't you?"
"You know full well that's not the case!"
Xiao Deng raised his hands.
"No, no, no!"
"Don't wrong me. I don't know, I don't understand, I'm not clear on anything!"
As Hermione said this, she picked up a cushion from the sofa.
Just at this moment.
"Click!"
The door opened!
"Xiao Deng, if you two aren't busy, you can go ou—"
Seeing Hermione's posture, everyone present froze on the spot.
"Hermione Granger!"
Mrs. Granger's voice exploded throughout the living room.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Feeling a bit guilty, Hermione immediately dropped the cushion.
"Nothing, nothing! Mom, you've got it wrong."
Mrs. Granger walked toward Hermione.
"I've got it wrong? Your hand was raised higher than my head, and you say I've got it wrong?"
At this moment, Xiao Deng immediately intervened:
"It's a real misunderstanding! Hermione was just messing around with me!"
Mrs. Granger rolled her eyes at Hermione, then turned to look at Xiao Deng with a smile.
"Xiao Deng, don't be afraid. If you have any grievances, tell me when I get back, and I'll definitely stand up for you."
Then she looked at Hermione: "If I weren't in a rush to buy things, just wait and see if I wouldn't deal with you!"
"I came over to say that if you two aren't busy, you can go out for a walk."
"After all, it's the holidays; it would be good for you to walk around."
"However, you must be back before the sun goes down."
Before she had even finished speaking, Mrs. Granger had already hurried out of the house.
Hermione looked at Xiao Deng, who was sitting calmly on the sofa, feeling a bit gnashing of teeth.
"Well, you! Are you going out?"
Xiao Deng took the last sip of tea and slowly set the cup down.
"If we don't go out, should we go to the bedroom?"
"And have Mom catch us by surprise when she comes back?"
Hermione's face flushed red, and she immediately stiffened her neck.
"That's my mom!"
Xiao Deng waved his hand, looking indifferent.
"It's all the same!"
"Cherish the days you get to call her 'Mom'."
"When we return to Hogwarts, I have my own arrangements for who you'll call 'Dad'."
"But there's no candidate for 'Mom'."
"Xiao Deng!"
Furious, Hermione pulled out her wand to point at him, but Xiao Deng confiscated it immediately.
Xiao Deng put his arm around Hermione and patted her back.
"Don't be mad. Come on, let's go out and take a look."
"It's been a long time since I've seen the scenery of the Muggle World."
Hermione was silent, but she didn't resist Xiao Deng's hand.
The two of them went out to play; Xiao Deng wasn't worried about any bad guys, as there were no threats left now.
"Oh! That's disgusting!"
Hermione lifted her right foot; on the ground lay a pile she had flattened.
"Wow, you're so lucky! You stepped in dog poop the moment you went out!"
"If you don't clean it for me and say one more word, I'll kick you in the face!"
Given Hermione's threat, Xiao Deng honestly used a cleaning spell to clean it up for her.
As they walked down the street, Xiao Deng suddenly asked Hermione.
"How long has it been since you carefully looked at the sky in the Muggle World?"
Hermione stretched out her fingers and looked at the sky through them.
"It seems like a long time. I don't remember."
"Ever since I entered Hogwarts, there have been constant troubles, and you've often been busy."
"I wanted to help you, so I studied like crazy, and I rarely paid attention to things in the Muggle World."
"The only contact I've had seems to be with my parents."
Xiao Deng reached out and tucked Hermione's hair behind her ear.
"After we graduate, and after we finish dealing with the Dark Lord, everything will get better."
"We can go anywhere then."
"Let's go, let's rest on the bench ahead."
"Oh!"
Hermione's exclamation rang out again.
Xiao Deng took a deep breath, hoping it wouldn't be another problem involving Ginny or Luna.
Hermione frowned and lifted her leg to look at her messy shoe sole.
Clearly, the girl had stepped in dog poop again, but this made Xiao Deng breathe a sigh of relief.
"What the hell is going on today! It's only been a few minutes since we went out, and I've already stepped in dog poop twice."
"So annoying!"
Hermione was about to wipe it off on the steps, but Xiao Deng stopped her.
"Don't wipe it off when you step in dog poop outside; it's a good thing! I wanted to tell you just now, but I was afraid you'd hit me again."
Hermione looked up at Xiao Deng with a puzzled expression.
"How is this a good thing? It's smelly and disgusting! I've stepped in it twice!"
Xiao Deng patted Hermione's hand.
"Everything has its Karma."
"This is what they call the heavens chasing after you to feed you!"
Chapter 188: Lupin Enters Hogwarts
Hermione was full of questions, and a slap immediately landed on Xiao Deng's chest.
As for why it landed on his chest, it was because Xiao Deng had taken a step back.
"You're still dodging!"
Xiao Deng immediately reached out and held Hermione down.
"Baby, let's finish cleaning up first, okay?"
Hermione finally stopped, but she didn't forget to roll her eyes at Xiao Deng.
"Scourgify."
Hermione's shoes became clean again, and her mood improved quite a bit.
"Let's go back; I don't want to play anymore."
Xiao Deng readily agreed; there really wasn't much to see in this street park.
Xiao Deng waved his hand, and the two of them vanished on the spot.
They instantly appeared in Hermione's home.
"Xiao Deng!"
"You broke the rules! You can't use magic in the Muggle World!"
Xiao Deng changed his shoes, took off his coat, and walked toward Hermione's room.
"So what if I can't!"
"Go ahead and let the Ministry of Magic come and arrest me!"
To be honest, Hermione was annoyed!
Asshole!
After changing her shoes, she followed Xiao Deng into the room.
As soon as she entered, she saw Xiao Deng taking out a lot of snacks, and her earlier bad mood immediately improved.
Mr. and Mrs. Granger returned with cooking Materials and started to cook.
Before long, Mrs. Granger tiptoed into Hermione's room.
"It's time to eat, you two come out and eat."
The atmosphere at the dinner table was decent. Seeing that Hermione showed no signs of losing her temper, Mr. and Mrs. Granger were very satisfied.
"You two, I have to go back tomorrow."
Mrs. Granger exclaimed, "So soon? It's only been one day."
Xiao Deng smiled.
"I have quite a lot to do; I'm really quite busy."
"So you don't need to misunderstand that I'm not coming over because I have some conflict with Hermione."
"As for the investment, someone will come over in a few days to handle the handover process with you."
The couple looked at each other; it was clear that Xiao Deng was truly busy.
At the same time, he really cared about Hermione, squeezing time out of his busy schedule to come and clarify things for her.
Then they both looked at Hermione.
"Are you going to school too?"
Hermione looked at her loving parents and, for a moment, couldn't get the words out.
But she knew that her going to Hogwarts was only a matter of time.
"Mom and Dad, there aren't many days left before school starts, and the vacation wasn't long to begin with."
"You know..."
"Alright, we know. Just study hard when you get there."
"You don't need to worry about things at home."
"Since you're both going back, go with Xiao Deng tomorrow."
"He came alone, and it's a bit lonely for him to go back alone. Keep him company on the way."
Xiao Deng didn't speak, and Hermione didn't speak either; she just nodded silently.
In truth, there was no way to tell Mr. and Mrs. Granger anything about Hogwarts.
Even if she told them, they wouldn't understand, and Hermione felt a bit uncomfortable at home.
Throughout the day, Xiao Deng had spoken more than she had with her parents.
The next morning.
When Mrs. Granger couldn't get an answer at Hermione's door, she rushed in out of anxiety.
But the room was empty, with a note left on the table.
Mrs. Granger couldn't help but cover her mouth.
Mr. Granger walked over, saw the note too, and patted his wife's shoulder.
"So they've left!"
"That's good, no need to see them off."
"Don't cry. She's studying magic. From the moment we agreed to let her go to Hogwarts, her path became different from ours."
"We're just ordinary... Muggles."
"That seems to be how it's said. At the same time, it shows that the child has grown up and has a promising future."
Mrs. Granger leaned into her husband's arms, shedding tears.
"I know, I know..."
"I just can't bear to let her go!"
Meanwhile, at Hogwarts.
"Is it appropriate for you to come back without even saying a word to your parents?"
Hermione glanced at Xiao Deng.
"Say what? How to say it? Are you going to say it?"
"Is this your first day of school?"
Facing Hermione's barrage, Xiao Deng didn't panic.
"It's my first time encountering the need to say goodbye to parents when leaving."
As the words fell, silence descended upon the room; there wasn't a sound.
After a long while, Hermione hugged Xiao Deng from behind.
"I'm sorry."
"Your independent state and the things you do make it easy for people to forget that you're an orphan who grew up without anyone to love you."
Xiao Deng's mouth twitched. Is this supposed to be comforting? Why do you have to stab someone several times with a single sentence?
"It's my fault for not considering your feelings."
Xiao Deng's fingers scraped against Hermione's delicate skin.
"It's okay, I've been used to it for years, don't worry about it."
"You can stay here or go back to the Dormitory; I need to go see Dumbledore."
Watching Xiao Deng leave in a hurry, Hermione still felt that she must have hurt him.
Just as Xiao Deng arrived at Dumbledore's office, before he could say a word, he saw a strange man standing inside.
"Oh, Merlin's beard, Xiao Deng, you've returned early."
"Come, let me introduce you."
"This is Remus John Lupin."
"I've invited him to teach the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class."
Huh? Defense Against the Dark Arts Class?
"What about the Lockhart mascot?"
Dumbledore's mouth twitched. Can't you be a bit more reserved in front of the new Professor?
If I say this in my own office, others will think that's how I teach students.
What if my own reputation is ruined?
Fortunately, Lupin was a student of this school and knew that he was a very good Principal.
Lupin narrowed his eyes but didn't make any other moves.
Dumbledore breathed a sigh of relief; it's always better with one's own students.
If it were Minerva here, perhaps both he and Xiao Deng would have been lectured.
"Coincidentally, Professor Lockhart had some issues and can no longer continue teaching."
"He suffered some injuries and, coincidentally, lost his wand."
"But something even more coincidental happened; the day after you left for the holidays, he found a broken wand."
"But the wand was wrapped in tape."
"Professor Lockhart thought this wand was fixed."
"Since he didn't have a wand, he made do with it."
"Subconsciously, he cast an Obliviate."
"An even more coincidental thing happened; the wand hadn't been completely fixed at all."
"The good news is that the spell cast by the wand was successful, but the magic rebounded onto himself."
"Professor Lockhart's powerful Obliviate blasted his mind into a blank state."
"He forgot everything; sometimes he can't even say what his name is."
"I've already sent him to St. Mungo's Hospital overnight."
Lupin pursed his lips, trying to hold back his laughter.
Where did Dumbledore find this oddball of a Professor!
"Oh, Professor Lupin, your paperwork is all done; you can go check out your living quarters."
"After all, school hasn't started yet, so you can still rest for a while."
Lupin tactfully took his leave and exited Dumbledore's office.
As soon as Lupin left, Xiao Deng firmly said:
"That wand was Ron's; he went to steal Ron's wand!"
Chapter 189: Xiao Deng Returns to Hogwarts Early
Albus Dumbledore looked at Xiao Deng with confusion.
"Are you that certain?"
Xiao Deng found a stool, sat down, and pulled out some melon seeds.
"Does that even need to be certain?"
"In Hogwarts, the only broken wand that still has a rebound effect is probably Ron's old wand."
"However, I gave Ron a new wand during my first year at Hogwarts."
"I even asked Professor McGonagall to take him to buy it."
"The old wand had been put away long ago."
"This old wand hasn't appeared in public for years."
"What a coincidence that all the students are on holiday, and what a coincidence that there was no one in the Dormitory."
"What a coincidence that Lockhart had no wand, and what a coincidence that he just happened to find Ron's old wand?"
"Principal, do you believe that?"
Albus Dumbledore fell silent. If that were the case, it could only mean that Lockhart was up to his old tricks again.
Trying to deceive others, but ending up suffering the consequences himself.
"But come to think of it, Xiao Deng, how was your holiday?"
Xiao Deng felt that Albus Dumbledore was implying something; the old man was always like that.
"Did something happen?"
Albus Dumbledore chuckled, not feeling awkward at all.
He took a newspaper from his drawer, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward Xiao Deng.
[Shocking! Hogwarts student cracks difficult problem, injured Soul of the Longbottom Family shows improvement!]
Looking at the author, it was undoubtedly Rita Skeeter.
"Why is she so idle every day? She even knew I went to St Mungos Hospital."
Albus Dumbledore laughed softly.
"Your actions are too shocking."
"After all, for many years regarding Soul-related issues, let alone overcoming them, there hasn't even been a trace of progress."
"If someone is injured, it all depends on the victim's self-healing ability."
"Your appearance gave them a glimmer of hope, so naturally, it needs to be heavily publicized."
Xiao Deng spat out the melon seed in his mouth and rolled his eyes.
"I just want to be a low-key student."
"Low-key?"
"Others won't let you be low-key."
"Those people at the Ministry of Magic love hype the most."
"They will keep a close eye on the rise of any new star."
"Then they create momentum, trying to give others the illusion of prosperity."
"When there's a problem, they look for that new star, as if the new star is omnipotent."
"The Ministry of Magic secretly reaps the benefits, and if a problem arises, it becomes the problem of The Chosen One himself."
"Decades ago it was Harry, and in recent years it was Lockhart."
"But Lockhart had an accident."
Xiao Deng snorted coldly.
"I'm afraid they can't manipulate me now."
Albus Dumbledore slowly sat back in his seat.
"Since you've returned early, you should prepare."
"Didn't you invite a friend to discuss matters?"
Xiao Deng was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh.
An old fox is always an old fox; he can guess too many things.
However, thinking from another perspective, this information was probably deliberately revealed to Xiao Deng by Albus Dumbledore.
With Xiao Deng's intelligence, he could naturally deduce the nature of the Ministry of Magic, and his personality was the type that was restless and not easily disciplined.
Coupled with the catalytic external factor of Lord Voldemort, it was easy to guess what Xiao Deng was going to do.
Xiao Deng flashed away and disappeared from Albus Dumbledore's office.
Albus Dumbledore's gaze, however, fell on the melon seeds on the table.
This child is quite thoughtful, leaving a handful of melon seeds.
"Crunch!"
Albus Dumbledore's eyes lit up.
"Sweet melon seeds also have a unique flavor."
Xiao Deng sighed; none of them were easy to deal with.
When he intended to return to the Dormitory, Xiao Deng frowned and looked toward a corner.
A Big Black Dog was crouching there, lifting its hind leg.
The Big Black Dog shivered and shook its body before realizing that someone was looking at it.
It seems no one at Hogwarts keeps a dog as a pet, right?
Xiao Deng thought so, but being able to enter Hogwarts without being caught, and the aura seemed a bit off.
"Are you Sirius?"
A trace of human-like astonishment appeared on the dog's face; this voice was exactly the same as what he had heard in Azkaban.
"Are you Xiao Deng?"
Xiao Deng looked around, and after confirming no one was there, he waved his hand, and the two instantly arrived in the abandoned classroom from before.
"You came quite quickly. Have you met with Harry?"
Sirius slowly transformed into human form.
"I have, in the park near your house."
Xiao Deng found a spot and sat down.
"I thought you would come back with Harry."
Sirius shook his head.
"No, my identity is too sensitive; I can't walk down the street openly for the time being."
"They need to take the train, so I naturally need to travel on my own."
Xiao Deng smiled and looked at Sirius.
"How does it feel to be out?"
"Not great, I just feel that the responsibility on my shoulders is heavier."
Sirius didn't smile, but there was a hint of Killing Intent in his tone.
"I heard from Harry that you caught Wormtail."
"Back then, he betrayed James, framed me, and helped the Dark Lord."
"He deserves to die!"
Speaking of this, Xiao Deng's expression suddenly changed, and he stood up.
Sirius naturally saw that something was wrong with Xiao Deng's state.
"What's wrong?"
Xiao Deng didn't speak. With a wave of his hand, they disappeared from the spot and reappeared in another room.
When they arrived in this room, Xiao Deng couldn't help but laugh.
"Well done."
"Despite all precautions, just by taking a holiday, I let him escape."
"He's quite capable!"
Sirius heard Xiao Deng's words and understood what had happened.
"He can transform into a rat; he can escape through the slightest gap."
Xiao Deng nodded.
"It's just a pity; I'm afraid you'll be disappointed this time."
"I imagine you were quite looking forward to it when you came."
Sirius tapped the wall with his finger.
"Saying these things is useless; his escape isn't necessarily a bad thing."
"Let me catch him myself and kill him to comfort The Potters."
"However!"
"I didn't just come today for Wormtail's matter."
"At the beginning, when you came to find me, I really only had revenge in my eyes."
"Find Wormtail and avenge The Potters."
"But when I was at your house, Malfoy reminded me."
"That's why I wanted to come over and chat with you too; they all say their skills were taught by you."
"I also wanted to see what kind of outstanding talent you are."
Xiao Deng waved his hand.
"Talent is out of the question; I've just worked a little harder than others."
"As for what Malfoy said, my meaning is actually about the same."
"The Dark Lord hasn't returned yet, so staying by Harry's side isn't very useful."
"It's enough for him to know he still has family."
"Staying by his side will only affect your development."
"You should go back and take over the House of Black."
"Let the House of Black regain its glory, and use your wealth and influence to support Harry."
"If one day, the Dark Lord really returns, does the Dark Lord have to do everything himself?"
"Naturally, he needs lackeys to do it!"
"When lackeys do things, are you going to solve them yourself?"
"That way, you'll just work yourself to death!"