Chapter 199: Dabai and Xiaobai Return to the Eighth Floor
Hogwarts, Eighth Floor.
"It's still more comfortable to be back here."
Xiao Deng could probably understand how Dabai and Xiaobai felt.
From being hunted down to almost dying at the hands of Lord Voldemort, and then being rescued and settled here by him, it sounded simple enough.
In reality, it was extremely dangerous, and the psychological pressure during that time had been immense.
After coming to the Eighth Floor, they found relaxation, gained their own rooms, and a space that belonged solely to them.
Even Xiaobai could go out and play without a care in the world; as soon as she returned, she went right back out to play.
Since this was the first place that had made them feel at ease, their sense of belonging here was much stronger.
The next moment, Xiao Deng couldn't help himself.
He saw Dabai directly strip off the wand robe she was wearing over her clothes, revealing her fair, tender skin.
Wait, does your freedom include the freedom to dress as you please?!
"Xiao Deng, do we have a new friend?"
Xiao Deng's expression froze, and he looked at Dabai with difficulty.
"Are you reading my mind again?"
Dabai smiled and shook her head gently.
"The Unicorn's ability isn't that Heaven-Defying; at most, it can tell whether a person is good or evil, and perceive some mental states."
"It is impossible to see through exactly what you are thinking."
"Even if you called Merlin here, he probably couldn't do it either."
"But, this doesn't require mind-reading!"
"You have her scent on you!"
"A scent different from Hermione's."
"But, one bluff and you gave it away!"
Xiao Deng covered his face; he had never heard that Unicorns and Sirius were related!
"Alright, stop talking. You are not allowed to sniff around like that in the future!"
Seeing Xiao Deng's flustered appearance, Dabai laughed until she was shaking.
"School is starting in two days, so I'm going to be a bit busier."
Dabai opened her arms and hugged Xiao Deng. Although he had seen it many times, Xiao Deng still widened his eyes.
That touch, tsk tsk tsk!
"Busy with what? Busy picking up girls?"
Xiao Deng wrapped one arm around Dabai's waist, while his other hand patted her bottom.
"You're not being good today. You've become quite bold since you stopped working for me, even starting to mock me!"
Dabai rubbed against Xiao Deng's chest and began to straighten his clothes.
"I just feel that I need to give you a work performance review."
Xiao Deng asked, feeling a bit surprised: "You don't even work at the shop anymore, so what kind of work review are you doing?"
"Xiao Deng, do you think there's no need for a work review anymore?"
"Dabai, do you know? Only leaders like to do work reviews!"
"Exactly, and I am the leader!"
Xiao Deng looked at Dabai, puzzled: "Since when are you a leader, and why are you admitting it so openly?"
The corners of Dabai's mouth curled up as she looked at Xiao Deng triumphantly.
"The ones who just talk are the leaders, and those who do the hard labor are the employees."
Xiao Deng: What???
Dabai ignored Xiao Deng's expression and continued:
"Since I am the leader, I will speak first."
"Your performance throughout the entire holiday can be said to have no highlights whatsoever."
"At most, you only exerted some effort right before returning to Hogwarts."
Xiao Deng hurriedly interrupted Dabai.
"Wait, even if I haven't made any major achievements, I've put in the hard work, right? Being a veteran employee isn't easy."
Dabai's index finger pressed against Xiao Deng's lips, stopping him from continuing.
"That is exactly your biggest problem!"
"You rely on your status as a veteran employee to slack off frequently, slacking off for months at a time."
"You are often perfunctory about your work as well. Take yesterday for example, was an eight-hundred-page work review really that hard?"
"In the end, you just wrapped it up sloppily!"
"If you aren't very good at working, you should at least suck up to your leader more."
"But you just love to talk back!"
Dabai reached out, and a banana from the table flew into her hand.
"Why are you starting to eat a banana right in the middle of talking?"
"Xiao Deng, you don't understand. A fruit like a banana doesn't last long."
"If you don't eat some bananas quickly, they'll go mushy."
With such sharp, sarcastic words, who could bear it?
Xiao Deng pulled out his wand, ready to duel with Dabai!
Dabai once again saw the beautiful scenery of the swaying forest.
...
"Are you sure? You were the one who voluntarily called a stop!"
Dabai's face flushed pink, a smile playing on her lips as she gracefully turned over in bed. She didn't speak, just nodded slowly.
"Are we really not going to look at the remaining hundreds of pages of the work report?"
Dabai gave Xiao Deng a coquettish roll of her eyes.
"You're so annoying!"
"Do you want to exhaust me to death and then inherit my dehydrated Unicorn fur?"
Xiao Deng chuckled, hugged Dabai, and kissed her collarbone.
"How could I? I couldn't cherish you enough!"
Dabai rolled her eyes at Xiao Deng again.
"You're incorrigible!"
"But this leader is very satisfied with your work this time. Go busy yourself with other work."
"Are you kicking me out already?"
"Don't you have other things to do?"
"My darling Dabai is still so considerate!"
Dabai watched the person who had already disappeared by the bedside, the corners of her mouth lifting, though she still rubbed her waist.
Her eyelids were already fighting each other, so she decided to rest first. Dabai pulled the quilt over herself and closed her eyes.
As soon as Xiao Deng arrived at the Great Hall of Hogwarts, he heard a noisy commotion.
"Ah! Murder! Help!"
"Someone save me, I'll thank his great-uncle seven times over!"
Xiao Deng frowned. Had Lord Voldemort attacked Hogwarts?
Why hadn't he sensed it?
He hurriedly went up to investigate, but the scene left Xiao Deng stunned in place.
He saw Hermione raising her wand, chasing after Ron!
Harry and his group were watching the fun from the side, beaming with amusement.
Oh, they came back quite quickly!
However, seeing Malfoy and Pansy standing so close, almost face-to-face, Xiao Deng couldn't help but reveal an auntie smile.
After a holiday of warming feelings, it was time for there to be a result.
The fleeing Ron's eyes clearly lit up with joy when he saw Xiao Deng.
"Xiao Deng, save me!"
He didn't even care about his back anymore and ran straight towards Xiao Deng.
Hermione didn't show any mercy either.
"Locomotor mortis: Leg-Locker Curse."
Just as Ron ran to Xiao Deng's side to hide, Hermione's Spells blasted over.
However, no one was worried about what would happen with this spell.
Sure enough, the spell dissipated in front of Xiao Deng.
Hermione asked angrily: "Are you going to protect him?"
Xiao Deng hurriedly waved his hands, denying Hermione's accusation.
Who would be crazy enough to provoke a lioness that is currently Life Qi?
"No, no, no, don't misunderstand!"
"I just arrived here, and I saw you two like this?"
"What on earth happened?"
Hearing Xiao Deng's inquiry, Hermione finally stopped, her wand pointing at Ron.
"What happened? Ask him. I have never seen such a stupid person!"
"I don't know who taught his academic subjects; I'm about to be pissed off to death!"
Xiao Deng breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. Fortunately, it wasn't because he stole Hermione's chicken leg, just a study problem. He turned to look at Ron behind him.
"You tell me, what's actually going on?"
Ron looked at Hermione cautiously, then began to complain.
"Xiao Deng, I've been wronged!"
"It's just that I didn't answer one question right, and she wants to beat me up!"
Chapter 200: Ron Implicates Xiao Deng
Xiao Deng looked at Ron in astonishment. "It's really just one question?"
However, Xiao Deng was also interested in what kind of question could make Hermione go berserk!
"What question? Tell me about it too!"
Ron looked at Xiao Deng with an innocent expression and said:
"Hermione gave me a question!"
"'Are you ready?'"
"I answered: 'Yes, I are!'"
"She thought I was wrong, but she wouldn't tell me, so she asked me again."
"'Are you ready?'"
"I saw her expression looked very scary, so I felt I had answered wrong; maybe there was some hidden meaning to this question."
"So I answered, 'Yes, I am Ready!'"
"Then she got furious and wanted to hit me!"
Xiao Deng listened to Ron's grievances with a straight Face and sighed deeply.
"Your answer is definitely wrong!"
"If it were me, I'd beat you up too!"
Ron immediately grinned, his mouth looking like a charging port.
"Then how should I answer it!"
Xiao Deng cleared his throat.
"She asked if you were ready, right?"
"You want to tell her you are ready, right?"
"This 'ready' implies the past tense!"
"You should answer: 'Yes, I ared'!"
Harry, watching from the side, couldn't help but applaud.
"See? That's how you answer a question!"
Hermione's Face turned red with anger, and she immediately raised her wand.
"Ared? I'll let you 'ared'! I'll beat both of you up!"
"Holy crap! Ron, run!"
The two originally ran together, but looking at the aggressive Hermione behind them, they felt their scalps tingle.
"Ron, we can't run together. Let's split up; she can't possibly chase two people at once."
Ron's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously.
But it was obvious that Xiao Deng had underestimated his ability to stir up trouble; Hermione's anger was now entirely focused on Xiao Deng, who had been spouting nonsense.
Even after separating from Ron, Hermione didn't let him go.
How could someone as smart as Hermione not see through their intentions?
Naturally, she would choose to beat up the one who was most annoying!
Xiao Deng glanced back. Holy crap, why are you chasing me?
Shouldn't Hermione be beating up Ron? Doesn't she know my strength?
Obviously, Ron would be easier to beat up!
Ron ran for a while and found that Hermione was no longer chasing him. He couldn't help but feel relieved; who knew how many Spells Hermione had learned!
Seeing Hermione change her target, Ron returned to Harry's side to watch the show.
"I have to say, Hermione's stamina is really amazing!"
"Ron, you know, she has always been very serious, including the physical training arranged by Xiao Deng; she always does extra practice."
Xiao Deng dodged Hermione's Spells while unobtrusively glancing at a corner.
"Severus, do you think this is the prototype of love?"
Snape's Face darkened. Is this Old Bee doing this on purpose?
However, looking at Professor McGonagall, whose mouth was twitching nearby, he forced a fake smile.
"If..."
"If I remember correctly, Professor McGonagall should have truly experienced the taste of love."
Professor McGonagall glared at Snape. Although as your teacher, I really want to laugh at you, can you not always drag me into this?
She immediately looked at Dumbledore. It's all Albus's fault; he always likes to bring up such topics!
"Those of mine aren't worth mentioning; a Muggle isn't worth talking about."
"But Albus, you are the Devil King of light; why don't you tell us your story so we can broaden our horizons?"
Albus's eyes glazed over for a moment, then he waved his hand.
"What light or dark, it's all just empty fame!"
"I still have to shovel bird poop for Fawkes, I'll head back first."
Snape snorted coldly. Fawkes still needs poop shoveling? It would have been burned away long ago!
The three of them went their separate ways, leaving the scene in three different directions.
Xiao Deng also suddenly stopped and turned around. Hermione couldn't stop in time and lunged at him. Both of them fell to the floor.
"Thud!"
Ron grabbed Harry's arm and grinned.
"Oof! That sounded painful!"
Only then did Hermione realize, belatedly, that she was lying on top of Xiao Deng, using him as a human shield.
Before Hermione could recover, a pair of fair hands helped her up.
Hermione looked at the blonde girl beside her in surprise.
The girl smiled at her, then bent down again to help Xiao Deng up.
"Are you okay?"
Xiao Deng stood up, rubbing the back of his head.
"Wait until dinner to see if there are any plums; eating some plums will be fine."
Luna ignored Xiao Deng's nonsensical statement and turned to look at Hermione.
"Hello, my name is Luna."
"I, I'm Hermione!"
Both girls were smart; the moment their eyes met, they confirmed each other's identity.
This is Xiao Deng's straight-A student girlfriend, Hermione!
This is Xiao Deng's new love interest, the junior student Luna.
Ginny, you need to step up! How did you let someone get ahead of you?
Seeing Luna appear, Malfoy secretly hooked his pinky with Pansy's beside him.
Malfoy gave a wink, and Pansy understood immediately.
Could this be a scene of two women fighting over a man?
Even Pansy, who usually didn't care about such things, had a flash of curiosity in her eyes.
"I'm fine, you don't need to worry."
"You must have just gotten off the train and must be exhausted, so go back and rest first."
"I'll resume the training plan in a few days."
The crowd dispersed with groans. Although Malfoy and Pansy were curious, Xiao Deng had already started shooing them away, so they left.
"I've heard of sister Hermione's reputation for a long time; a Gryffindor who is no less than a Ravenclaw."
"Nice to meet you!"
Luna extended her hand generously.
Hermione was a bit surprised. Rumors said this girl was crazy, so her politeness broke Hermione's stereotype.
She had previously worried about what to do if Luna had a fit.
Due to the Face of Xiao Deng, Hermione had never been able to find a perfect solution.
But now it seemed that, apart from her attire looking a bit like she was celebrating Halloween, there didn't seem to be anything wrong.
Hermione took Luna's hand and said: "Hello, I'm Hermione!"
Xiao Deng was stunned on the side. The Hehuan Sect might not be good at anything else, but they were proficient in this aspect.
These two had clearly reached a temporary united front.
But when did they communicate? He had no idea!
Could it be in that split second just now?
Being open and straightforward had always been Luna's style.
Did Hermione see through Luna's true colors? She accepted it too quickly!
Hey, I am a Disciple of the Hehuan Sect after all; you two meeting for the first time without any harem power struggles makes me a bit disappointed.
Xiao Deng couldn't explain what he was expecting, but it was a good thing that the two could get along normally.
"Luna, I'll find you later to do some tests."
"To verify your current state, I'll make a training plan for you."
"Try your best to keep up with us; as for the reason, it's a long story."
"I still have something to ask Professor Snape about; you guys go get some rest first."
Chapter 201 Asking Snape for Things
The two girls looked at each other and nodded in agreement.
Xiao Deng could not help but sigh inwardly; navigating among smart people was a bit mentally exhausting.
Xiao Deng was already used to entering Professor Snape's office; as soon as he stepped in, he saw Snape preparing to brew a Potion.
Snape saw Xiao Deng come in but ignored him.
Xiao Deng started rummaging through his office.
"Professor Snape, you brew Potions every day; you must have made quite a lot of money, right?"
Snape ignored Xiao Deng, but after a while, he could not take it anymore.
"Does Mr. Genius intend to tear down my office and turn it into a playground for 'Eagle Catches Chick'?"
"Professor, don't you have any books here about Advanced Potion making?"
"Why would I have that kind of book?"
"Does the Genius young Wizard think his Potion Class Professor cannot live up to the title of Great Master and needs to go back to learning the basics?"
Xiao Deng chuckled.
"How could that be!"
"Professor Snape, who does not know your great name? You are a famous Great Master in the Wizarding World."
"The people looking for you to brew Potions could line up from Hogwarts all the way to France!"
"I am just trying to share your burdens!"
"For the sake of your Harry's rapid growth, I have to find some Advanced books for him to study hard!"
Although Snape still had a poker face, after hearing Xiao Deng's words, his expression clearly improved visibly.
This little rascal Xiao Deng really had a silver tongue; no wonder the young Wizards in the school liked him.
Snape placed the measuring cup on the table and poured the reagent into it.
"Go check the Potion Class classroom."
Snape stopped talking after saying that, and Xiao Deng tactfully left the office.
Xiao Deng arrived at the classroom and looked at the storage cabinet, speechless.
"This cabinet must be older than me, right?"
"Can I really find any Secret Manual here?"
Xiao Deng shook his head. If it were for himself, he might have been pranked, but since he was looking for Harry, he probably would not be fooled.
Xiao Deng opened the cabinet, swept it with his Divine Sense, and the situation inside was immediately clear.
"Huh?"
A book caught Xiao Deng's attention.
"Advanced Potion Making"?"
Opening the book, a musty smell rushed towards him.
However, the blank spaces of this book were densely packed with notes.
Xiao Deng thought his Potion skills were already quite good, but after reading the notes, he felt a sudden enlightenment.
Then Xiao Deng also saw the signature of the notes.
"Half-Blood Prince?"
This book must be at least several decades old. Who is so silly to use such a chuunibyou name?
Suddenly, Xiao Deng's expression stiffened. Could this be Professor Snape's book?
If he knew such a big secret, would Professor Snape...?
Xiao Deng shivered all over and did not dare to think any further.
Better leave it to Harry; he did not want to take the blame for this.
But before finding Harry, he should go to the Chamber of Secrets to check on the Basilisk. He had bought quite a lot of food for it during his trip to the Muggle world!
It had been a long time since he fed it; it was very likely hungry.
Xiao Deng strolled leisurely to the entrance of the Chamber of Secrets.
Xiao Deng was shocked. Why was the gate open? Could Lord Voldemort have entered Hogwarts again?
But he had not felt anything at all!
He immediately flashed inside, but the scene inside left Xiao Deng dumbfounded.
He saw the Snake King circling a person in the middle, and the floor was covered in chicken feathers.
Ron did not know Parseltongue, and the Basilisk could not understand Ron's words, but the human and the snake were eating extremely harmoniously.
"Ron?"
"How did you get in?"
Ron turned his head and his eyes lit up when he saw Xiao Deng.
"Xiao Deng, you are here!"
"I figured the Basilisk had not eaten for a whole holiday, so it must be hungry, and I brought it some chicken legs!"
"As for how I got in, I just said the password, of course."
Xiao Deng was full of question marks and looked at Ron in confusion.
"Don't you not know Parseltongue?"
Ron chuckled.
"Harry often talks in his sleep, and I learned it."
"Although I do not really understand the meaning, I can open the door."
Xiao Deng could not help but cover his face. What had he said before? He would definitely be able to sit at the same table with the Basilisk.
"You motherf***er, you really are a Genius!"
Ron shrugged helplessly and said, "What kind of Genius? Hermione even said this morning that I was as stupid as a pig."
Xiao Deng really did not know what to say.
"A Genius among stupid pigs!"
"Xiao Deng, if you want to curse, go ahead, but do not be so vulgar!"
Xiao Deng curled his lips and did not speak, looking at the Basilisk, but the first thing he saw was the Basilisk's resentful expression.
"Master, do you still remember me?"
"Do you know how I spent these days?"
"He does not understand what I am saying, but he still knows to bring me food."
"Are you even my real Master?"
"You can understand me, so why are you only here now?"
"Can I apply to change my Master?"
Xiao Deng's face darkened. What kind of talk was this? He had replaced Salazar Slytherin and inherited the legacy!
And he had indirectly saved its life, and now it wanted to change Masters?
"You are getting more and more outrageous. Change Master? How can you even say that? Why don't you say you want to be the Master?"
"Can I be the Master?"
"Of course not!!! You are dreaming!"
"But, Master, you did not give me any food..."
Before it could finish, it opened its snake mouth wide.
He saw chicken, duck, fish, and meat piled up in front of it, forming a small mountain.
"Do you still want to change, Master?"
"No, no, Master, you are the best. I knew you had not forgotten me!"
The Basilisk opened its bloody maw and charged towards the pile of food.
"Xiao Deng, this Basilisk can eat so much. I brought it quite a lot just now!"
Xiao Deng patted Ron on the shoulder.
"For a snake that is thousands of years old, a big appetite is normal."
"Let's go, we are still very busy this semester."
After the two returned to the Dormitory, Harry crowded around them.
"Xiao Deng, can we slow down our training plan?"
"The Quidditch match is coming up in a few days. If you do not show up, Wood wants to increase the training."
"After all, since you are not playing, we still need to give it our all."
"So, you know, I might not be able to get away."
Xiao Deng thought for a moment. Wormtail had run away, and Harry still had time to do other things; it seemed the situation was not that bad yet.
Otherwise, the Heavenly Dao would not allow the child of Luck to be so idle.
Perhaps the Quidditch match was also an experience for the child of Luck's life journey.
"Fine, you do not have to participate for now; just focus on training."
"But!"
Xiao Deng placed an old-looking book into Harry's hands.
"Not training does not mean you have nothing to do. Read this book when you have time; it will be very helpful to you."
Harry touched the cover of the book, pursed his lips tightly, and nodded.
He knew that Xiao Deng had always been very good to him. This was a true friend, and the first friendship he found at Hogwarts came from Xiao Deng.
So he did not want to disappoint Xiao Deng; he would definitely read this book carefully.
Ron grabbed Xiao Deng and asked, "What about me? What about me? What book should I read?"
Xiao Deng looked speechless.
"If you finish your classes every day, that counts as progress!"
There was a burst of laughter in the Dormitory!
Chapter 202: Lupin and Snape Eat Together
Xiao Deng clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention.
"Alright, it's almost time to eat, let's go have dinner first."
"No matter what we do, we have to fill our stomachs first."
The group swarmed into the Great Hall.
With school about to start, the Great Hall was noticeably more crowded.
Just as he entered the Great Hall, Xiao Deng caught a glimpse of two people.
These two actually knew each other? Xiao Deng was a bit surprised, but it also made sense.
Although Xiao Deng had entered the Great Hall, his gossiping heart prompted him to probe with his Divine Sense.
"Look, who do I see?"
"Has the status of a Hogwarts Professor fallen this low now?"
"To actually invite a Werewolf to be a Professor—has Albus Dumbledore's intelligence been burned away by Fawkes?"
Even though Snape's sarcastic words were full of daggers, Lupin kept smiling.
He knew they had always owed Snape.
A moment of mischief in childhood had caused irreparable harm to Snape's heart.
However, the roles were now reversed.
Snape was now a renowned Potion Great Master in the Wizarding World.
Even for the simplest Potion, people had to wait in line.
No matter where he was, his status commanded respect.
Who could be sure they would never need a Potion, especially life-saving ones?
People would rather owe Snape a favor than offend him, which showed Snape's influence.
Looking back at the group of four who used to bully them, what was their outcome now?
Under their pressure, Snape had spoken in anger and was forced to break off ties with Lily.
James had taken Lily, but both had lost their lives.
Wormtail, fearful and confused, had betrayed The Potters and was now being hunted by both light and dark factions.
Not to mention Sirius, who had been framed and locked up in Azkaban for over a decade.
He himself was useless, a Werewolf everyone wanted to beat; sometimes life outside wasn't necessarily better than Sirius's.
If it weren't for Headmaster Dumbledore's kindness in seeing his plight and giving him a job, he didn't know which corner he would be in, fighting wild dogs for food.
"Severus, I know, I have done many things to wrong you."
"Thinking about it now, it is indeed hard to forgive, even if I have remorse in my heart."
"But not forgiving is your choice and right, and I accept that."
"However, I truly hope you can do me a favor."
Snape let his hands drop and snorted coldly.
"Hah!"
"Wolfsbane Potion!"
"You want me to help you make Wolfsbane Potion?"
"Severus, you are as clever as ever."
"If I am to teach at Hogwarts, this Potion is essential."
"I don't want to hurt any young Wizards either."
Snape felt a bit annoyed; was this a threat using the lives of young Wizards?
"Why should I make this Potion for you?"
"Don't say I'm taking revenge; with your current financial level, can you afford it?"
"Don't you know this Potion was invented by Damocles Belby?"
"Even he himself cannot lower the production cost of this Potion."
"The Materials are expensive, the production is complex, and the failure rate is high."
"Why should I waste my effort, time, and money to help you make a Potion?"
"Just because of what you did in the past?"
Lupin gave a bitter smile; sure enough, those things had a huge impact on Snape.
"Although I don't want to do this, and there is a certain degree of threat involved, I have to say."
"This is not just my request, but also a requirement from Dumbledore."
Snape did not speak, falling into complete silence.
What kind of plan did Dumbledore have?
Or was he already starting to accumulate strength for the final battle against Lord Voldemort?
These were all possible. If so, did it mean Dumbledore did not currently favor the odds of Hogwarts winning?
This forced him to find ways to recruit people into Hogwarts.
Snape glanced at Lupin, didn't say anything, and walked quickly into the Great Hall, his robes like a lonely bat behind him.
Lupin saw Snape's reaction and knew he had already agreed.
The one who understands you best is not necessarily a companion; it is very likely someone who was extremely at odds with you in the past.
Lupin was one of those.
To ease the relationship with Snape, Lupin followed Snape into the Great Hall.
He could play with Sirius and exhibit traits similar to James.
But facing Snape, that act was better left aside.
Then a spectacle appeared in the Great Hall.
Snape walked in front with a cold face, and Lupin chased behind with a fawning smile.
"You, there is no need to follow me!"
"No, I think it is very necessary!"
"Everything was wrong all these years; at least let me do some acts of repentance!"
"It is too cruel if you don't even give a chance to apologize!"
Snape ate his food in small bites without replying.
Xiao Deng frowned; the two knew each other, and their past grievances were not small.
But Dumbledore made Lupin contact Snape; what medicine was the Old Bee selling in his gourd?
Was he really not afraid that the two would fight and hurt the young Wizards?
There was a big secret here!
Without leaving a trace, he glanced at Snape, and Xiao Deng shook his head.
If he asked Snape, he probably wouldn't get a word out of him.
He would still have to ask Professor Lupin, or Sirius.
Halfway through his meal, Snape saw Lupin secretly put some food into a bag.
Also a Genius, he saw at a glance that the bag must have had an Extension Charm cast on it.
Lupin couldn't just eat on the spot, he had to take it away?
No, although Lupin was a Werewolf, he was not a person who indulged in gluttony.
That meant he was bringing it for someone else.
It couldn't be Dumbledore; the Old Bee would eat his own.
Then there was only one possibility; there should be another person living in Lupin's Dormitory.
Looking at the amount put in, it was not something an ordinary girl could eat.
"Who are you bringing food for?"
Lupin's hand trembled as he looked at Snape opposite him.
Snape ignored him, but he had no choice; Snape had already asked.
Lupin sighed; if he didn't say it, Snape could find out anyway.
"Sirius is here."
The tableware in Snape's hand paused.
"Hah! Truly scum!"
"Escaped from prison?"
"Sounds like something he would do."
Lupin was a bit embarrassed; Sirius was indeed a bit rebellious.
The kind that rebels for years, and no one can control him.
"Severus, I was just..."
"You don't need to tell me, I don't care about those things of yours."
"Just make sure he doesn't hurt the young Wizards."
As the words fell, Snape got up and left.
To be honest, although Sirius was a jerk, he didn't believe he would betray Potter and Lily.
With Wormtail's confession, Snape's hatred had partially shifted.
Xiao Deng shook his head in his seat; it was another story of love and hate from the previous generation!
Chapter 203: The Four Meet
Just as Xiao Deng was lost in thought, two people arrived beside him.
They sat down on his left and right.
Harry had already seen the intimate interaction between Malfoy and Pansy during the holidays.
So, when he saw these two girls, he seemed to catch a whiff of something unusual.
He pretended not to see them and kept his head down, focused on eating!
Ron looked at Luna with a bewildered expression, as if his brain wasn't online.
"Luna, how come you sat at our Gryffindor table?"
Luna looked at the brainless Ron in front of her, not intending to hurt him.
After all, his name was quite famous, thanks to the efforts of Snape and his two brothers.
"I sat over here to make friends. I feel that you guys are quite interesting and very harmonious."
Neville nodded, his mouth stuffed with food.
"Yeah, we are very loving, before Hermione speaks."
When he saw Hermione's gaze shift towards him, Neville knew he had spoken too much.
"Ron said it!"
Ron looked dumbfounded. Wait, buddy, when did I say that?
Besides, given that Hermione usually wants to beat me up, would I say something like that to provoke her?
Hermione's knife-like gaze fell upon the somewhat aggrieved-looking Ron.
She suddenly remembered that he couldn't even figure out the word 'are'; what if she scolded him and he didn't understand?
Hermione sighed deeply and said nothing.
Seeing the extremely low air pressure at the dining table, the others quickly finished eating and wanted to run.
Seeing that everyone had left, Xiao Deng called out to Hermione.
"Luna is one of our own. When you have time, take her to the Eighth Floor to meet Da Bai and Xiao Bai."
"Why doesn't the Genius young Wizard introduce her yourself?"
Hearing the sharp, sarcastic tone in Hermione's words, Xiao Deng couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"I have things to do!"
"Hermione, darling, you're the best. You take her first."
"I'll come find you once I've finished my business."
Hermione rolled her eyes at Xiao Deng but said nothing. Xiao Deng knew she had agreed, so he patted her hair and hurried away.
Xiao Deng quickly arrived at the lake in the Forbidden Forest and sat cross-legged.
Ever since his day trip to the Forbidden Forest with Luna a few days ago, Xiao Deng had vaguely felt this.
He was about to have a Breakthrough!
As the Lord of Hogwarts, he could already mobilize more energy to gather around him.
At this moment, the Spiritual Qi in Xiao Deng's body was exceptionally active, surging through his Meridians like crashing waves.
The energy from the outside world was also pouring in simultaneously.
Before long, Xiao Deng's skin turned a dark red color; this was a sign that the energy was reaching its peak.
"Break!"
Xiao Deng vaguely heard a sound of breaking.
"Is this the Void Refining realm?"
"It's a completely different feeling. The current me could take on several of my previous selves."
Xiao Deng looked at the sky, which was mostly obscured by the Forbidden Forest.
There was still no movement, not even a single Lightning Tribulation.
Had the Heavenly Dao forgotten him? But this was actually quite good.
Xiao Deng slowly stood up, and the grime from his Breakthrough vanished.
He formed a seal with his left hand, channeling a stream of spiritual power into Hogwarts.
"Wow! That's amazing, Master!"
"This power came at just the right time!"
"Do you have a name?"
"My name is Hogwarts!"
"Then I'll call you Xiao Huo from now on."
"That's such a lazy name!"
"Nonsense, that's a term of endearment!"
"Thanks a lot!"
Xiao Deng didn't chat much more with Hogwarts; after all, it was still a building, and it didn't have much need for conversation.
Xiao Deng took a step and arrived at the Eighth Floor.
The moment Xiao Deng appeared, Da Bai's eyelids twitched slightly.
Xiao Deng's aura had become even more profound, making it difficult for her to use her innate abilities.
"What are you all talking about?"
Da Bai stood up gracefully and took Xiao Deng's arm.
"Those two were delayed on the way and just got here."
"We are welcoming Luna to the Eighth Floor for the first time; from now on, we are all one family."
Xiao Bai immediately jumped out and asked Da Bai, "Does 'being at home' mean sitting down?"
"If that's the case, then we really are one family!"
Da Bai flicked Xiao Bai on the forehead and didn't answer her.
"We were talking about cooking. Don't underestimate Xiao Deng; he's actually quite a good cook."
Hermione laughed and nodded, "Yes, yes, yes!"
"He can cook, he's the best at cooking, his stir-fries are delicious!"
Luna looked at Xiao Deng with curiosity.
"Xiao Deng, do you add oil first when stir-frying?"
Xiao Deng pulled over a stool and sat down.
"Stir-frying? Of course, you heat the wok first; you can't add oil first!"
Luna became even more interested and quickly asked, "Let me take a note; I'll try it later!"
"So, heat the wok, then add oil, right?"
Xiao Deng smiled and nodded. Xiao Bai reached out and hung onto Xiao Deng's back, suddenly poking her head out.
"I think you should wear gloves when cooking, right?"
"Otherwise, once the wok gets hot, oil might splatter on your hands."
Xiao Deng shook his head and replied, "Gloves? I don't like wearing them."
Hermione added, "He definitely won't!"
Xiao Bai asked from behind, "And then? And then?"
While stroking Xiao Bai's snow-white arm, Xiao Deng said:
"Then you put the vegetables in."
Luna took notes with pen and paper.
"Oh, I see, put them in."
"Xiao Deng, how long do you usually stir-fry to get the food cooked?"
Xiao Deng rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful.
"That's not necessarily fixed!"
"It depends on what dish it is; different dishes take different amounts of time."
Luna nodded and continued, "Never mind other things, just fried rice; that should be quite simple, right?"
"How long does it take to make fried rice?"
Luna really loved to explore. Xiao Deng smiled.
"Fried rice also depends on the situation; first, you have to see if the rice is hard or not."
Hermione, who loved learning, certainly wouldn't miss this opportunity and immediately asked:
"Then, if it's generally very soft, how long do you stir-fry it?"
Xiao Deng looked at Hermione with appreciation.
"That's a good question!"
"This question depends on when the water in the rice dries up."
"Once the water dries up, it's about ready."
Luna recorded it on paper again and asked in passing:
"If the wok is too heavy, and we girls can't stir it, what should we do?"
Da Bai immediately chimed in from the side.
"Yes, yes, yes, I wanted to ask this too."
"My waist hasn't been feeling great lately, and I can't toss the spoon."
"If I stir-fry for three minutes, my arms get sore and my waist gets tired, what should we do?"
Xiao Deng looked at Da Bai with a meaningful gaze.
"If your arm is sore, just switch to the other hand!"
"If the water in the fried rice dries up, you can switch to a new batch of fried rice and keep stir-frying."
"If your waist is sore, don't push yourself; your health is important."
"A chef shouldn't be too overworked, right?"
"You also need to leave some room for the rice to release moisture."
"When every grain is plump, that's when it's time to take it out of the wok."
"That's what I call a dish that has both color, aroma, and taste!"
"But you must also remember that the chef has done the work, so they will be tired and sweaty."
"The chef needs a good cleaning."
Chapter 204: Valentine's Day
Hermione frowned, looking suspiciously at Xiao Deng.
"Why do I feel like something is not quite right?"
"It's a bit strange!"
Da Bai's talent ability wasn't very effective on Xiao Deng anymore, but it didn't affect her judgment of him!
A woman's intuition was still the most accurate; the color of Xiao Deng's heart had never changed from beginning to end.
Da Bai swayed her waist as she came to Xiao Deng's side.
"So, Master."
"How many servings do you plan to cook today?"
Xiao Deng pulled Da Bai into his arms.
"How many do you want to eat, my dear Da Bai?"
Da Bai glanced at Hermione and Luna, who were still dazed.
"Four. I wonder if the chef's arm will get sore?"
While the two were still bickering, Xiao Bai had already snuck up to Hermione and Luna.
As soon as Hermione saw Xiao Bai's sneaky look, she immediately knew what Xiao Bai was plotting.
She had been set up by Xiao Bai like this before, so her gaze immediately fell on Luna.
She couldn't be the only one to fall into this trap.
Xiao Bai met Hermione's eyes and immediately understood; both of them revealed malicious looks at the same time.
By the time Luna reacted, it was already too late.
In her dazed state, she was completely tricked by Hermione and Xiao Bai.
Today, the pleasure brought by the beautiful scenery of the shaking forest was four portions.
...
Xiao Deng held the wok, continuously stir-frying, and finished the last step.
Four portions of fried rice were placed on the table.
"Alright, stop sleeping."
"You're so tired, get up and eat something."
Xiao Deng walked over slowly and pulled them up one by one.
The afterglow of the sunset spilled in through the window, colorful and brilliant.
The four of them slowly got up, and upon smelling the aroma, they dove into the fried rice.
Xiao Deng didn't speak and silently left the Eighth Floor.
At this time, there were few people walking around Hogwarts.
But after coming out, Xiao Deng froze in place.
Who decorated Hogwarts in pink?
Xiao Deng arrived at Dumbledore's office with a dark Face.
"Principal, what is going on outside?"
Dumbledore didn't quite understand.
"What's wrong with outside?"
"You'll know once you come out and see."
Dumbledore followed Xiao Deng outside.
He saw that everything in sight was pink ribbons and decorations, looking like someone had played a prank.
"Oh, Merlin's beard!"
"Is Snape getting married?"
Xiao Deng glanced at Dumbledore; would you not listen to what you are saying?
Don't say I heard it when Snape comes to trouble you later.
Speak of the devil and he shall appear; Snape was wandering the corridor like a black bat.
"What is this situation?"
"Is Professor McGonagall's Muggle lover coming to find her?"
Xiao Deng covered his Face; don't say I heard you when Professor McGonagall lectures you later.
As luck would have it, Professor McGonagall's figure also appeared from around the corner.
"Whose prank is this? If I catch them, I will definitely give them detention!"
"This wall is decorated as if Albus's lover has arrived!"
Turning her head, she saw several people looking at her with strange expressions.
Professor McGonagall was a bit embarrassed. As a thoughtful student of her house, Xiao Deng naturally couldn't let his Dean lose Face.
"Professor McGonagall, you don't need to be embarrassed."
"Professor Snape just said it was your lover."
Professor McGonagall couldn't help but look at Snape. Snape's eyelids twitched, and he gave Xiao Deng a death stare.
Xiao Deng chuckled.
"Professor Snape, don't look at me. It was Professor Dumbledore who said you were getting married."
Dumbledore's expression stiffened, and he complained.
"Xiao Deng, what nonsense are you spouting?"
Xiao Deng spread his hands innocently.
"I didn't, Professor McGonagall said it about you too."
A strange closed loop formed among the four, and the silence was the most awkward part.
Dumbledore was someone who had seen the world, and he quickly regained his composure.
"So, none of you did this?"
"Then who did it?"
Snape opened fire first.
"The Weasleys have a history of such pranks."
Professor McGonagall was immediately displeased.
"The Weasleys have been very well-behaved recently. What evidence do you have that they did it?"
"Who knows if it was Slytherin who did it and framed them?"
Neither would give an inch, and Dumbledore gave a wry smile.
"If it really doesn't work, let's take it down first."
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat.
"I just looked, they are magically attached to the wall, it might take some effort to take them down."
While they were discussing, the sun had set, and the inside of Hogwarts gradually darkened.
Dumbledore looked at Professor McGonagall with some surprise.
So flashy, and using magic; he seemed to think of someone.
"I might know who did this."
The argument between them stopped immediately.
Snape didn't speak, and Professor McGonagall immediately asked: "Who?"
Dumbledore hesitated for a moment.
"It might be Lockhart!"
"Lockhart? Wasn't he sent to St Mungos Hospital?"
"His injuries aren't that easy to heal, right?"
Dumbledore's voice was a bit dry, but he began to explain.
"Lockhart was at school during the holidays, and he was normal then."
"And tomorrow is Valentine's Day, right? Lockhart probably made preparations in advance."
"But he hid it in advance, so we didn't notice it usually."
"These things must have been timed; they were supposed to appear when the time came."
"Lockhart's wand was picked up by Xiao Deng, so he was using Ron's broken wand."
"A broken wand is extremely unstable. It's lucky it didn't backfire on him while he was setting it up."
"Albus, then these things must have a place to go."
Dumbledore smiled.
"Since it's already set up, why not use it?"
"There's no class tomorrow, it's not a bad thing to let the young Wizards play for a day."
"February 14th, Valentine's Day, what a wonderful holiday."
"Don't you think so, Severus?"
"I don't know, you should ask Professor McGonagall."
Great, the three of them were going to argue again in a moment.
Xiao Deng immediately masked his aura and silently left the scene.
According to Lockhart's nature, there might be a long-winded speech coming.
Inciting young Wizards to ask him for love advice, and then showing off again.
Then naturally, he would push his own books.
Xiao Deng felt he had completely figured out Lockhart's routine.
Xiao Deng returned to the Dormitory, and his roommates were a bit surprised.
"Thought you weren't coming back."
"Where else would I go if I didn't come back?"
"But you don't have to attend class tomorrow, it's a holiday."
Several people looked at Xiao Deng, confused.
Xiao Deng then told everyone about Lockhart's actions.
Ron jumped up immediately.
"He actually stole my wand! My wand might still work if it were repaired!"
Xiao Deng smiled and handed the broken wand to Ron.
He had applied to Dumbledore to get it back when Lockhart left.
"You guys should think about tomorrow."
Chapter 205: Luna's Beauty is Discovered
The next morning.
The atmosphere at Hogwarts was indeed unique.
Everything radiated a scene of vitality.
The most eye-catching thing was the greeting cards that would fly down from time to time.
However, they were all uniformly filled with longing and praise for Lockhart.
It must be said that Lockhart was still able to crush many people in certain aspects.
For instance, Ron.
At this moment, Ron had already been blocked by a little girl.
Xiao Deng and the others immediately made space for the two of them to be alone.
However, how could Xiao Deng let such a good opportunity for gossip pass? He stealthily followed them with his Divine Sense.
"Hi, Ron!"
Ron scratched the back of his head, somewhat bewildered, and greeted her in return.
"Hi, Young Miss Brown."
Brown was clearly a bit awkward. Couldn't this Ron just continue the conversation?
"Do you know what day it is today?"
Ron's eyes lit up, and he extended his index finger.
"I know!"
Brown's eyes also brightened significantly. This kid was actually quite sensible; he must not have reacted in time just now.
"Today is Professor Lockhart's prank day!"
Xiao Deng, who was drinking pumpkin juice, turned his head and spat it all out.
When Xiao Deng realized what had happened, it was already too late.
Seeing Hermione's Face covered in pumpkin juice, the corners of her mouth turned down, and she was restraining her anger.
Seeing this, Harry immediately put down his cutlery.
"I'm full, I'm going to go walk around somewhere else."
Seeing Harry run off, Neville realized that if Ron wasn't there to soak up the fire today, he would have to run too.
"I'm going with Harry."
The two of them left the Great Hall together.
"Xiao Deng Hehuan Sect!"
"Where did I wrong you?"
"If you can't come up with one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, and seven, six, five, four, three, two, one—fourteen reasons in total—today, see if I don't shove my wand down your throat!"
Luna shook her head as she watched Hermione.
"Xiao Deng, if you sprayed like this on the Eighth Floor, I think Sister Hermione would be very happy."
"But it's not right for you to just spray pumpkin juice here."
Xiao Deng's expression stiffened as he turned to look at Luna.
Sometimes there's a reason people call you the Crazy Girl.
Not only is your own style strange, but you can also drag others into it.
Even Hermione couldn't help but blush.
"Xiao Deng, hurry up and clean up Sister Hermione!"
"Do you really like this messy, disheveled beauty of Sister Hermione's?"
"If that's the case, I have a beggar's outfit in my wardrobe..."
Xiao Deng covered his Face and took out his wand to clean Hermione.
Hermione, blushing, stopped Luna.
"Shut your mouth!"
Luna glanced at Xiao Deng and said:
"If Sister Hermione is still a bit upset, after all, today is Valentine's Day."
"I'll give you my share of time spent with him."
Hermione looked at Xiao Deng with a Face full of disdain.
"Who would want to spend time with him!"
"I'll give my share to you."
Luna asked with a look of pleasant surprise: "Really?"
"Then I'll accept it!"
Hermione's expression stiffened, but for the sake of her Face, she still insisted stubbornly.
"It's yours, who wants him anyway!"
Saying this, Hermione left her seat willfully.
Luna stared straight at Xiao Deng.
"Actually, I think you didn't hit Hermione's bottom loud enough when you spanked her."
"That'smack'..."
Luna spread her hands: "She's unconvinced!"
Xiao Deng rubbed his Face. Good grief, Luna, were you a man in your past life?
Luna seemed to understand Xiao Deng's mood and smiled: "Listen to me, you won't go wrong."
Xiao Deng wanted to cry even more!
Ancestral Master, this Disciple is unfilial!
At a time like this, I actually need Luna to remind me what to do.
"However, little Luna, I saw clearly that you were fanning the flames from the side."
Luna's bell-like laughter rang out from the Gryffindor table, and quite a few people looked over.
"Huh, who is that? Laughing so happily."
"Isn't that the legendary Crazy Girl from Ravenclaw!"
"I didn't expect her to look so good when she smiles!"
"Missed out! If I had known, I would have just gone and confessed."
"Would she even look at you? You don't even see who is sitting next to her!"
"Even if it's Xiao Deng, this kind of thing still requires mutual consent."
"Fine, forget I said anything, suit yourself."
"Brother, don't listen to him, Luna belongs to our Ravenclaw!"
...
Luna noticed that many people's gazes had swept over.
"Let's go once we've finished eating!"
Xiao Deng nodded, and the two walked out of the Great Hall side by side.
With Xiao Deng present, no one directly came forward to steal his female companion.
Luna did not know that her reputation had changed because of Xiao Deng, nor did she know that she was gradually developing into the Ravenclaw house goddess because of a Valentine's Day.
Xiao Deng just wanted to head to the Eighth Floor, but was pulled back by Luna.
"Compared to the big bed on the Eighth Floor, I prefer the wild Forbidden Forest."
"That unconstrained, free feeling is refreshing and delightful."
Xiao Deng was stunned for a moment, then smiled.
"It is indeed refreshing, then we must talk about something positive and full of positive energy."
Xiao Deng did not use his abilities, but instead walked over with Luna; Luna liked this atmosphere.
"Do you think that business with Ron will succeed?"
Luna hugged Xiao Deng's arm and laughed.
"Ron usually looks silly, but his talent is actually quite good."
"It's just that he's always slow to react when encountering things."
"As for whether it will succeed, I think it will."
"Young Miss Brown is a very proactive person; one can tell from her usual habits that she is very much looking forward to her own romance."
"You probably don't know this, but she and Hermione are actually in the same Dormitory."
"Look at Sister Hermione, although she always says bad things about you, she's actually quite clingy to you."
"And based on Young Miss Brown's situation, her way of expressing love will be very enthusiastic and direct."
"Compared to Sister Hermione, Young Miss Brown's level of clinginess will only be higher."
Xiao Deng looked at Luna with some surprise.
"You actually observe so carefully?"
Luna pointed to the tall trees and said:
"Every tree has its own growth trajectory; I am just an observer in the dark."
"I have observed many people at Hogwarts."
"I guess after Young Miss Brown confesses, Ron will be very bewildered."
"Young Miss Brown will be amused by Ron's silly, cute appearance, and then take the initiative to kiss Ron."
"Ron will half-heartedly agree to Young Miss Brown's declaration of love."
"She will soon become Ron's official girlfriend."
Xiao Deng had some guesses, but they weren't as clear as Luna's. He reached out and pinched Luna's nose.
"Then have you observed me? What are my characteristics?"
Luna looked at Xiao Deng and asked: "Do you really want me to say it?"
Xiao Deng patted his chest confidently: "Go ahead, what's there that can't be said."
Luna cleared her throat.
"Then I'll really say it."
"As the saying goes, a knife hangs over the head, but you aren't afraid at all."
"You often sneak glances at the bottoms of the senior girls from Hufflepuff."
"You, you're just purely a lecher!"
Chapter 206: A Day with Luna
"Well, you little rascal Luna, mocking me like that, are you!"
Xiao Deng started tickling Luna.
"Then today, I'll show you what I'm really like."
"Xiao Deng, I surrender, I surrender!"
"Surrendering? That won't work."
In their playful scuffle, they had already rolled onto the ground.
Suddenly, Xiao Deng pinned Luna's hands down and stared straight at her. At this moment, Luna felt a bit shy.
"Xiao Deng, what are you looking at!"
"Luna, do you like playing in the water?"
"I do!"
"Then let's go play in the water—on the water!"
"Hmm?"
How can you play on the water? Wouldn't you just fall in?
But Luna subconsciously nodded; she wanted to try such a novel experience.
Immediately, without warning, the two of them flew up and drifted toward the center of the lake.
"Ahhh!"
"Is this how you play?"
"I'm going to fall in!"
Just as they were about to touch the water surface, Luna squeezed her eyes shut.
But the cold sensation she imagined never came.
Luna gently opened her eyes, and to her surprise, the two of them were lying in the middle of the water.
The water was still the same water, and they were the same people, but they just wouldn't sink.
Gently swaying, she could even feel the resistance and upward force from the water.
The novel sensation made Luna's eyes light up.
"We really didn't sink! Being able to step on the water to play, this feeling is amazing."
"I've never had an experience like this in all my life."
Suddenly, a force came from Luna's waist as Xiao Deng pressed against the back of her head.
"Luna, my darling, if you haven't experienced it before, today you'll have your fill."
"As long as you're happy today."
"But, you have to take responsibility for what you just said."
With a roll, Luna found herself at a disadvantage.
"Xiao Deng, I was wrong, okay!"
"No way!"
"If not, then not! Who's afraid of whom!"
"If you can't hand in two pounds of 'homework' today, don't think about leaving the Forbidden Forest!"
"You're quite arrogant!"
Immediately, the lake water churned with turbulent waves.
...
"Xiao Deng, no more, no more, just kill me!"
"Darling, don't say that. I still prefer the you from three hours ago!"
Luna wrinkled her nose, rolled over on the water surface, and turned her back to Xiao Deng.
"You're like a wild boar, just knowing how to charge forward!"
"Hey, you have the nerve to blame me? When you go crazy, you're more intense than all of them combined!"
"I don't know if I handed in two pounds of 'homework', but..."
"The lake is full of water; it feels like the water level rose by two pounds."
Luna turned around and glared at Xiao Deng with her beautiful, large eyes.
Xiao Deng chuckled, reached out to pull Luna into his arms, and kissed her cheek hard.
"Alright, alright, I won't say anything more!"
Xiao Deng lay flat on the water, looking up at the sliver of sky.
"I wonder how many more days of peaceful life we have left."
Luna propped her head up with one hand, some of her hair falling onto Xiao Deng's face, which tickled a bit.
"What are you talking about?"
"I feel like you're carrying a heavy burden in your heart."
Xiao Deng thought for a moment before speaking.
"Strictly speaking, it's not a big deal for me, but for the Wizarding World, it is a very big deal."
"As long as Voldemort hasn't arrived, we must keep an eye on his movements."
"Who is Voldemort?"
"The name that cannot be spoken in the Wizarding World."
Luna was smart and immediately realized who it was.
"Isn't he dead?"
Xiao Deng snorted.
"I've already faced him head-on three times, what do you think?"
"Is he strong?"
"I don't feel he's strong, though I'm not entirely sure; he's not at his Peak."
"But he runs away very fast. Every time, he manages to escape smoothly."
"Is Harry the key to breaking the deadlock?"
"You can see that?"
"Not really, just a guess."
"When you fight him, he only has the option to run. Maybe he does have some strength, but I guess you didn't intend to completely finish him off either."
"Harry is the Boy Who Lived, the only one who survived back then, so I made a bold guess."
"Your bold guess is spot on!"
"So... I want to be even bolder."
Saying that, Luna placed her thigh on Xiao Deng's abdomen.
Xiao Deng asked in surprise: "You're going again?"
Luna just tucked her hair back and smiled.
"Let us get drunk on wine today, and flow with the water today!"
"Hurry up, stand up and hand in your homework!"
"You really are a crazy girl!"
...
Meanwhile, on the Eighth Floor of Hogwarts.
"You just gave your time to her like that?"
"She came late, and her time spent with Xiao Deng has been short. I think they should spend more time together."
Dabai smiled and, like Xiao Deng, stroked Hermione's hair.
"You might feel a bit aggrieved, but you have to admit, your position in Xiao Deng's heart is very secure."
"So, don't be afraid; he's not that kind of person."
"Xiaobai and I have such sensitive identities. If he were truly heartless, he could have just thrown us out."
"Dabai, is that true?"
Dabai nodded with a smile.
"He dotes on you so much; can't you feel it yourself?"
"You bully him so much usually!"
"I do not! Dabai, don't talk nonsense."
Xiaobai suddenly popped out and hugged Hermione from behind.
"Then who was it that made him sleep in the bathroom?"
Hermione blushed and argued: "I did not!"
Dabai looked at the sky and said gently: "Alright, it's getting late, they should be coming back soon."
"You should go out too."
"But Hermione, remember, there might be more people by his side in the future."
"But you will still exist!"
With Dabai's comfort, Hermione felt much better.
As she walked out of the Eighth Floor, she was still wondering, what on earth is that girl Ginny doing?
She had already prepared to be sisters with her, but who would have thought someone would barge in halfway.
In the end, Hermione could only conclude that Ginny wasn't competitive enough.
Just as Dabai said, Xiao Deng and the others returned.
Hermione ran into Xiao Deng and Luna in the hallway.
Xiao Deng immediately dashed over.
"Hermione, I've missed you to death!"
Hermione dodged Xiao Deng's pounce.
Ignoring Xiao Deng, she walked straight to Luna's side.
"How was it? Happy Valentine's Day?"
Luna blushed and replied: "Happy, thank you, Sister Hermione!"
But Hermione frowned.
"Are you really happy?"
"I see you haven't even changed your clothes. Where is your happiness?"
At this moment, Xiao Deng came up from behind the two and put his arms around them.
"Can't she just use a Cleaning Charm to clean up?"
"Hermione, you must always remember that you are a little Wizard."
Even though Luna was usually bold and didn't care about others' gazes, her face was already burning hot at this moment.
"What are you talking nonsense for!"
Saying that, she broke free from Xiao Deng's hand and walked forward by herself.
"Hey, it wasn't like this just a moment ago!"
Hermione rolled her eyes at Xiao Deng.
"You think everyone is as thick-skinned as the corner of the Hogwarts outer wall like you!"
After saying that, Hermione also haughtily went to chase after Luna.
So, I did all the work today and didn't even get any credit for it, right?
Chapter 207: The Pastries in Harry's Bag
At the dining table, Xiao Deng ate his meal, wondering what to do next.
If all else failed, could he force Lord Voldemort to come out?
Harry's voice came from across the table.
"I have a Quidditch match, you're all welcome to come and watch."
"Xiao Deng, Wood asked me to ask you, are you really not participating this time?"
Xiao Deng smiled and shook his head.
"If I participate, would there be any surprises in the outcome?"
"The other teams might as well just forfeit."
"I'd better not go."
Harry smiled and spread his hands.
"It seems Captain Wood is going to be disappointed."
"He was really optimistic about you turning pro."
Xiao Deng immediately crossed his arms over his chest.
"No way!"
"It would interfere with my eating, drinking, and having fun!"
Hermione couldn't help but roll her eyes at Xiao Deng.
"What a loser!"
Xiao Deng curled his lip. What was the point of ambition? Could a Quidditch championship be eaten as a meal?
"Even though I won't be playing, I'll still go watch your match, you can count on that."
Due to the Quidditch match, classes were not held around Valentine's Day.
Since it was sporadic, there was no point in having class for just a day or two, so Dumbledore simply gave everyone time off.
Luna felt very sleepy and put down her utensils before the others had finished eating.
"I'm done, you guys eat. I feel very sleepy, so I'm heading back first."
Hermione glanced at Luna, who was getting up.
"Luna, what's the matter with you?"
"Are you tired? If you're tired, you really should catch up on some sleep."
Hermione said this with her mouth, but her gaze was covertly sweeping from Luna's small mouth down her fair neck and continuing downwards.
Luna naturally noticed Hermione's gaze; her legs couldn't help but press together, and she forced a smile.
"I'm indeed a bit tired, I think I need to rest."
After saying this, she didn't care about the gazes of others and walked out of the Great Hall.
It was the first time Luna had seen such a look from Hermione; it felt as if Xiao Deng was about to cast a spell to move the water from the Forbidden Forest.
After everyone finished eating, they left the Great Hall one after another.
Before they even reached the Dormitory, Neville couldn't help but ask Ron.
"Ron, what was Miss Brown looking for you about today?"
The usually goofy Ron actually blushed.
"She, well, that..."
"Said she liked me..."
Harry became interested too and looked at Ron.
"And did you agree?"
Ron looked up to gauge everyone's reaction, stuttering a bit.
"But her lips were so soft..."
"She kissed me first, and then, well, then I agreed."
Xiao Deng let out a chuckle; this was exactly the same as what Luna had said.
Miss Brown had completely taken the initiative between the two.
"Ron, you have to cherish this!"
"Considering everything, Miss Brown isn't bad at all."
Just as Xiao Deng finished speaking, an abrupt voice rang out.
"Even a poor wretch can date?"
"You wouldn't be giving that broken half of a wand as a gift, would you?"
Arguing with Malfoy had become a daily routine for Ron.
Seeing this scene, the others didn't want to deal with them, even Pansy covered her forehead, shook her head, and walked a bit further away.
"You little Death Eater, you don't know anything!"
"And you, a poor wretch, do you know anything?"
Neville nudged Harry.
"Who do you think will win the argument this time?"
"I feel like Ron has a slight advantage."
"Neville, you're underestimating Malfoy here."
Harry said, his expression looking a bit uncomfortable.
"Do you think Malfoy doesn't have a romantic interest?"
"Do you know how I got through that holiday?"
"It was so sickeningly sweet!"
"It felt even stickier than Headmaster Dumbledore's sweets!"
"Huh? Malfoy is dating someone?"
"Look at you, Harry. You are the Boy Who Lived, how can you fall behind?"
Harry lowered his head in thought, thinking about the pastries and drinks in his expanded bag.
Should he also be thinking along these lines?
"Oh, damn it, I give half a wand, so what do you give when you date, a Death Eater?"
"You poor wretch, you don't know anything!"
"You Death Eater, you know nothing!"
"Your poor wretch of a father doesn't know anything either!"
"Your Death Eater father doesn't know either!"
"Your poor wretch of a father!"
"Your Death Eater father!"
Xiao Deng shook his head, speechless. They had always argued like this, but it seemed they never got anywhere.
Xiao Deng led the group back to the Dormitory.
Back in the Dormitory, everyone did their own thing. Harry, thinking about what Neville had said, couldn't help but sit up.
"Neville, I think you're right!"
"What? What did I say?"
The previously serious Harry instantly broke down.
Neville had just said it casually, but he had remembered it for so long. His head ached, and he felt a surge of energy with nowhere to vent.
Harry took the pastries and drinks out of his bag and stared at them, dazed.
He shook his head violently. Why think so much? He was a Gryffindor, so he should just go for it.
Even though Neville had forgotten, he was right.
Xiao Deng had noticed Harry from the moment he sat up.
That conflicted expression was clearly the look of a young man caught in a dilemma.
But as expected of a young Gryffindor Wizard, hesitating, he ate a pastry first to calm his nerves.
But before long, Xiao Deng's Divine Sense captured that Harry's expression was a bit off.
Harry casually threw a miscellaneous object at Neville.
"Hey, Harry, what are you doing?"
"Neville, do you think she likes me?"
"Likes you? Of course she likes you. You're the Boy Who Lived, who wouldn't like you? Except for Professor Snape."
Xiao Deng let out a chuckle. Snape, someone is bad-mouthing you here!
"Oh, what does that have to do with Professor Snape? So, do you think she will like me?"
"She will! But Harry, who are you talking about?"
Harry looked a bit confused.
"Huh? After all that, you don't know who it is?"
"No, which one of us is forgetful? Who are you talking about?"
"Of course it's Romilda Vane, who did you think I was talking about?"
"Oh, Merlin's beard, Xiao Deng, has Harry been hit by some Memory Charm, or am I losing my mind?"
"I don't know Romilda Vane!"
Harry stared straight at Neville.
"You don't know her, yet you said she would love me?"
"Good heavens, the Boy Who Lived is going crazy!"
"It's normal that I don't know her, it's not like I'm the one trying to date her!"
Harry's eyes went blank, and his expression froze.
"That's right, you don't love her, so what does it matter if you know her or not!"
Neville rolled his eyes.
"Ron is a bit crazy today, and you're a bit crazy too."
"Harry, this joke isn't funny at all, it's not even as fun as Seamus blowing up a cauldron!"
"What the f?"
"When did I provoke you? I haven't blown anything up recently!"
The two's bickering was interrupted by Harry.
"I'm not joking, I've fallen in love with her."
Seamus scratched his hair, which hadn't been blown bald.
"Good heavens, what is Harry doing?"
At this moment, Ron, who had finished arguing, returned from outside.
As soon as he entered, he felt an extremely abnormal atmosphere.
He sat down on his bed slowly. Before he could even ask, Harry rushed over and sat on his bed too.
"I've fallen in love with her!"
"What?"