Chapter 115, Chapter 113. A Jerk.
Christmas was approaching.
Hermione specifically sought out Lynn that day.
"Really! You can come home with me for Christmas, my mom and dad will really welcome you!"
Hermione was trying her best to persuade Lynn to come home with her to meet her parents.
Of course, Lynn couldn't accept this. He didn't want to be sentenced to death, or at least three years in prison.
"I have other things to do at school, and besides, I'm really not lonely. Ian and Cedric aren't going back this year, they'll be with me."
"But Hogwarts isn't your home! Don't you want to go home and see them? Umaru and Kira are waiting for you at home." Hermione started to persuade Lynn from a different angle.
Lynn looked up and thought.
"I haven't really thought about that yet. In previous years, it was just me at home, but now there are two more people, it would be a bit awkward not to go back..."
Hearing him say this, Hermione's face lit up with joy. She thought Lynn had changed his mind.
But then Lynn poured cold water on her.
"But it really won't work this year. I have very important things to do at Hogwarts, and I really can't leave. Why don't you go back and apologize to them for me? I'll definitely go back to spend Christmas with them next year."
The little girl seemed genuinely angry; she said huffyly.
"You should apologize to them yourself!"
Hermione stormed off.
But Lynn really had no choice. He genuinely had things to do at Hogwarts and simply couldn't go back.
As for Hermione's little tantrum…
the temper of children her age is like the British sky—clouds come and go in an instant, and they don't hold grudges.
Lynn has been busy again these past few days.
Ian and Cedric are the same, because Lynn is teaching them the Imperius Charm.
This spell isn't easy to master; it's quite difficult, roughly comparable to the Ironclad Charm.
However, Cedric and Ian aren't ordinary third- and second-year wizards. One is a future champion representing Hogwarts in the Triwizard Tournament, and the other is a born werewolf.
The Impaler's Charm might be difficult, but for them, it's merely a spell with some initial difficulty, not something they're completely clueless about and unable to learn.
However, Peeves has been rather pitiful these past few days.
Lynn specifically sought him out and made him sign an unequal treaty.
Peeves would serve as their sparring partner for a month, in exchange for Lynn and Ian never using the spell against him again after that month.
This agreement wasn't verbal; Lynn specifically purchased a magical contract from Diagon Alley, wrote the contents of the agreement on it, and signed his name.
Only Lynn signed the agreement; Peeves didn't.
This magical contract had no effect on elves like Peeves; it was purely to bind Lynn and ensure Peeves would serve as their sparring partner for a month.
After all, there was no need to restrain Peeves; he had no chance of resisting him.
The location for practicing spells wasn't the Room of Requirement, not because Cedric and the others were afraid, but because of Peeves' big mouth.
If they brought Peeves there, within three days, all the young wizards at Hogwarts would know about the Room of Requirement.
Then Lynn would never find a quiet place in the castle again.
Lynn arranged for the practice location to be the empty classroom where he had previously practiced Dark Spells.
"Soul Binding Charm."
Ian, still with his indifferent face, cast a precise Soul Binding Charm on Peeves, who was floating erratically in mid-air.
A transparent membrane of light trapped Peeves for the nth time.
Peeves had become a fully-fledged tool ghost. He numbly took the Impaler's Spell, then habitually let Lynn flatten and roll him.
Lynn, while squeezing the incredibly smooth Peeves in his hand, gave Ian his approval.
"Very good, basically at a proficient level. With more practice, you'll soon reach the standard."
Cedric, carefully wiping his wand nearby, was watching Ian cast the spell, aiming to reach the standard even earlier.
He couldn't help but ask again,
"So Lynn, why are we learning this spell? Are you planning to wipe out all the ghosts in Hogwarts?"
Peeves's mischievous expression suddenly brightened; he felt like he'd discovered some incredible secret.
However, the next moment, Lynn stretched him into a long strip…
"How could I do something so boring?" He rolled Peeves back into a ball.
"You'll understand why I made you learn this after the Christmas holidays start."
Whenever they asked why they needed to learn the Soul Seal Charm, Lynn was always mysterious, unwilling to reveal anything, which Ian and Cedric found very strange.
After today's practice, Lynn had to go back to prepare Christmas presents, especially for Umaru and Kira, since they weren't going home for Christmas, they naturally needed to put more effort into their preparations.
Yesterday, there was a heavy snowfall, and the castle was covered in snowflakes. On his way back, Lynn saw George and Fred controlling a snowball, trying to make it hit Quirrell's scarf.
To protect his master's dignity, Quirrell clutched his scarf and ran away.
Eventually, Professor McGonagall discovered the twins' prank, and they were punished by having to clean the castle's toilets for a week.
Lynn watched this scene, a smile involuntarily creeping onto his lips.
He suddenly felt that Voldemort actually had it pretty tough.
...
Hermione, after venting her anger on Lynn this morning, stormed back to her dormitory.
She glanced at the nearly finished scarf on the bed, tossed it aside in frustration, and picked up her Transfiguration textbook, intending to review her lessons.
But she had no interest in studying; her eyes barely lingered on the textbook for three seconds before they were drawn to another book on the table.
"Hogwarts: A History of the School"
—Lynn had given it to her before the start of the school year…
She shook her head violently, silently repeating to herself, "
Don't think about that bastard, don't think about that bastard…"
But before she could finish, she subconsciously touched the pendant she always wore around her neck.
It was a small glass ball containing a beautiful miniature version of Hogwarts, a Christmas present Lynn had given her last year.
Hermione was even angrier.
She was angry at herself.
Abandoning her book, she pulled out the unfinished scarf again, muttering curses under her breath as she prepared to finish it.
Hermione's roommate, Parvati Petit, returned to the dormitory at that moment.
"Who are you knitting a scarf for? Your father?"
Hermione gritted her teeth as she answered.
"No, he's a jerk."
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(End of Chapter)