Chapter 140 The Guardian's Curse Unleashes its Divine Power
The train stopped.
Harry, being closest to the door, pushed open the sliding door and peered out. The corridor was in chaos, students were crammed at the entrance, chattering about what had happened.
"What's going on?" Ron also stood up.
No sooner had he spoken than the lights went out.
The entire carriage was plunged into darkness instantly.
The noise in the corridor grew louder; some people screamed, some fumbled for something, and others bumped into walls.
"What's happening? Why are the lights off?"
"Hey, Penelope, where are you? Are you okay?"
"Let go, Percy, that's my foot!"
Hermione clutched Crookshanks, and the cat let out a low whimper.
"Lumos."
Charlie's voice rang out in the darkness.
A ball of silvery-white light floated from the tip of his wand, hovering in the center of the compartment, its orange-yellow glow illuminating the entire space.
Ron cowered behind Charlie, his face pale.
Hermione also pulled out her wand and cast the Spell. Another ball of light appeared, making the carriage a bit brighter, but Hermione's light could not detach from her wand. This made Hermione quite displeased; how could he even find a new way to cast a Lumos Spell?
In the corridor outside the compartment, students gradually lit their wands.
Tiny specks of light appeared in the darkness, and the carriage finally felt less oppressive.
Professor Lupin opened his eyes.
He sat up straight, looking at the floating ball of light in the compartment, a hint of surprise flashing across his face.
"That's an excellent level of magic," his voice was a little hoarse.
"Which house are you from? If we were at school, I should be able to award you points."
Charlie turned his head.
"Hufflepuff."
Professor Lupin nodded, just about to say something, when the compartment's sliding door was suddenly pushed open.
A figure stood at the entrance.
It was so tall it almost touched the ceiling, clad in a black cloak, with a hood covering its entire face. A hand emerged from beneath the cloak, grayish-white, its skin shriveled and clinging to the bones, covered in spots and wrinkles, like a dead person crawled out of a grave.
Charlie gripped his wand. By all accounts, nothing usually went wrong on the school train, but this ghostly thing didn't look like a good person.
Several similar figures were roaming the corridor.
Professor Lupin frowned deeply.
"Dementor? Why is it on the train?"
The Dementor stood at the entrance, neither speaking nor moving. It slowly took a breath, letting out a chilling rattle.
A bone-chilling cold instantly swept through the entire compartment, even frosting over the train windows.
Charlie felt the air seemed to freeze, the temperature plummeted, and his breaths were filled with icy moisture.
Hermione hugged Crookshanks tightly, and the cat let out a piercing hiss.
Ron was frozen in his seat, his face pale.
Harry sat on the outermost seat, closest to the thing.
His face turned ashen, his lips purple, and his body trembled violently.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but not a single word came out. He looked as if his throat had been squeezed, his breathing rapid and chaotic.
Professor Lupin suddenly stood up, his face anxious. He pulled out his wand, ready to save Harry.
But at this moment, a silvery-white light ignited beside him.
Charlie raised his wand.
"Expecto Patronum."
A silvery-white light burst from the tip of the wand, instantly filling the entire compartment.
The light condensed into shape, forming a divine dragon, circling in the air.
The divine dragon was several meters long, its scales shimmering in the silver light, its whiskers flowing, its claws sharp, and its eyes exuding majesty.
The Dementor at the entrance was like snow exposed to scorching sunlight; its cloak began to melt.
The Dementor recoiled a step, letting out a low growl.
The divine dragon rushed out of the compartment and soared straight down the corridor.
All the wandering figures in the corridor were swallowed by the divine dragon; their black cloaks dissipated in the silver light, turning into wisps of black mist.
Gasps of surprise from students echoed throughout the carriage.
In less than a few seconds, all those figures vanished.
The divine dragon flew out of the train, circling in the dark sky, its silvery-white light illuminating the entire heavens.
With the Dementor gone, the temperature in the train warmed up, and students crowded to the windows, gazing in awe at the sacred figure in the sky.
"What is that?"
Inside a certain compartment, Ernie and Justin calmly withdrew their gaze, looking disdainful.
"You've never seen anything. That's Charlie's Patronus Charm."
"What! The Patronus Charm can be that powerful?"
"I've seen my dad use it; his Patronus is tiny."
"It's okay, tiny is also very cute."
Looking at their shocked classmates in the carriage, Ernie and Justin felt a secret thrill. "Holy cow, so this is how good Charlie feels when he shows off!"
Charlie's compartment was very quiet.
Professor Lupin stood rooted to the spot, his wand still raised, his expression shocked and disbelieving.
He turned his head and looked at Charlie.
"You... what year are you in?"
"Third year." Charlie calmly put away his wand.
Professor Lupin fell silent.
A third-year student, capable of conjuring a Patronus of this caliber?
This fully corporeal Patronus looked as if a real creature had appeared before their eyes.
At this level, there were only a few people in the entire magic world who could do it.
Ron's voice was tearful: "Can you two stop chatting for a moment? Harry has fainted!"
Hermione suddenly snapped back to reality. She knelt beside Harry, reaching out to touch his forehead.
"Oh my, his skin is like ice."
Professor Lupin hurried over, crouching down to check on Harry's condition.
Ron was frantic, reaching out to slap Harry's face.
"Harry, wake up! Harry!"
Slap, slap, slap.
Each slap was loud.
Harry's tightly closed eyes suddenly opened, his voice weak.
"If you hit me again, I'll really faint."
Ron's hand froze in mid-air, a little embarrassed.
"You're awake?"
Ron helped Harry sit up against the seat, and Hermione quickly handed him a cup of water.
Professor Lupin pulled a large bar of chocolate from his pocket, broke it into several pieces, and distributed it to everyone.
"Eat some, chocolate will make you feel better."
Ron took the chocolate but didn't eat it, instead asking Harry.
"What happened to you just now?"
Harry clutched the chocolate, his face still very pale.
"I heard someone screaming, and then my head hurt terribly."
Ron was stunned.
"Screaming? How come I didn't hear anything?"
Hermione also shook her head. "I didn't hear anything either."
Professor Lupin sighed, his tone heavy.
"No one was screaming; the Dementor made you relive the most painful memories hidden deep in your heart."
Harry looked up, his eyes full of confusion.
"What is a Dementor?"
"The guards of Azkaban," Professor Lupin said. "They feed on human happiness, and those who come near them relive the worst memories of their lives."
Charlie was a little puzzled.
"Then why would they appear on the train?"
Professor Lupin's face grew even uglier.
"It must be to catch Sirius Black, this is at the Ministry of Magic's instruction."
Charlie had originally thought that the Ministry of Magic having an Umbridge was foolish enough, but he hadn't expected there to be an even more skilled person.
How could such an obviously uncontrollable thing be placed on the train without any supervision? Whose subordinate is this? I would like to appoint him as Minister of Justice.
Just then, a commotion suddenly erupted in the corridor, and someone was shouting.
"Who is it? Who is obstructing the Ministry of Magic's enforcement?"
Chapter 141 Dementors are no threat? Then you should get closer to them.
Charlie's expression turned cold.
Was this like the Dingfeng Pearl against the Yellow Wind Great Sage—to block sand and avoid wind?
If he didn't have the strength to fight Dementors, if Professor Lupin wasn't in the carriage, what would be the fate of all these students, including himself?
And now, people from the Ministry of Magic were still blustering outside.
Professor Lupin noticed the danger in Charlie's eyes, and his eyelids twitched.
Charlie's strength was evident from the Patronus Charm just now, and young people tend to be heavy-handed; he shouldn't let things get out of hand.
So he stepped forward.
"I'll handle it."
He pushed the door open and walked into the corridor, where two Aurors in dark blue robes were standing. One of them held a wand, and the other was pushing open the doors of compartment after compartment, looking inside.
"You should control those Dementors," Professor Lupin's voice was calm.
"Don't let them run wild."
The Auror holding the wand turned his head and scrutinized Lupin, his eyes full of vigilance.
They only saw Lupin, an adult Wizard, and naturally assumed the Patronus Charm had been cast by him, so they warned:
"We are on official business. Searching for Sirius Black is the Dementors' duty. You'd best let them out."
Lupin didn't answer; his gaze fell on the compartment door that the other Auror had pushed open.
Inside, a little Witch was curled up on the seat, her face pale, her body still trembling, clearly terrified by the Dementor.
"Recall the Dementors," Lupin's tone became firm.
"Sirius Black isn't here, only a group of students you almost killed."
The Auror holding the wand sneered.
"Dementors don't attack people without reason; they are only interested in the guilty."
"There must be something wrong in your carriage." The other Auror walked over, reaching out to push open the door of the compartment where Charlie was.
"Let us in to inspect."
No sooner had he spoken than a crunching sound suddenly came from outside the train.
Vines snaked through the cracks of the windows, growing wildly along the inner walls of the carriage, covering the entire corridor ceiling in the blink of an eye.
The two Aurors' faces instantly changed.
"What is this—"
Before he could finish speaking, the vines suddenly lunged down, wrapping around the wrist of the Auror holding the wand.
"Bombarda!"
The Auror cast a spell at the vines, but there were too many; one was blasted apart, and immediately three more replaced it from the side.
The other Auror also pulled out his wand, but his ankle was already entangled by vines. The vines tightened, he lost his balance, and he fell to the ground.
"Let me go!"
The two struggled desperately, wands flailing wildly, but to little effect. They were wrapped up like zongzi by the vines and suspended in mid-air.
The students in the corridor shrieked and retreated, huddling together.
Lupin's expression was helpless; he turned his head and looked at the compartment door, having a suspicion.
Charlie walked out from inside and said calmly.
"I don't think that's necessary anymore."
The two Aurors saw Charlie and only then realized that he was controlling these vines.
"It's you?" the front Auror struggled to shout.
"Do you know what you're doing? Attacking law enforcement officers of the Ministry of Magic is a serious crime. Don't think you can get away with it just because you're a student."
The other Auror also spoke urgently: "Don't ever go down the path of crime! It's still not too late to stop now!"
Charlie ignored them. What crime or no crime, fists were the real truth.
When Lord Voldemort was rampant, why didn't the Ministry of Magic convict him?
Charlie raised his wand, and the vines dragged the two through the corridor, crashed open the carriage door, and threw them onto the muddy ground outside the train.
The vines grew wildly on the ground, weaving into a sturdy cage, trapping the two inside.
"Don't you think Dementors won't harm people?" Charlie's voice was calm.
He waved his hand.
The divine dragon circling in the sky suddenly swooped down, hovering above the carriage. Its mouth opened, and black mist gushed out in clumps.
The black mist fell to the ground, re-condensing into those black-robed figures.
The Dementors stumbled to their feet, a head shorter than before, their cloaks tattered, as if chewed up and spit out.
Professor Lupin was somewhat anxious.
He shouted: "Calm down, don't be impulsive!"
The other party was a Professor after all, Charlie didn't ignore him, and said.
"I am very calm!"
"As law enforcement officers, they disregarded the lives of all these students." His tone was flat.
"Now I'm just letting them taste the same thing, Professor, am I not calm?"
Professor Lupin was speechless.
The Dementors instinctively stayed away from the carriage, but they were too weak and starving.
Their grayish-white hands waved in the air, and finally, they could only turn their gaze to the two Aurors in the cage.
"No!" one Auror shrieked.
The Dementors howled as they floated towards the cage, their black cloaks spreading in the air.
The faces of the two Aurors instantly turned ashen; they frantically raised their wands.
"Expecto Patronum!"
Silvery-white light emerged from the tips of their wands, barely forming two blurry shapes, one like a dog, one like a bird, but both pitifully small, swaying in the air.
The Dementors pounced.
Those two light figures retreated steadily before the numerous Dementors.
Just then, the train driver arrived upon hearing the commotion and poked his head out to look at the situation outside the carriage.
A cage woven of vines, weak Dementors, and those two pale-faced Aurors.
The driver swallowed.
"What happened?"
Charlie withdrew his gaze. "Nothing, just drive."
The driver glanced at the two Aurors struggling in the cage. This didn't look like nothing?
But what could he do? He was just a driver.
The driver wiped the sweat from his forehead and quickly walked back to the front of the train.
Steam gushed, and the train slowly started.
Professor Lupin stood in the corridor, looking at the two Aurors being left behind outside the window, his expression somewhat complex.
The two still held their wands; they should be able to hold on until the Ministry of Magic sent someone to rescue them... right?
A round of applause erupted in the corridor.
The students crowded at the train windows, excitedly discussing what had just happened.
When the Dementors approached earlier, they felt all their joy being drained away. Now, seeing the Aurors in a predicament, they felt immensely satisfied.
Charlie walked back to the compartment and sat down on the seat.
Harry's face had improved considerably, and he had finished his chocolate.
Hermione looked at Charlie with some concern.
"Will you be in trouble?"
Charlie leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes. "It's fine."
He had already witnessed the strength of the Ministry of Magic last time; it couldn't be described as very strong, at least it was completely unthreatening, and Charlie didn't care at all.
Chapter 142 Opening Dinner
When the train stopped at Hogsmeade Station, it was pouring rain outside.
The rain lashed against the platform, making a splattering sound.
Students crowded off the train, with screams and complaints everywhere.
Hagrid's voice rang out in the rain.
"First-years over here! Follow me!"
He stood in the rain, holding an oil lamp, like a small mountain. The first-year students followed him towards the lake.
Charlie pulled up his hood and walked along another muddy path.
Dozens of carriages were parked there, and as soon as they were filled, black Thestrals spread their wings, pulling the loaded carriages towards the school.
Just as he reached the school gate, Charlie saw two figures standing at the main entrance.
Hoods covered their faces, and black cloaks fluttered in the rain.
Dementors.
Charlie's eyes narrowed slightly. Were these things even in the school?
But he didn't pay attention. In Hogwarts, Dementors couldn't cause much trouble.
The carriages stopped at the Castle gate, and students disembarked, splashing through puddles as they ran into the Great Hall.
Draco shook the rain from his hair and saw Harry get off another carriage, a sneer on his face.
"I heard you fainted from a Dementor, Potter," his voice was full of schadenfreude.
"Hope you weren't too scared when you passed the entrance just now."
Ron pushed his way over, gritting his teeth.
"Get lost, Malfoy."
Draco rolled his eyes.
"I wasn't looking for you, what's it to you?"
He turned around and quickly caught up with Charlie.
Harry's face turned crimson, and Ron pulled his arm, whispering, "Don't mind him, let's go."
The stone steps were crowded with students, all eager to enter the Castle to escape the rain.
Water dripped from their hoods, and their shoe soles were covered in mud.
Charlie walked up the steps and pushed open the oak doors.
The Great Hall was brightly lit, and warm air rushed out.
Golden plates and goblets were already set on the long tables, and the ceiling reflected the storm outside, with lightning rolling in the clouds.
The first-year students hadn't arrived yet.
Professor McGonagall stood at the entrance of the Great Hall, her voice cutting through the noisy crowd: "Charlie, Harry, Hermione, come here."
Charlie and Hermione looked as usual, only Harry's heart was thumping.
Professor McGonagall always made him feel like he had done something wrong, even when he hadn't done anything.
The three followed Professor McGonagall down a long corridor to her office.
Opening the door, Dumbledore was sitting inside, holding a lemon sherbet and slowly peeling the wrapper.
"Professor Lupin said you weren't feeling well on the train, Harry," Professor McGonagall began.
Harry's face instantly turned red.
Everyone else was fine, only he fainted, which made him wish he could find a hole to crawl into.
"I'm fine," he quickly said.
"Professor Lupin gave me chocolate, and I feel much better."
Professor McGonagall frowned slightly, clearly not quite believing him.
"Do you want to stay in the hospital wing for a week for observation? Madam Pomfrey has beds available."
"No!" Harry almost jumped up.
"Really no, Professor, I'm fine."
He was already imagining Malfoy's face.
If he had to stay in the hospital wing for this reason, that guy would mock him all year.
Professor McGonagall saw that Harry was indeed fine, so she didn't insist.
She turned around and looked at Charlie, her expression immediately becoming serious.
"Mr. White, how could you lock Aurors and Dementors together?" Her voice was tinged with annoyance.
"Fortunately, the Ministry of Magic discovered them in time and rescued them. Those two Aurors were almost sucked senseless when they were rescued."
Charlie pouted, what a pity, the Dementors didn't suck them to death.
"Alright, alright, I was wrong, I was wrong, I know, I know."
He humored her verbally, but there was no remorse in his tone.
Dumbledore was slightly lost in thought at the side.
Charlie had not taken the two men's wands; if he wanted to, he could have done so completely.
So Charlie didn't want to kill the two men, he just wanted to teach them a lesson.
Dumbledore knew this well, so he didn't think Charlie had any major problems.
This sharp, uncompromising demeanor reminded Dumbledore of his younger self.
"Professor Dumbledore, please say something."
Professor McGonagall was looking at him with confusion.
Dumbledore looked up, pretending to have just come back to his senses.
"Ah, what? Oh, the feast should be starting soon, we should go to the feast."
Professor McGonagall was speechless; it was this rotten Principal who set the example, leading to the current students being lawless.
She sighed and turned to Charlie and Harry, saying:
"You two wait outside for a bit. I need to talk to Hermione about the timetable."
Charlie and Harry walked out of the office and stood in the corridor.
A few minutes later, the office door opened.
Hermione and the two Professors walked out. Hermione's face showed a bit of excitement, and she seemed to be in a good mood.
The group came to the Great Hall together. The Sorting Ceremony had already ended, and the new students were all sitting at their respective House tables, their faces still showing nervousness and excitement.
Charlie returned to the Hufflepuff table, and as soon as he sat down, Ernie and Justin leaned over.
"How was it?" Ernie whispered.
"Did Professor McGonagall punish you?"
Justin was also very nervous.
"Those two Aurors from the Ministry of Magic were scared half to death by the Dementors; will they cause you trouble?"
Charlie waved his hand.
"It's nothing, the Professor just wanted to understand the situation."
Ernie breathed a sigh of relief, patting his chest.
Dumbledore stood up and walked to the front of the staff table, his silver-white beard shimmering in the candlelight.
The noise in the Great Hall gradually quieted down.
"Welcome back to Hogwarts, everyone," his voice was clear and loud, audible in every corner.
"Before the new school year begins, there are a few things I need to make clear to everyone."
The Great Hall was silent, everyone looking at him.
"First, for safety reasons, the Ministry of Magic has dispatched several Azkaban guards—Dementors—to be stationed around the school," Dumbledore's tone became serious.
"They will remain at Hogwarts for some time, until Sirius Black is captured."
The students' faces all looked grim. Their experience on the train just now was still vivid, that bone-chilling cold feeling, no one wanted to experience it again.
Listening to Dumbledore's tone, Charlie felt that he probably wasn't very satisfied with the Ministry of Magic's actions either.
Dumbledore paused, then continued:
"I must warn everyone, Dementors are extremely dangerous creatures. They do not distinguish between prey and innocents, nor do they obey anyone's orders other than the Ministry of Magic." His gaze swept across the Great Hall.
"Therefore, I hope everyone does not give them any excuse to harm you."
"No one is allowed to leave the school without permission, otherwise, the consequences of encountering a Dementor will be unimaginable." His voice became even more severe.
"I hope the prefects and Head Boy of each House will ensure that students do not come into conflict with Dementors."
Percy immediately puffed out his chest, his face full of pride and responsibility. He looked around, as if he had already begun to fulfill his duties as Head Boy.
Charlie noticed a few snickers from the Gryffindor side, but in his opinion, Percy's conscientiousness was commendable.
Of course, if he tried to manage him, that would be another matter.
Chapter 143 Don't bring a sword! Don't bring a sword!
After addressing the serious matters, Dumbledore's expression softened.
"Secondly, I am delighted to announce that we have two new Professors."
He gestured towards the staff table. "First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly agreed to take on the role of Defense Against the Dark Arts Class Professor."
Scattered applause echoed through the Great Hall, mostly coming from Gryffindor.
Professor Lupin stood up and nodded to the students.
His face was still pale, and the patches on his Wizard robes were particularly noticeable in the candlelight; his appearance was indeed not very appealing.
Many students were whispering.
"He doesn't look very capable, far worse than Lockhart."
"Oh come on, what's the use of just being good-looking? Lockhart was nothing but a show-off anyway."
At this moment, Charlie stood up and joined in the applause.
In Charlie's opinion, Professor Lupin's strength was still unclear, but his performance on the train definitely showed him to be a competent and respectable Professor.
When Hufflepuff students saw Charlie start clapping, they also began to applaud, and the applause spread from the Hufflepuff table, leading to thunderous applause throughout the Great Hall.
Professor Lupin was a little flustered for a moment; he had never experienced such a popular scene and looked at Charlie with some gratitude.
Charlie gave him a slight nod.
At this moment, Charlie felt a cold gaze. He turned his head and saw Snape staring at him with narrowed eyes.
Charlie was puzzled, "I didn't provoke him, did I? Did he find out about the doodles I drew of him in my textbook?"
Dumbledore continued:
"Additionally, our gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid, has agreed to be the Professor for Care of Magical Creatures Class."
"The previous Professor, Professor Kettleburn, retired last semester."
Applause once again filled the Great Hall. Hagrid stood up, so excited he almost knocked over his chair, his face flushed red as he continuously waved to the students.
Only those who knew him understood how difficult this was; Hagrid had carried a huge burden due to the Chamber of Secrets incident.
It was only because the Chamber of Secrets incident recurred last year that the injustice against Hagridwas cleared, otherwise, he would not have been able to become a Hogwarts Professor.
A few cheers came from Gryffindor, clearly, Hagrid was popular among the students.
Charlie suddenly understood; no wonder this semester's Care of Magical Creatures Class textbook was so strange. If Hagrid requested it, it made perfect sense.
Dumbledore waited for the applause to die down, then raised his hands to signal for quiet.
"Finally, the school has added a new rule."
His gaze swept across the Great Hall, finally resting on the Hufflepuff table.
"No swords, no swords!"
He repeated it twice, his tone serious: "This school does not support flying with swords. Last semester, three students broke their legs because of flying swords."
A burst of laughter erupted in the Great Hall.
As Dumbledore spoke, he looked towards Charlie, the instigator.
Charlie's expression was normal, "What does that have to do with me? I didn't bring a flying sword."
Finally, Dumbledore raised both hands, his voice booming:
"Alright, that's all for the important matters. Now, let the feast begin!"
As soon as he finished speaking, all sorts of food appeared out of thin air on the long tables. Roast chicken, steak, mashed potatoes, meat pies, and various vegetable salads and bread rolls. Goblets were filled with pumpkin juice and butterbeer.
The rich aroma of meat and the abundant juices stimulated everyone's appetite.
After the feast, Charlie and the others returned to their dormitory.
The Hufflepuff common room was still the same: round tables, sofas, a fireplace, and several portraits hanging on the walls.
Charlie walked through the common room and pushed open the door to the boys' dormitory.
His trunk had already been placed by his bed. He walked over, bent down, and opened the box.
A dark little thing was squatting in the corner of the box, its back to him, looking withdrawn.
Charlie reached out and poked its back.
"Still angry?"
The figure turned around, its black bean eyes full of displeasure; it was Zhu Di.
Zhu Di spat at Charlie, then turned back around, presenting its backside to him.
Charlie squatted down and tried to persuade it:
"Don't be angry. It's just that I brought you out of the box. What's so good about lying on gold, eating and drinking all day?"
Upon hearing this, Zhu Di bristled with anger.
It stood up, pointed its claws at Charlie, and squeaked incessantly, every single hair seeming to curse him.
Charlie found its appearance somewhat amusing.
He pulled a piece of pumpkin cake from his pocket and dangled it in front of Zhu Di.
"Alright, alright, all that gold is safely in the box. When we go back for the holidays, not a single bit will be missing. Here's this cake for you. You must be hungry from not eating."
Zhu Di stared at the pumpkin cake for a few seconds, eventually unable to resist its rumbling stomach. It extended a claw, took the cake, and started gnawing on it, still pouting.
The next morning, Ernie and Justin knocked on Charlie's bed curtains.
"Charlie, wake up!" Ernie's voice was urgent.
"First Divination Class this morning, at the top of the North Tower. It's a long way, so we need to leave early."
Justin also urged from the side: "We heard from the older students that Professor Trelawney's place is hard to find. One senior got lost for half an hour before finding the classroom."
Charlie lay in bed, his eyes still closed, merely extending one hand and waving it at the two of them.
Ernie and Justin exchanged glances, instantly understanding.
"Alright then." Ernie sighed.
"We'll go to the Great Hall first. Don't oversleep yourself."
The two left the dormitory after speaking, their footsteps gradually fading.
Charlie rolled over and continued to sleep. Monday morning's bed was always so tempting, making one completely unwilling to leave.
After an unknown amount of time, a rich aroma wafted into his nose.
Snap.
With a soft sound, the House-elf Billy Apparated to the bedside, holding a silver platter with pan-fried lamb chops.
The gravy glistened invitingly under the light, accompanied by golden roasted potatoes and a small dish of mint sauce.
"Billy has prepared a delicious breakfast for Little Wizards," Billy said proudly.
Charlie opened his eyes, glanced at the plate, and immediately sat up.
"Thank you, Billy."
These words made Billy incredibly excited.
"Charlie praised Billy! Charlie is truly the greatest Wizard!"
Watching Billy's excitement, Charlie couldn't help but marvel at how amazing Wizards were, having turned House-elves into nuclear-powered donkeys, consuming only a word of praise per hundred miles.
He pulled out his wand and cast a cleaning charm on himself.
A refreshing sensation swept from his head to his entire body; his hair was neat, the oiliness on his face was gone, and even the air in his mouth became fresh.
Charlie took the silver platter, forked a piece of lamb chop, and took a bite.
Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, the meat was delicious, and with the mint sauce, it was absolutely divine.
After breakfast, Charlie raised his wand.
"Apparition!"
A sensation of squeezing came, and the next second, he had appeared in the narrow corridor at the top of the North Tower.
The corridor was narrow, with several portraits hanging on the walls, all the figures in the paintings dozing off.
A strong, sweet, cloying scent of incense hung in the air, making one want to sneeze.
As soon as Charlie stood firm, a panting sound came from behind him.
"Finally… here…"
Ernie leaned against the wall, his face flushed, sweat dripping from his forehead.
Justin was even worse; he squatted directly on the ground, gasping for air, his school robes soaked with sweat.
The two looked up and saw Charlie standing at the end of the corridor, looking completely at ease.
Ernie was stunned.
Justin was also dumbfounded.
"No way…" Ernie pointed at Charlie, unable to speak coherently.
"We got up so early, climbed so many floors, put in so much effort to get up here, how are you ahead of us?"
Charlie gave a charming smile: "If you're weak, practice more!"
This made Ernie and Justin roll their eyes in exasperation.
Chapter 144 I can tell fortunes under the overpass too!
"So, do you know where the classroom is?"
Ernie pointed above his head.
Charlie looked up; there was a circular trapdoor in the ceiling.
The door panel was made of dark brown wood, embedded with a brass plaque engraved with the words: Sybill Trelawney, Divination Class Teacher.
Just then, the trapdoor suddenly opened.
A silver ladder descended from the ceiling, its end stopping right in front of the three of them.
Charlie climbed the ladder, and his vision suddenly cleared.
It was a circular attic, converted into the style of an old-fashioned tearoom.
The curtains were tightly drawn, and the entire room was enveloped in a hazy red glow.
In the center of the room were twenty small round tables, each covered with a dark red tablecloth, on which sat teapots and cups.
Ernie and Justin also climbed up, standing at the ladder's opening, looking around.
"This doesn't look like a classroom at all," Justin whispered.
"Indeed, it looks like a tarot reading room specifically for tricking little girls," Charlie agreed wholeheartedly.
Charlie found a table and sat down, with Ernie and Justin closely following and sitting beside him.
After a while, all the students had arrived, and footsteps echoed from the shadows.
A figure emerged from behind the curtains.
She was incredibly thin, with countless necklaces, beads, and pendants hanging from her slender neck, clinking incessantly.
She wore a pair of enormous glasses, the lenses as thick as bottle bottoms, magnifying her eyes several times over behind them, giving one the Funhouse Mirror effect.
Professor Trelawney stood in the center of the room, her voice wavering.
"Welcome, it's so good to finally see you in the material world."
"Please sit, my children."
All the students obediently sat down.
"Welcome to Divination Class, but I need to tell you that this is the most profound of all magic subjects; if you don't have enough talent, without the inner eye, you can never learn it."
This left Ernie and Justin stunned. What about the easy class they were promised? Were the seniors lying?
Professor Trelawney slowly walked to a table, picked up a teapot, poured a cup of tea for each student, and one for herself.
"Drink, my children," her voice was very ethereal.
"Drink all the tea, then swirl the tea leaves three times with your left hand, then invert the cup, wait for the tea to drain, and then observe the tea leaves at the bottom of the cup."
Charlie picked up his teacup and took a sip.
It didn't taste very good; it was bitter, like overnight tea that had been steeped for a day.
Professor Trelawney walked back and forth in the classroom, the hem of her skirt rustling on the floor.
"The shape of the tea leaves will tell you the secrets of the future. Open your Trivializing the Future, page five, and interpret the shapes of the tea leaves according to the content there."
The students all opened their textbooks, which had various patterns drawn on the pages with corresponding meanings annotated next to them.
Ernie held up his cup, carefully looking at the tea leaves at the bottom.
"What can you even see from this?" he muttered softly.
Justin also leaned over to look.
"It looks like a pile of mosaic; you could say anything."
Just then, Professor Trelawney walked to their table and reached out to take Ernie's teacup.
She held up the cup and observed it carefully against the hazy red light.
Her eyes narrowed into slits behind her lenses, and her lips trembled slightly.
After a long while, she slowly put down the teacup, her expression becoming solemn.
"My child," her voice was very low, as if Ernie's life was short.
"I see… ill omen."
Ernie was stunned.
"Ill omen?" His voice was a little shaky.
"What ill omen?"
Professor Trelawney closed her eyes, took a deep breath, as if sensing something invisible.
"I see blood," she said.
"Flowing from your body, soaking the earth."
Ernie's face instantly turned pale.
"What? I… I'll get hurt?"
Professor Trelawney opened her eyes, her gaze full of sympathy.
"Fate cannot be changed, my child," she sighed.
"But you can try to avoid danger. Remember, do not go near sharp objects, do not go out at night, do not…"
Ernie was trembling all over, completely stiff on his seat cushion.
Justin was also terrified, almost dropping the teacup in his hand.
Charlie watched this scene, feeling a strong sense of déjà vu.
Why did this seem so much like a fortune teller under a bridge?
Always talking about a bloody disaster, followed by a few lines about losing money to avoid disaster—he was too familiar with this routine; he could do it too.
Professor Trelawney put down Ernie's teacup, turned around, and her gaze fell on Charlie.
"Child," she extended a finger, pointing at Charlie.
"Let me see your teacup."
Charlie, however, shook his head and said solemnly.
"Professor, I see your forehead is dark, your brows and eyes show misfortune, your complexion is clouded, and you will soon face a bloody disaster."
Professor Trelawney was dumbfounded. Aren't these all my lines?
Before Professor Trelawney could react, Charlie directly took the teacup from her hand and looked down at the tea leaves at the bottom.
The tea leaves were piled together in a messy heap, with no discernible shape.
But Charlie's mind worked quickly.
He stared at the tea leaves for a few seconds, then looked up, his expression serious.
"Professor, I see a rather bad omen," his voice was very low, with a mysterious tone.
Professor Trelawney froze for a moment, her eyes behind the lenses appearing even larger.
"What omen?"
Charlie pointed to the tea leaves at the bottom of the cup and said earnestly:
"Here, this shape, it's like a pair of scissors."
"Scissors symbolize separation and harm. And the tip of these scissors is pointing right here."
He pointed to another spot in the tea leaves.
"There's a water droplet shape here, and water represents life. The tip of the scissors pointing at the water means life is threatened."
Professor Trelawney's face changed.
Charlie continued:
"Moreover, next to this water droplet, there's also a cross-shaped tea leaf. The cross represents medicine and aid, but this cross is inverted."
"An inverted cross means failed aid."
The room was deadly silent.
All the students stopped what they were doing, staring at Charlie in astonishment.
No way, buddy, you're actually good at this?
Professor Trelawney's hands trembled slightly, and her voice changed.
"You… you mean…"
Charlie nodded, his expression grave.
"Professor, you have a bloody disaster."
"Ah? Then… then what should I do?" Professor Trelawney immediately panicked.
[His Majesty fooled the Professor, defrauding the elderly, tyrant points +10]
Charlie was very satisfied. It seemed that the tricks he had learned in the past to read palms for girls were quite useful.
Chapter 145 The Lesson in Protecting Magical Animals
Charlie watched Professor Trelawney, whose face was pale and expression extremely serious.
"Professor, don't be afraid." He pulled a red crystal from his pocket and waved it in the dim red light.
"I happen to have an amulet here that can help you avert disaster."
This crystal was picked up by Zhu Di from who knows where. Seeing that Charlie liked it, Zhu Di very proactively handed it over to Charlie.
Zhu Di: You @#./.* * ... Professor Trelawney stared at the crystal and asked hopefully.
"What is this?"
Charlie said solemnly:
"This is a crystal amulet, which can ward off evil and dispel misfortune. If you wear it, the bloody disaster will naturally be resolved."
Professor Trelawney reached out and took the crystal, holding it in her palm and examining it carefully.
The crystal refracted a faint light under the red glow, and it really had a mysterious feel to it.
"How much?" She looked up, her tone very decisive.
Charlie said with a pained expression.
"This was originally from the hands of mysterious Gypsies, and I kept it for my own protection, but Professor, you really need this."
"How about this, a fixed price, ten Galleons. I'll reluctantly part with it for you. If it weren't for you being a Professor, it wouldn't be this cheap."
Professor Trelawney, without a word, pulled ten gold coins from her pocket and handed them to Charlie, then immediately hung the crystal around her neck.
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and her whole body relaxed.
"Much better." Her voice was full of gratitude.
"I feel it, that ominous aura is dissipating."
The foolish monarch sells fake amulets, extorts money, and commits fraud. tyrant points +10.
Charlie put away the gold coins, feeling delighted. Professors are really rich.
Professor Trelawney turned around and looked at the entire class, her voice much louder.
"Mr. White's prophecy was very brilliant, his inner eye extremely strong," she announced.
"Hufflepuff gets twenty points."
Ernie and Justin exchanged glances, their eyes strange.
Others might not know, but didn't they know that Charlie was just fooling people?
The bell rang for the end of class, and students packed their things, preparing to leave.
Ernie and Justin followed behind Charlie, descending the ladder.
For the latter half of the class, they imitated Charlie's wild fabrications, and Professor Trelawney kept praising their talent.
"So this isn't Divination Class," Ernie muttered.
"This is journalism."
Justin deeply agreed.
After Divination Class, they had another Charms Class. Professor Flitwick taught them to practice the Cheering Charm, and laughter occasionally echoed through the classroom.
At noon, Charlie and the two came to the Great Hall for lunch.
The Great Hall was already full of students, and the long tables were laden with all sorts of food.
Harry had just walked past the Slytherin long table when Draco immediately seized the opportunity.
"Be careful, Potter!" he shouted.
"Don't faint again. The Dementors at the school gate didn't scare you, did they?"
After speaking, he even pretended to lean back, eyes rolling back, tongue sticking out, as if a Dementorwas sucking him.
The Slytherin students burst into laughter.
Harry's face turned beet red, and he clenched his fists.
Ron was also so angry he wanted to rush over but was held back by Hermione.
Just then, Charlie walked into the Great Hall.
Harry saw him and immediately turned to walk towards the Hufflepuff long table. Ron and Hermionefollowed closely behind him.
The three sat down next to Charlie.
"Don't mind him," Hermione said. "Draco is just like that, always looking for trouble."
"I know." Harry's voice was muffled.
"But what he said is true, I did faint."
Ron defended Harry.
"He wasn't much better. I heard Fred say he was so scared he hid under the table."
"But he didn't faint, only I fainted."
"And in Divination Class this morning, Professor also predicted that the big black dog I saw was a sign of death. Oh, damned life, if you're going to kill me, just do it directly instead of tormenting me like this."
Gryffindor also had Divination Class this morning, but it wasn't the same class as Charlie's.
Ron's tone became serious:
"Did you really see a big black dog?"
"I did." Harry nodded.
"The night I left the Dursleys'."
Ron looked at Harry with a worried expression.
"That's really dangerous, brother. Most ominous signs seen by Wizards tend to come true."
Hermione frowned.
"That might just be an ordinary stray dog," she said.
"Don't believe too much in prophecies or signs of death. Those are all nonsense."
Ron pouted and whispered to Justin beside him.
"I think it's because Professor Trelawney said her talent was poor, so she holds a grudge against Divination Class."
"Snap!"
Hermione's face was expressionless as she broke the fries in her hand.
Senior Jenny, sitting nearby, heard their conversation and laughed.
"Don't believe Professor Trelawney's prophecies too much," she said.
"She says someone is going to die in every class; it's already a routine. But her class is the easiest; you just need to make things up."
Hermione looked smug upon hearing this and turned to Charlie.
"You also had Divination Class today," she asked.
"She must have predicted that one of you is going to die, right?"
Ernie gave two dry laughs.
"Haha, someone was indeed predicted."
Ron leaned in curiously.
"Who? Was it you or Justin?"
Ernie shook his head and pointed at Charlie.
"Charlie predicted that Professor Trelawney is going to die."
?
Show-off!
...After lunch, Charlie, Ernie, and Justin went outside the Castle for their first Care of Magical Creatures Class.
This class was shared by Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.
Hagrid was waiting at the door of his Hut, wearing a moleskin overcoat, with some hay still clinging to his clothes.
His hunting dog, Fang, lay at his feet, panting with his tongue hanging out.
"Is everyone here?" Hagrid's voice was very loud, and his mouth, beneath his black beard, spread into a wide smile.
"I have something good to show you today! Follow me!"
The students followed Hagrid across a grassy field.
The autumn wind was a bit chilly, and leaves rustled underfoot.
Hagrid led them to the outside of a small paddock. The paddock was enclosed by a wooden fence, and it was empty inside, with nothing at all.
"Alright, everyone gather around the fence," Hagrid waved.
"And then, open your textbooks first."
The students gathered by the fence, pulling out their monster book of monsters from their bags.
A Hufflepuff student raised his hand.
"Professor, how should we open it?"
Chapter 146 When I rode it, it was still calling your name.
Hagrid was stunned, his expression as if he had heard an incredible question.
The student held up the book.
The monster book of monsters was tied up like a crab with rope, still struggling and making clicking sounds.
Hagrid's mouth hung open, his eyes wide as saucers, his expression as if he was shocked that someone didn't know calculus.
"None of you know how to open your textbook?"
The students looked at each other, should they know how to handle this thing? Wasn't this the first class?
Charlie took out his monster book of monsters from his bag.
His book was very well-behaved, lying quietly in his hand, motionless.
Hagrid's eyes immediately lit up.
"Very good! Charlie!" He was so excited he almost jumped.
"Ten points to Hufflepuff! Come, show everyone how to open it."
"I usually just let it do it itself."
Charlie's eyes narrowed slightly, staring at the monster book of monsters.
"Open."
The monster book of monsters trembled, its pages flipping open by themselves, spreading out in Charlie's hand.
This time, it was Hagrid's turn to be dumbfounded.
"This..." Hagrid scratched his head. "This... uh..."
He looked at Charlie, then at the book in his hand, his expression very complex.
However, thinking that it was Charlie, he quickly became relieved.
After all, Charlie could even tame dragons, so what was a book?
"Ahem." Hagrid cleared his throat, quickly stopping several eager students.
"Don't copy him, that's not the normal way!"
He took the tied-up monster book of monsters from a student's hand and skillfully untied the rope.
"Watch closely," Hagrid said.
"You need to use your index finger, yes, this finger, and stroke down the spine of the book."
He extended his thick index finger and gently stroked the spine.
The monster book of monsters immediately quieted down, its pages spread open, lying obediently in his hand.
"See?" Hagrid held up the book for everyone to see.
"That's how it's done. They're actually very docile, as long as you know how to treat them."
The students all followed suit. Some succeeded, and their books opened obediently. Others were too rough and got bitten by the book, shaking their hands in pain.
Justin tried several times before succeeding, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
Ernie, on the other hand, managed it on the first try and looked very pleased.
Once everyone had opened their textbooks, Hagrid nodded in satisfaction.
"Excellent!" he said.
"Now I'll go bring the magical creatures over, you wait here."
With that, he strode deep into the forest.
Ernie watched Hagrid's retreating figure, lowering his voice to Charlie, "I somehow feel like he's not very reliable."
Charlie nodded.
"Then your feeling is quite accurate."
A moment later, a dozen animals trotted towards them.
Charlie's eyes lit up.
These creatures had the body, hind legs, and tail of a horse, but the front legs, wings, and head of an eagle. Their steel-like beaks glinted coldly in the sunlight, and their sharp claws trod on the grass, each step exuding ferocity.
Charlie stared at them for a few seconds, a question popping into his mind - was this an eagle cheating, or a horse having an affair?
But putting that aside, they were indeed quite handsome.
"See!" Hagrid's voice was booming.
"These are Hippogriffs! Aren't they beautiful?"
Except for Charlie, the other students instinctively took a step back.
Justin swallowed, staring at the bird's beak, which was tens of centimeters long, his face pale.
If that thing couldn't peck through a skull with one bite, it would indeed be quite beautiful.
"Today's lesson," Hagrid's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Is to make friends with Hippogriffs!"
The students took another step back.
"I... I don't want to feed an eagle." Justin's voice trembled.
"Or rather, feed a horse, whatever, I just don't want to feed this thing."
Ernie nodded repeatedly.
"I also think it's better not to."
Hagrid's expression froze, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes.
"Doesn't anyone want to come up and try? They're very gentle."
He looked around and found that only Charlie was still standing in place.
"Charlie!" His eyes pleaded. "Please come up and demonstrate for everyone."
Charlie shrugged and stepped forward.
Hagrid quickly said, "Hippogriffs are very proud; if they think you're insulting them, they'll get angry."
Charlie raised an eyebrow.
What a fiery temperament.
Such a spirited horse would be a perfect royal mount.
Hagrid picked one from the flock of Hippogriffs and led it in front of Charlie.
"This is Buckbeak."
Buckbeak stood there, its orange-yellow eyes staring coldly at Charlie.
There was another one next to it, which became agitated when Buckbeak was led away, constantly pawing at the ground with its claws.
The two looked like a pair.
"You must first bow to Buckbeak," Hagrid said.
"If it bows back, you can go and touch it. Remember, your bow must be deep enough, otherwise it will think you don't respect it."
Charlie stood in front of Buckbeak, motionless.
Bow? Should I avoid its sharp edge?
He looked coldly at Buckbeak.
Buckbeak also stared at Charlie, a hint of displeasure flashing in its orange-yellow eyes. It opened its beak and let out a sharp cry.
The atmosphere gradually solidified.
Buckbeak's feathers bristled, and its wings spread slightly, adopting an attacking posture.
"Charlie!" Hagrid was a little anxious.
"Bow! Bow!"
Just then, Buckbeak's mate rushed over, stood next to Buckbeak, dug several deep marks in the ground with its claws, and glared at Charlie.
The two Hippogriffs, one in front and one behind, emitted low growls of threat from their beaks.
Charlie's eyes narrowed slightly.
Don't like to be treated roughly? That's because it's not rough enough!
He suddenly unleashed his Monarch's Might.
An invisible pressure erupted from Charlie, like an unseen giant wave, crashing heavily on the two Hippogriffs.
Buckbeak's eyes instantly widened, fear flashing in its orange-yellow pupils. Its legs went soft, and it collapsed to the ground, its wings drooping limply by its sides.
Its mate was even worse off.
Its entire body was sprawled on the ground, its head pressed tightly against the grass, trembling all over.
Hagrid stood frozen, and the onlookers also widened their eyes.
Charlie stepped forward. Buckbeak still showed reluctance in its eyes, emitting a faint cry from its beak, but its mate had completely submitted, not daring to lift its head.
Charlie directly mounted its mate.
The Hippogriff trembled as it stood up, its wings spreading.
"Whoosh--"
The wind whistled past his ears.
Charlie grabbed the Hippogriff's feathers, and his entire body soared into the air.
The ground rapidly receded, and the spires of the Castle became smaller in his vision.
He soared around in the sky once, his robe flapping in the wind.
Looking down from the sky, Hogwarts looked like an exquisite model, and the students became tiny dots.
However, flying was nothing new to Charlie, so he patted the Hippogriff's neck.
"Go down."
The Hippogriff obediently swooped down, its wings retracting, and landed steadily on the ground.
Charlie dismounted from its back.
Buckbeak had already stood up, but its eyes showed fear, its head bowed low, not daring to look at Charlie.
What was with this sense of déjà vu of a husband witnessing a crime?
Chapter 147 An Unexpected Incident
As Charlie dismounted the Hippogriff, Hagrid immediately rushed over, his face red with excitement.
"Fantastic! Charlie! Ten more points to Hufflepuff!" His voice was booming, audible across the entire paddock.
"You did exceptionally well!"
Hagrid turned, looking at the other students with eyes full of anticipation.
"Come on, everyone, give it a try!" He waved his thick arms.
"But don't do what Charlie did; he's different. As long as you respect them and bow, they'll let you approach!"
The students looked at each other, no one daring to step forward.
Ernie swallowed, looking at Justin.
"Shall we try?"
Justin's face was a little pale, but he still nodded.
"Charlie went up, so it should be fine."
The two walked to the edge of the paddock, and Hagrid smiled even wider.
"Good! Hufflepuff students are very brave."
Hagrid picked two Hippogriffs from the flock and led them to stand before the two students.
"Remember, bow deeply enough," Hagrid said.
"Show your sincerity."
Ernie stood before the Hippogriff, took a deep breath, and bowed.
The Hippogriff stared at him for a few seconds, its orange-yellow eyes blinking, then it also lowered its head, its wings slightly folding.
Ernie breathed a sigh of relief and reached out to touch its feathers.
The feathers were softer than he imagined, carrying a warm aura.
"Ha! I did it!" Ernie turned his head excitedly.
Justin also copied the bow, and the Hippogriff hesitated for a moment before finally lowering its head.
Justin carefully stroked its neck, his tense shoulders finally relaxing.
"It feels alright," he whispered.
Hagrid clapped his hands, his smile stretching almost to his ears.
Seeing their success, the other students also grew bolder and came forward to try.
The paddock gradually became lively, with students cautiously bowing and the Hippogriffs cooperatively lowering their heads.
Occasionally, someone's bow wasn't deep enough and was ignored by a Hippogriff, but Hagrid would remind them from the side to try again.
Charlie stood aside, arms crossed, watching the commotion.
Just then, a Ravenclaw student walked over.
His name was Anthony, not tall, but with an unyielding spirit in his eyes.
Anthony stared at Charlie, then looked at the Hippogriff Charlie had just ridden, and pouted.
"Why doesn't he have to bow?" he muttered softly.
A classmate next to him tugged on his sleeve.
"Don't mess around, Professor Hagrid just said you must bow."
Anthony shook off his classmate's hand.
"So what? If Charlie doesn't have to bow, why should I?"
He strode over to Buckbeak, head held high, hands in his pockets.
Hagrid noticed him and quickly walked over.
"Hey, Anthony, don't stand in front of Buckbeak like that."
Anthony ignored him, just staring coldly at Buckbeak.
Buckbeak's eyes narrowed, a flicker of displeasure in its orange-yellow pupils.
That monster just now was one thing, but what little biscuit are you?
It raised its wings, a low warning sound coming from its beak.
"Anthony! Bow quickly!" Hagrid's voice became urgent.
Anthony still didn't move, even taking a step forward.
Buckbeak was completely enraged; wasn't this bullying an honest bird?
It suddenly spread its wings, feathers bristling, beak open, letting out a sharp cry, and pounced fiercely!
Anthony's face changed drastically, and he shrieked in terror.
"Ah--"
In the nick of time, Hagrid rushed forward.
He blocked Anthony with his thick arm, and Buckbeak's claws savagely raked his sleeve, but only tore the fabric.
"Buckbeak! Stop!" Hagrid shouted.
Buckbeak stopped its actions, its wings slightly folding, but its eyes were still full of fury.
Hagrid panted, turning to look at Anthony.
"Are you alright?"
Anthony slumped to the ground, his face ashen, trembling all over.
The observing students were all terrified.
"This creature is too dangerous," a Ravenclaw girl whispered.
"We shouldn't even be taking this class."
"Exactly, what if someone gets hurt?" another boy echoed.
Ernie frowned.
"He clearly didn't listen to the advice."
Justin also nodded.
"Professor Hagrid said to bow, but he wouldn't listen. Who does he think he is?"
Charlie looked at the chaos in the paddock, a little confused.
Hippogriffs were docile little animals to him, but not to ordinary students.
Was this Care of magical creatures class really this hardcore? Starting with intense material on the first lesson.
He walked to Hagrid's side, lowering his voice to ask, "Hagrid, for the first class of third year, are you sure you're teaching Hippogriffs?"
Hagrid froze for a moment, his gaze shifting, stammering, "It should... probably... be, yes."
Charlie raised an eyebrow; Hagrid's expression practically screamed 'I'm lying'.
Hagrid scratched his messy black beard, his voice growing softer: "Well, actually, no. But I thought Buckbeak would be more interesting."
Charlie chuckled, "Getting students scratched in half is certainly interesting."
"No, it won't," Hagrid immediately retorted.
"They won't hurt anyone, really, as long as you respect them, they'll be very docile."
Ernie, flipping through his textbook nearby, suddenly spoke:
"Hippogriffs are XXX-rated magical creatures; this type of creature does not pose a serious threat to experienced Wizards, but should be treated with caution."
Justin said in horror:
"We shouldn't count as experienced Wizards, right? Good thing it didn't attack me just now."
Charlie looked at Hagrid, saying jokingly, "I think XXX-rated isn't interesting enough. You should get a XXXXX-rated one; that would be fun."
Hagrid's eyes instantly lit up, his black beetle-like eyes sparkling under his hair.
"Really?" His voice rose by an octave with excitement.
"I think so too! To be honest, I actually wanted to bring Aragog."
Charlie froze: "Who is Aragog?"
Hagrid's expression stiffened, realizing he had let something slip.
"Nothing, nothing." He quickly waved his hand, his voice becoming indistinct.
"Just... just an old friend."
Charlie stared at Hagrid, probing.
"A 5X-rated magical creature?"
Hagrid's gaze was evasive.
"I remember Fudge mentioned you kept an Acromantula before, right?"
Hagrid was sweating profusely.
"Aragog is that Acromantula?"
Hagrid fled in disarray, rushing to soothe the startled students.
[Your Majesty incited the Professor to cause a terrorist attack in the Castle, tyrant points +20]
Charlie: ?
Bro, don't do this.
Chapter 148 Time Converter
Ultimately, Hagrid still didn't tell Charlie who Aragog was, and he kept avoiding Charlie.
After class, they returned to the Great Hall, where Harry, Ron, and Hermione had also just finished their classes.
The three sat at the Gryffindor long table, with Ron slumped over the table, looking as if all the life had been drained from him.
Harry wasn't much better, with dark circles under his eyes.
"I can't take it anymore," Ron's voice was muffled.
"After adding the electives, it feels like a day's worth of classes is more than two days' worth before."
Hermione sat opposite them, flipping through a thick textbook, and said without looking up, "You're just not used to it yet; you'll be fine in a few days."
Ron looked up, his eyes full of resentment as he stared at her.
"You actually chose all the electives. I can't imagine how tiring that must be."
Hermione rolled her eyes, ignoring him.
Ron casually picked up Hermione's timetable from the table, glanced at it, and froze.
"Muggle Studies, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes..." His voice was incredulous.
"These three classes are all scheduled together. How can you be in three classrooms at once?"
Hermione had no intention of explaining, simply stating.
"Of course, I won't be in three classrooms at once. I've already discussed with Professor how to attend classes."
"Then you..."
"Hey, Charlie, good evening." Hermione greeted Charlie, interrupting Ron.
Charlie walked into the Great Hall and sat down beside them.
"Good evening."
Ron, not giving up, turned his head and continued to ask:
"Hermione, how exactly do you attend classes?"
"No matter how full my timetable is, I can finish all my classes. Why are you worrying about it?"
Hermione's voice was fierce.
"It's none of your business. I've already told you that I've discussed with Professor how to attend classes."
Ron froze, his mouth opening and closing. Finally, he picked up a chicken leg, looking wronged, bit into it fiercely, and mumbled.
"If you don't want to tell me, then don't. Why be so fierce?"
Just then, Charlie said, "Actually, I'm quite curious too. How exactly do you attend classes?"
Hermione suddenly looked conflicted, hesitated for a moment, then leaned in close to Charlie, lowering her voice and saying:
"Actually, Professor McGonagall gave me a device."
Ron suddenly felt his nose burning red.
He had asked for ages, and Hermione seemed unwilling to engage, but as soon as Charlie asked, she was ready to tell everything.
What kind of preferential treatment was this?
He felt like the joker in a deck of cards, or the one standing guard at the circus.
He sullenly bit into a chicken leg, feeling a bit aggrieved.
Charlie continued to ask, "What device?"
Hermione looked left and right, confirming no one was paying attention, then pulled out an hourglass hanging on a golden necklace from her robe, covering it with her hand, and whispered:
"It's this Time-Turner. Every time I finish one class, I use it to go back before the class started to attend another one."
Harry and Ron's eyes widened simultaneously.
"What?!"
Ron nearly jumped off his stool, his voice suddenly rising, causing several nearby students to turn their heads.
Hermione quickly stuffed the hourglass back into her robe, glaring at Ron through gritted teeth: "Keep your voice down!"
No wonder others didn't tell him; he almost made it known to the whole school because of him.
Ron immediately covered his mouth, but his eyes were still wide like brass bells.
Harry was also incredibly surprised, asking with some disbelief.
"So you... went back in time?"
Hermione nodded: "That's pretty much it."
Charlie stared at the hourglass for a few seconds, his mind racing.
"magic involving time should have a lot of restrictions, right?"
Hermione immediately nodded, her tone becoming serious:
"Professor McGonagall told me that the Time-Turner cannot change things that have already happened, and it can only go back five hours, otherwise, serious time accidents might occur. Also, when going back, you cannot appear in front of your past self, or unpredictable situations will also arise."
Charlie pondered inwardly.
It seems this isn't about becoming your past self, but physically traveling back in time, creating two of yourself in the past timeline.
Then this time travel seems to have little meaning; it can't change the past, and it carries the risk of being discovered when traveling back, leading to unforeseen accidents.
Hermione said solemnly:
"Only with approval from the Ministry of Magic can a Time-Turner be borrowed. Professor McGonagalltold me not to tell anyone, so you absolutely cannot spread this."
Charlie, of course, had no interest in spreading it around.
But Ron, with his big mouth, was another story.
Hermione also realized this, and she stared at Ron with sharp eyes: "If you dare to tell anyone, you'll have to do all your homework yourself this semester!"
"I swear, I'll keep it absolutely secret."
Ron immediately raised his right hand, his expression incredibly sincere.
Without Hermione's tutoring, those assignments and essays would be like ancient texts... The next day, Gryffindor and Slytherin's first class was Care of Magical Creatures Class.
It was still the same enclosure, but this time Hagrid clearly had experience.
He stood by the fence, saying in a booming voice, "Everyone take out your monster book of monsters."
The students all pulled out their monster book of monsters, tightly bound with ropes, from their bags.
"Remember, stroke the spine downwards with your index finger," Hagrid demonstrated once.
"And they'll quiet down."
The students did as told, and the monster book of monsters indeed became docile.
Hagrid nodded with satisfaction:
"Good, you all wait here for a moment, I'll go bring today's magical creatures."
With that, he strode towards the depths of the forest.
As soon as Hagrid left, Draco yelled at the top of his lungs, "What an idiot! How can such a fool teach at this school?"
He deliberately raised his voice, ensuring everyone around could hear.
"When my father finds out, he'll definitely get him fired."
Harry whirled around, his eyes blazing: "Shut up, Malfoy!"
He didn't want Hagrid's class to be disrupted by Malfoy.
Draco rolled his eyes at Harry, shaking his head and mimicking Harry in a sarcastic tone.
"Oh, shut up~ Malfoy~"
"You should worry about yourself, Potter. Don't get scared by the Dementors again."
Harry genuinely wanted to punch his arrogant face.
The surrounding Slytherin students burst into laughter.
Goyle, nearby, was a bit curious.
"What animal will that big oaf bring?"
Draco pouted, "He already taught a class yesterday, said it was some Hippogriff. If you ask me, those things are really stupid, and they even expect me to bow to them."
He lifted his chin, looking disdainful.
"Whoever wants to bow can bow, but I'm not."
A Slytherin student immediately cheered.
"Good for you, Draco! I heard Charlie didn't bow yesterday either."
Draco's expression grew even more smug, his chin raised higher.
Charlie didn't bow, and I didn't bow, so I = Charlie. Victory!
He said arrogantly.
"Just watch, I'll go up there in a bit and put that horse-bird in its place."
Ron muttered softly beside him, "He's just an egomaniac."
Just then, a rustling sound came from deep within the forest.
Hagrid's figure appeared, followed by a dozen furry creatures.
Those creatures were enormous, each one as big as a small elephant.
Eight thick legs moved across the ground, making dull thudding sounds. Their bodies were covered in black fur, which shimmered with an eerie luster in the sunlight.
The most terrifying thing was their eyes—eight eyes, densely arranged on their heads, like black beads, staring coldly ahead.
Ron's face instantly turned pale, and he froze in place.
Draco wished he could slap himself.
Hagrid waved with a smile.
"Don't be scared, everyone, these are Acromantulas. Say hello!"