Sherlock Holmes at Hogwarts.

Chapter 409: There was just a minor mishap; the situation is still under my control.

One afternoon, Simo Finigan started shouting in the common room:

"The exam is still a long way off, what are they trying to do? What exactly are they planning to do?"

Seamus was so irritable because there was absolutely no festive atmosphere during the Easter holiday in Hogwarts during his third year.

The third-year wizards had never experienced so much homework before.

No one can escape the hustle and bustle and go home for the holidays.

Neville Longbottom, a young wizard with relatively poor mental fortitude, was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

There are quite a few people like Simo Finigan who couldn't handle the pressure and would yell in the common room.

Dean Thomas even gave an impromptu performance of singing, dancing, and rapping in the common room, with lyrics that angrily denounced the school's inhumanity, which was well received by his classmates.

However, when Seamus took out his wand and tried to set off a firework to add to the festivities, everyone was immediately terrified.

Without anyone even having to organize him, several young wizards nearby swarmed forward, snatched his wand, and strongly condemned his irresponsible behavior.

Harry, who had originally planned to return to 12 Grimmauld Place, was also forced to stay at the school.

Compared to other young wizards, he was much busier, because in addition to a lot of homework, Wood had put even more pressure on him.

Training was scheduled for every day of this holiday.

"Sleep? You still want to sleep?"

When the drowsy Weasley twins couldn't help but complain a couple of times while Wood was explaining the tactics, Wood immediately flew into a rage:

"At this age, at this stage of life, you can actually sleep!"

After being severely punished, even the mischievous Weasley twins dared not misbehave anymore.

After Wood increased the intensity of training, Harry could only squeeze in some homework time between training sessions.

Even during this process, he couldn't focus all his attention on his homework.

Because Wood would occasionally come to the common room to discuss tactics with him.

Once the discussion starts, it goes on and on, causing immense suffering.

However, Harry could understand Wood.

He himself is a passionate Quidditch enthusiast.

The schedule for the final two matches has now been released, so it's no wonder he's so nervous.

The third semester after Easter will host the last two matches of the 1993-1994 school year.

The first match is Slytherin vs. Hufflepuff.

The second match is Gryffindor vs. Slytherin.

Wood's chances of winning the Quidditch trophy hinge on this moment.

If he loses again this time, he will never have another chance—he is graduating from seventh grade this year.

As for the two matches themselves, the first match was almost a foregone conclusion.

Everyone thought Hufflepuff would lose to Slytherin, and by a large margin.

The reason is simple: despite Cedric assembling a completely new lineup, they still lost to Ravenclaw.

Although Slytherin narrowly defeated Ravenclaw in the match, it was clear to everyone that they were indeed stronger than Ravenclaw.

As for the match where Hufflepuff won against Gryffindor, it is not a reliable reference due to the interference of the Dementors, an external factor.

Therefore, the more points Slytherin wins against Hufflepuff, the more difficult it becomes for Gryffindor to obtain the Quidditch Cup.

Aside from Harry preparing for Quidditch, Hermione was the busiest person in the entire third year.

Even though she skipped her divination classes before Easter, she still had far more classes left than others.

Every night, she was the last person to leave the common room.

The next morning, she was once again the first person to arrive at the library.

Not only did she have dark circles under her eyes, like Professor Lupin who could turn into a werewolf, but she also always looked like she was about to cry.

Even Harry, who was equally busy, felt a pang of sympathy after seeing this.

With the Easter holidays drawing to a close, Hermione's mental state was deteriorating, and Harry finally couldn't take it anymore.

He felt Hermione shouldn't continue like this.

As a good friend, he had to take action.

So he decisively went to Sherlock.

"Sherlock, who are you writing to?"

The reason for this question is that Sherlock is writing furiously on a piece of parchment.

On the table to the right stood Watson, who was tilting his head and looking at Sherlock, as if he was waiting.

Having spent so much time with Sherlock, Harry has now become accustomed to observing rather than watching.

The fact that Sherlock and Watson are in this state clearly indicates that they are writing letters to others, and they are just waiting for Watson to send the letters out once they are finished.

“Gemma”.

Sherlock, without looking up, said, "My dear Harry, if you had thought about it more deeply, you could have deduced who this letter was for without even asking me."

"Uh……"

Gemma Farley, a seventh-grade student, has been very busy lately.

She is preparing for the Ultimate Wizarding Exam (NEWT).

This is the advanced mode of the Common Wizarding Level Examination (OWL), and it is far more difficult.

Therefore, she, who was originally a good friend, has rarely appeared in public recently, so it is normal for Sherlock and Gemma to communicate with Gemma in this way.

"Okay, I admit I was still too inconsiderate."

When facing Sherlock, Harry always speaks his mind directly and never beats around the bush.

So he blurted out all his concerns about Hermione and then made a request:
"Sherlock, you should try to persuade her—she only listens to you now."

Despite Harry saying that, he was actually prepared to be rejected by Sherlock.

After all, Sherlock had been almost completely oblivious to Hermione's situation for quite some time.

Of course, it cannot be said that they completely ignored it.

Sherlock knew Hermione's situation better than anyone else.

However, his attitude towards Hermione remained exactly the same as before. He neither showed excessive concern for Hermione because she seemed to be on the verge of a breakdown, nor did he distance himself from her because of it.

When Harry mentioned this, Sherlock paused only slightly before continuing to write fluently, seemingly unaffected by the incident.

Even after Harry made the request, Sherlock calmly tied the parchment he had written on to Watson's leg, patted it gently, and then watched it leave.

It was as if they hadn't heard Harry speak at all.

So Harry made up his mind that if Sherlock still insisted that it was Hermione's own choice, he would have no choice but to bite the bullet and try to persuade Hermione.

In fact, Ron had already advised Hermione at the very beginning of the Easter holidays.

However, Hermione bluntly told her that she knew exactly what she was doing.

Harry felt that if he were to go again, Hermione would probably be even more polite than she was to Ron.

It's impossible to persuade her to give up.

But to his surprise, Sherlock suddenly looked away and said to him, "Okay."

"awesome!"

Harry breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Sherlock stand up and walk toward Hermione, who was buried in a pile of textbooks.

He turned to Ron beside him and said, "Now we don't have to worry about Hermione anymore."

“Old Ha, I think you should worry about yourself first.” Ron sighed and gestured toward the door. “Your dear captain is here again.”

When Harry saw this ordinary-looking, burly man reappear at the door of the common room, he couldn't help but blurt out:

“Oh my god!”

Ron glanced at Harry, who had been forcibly pulled aside by Wood to discuss tactics, shrugged, and then turned his gaze to the other side.

Sherlock was now standing in front of Hermione.

"Don't talk to me, I don't have time right now... Oh, it's you!"

Hermione said impatiently as soon as she felt the light in front of her being blocked by shadows.

However, when she looked up and saw that it was Sherlock, she couldn't help but show a look of surprise.

She glanced cautiously to her left and right, and said softly, "What's wrong?"

Hermione's attitude towards Sherlock was unusual.

Not only because Sherlock was the hero who saved her more than once, but also because Sherlock was the only one who knew the secret of the Time-Turner.

“Harry asked me to talk to you; he’s very worried about you.”

Hearing Sherlock's words, Hermione was taken aback at first, then gave a wry smile:

"Sherlock, how could even you..."

"It's one thing for Harry and Ron not to know, but you clearly know my situation."

"That's why I'm telling you all this because I know it."

As Sherlock spoke, he tapped the table lightly with his long, slender fingers.

Hermione looked at him, puzzled, not quite understanding what Sherlock's action meant.

"Your reactions have become slower."

Sherlock frowned. "This is not a good sign—three days ago, you even forgot to go to your arithmetic divination class."

Hermione blushed upon hearing this, "You went outdoors that class, I thought you didn't know..."

“I know everything,” Sherlock said rapidly, “and your period came a week earlier than usual this month…”

"Sh-!"

Hermione was startled and quickly covered Sherlock's mouth to stop him from continuing.

At this moment, her face was as red as the Weasleys' signature hair.

"Sherlock, how could you say such nonsense?"

"Am I talking nonsense? Judging from your physical condition, this is an extremely simple matter, and also..."

"Please, stop talking!"

Hermione noticed that people in the common room were looking at her and Sherlock, so she quickly stood up:

"This isn't the place to talk. Let's find somewhere else."

"Sure, that's exactly what I was thinking too."

Seeing Sherlock and Hermione leave the common room together, Harry, who had been suffering from Wood's torment, suddenly felt a surge of energy.

As expected, it still takes Sherlock's intervention!
"Where are we going? To that empty classroom on the fourth floor again?"

After leaving the common room, Hermione asked a question casually.

"No, let's go somewhere else this time."

Sherlock gave Hermione a deep look and said this.

Soon, the two arrived at the eighth floor.

Hermione was taken aback when she saw Sherlock stop in front of the tapestry depicting Barnabas trying to teach a troll to ballet: "Sherlock, is this the place you were talking about?"

She looked around; indeed, few people usually came here.

Even so, compared to the empty classroom on the fourth floor, the corridor on the eighth floor is still a more suitable place for conversation, isn't it?

"No, we're waiting for someone here."

"Waiting for someone?"

Hermione asked in surprise, "Can't we just talk this out between the two of us? Why do we need to wait for someone else?"

The clever girl knew perfectly well that Sherlock wasn't talking about Harry or Ron, otherwise they would have already followed them out.

Hermione didn't think anyone else would be able to join the conversation, unless...

"Could it be Professor McGonagall? Did you invite her over?"

Hermione suddenly realized this possibility.

After all, besides Sherlock and her, the only other person who knew about the Time-Turner was Professor McGonagall.

"You can't do this, Sherlock..."

Hermione was startled, then said in a pleading tone:

"If Professor McGonagall thinks I can't handle all the classes, she'll definitely adjust the schedule and revoke my access to the Time-Turner!"

"That is indeed a good idea."

Sherlock smiled and said, "However, I will not use this method until you completely reject my proposal."

"Great!"

Hermione breathed a long sigh of relief when she heard that Sherlock hadn't told Professor McGonagall about it.

So what is your proposal?

She reached out and took Sherlock's hands, looking into his grey eyes, and said earnestly:

"It's just a minor accident, the situation is still under control, you don't need to worry about me..."

“My dear Hermione, I don’t think it’s a small accident that things have turned out this way.”

"Sherlock, you must believe me..."

Hermione stopped abruptly, her expression instantly replaced by a barely perceptible wariness.

A tall, slender girl quickly walked up the stairs.

Gemma Farley.

She was clearly in a hurry.

Besides the speed at which she walked, her slightly disheveled long hair and the rise and fall of her chest with her rapid breathing also indicated this.

Gemma stopped when she saw Sherlock and Hermione, her gaze falling on Hermione's hands holding Sherlock's, a look of surprise and inquiry in her eyes.

The incident was so sudden that even Hermione was stunned.

However, she still subconsciously looked down, a barely perceptible hint of regret in her eyes, and then asked:
"Chairman Farley? What brings you here?"

Gemma noticed that when Hermione asked her that question, she didn't let go of Sherlock's hand, and nodded slightly to Sherlock and Hermione, answering:

"Miss Hermione, actually I came here because..."

“I asked Watson to call Gemma over.”

Before Gemma could finish speaking, Sherlock answered for her, saying decisively, "Gemma, open the door first, we can talk about everything else after we're inside."

"Ok."

Gemma nodded and then began pacing back and forth along the corridor.

"Sherlock, what... what is going on?"

At this moment, Hermione, who was watching Gemma, was completely stunned and speechless by Sherlock's amazing performance.

(End of this chapter)