Sherlock Holmes at Hogwarts.

Chapter 522 Threesome

Hermione was surprised to find that Sherlock was also staring at the wooden bucket full of broom handles across the street, his eyes filled with a curious and inquisitive look.

Not only that, but the corners of his mouth also curved into a clearer arc than usual, as if he had seen an interesting riddle.

Hermione immediately noticed this subtle expression, and a faint sense of loss, along with an inexplicable feeling of competition, welled up inside her.

Sherlock's interest in Luna's whimsical ideas, or rather, wild thoughts, was even greater than his own meticulously planned SPEW.
She then found herself quite amusing:
It would be one thing if Gemma had these feelings, but why would Luna have these far-fetched fantasies?

I was being far too naive.

But... is that wooden barrel really that beautiful?
Hermione herself didn't realize that she had unconsciously taken half a step closer to Sherlock, her gaze shifting back and forth between his focused profile and the strange wooden barrel, trying to understand his thoughts at that moment.

As for Sherlock, he was completely absorbed in his brief moment of recognition of Luna's unique perspective, oblivious to Hermione's approach and the emotional turmoil within her.

Thus, a peculiar scene appeared on Hogsmeade's main street:

Three young wizards, one boy and two girls, stood side by side, gazing at the large wooden barrel filled with colorful broom handles in front of Devis-Bans across the street.

The youngest-looking girl was muttering to herself, saying things that no one else could understand.

An invisible tension permeated the air—Hermione's proactive exploration and Sherlock's recognition of Luna's unique world intertwined, creating a hazy and subtle atmosphere that seemed somewhat eerie yet unexpectedly harmonious.

On the other hand, Harry is in a terrible situation.

He originally thought that spending time with Qiu Zhang and Ginny would be a very pleasant thing.

But for some reason, he felt something was off as he walked between the two girls from the moment he left the Three Broomsticks Bar.

But when asked to pinpoint exactly what was strange about it, he couldn't bring himself to say.

As Harry passed the slightly shadowy entrance to the Hog's Head, he noticed it was much quieter than the Three Broomsticks.

How about we go grab a drink here?
A thought suddenly popped into Harry's mind.

However, remembering Hagrid's earlier statement that his dragon egg was a bet lost to him by a mysterious man here, Harry hesitated again.

Because it turns out that the mysterious person was indeed the mysterious person.

Quirrell and Voldemort deliberately approached Hagrid in order to extract the secrets of the Philosopher's Stone room from him.

His hesitant manner caught Qiu Zhang's attention:
"Harry, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just that there are far fewer people here than at the Three Brooms Bar."

Qiu Zhang's gaze swept over the slightly dimly lit entrance of Pig Head Bar, a gentle smile remaining on his lips as he spoke in a soft voice:

"Its location isn't as prominent as Three Brooms Bar, and it lacks signature drinks like Butterbeer."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over Harry's slightly hesitant face, and the gentle smile on her lips deepened:

"Of course, I think the most important reason is that this place lacks someone who can light up the whole space."

Harry nodded, agreeing with Cho Chang's point.

Although Pig Head Bar is also at the intersection, it is located on a side street that turns off from the post office on Central Avenue.

Furthermore, its storefront has no advantage over the Three Brooms Bar:
A dilapidated wooden sign hangs on a rusty bracket above the door, depicting a severed pig's head, its blood seeping through the white cloth wrapped around it.

And there's the key point Qiu Zhang pointed out: the person who can illuminate the entire space.

It was Rosmerta, the owner of the Three Broomsticks bar.

She was a woman with a slender figure and very beautiful appearance, and the booming business of the Three Brooms Bar was undoubtedly related to her.

On the other hand, the owner of Pig Head Bar is an old man who seems to have an eccentric temper.

Harry had only seen him once; he was tall and thin, with long, gray hair and beard.

An old man and a woman who still has a charming figure are clearly more attractive.

In addition to her signature butterbeer, Ms. Rosmerta also occasionally introduces desserts such as honey pudding to attract customers.

Just as Harry was engrossed in this comparative analysis, Ginny's clear voice broke in:
"Harry, you know this place best, can you be my guide? Tell me about these places!"

He finally realized what he felt was wrong.

After leaving the Three Brooms Bar, Cho Chang and Ginny didn't say a word!
However, because he and Cho Chang, or he and Ginny, had been talking and there was never a dull moment, he hadn't realized it just now.

"Uh... of course, but..."

Harry's knowledge of Hogsmeade was far from being "most familiar".

After all, he was only allowed to come here last year, and he can't come every time.

Sherlock, on the other hand, had already been here with Hagrid and Professor Flitwick when he was a first-year student.

However, firstly, he wasn't particularly interested in this place, and secondly, he wasn't nearby at the moment.

So Harry naturally thought of someone else.

He looked to Qiu Zhang for help, "Qiu..."

Qiu Zhang smiled.

Unlike the oblivious Harry, she sensed something was off from the start.

At the same time, she was also very clear about the source of this awkwardness.

Girls in Europe and America develop earlier, which is understandable.

She wouldn't stoop to Ginny's level.

When she was with Harry two years ago, she wasn't in such a hurry as she was.

Cho Chang's gaze swept between Harry and Ginny, a subtle hint of understanding flashing in her beautifully shaped eyes.

To Ginny's astonishment, Cho Chang, like an understanding older sister, reached out and gently brushed aside a few strands of red hair that had been blown across Ginny's bangs by the wind.

“That’s a good idea. Harry is familiar with some of the interesting details here.”

Even her voice seemed to carry a gentle smile.

When she turned to Harry, she had a trusting smile on her face and winked mischievously.
“Would you mind telling me more, Harry? I’m getting a little curious about those little stories.”

Her tone was light and sincere, skillfully taking over Ginny's topic and defusing any potential awkwardness.

Without making a sound, Harry was elevated to the position of a storyteller whom both girls were looking forward to, while at the same time, Ginny's request was openly supported.

Harry's embarrassment dissipated considerably in an instant.

He gave Qiu a grateful look and then began to point to the Pig Head Bar by the roadside and introduce it.

"Actually, I don't know much, but only one small room on the first floor counts as a bar; the second floor is a hotel..."

As Harry was speaking, a gust of bleak autumn wind blew by, swirling up a few withered, curled leaves.

One of the golden leaves twirled and landed right on Qiu Zhang's dark, glossy hair.

Qiu Zhang instinctively reached out to brush it away.

Just then, Harry, for reasons unknown, inexplicably reached out and plucked the leaf from her hand.

Just as his fingertips touched Qiu Zhang's smooth, slightly cool cheek, their eyes met for a fleeting moment.

All three of them were stunned at that moment.

Harry's hand hung in mid-air, a withered leaf still clinging to his fingertip. The lingering touch on his fingertip, the dry, rough texture of the leaf, and the smooth skin of Cho Chang's cheek felt like a burning brand.

At that moment, Harry felt his blood rush to his head, and his cheeks burned intensely.

His mouth was open, but the interrupted description of the second floor of Pig Head Bar was stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter another word.

The air seemed to freeze, leaving only the creaking sound of the wind blowing through the signboard.

Qiu Zhang's surprise lasted only half a second.

She blinked subconsciously at first, and the smile that had been hanging on her lips quickly spread.

Instead of touching her own cheek, she gently took the fallen leaf from Harry's frozen fingertips, her movement as natural as if it were just an ordinary little gesture between friends.

"Thank you, Harry."

Her voice remained gentle, yet carried a subtle hint of lightness.

"Otherwise, it might have made its home in my hair."

She looked down at the fallen leaf in her palm, as if studying a precious fragment of an ancient book.

"Look, a whole oak leaf! Messenger of autumn, look!"

With just one sentence, the focus was shifted, as if the brief touch and frozen gaze just moments before were nothing more than a natural little episode.

Harry's tense nerves relaxed abruptly, but his heart was still pounding wildly in his chest.

Qiu Zhang's gentleness and composure extinguished the panic in his heart, but allowed another, more intense and bewildering emotion to grow silently.

He could clearly see the lingering blush on Qiu Zhang's earlobes, and he could also feel the intimacy and tolerance in her tone.

This thoughtfulness felt like a feather gently scratching his heart, leaving him both sore and throbbing.

"Ah? Yes, yes... oak leaves..."

Harry took the leaf and stammered in agreement, but dared not look Cho Chang in the eye.

Frustrated, he could only turn his gaze back to the dilapidated sign of the Pig's Head Bar, but he couldn't see anything there.

The electric shock-like feeling of my fingertips touching her cheek kept replaying in my mind.

Ginny, standing on Harry's other side, naturally saw everything.

Her gaze slowly moved from Harry's flushed cheeks and stiff fingers to Cho Chang's profile, which still wore a gentle smile, and finally landed on the withered leaf in Cho Chang's palm.

A bittersweet understanding silently crept into my heart.

There was no anger, no jealousy, only a calm that had settled.

It turned out to be the case.

Or rather, it turned out to be true.

Qiu Zhang's reaction was so mature and elegant, with an understated intimacy and control.

In front of her, I felt like a child clumsily trying to get her attention while still holding a jar of candy.

At this moment, Ginny clearly felt a gap.

That's a difference in experience, or rather, a difference in the ease and composure one displays when facing emotions.

"Let's go."

Ginny's clear voice broke the still somewhat sticky atmosphere between the two.

She casually walked around Harry, went to the other side of Cho Chang, and said to Harry in a relaxed tone:
"Aren't you going to continue being our guide?"
Regarding the hotel on the second floor, are there any... interesting ghost stories, like those in The Screaming Shack...?

Her gaze also fell frankly on Harry's face, as if the emotionally charged scene from just moments ago had never happened.

Qiu Zhang keenly noticed the change in Ginny's tone.

That subtle lightness after letting go of a burden, and the renewed sense of direction.

She immediately understood.

At the same time, the evaluation of this red-haired little witch has quietly risen a point.

That's amazing, what a smart and proud girl.

Autumn Zhang gently brushed the fallen leaves into the wind, then gave Ginny a more sincere and tolerant smile:
“Yes, Harry, Ginny and I are very curious.”

Another sentence brought Harry into the spotlight, while also bringing Ginny into our camp, thus solidifying the current situation among the three.

Harry didn't really come to his senses until then.

He looked at the two beautiful young women standing before him, their eyes filled with inquiry:
One of them had a lovely blush on her cheeks and a gentle, focused gaze.

The other person remained calm, with pure curiosity and a clear understanding after clarification in their eyes.

"No ghost stories, but I do know that Dumbledore interviewed Professor Trelawney around this time..."

Although they had promised Dumbledore not to reveal the prophecy or anything about Professor Snape, the Divination professor's stories still caught the attention of the two girls.

Seeing this, Harry finally felt relieved.

But the ripples caused by Qiu Zhang were like the heart of a lake where a stone had been thrown in, and they lingered for a long time.

He knew very well that some things had changed.

As evening fell, the honey-sweet sunset bathed Hogsmeade in a warm golden hue.

The three groups met at the village entrance on time.

Ron was the first to jump and hop over.

His face was flushed, his hair was messier than usual, and his eyes were sparkling with excitement.

"That's fantastic! It couldn't be better!"

He excitedly shouted to everyone, eager to share, "The places Sirius took me to see were simply—!"

Sirius Black followed behind at a leisurely pace, his hands in the pockets of his wizard's robes.

His expression was languid, but his gray eyes gleamed with a wild light.

Seeing Ron's excited expression, he chuckled softly and wagged his finger at him:

"Keep it a secret, Ron. Save the surprise for next time."

Ron immediately shut up and nodded vigorously.

But the barely suppressed excitement and satisfaction still overflowed from his unruly hair and wide grin.

Sherlock's gaze swept across the crowd, then suddenly landed on Harry. "You guys just saw Hagrid?"

“Sherlock, how did you know?” Ginny asked immediately in surprise.

"The handprint on Harry's shoulder, besides Hagrid, is probably only matched by Mrs. Maxime."

But I don't think she would pat Harry on the shoulder so affectionately.

(End of this chapter)