The Return to Hogwarts

"actually--"

This was actually a question with an obvious answer, but Hermione was unwilling to answer it because it would imply that Professor Blaine was instigating them to break the law. However, Harry and Ron kept asking, so Hermione sighed, slammed the book in front of her shut, and looked confused and worried.

She didn't answer Harry's question, but instead frowned slightly and said softly,

“What I’m more curious about is Professor Blaine’s dueling training. Don’t you ever find it strange, Harry?”

"what?"

Harry and Ron both looked on with a peculiar innocence. After exchanging a glance, Harry asked eagerly.

“Let me reiterate Professor Blaine’s training programs. Don’t you guys, oh well—” Hermione stopped beating around the bush and looked at Harry and Ron, “Why do you think Professor Blaine started physical education classes?”

Well--

"Professor Blaine once said it was to teach us systematic dueling techniques, hmm... to give us the ability to protect ourselves?"

Harry frowned as he recalled.

"But that's the problem, Harry!"

This question seemed to have been lingering in Hermione's mind for a long time. After Harry answered, Hermione leaned forward, lowered her voice, and spoke rapidly.

"Having the ability to protect oneself, yes, that's what he said, but Harry, look at the training he designed. I mean, all this training since the first semester, after he officially started teaching us dueling techniques."

A serious light flashed in Hermione's brown eyes.

"He requires all training to be done in teams. Understand, Harry? A duel is between two wizards, not a team. Suppose, suppose we encounter danger off-campus after graduation, we can't always be together, can we?"

Seeing Harry's focused expression, as if he had just realized something, and Ron, who was still somewhat confused but horrified by her tone, Hermione continued,

"Perhaps you haven't realized it, Harry, but Professor Blaine's new training method today—yes, he told us it was to train us how to escape in adverse situations—was also part of the training. One team escapes, while three teams surround and pursue; this is also training."

Hermione's speech slowed, but her tone became more serious.

"How well different teams coordinate their attacks has nothing to do with self-protection or dueling!"

"What exactly are you trying to say, Hermione?"

Harry finally couldn't hold back any longer and asked directly.

"I'm thinking"

Hermione stammered, avoiding Harry and Ron's gaze.

"Perhaps...perhaps he's training us on how to wage war!"

Chapter 739 Donation

2024-02-08

Training students, war, and victory?

Their back-and-forth conversation immediately ceased. Harry and Ron both quietly opened their mouths, their expressions turning horrified, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over their heads.

"Oh, of course!"

Seeing their expressions, Hermione panicked a little. After all, she was essentially accusing a professor of using young wizards as soldiers to train an army. This was dozens of times more serious than him implying that students could break the law in a discreet manner at the right time!

"This is just me rambling, just pretend you didn't hear it!"

Hermione stared wide-eyed.

Pretending not to hear was utterly impossible. Harry's eyes narrowed, the chill in his blood turning to a burning heat. He still didn't fully grasp what Hermione's accusation was, but his heart was pounding.

"You mean, Hermione—"

Harry leaned closer and lowered his voice.

"Professor Blaine, like Professor Dumbledore, probably realized long ago that Voldemort would return sooner or later, so... so he wanted to train us to fight Voldemort and those Death Eaters!"

"Don't say that name here, Harry!"

Hermione flinched, glaring angrily at Harry. Now, she regretted telling them this baseless speculation.

"That's impossible, isn't it?"

Ron chuckled dryly, but his stiff expression clearly revealed his nervousness.

"Even the Minister of Magic has no right to send a group of underage wizards to fight Death Eaters and Varian. What we should be doing is studying at Hogwarts. Dealing with dark wizards is the job of the Ministry of Magic's strikers!"

Hmm--

Harry shrank back. He had to admit that Ron's words made a lot of sense. Professor Blaine would never send them to the battlefield. No one would support the idea. Professor Dumbledore would be the first to strongly oppose it.

But Harry leaned back on the sofa and bit his lip. Why did he feel a little disappointed?

"Stop thinking nonsense, Harry—"

Ron gasped for breath, his pale face making the freckles on his nose even more noticeable.

"Think about what we saw at the orphanage during the holidays. Professor Blaine was secretly taking care of a bunch of homeless Muggle children, so there's no way he'd send Hogwarts' young wizards to the battlefield to fight the Void and the Death Eaters. Oh, I'm not kidding, that would be suicide—"

Harry twitched his nose but didn't say anything, though his expression suggested he was a little resentful.

He knew that Voldemort's henchmen were a bunch of vicious bastards, and he certainly couldn't be a match for them alone. But Ron had never witnessed the power of their teamwork. If he had, he wouldn't be so self-deprecating.

"Oh, speaking of orphanages, I almost forgot—"

Hermione suddenly cried out, and then, under the confused gazes of Harry and Ron, she began to tidy up the books that had fallen onto the sofa, seemingly intending to leave.

“Ugh—” Ron rolled his eyes. “At least one thing, can you explain it clearly?”

“Is that so—” Hermione raised an eyebrow.

“I have some clothes that are still relatively new, but I can’t fit into them anymore. I plan to send them to that orphanage. I’ve written to my parents about that orphanage. Oh, of course, I didn’t mention Professor Blaine. I just said it was where a friend of mine from school grew up.”

I asked them to pack up their clothes and send them via Muggle methods. Mom and Dad agreed, and it seems they also plan to donate some money to the orphanage.

Harry and Ron looked at each other in surprise.

"But Professor Blaine won't allow it!"

Harry's emerald eyes lit up with interest; he thought Hermione's idea was brilliant, but at the same time, he had some reservations.

"Sirius and Remus had planned the same thing, but—"

Hermione seemed to have anticipated their question, and she smiled pleasantly, a hint of slyness in her expression.

“Oh, Professor Blaine rejected Sirius and Remus because they were planning to donate Galleons to a Muggle orphanage, which is of course not allowed. My mom and dad are also Muggles, and they were just donating through normal Muggle channels, which is perfectly reasonable, isn’t it?”

Hermione struggled to lift the pile of books, smiling as she spoke.

"I'm just donating some old clothes, which is no big deal, is it? I'm afraid the school's owls can't handle such a large package. Tomorrow is Hogsmeade's open day, so I can use the Hogsmeade post office. I just received a notification that some of my packages are there—"

Harry and Ron only looked away when Hermione's shaky figure disappeared down the stairs of the girls' dormitory.

wow-

After a period of silence, the two boys suddenly jumped up from the sofa at the same time and rushed to their dormitory in perfect unison!

"I really don't understand how she can be so smart!" Ron said indignantly. "I never expected this!"

"Phew, you should have gotten used to it by now, Ron. She's Hermione, after all—"

Harry, panting as he climbed the stairs, said, "Most of my old clothes are Dudley's; only some are at Hogwarts. But that's okay, I can buy some new ones at Hogsmeade tomorrow, and I'll also pick up some sweets from Bee Duke—"

“I’m afraid I don’t have much money to buy candy for those kids, Harry—”

Ron lamented,

"But speaking of old clothes, I have a ton, all left by Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, and George. They're all at home. I need to write to my mom. The only things in my dorm are the sweaters she knitted for me, oh, and that old, worn-out dress. I'd be happy to donate it if there's another fool willing to wear it."

The cold wind that had been howling through the mountains and rivers finally subsided on the first weekend of the new school term.

For the first time in nearly half a month, the pale golden sunlight broke through the layers of clouds and shone on the earth. The light diffused through the wet snow, making everything in sight appear somewhat pale.

Although there was no cold wind, the melting snow made the air temperature even lower. However, this did not dampen the enthusiasm of the young wizards, who lined up in a long queue at the big iron gate to wait for Filch to verify the list of students who were eligible to leave school.

Filch didn't have the guts to have the two vice-principals, the two house deans, and the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor line up with the young wizard. With a stern face, he checked the list and, upon seeing these people, immediately went up to them obsequiously with a fawning smile on his face.

The melting snow made the roads slippery and difficult to walk on. By the time Amostella and her group stepped into Hogsmeade village, Professor Flitwick's trousers were almost completely soaked, and Professor Sprout, who had been supporting him all the way, was also panting heavily.

"Merlin's beard—"

Professor Flitwick pulled out his wand, pointed to his muddy trousers, and shrieked,

"Isn't anyone going to do anything about this road?"

"This is precisely where we fall short compared to Muggles—"

Amosta released Professor Moody's arm; leaning on his cane, he struggled even more to walk on this road than Professor Flitwick.

"A few decades is enough time for Muggles to build a magnificent city on a barren land—"

Pushing aside the Three Brooms Bar and dismissing the alluring bar owner who was staring at him with eager eyes, Amosta casually remarked...

"But for centuries, no one has ever thought of improving the basic infrastructure that is so closely tied to the lives of wizards. Honestly, wizards really need to seek change—"

There were already quite a few young wizards in the Three Broomsticks pub. Amostah's gaze swept over and he found Harry, Hermione, and Ron sitting around a small round table by the window. As soon as the three of them saw him, they immediately shrank their necks and lowered their heads, pretending to examine a package on the table.

What trouble have you gotten into this time?

Amosta raised an eyebrow, a sudden, uneasy feeling flashing through his mind.

However, he quickly put his doubts aside, smiled, and looked away.