The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 35 Halloween Dinner

Compared to the chaotic auditorium, the rest of the castle was much quieter.

Girls' restroom.

Hermione curled up in the corner, feeling wronged. She really didn't understand what she had done wrong.

Everything was done according to Hogwarts rules and the professors' requirements; she was clearly trying her best to earn points for the house...

But reality dealt her a harsh blow; not only her roommates, but even the entire Gryffindor freshman class was subtly ostracizing her.

Just like in today's Spells class, she only said a few fair words, and Ron and the other boys mocked and ridiculed her, even giving her a nickname.

"It's no big deal...and I have friends too."

As Hermione spoke softly, an image of a tall, thin boy gradually appeared in her mind.

Short, dark hair, clear eyes, and a perpetually gentle smile on his face.

This should have been a happy occasion, but for some reason, as she thought about it, tears streamed down her face like pearls from a broken string.

And so, she cried silently for a while.

Hermione took out a handkerchief from her pocket and gently wiped her sore nose.

She decided to leave the restroom; after all, it was the annual Halloween dinner.

If she could, she wouldn't want to miss the first holiday since the start of the school year, especially since she could see him from afar in the auditorium.

……

However, fate always has its unexpected little jokes.

Just as Hermione was about to leave, a huge shadow appeared in front of the bathroom door, accompanied by an indescribable stench.

The twelve-foot-tall behemoth was easily spotted by anyone with eyes that could see it, especially with its bald little head and slightly bewildered eyes.

"Mountain monster!"

Hermione recognized the monster instantly and instinctively wanted to scream, but thankfully she reacted quickly and covered her mouth tightly.

"I hope you don't mind my absence..."

Faced with her life in danger, Hermione's first thought was of her appointment with the Ino Library the next day.

Meanwhile, the giant had already strode into the washroom with its thick, powerful feet and arrived at a water tap.

"Clang!"

Perhaps the giant was thirsty, for it swung its enormous wooden club at the water pipe, and water gushed out instantly.

Hermione hid in the cubicle, watching the troll drinking water with its head down. In that instant, she had already planned an escape route in her mind.

The rubble that had just been smashed was her best helper.

"Yugadimurleviosa~"

Hermione whispered the spell, and with a flick of her wrist, a fist-sized pebble floated not far in front of the tap. The sound of the pebble falling into the air successfully attracted the troll's attention.

As described in the book, this big guy has an incredibly low IQ, and he can easily lead his opponent around with simple tricks.

Hermione was also very confident in her escape plan.

The plan was simple: she would use the pebbles to lure the giant away, so that even if she was discovered, she would have plenty of time to escape the bathroom.

As long as you don't get stuck here, whether you go to the auditorium or run up the movable staircase, you can ensure your safety to the greatest extent.

Time passed, and as the falling stones drew the troll further and further away from Hermione.

Once she felt she was far enough away, she prepared to rush out of the bathroom in one breath.

However, at that moment...

Two figures suddenly rushed into the bathroom, making a huge noise.

One of them 'quickly' closed the door, and then, as if that weren't enough, locked it from the inside.

"Hermione! Get out of here! There's a troll in the basement!"

Hermione: ...

……

Unlike the trio's first adventure, which was filled with chaos and mishaps.

The atmosphere in the Slytherin common room was very pleasant.

The first-year students sat in a corner, listening intently to the story. Outside the circle of first-year students, there were even some older students who seemed indifferent but whose ears were already perked up.

"...Young Simba was banished by his uncle and forced to leave his familiar kingdom for an unknown territory. There, he would meet his two best friends and teachers, Pumbaa the warthog and Timon the meerkat."

"...In the end, Simba defeated his uncle and became the new Lion King. The rainy season also arrived as expected, and the pride's territory was once again revitalized."

Amidst the soothing melodies of the accordion, a well-known story of The Lion King unfolds in Ino's mouth.

As the last syllable disappeared, the story finally came to an end.

"Slap! Slap!"

Malfoy and Pansy were the first to applaud, followed by many other young wizards who had come to their senses.

"Ino! One more, this time tell the story of the snake."

It was Malfoy who spoke, and at the same time, a Galleon gleaming with gold appeared on the table.

After setting an example, the other young wizards also generously donated, though... most of the money was in silver Sheko, with only Malfoy, Pansy, and Daphne paying in Galleons.

Paying to hear stories was a rule that Ino "inadvertently" revealed in the dormitory, and after being spread through Malfoy's little megaphone, it has now basically reached all the first-year Slytherin students.

Closer to home.

Looking at the table piled high with money, Ino could only reluctantly part with it, since he didn't have any good stories about snakes at the moment.

"Don't try to scam people if you don't have a good story. Your story must be worthy of the payment; that's what makes a qualified bard."

In a daze, Hans's teachings echoed in my ears again.

Looking at the money on the table in front of him, Ino secretly calculated that this money should at least be used to tell a timeless classic story to be worthy of this reward.

However, the main character of the story must be a snake, which greatly limits the scope of reference.

After racking his brains, he could only think of the "Legend of the White Snake" as a barely acceptable option, but even with this framework, it still needed various filling and polishing, after all, cultural differences were a factor...

The mere fact that a human and a transvestite were in love was enough to leave these native English children completely bewildered.

"It's getting late today, let's do it next time. At the latest before Christmas, I'll tell you a story about magic, snakes, and love."

Well, Ino has really raised expectations to the max.

After successfully whetting everyone's appetite, he stood up, bowed slightly, and then slowly walked back to his dormitory.

……

In the dormitory.

Ino had just returned to her dorm not long ago.

Malfoy pushed open the door, plopped down in a chair, crossed his legs, and said with a playful expression:

"What do you think of the trolls? What's Quirrell up to?"

"I don't really look at it! I came to Hogwarts to learn magic, not to be an apprentice Auror," Ino replied seriously.

Honestly, he now really thinks Hermione shouldn't have gone to Gryffindor. She's such a smart kid, but Harry and Ron have led her astray.

Malfoy could tell something was amiss; after all, Quirrell was an adult wizard, how could he possibly be scared unconscious by a troll?

And what happened? The trio found themselves in a state of bewilderment, turning their anger towards Snape.

In fact, if Quirrell hadn't stepped in on his own initiative, the three of them would probably have filled in the blanks with their own imaginations.

Then they frantically added scenes for Snape to fill in the logical gaps in the middle.

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(End of this chapter)