The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 89 Professor McGonagall intervenes, Slytherin gets a perfect score.

Slytherin common room.

The new Slytherin students who enrolled this year are all standing obediently in the common room.

Perhaps the previous prefect had already graduated, and now standing before the freshmen was another prefect.

The same old routine, the same old plot—it seems that setting rules for new students is something that Slytherin can never do without.

Unlike the others who were just watching the spectacle, Ino had already quietly returned to her dormitory.

I pushed open the dormitory door.

"I'm sorry! I completely forgot about you..."

Looking at the wilted, extremely yellow potted plants on the table, Ino felt a pang of regret for her previous carelessness.

I took everything with me before summer vacation, but I forgot about the potted plant I left here, from the moment I planted the seed until it sprouted. I watched it grow little by little; it would be a lie to say I didn't have feelings for it.

"The water is as clear as a spring!"

A trickle of water fell from the tip of the wand, then was quickly absorbed, seeping little by little into the dry, hardened soil.

The long-awaited rain is perhaps the perfect description of this moment.

However, miraculously, this berry plant from the Narnia region visibly revived after being nourished by water.

The previously withered and yellowed leaves have long since fallen off, replaced by tender, vibrant green leaves.

Ino stared in astonishment at the potted plant in front of him. He couldn't understand why the few berries he had casually brought as souvenirs had given him such a big surprise.

Needless to say, the ice flowers planted in the seamless extension box are amazing, but the potted plant in front of us is so full of vitality that it is truly unforgettable.

"I should have grabbed a bigger handful..."

Ino murmured unconsciously, but then quickly dismissed the absurd thought. If he had really known all this all along, he probably wouldn't have been able to bring these berries out in the first place.

The fantasy world is truly magical; it doesn't care about the outcome, but only about the truest reflection of one's inner self.

If you believe it's just an ordinary berry, you can take it without paying a price, even if it's Adam's golden apple. Similarly, if you believe you don't need money, you can easily carry it out even if your bag is full of gold coins.

As he pondered, the potted plant in front of him gradually recovered. Although it was still growing vigorously, it no longer had the exaggerated vitality it had before.

"I'll look into it when I have the chance later."

Seeing that the potted plant had returned to normal, Ino stopped dwelling on the reason and realized that everything should be prioritized.

After all, what he has to do tomorrow is the most important thing this school year.

……

Silent all night.

In the early morning, Ino quietly opened the bed curtains, and after confirming that there were no classes in the morning, she ignored Malfoy, who was fast asleep beside her.

After washing up by himself, he pushed open the door and walked towards the Transformation Department office.

The sixth floor of the castle.

Professor McGonagall was reviewing the young wizards' summer homework with a bit of a headache, and at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a little resentful, thanks to Harry and Ron.

On the first day of school, or even less than a day later, Gryffindor had already lost 100 points, and what's worse, she had deducted those points herself.

"Knock! Knock knock!"

A knock came at the door, and Professor McGonagall, as if she had finally found an excuse, pushed aside the various summer assignments and then waved her wand to open the office door.

"Ino?" After recognizing the person who had arrived, Professor McGonagall regained a slight smile.

The student in front of her was exactly the kind of student she had always dreamed of: excellent in both character and academics, well-behaved and obedient, and most importantly, someone who wouldn't cause trouble for no reason or lose dozens or hundreds of points at once.

"Good morning, Professor McGonagall!" Ino greeted with a smile.

"Please sit down! There's only one chair I can offer you here." Professor McGonagall made a rare little joke when facing her ideal student.

"You're too early. Today's Transformation team has a well-established review system. To find out the results, you'll have to wait at least a week."

"Professor, that's not why I came here."

Upon hearing this, he knew that Professor McGonagall had misunderstood, so he immediately cut to the chase without any pleasantries: "During the summer vacation, I experienced something that I feel I need to tell you..."

After a while.

Ino finished telling everything about Ginny and the notebook, even including his feelings and speculations about dark magic items.

"Wait here for me a moment!" Professor McGonagall said, standing up and walking briskly out of the office.

There was no doubt that this was a prank or a misunderstanding.

It seems that even if it's a wasted trip, she can't let the students' safety go unchecked.

"Bang!" The door slammed shut.

With Professor McGonagall gone, Ino sat idly in his chair, fiddling with his wand, or rather, playing with it.

Stroking the raised knots on the elderberry, he grew to like the wand more and more with time.

It went beyond mere ease; it reached a fantastical feeling akin to a blood connection. And whenever he held the wand, it was as if it were an extension of his own arm—it was truly magical.

……

Time passed by, second by second.

About half an hour later, the office door was pushed open again.

Professor McGonagall led Ginny in, and notably, she was carrying a vintage notebook.

The notes were placed on the large desk.

"Is this what you mean?" Professor McGonagall asked, pointing her wand at the table.

"Yes! That's it, that subtle, corrosive feeling."

Ino answered calmly, then glanced apologetically at the panicked Ginny.

He somewhat understood Ginny's feelings. After all, on the second day of school, being suddenly taken away from the dormitory by the dean would make even a graduating seventh grader nervous, let alone a freshman like Ginny.

As Professor McGonagall began reviewing the notes, Ino whispered to Ginny:

"I'm so sorry! I noticed the problem with it that day, but I didn't have any proof. That's why I thought of trading it for stationery, but your brother stopped me."

Chatting seemed to really soothe emotions. Compared to the stern Professor McGonagall, Ginny gradually relaxed when she saw the gentle senior opposite her.

"It's alright, in fact I should thank you," Ginny said weakly.

"Actually, I've also noticed something's off about it. Every time I write something on it, a name like Tom Marvolo Riddle always appears..."

"What did you just say!" Professor McGonagall's stern voice rang out in the office.

Although she was checking her laptop, she heard every word of the conversation between the two people opposite her. Others might not know the name, but she knew its meaning all too well.

On the other side...

Facing Professor McGonagall, who exuded an overwhelming aura and seemed to have unleashed some terrifying magic, not to mention Ginny standing to the side, Ino felt as if she were facing the White Witch herself.

"I'm sorry! Children, I frightened you!" Realizing her lapse in composure, Professor McGonagall suddenly softened her tone, abandoning her previous sternness.

"Miss Weasley, please tell me the whole story again, the entire story."

As if remembering something, Professor McGonagall suddenly turned her head to look to the side:

"Ino! You can go back now. Let's leave it at that and not mention it again! If it's true, I'll add 100 points to Slytherin's score, don't worry about that."

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(End of this chapter)