Hogwarts' Golden Glory

The tension of the final exams had just dissipated, and a lazy, relaxed atmosphere filled Hogwarts Castle.

Tomorrow they'll be boarding the Hogwarts Express, and most students are busy packing, exchanging souvenirs, or playing in the sun, enjoying the last bit of free time before the end of the term.

But clearly, some people belong to the "majority".

The library was still so quiet that you could hear the faint sound of a quill pen nib scratching parchment, and... the sound of pages turning, which was trying hard to suppress but still sounded too hurried.

Mrs. Pince raised her sharp, hawk-like eyes from behind her desk and pinpointed the source of the sound precisely—a long table near the restricted section (but not beyond it).

Upon seeing the person sitting at the table, her tightly clenched lips softened by an almost imperceptible 0.1 degree.

It's Kane Malfoy. And Miss Granger too.

In front of Kane were two stacks of books, almost at eye level when he was sitting, covering a wide range of topics: "Modern Spell Innovation Theory", "Basic Runes and Advanced Applications Comparison", "Characteristics of Rare Magical Creatures and Their Magical Interactions", "Basic Principles of Alchemy and Interdisciplinary Associations", "Philosophical Speculation on the Nature of Magic"... Each book was as thick as a brick, and they certainly did not look like leisure reading.

He was rapidly flipping through a book about ancient protective magic, his eyes focused, his fingers occasionally tracing complex rune paths in the air, a faint flash of magical light flickering at his fingertips.

That posture didn't look like casual browsing; it looked more like efficient information extraction and verification.

Hermione Granger sat opposite him, with several books open in front of her, but she was clearly distracted.

Her gaze would occasionally drift from her own "Standard Spells, Level Three" to Kane, then quickly shift away, pretending to study the patterns on the ceiling or the clouds drifting past the window.

When she tried for the third time to bury herself in the "Chronology of Major Events in the History of Magic," she accidentally knocked over her quill.

"Oh!" she exclaimed softly, bending down to pick it up.

At the same time, another hand reached out and easily picked up her pen. It was Kane; he had closed his large book at some point and looked at her with a hint of inquiry: "Are you alright, Hermione? You seem a little... restless. Do you need any specific information? I'm quite familiar with the categories here."

His voice was calm and gentle, carrying a composure beyond his years. Hermione's cheeks flushed inexplicably, and she quickly took the quill, stammering, "N-nothing! I was just... just thinking about my summer reading plans. Your reading list... is a bit too much."

She tried to steer the conversation to a safer place, pointing to the "mountain of books" in front of Kane.

"It's alright," Kane smiled, his gaze sweeping over the spines of the books as if looking at old friends. "Some of them are things I might need to know in advance for next semester's courses, and some are just for personal interest."

There are many interdisciplinary areas in the theory and application of magic that are worth exploring in depth, and summer vacation is the perfect time.

He spoke of it casually, as if planning a summer of self-study covering several advanced disciplines was perfectly normal.

Hermione opened her mouth, wanting to say that she also had a long list of books for the summer vacation, but compared to the "mountain" in front of her, it seemed to become insignificant in an instant.

A familiar feeling, mixed with admiration and a slight sense of frustration, welled up inside her, but it was quickly overshadowed by another, more ambiguous, and more irritating emotion—why was he so naturally able to access and digest such profound knowledge? Why was he so...focused and undisturbed?

Just then, an ethereal, fleeting voice, like a breeze carrying the scent of bubblegum, drifted into this small space built of books and focused concentration.

"Oh, you're here."

The two looked up and saw Luna Lovegood standing by the table. Today she was wearing a pair of carrot-shaped earrings (real carrots, and they looked quite fresh), her long, light blonde hair was slightly disheveled, and her prominent silver eyes were staring unblinkingly at Kane, her gaze strangely direct.

"Hello, Luna." Kane nodded politely, already aware of his Ravenclaw classmate's unique style and occasional surprising insights.

Hermione greeted them, but her brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Lovegood?

What's she doing here? Surely she's not here to borrow the "Chronology of Major Events in the History of Magic" too?

Luna seemed completely oblivious to Hermione's subtle expression; her attention was entirely on Kane. "I've been looking for you, Kane."

She spoke casually, as if stating a fact like "the weather is nice today," and said, "My father heard about your stories about the basilisk and, earlier, about healing from trauma. He thinks you might be interested in *The Quibbler*, or... some of our family's collection."

"Collect?" Kane raised an eyebrow slightly, revealing a hint of interest.

“Yes,” Luna nodded, her carrot earring swaying slightly, “lots of old things, weird stuff, and some of Dad’s theories and clippings about horned snorkels, harassing flies, and a lot of… unorthodox theories. He thought someone like you, who ‘can see connections that others can’t,’ might discover something interesting.”

She paused, her silver eyes unblinking. "So, would you like to come to my house during the summer vacation? Near the village of Autri-San Catchpol. We can look for the harassing horsefly's nest together, or verify whether the migration path of the Curved-Horned Snoring Beast is really related to the phases of the moon."

The air fell silent for two seconds.

Hermione's eyes widened instantly.

She looked at Luna, then at Kane, her lips moved, but she found herself at a loss for words.

A sudden, inexplicable sense of anxiety gripped her.

Go to Lovegood's house? To see those...strange collections?

Looking for the nest of a creature that doesn't even exist?

What kind of invitation is this?

How could Kane possibly be interested in that kind of thing?

He's the kind of person who wants to read "Philosophical Speculation on the Nature of Magic" and "The Fundamental Principles of Alchemy"!

He should...he should...

She didn't know what to do, but she just felt that Luna's invitation was abrupt, strange, and...unpleasant.

Her hands, resting on her knees, unconsciously tightened around her robe.

Kane was clearly surprised, but he didn't immediately refuse. Instead, he thought about it seriously for a moment: "The Quibbler... I've heard a little about the magazine edited by Mr. Xenophilius Lovegood; its perspective is indeed unique. Some non-mainstream materials can sometimes provide unexpected inspiration. As for the horned snorkeling beast and the harassing fly..."

He paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully. "My current research leans more towards the verifiable foundations of magic systems. However, thank you for the invitation, Luna. If I have time during the summer and Mr. Lovegood doesn't mind, I would be happy to visit you. It's always beneficial to exchange different perspectives."