Days at Hogwarts

Chapter 172 is wrong, will you dare to do it again?

After stabilizing the magical connection between the Deluminator and Spider-Man's eyeball, Dumbledore's disordered breathing gradually calmed down, but the thought of "more money" still made him want to burst out laughing.

Dumbledore suppressed a smile: "Then, Mr. Morgan, the shrewd businessman, what price do you think is appropriate?"

"Just give me whatever you think is appropriate," Loren said readily.

"The headmaster of Hogwarts might not earn as much as you think. Hmm—" Dumbledore thought for a moment, then shook the Deluminator in his hand. "Can I use this to settle the debt?"

"It's just a little project I made to pass the time, but the mithril casing is worth something. It might not be enough to pay you, but I think, considering our friendship, this deal is worth a try. What do you say?" Dumbledore said with a smile.

"Hmm—" Loren feigned hesitation, "Since you put it that way, then I'll reluctantly accept this deal."

After saying that, he couldn't help but grin, his gums almost showing.

Dumbledore was in a good mood. He waved his hand, gesturing for Loren to come closer to observe: "Let me give you a brief explanation. The Deluminator can collect and store light sources from the surrounding environment, and retrieve them when needed. It also works for Muggle light sources like lamps and flashlights."

Do you know what "light" means?

Loren stared at the light source at the top of the deluminator, his mind wandering to the meanings of light: hope, the sun, energy…

The more he thought about it, the less certain he became. Looking directly at the light source cast a deep purple shadow, and he closed his eyes, asking, "What does this mean?"

Dumbledore answered softly, "Light means direction. When you are in darkness, when you are lost, light helps you see the way forward and knows where you should go."

"My original intention in designing it was to preserve hope when there is sufficient light, and to illuminate the way forward when darkness and confusion come."

Loren nodded, seemingly understanding, and asked, "So what are you doing now? Are you adding any features?"

Dumbledore pointed to the little spider's eight eyes and said, "The eyes of animals like owls and snakes glow at night, but it's not their own light. Rather, it's the unique structure of their eyes that allows them to concentrate light from the environment that we can't see, turning it into light that we can see, and then reflecting it back out."

"Fantastic Beasts are different; their eyes can actually glow. This light comes from a unique magic within them and has extraordinary effects."

"The giant eye of the eight-eyed spider can intimidate its prey."

"The eyes of a raccoon dog can detect suspicious people."

"And the basilisk's gaze..."

Loren didn't pay much attention to what Dumbledore said next. He carefully observed the magical threads extending from the eyes of the eight-eyed spider. Most of them were dark gray and mixed together irregularly, making them look mottled and mixed.

The light switcher was combing through these magical threads, grouping the darkest black ones together.

"Are these black threads the magic that represents fear and intimidation?" he asked.

"I think so." Dumbledore manipulated the Deluminator, the black and gray magic threads gradually separating, the combing was nearing completion.

After the last few strands of black magic were gathered into the Deluminator, Dumbledore closed the lid of the Deluminator, took a white mouse from his sleeve, and placed it in front of the eight-eyed spider.

The white mouse first let out a terrified squeak, but when it realized that the giant spider couldn't free its legs to chase it, it swung its four legs and ran quickly to the side, trying to escape the danger.

Seeing this, Dumbledore switched on the Deluminator, releasing the bound black magic. The little spider's eight eyes stared at the white mouse, who squeaked and collapsed to the ground, motionless.

"Looks like it's a success." Dumbledore smiled with satisfaction.

Loren realized that the black magic threads seemed to represent the eight-eyed giant spider's ability to intimidate its prey. When the threads were put away, the white mouse was unaffected, but when they were released, the white mouse was so frightened that it dared not move.

But he was puzzled. This was different from his previous assumption that it would affect vision and cause blindness. He asked, "Principal, is there any special use for this effect?"

Dumbledore didn't answer. He put the Deluminator back into his sleeve, pushed away the little spider that was struggling to crawl toward the white mouse, and laughed, "These are Fox's snacks. If you don't return them, Fox will burn my eyebrows."

After putting away the lab rat, Dumbledore turned to Loren and said, "Wait for me in the girls' restroom on the second floor after dinner, and you'll find out then."

"Basilisk!" Loren exclaimed, realizing immediately that this was a gaze meant to ward off the basilisk.

Dumbledore simply smiled, turned around, and went out to say goodbye to Hagrid and Hermione.

……

Midday, Hagrid's cabin.

Hagrid picked out a few pumpkins that were only slightly larger than Tooth, but had very hard skin. He chopped them into pieces, added nothing, and put them directly into an iron pot to stew with water.

"Look at this pumpkin, hey! It's the sweetest ever!" Hagrid grinned broadly.

Ever since he served the young wizards rock bread as their main meal, no one wanted to stay at the hut for dinner anymore. Harry and Ron would arrive right on time for the meal and leave just before it was time, which really annoyed Hagrid.

This time, he's going to show off his skills and let the little wizard know that there are many good things in the forest.

Once the pumpkin has matured and sugared, it's very difficult to cook it badly; even just picking it and eating it plain is incredibly sweet. The aroma of pumpkin from the iron pot filled the outskirts of the forest, and you could feel the sweetness in the air with every breath.

Even Hermione, who has the smallest appetite, ate a whole stewed pumpkin, her little belly round and full. Hagrid finished the entire pumpkin soup.

After dinner, Loren and Hermione sat on small stools outside to digest their food, helping to clean the pumpkin pulp containing the seeds. They scooped the pulp out of the pumpkin and spread it on a wooden board to dry. The dried pumpkin seeds could be kept for next year's planting, or roasted and kept as a winter snack.

Hagrid cut open a pumpkin, and inside wasn't pumpkin flesh, but a nest of slugs, slimy and wriggling.

This infuriated him. He snorted loudly and threw the pumpkin and slug together with all his might, so high in the sky that they were completely out of sight.

"It must be that Weasley kid. Last time I took them to visit my pumpkin patch, he spat out a bunch of slugs into it."

"That rascal, he must have done it on purpose. Next time I see him, I'm going to plant him in the pumpkin patch." Hagrid grumbled as he sat down and continued working on the pumpkins.

Loren and Hermione exchanged a glance and laughed simultaneously.

Hermione teased, "Come on, Hagrid, Ron will definitely come with Harry. Forget about planting him in the ground, you'll probably have to bring out the biggest and sweetest pumpkin to entertain them both."

Hagrid objected, retorting weakly, "No way! I don't know how many pumpkins I've ruined. You can't just plant him in the ground like that."

"What about Harry? Would you like to treat him to pumpkin?" Loren asked.

Hagrid turned his back, not wanting to look at them: "Harry didn't harm my pumpkin."

Loren and Hermione burst into laughter: "Hahahaha..."

When the sun hung under the western clouds, turning half the sky a pumpkin-yellow color, the pumpkin seeds were almost all processed.

Hermione stood up and went to the sink to get water to wash her hands. The pumpkin juice clung to her hands, making them sticky, and some areas on the back of her hands had formed transparent, hard shells that dissolved when she rinsed them with water.

Loren said goodbye to Hagrid and lagged behind as he slowly walked over to Hermione and washed his right hand.

Despite not having studied today, Hermione still felt fulfilled, and the golden clouds hanging in the west were filled with the sweet aroma of pumpkins.

There was only one thing that bothered Hermione: she rubbed her wet hands against Loren a few times and complained, "You're always so secretive. You even sent me away this morning when you were talking."

Loren protested his innocence: "It was Headmaster Dumbledore who sent you away, what does it have to do with me?"

"I don't care, it's your fault." Hermione rubbed her hands a few more times, drying them off.

"Alright, alright." Loren grunted twice, put his left hand behind his back, and said to Hermione with a sly smile, "Do you know what the main purpose of coming out today is?"

"What is it?"

"It's to tell you," he whispered, leaning closer to Hermione—

"I've learned Apparition!" Loren shouted excitedly, quickly rubbing Hermione's face a few times with his left hand, which was covered in pumpkin juice.

The sweet smell of pumpkin hit her face, and Hermione was stunned, completely stunned. She froze for a few seconds, then let out a terrible scream.

"Loren Morgan!"

Hagrid and Tooth were so frightened that they trembled and slowly turned their heads to look this way.

"You're dead!" Hermione reached out to grab Loren.

"【Phantom Appearance】"

Loren turned around and vanished with a "bang," instantly reappearing not far behind Hermione, grinning at her: "See, that's Apparition."

Hermione, having missed her target, abandoned all reason and composure. She now had only one thought—to teach this person a lesson they wouldn't forget!

After wiping the pumpkin juice off her face, Hermione took off after him.

Loren didn't sit idly by and wait for his doom; he turned and ran towards the castle.

Hagrid watched the two running in the sunset and sighed wistfully, "This is what youth is all about!"

Watching the figure striding ahead, Hermione held her breath, determined to grab him and beat him to a pulp.

Hook punch!

Whip kick!

With each thought of a movement, Hermione ran faster, getting closer to Loren. She had a feeling that she was running faster than ever before. Her physical abilities seemed to have improved again.

The distance between her and Loren was rapidly closing, getting closer and closer... Hermione's eyes widened, and a smile slowly crept onto her lips. She was about to catch this wicked fellow.

"【Phantom Appearance】"

boom!

Loren teleported a considerable distance again, then turned around with a bright smile: "Want to learn? I'll teach you."

Feeling that this person was even worse, Hermione was so angry that she almost ground her teeth to powder. She didn't say a word, but quickened her pace.

Naked choke!

Armbar!

guillotine!

In her fantasies, the ferocity of the beating escalated several levels, and the names of the fighting techniques ignited boundless energy within her, making her tireless.

A cool breeze wafted through the forest, filling the air with the fragrance of grass and the dampness of the air. In the setting sun, the boy's shadow stretched long, longer than the branches of the willow tree, longer than the path across the meadow, extending right into one's heart.

And so, one chased the other, the one in front occasionally teleporting to create some distance, until they ran into the foyer where torches were burning brightly.

"【Phantom Appearance】" Loren turned around, but this time he couldn't teleport away like before.

"Oh no!" He forgot that Apparition is prohibited within the boundaries of Hogwarts.

Hermione seized the opportunity to move closer, placing one arm across Loren's neck and using the other to clamp him down, making a strangulation motion, but without applying force. A triumphant smile graced her face.

Although I wanted to hang him up and beat him for three days and three nights while chasing him, I actually wanted to make him admit his mistake and apologize when I finally caught him.

Hermione's face was flushed with the joy of finally achieving her goal. She breathed into Loren's ear and said, "Tell me yourself, how many times has this happened? Every time you try to trick me, I catch you red-handed, but you never learn!"

With his wand still in hand, Loren could certainly use some kind of magic—a knockback spell, a binding spell, a stunning spell, or something like that. Hermione wouldn't be on guard, and a sneak attack would definitely succeed. But this wasn't a life-or-death duel; it didn't have to be a fight to the death. Besides, he was the one who smeared pumpkin juice on her face first.

Loren didn't struggle. He accepted his fate; if you're going to court death, you have to be prepared to get caught. Besides, struggling would only make his neck hurt more. He remained silent, like a kitten whose neck was being held down by life.

Hermione shook his head: "Hmm? Tell me, do you know you were wrong? Will you tease me again?"

"I was wrong, and I'll do it again." Loren was very honest.

Hermione laughed in exasperation: "What did you say?"

"You were wrong, but you'll do it again."

It was impossible to expect him to promise not to do it again, so Hermione held him there, slowly regaining her strength. Loren was also resting and catching his breath, and the two of them fell into an eerie state of peace.

After an unknown amount of time, Loren said quietly, "If you don't let go, I'm going to scream."

Hermione was stunned for a long time before she could calm down. She stretched her stiff neck and managed to squeeze out a sentence with mixed emotions: "Being surrounded by people is more embarrassing for you, isn't it?"

"I'm not afraid of embarrassment," Loren said, spreading his hands. "But you are."

Hermione was utterly speechless; she was genuinely afraid. For a moment, she couldn't do anything about this scoundrel, but doing nothing was incredibly frustrating.

Grabbing Loren's cheeks, Hermione pinched them hard on both sides: "If you tease me again, I'll pinch your face until it's swollen!"

This was already Hermione's most vicious threat, but Loren still smiled, pressed her hand down, and pulled her toward the Great Hall.

The aroma of dinner food was already wafting down the hallway; Hogwarts' kitchen had also prepared pumpkin tonight.

"Did you hear me? Stop laughing! You're not allowed to laugh!"

"I heard you."

……

(End of this chapter)