Days at Hogwarts

Chapter 36, Thursday, September 19th (Comments welcome)

During Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Professor Quirrell's stench filled the classroom, while Loren, Hermione, Harry, and Ron sat in the last row.

"Why are you sitting here? I can't hear what the professor is saying!" Hermione strained her ears, trying to find out the scope of the Demon Spell.

"To protect your nose." Loren supported his head with one hand and tried to spin a quill pen in the other, but the weight of the quill pen was too uneven, and it would fall onto the textbook after spinning once or twice.

Harry and Ron's gazes were unconsciously drawn to the spinning pen, making them feel dizzy.

Harry perked up: "Only those who arrive early can sit in the back. Seamus arrived late today, so only the first row is left."

The group looked toward Simo, who was at the front.

Seamus was seated right next to the podium, and every time Quirrell waved his sleeve, a pungent smell of fermenting garlic would waft towards him on the breeze. Seamus's face turned pale, and he kept his head down, covering his nose. Loren noticed Seamus's trembling shoulders and thought he was about to faint.

Just then, Quirrell waved his sleeve again, and Hermione clearly saw Seamus's throat bobbing up and down, as if he was about to vomit.

Hermione shuddered at the sight of Seamus, but ultimately chose her sense of smell over knowledge. "Could you please save me a seat at the back next time?"

Unable to hear from behind, Hermione stopped paying attention to the lesson. The group focused their attention solely on Seamus, who was suffering.

Poor Seamus, with the silent support of everyone, persevered until the end of get out of class. When he stood up, his legs were shaking, and Dean had to help him to the cafeteria.

Watching the two walk out of the classroom, Ron said sympathetically, "I bet Seamus will arrive an hour early for Defense Against the Dark Arts class from now on."

The people around them nodded in agreement.

……

Simo didn't start to cheer up until his afternoon flight lesson.

After explaining some basic flying knowledge, Madam Hooch's expression turned serious: "Something very bad happened in flight class last week. I hope everyone will learn from this. If anyone causes trouble again, I will definitely have Headmaster Dumbledore expel you!"

Then came the free flight time. There was no final exam for the flight course, and everyone cheered and played without any pressure.

Neville was having a blast riding his broomstick across the grass. Nobody was at his height; his feet could barely touch the grass that was just a little higher on the ground.

Loren can take off and land skillfully, but he doesn't know anything else. He can only move slowly at a jogging speed in one direction at one altitude.

Although Ron wasn't as agile as Harry, he was still quite good. The two of them darted back and forth in the air, playfully bickering and laughing happily.

"Loren! Are you playing the snail in the air?" Ron passed by Loren again, mocking him from all angles, 360 degrees.

Loren wasn't annoyed; he had already accepted his role as a novice broom driver: "Flying isn't about speed; if you don't fly properly, your loved ones will shed tears."

Then he muttered some strange things to himself, like "Don't drink and drive, and don't drive after drinking."

Ron couldn't understand and flew away with Harry.

Hermione was in a slightly better situation than Loren. The little witch didn't have much talent for flying, but she liked the feeling, like a real witch.

Hermione flew up from behind Loren, slowing down to match his speed: "Flying isn't a very important subject, it's okay if you're not good at it."

The little witch's cheeks were flushed from exercise, and the sunlight reflected off her eyes, making them bright.

Do you like flying?

"Hmm, I think this is just like the wizard I've always imagined."

"So, do you like Quidditch?"

"I don't really like it, I don't understand it, and it feels a bit barbaric."

The two brooms flew slowly forward at the same pace, neither too close nor too far, chatting casually. Loren felt that the sun, the wind, and the scent of grass were perfect for this scene.

"Actually, when I first discovered that I didn't have the talent to fly, I felt very sad. I couldn't get a perfect score in this course, and I couldn't be like Professor McGonagall."

"But seeing you and Neville makes me feel like I can enjoy a little bit of flying too." The little witch squinted her eyes, feeling the wind blowing towards her.

Loren glanced at Hermione, whose hair was bobbing in the wind: "That doesn't sound like you're praising me."

Hermione opened her eyes, the two looked at each other, and couldn't help but laugh.

……

Evening, Gryffindor common room.

Seamus, looking miserable, leaned close to Ron and Harry. "Smell me, do I still smell of garlic?"

Seamus was attacked by evil dark magic during Defense Against the Dark Arts class and was listless during lunch. After his flight class in the afternoon, he rushed back to take a shower, which lasted for several hours. Neville brought him dinner.

Harry took a small sniff and could still smell the garlic, so he quickly moved away: "I think there's still some."

After being tormented all day, Simo was almost in tears: "I've already washed three times."

Hermione looked up from a Ravenclaw student's Defense Against the Dark Arts notes: "Why don't you try [Clean Up]?"

Ron nodded in agreement and said loudly, "Yes, my mother uses this spell all the time."

【Clean and Fresh】As the best cleaning spell, it is welcomed by many housewives, but the first graders have not yet learned this spell.

Simo thought it was a good idea and planned to ask upperclassmen for help. He hesitated about who to ask, but several people around him offered suggestions.

At that moment, Loren returned to the common room from outside. He crept up to Hermione, leaned close to her ear, and said, "Hermione, come with me for a moment."

Hermione didn't know what it was about, but she nodded and followed Loren out of the lounge.

No one noticed that Ron was still loudly advising Seamus, "Don't go looking for George and Fred, they'll add the smell of manure to your clothes..."

Loren led Hermione to the 8th floor, in front of the painting of the troll beating Barnabas.

The corridor was pitch black, and Hermione lowered her voice unconsciously, whispering, "Loren, why did you bring me here?"

Loren didn't answer. Hermione watched him pacing back and forth in front of the painting. She tugged at Loren's sleeve and leaned closer: "What are you doing? Curfew is coming soon. Let's go back."

"Alright!" Loren lowered his voice and looked up at the wall in front of him.

Hermione then noticed that a black door had appeared on the wall at some point.

"Is this some new secret passage? Leading to..." Hermione didn't finish her question before Loren opened the door and pulled her inside.

"Here!" Hermione exclaimed in surprise. The sofa, the TV, and the paintings on the wall were just like those in her own home.

There was also an avalanche strawberry cake with candles on it, placed on the coffee table.

Hermione's eyes welled up with tears. No one at school knew it was her birthday, and her parents, who were usually there for her, weren't around. She hadn't even thought about her birthday this year.

She was a little disappointed when she woke up this morning, but a friend saved her a spot, and she flew slowly during her flight lesson. She was happy all day long.

She never expected anyone to remember her birthday and prepare such a scene.

This was the first time a 12-year-old had been away from home for so long, and Hermione immediately thought of her parents, tears streaming down her face.

She stepped forward and hugged Loren, repeatedly murmuring, "Thank you, thank you..."

The girl's fresh scent filled his nostrils, and Loren felt a little flustered. Feeling the girl trembling in his arms, he comforted her, "Let's blow out the candles first!"

Hermione then looked up, her eyes wide open, trying to take in the whole scene before her.

A moment later, Hermione, while eating strawberry cake, looked around the room in amazement: "So it can materialize the scenes in our minds according to our needs?!"

No one can resist the magic of the Room of Requirement; it represents people's most fundamental yearning for magic—to have their wishes granted.

"There are limitations. It can't conjure food, and some things are just appearances, like this TV not turning on."

"There's another room here where things are hidden; it contains many precious manuscripts. I'll take you to see it in a bit..."

The two visited the room where the items were stored, and Loren showed her Miranda Goschak's manuscripts.

"Her family background doesn't seem very good; she must be a strong witch," Hermione said.

Hermione was curious about everything here, and she had some ideas about the Room of Requirement. The two talked until very late.

When I got back, the moonlight streamed through the window and onto the corridor, making it look like a carpet of white flowers...

Hey everyone! If you're watching, please let me know!

Playing single-player mode is so painful, sob sob. Please feel free to criticize me loudly for any parts I write poorly.

(End of this chapter)