Days at Hogwarts

Chapter 711 A young couple in the throes of new love

Because of the effects of holiday syndrome, the young wizards' schedules hadn't adjusted yet, and they didn't want to go back to their dorms to sleep as lights out approached. In addition, the news of the mysterious man's defeat gave the students another reason to celebrate, and the common room remained very lively until late at night.

To avoid soiling the common room with the sticky liquid from the Gobstone, the club was placed in a corner. A crackling explosion sign was placed in front of the fireplace; some of the explosion sounds escaped through the chimney, making them less deafening. This allowed the wizard chess players and spectators to remain relatively quiet, thus occupying the central space of the room. At first glance, Gryffindor's common room appears noisy and chaotic, but in reality, it is organized within its apparent disorder, displaying a unique ingenuity.

After the lights were turned off, the flames of bellflowers in the glass bottle replaced the candles. The light wasn't as bright, but the soft, just-right flame was enough to illuminate the room. The soda water and sparkling wine in the glass reflected a soft, pale blue light.

Harry and Ginny huddled together on the sofa, their heads close together, engrossed in a book of magical creatures.

Hermione glanced at it as she passed by. The cover featured over a dozen animal images, all crammed together with their claws outstretched, making it look like a poorly made picture book from some unknown publisher, meant to fool children.

The book has very little text, and the illustrations, which seem to have been dug up from somewhere, are displayed in the most prominent position in the bookstore. Children can't resist them at first glance, and parents buy them on a whim. When they go to the counter to pay, they find that it is actually more expensive than some thick textbooks.

I don't know where they learned these scamming techniques.

Hermione thought for a moment, wanting to recommend some art books with exquisite illustrations, comprehensive information, and excellent printing to the two of them, but before she could even open her mouth, Loren dragged her away.

"This young couple is deeply in love; they find even flipping through a dictionary fascinating. Why are you getting involved?"

"..."

Hermione was pulled to sit down next to him. She didn't try to eavesdrop, but the two of them were still talking quietly.

"Ginny, what do you think about me getting a harpy-headed, horse-bodied winged beast tattooed on my chest?"

"I think the Hungarian Ceratosaurus is better."

"Hmm, the fire dragon looks more manly."

"You can be a man without tattoos."

"..."

Hermione shuddered and quietly moved to the side, feeling goosebumps rising on her arm.

Ron, on the other side, couldn't stand the two of them anymore: "Hey, watch yourselves. Don't act so recklessly just because I allow you to date. This is too much..."

"We were unrestrained?" Ginny scoffed. "And what about you and Lavender? Remember those days of being all lovey-dovey, like a pair of eels stuck together! Should I remind you? The auditorium, the common room, the courtyard, the foyer..."

"..."

Ron was scolded so badly that he fled in disarray.

Hermione calmly withdrew her gaze and began to reflect on whether she had acted in a way that was blinded by love.

Comparing Ron and Lavender, a preliminary search of memory revealed that thankfully, there was basically no excessive behavior such as public kissing.

Compare Harry and Ginny, and search again...

Hermione's cheeks flushed slightly. It seemed like they had been chatting together since their first year, always in the corner of the common room. They talked about everything from classroom knowledge to past experiences, from the morning star to the moon. They always seemed to have endless topics to discuss, but now she couldn't remember what they had talked about back then.

There's bound to be some really stupid stuff too.

Seeing the glimmer in the girl's eyes, her expressions shifting between frown and smile, her cheeks slowly flushing red, Loren felt something was amiss. He placed the back of his hand against her cheek: "What's wrong? Why is your face so red and hot? Is it too stuffy in the lounge?"

"!!"

Hermione's shame reached its peak. She glared at the man, but in the dim, pale blue firelight, her cheeks flushed and her eyes gleamed faintly, offering no real threat. Loren pressed on, but the girl had already picked up her book and started walking upstairs.

"So you're planning to go to bed so early?"

"..."

"Then I'll go back and wash up too. See you tomorrow morning."

Hermione paused, then turned back and whispered, "See you tomorrow morning."

……

The sound of the dormitory doors opening and closing came from the room outside.

Loren stood in front of the bathroom mirror, spat out the fresh-smelling toothpaste foam from his mouth, wiped the water droplets from his chin, and turned to leave.

My roommates are back.

A chandelier cast a warm, yellow candlelight glow. A huge mirror stood in the center of the room, its top engraved with obscure inscriptions, its frame exquisitely gold, and its base sculpted into the shape of claws. The mirror reflected the candlelight, illuminating the entire room. In front of the magnificent mirror, the four roommates stood in a row, their eyes filled with curiosity as they stared at the reflection.

Ron stood in the very center, his eyes wide open, his reflection in his pupils. He was dressed in a magnificent Quidditch uniform, with the student president's badge pinned to his chest, and various trophies and medals displayed behind him.

Seamus shoved Ron hard, his expression contorted from the force: "My turn, my turn."

Neville's eyes held only pure curiosity as he examined the mirror's carvings and muttered the inscription at the top. He wasn't as enthusiastic about the scene in the mirror as the other two.

What surprised everyone the most was Harry, who stood by with a smile, his eyes calm, gently advising the two not to fight over it. The mirror was lent to him by Dumbledore, so there was no rush to return it. There was plenty of time, and both of them could look at it to their hearts' content.

This sight surprised Loren. He walked over to Harry and asked in astonishment, "Why don't you stand in front? Didn't you always want to see the mirror image of the whole family reunited?"

Harry shook his head: "Unlike my mother in front of me that night, the mirror image is just a false illusion. It can't talk to me or hear me. There's nothing to see."

"Tsk, I still remember when we first found the Mirror of Eris in first grade, some people would rather skip lunch than not stand in front of it."

"..."

Harry remained silent, pretending not to hear anything. As long as he didn't respond, Loren wouldn't be making fun of him.

"Looks like you've recovered. You've finally shaken off that listless look from a few days ago." Loren observed his condition and clicked his tongue. "That's the power of love."

"I just figured it out..."

Harry turned to look at the mirror in front of him, as if speaking to someone through it. Because it wasn't the best position, only the reflections of a few people could be seen in the mirror. "Before I was born, Professor Trelawney made that prophecy, and subsequent events have confirmed its contents. If everything is predetermined, and the ending of the story is already written, perhaps I should enjoy the process before the ending."

The young man seems a bit off.

Loren raised an eyebrow: "Harry, I think you're taking prophecy too seriously."

"Is something wrong?"

"You've been to the Prophecy Hall of the Department of Mysteries. There are thousands upon thousands of prophecy orbs on the display shelves there. You don't actually believe that every prophecy can come true, do you?"

Harry paused, then asked, "What do you mean?"

(End of this chapter)