Hogwarts: A little lion in the skin of the Eagle School

"So, Ryan, after seeing Harry's performance, are you confident you can beat him?"

After the game, John smiled at Ryan.

"Yes!...but not many."

Ryan first shouted with great enthusiasm, but then immediately added hesitantly.

John smiled and patted him on the shoulder, offering him advice.

"I'm telling you, all you need to do is try your best to distract Harry and make him feel disgusted."

"Their goalkeeper lost his composure after just a few rounds and posed no threat at all."

"Once we're up by 160 points, then you can send Harry to catch the Snitch."

John didn't even try to avoid Hermione; he directly gave Ryan some dirty tricks right in front of her.

Hermione's eyebrows instantly furrowed into a tangled ball of yarn after hearing this.

"Aren't you taking me too lightly, dear Mr. Merrick?"

John immediately raised his hands, as if his wand had been taken away: "My dear Miss Granger, this is just an objective analysis based on the weaknesses of the opponent's tactics, and I have no other meaning."

Hermione pinched John's arm lightly, almost flirtatiously.

Ryan and the others standing nearby were speechless.

Can you please not be so blatant in your flirting?

I immediately lost all interest in continuing the discussion.

Then they simply abandoned John and left, leaving John still flirting with Hermione.

......

After leaving the Quidditch pitch, the two did not immediately return to the castle.

Since it was still early, the two strolled leisurely along the path by the Black Lake.

"I wrote to my parents and said that our two families will spend Christmas together."

"They didn't have any objections, they just said that on their way back they would take you to their home for a visit first."

The two continued to chat about their Christmas holiday plans as they walked.

He was referring to the result John had discussed with his family after writing to them.

"Okay, then I'll tell my parents not to pick me up, and I'll go to your house first."

Hermione had no objection to the arrangement and readily agreed.

It's Christmas, after all, so I definitely have to go home and visit.

Who knows, they might become a family in the future.

Hermione thought to herself with delight.

Just then, John suddenly noticed a wisp of smoke rising from the edge of the Forbidden Forest in the distance.

This scene was not uncommon last year, but it is the first time it has occurred this year.

Because the smoke was rising from the chimney of Hagrid's hut.

According to the general public, Hagrid has been missing since the beginning of this semester.

All they knew was that Hagrid had gone out on business.

I know nothing else.

And since the beginning of this semester, no smoke has ever risen from Hagrid's cabin.

But now, smoke is rising again from Hagrid's cabin.

"Hagrid is back?"

John blurted it out instinctively.

Hermione, who was lost in thought, was taken aback by John's words, and then followed John's gaze to the smoke rising from the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

The next moment, his eyes lit up.

The two exchanged a glance and ran towards Hagrid's cabin without prior arrangement.

John missed Hagrid terribly, and every day he longed to go to the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid again to collect magical creatures' loot.

Hermione also missed Hagrid, the gentle and kind little giant, who was once her safe haven at Hogwarts where she could pour out her grievances.

The two jogged all the way to the outside of the cabin.

Before the people arrive, the sound comes first.

"Uncle Hagrid!"

John was the first to call out inside.

Hagrid's familiar, deep voice came from inside the house.

"Oh, John? You're here. Come in quickly."

Hagrid didn't come out to greet them; instead, he called them in.

The two of them pushed open the wooden door together, and the familiar aroma of smoked meat and steaming pumpkin juice wafted out.

"Hermione's here too! It's so nice to see you guys, haha."

Hagrid sat by the fire and smiled at the two of them.

Unlike Hagrid's beaming smile, the two men gasped in horror upon seeing Hagrid's miserable state.

"Hagrid, what's wrong with you!?"

Hermione was the first to react and quickly stepped forward to ask.

"Uh? Oh, it's nothing, just ran into a little trouble." Hagrid scratched his messy beard, his tone nonchalant.

"You don't look like a minor troublemaker..."

John also moved closer to Hagrid and said with some concern.

Hagrid's messy hair was covered in scabs of blood, and his left eye was swollen shut, turning blue and purple.

His hands and face were covered in wounds, some of which were still bleeding, clearly fresh injuries.

In his right hand he held a piece of bloody, green raw meat. He had seen pictures of this meat before; it was some kind of dragon meat.

Applying it to a wound can stop bleeding and relieve pain.

John took three test tubes out of his small leather bag.

This is the healing potion he brewed with Professor Snape.

"Uncle Hagrid, although this thing may have limited effect on giants, it's better than nothing."

"Oh, thank you, John."

Hagrid did not refuse, because he was indeed in some pain. He took the medicine and drank it all in one gulp.

"Oh, I feel much better, thank you John."

After finishing his drink, Hagrid grinned, his swollen eyes easing up, and thanked John again.

Hermione silently took out her wand, her fingertips trembling slightly as she cast a gentle cleansing spell to help Hagrid clean up the blood and debris.

The crackling fire illuminated the silent profiles of the three people.

"So, Uncle Hagrid, what have you been up to all this time?"

"He came back covered in wounds."

After resting for a while, the three of them sat down by the fireplace.

John was the first to ask Hagrid.

"Actually, I made a special trip because I received a commission from Dumbledore."

Hagrid scratched his head and didn't hide anything.

"Last year, after Harry brought back news of the resurrection of the Giants, Dumbledore asked Mrs. Maxim and me to go to the giants' settlement..."

A gathering place for giants?

Upon hearing the term, both of them were taken aback, but they quickly realized what it meant.

Dumbledore clearly foresaw the impending war, so he sent Hagrid, a half-giant with giant blood, to try and forge an alliance.

Sure enough, Hagrid continued speaking.

"Dumbledore hopes we can persuade some of the giants to join the Order of the Phoenix and fight against the forces of the mysterious man."

"Everything was going so smoothly..."