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

Hermione sat somewhat awkwardly, her hands neatly folded on her knees.

She sat up straighter than she did in class.

Mrs. Merrick looked at her with a wry smile and said softly, "Don't be shy, child. Make yourself at home."

"You're the first friend John has ever brought home. He's never brought a friend home before, let alone a lovely girl like you."

Hermione blushed slightly upon hearing this and became even more nervous.

"Hermione, may I call you that, Auntie?"

"sure."

Hermione nodded immediately in agreement.

"You two are classmates, right? Can you chat with me about school? Has John gotten into any trouble?"

"No, John... he's very disciplined."

"He is very talented, and the professors all speak highly of him."

"And she's also very helpful; she's been a lot of help to me this semester."

Hermione hesitated for a moment, but still spoke up for John.

After all, he didn't really cause any trouble.

Hearing Hermione praise her son, Mrs. Merrick naturally smiled broadly, but she still teased her with a smile.

"Really? My son has that kind of ability?"

"..."

Hermione pursed her lips, somewhat speechless. It seemed John inherited this way of speaking from his family...

Or perhaps John infected his family.

Just as they were about to say something more, they saw John walking over with a cup of tea in his hand.

I thought he was going to give it to Hermione, but he just took a sip by himself.

Yes, tea you brew yourself always tastes the best.

John took a sip, thoroughly enjoying it.

Seeing her son's actions, Mrs. Merrick's lips twitched.

Unable to bear it any longer, he stood up, grabbed his son's ear, and said with exasperation, "You're such a disappointment."

"I asked you to make tea for Hermione, not for yourself!"

John cried out in pain as his mother pinched his ear.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch! Mom, you didn't explain clearly. I thought you were worried I was thirsty."

Upon hearing John's words, Mrs. Merrick burst into laughter in anger.

Even Hermione couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"You've learned to be sarcastic after being away for half a year, haven't you?"

"You think you can get away with anything just because you've become some kind of magician? You think you're invincible?"

As she spoke, Mrs. Merrick increased the pressure on his hand, and John's face contorted in pain.

"I was wrong, Mom! I'll go make some tea right now!"

John cried out "Mom!" several times in pain, trying to awaken his mother's love.

Hearing her son's pleas for mercy, Mrs. Merrick finally released her grip.

"Go quickly!"

John rubbed his reddened ears, muttered a few words, and turned to walk into the kitchen.

Mrs. Merrick then sat down again, her gaze falling on Hermione, her anger instantly turning into a smile.

"I'm sorry you had to laugh at me, child. John is like that sometimes, he has no sense of propriety. You'll get used to it."

Hermione pursed her lips, smiled softly, and nodded.

She's definitely used to it.

She knew that John was deliberately making a commotion to help her relax.

"Tell me more about that wizard thing. What do you learn at school?"

Mrs. Merrick, holding Hermione's little hand, asked again.

Hermione nodded in agreement and began to describe the daily life at Hogwarts, including food, lodging, and activities.

After packing his luggage, the elderly father came out and joined the conversation, inquiring about the magical world.

During this time, they also learned about the relationship between their son and the girl.

It turns out they weren't classmates, but rather upperclassmen and underclassmen, and even from different departments.

But that would make it even more special.

Despite not being from the same grade or department that we frequently interact with, we still managed to have this kind of relationship.

Add to that the farce that happened when they first returned.

Hermione didn't show any resistance or disgust at being tackled by her own son; instead, she looked shy and embarrassed.

And his own son was willing to bring her back, even though Hogwarts allows students to stay at school for Christmas.

So it would have been fine if she hadn't been involved, but John chose to intervene...

A knowing glint flashed in Mrs. Merrick's eyes.

"Hermione, you said your parents were busy at Christmas. Do you wizards have to work on Christmas too?"

Upon hearing John's mother's question, Hermione quickly waved her hand.

"No, my parents are not wizards, they are just ordinary people. This time they just needed to go to another city for work."

"Oh, I see~"

Mrs. Merrick nodded, then continued to ask.

"So, is your family also in London?"

"Yes, it's in the northern suburbs, not far away. If you're free, Uncle and Auntie, you're welcome to visit us."

Hermione smiled politely, while Mrs. Merrick's smile deepened.

"So what do your parents do?"

"They are all dentists."

"Ah, a dentist, that's nice."

Mrs. Merrick nodded after hearing this, her eyes showing even more warmth.

Like her family, they were both Muggle families, and their parents had respectable professions, which made her even more satisfied with Hermione.

The two families live relatively close to each other. If the children develop a good relationship, then their parents can also get to know each other.

"and you..."

"Honey, are you checking someone's household registration? Asking all these questions, don't scare the child."

Mrs. Merrick wanted to know more about Hermione, but her husband interrupted her with a smile, leaving Mrs. Merrick speechless and giving him a disapproving look.

"Oh, it's okay, Uncle and Auntie, I'm happy to share my stories."

Hermione quickly stepped in to help Mrs. Merrick out of the predicament, speaking sincerely.

She was indeed very willing to tell John's family about her situation.

As for the reason, don't ask too many questions.

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Merrick looked at Hermione with a beaming smile, her eyes full of admiration and affection.

Look at this child, how eloquent, sensible, and considerate!

Moreover, his speech and manners revealed intelligence and good upbringing, which made Mrs. Merrick like the child even more.

So they started chatting again.

When John finally finished brewing the tea and came out of the kitchen with a tray of it, he saw his mother and Hermione chatting animatedly.

The father stroked the large orange while joining in their conversation.

Her mother even took out the gift she had originally prepared for John, wanting to give it to Hermione as a greeting gift.

John immediately sensed that something terrible was about to happen.

Oh no, I've become an outsider...