The mastermind behind Hogwarts

The Hermes Society prepared a small test for the young wizards who had signed up.

Soldaya began explaining to Hermione on the stage.

"In the field of alchemy, this is a very famous test, the gold removal test."

"It has also been called an introductory test by thousands of alchemy masters—if you can't even do a proper gold removal, alchemy is probably not for you."

Hermione took a few deep breaths and saw Penelope's gentle smile in the audience, which eased her tension.

"Go Hermione Granger!"

Hermione cheered herself up, calmed herself down, and focused all her attention on the test.

Add the ingredients!

balance!

Remove the gold!

filter!

Replace!

Purification!

Alchemy!

cool down!

A series of smooth operations resulted in a successful gold withdrawal!

Soldaya held a golden bean high above his head, where the bright sunlight shone and emitted a dazzling light.

"Perfect gold! Granger, this is yours. Take it, carry on Hermeticism, and live up to the name of Hogwarts."

Hermione was both surprised and delighted as she took it, cradling it in her hands.

For her, this was not only a piece of pure gold, but also proof of her entry into the wizarding community.

Hermione had never been so joyful. She jumped up and down, hugging Penelope's arm. "I'm so happy, Senior! Your and Cho Chang's guidance was all worth it! I've joined the biggest society at Hogwarts, and I'm writing to Mom and Dad right now. They'll be so proud of me!"

"Congratulations, Hermione," Penelope said with a smile. Suddenly, she caught sight of a familiar figure in the hallway outside the classroom. She immediately left Hermione behind. "Sorry, Hermione, you go back to the common room by yourself. I have something to do."

"Why?"

Hermione watched Penelope hurry away and slipped out the back door.

"That girl is suspicious..." Hermione scratched her head slightly, her eyes lighting up. "The TV shows say girls like that are going on dates, huh? Could it be true?"

Hermione wanted to tell Tonks, but seeing Hannah asking Tonks some questions and Penelope seemingly leaving outside, Hermione stamped her foot and chased after her.

Hermione, just like the secret agents in the TV series, peeked her little head out of the door.

Penelope was seen leaning against a tall man.

"what!"

Hermione gasped, then quickly covered her mouth.

"It was him!"

Hermione recognized the tall man.

The one with gray hair, the one from the overturned alley last time...

"It's Moriarty Slytherin!"

"But, but..."

Hermione wasn't done yet; she immediately witnessed another shocking scene.

Moriarty pinched Penelope's smooth, white chin, turned her face to face him, and lowered his head to kiss her deeply.

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise. The gentle and intellectual senior in her heart had actually wrapped her arms around Moriarty's neck and given a passionate response!

Moriarty also held Penelope tightly, his thin lips as soft and warm as cotton candy.

More importantly, it's as sweet as honey and delicious.

Hermione didn't know how long she watched them before they finally separated. "Senior..."

Hermione called out in a worried whisper, "It looks like Penelope is bleeding from her face, is she hurt...?"

The innocent Hermione had no idea that a ten-minute kiss could leave someone breathless.

Penelope was led away by Moriarty, and Hermione quickly followed. She saw that along the way, Penelope was either being held in Moriarty's arms or being kissed by him.

Penelope, like a timid wife, was obedient and shy, letting Moriarty do whatever he wanted.

"Is this still Penelope, the Ravenclaw beauty?"

Hermione could hardly believe her eyes.

From the start of the semester, Penelope's confidence and gentleness left a deep impression on Hermione. Hermione couldn't remember how many love letters Penelope had rejected from her fellow upperclassmen and underclassmen.

But this pure and innocent senior was suddenly being hugged and embraced by another boy.

But that person turned out to be Moriarty.

Hermione clenched her little fist without thinking.

"I saw it myself. On the day of the Sorting Ceremony, senior Tonks, along with two beautiful seniors at the Slytherin table, all went to feed you."

Hermione pouted, the thought of Penelope being deceived by Moriarty's sweet talk flashing through her mind.

"No, I can't let Senior Penelope be deceived!"

Hermione mustered her courage, intending to disrupt Moriarty and Penelope's rendezvous, and followed them at a distance.

But Hermione was new to the castle, how could she compare to Moriarty's familiarity with it?

"Oh no!" Hermione scratched her tousled hair; she'd lost them. "This is the fourth floor. They wouldn't have gone upstairs, would they? But what's upstairs? There's nothing there!"

Hermione sighed in frustration, but she was extremely anxious. Penelope couldn't be hurt!

"No, I have to go find Senior Tonks."

Hermione ran away, and Senior Tonks probably doesn't want to see her boyfriend having an affair with another girl, right?

however.

"Huh? Why is the classroom empty?"

Hermione ran back to the classroom and was dumbfounded.

The place is now deserted; there isn't a single student or wizard left.

"Are all Hermes people this mysterious?" Hermione blinked, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh no, I still don't know the time and place of the next gathering!"

Hermione was disappointed in herself for being so careless. How could she have been so flustered just by seeing Penelope and Moriarty having a tryst?

"If, and I mean if, that girl in Moriarty's arms was you, Hermione Granger, would you still be so flustered?"

A voice suddenly echoed in Hermione's mind, and she quickly shook her head. "Oh dear, I'll go find Cho Chang instead."

She ran away as if fleeing, and at that moment, the only person Hermione could think of to help her was Cho Chang, who was also a Ravenclaw.

Cho Chang is a year older than Hermione and has given her a lot of help. She is also a member of the Hermes Society.

But when Hermione ran back to the Ravenclaw common room, she was told that Cho Chang had gone to the Great Hall for dinner.

The Petit sisters, also first-year students, asked Hermione why she wasn't going to eat.

Hermione said hurriedly, "Something big has happened! Have you seen Penelope?"

The Petit sisters exchanged a glance and asked curiously, "You went to the Hermes Club recruitment with your senior, shouldn't we ask you where she is? By the way, did you succeed?"

Before she could finish speaking, Hermione had already run away.

Finally, Hermione saw Cho Chang at the Ravenclaw table.

"Choi Chang! Huff... huff... huff..." Hermione ran breathlessly to Cho Chang's side. "I have something to tell you... huff... one thing... huff... ha..."

Hermione's appearance puzzled Prefect Roger Davis, who shook his head and said, "Granger, while we Ravenclaws don't pay as much attention to our appearance as Slytherins, we Ravenclaws often work our minds to the bone, which is why you look like this, rather than exhausting our bodies..."

Roger was always a talkative man, but the impatient Hermione had no patience to listen to him. "Shut up!"

Hermione turned her head and said something that immediately stunned Roger, who muttered, "Hey, with that sentence and her hair, she really looks like a little lion."

Cho asked curiously, "Hermione, what happened?"

Hermione, catching her breath, whispered, "Cho Chang, I just saw Moriarty kissing Penelope!"

After saying that, Hermione watched Cho Chang's reaction.

Zhang Qiu blinked, a joyful light shining from her beautiful black eyes.

"Wow, really?" Zhang Qiu beamed with delight. "Penelope finally got what she wanted!"

"what?"

Hermione was dumbfounded. What? Shouldn't Cho Chang be angry? And what does "Penelope got what she wanted" mean? Could it be...?

Hermione, though somewhat convinced, added unwillingly, "Cho Chang, did you even hear what I said?! Moriarty is kissing our Penelope!"

Cho Chang still had a smile on her face and said kindly, "Hermione, you don't know the school's secret. Moriarty, he's different from the other boys, he..."

Zhang Qiu considered whether or not to tell Hermione about Moriarty's role in expanding the Slytherin family.

After all, Hermione is still a young girl. Is she able to accept this?

"Alright, I'll tell you anyway." Zhang Qiu noticed that Hermione's small nose was covered in beads of sweat, wiped them away for her, and said, "Moriarty has many girlfriends, which is no secret at Hogwarts."

Strictly speaking, we can't say she had a girlfriend, because no girl appeared and publicly declared herself Moriarty's official girlfriend.

"Why is this happening..."

Hermione murmured, while a voice suddenly echoed in her mind, saying things that made her blush.

"No, this isn't right!" Hermione suddenly exclaimed, "In our world, there's monogamy! Each man can only have one wife! I thought the wizarding world was the same!"

Zhang Qiu shrugged. "My dad only had one wife, my mom! It's nothing. In the wizarding world, there's no law that says a man can only have one wife, nor is there a law that says a man can't have multiple wives."

"what?"

Hermione was surprised, but her heart pounded wildly. Suddenly, a thought struck her: "How did you know so much, senior? Could it be... that you also like Moriarty?"

Hermione blinked her bright eyes as if she had discovered a secret.

Zhang Qiu's pretty face flushed instantly. She reached out and pinched Hermione's cheek. "Oh my, how are you so smart!"

After saying that, he looked at the head of the Slytherin table with a melancholy look in his eyes.

"He's so dazzling, what girl wouldn't like him?"

Hermione followed her gaze and whispered, "So, does your senior want to be like Penelope?"

Hermione blushed and her heart pounded as she recalled what she had seen Moriarty and Penelope doing together.

(Wishing everyone a happy Mid-Autumn Festival in advance!)