I, Hogwarts Second Time Around.

Chapter 270 Hermione Granger's Cup and the First Signs of a Conspiracy

"Hibiscus~~" Hermione finally couldn't help but call out her name.

Upon hearing the sound, Furong on the bed suddenly froze, then sprang up from the bed like a startled bird.

"It's you, Hermione." Upon seeing the person who came, Fleur breathed a sigh of relief. She rubbed her eyes, shook her head, and let her silver, waterfall-like hair fall over her chest.

"You scared me," she said. "I thought some boy had barged in."

"Ahem. You...you should cover yourself with the blanket first!" Hermione turned her head away, speaking very awkwardly.

Upon hearing this, Fleur lowered her head and immediately understood why Hermione had reacted so strongly.

She then immediately wrapped herself tightly in the silk-like quilt and shrank into the bed.

Ahem—her cheeks were also slightly flushed.

This story teaches us that you shouldn't sleep in a loose-fitting silk dress.

The atmosphere in the room gradually became somewhat strange.

Before things got any worse, Hermione spoke up and revealed everything she knew about the match.

I came to tell you about the first competition event.

"We need to deal with—"

"I know," Hibiscus said directly, narrowing her eyes. "We need to deal with the fire dragon, right?"

"Take the golden egg from the fire dragon."

???

Hermione is now completely bewildered.

What fire dragon? What dragon egg?

All she knew was that they had to deal with a 'gatekeeper' to get the treasure from him.

"A dragon?" Hermione frowned. This was not good news. What if the first match was against a dragon?

She really couldn't imagine what she would face in the next level!

"Aren't you worried?" After a moment of contemplation, Hermione looked up at Fleur again.

While killing a fire dragon would be difficult for them given their current strength, taking something from it would be quite easy.

But that was herself after all. She didn't know how much stronger Furong had become in the past year.

Hibiscus, lying in bed, showed absolutely no sign of fear or apprehension.

She wrapped herself in the blanket, muttered a spell, and then lifted the blanket.

"Oh dear!" Hermione quickly covered her eyes.

However, I caught a glimpse of Furong out of the corner of my eye.

By this time, she was already dressed, wearing a light blue robe with a fluffy cotton lining, and thick blue socks on her legs. She got up and tucked her feet into the white boots by the bed.

"Didn't we already have a completely honest conversation before? Why are you still so shy!" Fleur teased Hermione, raising an eyebrow at her.

Then, she put on her boots and went into the washroom next door to wash up.

Hermione stood frozen in place, her head steaming.

It took me a long time to break free from a certain memory from the past.

By this time, Furong had finished washing up.

"It's Sunday, let's go to Hogsmeade Village!" She walked out of the washroom, then went to Hermione's side and casually took her arm. "I haven't been there since I came to Hogwarts!"

Today is Hogsmeade Day, and the small village is packed with excited young Hogwarts wizards.

Hermione accompanied Fleur to every shop in Hogsmeade. Fleur, who was not short of money, bought a lot of things to take back as gifts.

These items are Hogsmeade specialties and cannot be found in France.

Hermione also regained her senses from the ambiguity she had just experienced.

When she entered Hogsmeade Village, she was surprised to find that the village before her was completely different from the one before.

It's less like a village and more like a small town.

The streets and alleys of Marble are lined with three- or four-story, crooked houses, each with its own unique characteristics.

Each shop has a sign that flashes with neon lights.

There are also stone benches along the street for passersby to rest.

A street lamp is erected every few steps along the roadside.

Although it was daytime and the streetlights weren't on, Hermione could already imagine how brightly lit the place would be at night.

If it weren't for the fact that the surrounding houses were so magically designed, Hermione would have thought she had wandered into a Muggle community.

"That looks like George and Fred?"

Hermione, emerging from the brand-new Honeydukes candy store, immediately spotted a shop on the street corner where two red-haired boys were pointing at a piece of parchment.

"What are they doing?" Hibiscus asked, holding a piece of cream-filled chocolate and taking a sweet bite.

She had also heard about the Weasley twins breaking through Dumbledore's Goblet of Fire magic using alchemical tools, so she was paying attention to them.

Wow! Hogwarts really is a place where hidden talents abound.

"They must be renovating the house!" Hermione said.

"Irving told me that they rented a house under his name to open a shop."

"Open a shop?" Furong asked.

"Their dream is to open a magic trick shop. All the pranks at school are their creations; they're very talented at it," Hermione explained.

They sat down on the rattan chairs provided by the roadside tea shop.

"Speaking of which, you and that Sanchez." Fleur, sitting in the wicker chair, stretched, her plump, unripe fruit looking tempting. Many of the young wizards passing by couldn't help but turn their gazes towards her.

"How far have things progressed in your relationship?" she asked, turning to him with a smile. "Have you won him over yet?"

"Huh?!" Hermione blushed instantly, then stammered in panic, "What do you mean, 'take down'—I—we're just friends."

"Huh?" This time it was Furong's turn to be surprised.

"Friends, my foot!" Her eyes widened. "You guys aren't having some kind of technical problem, are you?!"

She had the air of someone who'd been there all along, and her playful smile never left her face.

"Big sister can give you some technical support!"

"Stop saying that!" Miss Granger said, blushing and annoyed. She had already blushed long enough today and didn't want to stay blushing any longer.

And—she and Irving.

What was that guy thinking?

Does he like her, or is he just playing games with her?

Many girls in the castle were fond of him, and recently she noticed that the Ravenclaw girl named Cho kept looking at them (actually, she was staring at Harry). Was she also...?

Miss Granger, lost in thought, suddenly realized that she seemed to have no advantage over them at all.

She wasn't gentle enough, nor was she that pretty (with Hibiscus standing next to her). Most importantly, she was completely insensitive and had no idea what Owen was thinking.

In this respect, she was neither as good as Hannah nor Luna, the two of them always knew what he wanted.

Gradually, the blush on Miss Granger's face began to fade, and only worry remained.

"What are you thinking about?" Hibiscus picked up the dragon milk tea on the table and took a delicious sip.

I heard this was the work of Fred and George.

The milk tea looked like it was burning with flames. After drinking it, a wave of heat swept over her whole body, and then Furong's skin turned orange-red at a visible speed.

The orange-red color lasted for a few seconds before fading.

Then she felt warm all over.

It was like drinking the sun in one gulp.

"Oh! They're sure to make a fortune! This stuff will definitely sell like hotcakes in winter!" Hibiscus looked at the milk tea in her hand with delight. It tasted wonderful, with the fragrance of flower tea in the milk. After just one sip, she fell in love with it completely.

"You look so worried, what's wrong? Is there really some technical difficulty?"

She giggled and made a funny sound.

"No," Hermione replied awkwardly, "It's just—it's just—"

"I'm just not sure if he likes you," Fleur finished Hermione's sentence. "Oh! What if he doesn't like me? Am I just imagining things?"

"How will you know the result if you don't try? How will you know which spells are difficult to learn and which are easy if you don't try?" Fleur advised earnestly, like a caring older sister: "Maybe you should try to be more passionate like a French girl."

"A French girl?" Hermione looked up, puzzled.

"Put him in a corner, give him a loving kiss, and believe me, no boy can resist."

"."

Miss Granger lowered her head, holding her first cup of milk tea of ​​the winter in both hands.

Her cheeks were flushed, but she remained silent.

"Aren't you Gryffindor people known for your bravery?" Fleur was still encouraging them. "This is the time to show some courage."

"That's a different matter!" she stammered.

"What two things are going on!"

"It's the same thing," Fleur said emphatically. "Love can be cruel, Hermione. You must always be ready for a fight!"

"ha?"

"This is a battle where it's either win or lose; there's no such thing as a draw."

"Oh~" Granger was still holding the cup of dragon milk tea.

The red glow reached my ears.

In the rare warmth of the winter sun, something beautiful spread.

More and more young wizards and adult wizards came and went in a hurry.

They are rapidly healing this small town.

Little by little, like a silkworm spinning its cocoon, the butterfly inside will soon burst forth.

"About the competition—"

Feeling that the topic was gradually heading towards a 'dangerous' angle, Hermione forcefully changed the subject, feeling the warmth coming from her hand.

"It's just a fire dragon. I have ways to deal with it. Speaking of which," Hibiscus picked up a cup of black tea and took a small sip, "we're still competitors, aren't we?"

"But we're still friends!" Hermione said firmly.

"That's right!"

Just as the two were about to talk.

At the new Weasley store, which is just one street away from them.

The boys are busy decorating the shop.

"Five Hermione Granger drinks, please!"

Irving huddled in the wicker chair, which he had gotten for free from a shop outside.

A chair made of grapevines, that's quite rare.

"It's clearly called Dragon Milk Tea!" Ron rolled his eyes at him. Then, turning to his two brothers, he said, "Six Hermione Granger cups, please. I'll take two."

"Want me to slap you twice?!" The twins gave their spendthrift younger brother a disdainful look. "We've spent all our savings on this store. As a member of the Weasley family, Ron, you should contribute some money too!"

"I—I don't have any money," Ron said cautiously, instinctively clutching his pocket.

"Ha—you'll never set foot in here again!" George and Fred said in unison.

"No money—" Owen's voice came again at that moment.

"Harry, go buy some milk tea," he said. "You can get a loan, a small loan, no collateral required, 8 out and 14 back, minimum loan term of one year."

"Climb!" the twins said again.

"Hey—but I'm the one who suggested buying milk tea, how much have you made these past few days! I'm already being lenient by not charging you a service fee."

What he said is absolutely true.

It was indeed Kyrie Irving who suggested buying milk tea in the winter.

In the cold winter of November, in the Scottish Highlands, the humidity is usually 80 percent. Cold is not even a word to describe the weather here.

That should be called pain!

Rheumatism—a bone-aching pain!

At this point, it would be an injustice if a cup of dragon fruit milk tea didn't sell out.

As for the name of the milk tea—"Using a popular figure from school as the name is a great idea. It will not only increase the product's reach but also increase user loyalty. When most people can only name it 'Dragon Bubble Tea,' you elegantly open your mouth and say, 'Hermione Granger,' and the authentic Gryffindor atmosphere of old Hogwarts will emanate from you. Everyone who sees it will have to say: 'Authentic!'"

As for why Hermione was chosen to lead the charge...

I advise you to mind your own business!

"Hey—Owen, when will my name also be able to—" Ron looked at Owen with anticipation.

His eyes were practically overflowing with eager anticipation.

"You? What's your reputation?"

"Me?" Ron immediately became unhappy. "I've defeated a bunch of Slytherins many times, and I participated in the World Cup, okay? Look closely at the photos in the Daily Prophet. I'm behind Hermione, then behind Harry, and behind Percy. If you look carefully, you'll definitely find me."

"Hehe—I'm not talking under a microscope, I don't go that far."

"The next cup is reserved for my grandfather Grindelwald. Next is Dumbledore, then Professor Spratly, Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall, oh—and my grandmother, and then..." Owen rattled off more than a dozen names, finally adding at the very end, "And lastly, Snape."

"He'll be in line until 2023, as for you, start queuing in 2077!"

"Then why was Hermione the first to receive the cup? She's a junior wizard too, I don't accept that. I..."

As he spoke, the twins came up and covered his mouth with their hands.

"Don't ever say you're our brother when you go out again!" George glared at him.

"You've dragged down the IQ of the entire street," Fred continued.

Owen didn't seem to care. He continued, "Besides, do you think creating a drink that fits a wizard's name is easy?"

"I'm losing brain cells every day."

"Hmm—what tone should 'Grindelwald' use? Ginger juice with a hint of sweetness?"

"Tsk! Wouldn't 'Dumbledore' be a more fitting name for him?"

On the street corner, Hermione and Fleur continued their conversation.

Two figures shrouded in black robes suddenly emerged from a dark alley.

Behind them—that area consisted of buildings that survived the great war, appearing dilapidated and desolate compared to the newly built, beautiful houses.

"Wait—" Suddenly, a slender finger emerged from the black robe.

He grabbed the arm of the man in black robes on the other side.

"Look—we've found treasure!" it exclaimed excitedly, pointing into the distance. "Look there!"

"Be careful, Allen—hmm? Is that—the girl in the newspaper?" An aged voice came from the black robe as the two hid in a corner.

Through the hoods on their heads, you can see their long, pointed ears.

Yes, those are two fairies.

You can probably guess that from their short stature.

The old goblin was short in stature, with a sallow complexion and dark eyes filled with caution.

Although a hint of excitement flashed across his long face, he quickly suppressed it.

There are too many wizards around; this is not a good time to make a move.

"Grab her!" Allen trembled with excitement, but at that moment, his hand was grabbed by another fairy.

"Be careful, there are too many wizards around."

"It's okay. We might cause some chaos, but they're all still immature. If we act quickly, there won't be any problems."

Allen's words greatly moved the old fairy.

He slightly raised his head, and beneath his black robe, a crimson light shone in his black pupils.

This is an opportunity, a golden opportunity. With Dumbledore around, they can't possibly break into the castle, so the chances of meeting that girl outside are slim.

"Old Nudak, if we miss this opportunity, we might have to wait several more months!!!"

The young voice in his ear, which sounded rather irritating to Nudak, was quite annoying.

Just when he was about to make up his mind.

Suddenly, a figure walked up behind the two girls.

He was an elegant man with long black hair, wearing a brown robe, and his wand glowed slightly.

A pair of wolf eyes were staring at them menacingly.

"Get up and head to the castle!" His voice rang in Hermione's ears.

"Sirius?" Hermione looked at the man who had suddenly appeared behind her with surprise.

"When?"

"Get up!" Sirius said again.

Confused, Hermione could only get up and walk slowly towards the castle alongside Fleur, her mind still puzzled.

As the two turned around, they saw two figures dressed in black robes at the street corner in the distance.

Hermione knew instinctively that they were no good people.

"Keep going, don't look back!" Sirius stayed behind them the whole time.

His expression was gloomy and uncertain.

Until they passed through the castle gate.

Sirius Black only put away his wand after entering Hogwarts' magical defenses.

"That was just now—" Hermione asked quickly.

"Fairy!" he replied coldly.

"Fairies?" Hermione was somewhat surprised, but recalling the height of the two black-robed creatures she had just seen, it did indeed fit the size of fairies. "But why? What danger could fairies pose to us?"

"No one else has it, but you—" He lowered his head, revealing a tired, stubble-covered face with bloodshot eyes.

His complexion was dull, and there was some kind of black grime on his cheeks.

He hasn't had a single good day in the past six months.

Hermione thought with absolute certainty.

"We'll discuss this issue later. Before that, there are a few things I must remind you of."

Especially you, Hermione.

(End of this chapter)