Hogwarts: Hermione and I switched identities!

"When did I say I had mastered it?" Tom spread his hands. "I just said I had achieved some success. Garo, can you please not twist my meaning? If others find out, they'll think I'm some kind of strange alien species."

Galo breathed a long sigh of relief.

Thankfully, I didn't learn it.

She thought Tom had really learned it, and almost asked him to demonstrate it for her on the spot and translate it for her...

That's right, you haven't learned it yet!

“After all, this is the language of dragons, isn’t it difficult?” Gara crossed his arms and smiled smugly. “But don’t be discouraged, not every dragon can learn our language.”

A dragon's destiny is already determined at birth; the dragons you encounter outside probably can't even have a normal conversation.

They have no wisdom, and they never will, especially those who were taken away by your wizards and made to bear children; they will never develop wisdom in this lifetime.

Only wild beings like us have the potential to awaken intelligence, and awakening intelligence is merely the first step in learning dragon script!

Tom scratched his head.

Why does it feel like Jialuo is cursing at him?

What do you mean by saying that domesticated animals can't possibly have intelligence, and only wild hybrids are likely to...?

"Ahem, anyway, thank you very much for today. I'll come again tomorrow."

"Are you going back tonight?" Galo asked, a hint of reluctance in her voice—though she didn't show it in her tone.

"Of course I'm going back," Tom answered casually. Suddenly, as if sensing something, Tom turned his head curiously and looked at Gara with a smile. "What, are you reluctant to part with me?"

"A human being, who would miss you? I've been guarding this species here for hundreds of years, who do you think I am!"

For you humans, a hundred years is almost a lifetime! But my life... no, my dragon life has already spanned countless centuries. Farewell, and best of luck!

Gara didn't even glance at Tom, burying her head back under her arms and letting out a long yawn: "Remember to bring some new things when you come tomorrow, we're tired of these sweets."

"Do you need me to bow to you again?" Tom asked, not annoyed at Gara's blatant disrespect, but rather with a hint of joking.

"Hmm... You may leave."

"I shall take my leave."

Tom left the cave entrance and flew towards Draco's house, riding his fire bolt.

Flying through the sky, Tom couldn't help but start daydreaming.

Dragons... truly magnificent creatures!

Imagine if in the future I could have a fire dragon as a mount... no, as a friend!

I will provide him with food, and he will carry me around in the sky. Perhaps he can even help me send messages!

That scene...

Tom imagined Hermione at home one day seeing a fire-breathing dragon flying down from the sky, banging on the window with its sharp claws…

Interesting.

pity……

Galo also said that there are not many intelligent dragons in the world, and she has lived for so many years, so she may even be the last intelligent dragon.

Finding another one... feels like the odds are even lower than finding a phoenix.

Back home, Tom got off the fire bolt and knocked on the door.

"Please come in—"

"No, I'm asking you to open the door, I don't have the key!"

Draco stormed in, slamming the door shut. "You know the Lockpicking Charm, don't you? Can't you just open the door yourself? Don't you know I was busy!"

"I'm so sorry, Master Malfoy, but may I go in now?"

"No, you should use the unlocking charm again. You can't expect me to help you every time!"

"I can also use softening spells. Do you want me to demonstrate?"

Draco fell silent, and after being rebuffed, he stepped aside and invited Tom into his home.

"Did you go look for that fire dragon today too?" Draco asked casually.

Actually, he was somewhat jealous.

Tom not only has a good relationship with humans, but also... dragons.

He also fantasized. On every sleepless night, Draco would fantasize about what would have happened if Garo had chosen him instead, and if Garo had let him learn that mysterious magic in the cave.

For example... once he has mastered the skill, the entire Hogwarts would probably praise him, right?

I'm so tempted!

Unfortunately, some of them are unlikely.

Every time I see those words on the wall, I get a headache, and I even feel like someone is choking me, telling me that if I keep looking, I'll crush their neck.

Perhaps only someone like Tom, who is not afraid of death, could learn it.

"What's so good about that fire dragon? And what kind of magic is the spell below it?"

"I don't know," Tom shrugged. "I'm thirsty, could you get me a glass of water?"

"Can't you pour your own water? You dare bother me with something so small! Tom, I've noticed you're becoming increasingly brazen with me! And I have a name!"

Tom immediately changed his tune: "Handsome young master Malfoy, could you please pour me a glass of water?"

Draco nodded, somewhat proudly, though it was unclear what he was proud of: "Wait a moment, I'll get you some water right away."

After finishing his water, Tom leaned back in his chair and swayed back and forth.

"Speaking of which, isn't Hogwarts about to start soon?"

"Hmm... there are still two weeks left. Originally, Christmas was only a two-week holiday, but this time something happened, so it was delayed to a month. However, I heard that a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor has been found for Hogwarts."

Tom raised an eyebrow: "Is that so? Who did you contact?"

"You'll never guess!" Draco teased.

He tried to see some curiosity on Tom's face, but the guy seemed to have no human warmth whatsoever, just staring intently into his eyes.

"Take a guess?"

"I won't guess. If you don't tell me, I'm going back to sleep."

"How can you be so boring!" Draco scoffed. "Fine, I'll tell you then, it's Lockhart... You should know Lockhart, right?"

It really is Lockhart?

“Lockhart is a difficult person to judge. He graduated from Hogwarts, but he’s a fraud.” Draco quickly put his index finger to his lips. “You absolutely mustn’t tell anyone else. My father told me this.”

In short, Lockhart's most proficient magic was only one: Oblivion! His writings were merely accounts of other people's experiences; in reality, he was a coward.

Tom nodded thoughtfully: "So...you think Lockhart is completely useless?"

"Isn't that right?"

Tom nodded: "Everyone has their own strengths, Draco. I've said that to you before. Mr. Lockhart also has his own merits."

"You name one."

Tom's thoughts wandered, recalling the first time he met Lockhart: "He had a lot of money."

Draco: "...?"

"You might not know this, but I started out thanks to Mr. Lockhart. Back then, I wasn't a Potions Master yet, I was penniless, and I even owed Professor Dumbledore almost a hundred Galleons. It was all thanks to Mr. Lockhart's beauty and kindness..."

"What is this thing? Would that miserly guy give you money?"

"Uh... no, he didn't give it to me, but I begged him, praised him to his face, and then asked him to give me a signed photo."

Draco curled his lip in disdain: "So what? Do you need mine? I can give you a signed photo of Young Master Malfoy."

"His photos can be sold for money."

Draco fell silent.

He felt that very few people would use such despicable methods to earn Galleons; perhaps Tom was the first in history.

No, there are two more.

George and Fred.

Those two are born businessmen. Give them Galleons, and they'll pluck the stars from the sky for you. Tom should be the third one.

"I really can't imagine your thought process. It's time for me to go to sleep."

Watching Draco go upstairs to rest, Tom continued to rock back and forth in his chair, the water in his glass already getting cold.

Tom used magic to heat it up and looked up at the ceiling.

I've had a strange feeling these past few days.

The more deeply Tom studied the dragon script, the more he felt that something was wrong with the world.

It felt as if something had overlapped in front of me.

To be precise... it was two worlds, two worlds overlapping before him.

Whenever he was engrossed in learning something new in the cave, he would turn around and see only utter silence. It wasn't until Gara spoke up to wake him that he came to his senses.

Perhaps I shouldn't have learned that magic?

Lying in the chair, Tom fell asleep without realizing it, still holding the cup in his hand as he drifted off to sleep.

Lucius returned very late. When he came back, he saw a boy sitting in a chair, fast asleep with his eyes closed. He instinctively raised his wand, but he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the boy's face clearly.

Lucius was also on edge these days.

“Tom,” Lucius nudged Tom’s arm, “you should go back to sleep.”

Tom rubbed his eyes. "Thank you, Mr. Lucius."

"Hmm... You'll catch a cold if you sleep outside, and I don't want to see you catch a cold here."

“Sir, I have a question for you,” Tom called to Lucius, who was about to leave. “It’s about the Hogwarts Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. I heard that Mr. Lockhart is coming to Hogwarts to be a professor of magic?”

"Draco told you?" Lucius's face was grim as he looked toward Draco's room.

"Actually, I knew some of it from the beginning, after all, I have a very good relationship with Professor Dumbledore... I just want to ask, why did you choose Lockhart to be the professor?"