The wheelchair-bound warrior is speedrunning Hogwarts.

This word was both too unfamiliar and too desirable to her.

“Yes.” Vera turned back and smiled at her. “It’s a bit old, but it’s big enough and safe. Come on, I’ll take you to your room.”

Kreacher had vanished without a trace; it had gone to prepare lunch.

Harley, carrying Hedwig's cage, followed Vera closely until they reached a carved wooden door on the second floor, which she then pushed open—

This room was more than twice the size of Harley's storage room in the Dursleys' house, and it was furnished comfortably and warmly.

A four-poster bed draped with deep red curtains, a sturdy-looking desk, a warm fireplace, and a window overlooking the quiet square outside.

Everything was spotless, a sight Harley had never dared to imagine before.

“This will be your room from now on,” Vera said. “My bedroom is next door. You can come to me anytime if you need anything.”

Also, Kreacher will take care of our daily needs; you can tell him anything you require.

Harley went into the room, placed Hedwig's cage on the table by the window, and opened the cage door.

The snow-white owl immediately flew out, circled the room curiously, and finally landed on the bedpost.

“It likes it here!” Harley said happily as she turned around.

“Well, there’s no lock here, and no one will lock it.” Vera smiled. “You can tidy up first; lunch should be ready soon.”

“Yes!” Harley nodded, her eyes shining brightly.

All the anxiety and unease before leaving the Dursleys were replaced by overwhelming joy at this moment.

She was no longer the freak Harley locked in the cupboard or a small room on the second floor, ignored by everyone; she had come to a place that belonged to her, and was with her friends.

"By the way, what are your plans for this afternoon?" Vera asked again.

“I’ll do anything,” Harley’s voice choked with emotion, “I’ll do anything as long as I’m with you.”

Vera looked at her, her smile deepening, and nodded gently: "Then, welcome home, Harley."

Harley's green eyes instantly welled up with tears, and she blinked hard, trying to force back the soreness.

“Home…” she murmured, repeating the beautiful word, feeling her heart swell with a warm and fulfilling emotion.

"Take your time to familiarize yourself with the room and unpack your things." Vera's voice pulled her back to reality from her excitement. "Lunch should be ready soon. Kreacher is a very good cook; you can give him a try."

Upon hearing about food, Harley's stomach rumbled loudly, and she rubbed it sheepishly, which made Vera chuckle.

"I...I'll put my things away first!" Harley quickly turned around and began clumsily tidying up her small, old backpack.

There wasn't much inside, but she needed to do something to hide her inner emotions.

Vera considerately didn't disturb her and pushed the wheelchair forward, saying, "My room is right next door. Call me anytime if you need anything."

After saying that, she gently closed the door and left.

Harley was left alone in the room. She stopped pretending to be busy, slowly walked to the window, and looked down at the silent square.

Sunlight streamed through the glass window, bathing her in its warmth, just as warm as the sunlight in Hagrid's cottage, yet completely different.

There was no thumping footsteps from Dudley, no sharp scolding from Aunt Penny, and no heavy breathing from Uncle Vernon.

Only the breath of freedom.

She took a deep breath; the air smelled faintly of wood and cleaning agents, which was very pleasant.

She walked to the four-poster bed, carefully sat down, and felt the soft, springy mattress.

She lay down, gazing at the deep red canopy above, and couldn't help but roll over, burying her face in the soft, fluffy pillow, letting out a satisfied sigh.

After a while, she finally got up and began to actually pack her luggage.

She hung a few pieces of clothing in the empty wardrobe and solemnly placed the photo album that Haig had given her on the bedside table.

After she finished doing all this, she heard a faint clanging sound coming from downstairs, probably Kreacher preparing lunch.

She hesitated for a moment, then decided to go find Vera.

The door next door wasn't closed properly. Harley knocked lightly and, after hearing a "come in" from inside, pushed the door open and entered.

Vera's room was similar in layout to hers, but larger and more simply furnished. The desk was piled high with thick books and scrolls, and several incomprehensible star charts hung on the walls.

Vera was sitting at her desk, looking down at an old parchment scroll, when she heard the noise and looked up.

"Packed up?"

"Hmm!" Harley nodded, looking around the room curiously. "What are you looking at?"

“The notes I left at home were just to pass the time.” Vera didn’t elaborate, gently rolling up the parchment scroll. “Are you hungry? Lunch should be ready.”

Just then, Kreacher's hoarse voice came from downstairs: "Miss Potter, lunch is ready."

Lunch was indeed exceptionally lavish, just as Vera had predicted.

The roast beef was tender and juicy, the vegetables were roasted to perfection, and there was a syrup pie drizzled with raspberry sauce for dessert.

Harley ate so much she almost swallowed her tongue; after enduring a whole summer of cold food and soup at the Dursleys' house, everything tasted delicious.

Kreacher stood to the side, watching as the food was devoured, and its large, bat-like ears twitched with satisfaction.

After the meal, Harley offered to help clear the table, but Kreacher said in horror that this was absolutely not something a guest should do.

Seeing the little elf's determined look, she could only sit down in the living room with Vera.

The afternoon sun streamed through the tall windows, casting dappled shadows on the polished floor.

Nestled in the spacious but somewhat worn velvet sofa, Halle finally had the chance to ask the question that had been swirling in her mind all morning.

"Vera, why do you think Dobby did that?" Harley asked, her brow furrowed as she hugged a soft cushion.

Vera pondered for a moment and said, "House-elves are very special beings; they are usually extremely loyal to their owner's family."

It's likely preventing you from returning to Hogwarts because it overheard something and believes the school is in danger this year, and it stubbornly insists that preventing you from going back is protecting you.

"Protect me?" Harley raised her voice, her voice filled with indignation. "It almost got me expelled from school! And it kept me from receiving any letters all summer!"

I bet someone wanted to play a trick on me, that's why they sent Dobby to stop me from going back!

Vera gently stirred the black tea that Kreacher had just brought over, the rising steam momentarily blurring her expression.

“A prank? Perhaps it’s more than that.” She put down the silver spoon and decided it would be better to reveal some of the truth. “Harley, the Dobby you’re talking about, I know its owner… Lucius Malfoy.”

"Malfoy?!" Harley sat bolt upright, her emerald eyes instantly blazing with fury. "Draco Malfoy's father?"

“Well, Lucius Malfoy is one of the Hogwarts Board of Trustees, but…” Vera paused, seemingly choosing her words carefully, “he has always been very dissatisfied with Professor Dumbledore’s ideas.”

Perhaps he was trying to undermine Dumbledore's authority, or achieve some other purpose, by creating chaos, or even getting the 'Savior' into trouble.

Harry clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white: "Just because he doesn't like Professor Dumbledore? What is he planning to do?"

“Power and prejudice often drive people to do things that are incomprehensible to ordinary people; no one knows what they might do.” Vera’s voice was calm, enough to help cool Harley’s boiling emotions. “And Dobby…”

She sighed: "The little elf cannot disobey its master's orders. The fact that it came to inform you, even if the method was a bit extreme, is enough to prove its goodwill towards you."

Harley was stunned for a moment, and after a while, she asked hesitantly, "So, Dobby said... that my life might be in danger, is that true?"

“We don’t know yet,” Vera said frankly, “but now that we’re on the lookout, we can be more careful, and…”

She looked at Harley, her dark eyes filled with a reassuring strength, "We can support each other when we're together."

As Harley looked into Vera's calm yet determined eyes, the complex emotions in her heart gradually subsided.

Yes, she's not alone anymore.

She has Vera and Hermione; they've faced Quirrell and Voldemort together, so what is there to be afraid of?

“You’re right.” Harley took a deep breath and rallied her spirits. “No matter what wicked schemes the Malfoys come up with, we can handle them!”

She suddenly remembered something, and her face still showed some indignation. "When I see Malfoy after school starts, I'm going to give him a good 'greeting'!"

Vera chuckled and shook her head: "Don't make it too obvious. At least we need to figure out what's going to happen first."

“I know.” Harley pouted, then perked up again. “Oh right! I need to tell Hermione I’m out right away, she must be so worried!”

“Alright, then let’s go back to the room and write.” Vera nodded; she also had her own things to do.

So, Vera spent the rest of the afternoon taking care of some of her own things, mainly reading and doing some simple magic practice.

Harley wrote a long letter to Hermione, telling her about her experiences during this time, and had it delivered by an owl.

Then, she knocked on Vera's door again, and after receiving permission, the first thing she said upon entering was, "I bet you haven't been following the doctor's orders for the past month or so."

Vera, who was sitting on the edge of the bed reading a book, was taken aback for a moment, then looked up at her with amusement: "How am I not following the doctor's orders?"

Harley stepped forward confidently and snatched the book from her hand: "You wouldn't let Kreacher give you a massage, would you?"

That's really true.

Vera tilted her head slightly so she could look at her more easily: "Then... I'll have to leave it to you from now on, right?"

Harley's cheeks flushed slightly, but she nodded firmly anyway: "Of course! Starting today, I'll take over!"

As she spoke, she walked to the bedside and, just as she had done countless times in the past in the dormitory, gently held Vera's shoulders and helped her adjust to a more comfortable prone position.

Vera obediently lay down, resting her face on the soft pillow. Her long, silver-gray hair spread out like flowing water, reflecting the afternoon light streaming in through the window and shimmering with a soft glow.

Harley knelt on the bed, her fingers slightly warm, and gently placed them on the back of Vera's neck, beginning to slowly and carefully massage her.

Having not received a massage for over a month, her technique was a little rusty, but she still applied just the right amount of pressure, with a focused and attentive touch.

Fingertips traced the taut lines of her shoulders, gently smoothing away the soreness that had accumulated from sitting for long periods and studying magic.

The room was quiet, with only the soft breathing of the two people and the subtle sounds of fingertips rubbing against fabric and skin.

A tranquil and intimate atmosphere permeated the air.

Harley lowered her head, her gaze focused intently on the fair skin and slender shoulder blades beneath her hands, as if she were performing an extremely important ritual.

She could feel Vera's body gradually relaxing under her massage, and her previously stiff muscles slowly becoming soft.

The real feeling of touching it with her own hands, and Vera's complete trust, greatly soothed the last trace of unease and anxiety she felt from being separated during the summer vacation.

“Vera…” Harley’s voice was very soft, almost like a murmur.

"Hmm?" Vera responded lazily with her eyes closed.

“It’s nothing,” Harley shook her head, but couldn’t help but smile. “It just… feels really good.”

You are here, and I am here too; we are together.

Vera seemed to understand her unfinished words and did not ask any further questions. Instead, she let out a very slight hum of agreement from her nose, like a cat that had been stroked comfortably.

Harley's heart was filled with a warm feeling, and her movements became even gentler.

She massaged from the back of her neck down to her shoulders and then down her spine, carefully avoiding the spine itself, and meticulously massaging the muscles on both sides.

Time flowed quietly in the stillness, and the afterglow of the setting sun gilded all the objects in the room with a warm golden edge.

Harley only stopped moving when Vera's breathing became more and more steady and long, as if she was about to fall asleep.

She pulled over a thin blanket and gently covered Vera with it, leaving only her fluffy, silver-gray head exposed.

Harley sat on the edge of the bed and watched her quietly for a while before tiptoeing up to leave.

Just as she reached the door, Vera's sleepy, indistinct voice came from behind her:

Good afternoon, Harry.

Harley stopped in her tracks, turned around, and saw Vera still in the same position, seemingly not awake, just murmuring unconsciously.

Her heart melted instantly.

"Good afternoon, Vera," she whispered, closing the door gently behind her.

The door closed, blocking out the light from the corridor, but it couldn't block out the peaceful sleepiness inside and the bright, gentle smile on the girl's lips outside.

Vera slept until evening, which was unusual for her, and Kreacher prepared a simple dinner for them.

Afterwards, Vera invited Harley to go see Hemera, and... a new friend.

Harley's eyes lit up instantly: "A new friend? Of course I want one!"

Vera took a magic scroll from her wheelchair and slowly spread it out on the desk.

The ancient parchment shimmers with light, revealing once again that familiar and breathtaking scene of habitat.

"Get ready, this might be a bit... lively," Vera said with a smile, placing her finger on the scroll first.

Harley did as she was told.

After a slight dizziness subsided, they found themselves on the soft grass of their habitat.