ã€ŠMiss Granger advises me to stop studyã€‹


 Chapter 1: The Elegy of Life, A Brand-New Journey

    "In today''s world, where resources are insufficient to meet the needs of all humanity, only the elite will be able to survive! This will ensure better development for humanity!"

    "Starting today, the quality of life for every family, except for the elite class, will be linked to their children''s academic performance. It is imperative to cultivate more talents for the future of humanity!"

    "Students who rank in the bottom third of the annual year-end exams will be uniformly eliminated, and their parents will be relocated to slums until they can raise more outstanding children."

    ...

    "Yes, yes, I want you to do this." In an underground hospital, a middle-aged woman clutched the sleeve of the doctor in front of her.

    The doctor, who had practiced in the underground world for many years, frowned. Even for him, it was the first time he had heard a parent request such a procedure for their child.

    He didn''t even know if the child''s condition after the surgery would be better than being directly eliminated.

    Of course, the woman in front of him had not considered these things; she was only concerned about not being relocated to the slums.

    The middle-aged woman looked at her daughter on the operating table, her eyes devoid of any pain or guilt.

    "Yueyue, listen to your mother. After this surgery, your grades will definitely improve."

    Lin Yue looked deeply at her mother, fully aware of why she had been brought here.

    Her grades had never been very good in class, even though she studied hard, even to the point of exhaustion.

    Studying until two or three in the morning, she still only managed to rank in the middle of her class.

    She was not a smart child, never had been, so her mother came up with a solution.

    To sever the emotional center in her brain, eliminating excess emotions that could interfere with her studies and prevent her from resisting her parents, making her more obedient and diligent in her learning.

    To damage the sleep neurons in her brain, so she would no longer feel tired, only needing the shortest rest time to ensure her body wouldn''t collapse, greatly increasing her study time.

    Looking at Lin Yue on the operating table, the middle-aged woman felt she was seeing the future, the glorious future of herself and her husband.

    The world of the elite was beckoning to them; they could move out of their current apartment and into a better environment, a villa.

    They would have a garden, and even a swimming pool!

    Tired, Lin Yue closed her eyes and no longer looked at her mother. She gave birth to her, raised her... If she wants to do this, then let her be; consider it as repaying her.

    She was also very tired and thought that without emotions, she might feel a little better? Lin Yue comforted herself with these chaotic thoughts.

    The surgery began, and Lin Yue''s consciousness gradually fell into darkness, a silent, wordless lament was being played.

    When everything was over, Lin Yue opened her eyes again, numbness occupying her pupils.

    "Successful! Successful!" The middle-aged woman joyfully touched her cheek, her face filled with ecstatic delight.

    "Yueyue, do you still know who I am?" Now she wanted to confirm, to ensure that her child still had recognition and could still learn.

    "I know," Lin Yue replied in a flat tone, expressionless as she looked at the middle-aged woman touching her cheek, "You are my mother."

    "Yes, yes, yes." The middle-aged woman nodded frantically, reaching into her bag to take out a textbook and handing it to Lin Yue, not caring that her head was still wrapped in bandages.

    "Come, let''s take a look at the book?"

    Lin Yue reached out to take the textbook, opened it, and quickly flipped through the pages. Without the influence of emotions, her reading speed had increased several times compared to before.

    Complete rationality had taken over her brain, and her understanding of the knowledge in the book was even faster.

    In just one hour, Lin Yue went from starting to read the entire textbook to fully understanding and mastering it. Even with her previous memories of the textbook as a foundation, this speed was still astonishing.

    "Genius, my daughter has finally become a genius!" The middle-aged woman exclaimed joyfully as she hugged Lin Yue, while the doctor beside her looked at her with cold indifference and disdain.

    "Alright, ma''am, you can make the payment now and take your daughter home."

    The middle-aged woman released Lin Yue, paid with the bracelet on her wrist, and pulled Lin Yue out of the underground hospital.

    Back home, looking at her daughter with a vacant expression, her husband also looked at his wife with excitement.

    "Did it work?!"

    "It worked!" The middle-aged woman nodded vigorously, patting Lin Yue on the back.

    "Our daughter is now a true genius; she mastered an entire math book in just one hour!"

    "Great, great, great..." The man paced back and forth excitedly, "Our good days are finally coming!"

    The following days unfolded just as they had envisioned; Lin Yue''s grades continuously improved, and their family moved from an apartment to a villa.

    Then they moved from the villa to a larger villa. In the two years from Lin Yue''s fourteenth to sixteenth birthday, they achieved a leap into the elite class.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Until the year Lin Yue turned sixteen, everything changed again.

    "So, our child is a genius? A true genius?!" The man rubbed his wife''s belly, looking at her with surprise.

    "Of course, I went to the most authoritative private hospital, and the doctors have checked everything." The woman looked at her belly with immense affection, as if she could see the unborn baby inside.

    "That''s wonderful..." The man murmured, his eyes misty, as if he could see a more glorious future ahead.

    They had reached the elite class, so could they... go even further!

    Thinking of this made him unable to contain his excitement, but then he remembered that their daughter Lin Yue was already sixteen, and he couldn''t help but look at his wife with concern.

    "In two years, Yueyue will be taking the big exam. When the physical check-up happens, will they find out..."

    Hearing her husband''s words, the woman furrowed her brows, "It is indeed possible..."

    "If they find out, we shouldn''t be punished, right?" The man spoke with worry. As Lin Yue grew older, this concern weighed heavier on his mind, but he only told his wife today.

    Just thinking about the possibility of facing punishment, even if it was uncertain whether there would actually be any punishment, made the woman feel suffocated at the thought of losing everything they had now, going back to an apartment, or even to a slum.

    "No, we can''t just wait to be punished!" The woman tightened her grip on her husband''s hand.

    The man lowered his head, hesitated for only a moment, then looked up at her.

    "According to the regulations, families without children of appropriate age can maintain their social status and quality of life unchanged until the child is born and before they start school."

    "Our child is a true genius, so as long as he is born and we don''t have any other children, doesn''t that mean..."

    The woman widened her eyes at the man, "But... we have Yueyue, don''t we?"

    The man lowered his gaze, slowly rubbing his wife''s belly, as if greeting the genius inside.

    "Isn''t the year-end exam coming up soon?"

    Hearing the implication in her husband''s words, the woman pressed her lips together. She didn''t feel reluctant about Lin Yue; she was just contemplating whether this was worth it.

    As long as Lin Yue makes a mistake in this year-end exam, they would become a family without children of appropriate age, and they could still maintain their current standard of living and social status.

    Once the child in her belly is born, he could grow up in a better environment, and they could use this true genius to climb even higher.

    And any potential risks associated with Lin Yue would simply disappear.

    Understanding the stakes, the woman showed no hesitation and looked at her husband with deep affection, "Let''s do as you say."

    "Okay." The man nodded with a smile and gave the woman and the unborn child a kiss.

    This year''s year-end exam was unusual for Lin Yue; her failure had already been predetermined before the exam.

    A bowl of porridge laced with enough drugs was enough to ensure she ranked at the bottom in the year-end exam.

    With a vacant gaze, Lin Yue looked at the armed personnel coming to take her away, not struggling or resisting like the other students.

    She didn''t understand why she should resist; wasn''t it a rule that those who didn''t perform well would be eliminated? Rules need to be followed.

    Even when lying on the operating table, Lin Yue still felt this way.

    The nurse performing the elimination had been doing this job for many years, but she had never seen such a calm child.

    Calm as if she didn''t know what she was about to face.

    Setting aside her thoughts, the drug was slowly pushed into Lin Yue''s body, her consciousness gradually fading, her life slowly dissipating.

    The tragic song of life began on an operating table and ended on an operating table.

    After the elimination was complete, Lin Yue''s body was placed in a black bag, carelessly tossed into the transport vehicle, waiting to be taken to the final cremation site.

    The transport vehicle''s door closed, and in the pitch-black darkness, Lin Yue''s body in the black bag gradually emitted a golden light.

    The golden light grew brighter and brighter, as if the black bag enveloping her body could not withstand this brilliance and began to dissolve.

    In the next moment, Lin Yue''s body suddenly vanished into the golden light, and the transport vehicle returned to silence.

    No one would know that just moments ago, a student who had been eliminated quietly disappeared from this world.

    Whooo...

    The sound of the steam train''s whistle woke the girl leaning against the window. She turned her head to look at the unfamiliar surroundings, but she did not question where she was, nor would she ever question it.

    She was simply analyzing that she was on a train, a steam train.

    Then, her vision blurred, and several lines of text appeared before her eyes.

    "Lin Yue, welcome to a different world. This is a world full of magic and fantasy. Start your new life here, learn magic, experience life, and feel the things you never had before.

    By the way, to help you get along smoothly here, I have granted you powerful magic, enough for you to live safely. Your age has also been adjusted to eleven years old. I hope you won''t blame me for making you smaller. I wish you happiness here¡ª from the consciousness of the HP world."

    Looking at the text before her, Lin Yue''s mood showed no signs of fluctuation. Magic, a power that changes things and reality through unscientific means; magic power, the foundation for realizing magic.

    So, with this gift from the world consciousness, she could cast spells.

    Additionally, a school¡ªdid that mean she was going to a magic school now? Since it was a magic school, she would have to study.

    Study... Lin Yue''s gaze turned to a large box beside her. She vaguely understood that this box was meant for her.

    She reached out to open the box, and the first thing she took out was a small wooden stick. The moment she touched it, a burst of golden light erupted from the tip of the stick, and a warm sensation spread throughout her body.

    "I don''t know what this is," Lin Yue said mechanically, casually putting the small stick into the pocket of her clothes.

    She took out a book, closed the suitcase, and began to flip through the book.

    Quickly skimming and memorizing the book titled "Beginner''s Guide to Transfiguration," Lin Yue realized that this was knowledge she had never encountered before.

    Her understanding slowed down. An hour passed, and Lin Yue had only read and understood a third of the book. Before she could continue turning the pages, the compartment door was knocked twice and then pulled open.

    Lin Yue looked up at the door, where a brown-haired girl stood with a boy.

    Calmly retracting her gaze, Lin Yue focused her attention back on the book.

    Hermione stared wide-eyed as Lin Yue glanced at her and Neville, then silently lowered her head to read.

    Tilting her head in confusion, Hermione was the first to speak, "Hey, hello, I''m Hermione Granger."

    According to the rules of etiquette, when someone greets you, you should respond.

    Lin Yue raised her head again, looking at the girl who introduced herself as Hermione Granger. "Hello, I''m Lin Yue."

    Her wonderful voice, lacking emotional fluctuations, felt discordant, and Hermione even sensed a hint of fear.

    "Oh... oh, we interrupted you reading, I''m sorry..."

    "It''s fine," Lin Yue shook her head.

    Hermione swallowed hard, "So, Neville," she gestured to the boy beside her, "his toad is lost. Have you seen it?"

    "Toad?" Lin Yue looked at Neville.

    "Yes..." Neville nodded with a pale face. Lin Yue''s flat tone and expressionless face made him a bit scared, as if he was facing not a person, but an extremely lifelike doll or something else.

    "I haven''t seen it," Lin Yue shook her head, still staring at them with a vacant gaze.

    "Is there anything else?"

    "N-no, that''s all..." Hermione tried to calm herself down. "Sorry to bother you, goodbye."

    After closing the compartment door, Hermione quickly left with Neville. It wasn''t until they were far from Lin Yue''s compartment that they let out a long sigh of relief.

    Once the two left, Lin Yue returned her gaze to the book. She was going to a magic school to study, so she was still a student, and she couldn''t waste any time on learning.

    The train traveled from day to night and finally arrived at Hogwarts. When she bought food at noon, Lin Yue once again startled the vendor on the train with her emotionless tone and expression.

    However, she did not intend to think more about it; she needed to focus all her thoughts on studying.

    Moreover, she was used to the attitudes of Hermione, Neville, and the vendor. Her parents, classmates, and teachers all had similar attitudes. She didn''t care, or rather, she couldn''t care at all.

 Chapter 2: The Strange Girl

    As night fell, the Hogwarts Express came to a stop at the platform. Lin Yue listened expressionlessly to the announcement on the train. According to the announcement, it was fine to place her luggage on the train, but she should take her books with her. The time on the journey shouldn''t be wasted; she could read while walking.

    Holding the book, Lin Yue quietly followed the crowd as they walked off the train. As soon as she stepped off the train, a loud voice reached her ears. "First-year students, first-year students, come over here!"

    Lin Yue turned her head towards the source of the sound, pondering calmly.

    I haven''t encountered magic yet; this is my first time at this school, so I am a first-year student.

    As she approached the source of the sound, Lin Yue saw the person who had just spoken through a group of children her own age.

    It was a figure much taller than an average person, and based on his physique, Lin Yue suspected that he might have gigantism. Retracting her gaze, Lin Yue opened the textbook in her hands, preparing to continue reading, but the completely dark environment around her made it impossible to see even a single letter.

    Closing the textbook, Lin Yue silently thought to herself that she was going to waste more study time and needed to make up for it. She decided to shorten her sleep time a bit tonight.

    "Alright, first-year students, follow me," Hagrid waved his hand and walked ahead to lead the way.

    The entire path was dark, with not a single light, only Hagrid holding a lantern in his hand, and all the students stumbled along behind him.

    Lin Yue also walked with some difficulty. When she followed Haige to the edge of the Black Lake and saw the small boats with their bows lit up, all the new students let out a sigh of relief.

    "Four people per boat, everyone get on board," Hagrid shouted loudly, and then he climbed into a small boat himself. Lin Yue looked around at the small boats in a daze, casually walked onto one of them, and after sitting at the front of the boat, she opened a book to read by the light.

    The three little wizards who boarded the boat later saw this scene and looked at each other, both seeing shock in each other''s eyes.

    "Do we have to read books while taking the boat to school?! That''s way too studious, right? This must be a Ravenclaw for sure!"

    "Are you all seated? We''re setting off now~"

    Accompanied by Haige''s voice, the small boat slowly moved across the Black Lake. Lin Yue was focused on the book in her hands, while the other three young wizards exchanged their names and talked about their experiences before coming to Hogwarts.

    As for Lin Yue, who was on the same boat with them, she had been reading the whole time. They weren''t sure if they should disturb her, so no one spoke to her along the way.

    It wasn''t until the small boat docked on the opposite shore that Lin Yue closed her book, lifted her head, and got off the boat, following Hagrid along with the new students to the entrance of Hogwarts Castle.

    Knock, knock, knock. Hagrid raised his hand and knocked heavily three times on the door, and then the door was opened, letting in a bit of light.

    A professor who looked very serious came to the door to welcome the new students, but Lin Yue didn''t have any particular feelings about her.

    After calmly glancing at her, she lowered her head again to read under the light, leaving the new students beside her in a daze. Hermione naturally noticed this scene as well; she looked at the girl, Lin Yue, who had made her feel a bit scared on the Hogwarts Express.

    Lin Yue''s face still showed no expression, and she continued to hold the textbook on transformation that she had just been reading on the train. However, it was clear that she had already finished it. In this situation, was she really not going to put the book down? Hermione silently wondered if she wasn''t studying hard enough...

    Following the crowd into Hogwarts, others were curiously observing the surroundings, occasionally exclaiming in wonder and happily chatting with their classmates beside them.

    Lin Yue simply lifted her head, her gaze blankly scanning the surroundings before she lowered it again to read her book.

    "Alright, everyone, welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall turned around and spoke loudly to the group of young wizards.

    Her gaze paused when she saw Lin Yue; everyone else was looking around, but she was the only one with her head down reading, which was quite conspicuous. Moreover, this child... had a typical East Asian appearance, but she didn''t recall any Eastern wizarding families having a child starting school this year.

    Could it be from a Muggle family? Then it might be Sprout or Flitwick who came to guide them.

    Retracting her gaze, she didn''t have time to think too much. Facing the many young wizards, she introduced the four houses of Hogwarts and informed them about the points system for the House Cup, including how points could be earned or deducted.

    As Lin Yue listened attentively to the four options and the introduction of the House Cup system, she raised her head seriously. It is important to listen carefully to what the teacher says, especially regarding school regulations. After Professor McGonagall''s speech, Lin Yue lowered her head again and focused all her attention on her book. After giving a few instructions, Professor McGonagall left the room to prepare for the sorting of the new students. During this time, even the entrance of the ghosts and the argument between Harry and Malfoy couldn''t distract Lin Yue from her book, as if they were not in the same world.

    When Professor McGonagall returned, the students in the room instantly fell silent. Lin Yue followed her into the Hogwarts Great Hall without raising her head; their sorting ceremony was about to take place here. Occasionally, she could hear the exclamations of young wizards around her, but Lin Yue remained oblivious, her mind focused solely on the book in her hands, frantically trying to memorize the content. Among a group of curious little wizards looking around, there was one who was engrossed in reading, causing students from other years in the hall to exchange surprised whispers.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    "Merlin above, she must be a Ravenclaw!"

    "No way, it''s almost time for the sorting and she''s still reading. Even if I am a Ravenclaw, I never did that. This is making me doubt if I''m a real Ravenclaw."

    One name after another passed by, and finally, Lin Yue heard Professor McGonagall''s voice.

    "Yue Lin."

    Lin Yue slowly raised her head, closed the book in her hands, and walked stiffly and mechanically to the High Table, sitting down in the stool next to Professor McGonagall.

    The Sorting Hat was placed on her head, covering her eyes and plunging her into darkness.

    As she recalled the content from the book just moments ago, Lin Yue hurriedly etched the knowledge into her mind.

    The Sorting Hat had never seen such a young wizard before. She put it on herself and showed no signs of nervousness or excitement at all.

    She was even crazily memorizing knowledge in her mind? The Sorting Hat was puzzled, confused, and greatly shocked.

    It didn''t need to be thought any further; at this point, if she was still studying, where else could this child go?

    She clearly could only go to "Ravenclaw!"

    The Sorting Hat was lifted off Lin Yue''s head by Professor McGonagall. Lin Yue stood up and, amidst the applause of the Ravenclaws, took her stiff steps to sit at the Ravenclaw table. She then seamlessly opened her textbook. This made Cho Chang, who was about to greet her and get to know this fellow Chinese student, quietly withdraw.

    Well... it seems this junior, hmm, really loves studying...

    After the Sorting Ceremony ended, Professor Dumbledore stood up and said something ambiguous. Lin Yue reflexively memorized this sentence, and then the feast began.

    Looking at the abundant food on the table, Lin Yue showed no hesitation, quickly reached for the food with a knife and fork, and then ate it as fast as possible, swallowing it without much chewing.

    The frantic actions scared the little eagles on the Ravenclaw long table quite a bit. Cho nervously swallowed and stared wide-eyed at Lin Yue. Marietta, with a dazed expression, nudged her friend, "Cho... is she really that hungry?"

    "I think... maybe," Cho replied, nodding in confusion.

    If the mealtime exceeds five minutes, it is squeezing into her study time. Lin Yue is very clear about this, but in fact, even during those five minutes, she is eating while reading.

    While eating quickly, she also looked down at her book, resulting in her not even knowing what she had eaten. It didn''t matter what she ate as long as she ate quickly, felt full, and it didn''t affect her subsequent studying, that was enough.

    In three minutes and fifty seconds, Lin Yue put down her knife and fork, finishing her whirlwind dinner. She picked up her book again, glanced through it a couple of times, then closed it and began to recite the content from memory.

    Watching her stuff food into her stomach, many of the Ravenclaws had painful expressions as they clutched their own stomachs. Only Merlin knew that just watching her eat like that made them feel stomach aches; would she really not get sick or anything from it?

    Watching her mumble to herself, Marietta couldn''t help but be curious and leaned over Cho Chang to listen in on.

    Immediately, she pulled her head back in shock, as Cho Chang, sitting next to Lin Yue, wore an expression of astonishment that mirrored her own.

    "I think the top student in our grade this year... is pretty much guaranteed."

    Marietta struggled to speak; she had just heard what Lin Yue was saying.

    It was content from the Transfiguration textbook, and it was absolutely word-for-word identical to the book, because this girl had even memorized the page numbers!

    Cho Chang nodded, gathered his courage, and reached out to poke the girl next to him on the shoulder.

    "Can I still call you Lin Yue?"

    Lin Yue stopped reciting and turned to look at Cho Chang, her eyes as still as dead water. "Sure, hello."

    Her beautiful voice carried a mechanical emotion, and Cho Chang couldn''t help but shrink back slightly, yet he still couldn''t resist the tenderness deep within him and asked with concern.

    "Don''t you take a break? I mean, it''s dinner time after all. You could eat a bit more, or enjoy some dessert later?" Lin Yue turned to glance at the food on the Ravenclaw long table before turning back.

    "I''ve already finished dinner; the rest of the time is for studying."

    "Do you always eat dinner this quickly?" Penelope, the Ravenclaw prefect, couldn''t help but ask from a short distance away. Lin Yue shifted her gaze to the girl who spoke and replied in a calm tone.

    "Dinner time is five minutes, and the rest of the time is for studying."

    "Okay, fine..." Penelope nodded with a complicated expression, but didn''t say much more.

    The little eagles of Ravenclaw all love learning; perhaps this child just loves studying even more than the average little eagle.

    Seeing that no one was talking to her anymore, Lin Yue continued to recite the content from the book from where she had just left off, word for word.

    Cho Chang and Marietta exchanged glances and lowered their heads to continue eating their dinner.

    At the teacher''s table, Professor Flitwick, who was concerned about the students in his House while having dinner, was taken aback by Lin Yue, who was sitting up straight and murmuring to herself.

    "Why isn''t this child eating?"

    Professor McGonagall, sitting next to him, had just witnessed Lin Yue''s "crazy three minutes" and spoke with a slightly dazed tone.

    "She has already finished eating."

    "So fast!" Professor Flitwick exclaimed; his face was filled with shock. "That''s not good for her stomach." He immediately began to worry about the student''s health.

    "I need to find time to talk to her," Professor Flitwick said, looking at Lin Yue''s figure.

    After Lin Yue completely recited the textbook on transformation magic, the dinner time finally came to an end.

    Principal Dumbledore stood up to begin explaining some rules to the new students. Most of the new students listened attentively, but they didn''t take it too seriously. After all, they were all kids in that age group, who didn''t have a bit of a spirit of adventure?

    However, Lin Yue strictly memorized these rules: the forbidden forest cannot be entered, going to the right side of the fourth-floor corridor could lead to death, and magic cannot be used in the corridor.

    After memorizing these three pitifully rules, Lin Yue stood up and sang the school song along with everyone in a flat tone.

    When Principal Dumbledore announced that the prefects would take everyone back to the dormitory to rest, Lin Yue froze in place.

    Her study habits told her that it was not yet time to rest; she should be attending class or studying in the evening.

    However, what Principal Dumbledore said as the headmaster should be obeyed.

    So, she decided in her mind: to return to the dormitory and study by herself.

    Following the Ravenclaw students back to the dormitory, Penelope, as the female prefect, began to lead the new female students to their respective rooms.

    Bringing Lin Yue to the outside of a dormitory, Penelope looked at the expressionless, stiff-moving girl and bent down to make eye contact with her.

    "This is your dormitory. I''m sorry, you are the only one who is alone among the new students, so you will have to share a room with Cho Chang and Marietta. Don''t worry, they are both very easy to get along with."

    Obeying the school''s arrangements, Lin Yue had no other thoughts, so she nodded at Penelope and said, "Okay."

    "Get some good rest," Penelope smiled at Lin Yue and turned head towards her dorm.

    Lin Yue also turned and opened the door to go inside, where Cho Chang and Marietta were tidying up their things.

    Seeing Lin Yue Walk in, Cho Chang gently waved at her.

    "I¡¯m still wondering who the new student assigned to our dorm will be. It''s you, Lin Yue."

    Lin Yue imitated her gesture, raised her hand, and waved, "Hello, everyone."

    After saying that, she showed no other reaction and walked towards the only empty bed in the room to start organizing her things.

    Cho Chang and Marietta exchanged glances, both starting to feel that this girl, Lin Yue... was a bit strange.

 Chapter 3: Lights in the Late Night

    Although it felt a bit strange, Cho Chang and Marietta thought that the younger student was just a bit introverted, which was why she wasn''t very enthusiastic about talking and greeting them.

    So after tidying up their beds, the two of them took turns going to the bathroom to shower and then went to bed.

    At first, they even wanted to check on the younger student and ask Lin Yue if she wanted to shower first and get some rest early.

    After all, the first day of school for first-year students is always the most exciting, and the mental exhaustion is also the greatest, so it''s even more important to get a good rest.

    However, when they finished packing their things and saw Lin Yue, who had taken her books out and placed them on the table, with her backpack beside her, sitting down to read, the two of them tacitly swallowed their questions and looked at Lin Yue''s simple, even somewhat shabby, desk and bed.

    Cho Chang and Marietta couldn''t help but turn to look at the table where their photo frames, calendar, and alarm clock were placed, as well as the bed where their dolls were kept, falling into a subtle silence.

    In contrast to the rich inner thoughts of Cho Chang and Marietta, Lin Yue showed no signs of emotional fluctuation.

    Organizing things also takes time, so she never prepared extra items for herself. Although the suitcase given to her by the HP world consciousness quite a few desktop decorations and cute figurines, she looked at them with a singular thought in her mind.

    They might affect my study time, so she naturally didn''t take those things out, but instead stuffed the suitcase under the bed. Then she sat down at her desk with her History of Magic textbook and started reading, subconsciously ignoring the sound of water splashing in her ears.

    After taking a shower and drying her hair, Cho Chang blinked at Lin Yue, who was still sitting at the desk reading, and then turned to her friend Marietta.

    "Has she... been reading the whole time?"

    Marietta, who had also dried her hair, nodded while hugging her teddy bear, "Yes, and she has already finished the History of Magic textbook and started on the Potions class."

    "Oh Merlin..." Cho Chang sighed, turning back to look at Lin Yue.

    This younger student really loves studying; she is definitely going to be the top of the grade this year.

    Quietly pulling the bed curtains, the two beds of Cho Chang and Marietta were instantly shrouded in darkness. Closing their eyes, they soon fell into a deep sleep.

    Lin Yue, who was still reading, did not notice that her two roommates had already gone to bed. It wasn''t until she finished the Potions textbook and set it aside, preparing to switch to the Herbology textbook, that she realized her roommates were already in bed.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Lowering her gaze, Lin Yue raised her hand to check the watch on her wrist. To better manage her study time, she had specifically prepared a watch for herself. This was also the only "accessory" she owned.

    At twelve-thirty in the morning, it was still far from her bedtime, so Lin Yue turned back and picked up the Herbology textbook to continue studying.

    Whether others study or not has nothing to do with her, just like she can calmly watch armed personnel drag students needing to be destroyed out of those homes, and even calmly allow the armed personnel to drag her away. She only knows that she should study hard and cherish every moment of learning time.

    Turning the page of her book, Lin Yue quickly memorized the content on it.

    After a nap, Cho Chang was awakened by a sudden urge to urinate. Sitting up and rubbing her eyes, she froze the moment she pulled back the curtain of her bed.

    The lights in the dormitory were still on, and Lin Yue was still sitting at her desk reading. Each person''s bed curtain in the dormitory was enchanted, capable of blocking out external light and sound to ensure everyone could rest.

    So before pulling back the bed curtain, Cho Chang had no idea and didn''t think that Lin Yue was still reading; she assumed Lin Yue had already gone to sleep!

    With a look of shock, she picked up the alarm clock next to her and glanced at the time, and her astonishment immediately intensified.

    Three-thirty in the morning?! Lin Yue was still reading at three-thirty in the morning!

    Cho Chang swallowed hard, got out of bed, slipped on her slippers, and walked over to Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue sensed someone nearby, but since the other person didn''t speak, she felt she couldn''t stop studying. So, she continued to read as if she hadn''t seen anything.

    "Lin Yue... Are you too nervous? Why are you still not resting it¡¯s so late?"

    Hearing Cho Chang''s question, Lin Yue put the book down on the table and turned around to look at her expressionlessly.

    "This is my normal study time; it''s not yet time for me to sleep."

    Cho Chang''s eyes widened in disbelief at Lin Yue''s response. "Normal study time?! It''s not time for you to sleep yet? Then what time do you go to bed?"

    "Four o''clock," Lin Yue replied in a flat tone.

    "Four o''clock?!" Cho Chang exclaimed, "So you only sleep for four hours?"

    Hogwarts starts its first class at nine o''clock, so most students usually get up at eight to go to the Great Hall for breakfast.

    Lin Yue calmly denied Cho Chang''s guess about her sleep schedule.

    "No, my sleep time is from four to five o''clock, just enough to meet my body''s basic needs."

    "That can''t possibly be enough!" Cho Chang felt like she was going crazy listening to her talk about her sleep schedule.

    Only one hour of sleep every day?! It''s a miracle that Lin Yue has grown up this way!

    "Don''t... don''t you feel tired during the day?"

    "I''m not tired," Lin Yue shook her head and then stated a fact, "I won''t get tired."

    Cho Chang pursed her lips, "You..."

    Although she wanted to persuade her about something, looking at Lin Yue''s expressionless face and considering that they weren''t too familiar with each other yet, Cho Chang ultimately gave up on her advice.

    She could only worryingly remind her, "Don''t push yourself too hard, get some rest early."

    Turning around, she walked into the restroom to use the toilet. After finishing, Cho Chang returned to her bed, pulled the curtain closed, and went to sleep.

    However, in the dream that followed, she seemed to dream of a person with an unclear face. This person was waving a magic wand behind her and shouting loudly, "Sleeping so long every day! Are you a pig?! Get up and study, hurry!"

    The level of horror was so intense that even Cho Chang, a Ravenclaw who loved studying, couldn''t help but shiver in his dreams.

    It wasn''t until four in the morning that Lin Yue finally closed her book, took off her shoes while still dressed, and lay down on her bed. Although she didn''t feel sleepy after closing her eyes, her body, which had been in a state of extreme fatigue, immediately fell asleep as soon as she shut her eyes.

    Just an hour later, her biological clock woke her up on time.

    Quickly getting out of bed, Lin Yue grabbed a change of clothes from the foot of her bed and headed straight to the bathroom to take a refreshing shower before going out for her early study session.

 Chapter 4: Professor Flitwickâ€™s praise

    After taking a quick three-minute shower, Lin Yue simply dried her hair, ensured it wouldn''t drip anymore, then changed her clothes and headed straight out.

    Stepping out of the Ravenclaw common room, Lin Yue strolled through the vast Hogwarts castle.

    Because the professor didn''t specify which classroom the morning self-study was in, she went from one classroom to another, trying to find a room with either the professor or students present. However, by the time she finished checking the last classroom, she hadn''t found a single person. The vast Hogwarts castle was still immersed in slumber, with only Lin Yue awake at this time; even the portraits on the walls were still resting.

    Lifting her wrist to check the time, it was 5:30, which should be the time for morning self-study. She couldn''t afford to waste any more time. With that thought, Lin Yue quickly turned around and headed straight for the library she had just passed.

    Upon entering the library, Lin Yue sat down on a chair, placed her backpack at her feet, and took out the textbook she hadn''t finished reading to start studying.

    Lin Yue kept her head down reading until seven o''clock. She finally finished the textbooks on Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms, leaving only the Astronomy textbook unread.

    Since it was already time for breakfast, Lin Yue closed her book, quickly packed her bag, and dashed down the stairs, heading straight for the hall.

    The stairs she passed along the way were actively moving, helping her reach her desired destination at the fastest speed.

    Rushing into the Great Hall, Lin Yue was still met with silence and emptiness.

    Her mind was slightly confused for a moment, but the next second she walked to the exact spot where she had sat at the Ravenclaw long table yesterday and sat down without a hitch.

    Lin Yue took out the astronomy textbook from her backpack and began to read and memorize it quickly. By the time she finished reading and memorizing the entire astronomy textbook, it was nearly 7:50. At exactly 7:50, breakfast started to appear on the empty Ravenclaw long table. Lin Yue mechanically reached out her hand, repeating the ravenous eating from the previous night.

    In the three and a half minutes that Lin Yue was devouring her food, some early-rising young wizards gradually entered the hall. Upon seeing her wolfing down her meal at the Ravenclaw table, they instinctively paused for a moment. One reason was the surprise that someone could wake up so early, and the other was... Lin Yue was eating way too fast and too fiercely.

    Pansy Parkinson, who had gotten up early to put on makeup, frowned as she watched Lin Yue devour her breakfast in the hall.

    "Merlin''s breakfast... Has she never eaten before? She has no table manners at all."

    Daphne Greengrass, walking alongside her, instinctively tightened her brows.

    "I originally thought that Gryffindor students had the worst manners, but it seems there are even worse."

    "Heh," Pansy sneered, "She''s an Oriental, but I guess she''s just a mudblood; purebloods wouldn''t have such terrible manners."

    After a round of criticism directed at Lin Yue, the two of them finally sat down at the Slytherin table, satisfied, and began to enjoy their breakfast.

    At the same time, Hermione arrived at the Great Hall. As she walked in, she instinctively scanned the entire hall.

    Then, she immediately spotted Lin Yue, who was sitting at the Ravenclaw table and was extremely conspicuous.

    Watching her eat as if she were forcefully shoving food down her throat, Hermione slightly opened her mouth, her expression was one of surprise.

    Eating like that... doesn''t it really feel uncomfortable?

    However, looking at Lin Yue''s still calm face, Hermione began to doubt whether she even knew what it felt like to be uncomfortable.

    Shaking her head, Hermione gave up thinking about other people''s matters and walked over to sit down at the Gryffindor long table, she needed to eat breakfast quickly.

    Today was the first day of classes, and she wanted to arrive at the classroom early to make a good impression on the professor.

    In just three and a half minutes, she finished her breakfast, completely unaware that someone had just criticized her and others had expressed concern for her.

    With her backpack on, Lin Yue quickly walked out of the auditorium towards the Charms classroom. Just a moment ago, while eating, her class schedule had automatically appeared beside her. According to what was written on it, her first class today was Charms, and she had seen the Charms classroom earlier that morning while looking for her early study room.

    So now she just needed to go there, following the route she remembered. Along the way, Lin Yue remained expressionless, looking almost like a machine. This startled quite a few little wizards who had just woken up and were still a bit dazed.

    A person with a blank expression was walking quickly towards her, and one might really think that they had inadvertently provoked her and that she was coming to settle the score.

    At the same time, any little wizard who encountered her along the way would have to experience the sudden changes of the stairs.

    As long as Lin Yue was on the stairs, the Hogwarts stairs would prioritize turning in the direction she wanted to go, while the other little wizards could only hold onto the handrails, looking bewildered and terrified as they watched Lin Yue''s departing figure, waiting for the stairs to turn back to their previous direction.

    With her pace and the help of the Hogwarts Stairs, she arrived at the Charms classroom before 8:20.

    Walking into the Charms classroom, Lin Yue sat down in the front row without any hesitation and took out her Charms textbook from her backpack. After reviewing the content of the first lesson she was going to learn today, Lin Yue reached into the pocket of her robe and pulled out her wand.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Turning around, she extended her arm straight and stared blankly at the chair next to her. With her right hand, she waved in exactly the same manner as shown in the book, not even a slight deviation in the amplitude of her movements.

    "Wingardium Leviosa."

    With an extremely standard pronunciation, the chair pointed at by Lin Yue''s wand instantly floated up.

    This scene should have thrilled anyone experiencing magic for the first time, but it did not change Lin Yue''s expression in the slightest.

    As the wand pointed back to the ground, the chair slowly descended.

    Lin Yue had achieved her goal; she had confirmed that she could apply what she learned in the first lesson.

    However, recalling what the book said¡ªthat the larger the object controlled by the levitation spell, the more difficult it becomes, and the more objects there are, the harder it is¡ªLin Yue mechanically stood up and faced all the chairs in the classroom, waving her wand according to the gestures in the book.

    "Wingardium Leviosa."

    A faint sound of chairs and tables colliding echoed, and all the chairs in the classroom detached from behind the desks, floating into the air. Lin Yue looked expressionlessly at the chairs floating in mid-air, instinctively raising her wand and slowly drawing circles in the air. Above the classroom, all the chairs began to follow the movements of her wand, forming a line and continuously spinning in the air, creating an incredibly stunning sight.

    When Professor Flitwick arrived at the Charms classroom, this was the scene he saw. He originally thought he had arrived early enough that there wouldn''t be any students in the classroom. This way, he could arrange the stack of books he needed to stand on before the students arrived. However, to his surprise, as soon as he entered the classroom, he saw a student there. This student was using the Levitation Charm to levitate chairs, and not just one, but a whole group! Moreover, he was making those chairs spin in circles!

    The first-year wizard, being able to achieve this step, is rare not only because of the strength of their magic but also due to their focus in controlling it.

    First-year wizards are at an age where they love to play and make noise, and their emotions are incredibly rich, which makes it easy for their attention to be diverted.

    As a result, they find it difficult to control their magic, and some even experience magical outbursts.

    However, this student... actually managed to control their magic to such an extent that so many chairs are steadily rotating in mid-air without any collisions.

    Professor Flitwick feels that their House has struck gold this time; perhaps this little wizard is a rare talent that comes along once in a blue moon.

    Holding onto this thought, Professor Flitwick did not interrupt Lin Yue''s magic. It wasn''t until Lin Yue was confident that she had reached a certain level with the Levitation Charm that she waved her wand downward, causing each chair to land precisely back in its original position.

    Clap, clap, clap... Professor Flitwick watched Lin Yue''s back with a smile, unable to help but applaud her performance.

    Hearing the sound, Lin Yue finally pulled herself out of her focused state of learning and realized there was someone behind her. Turning around, she saw Professor Flitwick and calmly bowed to greet him.

    "Good morning, Professor."

    "Very good, very good." Professor Flitwick nodded in satisfaction. With both talent and politeness, she was truly an excellent student.

    At this moment, his surprise at Lin Yue''s magical talent had completely overshadowed the strange expression on her face and the odd monotone in her voice.

    He had even completely forgotten about what he had discussed with Professor McGonagall at dinner yesterday regarding the issue of Lin Yue eating too quickly.

    Now, all he wanted was to have a good conversation with Lin Yue about her mastery of spells.

    When Lin Yue saw Professor Flitwick waving at her, she quickly walked over to his side.

    Professor Flitwick looked at Lin Yue with a gentle yet excited expression. "Miss Lin Yue, your performance and mastery of the Levitation Charm are excellent. I think this deserves an additional twenty points for Ravenclaw!"

    Lin Yue showed no signs of joy, simply nodding calmly. "Thank you, Professor."

    Seeing her indifferent demeanor, Professor Flitwick felt even more satisfied. Not being complacent or self-satisfied after a single success and praise was truly remarkable.

    His admiration for talent continued to swell in his heart, and he couldn''t help but excitedly ask Lin Yue, "Miss Lin Yue, may I ask how many of the spells in the textbook you have mastered?"

    Lin Yue mechanically answered Professor Flitwick''s question, "I have memorized all the incantations and gestures for the spells, but I have only just practiced the Levitation Charm."

    Professor Flitwick''s eyes lit up; remembering both the incantations and gestures was already impressive!

    "Well, perhaps you wouldn''t mind trying them all out?" he said, looking at Lin Yue with anticipation.

    Lin Yue obediently nodded, "Of course, as you wish, Professor."

    After saying that, Lin Yue raised her wand and said, "Lumos."

    A soft ball of light appeared at the tip of her wand, and Professor Flitwick nodded approvingly at the light.

    "Can you extinguish it? Is that possible?"

    Hearing Professor Flitwick''s request, Lin Yue nodded and recited the counter- charms for the illumination spell, causing the light at the tip of her wand to disappear instantly.

    "Very good!" Professor Flitwick nodded repeatedly. "Now, how about the unlocking charm?"

    Lin Yue pointed her wand directly at the wooden door of the Charms classroom and waved it in a proper manner, saying, "Alohomora."

    Click! Although the wooden door was already open, the lock mechanism inside clearly moved slightly.

    Professor Flitwick nodded in satisfaction again, "Very good, very good."

    Next, Professor Flitwick had Lin Yue demonstrate every spell from the first-year Charms textbook one by one. Unsurprisingly, Lin Yue succeeded with each one; her every movement was as precise as a well-programmed machine, extremely standard. Her pronunciation and pauses were as emotionless yet precise as a talking pen. As she successfully cast all the spells required for first-year, Professor Flitwick began to wave his hands in excitement. Ravenclaw House was awarded an additional twenty points, and the other professors passing by the House point hourglasses all felt a sense of confusion. What was going on with Professor Flitwick? The class hadn''t even started yet, so why was he giving points to Ravenclaw?

    Moreover, it wasn''t just adding one or two points, but a full forty points straight away. Of course, this confusion would soon disappear as Lin Yue attended their classes. When Lin Yue started their lessons, the ones who would be adding points for her would be them.

    "I believe that the first-year spellbook can no longer teach you anything new," Professor Flitwick said, looking at Lin Yue with a pleased nod.

    Lin Yue nodded in agreement with the professor, as if it had been pre-set.

    "Then, Miss Lin Yue, would you be willing to engage in some advanced study?" Professor Flitwick looked at Lin Yue with anticipation, wanting to provide extra help to an outstanding student, which is a common tendency among teachers.

    "Of course, I''d be happy to, thank you, Professor Flitwick." Lin Yue quickly agreed.

    Professor Flitwick smiled and waved his wand, and a piece of parchment along with a quill flew over from thin air, beginning to write something automatically.

    After four book titles were written on the parchment, Professor Flitwick handed it to Lin Yue.

    "This is a list of books that I think you can study in advance. The spells in them are more advanced than what you''ll learn in the first year, but they are still within your capability."

    Lin Yue took the parchment with both hands, glanced at the contents, and thanked him politely.

    "Thank you, Professor Flitwick."

    "You''re welcome, Miss Lin Yue. In my class, you can freely look at these books and engage in self-directed learning in the future."

    Lin Yue nodded obediently, "Okay, thank you, Professor Flitwick."

    Professor Flitwick smiled with satisfaction, "Feel free to ask me any questions; I will be here to answer them for you."

    Lin Yue nodded in agreement again. As other young wizards gradually entered the classroom, Professor Flitwick also stood on the pile of books behind the podium. Lin Yue returned to her seat in the front row, her gaze focused intently on Professor Flitwick.

    At this moment, everything outside was subconsciously blocked out by her.

 Chapter 5: Bonus Points and Penalties

    Throughout the entire class, Lin Yue kept her eyes almost unblinkingly fixed on Professor Flitwick, memorizing every word he said. During the class, Professor Flitwick also openly praised Lin Yue, allowing everyone to observe her wand-waving movements and listen carefully to her pronunciation of the spells.

    They even excitedly told everyone that Lin Yue had completed her charms learning for the academic year and could continue to study independently. The eager Ravenclaw eagles secretly geared up, rubbing their hands together, wanting to surpass Lin Yue.

    At this age, it''s completely normal for children to feel competitive when they hear the professor constantly praising Lin Yue and want to measure up to her. In contrast, the Hufflepuff badgers appeared much more laid-back. Their response to Professor Flitwick''s praise for Lin Yue was simply to express some admiration, saying things like, "Wow, she''s amazing," and "I really envy her brain; I wish I were that smart."

    Then they continued to study at their own pace, unhurried. The badgers weren''t in a rush, they believed that advanced learning was a Ravenclaw thing, while they preferred to enjoy good food! As long as they could pass their exams, that was enough for them.

    Of course, while praising her, there were also those who noticed Lin Yue''s precise, machine-like spell-casting gestures and her monotonous incantations. However, everyone thought this was just her habit, so they didn''t pay much attention to it.

    After the charms class ended, Lin Yue quickly packed her bag and was the first to rush out of the classroom, making her way to the auditorium as fast as she could, once again starting her eating method that resembled force-feeding.

    By the time Professor Flitwick walked into the auditorium to have his meal, Lin Yue had already finished eating and left for the library.

    As Professor Flitwick just sat down at his teacher''s table, Professor McGonagall turned to look at him.

    " Flitwick''s, did you add the points for Ravenclaw this morning?"

    "Yes," Professor Flitwick nodded happily, looking extremely pleased.

    Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows in surprise; she knew her colleague well. Despite his gentle temperament, he was usually quite calm, being a former duelling champion. To see Filius this happy...

    "What¡¯s going on? What could make you this happy?"

    ¡°Oh,¡± Professor Flitwick said with a smile, waving his hand, ¡°If there¡¯s a student that can successfully perform all the transformation spells you¡¯re going to teach her this academic year before your first class, I think you would be just as happy.¡±

    ¡°She?¡± Professor McGonagall turned to look at the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables, as it was Filius''s class for those two houses this morning, trying to figure out who the girl Filius was referring to.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Miss Lin Yue from our house,¡± Professor Flitwick said somewhat proudly, glancing at his own house table, ¡°She is right¡­¡±

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t she at the table?¡±

    Hearing the name Lin Yue, Professor McGonagall was slightly taken aback. The reason was simple: the impression Lin Yue left on her during dinner yesterday was truly profound.

    "Miss Lin Yue didn''t come for lunch?" Professor Flitwick furrowed his brow and said with some concern.

    Professor McGonagall looked towards the Ravenclaw long table, and some guesses began to form in her mind.

    "I think you still remember the scene of Miss Lin Yue dining at the banquet yesterday, don''t you, Filius?"

    Professor Flitwick was reminded by Professor McGonagall and instantly recalled the matter he had pushed to the back of his mind.

    It wasn''t that he didn''t care about his students; it was just that Lin Yue''s excellence had made him forget about this matter concerning her as well.

    "I think she must have finished her meal and left," Professor McGonagall speculated.

    "Alright," Professor Flitwick nodded.

    "This afternoon is the first Transfiguration class for Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, and I am really looking forward to Miss Lin Yue''s performance."

    "I hope she performs as well in Transfiguration as she did in Charms," Professor McGonagall said with a smile.

    "You could try asking her to demonstrate for you," Professor Flitwick suggested to Professor McGonagall.

    "I will," Professor McGonagall nodded.

    Sitting in the center of the teacher''s table, Professor Dumbledore quietly took a sip of pumpkin juice with double the sugar while listening to the conversation between his two colleagues.

    Exceptional talent, the professor''s praise... Well, he couldn''t help but think of someone.

    But it was still too early to think of him, after all, Miss Lin Yue had not yet reached the level he had back in his day, right?

    However, what Dumbledore did not know was that it wouldn''t be long before Lin Yue''s performance would surpass that of the person he was thinking of from his own time.

    At that moment, while being discussed by the two professors and "on Dumbledore''s mind," what was Lin Yue doing in the library?

    She was searching for the four books that Professor Flitwick had recommended she read. Her eyes quickly scanned the rows of books on the shelves, and before long, Lin Yue found the four books she needed.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    With a blank expression, Lin Yue completed the borrowing procedures for the books with Mrs. Pince. She stuffed three of the four books into her backpack.

    The already bulging backpack became even more swollen in an instant, visibly heavy.

    After putting on the backpack, Lin Yue walked briskly towards the Transfiguration classroom, seemingly unaware of its weight, while still glancing at the book she was holding.

    Pushing open the door to the Transfiguration classroom, she found it empty; Hogwarts had a long break after lunch.

    Of course, this break time didn''t exist for Lin Yue. After finding a seat in the front row, she began to continue reading the book she had been looking at on the way.

    Noon passed quickly, and Professor McGonagall arrived at the Transfiguration classroom before the class started.

    Seeing Lin Yue already sitting in the front row reading, Professor McGonagall couldn''t help but nod in appreciation. A child who loves to learn is liked by every teacher.

    "Miss Lin Yue, good afternoon."

    Hearing the sound, Lin Yue pulled herself out of her completely focused study state, stood up straight, and politely greeted Professor McGonagall.

    "Good afternoon, Professor McGonagall."

    Professor McGonagall gently nodded. Her attitude was always warm towards polite, sensible, and eager to learn good students.

    "I heard Professor Flitwick mention your performance in the Charms class. Perhaps you wouldn''t mind letting me know about your level of study in Transfiguration?"

    "Of course, Professor McGonagall." Lin Yue spoke in a flat tone as she pulled her wand out of her pocket.

    As Lin Yue demonstrated spells from the most basic Transfiguration spells to the highest difficulty ones for first years, Professor McGonagall''s eyes sparkled more and more.

    By the end, Professor McGonagall couldn''t help but smile; just as Filius had said, this child could indeed be considered a genius.

    Glancing at the book Lin Yue had placed on the table, Professor McGonagall immediately recognized it as a book Filius had set aside for Lin Yue to read.

    Sticking to her principle of not falling behind in her own curriculum, Professor McGonagall smiled and said to Lin Yue, "Miss Lin Yue, would you like to learn Transfiguration in advance as well?"

    Lin Yue did not hesitate at all and immediately nodded, "I¡¯m willing, Professor McGonagall."

    Professor McGonagall felt even greater joy in her heart. With a beaming smile, she wrote down the titles of three books on parchment and handed them to Lin Yue.

    "You can take a look at these books in advance, but the Transfiguration spell can be quite dangerous. If you want to try it, it''s best to have me nearby. You can come to my office anytime."

    "My office is right next to the Gryffindor common room."

    "Okay, thank you, Professor McGonagall." Lin Yue mechanically nodded, then turned and returned to her seat in the front row. Professor McGonagall nodded in satisfaction, not forgetting to award Ravenclaw an additional forty points. Since Filius had given this child forty points, she couldn''t give any less. Thus, on the very first day of school, Ravenclaw received a total of eighty points, all from the same person. Similarly, in Transfiguration class, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students also received praise from Professor McGonagall for Lin Yue.

    The students of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff expressed their envy unanimously... and after class, they spread the news of Lin Yue earning eighty points for Ravenclaw in just one day.

    The other young wizards, who were already surprised at how quickly Ravenclaw''s points had increased, were left dumbfounded after hearing this. They had also received points from the professors, but the professors had never been so generous!

    In response, the professors stated that if they could master such a level as Lin Yue did in advance, they would definitely be just as generous when adding points.

    Of course, such a request is clearly unlikely. Not to mention the young wizards from Muggle families, even those from pure-blood families only get their wands at the age of eleven.

    Before that, they generally wouldn''t learn any magic because they are still too young, and their magical abilities are not fully developed. Learning magic at that age would be akin to forcing growth.

    Moreover, the eleven-year-old little wizard''s magical power is still not fully developed; their magic is still weak and basically insufficient to support them in learning all the spells in the textbook in a short period of time. Only a few exceptionally talented wizards can, like Lin Yue, who seems to have a magical advantage, learn the entire first-year magic curriculum just by reading books, and even go further.

    The eighty points that Lin Yue contributed to Ravenclaw made the little eagles extremely happy. So, during and after dinner, they wanted to chat with her and congratulate her. However, they sadly discovered that they could not find any opportunity to talk to Lin Yue at all.

    During dinner, Lin Yue finished her meal in three and a half minutes, and in that time, the little eagles were too timid to approach her. After three and a half minutes, she got up and left, heading straight back to her dormitory to read, making it impossible to catch her.

    Of course, Hermione also heard about Lin Yue being awarded eighty points in one day. After hearing about it, she looked at her plate and muttered to herself, "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh... eighty points, it seems I need to study a bit harder."

    Sitting next to her, Neville silently shifted himself to the side upon hearing this.

    When Cho Chang and Marietta returned to the dormitory, they saw Lin Yue sitting at the desk, reading.

    Exchanging glances, both of them instinctively quieted their footsteps, trying not to disturb Lin Yue''s studying.

    Marietta cautiously glanced at Lin Yue, then walked over and sat on her friend Cho Chang''s bed.

    "Lin Yue''s study state... is just too intense."

    She hasn''t come back to rest even at noon, and now after class in the evening, she continues to study without a break.

    Cho Chang also lowered his voice and shook his head at Marietta.

    "Not to mention, I got up to use the bathroom at three-thirty in the morning yesterday, and she was still studying at that time, can you believe it? Three-thirty in the morning!"

    "Three-thirty in the morning?!" Marietta covered her mouth, stifling her surprise.

    Cho Chang nodded vigorously.

    "Oh Merlin, doesn''t she sleep?"

    "I asked her..." Cho Chang paused for a moment, "She said she goes to bed at four and gets up at five to study."

    "Wow..." Marietta gasped, turning to look at Lin Yue with eyes that held not only admiration but also a hint of fear.

    It''s terrifying, this kind of relentless drive.

    After chatting a bit more and exchanging their astonishment, Cho Changand Marietta returned to their desks to start studying.

    There¡¯s a reason why the little eagles of Ravenclaw excel academically; they truly spend most of their free time studying.

    Of course, they can''t be compared to Lin Yue...

    After studying until eleven o''clock, Cho Changand Marietta finished their showers one after another, dried their hair, and lay down in bed to sleep.

    Lin Yue still had the light on, reading, and she hadn''t even changed her position.

    She had already finished reading two of the four books that Professor Flitwick had given her.

    The reason her pace had slowed down was that the content of these four books was indeed noticeably more difficult than the first-grade textbooks.

    Lin Yue needed a certain amount of time to fully understand and master the material, but the length of time it took still left her feeling dissatisfied.

    Or rather... she subconsciously felt that she should be dissatisfied. As for why she felt this way instinctively, that would be a question for those who instilled such thoughts in her...

    After pinching her arm hard twice, leaving two bruises, Lin Yue expressionlessly opened the third book.

    At four in the morning, Lin Yue closed her book on time. Before her designated sleep time, she finally finished reading the third book.

    But still... it was too late. She raised her hand and pinched her arm hard again. Lin Yue took off her shoes and socks and lay down on the bed.

    After falling asleep in a race against time, she, who had long lost her emotions and was extremely exhausted, couldn''t even dream a single dream.

    When an hour had passed, she opened her eyes.

    After preparing everything, including showering and washing up, Lin Yue turned the light back on and continued reading the fourth book recommended to her by Professor Flitwick.

 Chapter 6: Potion class and the swollen cheeks.

    By the time Lin Yue finished reading the fourth book, it was already 7:30 in the morning. A new bruise had appeared on her left arm, and the pain in her arm constantly reminded her that she should make the most of her time studying and not allow any delays. After packing the necessary items for her potion class into her backpack, Lin Yue stood up and quickly walked out of the dormitory towards the Great Hall, reciting the key points she had noted from the four books along the way.

    The moment she entered the hall, food appeared on the four long tables. Sitting at the Ravenclaw table, Lin Yue continued to eat voraciously. By the time she finished her breakfast and left the hall to go to the Potions classroom, the other students and professors were just starting to walk into the hall to have their breakfast.

    The little eagles, unable to find Lin Yue''s figure after looking around, couldn''t help but gather in small groups to whisper to each other.

    "What do you think... will Lin Yue still get extra points today?"

    "She should be able to, right? She''s so amazing." This was said by two first-year Ravenclaw students.

    "Not necessarily," a senior Ravenclaw girl interjected from the side, "I remember your class this morning was Potions, wasn''t it?"

    "Yes," the first-year little eagles nodded somewhat shyly.

    "That''s it," the senior said with a hint of frustration on her face. "Although it''s not good to say this, Professor Snape really favors Slytherin. He basically never gives points to students from Other house, especially Gryffindor."

    After hearing the senior''s words, the two little eagles exchanged glances, realizing that the points they hoped to earn this morning were likely out of reach.

    Lin Yue was completely unaware of the conversation at the Ravenclaw table. Meanwhile she was quietly sitting in the seat closest to the podium at the potion class, placing the book recommended by Professor McGonagall behind her cauldron, deeply focused on reading.

    As the students gradually gathered for class, a figure in black strode in with great strides, the corners of his black robe swirling behind him like a wave of black sea, exuding an imposing presence. Lin Yue put away the books on her desk and took out her Potions textbook, her gaze calm and vacant as she looked at Professor Snape, who had just entered. Professor Snape walked up to the podium and turned to look down at the group of little Eagles and little Badgers.

    When his gaze swept over Lin Yue, he paused for a moment, his eyes vacant and devoid of emotion... With such eyes, as a master of occlumency, he instinctively thought that this little Troll might be using occlumency. Moreover, her level of occlumency was not bad, a first-grade little Troll... actually knew occlumency, and her skill level was quite high. No matter how he looked at it, something felt off.

    In addition to Potter''s enrollment this year, Professor Snape decided to talk to Principal Dumbledore after class, considering the safety of that Potter... Reining in his wandering thoughts, Professor Snape elongated his tone as he recited the opening speech he delivered to each new class of students every year.

    He then turned around and wrote the preparation process and precautions for the boil cure on the blackboard with his wand. After a brief explanation, he directly instructed the students to start making it. With no Gryffindor present, Professor Snape''s sharp tongue was somewhat restrained. However, there were still quite a few Hufflepuffs who were sprayed with his venom, standing shivering in place, their hands trembling as they prepared for the next step.

    Those who had asked seniors in advance and formed a team with Ravenclaw students let out a silent sigh of relief as they looked at the potions in front of them that met the requirements, narrowly escaping a disaster...

    Working on potion-making with Lin Yue was Hannah from Hufflepuff, who immediately took the seat next to Lin Yue as soon as she entered the classroom. Everyone witnessed Lin Yue''s excellence yesterday, and just based on that alone...

    It is generally believed that even if Lin Yue''s potions are not as good as her charms and transfiguration, they won''t be far off. Therefore, teaming up with Lin Yue became Hannah''s first choice; she really didn''t want to experience the feeling of almost being scolded to tears by Professor Snape, as described by her senior. Now, Lin Yue has also proven through her actions that her potions are no worse than her charms and transfiguration. Watching her perform each step with no difference from the textbook, and seeing her measure the potion ingredients with precision, was impressive.

    Hannah''s eyes sparkled, feeling like she had latched onto a golden opportunity. She thought to herself that she must arrive earlier for the next potions class to secure a spot next to Lin Yue!

    After Lin Yue finished her own operation, she noticed that Hannah wasn''t making any moves just as it was time to add the porcupine quills to the potion. So, she raised her hand and gently tapped Hannah on the shoulder, her tone completely emotionless.

    "You should put the porcupine quills in now."

    "Ah, oh, right away!" Hannah quickly snapped back to reality and swiftly placed the processed porcupine quills into the crucible.

    Lin Yue continued to operate smoothly, her movements still precise like a machine.

    Professor Snape, who was quietly observing her from the side, knew that the potion made by the two of them was definitely fine. Sure enough, just a few minutes later, Lin Yue bottled the potion and handed it to Professor Snape.

    "Miss Lin Yue, Miss Hannah," Professor Snape raised the potion they submitted and examined it carefully, "You have successfully made the potion."

    "I can give you E grade, the reason for the deduction: Miss Hannah''s level of participation was low."

    "This makes me very doubtful of your abilities."

    Hannah listened to Professor Snape''s words and lowered her head in shame, carefully glancing at Lin Yue in the meantime. Lin Yue had made no mistakes in her potion, and as a result, Hannah had lost points because of her. She must be angry, right...Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    The next moment, Lin Yue spoke up, "Thank you, Professor." Her face still wore that calm and indifferent expression, completely unlike the anger Hannah had imagined.

    "I''ll remember this. Next time, I will definitely let Hannah participate more. I''m sorry, I didn''t think of it this time."

    Then she turned to Hannah and said in a mechanical tone, "I''m sorry, Hannah. I should have let you participate more."

    Hannah stared wide-eyed, feeling a bit at a loss, and waved her hands aimlessly, "No, no, it''s me who''s dragging you down..."

    Professor Snape frowned, "Alright, Miss Lin Yue, Miss Hannah, perhaps you two would like to discuss who is responsible after you go outside?"

    "I have already informed you about the grading for this Potions class, and you may leave now."

    Lin Yue turned around and politely nodded to Professor Snape, "Okay, thank you, Professor Snape. Goodbye, Professor."

    After saying that, she walked back to her seat, quickly packed her things, and left the Potions classroom.

    Hannah hurriedly said goodbye to Professor Snape, ran back to her seat to gather her things, and trot out of the Potions classroom in an attempt to catch up with Lin Yue.

    However, by the time she ran out of the Potions classroom, Lin Yue had already disappeared without a trace.

    Having been allowed to leave the potions classroom early, Lin Yue quickly walked out of the corridor where the classroom was located, turned a corner, and entered the girls'' restroom, stepping into a stall.

    After closing the stall door, the score of E that she had just received suddenly flashed in Lin Yue''s mind.

    In Hogwarts, O represents the highest score, followed by E, A, P, D, and T. She just received an E grade, which means... she did not get a perfect score.(Hogwarts score, Outstanding (O), Exceeds Expectations (E) or Acceptable (A). A Poor (P), Dreadful (D), or Troll (T) were failing grades.)

    This realization made Lin Yue instantly stand up straight, and without any hesitation, she raised her hand and slapped her face hard. Her fair cheeks gradually turned red, and after more than a dozen slaps, they even started to swell. Finally, after delivering thirty slaps, Lin Yue stopped.

    At this moment, there was even a bit of blood at the corner of her mouth. Lin Yue opened the stall door and walked to the sink to check the condition of her cheeks in the mirror. After confirming that she had met the punishment standards set by her mother, she wiped away the blood from the corner of her mouth and turned to leave the washroom.

    As she walked into the great hall, she realized that she had taken some time in the restroom, and some of the young wizards had already started their lunch. Lin Yue quickly sat down in her previous spot and hurriedly grabbed food to eat. However, the injury on her cheek ultimately slowed her down, and the noticeable swelling and handprint on her face caught the attention of others.

    "Did Lin Yue... get hit by someone?" a first-year little eagle, who looked at Lin Yue, stared at her swollen face in shock.

    "Um?" The Ravenclaw prefect Penelope immediately put down her knife and fork and turned to look at Lin Yue.

    When she saw that Lin Yue''s cheek was indeed swollen and had clear handprints on it, Penelope furrowed her brows tightly and looked seriously at the first-year student.

    "Do you know what happened? Who hit her?"

    The first grader who was asked was taken aback for a moment, then quickly shook her head.

    "I don''t know either. Just a moment ago in Potions class, she didn''t have any injuries on her face. Later, their group finished the potion early, so they left early. We don''t know what happened next."

    "Alright, thank you." Penelope nodded, stood up, and sat down next to Lin Yue, looking at her gently.

    "Do you mind if I sit here?"

    Lin Yue, who was eating quickly, paused for a moment, swallowed the food in her mouth, and shook her head. "I don''t mind, please sit down."

    Hearing the same emotionless tone as that night on the first day of school, Penelope pressed her lips together.

    "Lin Yue, did someone hit you just now? What happened to your face?"

    Lin Yue looked at Penelope, her eyes devoid of life and calm like a still pond.

    "No one hit me; I did it to myself."

    "You did it yourself?!" Penelope stared at Lin Yue in disbelief, wondering how she could say that with such a calm expression!

    "Why would you hit yourself?"

    Lin Yue responded as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "Because I didn''t get a perfect score on my potion assignment, I need to punish myself to remember my mistake."

    Penelope felt like she could hardly catch her breath, "You... you hit yourself just because you didn''t get a perfect score?!"

    "Professor Snape''s potions class, aside from Slytherin students, no one else can get a perfect score!"

    Lin Yue nodded, "Oh..."

    Penelope opened her mouth, unsure of what to say. In the end, she could only let out a helpless sigh and gently tapped Lin Yue''s cheek with her hand.

    The lingering warmth on her skin made Penelope feel a bit suffocated, a stifling kind of suffocation, although she didn''t know where this feeling was coming from.

    Taking out her wand, Penelope pointed it at Lin Yue''s cheek and said, " Episkey."

    Lin Yue''s swollen face gradually returned to normal, and the handprint slowly faded away, revealing her delicate and fair complexion once again.

    After performing the same action on the other side of Lin Yue''s cheek, Penelope crossed her arms and looked at her seriously.

    "Lin Yue, no matter what scores or grades you get, you can''t hurt yourself like this anymore, do you understand?"

    "If I see you doing this again, I will have to take you to Professor Flitwick. I will keep an eye on you every day."

    After finishing her words, Penelope sighed and reached out to gently pat Lin Yue''s head.

    "Foolish girl, hitting yourself doesn''t hurt, really..."

    Lin Yue turned back to continue eating, emotionless, and of course, she couldn''t understand the concern in Penelope''s words.

    Just as she couldn''t understand why Penelope opposed her punishing herself and even forbade her from doing so. After all, her previous teachers and classmates had never expressed any opinions on this matter.

    Although she couldn''t comprehend it, she remembered Penelope''s words.

    Staring at herself every day... then the punishment would just have to fall in an unseen place in the future.

    Lin Yue slightly turned her eyes to look at her left arm. Her father had previously told her that punishment would help her remember her mistakes and thus improve her grades.

    After having lunch, Lin Yue got up and went to the library, leaving Hannah, who originally planned to find her after finishing her meal, empty-handed once again. Lin Yue found a book about Quidditch in the library and began to read it carefully; it was the only class that didn''t have a textbook.

    In accordance with her previous physical education classes, she still needed to carefully consider what exactly she needed to do and how to do it. After memorizing the entire book and understanding how she should ride the flying broomstick, Lin Yue closed the book, shouldered her backpack, and arrived at the grass in front of Hogwarts Castle, placing her backpack and wand against the wall. The book mentioned that one should not carry a wand while flying, as accidents could easily lead to the wand breaking or injuring oneself.

    A few minutes later, Professor Hooch, the flying instructor, also arrived on the grass. A group of young eagles and badgers couldn''t help but discuss excitedly; flying always made the children feel happy, of course, this had nothing to do with Lin Yue, who still had a "calm" expression on her face.

    No one paid much attention to Lin Yue after what had happened at noon, because after she left, Penelope specifically found a few young wizards who had seen her injured cheek. She instructed them not to talk about it, so as not to affect Lin Yue, and especially not to let her be pointed at by others. The young wizards nodded in agreement, promising Penelope''s request, so now only a few young wizards knew what had happened at noon.

    Following Professor Hooch''s instructions, Lin Yue mounted her broomstick and slowly ascended into the sky with her whistle. After flying low for an entire class according to the book''s introduction and Professor Hooch''s requirements, Lin Yue gradually descended. After Professor Hooch announced the end of the class, she picked up her backpack and wand from the wall and quickly walked towards the great hall.

 Chapter 7: The levitation spell in the flying class.

    Green flames rose in the fireplace, and a figure in a flowing black robe stepped out. An elderly man wearing a starry night robe lifted his head, his bright eyes gazing insightfully at the visitor.

    ¡°Ravenclaw, Lin Yue,¡± Professor Snape simply stated these two words.

    Principal Dumbledore was taken aback for a moment, "Miss Lin Yue? What happened to her? Both Minerva and Filius have spoken highly of her."

    "She is using occlumency," Professor Snape said, dragging out his words and speaking decisively.

    " Occlumency?" Principal Dumbledore leaned forward, his hands crossed on the table, "A child so young can master the occlumency?"

    "There is only this possibility. Her eyes are hollow and lifeless, and there is not even a hint of emotion on her face. Her level of occlumency is quite good."

    Headmaster Dumbledore stood up and slowly paced around the office.

    "Well, Severus, keep an eye on this child."

    Professor Snape''s mouth twitched slightly. "I thought you would have me keep a closer watch on that one, Potter."

    "I will pay attention to Harry''s safety, but we should be more concerned about those who might be a bit dangerous, shouldn''t we?"

    Principal Dumbledore stopped and looked down at Professor Snape from above his glasses. "You know, Severus, this is to protect Harry, and also to honor Lily''s sacrifice."

    Professor Snape''s eyes flickered for a moment, then returned to their vacant state. He nodded absently, sprinkled a handful of Floo Powder into the fireplace, and stepped in. "I''ll keep an eye on her," he said at the last moment before his figure disappeared.

    After Snape left, Professor Dumbledore sat down alone in the chair behind his desk.

    " Occlumency..." he murmured to himself, his head lowered. She had excellent academic performance, exceptional talent, and almost all the professors she had encountered liked her. Now, there was also the occlumency

    Could it be another Tom? A hint of sharpness mixed with fatigue flashed in Professor Dumbledore''s eyes.

    The person speculated to possibly be the next Tom, Lin Yue, was currently looking at the three books recommended to her by Professor McGonagall.

    The difficulty of Transfiguration was indeed greater than that of Charms, Lin Yue calmly assessed in her mind.

    Until her bedtime, Lin Yue barely finished reading the three books and memorized all the content. As for mastering it thoroughly, it would probably take some more time. After adding three more bruises to her left arm, Lin Yue lay down on the bed fully clothed.

    In the following days, Lin Yue continued to perform excellently, earning extra points from professors in every class. The first-year courses at Hogwarts were not many, so she spent a lot of time in the Hogwarts library. This made Professor Snape, who was observing her during his free time, feel somewhat bored. This little troll, well, he had to admit that Lin Yue might not actually be a troll.

    This little girl spends all her free time in the library, and she doesn''t have any selectivity when it comes to reading there. She starts from the first shelf, the first row, the first book, and goes through them one by one. She carefully flips through every page of each book, and even so, her reading speed far exceeds that of an average person. This inevitably makes Professor Snape doubt whether she is truly reading seriously.

    However, after a few days of observation, he finally decided to give up on continuing to watch the little girl. It was meaningless; with that time, he might as well return to his office and brew a couple more potions. With that thought in mind, he turned around and left without hesitation, leaving only the trace of his black robe swirling at the corner outside the library.

    As the curfew approached, Lin Yue closed the book, completed the borrowing process for the unfinished book with Madam. Pince, and quickly returned to his dormitory.

    In the dormitory, Cho Chang and Marietta are having a pleasant conversation while taking a break from their homework. When they see Lin Yue come back, they pause to greet her briefly before continuing their chat. During these past few days of interaction, they have figured out that when Lin Yue is reading or studying, no external noise can distract her.

    Unless you tap her on the shoulder or call her by her full name, she will ignore whatever you say.

    Therefore, now Cho Chang and Marietta can finally chat happily in the dormitory again.

    Sitting at the desk and opening a book, Lin Yue continues to read the part she didn''t finish earlier.

    Until Cho Chang and Marietta finished their bath and went to bed, she had not gotten up from her seat.

    Exchanging a glance and sighing, Cho Chang and Marietta silently pulled up their bed curtains.

    They had now realized that Lin Yue''s so-called love for studying was not just a passion; it was as if studying was her life, even giving off the impression that studying was more important than her own life.

    Tomorrow is Friday, and the weekend will soon be here. Perhaps by the weekend... Lin Yue will take a break, Cho Chang thought to herself as she adjusted her blanket. Of course, at that moment, he had no idea that Lin Yue would spend the entire weekend reading through an entire bookshelf''s worth of books in the Hogwarts library.

    After having breakfast, Lin Yue arrived at the greenhouse for her herbal medicine class with her backpack. She reached out and pulled the greenhouse door twice, but it didn''t open.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    With a blank expression, she withdrew her hand and stood quietly in place, as if frozen.

    After a few seconds, she opened her backpack, took out her herbal medicine textbook, and began to review once again.

    The little eagles and badgers that arrived later saw Lin Yue reading again, and they couldn''t help but feel a flush on their faces. They thought to themselves, "She is so outstanding and works so hard, and we..." So, all the little wizards present quietly took out their herbology textbooks and began to read with their heads down.

    All the students standing in front of the greenhouse were looking down at their books, which was quite a sight at Hogwarts. At least it was shocking enough for the Gryffindor lions and Slytherin snakes who were having their flying lesson on the nearby lawn.

    "Merlin''s library... it''s one thing for Ravenclaw to love reading, but how come Hufflepuff does too?" Ron looked at the unusual scene of all the students in front of the greenhouse with disbelief.

    Hermione next to him rolled her eyes without hesitation and retorted, "Maybe there are only a few people who don''t like studying?"

    Ron frowned in pain and shot back, "Well, at least I know you''re not one of those few."

    Harry, on the other hand, didn''t have the time to join in on the conversation; he was busy curiously looking at the flying broomstick on the ground. He always felt that thing... gave him a familiar and comforting feeling.

    After exchanging a few barbs, Hermione and Ron fell into silence. Hermione''s gaze drifted past the other members of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, finally landing on Lin Yue at the front of the crowd.

    Looking at the girl who was bowing her head and studying seriously like a stagnant pool, she always felt that the one who could inspire so many people to study at the same time must be Lin Yue.

    Her thoughts didn''t linger for long, as Madam. Hooch had already arrived on the lawn.

    Since the little wizards generally had a great interest in flying lessons, everyone had already gathered even though the class hadn''t started yet.

    Madam. Hooch looked at the eager little wizards and blew her whistle sharply, deciding to start teaching them how to ride the flying broomstick ahead of schedule, to prevent any child from being unable to resist and fly up into the sky on their own.

    "Everyone, stand next to the flying broomstick, place your hands on it, and then say, ''Up!''"

    Following Madam. Hooch''s instructions, Hermione stood next to a flying broomstick, placing her hand above it, and said clearly and distinctly, "Up." The broomstick remained motionless. Hermione took a deep breath and tried various tones. Finally, perhaps sensing her growing impatience, the broomstick obediently jumped up into her hand.

    Looking at the flying broomstick in her hand, Hermione raised her eyebrows knowingly and said, "Well, it seems I have no talent for flying."

    She didn''t feel the least bit frustrated, after all, she didn''t like flying anyway, a fact she had confirmed while reading related books.

    Looking at the pictures in the books of wizards and witches flying on broomsticks, she was certain that she preferred to stay grounded.

    "I''ll count to three, and then take off when you hear my whistle."

    Madam. Hooch finished speaking and began to count, but just as she finished counting and before she could blow the whistle, Neville wobbled and took off into the air, his entire face turning pale with fear.

    He gripped his broomstick tightly, trembling nervously, as the broom carried him higher and higher. Despite Madam. Hooch''s constant shouts for him to calm down and descend slowly, it was no use.

    The young wizards present watched in terror, their ears ringing with Madam. Hooch''s calls and Neville''s terrified screams. The loud commotion attracted the little eagle and badger near the greenhouse door.

    Closing the book and turning to look, the little eagle and the little badgers all widened their eyes in unison, while Lin Yue remained calm, still focused on the book as if she hadn''t heard anything.

    "Merlin! He¡¯s going to fall!"

    " Madam. Hooch is nearby; she should be able to save him, right..."

    "I''m afraid not. In flying lessons, Madam Hooch doesn''t carry a wand. Didn''t you see that Madam Hooch can only stand there and watch?"

    The young eagle and badger present were anxiously discussing with pale faces, but none of them had a solution. As they watched Neville fly higher and higher, even crashing into the walls of Hogwarts Castle, their gasps of surprise grew louder.

    Finally, amidst the chaos, someone bumped into Lin Yue hard, causing her Herbology textbook to fall to the ground.

    Bending down to pick up the book, Lin Yue turned around and happened to see Neville falling off his broomstick. Without any hesitation, she drew her wand and aimed it at Neville, her arm moving in sync with his descent, perfectly accurate.

    "Wingardium Leviosa."

    As the mechanical sound echoed, the Levitation Charm spanned the distance from the greenhouse door to the lawn, precisely halting Neville''s fall and allowing him to float in mid-air. The wand slowly pointed to the ground, and Neville was gently lowered to the ground by Lin Yue''s Levitation Charm. The little eagles and badgers present turned their heads back, their faces filled with expressions of wonder as they looked at Lin Yue. That was not a feather from the spell class, but a person of considerable weight, not to mention the significant distance between him and the ground, as well as the fact that he had just been falling rapidly.

    But even so, Lin Yue was able to successfully and accurately cast a levitation spell on Neville, allowing him to land safely. At least for a first-year wizard, that was quite impressive.

    With a blank expression, she retracted her wand, opened her book, and continued reading.

    She wasn''t worried about whether Neville was scared, nor was she concerned about whether he was hurt from hitting the wall earlier.

    She was just acting on her instinct to help whenever she could when others were in danger. As for why she didn''t help those students who were dragged away to be destroyed in front of her, it''s quite simple. They were being destroyed because of regulations, and when regulations conflict with instinct, she should strictly adhere to the rules. Just like her mother and father told her, when her study time was delayed and her various grades did not reach full marks, she should punish herself.

    Even though this conflicted with her instinct to avoid hurting herself, she still chose to follow her parents'' rules, punishing herself time and again.

    The little eagle and the little badgers, who were initially excited because Lin Yue had saved someone, were just about to cheer when they saw her calmly lowering her head to continue reading.

    In an instant, they felt as if something was blocking their throats, and they couldn''t make a sound.

    They exchanged glances, and everyone present unanimously flipped open the books in their hands again, continuing to read. What else could they do¡­

    They have calmed down over here, but things are lively over at Gryffindor and Slytherin.

    Madam Hooch immediately stepped forward to help Neville, who had been placed on the ground by Lin Yue, and after warning everyone present, she took the clearly frightened Neville to the hospital wing.

    Hermione and many other little lions and snakes stared in shock at Lin Yue, who was still reading with her head down in the distance.

    Her magical abilities... are they really that strong? Hermione bit her lip, feeling a wave of anxiety in her heart.

    Compared to her, am I just too inadequate? When you have a sufficiently excellent reference standard, you inevitably start to compare yourself to them.

    At this moment, Hermione was doing just that. She took a deep breath and tightened her grip on the broomstick in her hand. She secretly decided that she needed to study harder, and it would be best to figure out how Lin Yue studied so that she could imitate her. No, perhaps she should study even harder than Lin Yue!

    While her thoughts were swirling, Harry and Malfoy had already taken to the air, and Lin Yue walked into the greenhouse after Professor Sprout arrived.

    Hermione watched Lin Yue enter the greenhouse and then turned her gaze to Harry and Malfoy, who were floating in mid-air. Meanwhile, Lin Yue had already taken her place in the front row of the Herbology classroom, looking calmly at Professor Sprout on the podium.

 Chapter 8: Piertotum Locomotor Lite Version

    The herbal Herbology class had just ended, and Lin Yue received an additional ten points from Professor Sprout during the class, along with twenty extra points from Madam. Hooch. This sharp-eyed lady, resembling a hawk, stood in front of Lin Yue, doing her utmost to show the gentlest expression.

    "I really have to thank you, child. You prevented the injury of Neville Longbottom. For your kindness and excellent Levitation Charm, I think you deserve an extra twenty points." Lin Yue nodded with a blank expression and politely said, "Thank you, Madam. Hooch."

    "This is what you deserve," Mrs. Huo smiled as she ruffled Lin Yue''s hair. "Also, Mr. Longbottom wants to thank you."

    "Where is he?" Lin Yue asked Madam. Hooch. in a flat tone, devoid of emotion.

    "What?" Madam. Hooch. was taken aback for a moment.

    Lin Yue adjusted the position of her backpack on her shoulder. "He wants to thank me, so I''m going to find him."

    Madam. Hooch. was momentarily stunned, then quickly realized, "Mr. Longbottom was a bit shaken and is now in the medical wing."

    "Okay, thank you, Madam. Hooch." Lin Yue nodded and quickly left the entrance of the greenhouse.

    The little eagle and badgers who had just finished class and walked out of the greenhouse looked at Lin Yue''s back with awe.

    Another twenty points... In less than a week since the start of school, Lin Yue had already used her own ability to earn points to put Ravenclaw far ahead. It''s terrifying, truly terrifying.

    Lin Yue pushed open the door of the medical wing and headed straight for the bed where Neville was located.

    " Longbottom. " Lin Yue said mechanically as she lowered her head.

    "Lin Yue!" Neville quickly sat up from the bed upon seeing Lin Yue.

    Feeling a bit embarrassed, Na Wei scratched his head with a smile.

    "Thank you for saving me today... I caused you trouble because I''m so clumsy."

    "No need to thank me," Lin Yue replied in a flat tone.

    Neville lowered his head nervously, and Lin Yue continued in a calm tone.

    "You''ve already thanked me, so I''m leaving now."

    After saying that, Lin Yue quickly walked out of the medical wing without looking back, leaving Neville staring blankly at her retreating figure.

    Determined to follow Lin Yue and see how she studies during her free time, Hermione had been eagerly watching the Ravenclaw table after entering the hall after class. However, the person she was looking for had not shown up at all. What was going on? Hermione couldn''t help but frown; Lin Yue usually ate on time. Before she could think more about it, she heard about Harry and Malfoy''s agreement to duel at midnight.

    Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward to try to dissuade Harry from his idea of going to the duel, but was immediately and unanimously countered by Harry and Ron.

    Irritated, Hermione sat back down and forcefully stuffed a mouthful of mashed potatoes into her mouth, only to see Lin Yue finally walk into the hall and sit at the Ravenclaw table.

    As soon as Lin Yue sat down, she began to eat rapidly, and Hermione couldn''t help but speed up her own eating as she watched her.

    The result was that she ended up choking.

    "Cough cough cough..." Hermione picked up the pumpkin juice cup next to her and took a big gulp, finally managing to calm herself down. Before she could take a few more bites, Lin Yue had already finished her dinner and stood up to leave the hall.

    Hermione didn''t even have time to finish her dinner and quickly grabbed her backpack to catch up. Following Lin Yue to the library, she saw Lin Yue place her backpack on a seat, take out a few books to return to Madam Pince, and then pull out a few more books from the first bookshelf. She sat down in her seat and began to read.

    Hermione nervously tightened her grip on the strap of her backpack and took a couple of deep breaths. "Don''t be nervous, don''t be nervous, just go say hello to her."

    After preparing herself mentally, Hermione walked over to Lin Yue''s side.

    "Lin Yue?"

    Lin Yue, who was reading, was pulled out of her studying state when she heard someone calling her name. She looked up with a blank expression at Hermione.

    "Granger, is there something you need?"

    "You remember my name!" Hermione said with a happy smile.

    "Mm." Lin Yue nodded indifferently.

    "Um... your studies are really good, so I was wondering if I could study with you?"

    "And... I''m sorry for following you here, please don''t be angry."Stolen novel; please report.

    Lin Yue stared at Hermione, just as Hermione was gradually getting anxious, thinking that Lin Yue might be angry.

    She spoke up, "I''m not angry. If you want to study with me, then let''s do it together."

    After she finished speaking, she lowered her head to read again. Hermione let out a sigh of relief, set her backpack aside, and took out her assignment to sit next to Lin Yue and start writing. Although Lin Yue''s tone and intonation when speaking showed no fluctuations, and her face always wore a faint, expressionless look, it easily led people to think that she was impolite and indifferent to others.

    However, Hermione believed that deep down, she was very gentle... Sitting next to her while studying, Hermione couldn''t quite explain why she felt an unexplainable sense of peace. It was as if, at that moment, the whole world was at peace, and even her speed in completing her assignment had increased a bit.

    After finishing her own assignment, Hermione looked at Lin Yue, who was still focused on her book. After hesitating for a moment, she couldn''t resist the urge to speak.

    "Lin Yue... have you finished your assignment?"

    Lin Yue turned to look at Hermione, "I''ve finished."

    "That was fast!" Hermione exclaimed. Although first-year students at Hogwarts don''t have many subjects.

    However, the amount of assignment assigned by the professors is still quite substantial for first-year freshmen, and it also has some difficulty. So even Hermione herself needs some time to complete it, but Lin Yue has already finished all of this week''s assignments? That''s impressive... Hermione swallowed hard.

    Looking at Lin Yue''s calm face, Hermione''s thoughts slowly drifted away from studying, and she suddenly felt a desire to confide in Lin Yue. After struggling internally for a moment, Hermione still couldn''t overcome her own hesitation.

    "Harry and Malfoy just agreed to a duel," Hermione bit her lip, "I suggested he shouldn''t go, but he and Ron told me not to meddle."

    "But this clearly violates school rules! It''s not wrong for me to stop them!"

    Lin Yue looked at Hermione, who suddenly became agitated, and although she didn''t understand the reason for her reaction, she still mechanically spoke up.

    "Violating the rules is wrong and deserves punishment."

    "Exactly!" Hermione nodded vigorously, "If they get caught by a professor, they''ll definitely lose points!"

    "No way..." Hermione''s hands twisted together anxiously, "I have to stop them tonight!"

    "What time? Where?" Lin Yue asked Hermione in a calm tone.

    "Ah?" Hermione looked at Lin Yue with confusion.

    "The time and place of the duel," Lin Yue repeated her earlier words in more detail.

    "Mid¡­midnight, trophy room," Hermione said, somewhat bewildered.

    Lin Yue nodded, stood up, and put on her backpack, preparing to leave the library. "Got it."

    "Are you leaving?" Hermione quickly packed her backpack and chased after her.

    Lin Yue turned back to look at Hermione and raised her hand to point at the clock on the library wall. "It''s almost curfew time."

    Hermione followed her finger and realized that it was indeed almost curfew time. After getting lost in her assignment, she hadn''t felt the passage of time at all.

    After leaving the library, Lin Yue and Hermione walked together for a while, and neither of them spoke along the way.

    It was clearly a very dull atmosphere, but Hermione felt that she was enjoying this silence.

    Carefully turning her head to look at Lin Yue, she saw that her face was still as expressionless as still water, without the slightest ripple.

    Since their first meeting, Lin Yue had always been like this¡ªwithout intonation, without expression, as if... devoid of emotion.

    Hermione couldn''t help but feel even more curious about Lin Yue.

    After walking together for a while, Lin Yue and Hermione finally parted ways, with one heading towards the Ravenclaw common room and the other towards the Gryffindor common room.

    After separating from Hermione, Lin Yue''s mind once again conjured up Hermione''s face. Her meticulous and rational brain was unable to analyze why she had just asked Hermione about the location of the duel between Harry and Malfoy.

    What was even more puzzling was why she had the thought of wanting to violate Hogwarts'' rules and go see it at midnight. The idea that rules come first and studying comes first was firmly ingrained in Lin Yue''s mind. But now, she was going to break the rules...

    Lin Yue walked into the Ravenclaw common room, not looking sideways as she climbed the stairs and opened the door to the dormitory.

    In the dormitory, Cho Chang and Marietta had not yet returned. The thought of breaking the rules kept repeating in Lin Yue''s mind.

    Lin Yue raised her right hand and tightly gripped her left upper arm, applying pressure repeatedly.

    There was not a trace of pain on her face. After fifteen seconds, Lin Yue released her hand. If someone were to pull back Lin Yue''s sleeve now, they would discover that there was an obvious bruise, even blackened, on her left upper arm...

    Having already punished herself for breaking the rules, Lin Yue concluded that she could go to the trophy display room at midnight. She sat down at her desk and took out her textbook with her right hand. Just as she was about to lift her left arm to place it on the desk, a sharp pain shot through her.

    There was still no expression of pain on her face; her left arm, which had already been lifted slightly, suddenly dropped down. Lin Yue turned her head and forcefully straightened her left arm, moving it in circles. After a few rotations, although her left arm still hurt, she was finally able to lift it normally.

    After Cho Chang and Marietta returned, they unsurprisingly saw Lin Yue studying. They shrugged at each other, and the two girls took turns to shower. After that, they went to bed to read, preparing to sleep soon. Tomorrow is Saturday, so if they go to bed early tonight, they can sleep in a bit tomorrow morning!

    As midnight approached, Lin Yue closed the book, quietly walked to the dormitory door, opened it, and stepped out of the dormitory.

    Walking from the Ravenclaw dormitory to the trophy room, Lin Yue did not encounter any patrolling professors, nor did she run into Filch. The stairs moved on their own as usual to accommodate her needs.

    Just as she reached the entrance of the trophy room, she heard voices coming from inside.

    "Cunning Slytherin! Malfoy never intended to come!" Ron said indignantly.

    "This is a trap he set for you, trying to get you caught!" Hermione''s voice also came through.

    Lin Yue caught a glimpse out of the corner of her eye at the shadows illuminated at the corner to her left.

    One was the shadow of an adult, and the other was the shadow of a cat¡ªFilch and Mrs. Norris.

    Lin Yue stepped into the trophy display room, and instantly, all the eyes of the people present were on her. Ignoring the gazes of Harry, Ron, and Neville, Lin Yue simply fixed her gaze on Hermione. "Filch is coming." "Damn Malfoy!" Harry and Ron muttered under their breath, and without a word, they turned and ran.

    Harry didn''t forget to pull Neville along, and Hermione closely followed them, casually grabbing Lin Yue, who was still frozen in place. However, she happened to grab Lin Yue''s left upper arm, and with an unchanged expression, Lin Yue let out a soft grunt and jogged to catch up with Hermione.

    After running around a corner, the five of them finally stopped, standing in place and panting heavily.

    "I should... have gotten rid of Ferch," Harry said breathlessly in a low voice.

    "Yeah, yeah..." Ron nodded vigorously, also exhausted.

    Just as the five of them were about to leave and head back to the dormitory, Neville accidentally knocked over a suit of armor nearby.

    "Sorry, sorry..." Neville apologized to the other four with a pale face.

    Unfortunately, it was already too late. The sound of the armor crashing to the ground was deafening, especially noticeable in the midnight silence of Hogwarts, making it feel as if it could wake the entire school.

    With that sound as a guide, Filch quickly caught up.

    The five of them had to keep running, and as Hermione pulled them along, Lin Yue glanced back at Filch, quickly calculating speed and distance in her mind.

    Filch was ultimately an adult, faster than they were, and if this continued, they would definitely be caught.

    Her gaze swept over the fallen armor and the identical armor against the opposite wall, and Lin Yue swiftly drew her wand.

    "Wingardium Leviosa."

    It was still the familiar Levitation Charm. Hearing the incantation, Hermione couldn''t help but turn around.

    She then saw the armor that had originally fallen to the ground floating up, and with the help of the Levitation Charm, it even began to assemble itself. It then raised its two iron arms and charged towards Filch.

    On the other side, the armor by the wall also raised its iron arms and rushed straight at Filch.

    Filch, who was desperately running to catch up with the students out after hours, widened his eyes in shock as he saw the two sets of iron armor charging towards him. He stood frozen in place, too scared to move.

    As Lin Yue turned around and quickly ran away, she lightly waved her wand to the right, and the two sets of iron armor simultaneously raised their hands to pin Filch''s chest, trapping him against the wall on the right.

    Trapped by the two sets of iron armor, Filch could only helplessly turn his head, struggling to suppress the panic and fear inside him. With a face full of unwillingness, he watched the figures of the students disappear around the corner. If only he had been just a little quicker, he could have caught those students out after hours!

 Chapter 9: Being nicknamed, shocking everyone.

    Watching the two sets of iron armor controlled and imprisoned by Lin Yue, Hermione''s eyes widened in shock.

    As she ran wildly alongside Harry and the others in front, she couldn''t help but glance at Lin Yue from time to time.

    No matter how powerful Lin Yue''s magic was, she was ultimately just a first-year student at Hogwarts.

    Her Levitation Charm couldn''t hold for long after losing control of herself, so after struggling for a minute, Filch broke free from the two sets of iron armor that were restraining him. Meanwhile, Hermione was pointing her wand at the locked wooden door, casting a spell. Once the door opened, she pulled Lin Yue in, followed closely by Harry, Ron, and Neville, who slammed the door shut with a bang.

    The hurriedly chasing Filch only glanced over here, and after seeing that no one was around, he turned and chased in another direction. Perhaps it was because of Principal Dumbledore''s warning at the beginning of the school year that made him hesitant to come this way.

    Looking at the three-headed giant dog in front of her, Lin Yue finally understood why Professor Dumbledore said this place was off-limits. Without a trace of fear in her heart, Lin Yue calmly watched as the three heads of the giant dog drooled at the five of them.

    After realizing that she had finally shaken off Filch, Hermione finally breathed a sigh of relief. However, before she could fully exhale, her relief was once again brought back up as she turned around.

    "Merlin..." Hermione whispered softly, feeling as if she must be having a terrible nightmare.

    Hearing her voice, Harry, Ron, and Neville all turned their heads in unison. When they saw the three-headed dog in front of them, they were all momentarily stunned.

    The other four let out terrified scream, except for Lin Yue, making her seem so out of place.

    Lin Yue looked expressionlessly at the three-headed dog in front of her, her hand instinctively tightening around her wand.

    In the next moment, the three-headed dog began to roar, and Hermione quickly pulled Lin Yue to run out, with Harry and the others following closely behind.

    It is clear that compared to death, they would still choose Felch over it!

    Lin Yue quickly followed in Hermione''s footsteps, running without any obstacles until they reached the Gryffindor common room.

    If Hermione hadn''t been in a state of extreme panic, she would definitely have expressed her surprise at how smoothly it went.

    When they finally ran into the Gryffindor common room, the other Gryffindors present, aside from Hermione, finally calmed down and noticed that there was an extra Ravenclaw in their group.

    "You are... that study freak from Ravenclaw!" Ron shouted bluntly, pointing at Lin Yue.

    "Ron Weasley!" Lin Yue didn''t react at all, but Hermione couldn''t hold back her anger.

    "Where¡¯s your manners?!" she scolded Ron without holding back.

    Ron was taken aback and realized that he had spoken without thinking, and it was indeed impolite.

    However, he still muttered under his breath, a bit unconvinced, "But it''s not wrong, is it?"

    Hermione rolled her eyes without any hesitation and then turned to look at Lin Yue.

    "So you asked me about the time and place of Harry''s duel in the library because you want to go too? Why?"

    Lin Yue looked at Hermione with an expressionless face and spoke in a flat tone.

    "I don''t know, I just want to go."

    Hermione sighed helplessly, "Well, anyway, thank you. Otherwise, we might have been caught by Filch."

    "You''re welcome." Lin Yue shook her head and turned to walk towards the entrance of the Gryffindor common room.

    "Where are you going?" Hermione asked instinctively as she watched Lin Yue leave.

    Lin Yue turned back and replied matter-of-factly, "I''m going back to Ravenclaw common room."

    "Oh, right, you... really do have to go back to Ravenclaw common room." Hermione said, raising her hand to smooth her hair, her cheeks flushing a bit with embarrassment.

    Lin Yue nodded and stepped out of the Gryffindor common room.

    Walking on the way back to the Ravenclaw tower, Lin Yue reconsidered the things she had just done in her mind.

    She had violated the curfew by wandering at night, used magic in the corridors, attacked school staff, and trespassed into restricted areas¡ªfour instances of breaking the rules in total.

    Aside from the first one, for which she had already punished herself in advance, she should also pay the price for the other three.

    Looking at her left arm, Lin Yue estimated that she probably wouldn''t be able to use it for a day or two.

    Back in the dormitory, Cho Chang and Marietta were still sleeping soundly, completely unaware that their roommate had just stepped out.

    Lin Yue glanced at the time on her watch and then sat down at her desk to read seriously. The study time isn¡¯t over yet, so she should make the most of it and continue studying. It wasn''t until the study time ended that Lin Yue closed the book in front of her.

    Getting up, Lin Yue took off her shoes and sat on the bed. She slowly unfastened her wizard robe and the shirt she was wearing underneath.

    Her left arm gradually became exposed, a left arm that should have been fair and delicate. At this moment, there is a stark contrast between the upper arm and the forearm, with the forearm still looking normal. The upper arm, however, is covered in dark purple bruises, and in some areas, the color is so deep that it has started to look somewhat black.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    After assessing the impact of not being able to move her left arm on her studies, Lin Yue decisively changed her position and focused on her forearm.

    Learning comes first; she couldn''t let this delay her studies. With her right hand gripping her left forearm, she twisted and turned it fiercely, a sharp pain surged through her again, but Lin Yue didn''t even furrow her brow. She continued with the second and third attempts.

    It wasn''t until she completed the last three repetitions that Lin Yue finally released her right hand, breathing heavily. Due to the pain, her forehead was already covered in beads of sweat, yet her expression remained unchanged. Looking at her left forearm, which also bore three bruises, Lin Yue wanted to reach out and grab her shirt to put it on, but she couldn''t help but collapse onto the pillow.

    Originally, her study habits were already exhausting her body, and after a night of rushing around, she was already quite tired. After forcing herself to study for a few more hours, her body finally shut down. Unfortunately, less than an hour after her body shut down, her own consciousness forced it back on.

    Opening her particularly heavy eyelids, Lin Yue instinctively raised her hand to check the time on her watch. After confirming that she hadn''t overslept, she sat up, grabbed a change of clothes, and walked into the bathroom.

    After taking a shower, her mind gradually became clearer. She casually towel-dried her damp hair and then let it stay wet as she sat down at her desk to continue reading.

    By 7:30 in the morning, Lin Yue went to the great hall for breakfast and then returned to her dormitory to continue studying.

    In contrast, Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Neville were still sleeping in their respective dorms, catching up on sleep after a long night of activities. They really needed to rest this morning.

    Both Cho Chang and Marietta finally got up one after another at ten in the morning after sleeping in.

    When Cho Chang got out of bed and pulled back the curtains, she saw Lin Yue sitting at the desk with her back to her.

    Raising her hand to cover her face, she truly admired her even on the weekend, she didn''t take a break.

    Shaking her head secretly, Cho Chang got up, stretched lazily, and walked into the bathroom to wash up.

    Sitting on the bed, Marietta, who had just come to her senses, was also taken aback when she pulled back the bed curtain and saw Lin Yue sitting at the desk.

    With a face full of disbelief, even bordering on terror, she looked at Cho Chang.

    Frantically signaling with her eyes, she thought, "No! Don''t you get weekends off?! This is too harsh!"

    Cho Chang silently shook his head, indicating that her movements were too large or her gaze too obvious, which affected Lin Yue.

    Marietta silently withdrew her gaze and went to the washroom to freshen up.

    After washing up, Qiu Zhang and Marietta, who originally wanted to take a day off, ultimately couldn''t resist the pressure of self-reproach and each took out a book to start studying.

    When others are studying hard right next to you, and you are getting ready to relax and take a break, most people can''t help but criticize themselves and feel a sense of guilt.

    Qiu Zhang and Marietta are currently feeling this way, painfully yet satisfyingly flipping through the books in their hands. They comfort themselves by thinking that at least their final grades this academic year will definitely be better than before!

    When Lin Yue went to the great hall for lunch at noon, she inadvertently glanced at the Gryffindor long table while eating quickly. Whether it was a coincidence or her subconscious, Lin Yue''s glance happened to catch sight of Hermione. She was having lunch at a place relatively far from Harry and Ron, clearly not wanting to talk to them.

    With a calm withdrawal of her gaze, Lin Yue had no thoughts in her mind. After quickly finishing her lunch, she hurried to the library. She had finished the book she borrowed earlier and needed to borrow a new one.

    As the weeks went by, the students at Hogwarts gradually got used to Lin Yue''s eating speed and her habit of reading at any time. Apart from being initially labeled as a study fanatic, she also earned the title of an untiring monster, representing her relentless dedication to studying, never letting go of a book, even on weekends.

    Compared to students from other house, the Ravenclaw eagles who frequently go to the library to read are actually more shocked.

    Anyone who has observed Lin Yue even slightly can tell that when she reads in the library, she does so in order that the books are arranged on the shelves. She goes through them one by one, not missing a single book, regardless of what each book is about. Remarkably, in just two months, she has already finished reading books from over a dozen shelves.

    Of course, it¡¯s not just the students who have been impacted over these past two months.

    The professors were also greatly impacted by Lin Yue, primarily due to the influence of professors like McGonagall and Flitwick. When they encountered an outstanding student like Lin Yue, they couldn''t help but provide her with more advanced and additional study materials compared to others.

    However, leaving her with study materials has also brought about some problems. Lin Yue always arrives early for class, so Professors McGonagall and Professors Flitwick can''t help but ask her questions about the extra reading materials they assigned her. Each time, she answers their questions without any difficulty and has never been stumped.

    At first, the professors were very happy, believing that Lin Yue was a genius and a good prospect. So, they recommended extra reading materials to Lin Yue on a weekly basis. However, one day during dinner, they finally discovered a terrifying issue while chatting with each other. They had originally thought that Lin Yue was not engaging in extra study for other classes or that she was reducing her efforts in extra study for other courses.

    That''s why she can be so efficient, studying several extra books for their course each week. As a result, they didn''t expect that during this casual chat, they would find out that Lin Yue hasn''t fallen behind in any of her courses at all.

    She is studying all the courses ahead of time and doing extra reading. Right next to her, Madam Pince added quietly, "Not just that, she is also reading other books in the library, and she frequently borrows and returns books."

    As the librarian who oversees the borrowing situation of the Hogwarts library, she had long been amazed by Lin Yue''s diligence and reading speed. Now, seeing the other professors displaying the same look of astonishment she had back then, she felt a sense of balance in her heart.

    After hearing this news, Professor Flitwick almost wanted to scream in a high pitch. With such an intense study schedule, he had begun to doubt that Lin Yue had no time to rest at all! His gaze shifted to the Ravenclaw long table, where Lin Yue had already finished dinner and left.

    The professors exchanged glances and collectively decided not to recommend any additional reading materials to Lin Yue. It was not only because they were concerned about her not having enough time to rest, but also because she had already been studying enough on her own. Delving deeper could potentially overwhelm her still-developing magical powers and cause her harm. Madam. Pince opened her mouth to wanted to speak the fact, she believed that this approach was of little use.

    Based on her observations of Lin Yue''s study habits over the past two months, she can truly be said to be studying with all her might. Even if the professors no longer recommend additional reading materials to her, she will likely fill the time that was originally dedicated to that with other study projects.

    As the librarian of Hogwarts, she could only watch. If the student hadn''t made any mistakes, there was no way she could prevent him from entering the library to read, that wasn''t even something she could decide on her own.

    Hogwarts itself would never allow such a thing to happen! The conversation between several professors and Madam Pince naturally did not escape the ears of Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape, who were sitting at the same long table.

    Listening to what Lin Yue had been doing over the past two months, Professor Snape''s mouth twitched.

    While he was relieved that he hadn''t continued to track Lin Yue, he also began to doubt whether he was being too sensitive.

    With Lin Yue''s way of doing things... aside from reading, attending classes, doing homework, and basic physiological activities, she probably didn''t have time for anything else.

    Turning to look at Dumbledore, he found that the headmaster also had a dazed expression on his face.

    It was clear that he had never expected to hear that a student''s extracurricular schedule could be like this one day.

    It was truly... too shocking for this long-time professor and headmaster.

    His bright eyes dropped behind his glasses, and compared to his doubts, he now began to worry more about this Ravenclaw student.

 Chapter 10: Broken walls, dead Troll.

    After the professors unanimously decided not to recommend any additional reading materials to Lin Yue, she ultimately, just as Madam. Pince had thought, divided her energy for this part into other study projects. Amid her frantic studying, the students of Hogwarts finally welcomed Halloween.

    Waking up on time as usual, Lin Yue sat at her desk reading while smelling the ubiquitous scent of pumpkin in the air. After a fleeting thought that today is Halloween, she continued to read with undivided attention.

    The arrival of the holiday made the students even more excited during class, which was evident in their inability to sit still. As a result, Professor McGonagall had to adopt a stern expression to keep them in check. In this situation, when her gaze once again passed over Lin Yue, who remained calm and completely unaffected by the festive atmosphere, she couldn''t help but be moved once more by the child''s seriousness in studying.

    After finishing her Transfiguration class in the morning, Lin Yue quickly shouldered her backpack and walked out of the classroom, heading straight for the great hall. She sat down precisely in her usual spot and, without even looking, grabbed food with her knife and fork and put it into her mouth. While she was eating quickly, the conversation of two Gryffindor passing by caught her attention.

    "Yeah, Granger was made to cry by Weasley, right? She was crying in the girls'' bathroom on the first floor and wouldn''t let anyone comfort her."

    "Merlin... Although Granger is indeed a bit, well, special, it''s still a bit unchivalrous to make her cry."

    Listening to the conversation between the two Gryffindor, Lin Yue''s hands, which had been moving steadily while eating, paused slightly, and then continued to eat quickly as if she had just loaded back in.

    Hermione was so upset that she cried, and in her emotionless mind, she could only come to this conclusion. She didn''t even feel that maybe she should comfort the other person. After finishing lunch, Lin Yue picked up her backpack and headed straight to the History of Magic classroom, where she began to seriously read the book she had borrowed from the library.

    In the afternoon, listening to Professor Binns on the podium, whose voice was as flat as a straight line and devoid of emotion, making people drowsy, Lin Yue quickly took notes in class. Compared to other students, she felt that there was nothing wrong with Professor Bins''s way of speaking, and it didn''t make her sleepy. Of course, this might also be because she spoke in a similar manner herself and didn''t feel drowsy. If Lin Yue had no reaction when she heard Hermione crying in the girls'' restroom on the lower floor during lunch, it was another matter altogether.

    That night at the Halloween dinner, when Lin Yue heard it again, she clearly felt her heart thump. It was as if it was telling her that she should do something, but what exactly should she do? Lin Yue couldn''t figure it out, she didn''t know. She could solve very difficult math problems, but she truly didn''t know what her heart wanted her to do at that moment. Since Hermione was crying, maybe... she could help her wipe her tears or wash her face?

    Lin Yue continued to eat without stopping, her mind racing with thoughts. Just as she finished her dinner in three and a half minutes and was about to get up to leave the auditorium, a loud crash echoed as the auditorium doors swung open. Professor Quirrell, wrapped in a large headscarf, stumbled in, shouting at Principal Dumbledore, who was seated at the teacher''s table.

    "Troll¡­. In the dungeon! Troll¡­. In the dungeon! I thought you should know..." And then he collapsed directly onto the floor.

    The great hall fell silent for two seconds. After two seconds, almost all the students stood up in fright, screaming in terror as if a giant monster wielding a huge club was about to smash them into a pulp right in front of them. Lin Yue looked calmly at the terrified students, showing no reaction as she stood up to pack her bag. Just as she slung her bag over her shoulder, a deep, authoritative, and soothing elderly voice rang out.

    "SILENCE!"

    The great hall fell silent in an instant. Headmaster Dumbledore''s voice reminded the young wizards that they were in the auditorium, where many professors and Headmaster Dumbledore were present. Even if a giant troll came, they would be safe and sound. Headmaster Dumbledore scanned the four houses with his eyes and quickly made arrangements.

    "Prefects, take your house students back to the common room. Professors, follow me."

    Lin Yue followed the Ravenclaw group to the head of the year, preparing to return to the common room as per Professor Dumbledore''s instructions. However, before she could steady herself, a sudden thought popped into her mind, disrupting her steps.

    Hermione was still in the girls'' restroom on the basement level, and she was unaware of the troll situation; she might encounter the troll. Three facts suddenly appeared in Lin Yue''s mind, causing her to quicken her steps once again and swiftly turn to the side.

    In fact, her heart remained as calm as well water, deciding to find Hermione for the same reason she had saved Neville back then. It was simply the instinct to help others when she was able to. The difference this time was that helping Hermione would mean going against the instruction just given by Professor Dumbledore to return to the common room.

    Lin Yue strode out of the auditorium, her right hand resting on her left arm, which still bore the bruises. Because Professor Snape had never given her a perfect score in Potions class, she had to punish herself after almost every class. More importantly, after the incident where the prefect Penelope discovered her last punishment, Penelope would genuinely check her face every day to make sure she wasn''t punishing herself again.

    Therefore, she could only place the punishment on her arm, which resulted in the bruises on her arm never fully fading. She pinched a small area hard and quickly twisted it, adding another bruise to Lin Yue''s left arm. But now she could go to the girls'' restroom on the lower floor without any burden; she had already been punished, so she could break the rules.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Boom!

    With a quick push, Lin Yue stepped into the girls'' restroom. Following the sound of someone sniffing, she walked to the door of a stall and knocked lightly.

    "Who is it?" came Hermione''s muffled voice from inside the stall, sounding a bit soft due to having cried for a long time.

    "Lin Yue," Lin Yue replied in a tone devoid of emotion.

    The stall door quickly opened, and Hermione stepped out, biting her lip as she hugged Lin Yue.

    The feeling of thinking that I really have no friends has slowly been shattered.

    "Wesley... said I''m a nightmare, and no one would want to be my friend..."

    Lin Yue stood there in a daze, not returning Hermione''s embrace, and mechanically spoke.

    "You are a person, not a nightmare."

    "Pfft..." Hermione chuckled softly, "Are you trying to make me happy?"

    Lin Yue replied in a flat tone, "No, I''m stating a fact."

    Hermione hugged Lin Yue and laughed gently for a moment, then suddenly remembered something, releasing Lin Yue and looking at her with a question.

    "By the way, how did you get here?"

    Lin Yue watched Hermione wipe the tears from her face and spoke in a calm tone, "Professor Quirrell announced at the banquet that there was a troll, and you didn''t know, so I came to find you."

    Hermione''s hand, which was wiping her face, suddenly froze. She stared at Lin Yue with wide eyes, unable to believe what she was hearing.

    "Tro¡­ Troll? In Hogwarts?!"

    "Yeah." Lin Yue nodded calmly.

    Hermione took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, and stepped forward to take Lin Yue''s left hand, leading her towards the door.

    "Let''s hurry, let''s get back to the common room, or go find a professor."

    Lin Yue followed her footsteps towards the door, but the enormous footsteps she heard and the foul smell lingering in her nose made her realize that they probably wouldn''t make it back to the common room or find a professor in time.Because these two points combined were enough for her to draw a conclusion: the troll was coming.

    "It''s too late." Lin Yue said this flatly, forcefully pulling Hermione behind her. Then the two of them saw the troll slowly walking into the girls'' restroom, and the door slammed shut with a bang.

    Hermione covered her face in terror and despair. Having not experienced much, she was now completely panicked and couldn''t think of any way to respond.

    The only thought in her mind was it''s over... I''ve dragged Lin Yue down, the only person willing to be my friend, I''ve dragged her down.If it weren''t for coming to find me, Lin Yue definitely wouldn''t have come here. If she hadn''t come here, she wouldn''t have encountered the troll, and if she hadn''t encountered the troll, she wouldn''t have died...

    "I''m not dead yet, and neither are you." Lin Yue stood in front of Hermione, expressionless, staring at the troll.

    Did I accidentally say what I was thinking? Hermione snapped back to reality and looked at Lin Yue in front of her. Just as she was about to grab her and run to the side, she saw the troll already raising its enormous club.

    Before the troll could make its next move, and before Hermione could pull her aside to run, Lin Yue raised her wand first. The spell slipped from her lips, and the ceiling above the troll was instantly warped by the transformation spell, forming a protrusion that drooped down and wrapped around the troll''s club, preventing it from moving the club. The not-so-smart troll looked up in confusion, and at the same time, the door to the girls'' bathroom opened, revealing Harry and Ron.

    "Hey! Pig Brain!"

    "Look at me! Fool!"

    As soon as the two opened the door, they shouted loudly to attract the troll''s attention, while gesturing for Lin Yue and Hermione to hurry over. Seeing the troll, now enraged after losing its club, turn and charge towards Harry and Ron, Lin Yue waved her wand with a flat tone, pointing at the wall on the outer side of the girls'' bathroom.

    "Wingardium Leviosa."

    The other three, confused, turned their gazes to Lin Yue, completely unable to understand why she was casting a levitation spell at the wall. Crack, crack... The sound of breaking echoed continuously, and soon the other three realized what Lin Yue was up to with a loud bang, the entire wall of the girls'' restroom on the outer side was torn down by Lin Yue using the levitation spell, and she controlled it to move between herself and the giant.

    Attracted by the huge noise, the giant creature turned around again, only to see a sudden wall in front of it. What happened to the two small prey that had been behind it? Its not-so-large brain futilely tried to think, and this would be the last thought it could ever have in its life.

    "Merlin..." In Hermione''s surprised voice, Lin Yue gently waved her wand forward, and the wall she controlled slammed fiercely towards the giant creature.

    Seeing this, Harry and Ron immediately ducked down, covering their heads as they lay on the ground outside the girls'' restroom. The next moment, boom! A sound louder than the one made when the wall was just torn down echoed throughout the entire basement level, causing the professors and Principal Dumbledore, who were hurrying towards the scene, to furrow their brows instantly.

    As the dust settled, Lin Yue looked ahead with an indifferent expression. The wall she had controlled with the levitation spell was now reduced to rubble, scattered across the giant''s body. The giant lay on the ground, large pools of blood flowing from its body and head, clearly already a corpse.

    The intensity of the impact was so great that even the wall behind the giant began to crumble. Lin Yue looked at the lifeless giant and slowly lowered her right hand, which was holding the wand. Her expression remained calm and unruffled, as if she were under no pressure at all, if one were to overlook her heavy breathing and the sweat pouring down her face.

    The walls of Hogwarts are magically protected, capable of resisting both magic and physical impacts. Just now, when she used the Levitation Charm to break the wall, she clearly felt an immense resistance. Not to mention, she later increased her magical output to strengthen her Levitation Charm, which resulted in her not only slamming the giant but also destroying a wall in the process. Buried in the dust, Harry and Ron only dared to slowly sit up and cautiously look around once they felt the surroundings had calmed down.

    Everywhere was dust and broken bricks; this area now resembled a ruin. Not to mention the girls'' restroom, which was exposed due to the demolished walls, where a giant corpse lay covered in bricks. Two boys slowly turned their heads, looking at Lin Yue with fearful eyes. They felt as if they had lost their ability to speak, unable to utter a single word. Unconsciously, they felt a sense of fear towards Lin Yue, along with a bit of admiration. Hermione also swallowed hard as she looked at the figure in front of her, but there was no fear in her eyes-only admiration and adoration.

    She had only felt this kind of emotion when watching the professors before.

    "By Merlin''s beard..." As soon as the professors were mentioned, they hurriedly rushed over, and when they saw this scene, they were all stunned.

    Professor McGonagall even raised her hand to cover her mouth and let out a gasp.

    Professor Flitwick opened his mouth in shock as he looked at the scene before him, while Professor Sprout stared in astonishment at everything happening. Even Professor Snape found himself momentarily at a loss for words. The only one present who seemed to regain composure was Professor Dumbledore, who, after observing the situation, turned his gaze to Lin Yue, who was standing in front of Hermione. Professor Quirrell did the same; his fingers twitched slightly, and a glimmer of darkness seemed to pass through his eyes.

    Taking a deep breath, Professor McGonagall was the first to come back to her senses. She turned to look at Harry and Ron, who were still sitting on the ground, staring blankly at Lin Yue.

    "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, can you explain what exactly happened here?"

 Chapter 11: Heartache for no apparent reason.

    Hearing Professor McGonagall''s inquiry, Lin Yue instinctively shifted her gaze from the fallen giant to Harry and Ron. As soon as their eyes met, both boys involuntarily shuddered twice. Then, without hesitation, Harry recounted the entire story, leaving nothing out. Hermione, who was equally shocked, didn''t have time to interrupt him to help him and Ron explain themselves.

    "It was... it was us this morning who made Hermione cry, causing her to cry here all afternoon. Lin Yue should know about this and is worried that Hermione might encounter the troll, so she came to find her."

    "Ron and I also... came over because Hermione didn''t know about the troll, and then we encountered the troll. Lin Yue then,"

    Harry paused for a moment, checking Lin Yue''s expression for any change before continuing, "defeated the troll."

    Although there had been speculation before Harry spoke, when it was confirmed that it was indeed Lin Yue who had defeated the troll, the professors present couldn''t help but cast incredulous looks at her. After all, it was a troll, how many adults would dare to claim they could take one down alone? Yet, a first-year witch like Lin Yue managed to defeat it and even protect her classmates, which truly astonished the professors.

    Professor Snape stepped over the remaining wall and entered the girls'' bathroom, casting a few diagnostic spells at the troll that lay at one end of the bathroom.

    "It¡¯s dead,"

    he turned to Dumbledore and the other professors, nodding to announce the Troll''s death. Professor McGonagall took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and looked seriously at Harry and Ron.

    "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, I think you really should learn to be more polite and respectful towards ladies. For your rudeness towards Miss Granger, each of you will lose five points for Gryffindor."

    Seeing Harry and Ron with their heads down in disappointment, Professor McGonagall slightly raised her chin.

    "However, the fact that you came to save your classmate despite knowing the danger shows your kindness. I hope you can maintain that and correct your issues with politeness, for your kindness and bravery, everyone gets an extra five points"

    Everyone loses five points and then gains five points, so in the end, there are no points added or deducted, which made Harry and Ron feel a little better.

    Turning to Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall gave a slight nod to him, Lin Yue is a student of Ravenclaw, so the decision on adding or deducting points should naturally be made by him. Professor Flitwick looked at Lin Yue, who was still standing in front of Hermione, feeling both proud and angry.

    Proud of this student from her house for being excellent enough, brave enough, and kind enough.

    Angry that she didn''t seek help from the professor at first and took risks on her own, what would have happened if something went wrong!

    However, no matter what, Lin Yue did defeat the troll, and as a first-year little witch, that is indeed worthy of extra points.

    "Miss Lin Yue, for your actions today, I am giving you ten points. As a first-year little witch, defeating a troll is indeed an achievement worth more than ten points, but I am only giving you ten points because I hope that in the future, you will seek help from the professors whenever you encounter difficulties, and not take risks on your own."

    Lin Yue slowly turned around to face Professor Flitwick, her expression unchanged and her tone devoid of any fluctuation.

    "Okay, thank you, Professor. I will remember that."

    Thanks to Lin Yue''s rapid recovery of magical power, her face had regained its color, and the beads of sweat on her forehead had also subsided. Otherwise, if the professors saw her just now with a pale face and beads of sweat all over, they would undoubtedly send her to the medical wing without a second thought. At this moment, after handling the entire situation and seeing that the students were all fine, a few professors along with Principal Dumbledore finally turned their attention to the two walls that Lin Yue had destroyed.

    Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick exchanged a glance and resignedly took out their wands. With professors like them around, Albus''s personality wouldn''t concern itself with these repair matters. Among the professors present, aside from him, Professor McGonagall was the most skilled in Transfiguration, while Professor Flitwick was the best at Charms. So there was no doubt that the task of repairing the wall would fall to the two of them.

    "Miss Lin Yue, Miss Granger, you two come out first." Professor McGonagall nodded at the two girls.

    Hermione quickly reacted, stepped forward, linked her arm with Lin Yue''s, and brought her out. Professor Flitwick first waved his wand at the troll, causing it to float out of the girls'' bathroom, and then he set the troll''s body aside. Together with Professor McGonagall, they raised their wands¡ªone using a restoration spell and the other using a transformation spell. In the blink of an eye, the two broken walls began to restore themselves as if the video were being played in reverse. The shattered bricks on the ground returned to their rightful places, and in the next moment, the two walls of the girls'' restroom stood intact once again.

    "Alright, I think you are all tired," said Professor Dumbledore, stroking his white beard and gently looking down at the four young wizards, including Lin Yue. "Why don''t you go back to your common room, enjoy the rest of your dinner, and then have a good night''s sleep?"

    As he spoke, he mischievously winked at the four of them, and Hermione, Harry, and Ron couldn''t help but smile and nod in response.

    Lin Yue looked expressionlessly at the principal''s gestures and nodded in agreement.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    After greeting their colleagues, Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick led their respective students towards their own house''s common room. On the way back to the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw common room, they still had to walk quite a distance together. Walking behind the two professors, Hermione finally couldn''t contain her curiosity and turned to look at Lin Yue.

    "Lin Yue, did you just... really use the Levitation Charm to lift that wall and control it to hit the troll?"

    Lin Yue turned her head and saw Hermione''s sparkling eyes, and she nodded calmly.

    "Yes, it''s the Levitation Charm."

    "Wow!" Hermione''s eyes widened in amazement, I never thought the Levitation Charm could have such power. I mean, I thought it was just for helping to lift things and such."

    Lin Yue shook her head without changing her expression, "Any spell, as long as the magical power is strong enough and used properly, can have many different uses and can produce very strong effects."

    Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick, who were walking in front, nodded in agreement as they listened to Lin Yue''s words. Lin Yue was right; the power of a spell has never been in the spell itself, but in the user and the way it is used.

    It''s not just the three Unforgivable Curses and dark magic that possess terrifying power if one knows how to use them well and has enough strength, even the most ordinary spells can unleash power comparable to, or even surpassing, that of the Unforgivable Curses.

    Seeing Hermione''s thoughtful expression, Lin Yue continued to explain in a calm tone.

    "Take the Levitation Charm for example. If I have strong enough magical power, I could even levitate an entire building, or even a whole city, lift them into the sky, and then drop them down."

    Hermione imagined the scene described by Lin Yue and couldn''t help but shiver. It was simply too terrifying, if it were like that, the power could very well be comparable to that of a nuclear bomb. Harry and Ron, who were following behind, looked at Lin Yue with even more fear in their eyes. They had already made up their minds that they absolutely could not provoke her.

    However, Professor Flitwick chuckled lightly at Lin Yue''s words and turned around to look at her with a smile.

    "That''s a very interesting, yet dangerous idea, Miss Lin Yue. However, as far as I know, there are very few wizards who possess the kind of magic that can make an entire city float."

    Lin Yue stared intently at Professor Flitwick, picking out the key point in his words.

    "Very few means there are some, right, Professor?"

    Professor Flitwick pondered for a moment and nodded, "The two people I know haven''t done it, but they might be able to."

    Lin Yue quickly listed the people that Professor Flitwick might know in her mind, and then she listed the people who might be associated with those individuals.

    In the end, she effortlessly came up with two most likely names: "Professor Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald?"

    Upon hearing the second name, Professor Flitwick''s expression stiffened slightly, but he still affirmed, "Yes."

    "Sorry, Professor, but what about the He-who-must-not-be-named?" Hermione couldn''t help but interject, "I mean... he seems to be quiet, um, powerful? Although it might not be appropriate to say that."

    This time, Professor McGonagall turned to look at her. "There''s nothing inappropriate about it, Miss Granger. He-who-must-not-be-named is undoubtedly evil, but as a Dark Lord, we must also acknowledge his strength."

    "As for why Professor Flitwick excluded him," Professor McGonagall paused, a complex expression flashing across her face, "it might be because, after he became famous, he really didn''t use any unforgivable curses or fiendfyre , did he? So, it''s hard to say to what extent he could use other types of magic."

    "Oh, thank you, Professor." Hermione nodded in understanding.

    After satisfying the curiosity of the two students, it was time to part ways.

    Hermione took the initiative to gently hug Lin Yue, "Thank you for coming to save me, Lin Yue."

    Lin Yue still felt nothing in her heart, but she followed the inexplicable thought that had arisen within her and returned the hug, mimicking Hermione''s gesture.

    "No need to thank me."

    As she released Lin Yue, Hermione looked into her deep, calm eyes, like an ancient well, and suddenly felt a pain in her heart for reasons she couldn''t understand.

    "See you tomorrow." Suppressing her feelings, Hermione waved goodbye to Lin Yue.

    "See you tomorrow." Lin Yue nodded and turned to follow Professor Flitwick towards the Ravenclaw tower.

    Hermione, under Professor McGonagall''s guidance, walked towards the Gryffindor tower with Harry and Ron.

    Back at the entrance of the Ravenclaw common room, after saying goodbye to Professor Flitwick according to etiquette, Lin Yue answered the question posed by the door knocker and stepped inside.

    Almost as soon as she walked into the common room and the door closed behind her, the Ravenclaws sitting in the common room having dinner erupted in excitement.

    Watching her walk through the door, the others were discussing among themselves, wanting to approach her to ask something... but they hesitated due to her expressionless face and her unusually excellent grades. Only Cho Chang and Marietta, who shared the same dormitory and knew her personality better, along with the female prefect Penelope, went up to her.

    Penelope had seen Professor Flitwick escorting her back and didn''t think that her rational and intelligent Ravenclaws would confront a troll like that. She assumed that Lin Yue had done something similar to punishing herself and had been discovered by Professor Flitwick, so she approached her to talk.

    She looked at Lin Yue with a serious expression and said, "Lin Yue, did you... do that thing again like last time and get caught by Professor Flitwick, so he wanted to talk to you?"

    Lin Yue thought for a moment and understood what Penelope was referring to, so she shook her head expressionlessly.

    "No."

    "That''s good..." Hearing the negative answer, Penelope let out a big sigh of relief, at least it wasn''t another instance of self-harm.

    Standing nearby, Cho Chang and Marietta were confused by their conversation.

    "What did Lin Yue do last time?" Cho Chang looked at Lin Yue with concern and asked Penelope. If it was something that worried Penelope to this extent, even leading to a face-to-face meeting with Professor Flitwick, it must be a serious matter!

    Penelope pressed her lips together and said, "It''s nothing," before quickly changing the subject. She looked at Lin Yue with some confusion, "So why did you come back late? You even sneaked out of the group."

    "Hermione doesn''t know about the troll, so I went to find her."

    "Oh..." Penelope, who knew some people in Gryffindor, was aware that Miss Granger had been brought to tears this morning and had cried in the girls'' bathroom on the first floor. Wait, the first floor... Isn''t that where Professor Quirrell said the troll was in the underground classroom?! "You didn''t run into the troll, did you?!"

    Penelope suddenly reacted, her voice rising an octave as she looked Lin Yue up and down, as if confirming whether she was missing any parts.

    "I encountered it," Lin Yue affirmed in a calm tone.

    "What?!" Now Cho Chang and Marietta were also unsettled, directly grabbing Lin Yue''s arms, each checking her carefully.

    Even the Ravenclaws, who usually wouldn''t dare to step forward, put down the food in their hands and gathered around, looking at her with concern. This is Ravenclaw''s treasure, a treasure that has added a lot of points to Ravenclaw, it absolutely cannot go wrong! Lin Yue allowed Cho Chang and Marietta to check her with their hands, while also enduring the concerned gazes of the Ravenclaws. She spoke in a flat tone, without any fluctuation, and stated the facts.

    "I''m fine, I killed the troll."

    The scene fell silent for nearly ten seconds, and both Cho Chang and Marietta paused in their examination of her body. After ten seconds, everyone in the Ravenclaw common room let out a unified gasp of surprise. After being strongly urged by everyone to recount the process of killing the troll in detail, Lin Yue continued to sit on the sofa, seemingly unaffected by the increasingly shocked and even awed gazes directed at her. She had only one thought in her mind to kill the troll, she had destroyed two walls of Hogwarts, which constituted damage to the school''s public property. She probably needed to punish herself twice for that.

 Chapter 12: Tangled, heartache, and conversation.

    News always spread quickly among crowds, especially when that crowd consists of a group of teenagers and the news involves an element of adventure. The message about Lin Yue using a levitation spell to lift a wall and crush a troll spread rapidly throughout Hogwarts in this context. While it garnered admiration from some students, it inevitably instilled fear in another group of students towards her. This fear is a biological instinct, arising from the comparison to a stronger presence.

    However, Lin Yue herself felt nothing about it, she continued to maintain her routine of attending classes, doing homework, and reading. The troll incident brought her not only a significant boost in points but also two more bruises on her left arm, as well as a more closely following Hermione. Sometimes, because Hermione was following her, even Harry and Ron would tag along.

    "Lin Yue, how do you write this?" Ron held out his potions homework in front of Lin Yue.

    At first, he and Harry were genuinely a bit afraid of this classmate who could take down a troll. But after spending some time together, they found that although Lin Yue usually spoke without emotion and had no expression on her face. But similarly, she never gets angry with people, just as she wouldn''t get upset. No matter what questions Harry and Ron ask her, she never gets angry, no matter how many times they ask.

    It''s worth noting that even if they go to ask Hermione, although they eventually get an answer, they will still be lectured by her about not paying attention in class. It''s different with Lin Yue; not only do they not get scolded, but they also end up getting the correct answers they want.

    So, Harry and Ron played a trick; whenever they encountered a question they couldn''t solve, they would ask Lin Yue, pretending to listen to her explanation while zoning out, and then wait until the end to hear the correct answer. Unfortunately, Ron''s plan was destined to fail this time. Sitting next to Lin Yue, Hermione saw her raise her head to answer and directly reach out to press down on the parchment in Ron''s hand.

    "Ron Weasley!" Hermione glared at Ron with a serious expression, her entire demeanor radiating authority. At that moment, she resembled a smaller version of Professor McGonagall, making Ron feel a bit intimidated.

    "You, and Harry too," Hermione said, shooting a glance at Harry, who instinctively shrank back a little. "Don''t keep trying to get Lin Yue to give you the answers."

    "I''ve observed several times that when she explains things to you, you don''t listen at all. You''re making her work hard for nothing!"

    "Well, Lin Yue didn''t say she was unwilling..." Ron said, feeling a bit guilty as he lowered his head, but he still muttered under his breath, somewhat unconvinced.

    Hermione narrowed her eyes and looked at the two boys across from her, "From now on, for your assignments, either write them yourself or come ask me. You''re not allowed to ask Lin Yue anymore!"

    Harry and Ron nodded obediently, wondering how they could not be obedient. Hermione knew far more spells than they did. After giving these two a lesson, Hermione turned her head to Lin Yue, who was sitting next to her. At that moment, Lin Yue had been interrupted by Hermione while explaining homework to Ron and had instinctively started to look at her own book again.

    In front of Lin Yue, Hermione''s attitude unconsciously softened, and her voice became gentle.

    "Lin Yue."

    Hearing Hermione call her name, Lin Yue looked up from her book and turned to face Hermione. Hermione bit her lip, reached out to touch her cheek, and gently rubbed it.

    "You are so smart in your studies, but why are you... why are you so, silly usually?"

    Hermione thought for a long time before coming up with such a relatively mild description. Lin Yue stared steadily at Hermione, allowing her to hold her face, with not trace of emotional fluctuation in her heart. She felt nothing about Hermione''s comment that she was "dull." In her view, it was completely normal for Ron and Harry to ask her about their homework and for her to explain it to them.

    Hermione frowned at Lin Yue, who showed no reaction.

    "Can''t you see that they are using you to get the correct answers and aren''t even listening to you?"

    "I can see that," Lin Yue replied in a flat tone, her cheeks being held by Hermione bobbing up and down slightly along with her head, gently rubbing against her palm.

    "Then you still tell them every time," Hermione said, her eyes wide with surprise. "Aren''t you angry at all?"

    "They came to me," so I told them, Lin Yue blinked, her eyes as calm as a still pond, "I won''t get angry."

    "You... you don''t feel angry at all? Not even a little bit?" Hermione swallowed hard, sensing that something seemed a bit off.

    Lin Yue thought for a moment in her mind and then spoke directly, "Anger is generally used to express a person''s emotions, such as being furious or feeling unhappy due to something not going as one wishes."

    Seeing Hermione''s stunned expression, Lin Yue made further associations in her mind and continued to explain, "Anger describes an emotional state that arises from extreme dissatisfaction."

    "I am not emotionally agitated," Lin Yue paused for two seconds and then instinctively added, "I have no emotions."

    After saying that, she turned back to her book, while Hermione, watching her read, felt a chill rising from her feet to the top of her head.

    Just now, when Lin Yue was explaining to her, she felt that the person in front of her was not Lin Yue, and not even a human! Instead, it was a computer, a computer that surpassed the imagination of current Muggle scientists¡ªprecise, rational, powerful, but devoid of human characteristics. Thinking back to what Lin Yue had just said about emotions, she mentioned that she herself had no emotions, and the more Hermione thought about it, the more she felt the cold sweat on her back increasing.

    Turning her body back, Hermione lowered her head and forced herself to focus intently on the book, trying not to think about anything Lin Yue had said. However, this had little effect, Lin Yue''s words echoed in her mind like a looped playback. At the same time, for some reason, her heart was constantly aching, to the point where her eyes couldn''t help but become moist.

    Merlin... God knows how healthy her heart is; she doesn''t have any heart-related issues at all! What on earth is going on?

    Harry and Ron on the opposite side also clearly sensed that something was off in the atmosphere. Even Ron, who had the emotional intelligence of a teaspoon, knew that staying silent was the best option at that moment. So, the two of them tacitly lowered their heads, not making a sound, and with their focus, they actually wrote their assignments faster. After studying for two hours straight, Lin Yue was still seriously reading, while Hermione was also intently looking down at the book in front of her. Only her tightly bitten lower lip could reflect how conflicted and uncomfortable she felt at that moment.

    The two of them are focused on their studies; one is completely absorbed in learning, while the other, despite the emotions swirling inside, is still able to concentrate. However, Harry and Ron can''t sit still! At this age, kids are naturally energetic and love to run around, especially on a night without classes.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Having finished their homework, they feel an even stronger urge to go back to the common room to relax or play something. However, looking at Hermione across from them, biting her lip and clearly in a bad mood, and Lin Yue, who is seriously reading and obviously hasn''t finished studying, they really don''t dare to interrupt. If they disturb Hermione... they might end up being her emotional outlet, and that would be a disaster for them.

    If they disturb, Lin Yue... She might not say much herself, but Hermione is very likely to speak on her behalf, and the two of them end up being each other''s emotional outlets. So, they didn''t dare to speak, they simply couldn''t bring themselves to talk, and they could only sit there in silence. It wasn''t until Harry and Ron were almost dozing off that Lin Yue finally closed her book, as it was getting close to curfew, so they should head back to their dormitory. Hearing the sound of the book closing, the two drowsy boys finally woke up, rubbing their eyes and instinctively looking around.

    Hermione suppressed the inexplicable emotions and pain swirling inside her and forced herself to nod at Harry and Ron.

    "Let''s go."

    Upon hearing this, the two of them felt as if they had been granted a reprieve and quickly began to pack their things, their movements much faster than when they had taken out their belongings from their bags upon arriving at the library.

    Seeing Hermione''s discomfort, she couldn''t help but twitch her lips.

    Lin Yue completed the book borrowing procedures with Madam Pince and then led the way out of the library.

    Along the way, neither she nor Hermione spoke, and Harry, who had just been dozing off and was still a bit groggy, naturally didn''t say anything either.

    So until the moment they were supposed to part, Hermione looked at Lin Yue and smiled lightly.

    "Good night, Lin Yue, sweet dreams."

    "Good night, Hermione." Lin Yue nodded expressionlessly.

    Seeing her emotionless face, Hermione felt a sharp pain in her heart as if it had been tightly squeezed. In an instant, she cast aside everything else¡ªetiquette, reason¡ªall of it was forgotten as she stepped forward and hugged Lin Yue tightly.

    Lin Yue lowered her head without any waves of emotion, looking at Hermione who was embracing her. Just like last time, she mirrored Hermione''s actions and hugged her back.

    Hermione rested her chin on Lin Yue''s shoulder, took a deep breath, and slowly released her.

    "It''s okay now, you should go back quickly, it''s almost time."

    "Mm." Lin Yue nodded, turned around, and walked briskly towards the Ravenclaw tower.

    Hermione turned to look at Harry and Ron, "You two go back first, I''m going to find Professor McGonagall."

    "Professor McGonagall?" Harry and Ron exchanged glances.

    "It''s almost curfew, Hermione, aren''t you afraid..." of losing points? The last three words from Harry faded away under Hermione''s determined gaze.

    "Alright, you''re not afraid." Harry nodded and turned to lead Ron back to the Gryffindor common room.

    Hermione lowered her gaze, feeling a mix of questions and inner turmoil... She wanted to find an elder to talk to, and this thought was urgent, so urgent that she didn''t want to wait until tomorrow to discuss it. Among the people she could think of, Professor McGonagall, who had introduced her to the wizarding world and was also the head of Gryffindor House, was clearly the best choice.

    Standing in front of Professor McGonagall''s office door, Hermione took a deep breath and resolutely raised her hand to knock on the door.

    "Professor McGonagall, are you resting?"

    A few seconds later, the office door was opened from the inside, and Professor McGonagall stood in front of Hermione wearing a bathrobe.

    "Miss Granger?" Professor McGonagall was momentarily taken aback when she saw Hermione, then stepped aside to let her in. "Please come in."

    Hermione walked in and stood awkwardly at the door, while Professor McGonagall walked over to a sofa and sat down, gesturing for Hermione to take a seat on the opposite sofa.

    "Please sit, Miss Granger."

    Hermione sat down across from Professor McGonagall, looking up at the usually stern professor, who now appeared particularly gentle.

    "Have a drink; you''ll feel much better." Professor McGonagall waved her wand, and a cup of hot cocoa appeared on the table beside her. She picked up the cup of hot cocoa and handed it to Hermione.

    "Thank you, Professor McGonagall," Hermione said as she took a sip of the hot cocoa. "Aren''t you going to ask me why I''m here so late?"

    Professor McGonagall smiled slightly and shook her head. "It''s written all over your face, Miss Granger."

    "Confusion, worry, fear, guilt¡ªit''s all there."

    Hermione took another sip of her hot cocoa and smiled a little shyly, feeling much better inside.

    "Well then, perhaps you''d like to tell me why you have these emotions?"

    Looking into Professor McGonagall''s gentle gaze, Hermione felt a sense that no matter what she said, this professor would accept her with understanding.

    So she spoke without reservation, "It''s because of... Lin Yue, Professor McGonagall."

    "Miss Lin Yue?" Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows in surprise. "I thought you two were very good friends? She even risked her life to save you before."

    "Yes, Professor McGonagall... that''s why I''m so conflicted, scared, and guilty," Hermione said, putting down her hot cocoa and nervously tugging at her hair.

    "Don''t be anxious, Miss Granger, it''s alright. You can take your time to talk," Professor McGonagall gently reassured her.

    "Um..." Hermione nodded, her voice low and soft, as if coming from another place. "The first time I met Lin Yue was on Hogwarts Express. At that time, she had a blank expression, spoke without any tone, and even... I felt she was devoid of life. I was scared... Seeing her like that, Neville and I ran away."

    Professor McGonagall listened quietly, and Hermione slowly lifted her head. "Then we arrived at Hogwarts. She was so outstanding, so outstanding that I unconsciously wanted to get closer to her, to learn how she studied during her free time. But we were in different houses, so I didn''t have much time to be close to her. But even in such... limited interactions, she risked her life to save me." As Hermione spoke, she couldn''t help but smile. Perhaps she didn''t even realize it, but Professor McGonagall felt that this smile was very sweet.

    "After that, I truly regarded her as my best friend, my closest friend. But just tonight... due to some things, when we were discussing anger, she said she had no emotional fluctuations, no emotions. Listening to her explain what it means to be angry, what it means to feel rage, hearing her state that she has no emotions... I felt a deep pain in my heart, and I was also very scared. At that moment, I even though she didn''t seem like a person sitting in front of me, but like a... a computer."

    Hermione closed her eyes, took a deep breath to continue speaking, "So I feel very guilty. I considered Lin Yue to be my best friend, but I actually... I''m still afraid of her. I feel... I feel like she needs help, but I don''t know what to do! I''m still... I''m still afraid of her! I...!"

    At this point, Hermione couldn''t help but grab her hair tightly with her hands while continuously hitting her head, as if she were trying to make a solution pop out this way. Professor McGonagall stood up and grabbed her hands that were tormenting her hair and head, pulling her into her embrace.

    "Miss Granger, calm down, you need to calm down."

    Hermione was gasping for breath, her whole body trembling uncontrollably. It wasn''t until a while later that she slowly calmed down in Professor McGonagall''s arms.

    Professor McGonagall crouched down, looking into Hermione''s eyes.

    "Miss Granger, do you know that geniuses are often eccentric? They are different from ordinary people; they can make others feel strange, even frightened, because they have talent and are unique."

    Hermione stared intently into Professor McGonagall''s eyes and murmured, "Are you saying that Lin Yue is like that?"

    "Of course," Professor McGonagall said with a kind smile.

    "To be honest, I haven''t seen a genius like Miss Lin Yue in many years¡ªboth talented and hardworking. I¡¯m a bit envious of her being in Ravenclaw. Of course, you are also excellent; you are a rare talent, and I am proud to have you in Gryffindor." Professor McGonagall winked at Hermione as she spoke.

    Hermione smiled slightly, pressing her lips together as her emotions slowly settled.

    "Miss Lin Yue''s situation... is really quite special. I''ve never seen a child who studies as hard as she does. Both Filius and Sprout have left her extra study materials, but she can finish them all in a week. To be honest, I''m very curious about how she allocates her time, but there''s no doubt that the vast majority of her time is definitely devoted to studying."

    "Mm." Hermione nodded affirmatively.

    Professor McGonagall sighed, "So, she doesn''t have time to make friends, no time to connect with friends, and even... she might not have time to interact with the outside world, not counting class time."

    "Are you saying that... because of this, she doesn''t show much expression or emotion?" Hermione bit her teeth tightly, the pain in her heart starting again.

    "Yes," Professor McGonagall nodded. "You said you''re scared, which is normal. You don''t need to blame yourself or feel ashamed for that."

    "You said you''re worried and that it hurts you," Professor McGonagall said, gently tapping Hermione''s forehead with a smile. "Isn''t that very normal? You''re feeling upset for your friend."

    Hermione felt the pain in her heart, and she sensed that her heart was gradually becoming clearer.

    "Let''s put it this way, Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow and looked at Hermione, "Will you distance yourself from Miss Lin Yue because she is different?"

    "I won''t," Hermione shook her head without hesitation.

    "Will you leave her because she can''t reciprocate your emotions well?"

    "I won''t," Hermione shook her head again, and a determined smile began to bloom on her face. "No matter what Lin Yue is like, I will be by her side. I believe in myself and in her."

    Professor McGonagall reached out to gently stroke Hermione''s hair, smiling as she praised, "Good girl, don''t have any worries. Follow your heart and let Lin Yue feel that there are more important things in this world besides studying."

    "Mm!" Hermione nodded vigorously.

    "Of course," Professor McGonagall stood up and looked down at Hermione, "Your own emotions are also very important. Don''t just focus on her and neglect yourself."

    Hermione also stood up, smiling confidently. "I won''t, Professor McGonagall. While I accompany Lin Yue, I will also take care of my own emotions."

    "Very good," Professor McGonagall nodded in satisfaction and glanced at the clock on the wall. "Oh! It really is getting late. Let me take you back. Get a good night''s sleep."

    "Okay, thank you, Professor McGonagall," Hermione said with a smile as she followed Professor McGonagall out of the office. Now, in her heart, she was no longer entangled or afraid.

 Chapter 13: Quidditch match

    Since the conversation with Professor McGonagall, Hermione has clearly changed her attitude and approach when dealing with Lin Yue. For example, now that Lin Yue has completed all her assignments, Hermione has shifted her gaze from her own unfinished work to look at her.

    "Lin Yue, have you finished your homework?"

    "Yeah, I finished it." Lin Yue nodded calmly.

    "Then let''s go for a walk by the lake and play with the giant squid that came ashore?"

    Hermione looked at Lin Yue with bright, sparkling eyes, filled with anticipation.

    Just as Lin Yue was about to say that her study time wasn''t over yet, Ron spoke up first from across the table.

    He stared at Hermione with disbelief, "Merlin''s beard... did the sun rise in the west today? Hermione, you actually said you want to go for a walk? Instead of studying in the library?"

    Hermione''s brow twitched violently, and she shot Ron a fierce glare, "Shut up, Ron!"

    "If you, Harry, had studied as much extra material as Lin Yue has by now, I would suggest you all go for a walk to take a break too!"

    After saying that, she quickly turned her gaze back to Lin Yue, but it was already too late.

    Lin Yue has already entered a state of study, and as someone who also loves learning, Hermione really couldn''t bring herself to disturb her in this situation. She felt too guilty, so she could only shoot Ron a fierce glare once again, and even Harry sitting next to him didn''t escape her wrath.

    Innocently caught in the crossfire, Harry sat in his chair with his head down, feeling Hermione''s gaze, and he instinctively didn''t lift his head. He was really wronged... he hadn''t said a word!

    And so, the entire afternoon passed like this. On the way to the Great Hall for dinner, Hermione specifically told Lin Yue to go ahead and not wait for them.

    Lin Yue nodded expressionlessly and quickly left for the Great Hall. As soon as she was gone, Hermione instantly changed her expression; the bright smile on her face turned into a grimace filled with anger.

    She raised the heavy book in her hand and lightly tapped Ron on the head. There was no helping it; Ron was already... not very bright, and she was afraid of knocking him silly. But while she went easy on him physically, don¡¯t expect her to go easy with her words.

    "You really are... if you don''t speak, no one will think you''re mute, Ron!"

    "Can''t you see how hard Lin Yue is pushing herself to study? I finally found a moment to let her take a break, and you just had to mess it up!"

    Seeing the anger on Hermione''s face and thinking about how they had seen Lin Yue studying in the library every day for the past few days, Ron lowered his head in guilt.

    "I''m sorry... I was just so surprised; I didn''t expect it."

    Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Forget it, let''s find another opportunity."

    Hearing Hermione say this, Ron quickly tried to make a good impression and raised his hand. "November, it''s almost November, and then there will be Harry''s first Quidditch match. We can invite Lin Yue to go watch it together."

    Hermione slightly lowered her gaze, contemplating Ron''s suggestion.

    Quidditch matches... This is indeed a very popular sport in the wizarding world. The Quidditch matches held between the various houses at Hogwarts would be quite lively. Perhaps it could help Lin Yue feel some joy amidst all this excitement. According to Professor McGonagall, Lin Yue might not be emotionally sensitive because she has been studying without the opportunity to engage with the outside world, so I will take her to experience the outside world, and it will be a lively one that can help her feel emotions!

    Yes! That''s settled! Hermione secretly nodded to herself, and her lips couldn''t help but curl up slightly. She nodded at Ron and praised him with satisfaction, "You finally came up with a good idea, Ron. This idea is great! We should take Lin Yue to watch the Quidditch match together."

    After saying that, she turned around in a good mood and walked towards the dining hall for dinner. Ron, left behind, slowly turned his head to look at his good friend Harry.

    "I don''t feel like she was complimenting me...?"

    Harry suppressed a laugh and cleared his throat, "Ahem, it''s just a misunderstanding; she was complimenting you."

    Ron squinted at Hermione''s back, "Alright... I''ll just take it as a compliment."

    After saying that, he didn''t dwell on it any longer and directly pulled Harry towards the dining hall, thinking that nothing was more important than eating. Why overthink when you could enjoy a couple of drumsticks instead!

    Determined to drag Lin Yue along to watch the Quidditch match in November, which is just a couple of days away on Saturday, Hermione quickly finished her dinner and stood behind Harry and Ron, urging them to eat faster.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    Harry and Ron, pressured by her, had to speed up their eating once again, especially Ron, who was struggling to keep up with a drumsticks in each hand.

    "What''s with you, Hermione?" Ron swallowed the meat from his drumsticks, quickly took another bite, and said while chewing, "Why are you rushing us so much?"

    Harry, with his mouth full of vegetable salad, finally found a moment to lift his head and, while chewing and covering his mouth, asked, "Yeah, why are you hurrying us even during dinner?"

    Hermione turned to glance at Lin Yue, who had already finished dinner and left the hall, then turned back to Harry and Ron, speaking anxiously. "Didn''t we just say we should invite Lin Yue to go watch the Quidditch match together? That''s why I told you to eat quickly. Once you''re done, before she starts studying, hurry up and let her know."

    Harry and Ron exchanged a look and resignedly sped up their eating. After a few bites, they finished their meal, and Hermione pulled them up and ran out of the hall.

    By the time they caught up with Lin Yue, she had already reached the entrance of the library. They only needed to take a few more steps, and she would sit down to start reading.

    Hearing the heavy breathing behind her, Lin Yue''s expression showed no change at all; she didn''t even seem to have the intention of turning her head. She sat down and prepared to take a book out of her bag.

    Seeing this, Hermione, unable to catch her breath, quickly spoke up, "Lin Yue..."

    Hearing Hermione call her name, Lin Yue placed the book on the table and turned to look at Hermione, "What¡¯s up?"

    "In a couple of days... on Saturday, it''s Harry''s first Quidditch match. Come watch it with us."

    As Hermione spoke, she also gave Harry two taps, signaling him to speak.

    Prompted by her gesture, Harry quickly responded, "Ah, yes, yes, my first Quidditch match. I would be very happy if you, Lin Yue, could come to watch."

    As he spoke, Harry displayed a sincere and radiant smile.

    Lin Yue looked at Harry''s smile, feeling completely indifferent inside. "Sorry, Saturday is still my study time..."

    "Oh... Lin Yue," Hermione pouted, showing a pitiful expression, "Why don''t you take some time to accompany me to watch Harry''s match? It will definitely be more fun with you there, and Harry might perform even better!"

    Interrupted by Hermione, Lin Yue closed her mouth. When Harry mentioned it, her brain had no reaction; she instinctively wanted to say that it was her study time.

    However, when Hermione said she wanted someone to accompany her to that Quidditch match, Lin Yue''s mind unexpectedly came up with a peculiar idea, just like when she found out that Hermione wanted to stop Harry from dueling and when she knew Hermione was in the girls'' bathroom on the lower floor: to agree to her and go with her.

    Even though doing this would reduce her study time, require her to compress her sleep later to make up for it, and punish herself for unnecessary entertainment activities, Lin Yue still had the idea of accompanying Hermione to the Quidditch match.

    So, she didn''t hesitate too much and nodded calmly, without any change in her expression, "Okay, I''ll go with you on Saturday."

    Hearing this, Hermione felt a wave of relief; great! Lin Yue finally agreed, and she would finally get a break from studying! Lin Yue withdrew her gaze, calmly sat down at her seat, and opened her book to read. After her excitement, Hermione tidied up her backpack and prepared to sit down and read as well, while Harry and Ron looked on with pained expressions. These past few days, they had been following Hermione around, and whenever they had free time, they would come to the library to find Lin Yue. When they arrived, it was all about doing homework, reading, previewing, and reviewing... they were almost on the verge of tears from studying so much.

    She really couldn''t focus on her studies anymore, as if she could feel the pained gazes of Harry and Ron. In a cheerful mood, Hermione looked up at the two of them, waved her hand, signaling that they could leave. Harry widened his eyes in surprise, pointing outside the library with his hand, asking if it meant he and Ron were allowed to go first. Hermione nodded affirmatively and waved her hand towards the library exit. Harry instantly felt as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and he grabbed Ron and hurried out of the library. The two of them needed to rush back to find Fred and George to get some fun things to play with for a while. After letting Harry and Ron go, Hermione turned her gaze back to her book. However, after a short while, she couldn''t help but turn her head to look at Lin Yue. Lin Yue, who was studying earnestly, exuded a serious aura that was very captivating, but for some reason, it also made Hermione feel...

    Her studying was not enjoyable, even less so than when Harry and Ron were studying; it was as if her current studies were not something she was doing voluntarily. Instead, it felt like something was forcing her to study, keeping her in a constant state of seriousness. Shaking her head, Hermione dismissed her strange thoughts and focused seriously on her book again.

    Two days later, on Saturday, Lin Yue quickly finished her breakfast at the Ravenclaw long table. Just when the Ravenclaws thought they would see the usual routine¡ªLin Yue finishing her breakfast and heading to the library to study, they were surprised to see Miss Granger from Gryffindor come over to their long table.

    She was taken away directly, saying that she wanted to secure a good spot in the Quidditch stands. Moreover, Lin Yue allowed herself to be pulled away without any objections or resistance. The Ravenclaws immediately began to discuss; Lin Yue, who absolutely does not participate in anything other than studying, had already broken her own rules twice just for Miss Granger, based on what they knew.

    Sitting at the dining table, Cho Chang and Marietta exchanged a glance. They understood better than anyone else, being dorm mates with Lin Yue, just how passionate she was about studying.

    Her daily study hours were incredibly long, and she had maintained this routine for two months since the start of the school year. Now, she was actually being dragged by Miss Granger to watch a Quidditch match?!

    Marietta, who wasn''t particularly enthusiastic about Quidditch and had no intention of watching a match that wasn''t for her own house, instantly changed her mind. After taking a couple of bites, she followed Cho Chang out of the hall towards the Quidditch pitch.

    Meanwhile, the vast majority of the Ravenclaws also stood up to watch the match between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Not for any other reason, but to see how Lin Yue was watching the game on-site, and to see if she would be reading a book in the stands. At that moment, Lin Yue had already been pulled to the stands by Hermione. Sitting there, Lin Yue gazed calmly at the several high "hoops" in the distance.

    According to what the book says, soon the chasers from both teams will need to throw the Quaffle into the opponent''s "hoop" to score points. With no change in expression, she withdrew her gaze the stands were already completely filled. Besides the red of Gryffindor and the green of Slytherin, there was also a considerable amount of blue from Ravenclaw.

    However, these little blue Ravenclaws were not focused on the players from the two competing houses about to take off, but rather on Lin Yue, who was sitting next to Hermione. When they saw that Lin Yue did not take out a book to read, the discussion among the Ravenclaws intensified instantly. Lin Yue, in such a situation, actually didn¡¯t take out a book to read? It¡¯s known that she can read while walking down the street!

    Of course, the Ravenclaws surprise went unnoticed by Lin Yue; she was completely oblivious to what was happening around her. She simply stared blankly at the Quidditch players on the ground. As Madam Hooch''s whistle blew, both teams of Quidditch players rose into the air, and the match began. Lin Yue''s eyes closely followed the players from both sides, like a precise electronic eye, missing no details and showing no emotion.

    After watching for a short while, she quickly noticed various fouls committed by the Slytherin team. Some were pointed out by Madam Hooch, while others went unnoticed even by her. Looking at the scene before her, Lin Yue felt that the Slytherin team was somewhat disregarding the rules, but she had no feelings of resentment; her heart remained completely calm. The shouts of anger from the Gryffindor students and the taunts from the Slytherin students did not shake her inner peace in any meaningful way.

    While Hermione watched Harry''s figure high in the air, she occasionally turned to look at Lin Yue. Seeing her still expressionless, with no emotion in her eyes, the pain in Hermione''s heart began to spread again, and the little excitement she had felt from the Quidditch match quickly vanished. She bit her lip, looking at Lin Yue with a complex expression, but soon her attention had to be diverted. Hagrid, who was watching Harry''s performance with binoculars, suddenly let out a gasp.

 Chapter 14: Quidditch match 2

    Hearing Hagrid''s exclamation ringing in her ears, Hermione''s heart sank for a moment, and a bad premonition surged in her mind. Sure enough, when she took the telescope from Hagrid''s hands and looked up at the sky, she saw Harry struggling on his wildly careening broomstick.

    Lin Yue naturally did not miss this thrilling scene in the sky. Watching Harry "struggle to survive" up there, a clear conclusion quickly emerged in her mind. Someone wanted to harm him. Although she reached this conclusion, Lin Yue still felt no worry or anxiety in her heart. Compared to Hermione, who anxiously turned the telescope towards where the professors were sitting and muttered something, she calmly and composedly directed her gaze towards the professors'' location.

    Her conclusion was the same as Hermione''s: to influence a flying broomstick with magic, unless through direct violence, only a professor could do it. Sure enough, she saw Professor Snape and Professor Quirrell both staring intently at Harry in the sky, muttering something under their breath.

    "It''s Snape!" Hermione exclaimed, so anxious that she didn''t even call him ''Professor'' anymore. "He''s casting a curse on Harry; he needs to keep his eyes on him! I read about it in a book!"

    After saying that, she threw the telescope to Ron, hurriedly getting up to prepare to go to where the professors were to do something to stop Professor Snape. Lin Yue watched as Hermione passed right in front of her and quickly reached out to grab Hermione''s arm.

    "Lin Yue? What''s wrong? If there''s something, let''s talk about it when I get back. Snape is harming..."

    "Professor Snape is protecting Harry," Lin Yue said expressionlessly as she looked at Hermione.

    "What?" Hermione was taken aback.

    "He and Professor Quirrell were both casting spells at the same time. Professor Quirrell was casting a curse, and he was casting a counter-curse. I can read their lips."

    Lin Yue spoke rapidly, delivering her words without any emotional fluctuations. After listening to Lin Yue''s analysis, Hermione gritted her teeth and said,

    "Alright, I understand!"

    Lin Yue nodded, released her grip, and calmly watched Hermione quickly run towards the professors. She then redirected her gaze to Harry, who was high up in the air. Based on her analysis of Hermione''s character, it was highly likely that, to be cautious, she would try to tamper with both professors. Lin Yue thought to herself, feeling no inner turmoil, while steadily watching Harry, who was now hanging on to the flying broom with just one hand.

    "Hurry up, Hermione!" Ron, who was anxiously stamping his feet beside her, was a stark contrast to her calm demeanor.

    As Lin Yue had analyzed, after Hermione ran up to the professor¡¯s stands, she quietly set fire to the robes of both Professor Quirrell and Professor Snape. Although Lin Yue said that it was Professor Quirrell who was harming Harry and that Professor Snape was trying to save him, what if she got it wrong? What if she made a mistake and Harry ended up in danger? So, Hermione decided to target both professors together; that way, whether they were good or bad, it wouldn''t matter, and Harry''s broomstick would be back to normal.

    Of course, if it can be proven in the future that Professor Snape really wanted to save Harry... Hermione would buy him a new robe as an apology. But for now, sorry, it''s an emergency! Flames simultaneously erupted from the corners of Professor Quirrell''s and Professor Snape''s robes. The two of them instinctively stopped their incantations, stood up, and extinguished the flames on their robes.

    High up in the sky, Harry climbed back onto his flying broomstick, while Hermione returned to her seat and immediately turned to Lin Yue, her face full of curiosity.

    "Can you read lips?"

    Lin Yue calmly nodded, "Yes."

    "Why did you learn that?" Hermione was even more curious; it seemed like Lin Yue had quite a broad range of knowledge and skills.

    Lin Yue looked at Harry, who was continuously making gestures of wanting to vomit on the broomstick, and continued to answer Hermione''s question, "In my previous school, there were a lot of people, and the classroom was very big. If you sat in the back, you couldn''t hear the teacher speaking. If you didn''t know how to read lips, you couldn''t attend class."

    Hermione''s expression momentarily turned strange. Not able to hear the teacher from the back row? How big must that classroom be?!

    But then she thought about the population of the country where Lin Yue was from... Ah, she understood.

    "Alright..." Hermione nodded and turned to look up high, and then she saw Harry spit out the Golden Snitch.

    "Did Harry swallow it?" Hermione asked, dumbfounded.

    Lin Yue shook her head with an emotionless tone, "He probably accidentally swallowed it and got it stuck in his throat, but your house won."

    Hermione took a moment to react, and seeing the Gryffindor classmates around her jumping and cheering, she joined in the celebration.

    "Yes! We won!"

    Watching Hermione jump up and down in joyful celebration beside her, Lin Yue turned her head back quietly and gazed at the grass on the Quidditch pitch.

    The Quidditch match had ended, and the victorious Gryffindors naturally had to celebrate. This was Harry''s first Quidditch victory, and Hermione, as Harry''s friend, certainly couldn''t miss it. So, Lin Yue, in a polite manner, said a soulless "Congratulations and I really enjoyed your match" to Harry before parting ways with Hermione and the others.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Lin Yue quickly walked into the library, and with swift and decisive movements, she opened the book in front of her and began to read.

    The group of Ravenclaws who had been quietly following her finally breathed a sigh of relief. As soon as the Quidditch match ended, they seamlessly returned to studying. Indeed, she was still the familiar Lin Yue they knew. However, this also made the Ravenclaws realize that Miss Granger from Gryffindor... probably held a special place in Lin Yue''s heart, even if she herself was still unaware of it.

    Otherwise, she would drag someone who only has books in their eyes to have a good lunch, even if it¡¯s just for three and a half minutes, at least it would be enough to fill her up. The entire afternoon until evening, Lin Yue sat in the Hogwarts library reading books, using both lunch and dinner time to make up for her study time. Even so, she still had nearly an hour of study time that she hadn¡¯t made up for. After packing her bag and putting the books she wanted to read in her dormitory inside, Lin Yue quickly walked towards the Ravenclaw tower. With nearly an hour of study time still not made up, she rationally thought that tonight¡¯s sleep time would just about offset it, as Lin Yue pondered in her mind.

    Back in the dormitory, Lin Yue sat down at her desk and opened a book to read. Marietta and Cho Chang originally wanted to gossip a bit about her and Miss Granger''s autumn outing, but as soon as Marietta saw the situation, she and her friend tacitly fell silent. The two of them took turns going to the bathroom to shower, then sat on their beds to read, preparing to fall asleep once they felt sleepy.

    It wasn''t until one o''clock in the morning that Lin Yue was still flipping through the book in front of her. Although she didn''t feel sleepy, her eyes had started to feel dry and sore, and she even began to feel a bit of pain in the corners of her eyes.

    Standing up and walking into the bathroom, Lin Yue dampened a towel with water and wiped the corners of her eyes. Once her vision cleared up, she returned to her desk to continue reading. After finishing another book, Lin Yue closed it and recalled how she had spent her study time watching a Quidditch match today. Without hesitation, her right hand moved to her left arm, and in an instant, she added another bruise to her left arm.

    Standing up and walking into the bathroom, Lin Yue dampened a towel with water and wiped the corners of her eyes. Once her vision cleared up, she returned to her desk to continue reading. After finishing another book, Lin Yue closed it and recalled how she had spent her study time watching a Quidditch match today. Without hesitation, her right hand moved to her left arm, and in an instant, she added another bruise to her left arm.

    Reading until the early hours of Sunday morning, Lin Yue put the book into her backpack, secured it, and stood up. However, before she could steady herself, her feet wobbled, and the world around her spun for a moment...

    Reaching out to hold onto the bedpost, Lin Yue lowered her head and gasped for breath, taking a while to recover.

    Remembering that she hadn¡¯t eaten lunch or dinner the day before and had studied all night, Lin Yue quickly concluded that she might be experiencing low blood sugar. Feeling no sense of grievance or sadness, Lin Yue shouldered her backpack and hurried towards the great hall. As she entered the auditorium, Lin Yue''s face appeared even paler than usual under the sunlight, looking quite weak.

    After waiting for five minutes, breakfast finally appeared on the long table, and Lin Yue began to eat quickly. As she ate, her pale face gradually regained a bit of color, and her mind slowly cleared from the dizzying state. Still taking three and a half minutes to finish her breakfast, Lin Yue slung her backpack over her shoulder and quickly walked to the library. She sat down in her usual spot and started reading. After a little over an hour, Hermione and the others came over.

    "Lin Yue, sorry to interrupt your studying, but... could you come with us to find Hagrid? We need to discuss something, and we need you with us."

    Lin Yue raised her head and looked at Hermione with eyes as deep as an ancient well. Although it meant taking up her study time again, it was fine; if she accepted the punishment and made up for it with other time, it would be okay. This thought automatically popped into her mind, forming a logical loop. Lin Yue nodded, stood up, and followed Hermione and the other two out of the library.

    Outside Hagrid''s hut, Harry knocked on the door as a representative, saying, "Hagrid, it''s us."

    After a short while, the door opened, revealing Hagrid''s cheerful face beneath his thick beard. "Oh, welcome, welcome! Come in!"

    He stepped aside to let the four children in, and poured each of them a cup of tea, thoughtfully adding extra milk and sugar to Hermione''s and Lin Yue''s cups.

    "Snape was trying to hurt you yesterday, Harry!" Ron said, taking a sip of his black tea and quickly recounting what had happened the day before.

    "It was Professor Snape, Ron," Hermione corrected him with a serious tone. Knowing that Professor Snape likely did not intend to harm Harry, but rather helped him, she chose to maintain her respect for Professor Snape.

    Lin Yue felt Hermione''s gaze and mechanically began to explain.

    ¡°At that time, Professor Quirrell and Professor Snape were both staring at Harry''s flying broomstick while simultaneously casting spells.¡±

    ¡°According to their lip movements, Professor Quirrell was casting a curse, and Professor Snape was casting a counter-curse.¡±

    As soon as Lin Yue finished speaking, Ron stared at Harry in shock.

    ¡°Merlin''s ghost¡­ So, you''re saying Snape.¡± feeling Hermione''s gaze, Ron abruptly stopped his sentence, ¡°Professor Snape was protecting you?¡±

    Harry was also puzzled, with a conflicted expression, and nodded, "Since Lin Yue said so... then it must be true. This is just too unbelievable."

    "But why would Professor Quirrell want to harm you?" Hermione pressed her lips together and looked at Harry.

    Before Harry could respond, Hagrid interjected, having just realized what the four kids were talking about.

    "How could that be? With Quirrell''s cowardice, he would harm Harry?"

    "It could very well be an act," Hermione shook her head, expressing a different opinion.

    Harry sighed and shrugged, "I don''t know why he would want to harm me either."

    "But..." Ron frowned, "Professor Snape wants that thing on the third floor that''s guarded by the three-headed dog, right?"

    He was now a bit confused about the good and bad sides of Professor Quirrell and Professor Snape. On one hand, Lin Yue''s consistently reliable image made him unconsciously trust her; on the other hand, there were also suspicious aspects about Professor Snape, which was really... too conflicting.

    Upon hearing this, Hermione fell silent. She had heard Harry and Ron mention that on the day of the Halloween troll incident, they saw Professor Snape heading towards the fourth floor.

    And the next day, Professor Snape had bite marks on his leg...

    "Nonsense! How could Professor Snape want to steal something from there!" Hagrid immediately rebutted Ron''s words. "He was also involved in protecting that thing; he couldn''t possibly steal it."

    Upon hearing this, Hermione instantly narrowed her eyes. Hagrid seemed to know some inside information. She subtly gave Harry a look, signaling him to probe for more information.

    Harry immediately understood and began to try to provoke Hagrid into revealing what he knew.

    "But Professor Snape did try to get past the three-headed dog, and he got bitten!"

    "Wait, how do you know about Fluffy?" Hagrid finally caught on to the keyword "three-headed dog" on the second go.

    "Right, Professor Snape wanted to get past Fluffy to get to whatever it was guarding!" Harry continued to press.

    "Impossible! You kids don¡¯t need to worry about this anymore; it¡¯s between Professor Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel..."

    Hagrid stopped mid-sentence, and Harry revealed a triumphant smile.

    Hagrid slapped his own mouth twice, angry at himself for the accidental slip, and ushered the four children out of the hut.

    "Okay, now we just need to find out who Nicolas Flamel is, and we¡¯ll know what¡¯s really on the third floor."

    Hermione said with a smile, while Lin Yue quietly listened. In fact, as soon as she heard the name Nicolas Flamel, she had already retrieved information about him in her mind.

    However, no one had asked her yet, had they? So, she automatically concluded that they didn¡¯t need her to inform them.

 Chapter 15: Christmas ?

    None of the three remembered to ask Lin Yue, they perfectly missed the walking library that was right beside them. Lin Yue sat in the library everyday reading, and she could also see the trio taking some time each day to search for clues about Nicolas Flamel.

    However, in books where the main subject is modern, how could they possibly find that six hundred and fifty-eight-year-old gentleman? His age certainly does not qualify him as a modern character. Lin Yue calmly withdrew her gaze and lowered her head to continue reading.

    As time gradually passed, December arrived, and with it, Christmas slowly approached. The deans of various house began to tally whether students would stay on Hogwarts for the holiday. Lin Yue, who had just finished breakfast, looked at the list that Professor Flitwick handed to her, and the words she had seen in her mind earlier appeared in her thoughts.

    She has no home in this world, feeling neither sadness nor joy as they write down the decision to stay at school on the statistics sheet. Lin Yue politely nodded to Professor Flitwick and then got up to leave the great hall.

    As soon as she stepped out of the great hall, Lin Yue happened to run into Hermione, who was coming to have breakfast with Harry and Ron.

    Hermione noticed Lin Yue''s eyes brighten and signaled for the two of them to go in and have breakfast first. Then, she cheerfully walked over to Lin Yue''s side.

    "Lin Yue, Christmas is coming soon. Are you going home or staying at school?"

    Lin Yue stopped and looked at Hermione expressionlessly. "I''m staying at school."

    "Oh," Hermione nodded. "I''m going home for Christmas, so we''ll see each other again after Christmas."

    After speaking, Hermione looked at Lin Yue with anticipation, hoping to see even a hint of reluctance in her eyes. However, reality was destined to disappoint her; Lin Yue''s eyes remained as calm as ever, and she simply nodded indifferently.

    "Alright, see you after the Christmas holiday," Hermione sighed helplessly. "I should have known you would be like this. What was I expecting?"

    Quickly adjusting her mood, Hermione smiled and patted Lin Yue''s arm. "Okay, I won''t disturb you any longer. You should hurry to class."

    "Okay," Lin Yue nodded and turned back, walking briskly towards the classroom.

    After class, Lin Yue returned to the dormitory. Cho Chang and Marietta, being second-year students, had different class schedules and were still in class at that time.

    Thinking about the form she filled out today regarding whether to stay at school or go home for the Christmas holiday, as well as what Hermione told her about going home for Christmas, Lin Yue''s mind was flooded with thoughts of Christmas. Christmas... it requires giving gifts to friends, teachers, and others around her.

    Although she understood the definition of the word "friend," Lin Yue didn''t have any feelings towards her friends. Her feelings towards the people around her were all the same¡ªshe felt nothing. However, her brain was still subtly conveying messages to her.

    Tell her that you need to prepare gifts for Hermione, and the professors shouldn''t be left out, along with Harry, Ron, Cho Chang, Marietta, and Penelope... Just a fleeting thought, and Lin Yue''s mind automatically generated a list. However, she quickly thought of another problem buying gifts requires money, but it seemed she didn''t have any.

    Since the start of the school year, everything she used had not involved spending any money. The world consciousness clearly knew in advance what kind of situation this child it had brought over would be in. It had no expectation that she could earn a living for herself while studying.

    Therefore, in addition to the free food and accommodation provided by Hogwarts, the HP world consciousness also placed a never-ending ink bottle, an indestructible quill, a large stack of parchment that would automatically replenish itself with each sheet taken, and always full bottles of shampoo, body wash, and conditioner in her suitcase.

    Although Lin Yue had never used conditioner, aside from these items and the necessary essentials like clothes and a wand, there was a cloth bag in the box at that time. Recalling that cloth bag and thinking about the other items in the box, Lin Yue almost immediately concluded that this item could probably solve her problem as well. Bending down to pull the box out from under the bed, Lin Yue opened it with a vacant expression and took out the cloth bag.

    Opening the cloth bag, she was surprised to find it contained ten gold Galleons. Lin Yue calmly reached in and took out the ten Galleons. As soon as she completely pulled the ten Galleons out of the cloth bag, the bag instantly had ten more Galleons inside it.

    Lin Yue looked at the cloth bag in front of her, recalling the price of the honey duke chocolate gift box that she had heard from Cho Chang before, which she had been very envious of. In her mind, a chocolate gift box was very suitable as a gift. After finishing her thoughts, Lin Yue repeated the action of taking out gold galleons from the cloth bag a dozen times. Each time she completely took out a handful of gold galleons, ten more would immediately appear in the bag. However, after taking out enough gold galleons, Lin Yue quickly tied the bag back up and put it back in the box. With the counted money in hand, Lin Yue walked briskly out of the Ravenclaw common room and headed to the owlery.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    After choosing a relatively strong-looking owl, Lin Yue casually set aside the Galleon, took out a quill and a piece of parchment, and wrote a mail-order letter. After finishing the letter, she handed it along with the Galleon to the owl.

    The owl instructed Lin Yue to place the letter and the Galleon into a small pouch on its leg, and then it spread its wings and flew out of Hogwarts Castle, heading towards Honeydukes Sweetshop.

    Lin Yue watched the owl fly away into the distance, her face expressionless as she lowered her head to look at her right hand. In it were ten unmailed gold galleons, just enough to buy a box of chocolates. For some reason, another thought suddenly popped into her mind. It seemed to be telling her that she shouldn''t buy the same chocolate gift box for Hermione as she did for everyone else.

    So she subconsciously kept the ten gold galions, but... what should she give instead of a chocolate gift box? Lin Yue didn''t have any doubts in her mind; instead, she began to quickly think about what she could give as a gift.

    After a moment, she finally dredged up a long-forgotten memory in her mind. In that memory, it seemed like she was self-learning how to knit, and at that time, she seemed to be very... very something, Lin Yue''s brain momentarily froze.

    Shaking her head, Lin Yue brushed aside the thoughts in her mind, leaving only the memory of knitting. She wrote another letter and handed it along with a gold galion to the owl. This time, Lin Yue was going to buy some needles and thread. After finishing all of this, she quickened her pace back to her dormitory.

    Before sitting at her desk and focusing on reading, Lin Yue calculated in her mind how much time it would take to knit a pair of gloves for Hermione. She concluded that she would only need three hours. When the holiday is right in front of you, the remaining time seems to pass very quickly. It feels like in the blink of an eye, the Christmas holiday has already arrived.

    Hermione dragged her large suitcase into the hall, where Harry and Ron were sitting at the Gryffindor long table playing wizard''s chess.

    "Oh... this is a bit barbaric," Hermione frowned as she watched the queen''s piece smash another piece into pieces.

    "Wizards'' chess is like this, Hermione, and you''re just saying that because you can''t beat me," Ron said, looking at Hermione with a hint of pride. This was one of the few areas where he could win against her.

    Hermione couldn''t help but roll her eyes. "Come on, Ron, I''m not that petty."

    Ron shrugged and watched Harry made a move in the chess game.

    After Harry made his move, he looked up at Hermione. "Are you going to take the bus?"

    "Yeah," Hermione nodded. "You two remember to do your homework over the Christmas break. If you don''t, I definitely won''t let you copy it when you get back."

    "She''ll end up giving it to us anyway..." Ron muttered quietly to Harry, and Hermione raised an eyebrow.

    "Also, if you have time during Christmas break, go check the library for information on Nicolas Flamel."

    "But we''ve pretty much searched everywhere..." Ron sighed helplessly. They had already looked through all the books in the Hogwarts library that seemed to be related to famous figures.

    They couldn''t expect to check every single book, could they?

    "Uh-huh," Hermione said slyly, "but you haven''t checked the restricted section, have you?"

    "During Christmas break, there will be fewer people at school, so you can take the opportunity to go there."

    "She''s corrupted us both," Ron said, shaking his head at Harry.

    Hermione, both angry and amused, gave Ron a slap and said, "You don''t have to say that about yourselves; I''m a Gryffindor too!" After saying that, she tossed her hair and walked over to the Ravenclaw table, where Lin Yue was quickly stitching gloves with needles and thread.

    When Hermione reached Lin Yue, she was surprised to see her rarely not studying but instead making gloves. Her eyes widened in astonishment, and a thought couldn''t help but pop into her mind: who... who could make Lin Yue put down her studies to knit gloves for her?!

    Her brain was already running through all the spells she had learned, wondering who could be so unscrupulous as to distract Lin Yue, who was so "naive" and only knew how to study...

    Hermione took a deep breath to calm herself down, patting her chest. She murmured softly, "Hermione Granger, stay calm, maybe she''s just knitting gloves for her mom."

    Having reassured herself, Hermione reached out and tapped on the table in front of Lin Yue. "Lin Yue."

    "Mm?" Lin Yue looked up at Hermione with a blank expression.

    "I''m going home," Hermione said gently, her tone so soft that if Harry and Ron had heard it, they would probably have been shocked enough to sit down on the ground.

    Lin Yue nodded without any change in her expression. "Okay, see you after the Christmas holiday."

    Hermione watched Lin Yue''s completely unresponsive expression and then glanced at the gloves she was knitting. Even while talking to her, Lin Yue''s hands didn''t stop moving, which made Hermione feel even worse inside. Taking a deep breath like an angry lioness, Hermione tried to keep her tone calm.

    "Lin Yue, is the glove you''re knitting a Christmas gift? Who is it for?"

    Lin Yue, who completely didn''t understand what a surprise was and had no idea about keeping surprises for others, replied straightforwardly, "It''s a Christmas gift, for you."

    Upon hearing "for you," the breath Hermione had just taken was instantly released, and the angry lioness was clearly soothed.

    "For me... then thank you in advance," Hermione said softly to Lin Yue.

    "You''re welcome," Lin Yue shook her head, her hands still busy knitting the gloves.

    Hermione tightened her grip on her suitcase, feeling inexplicably that her throat was a bit dry. Clearing her throat, she gently rubbed Lin Yue''s head, "I''m leaving now, I need to catch a ride."

    "Okay, be careful on the way."

    Lin Yue nodded, and Hermione, satisfied, withdrew her gaze, smiling brightly as she pulled her suitcase towards the entrance of the hall. Halfway there, she suddenly remembered something and quickly walked back to Harry and Ron''s side, pulling her suitcase along.

    "What''s wrong?" Harry turned to look at her in surprise, noticing that Hermione hadn''t left yet.

    "When I''m away during the Christmas holiday, you two should try to include Lin Yue when you play, and don''t let her study all the time."

    Harry thought carefully about Lin Yue''s daily routine of either studying in the library or in the dormitory. He felt that he should be able to find her in the library, so he nodded seriously. "Okay, no problem." This was the first time Hermione had asked them to do something, and they were determined to do it well.

    Ron also nodded seriously beside him, indicating that he would do this with Harry. Hermione completely relaxed, smiled, nodded, and turned to leave the Great Hall to catch the Hogwarts Express.

    After finishing knitting her gloves in the Great Hall, Lin Yue took the gloves back to her dormitory to study. The reason she knitted gloves in the Great Hall was simply because the lighting was better there.

    When she returned to the dormitory, Cho Chang and Marietta had already boarded the Hogwarts Express heading home. Lin Yue gave herself a bruise on her left arm as a punishment for using her study time to knit gloves, and then she began to read.

    During the time she was reading, heavy snow began to fall outside. Almost all the students who stayed at school ran out to play in the snow. In winter, for children, the greatest joy is naturally playing in the snow.

    Harry and Ron thought of Hermione''s request to them just before she left, and felt that with such heavy snow, they shouldn''t leave Lin Yue out, so they went to the Ravenclaw common room to try to call her to join them in playing in the snow.

    When the bronze knocker saw someone approaching, it spoke up first and posed its question. Hearing the knocker''s question, Harry and Ron exchanged glances. Although they had heard before that one needed to answer a question to enter the Ravenclaw common room, and that anyone who answered correctly could enter while those who answered incorrectly could not, they still felt a bit of a headache when they heard the question.

    "Which came first, the phoenix or the flame?"

    Harry and Ron both lowered their heads, lost in thought.

 Chapter 16: Christmas 2/2

    Before they could come up with an answer to the question, Lin Yue had already stepped out of the Ravenclaw common room ahead of them. She had finished reading the book she borrowed and needed to go to the library to exchange it for a new batch. Seeing Harry and Ron, Lin Yue expressionlessly nodded her head as a greeting, and then quickly prepared to head to the library. Watching Lin Yue''s fast retreating figure, Harry suddenly reacted and hurriedly spoke up.

    "Lin Yue! Wait a minute."

    After saying that, he quickly pulled Ron and ran in front of Lin Yue, fearing that if they were even a moment late, she would disappear without a trace. This was something Hermione had instructed them to do¡ªtake Lin Yue out to have fun and relax. He couldn''t just agree without acting.

    Lin Yue stopped in her tracks, her gaze indifferent as she looked at Harry and Ron. "What''s up?"

    Hearing Lin Yue''s emotionless words, Harry swallowed hard, the sense of pressure and fear rising involuntarily again. Ron was in a similar state, but he still took a deep breath and stated their purpose.

    "It''s snowing outside... We, um, invite you to play in the snow." Ron said, smiling brightly at Lin Yue after finishing.

    Lin Yue nodded, indicating that she understood, but the next moment, she spoke without a hint of hesitation.

    "Sorry, it''s my study time right now, I can''t go downstairs to play in the snow."

    "But it''s vacation time right now..." Ron muttered softly.

    Seeing Lin Yue about to leave again, Harry quickly came up with a clever idea and spontaneously said something that successfully made Lin Yue stop once more.

    "Hermione asked us to take you out more to have fun and relax!"

    Lin Yue stopped in her tracks upon hearing Harry say it was Hermione who suggested it. Her brain began to analyze the situation without a trace of emotion, realizing that Hermione''s suggestion meant she should join Harry and the others to play in the snow...

    Lowering her head slightly, Lin Yue once again obeyed the inexplicable thought in her mind. "Okay, I''ll return the book to the library and then go with you guys."

    Harry and Ron immediately breathed a sigh of relief, taking the book from Lin Yue''s hands and heading to the library with her. On the way, Ron nudged Harry with his elbow. "Dude, nice one! How did you think of using Hermione to persuade her?"

    Harry glanced back discreetly to make sure Lin Yue wasn''t listening before speaking quietly. "Haven''t you noticed that Lin Yue only acts differently when she''s facing Hermione?"

    "It must be her study time; as soon as Hermione says something, she just goes along with it."

    Ron recalled carefully upon hearing this, then nodded seriously, "I have to say, that''s true." In his memory, the few times Lin Yue did things outside of studying were all after Hermione brought it up. Silently giving Harry a thumbs up, after they helped Lin Yue return the books to Madam Pince, the three of them went outside Hogwarts Castle together.

    Outside Hogwarts Castle, the ground was covered with a thick layer of white snow. The students who stayed at school were running around on it, playfully throwing snowballs at each other. Among them, the ones having the most fun were Ron''s twin brothers, Fred and George Weasley. The two of them were constantly picking up snowballs from the ground and throwing them at anyone nearby, completely indifferent to who that person was. As long as someone appeared, they became a target for their snowballs.

    Just coming out of the castle, Lin Yue and the others clearly couldn''t escape unscathed. As soon as they exited the castle, several snowballs came flying towards them. Harry and Ron quickly ducked to avoid them, while Lin Yue, standing behind them, looked calmly at the snowballs heading straight for her. Without hesitation, she raised her hand and accurately blocked each one.

    With no emotions in her mind, it meant she wouldn''t panic or feel nervous. Even when she saw several snowballs coming directly at her, she could maintain absolute rationality. She accurately analyzed the trajectory of the snowballs and then blocked them.

    But it was clear that her action had completely piqued the curiosity of the Weasley twins. The two exchanged glances, and from each other''s eyes, they could see a hint of eagerness. However, they also understood that if the two of them, being older boys than Lin Yue, just threw snowballs at her, it would be particularly rude. So after Harry and Ron threw a couple of snowballs back, they suggested the idea of teaming up for a snowball fight. Since there were five people present, it was difficult to form teams, so they simply decided that Harry, Ron, and Lin Yue, the three first-year students, would form one group.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    The two of them were in a group of seniors, while Lin Yue''s group had one extra person. Even if there were three first-year students, they wouldn''t be at too much of a disadvantage. After all, it was a snowball fight, and they didn''t need any spells. They never considered that if spells were involved, even if it was just the two of them¡ªHarry and Ron¡ªin one group and Lin Yue in another, they would still be at a disadvantage.

    Once the grouping was finished, the snowball fight began. It wasn''t until the fight officially started that the four boys present realized just how formidable Lin Yue was. They originally thought she was just a typical Ravenclaw bookworm and wouldn''t be very good at sports. But to my surprise, while Lin Yue''s stamina wasn''t great, her insight and focus were top-notch. Every snowball she threw never missed; each one hit one of the Weasley twins. On the other hand, the snowballs thrown by the Weasley twins either missed her completely or were blocked by her raised hand, and none of them could break through her defense.

    After playing for a full half hour, Lin Yue started to breathe a little heavily. The four boys also felt satisfied, and seeing Lin Yue''s condition, they all consciously stopped. The five of them sat together on a nearby bench to rest. Fred looked at Professor Quirrell walking not far away, a mischievous smile creeping onto his face.

    For this reason, before the Weasley twins could put away their smiles, Professor McGonagall quickly walked up to them and reprimanded them for their recent behavior. Harry, Ron, and Lin Yue, who were nearby, were not implicated, but they took the opportunity to sneak away with Lin Yue while Professor McGonagall was scolding the twins.

    "Merlin''s beard..." Ron exclaimed with a painful expression as soon as they entered the castle. "After being hit, Professor Quirrell didn''t say anything, but how did he suddenly go tell Professor McGonagall?"

    Harry shook his head. "Maybe it''s because Fred and the others are students of Gryffindor, and he wanted Professor McGonagall to handle it herself?"

    Ron shrugged, indicating that he wasn''t sure either, but after this incident, Professor Quirrell''s image in their minds had worsened even more than before. The likes and dislikes of young people are really that simple, aren''t they? Just like their dislike for Professor Snape. Lin Yue, standing next to them, remained silent, her face calm and composed.

    Harry and Ron''s guesses have some merit, but she has a different idea. Since the beginning of the school year, Professor Quirrell has given everyone the impression of being a stutterer, smelling heavily of garlic, lacking any real ability, and being very timid. So, when he just stood there in front of the Weasley twins without saying anything, it fitted his character perfectly.

    As for reporting to Professor McGonagall behind people''s backs, it suggests that his timid persona is likely a disguise. It doesn''t make sense for a professor to pretend to be so timid. Considering that he is one of the two professors who previously wanted to harm Harry, Professor Quirrell''s suspicion is clearly much greater now.

    In addition, she just saw very clearly that after being hit on the back of the head, Professor Quirrell clearly wanted to touch the back of his head, but he abruptly stopped midway.

    So, is there something wrong with the back of his head...?

    Lin Yue''s thoughts flowed, and her brain quickly analyzed a pile of conclusions. After analyzing all the existing information, she stopped her thoughts and looked at Harry and Ron with no emotion.

    "I''m going to the Great Hall for dinner now, and I''ll head straight back to the Ravenclaw tower after I''m done."

    After saying this, she stared at Harry without blinking, unsure if Hermione had any further instructions for them.

    "Oh, okay..." Harry paused for a moment and nodded.

    Receiving a response, Lin Yue quickly turned around and walked briskly towards the Great Hall.

    By the time Harry and Ron arrived at the Great Hall, Lin Yue had already finished her dinner and left.

    Watching Lin Yue''s back as she left the Great Hall, Ron shook his head. "She always eats so fast; I really don''t know what the fun in eating is if it''s like this."

    After saying that, he reached out and grabbed a fried chicken leg, while Harry served himself some smoked meat.

    "Maybe she doesn''t enjoy eating," Harry said after taking a bite of the smoked meat, his perception being relatively sharp.

    "What do you mean by that?" Ron bit into the fried drumstick, the crispy skin making a crunching sound.

    "For survival," Harry shrugged, completely unaware that he was right.

    Lin Yue eats just to survive, so she doesn''t care about what she eats or whether it might harm her stomach. As long as she can maintain her body''s normal functioning and not delay her studies, that''s enough for her. This is also what her mother has always told her; if it weren''t for the fact that people would really die without food, her mother might even tell her that eating is completely unnecessary and that she should skip meals to avoid wasting study time.

    After walking from the great hall to the library, Lin Yue sat down to read until it was almost curfew. Then she stood up and took her book to Mrs. Pince to handle the borrowing procedures.

    Looking at the child in front of her, who had read hundreds of books in just half a semester, Madam. Pince couldn''t help but feel amazed while efficiently processing her borrowing request. After thanking Mrs. Pince, Lin Yue hugged her books and returned to the Ravenclaw tower.

    Back in her dormitory, Lin Yue continued her usual study routine and didn''t go to sleep until four o''clock. After sleeping for an hour, she got up and sat back at her desk to read.

    At six in the morning, owls began to fly towards her window one after another. Lin Yue heard tapping on the window and, still in her study state, let the owls outside persistently tap on the glass. This continued until a thought crossed her mind: there were owls outside, and the owls were there to deliver gifts, including Hermione''s gift.

    In the next moment, Lin Yue snapped out of her studying state, expressionless as she opened the dormitory window. Several owls swooped in and landed on her desk. Lin Yue''s gaze quickly flicked over them, and she soon recognized one owl that was likely the gift sent by Hermione. She wasn''t sure why she was certain that this owl was sent by Hermione, but that thought just popped into her mind.

    She reached out to untie the letter attached to the owl''s leg, opened it, and indeed, it was Hermione''s gift. In the letter, Hermione wished Lin Yue a Merry Christmas, hoped she would like the gift, and reminded her to make sure to rest during the Christmas holiday.

 Chapter 17: Wise Mother

    While Lin Yue was tasting desserts, Hermione also received a gift delivered by owls. In previous years, although she would look forward to her gifts, she had never woken up this early for Christmas as she did this year. This Christmas was more anticipated than any in the past because she knew very well that she was about to receive a gift from Lin Yue. The gloves she knitted for herself... even though she already knew in advance what Lin Yue would give her.

    But when she opened the blue package and saw the exquisite pair of gloves inside, Hermione couldn''t help but feel a strong surge of excitement in her heart. It was more thrilling than any other Christmas gift she had received before. She eagerly put on the gloves; they were slightly larger than her hands, just the right size that they wouldn''t fall off because they were too big, nor would they feel uncomfortable because they were too snug.

    Feeling the warmth in her hands, even in a somewhat heated room, Hermione didn''t notice the slightest bit of heat at all. On the contrary, she felt an indescribable comfort in her hands that made her want to wear gloves even at home. However, when she thought about going downstairs for breakfast and the scene of wearing gloves in front of her parents, Hermione shook her head and reluctantly took off the gloves. In her heart, she sincerely hoped to go out, Merlin bless, please let her mother, Mrs. Granger, make full use of her.

    Let her go out a few more times to buy the ingredients needed for the Christmas dinner, so she can wear her gloves a few more times. Merlin seemed to hear her prayers, as if not wanting the little witch''s wishes to go unfulfilled on Christmas Day. After Hermione finished her breakfast, Mrs. Granger gently waved her hand at her. "Hermione, come here." Hermione quickly tidied up the tableware and excitedly walked over to her mother. "What''s wrong, Mom? Do you need to buy something?!"

    Hermione looked at Mrs. Granger with bright, sparkling eyes, and Mrs. Granger was momentarily taken aback.

    What¡¯s gotten into my daughter today? Although I usually let Hermione go out to buy things, she has never shown any reluctance.

    But today... why is she so proactive and so excited?

    "Yes..." Mrs. Granger nodded hesitantly, "I would like to ask you to help me buy some spices and sugar."

    "Okay!" Hermione nodded vigorously, and then energetically dashed upstairs. In no time, she put on her thick coat and eagerly donned her gloves.

    Then she quickly rushed back downstairs. "Hermione, slow down!"

    Mrs. Granger watched as Hermione rushed down the stairs, feeling her heart race. What was wrong with her daughter? Today she seemed reckless and overly excited. What if she fell while rushing down the stairs?

    Hermione snapped back to reality and quickly tried to suppress her excitement, standing obediently in front of Mrs. Granger and reaching out to take the money she offered.As Hermione took the money, Mrs. Granger''s gaze naturally fell on the gloves she was wearing.

    The gloves looked exquisite, and it was clear that the person who made them had excellent skills and put a lot of effort into them. Most importantly, Mrs. Granger couldn''t remember ever making or buying those gloves for Hermione.

    "Hermione, these gloves of yours are really exquisite. Did a classmate give them to you as a Christmas gift?" Mrs. Granger asked Hermione thoughtfully.

    Hearing Mrs. Granger''s question, Hermione''s previously suppressed emotions instantly broke through her defenses. A big smile spread across her face as she nodded and said happily, "Yes, Mom, they were given to me by Lin Yue!"

    "Lin Yue?" Mrs. Granger looked at Hermione in confusion, as this was a name she had never heard before.

    "Yes!" Hermione nodded vigorously. "Her grades are really good! Much better than mine, and she studies very seriously! She hardly takes any breaks."

    "But that''s what worries me a bit, so I always try to find ways to get her to take breaks with me. Even so, I still feel like she puts a lot of pressure on herself..."

    As Hermione seemed ready to talk non-stop, like a can of worms opened, Mrs. Granger quickly interrupted her.

    "Alright, alright, Hermione, if you keep going into such detail about your friend, you might not have enough time to go shopping."

    "Oh... fine, sorry, Mom." Hermione reluctantly closed her mouth, pursed her lips; she still had more to say.

    "I''m going shopping now." Hermione nodded at Mrs. Granger, walked to the door, changed her shoes, and stepped out of the house.

    Mrs. Granger stood at the kitchen door, watching Hermione close the door behind her.

    She murmured softly, "Lin Yue... with Hermione acting like this, if it weren''t for her just saying she uses ''she'' for herself, I would almost think..."

    Mrs. Granger stopped mid-sentence as she suddenly realized that it wasn''t only between a man and a woman that one could become lovers.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    As for her own daughter... Mrs. Granger shook her head, trying to clear her somewhat chaotic thoughts from her mind. What was she thinking? Hermione was still so young, and that girl named Lin Yue was definitely young too. They should both consider each other as best friends... As for things like romantic relationships, that would have to wait until they grew up a bit more. Never mind, Mrs. Granger shook her head and turned to walk into the kitchen. Hermione''s happiness was something she would manage on her own. She had been a smart child since she was little, clearly knowing what she wanted and how to pursue it. If she truly liked someone, it didn''t matter whether it was a boy or a girl, what mattered was her happiness.

    Moreover... having two daughters means double the thoughtfulness, and Mrs. Granger couldn''t help but smile at the thought. However, this matter can be kept from Hermione''s dad for now, considering how precious he thinks of his darling daughter. She hopes nothing will happen that might scare that girl named Lin Yue. Unbeknownst to them, Hermione, being the perceptive mother, has already noticed the budding feelings between the two of them, even before they themselves did.

    On one side, Hermione happily went shopping while wearing gloves, and on the other side, Lin Yue arrived at the library with her backpack, ready to continue reading. However, she hadn''t been reading for long when Harry and Ron walked in, each carrying their own assignments.

    Ron looked at Harry with a pained expression and said, "Mate... are we really going to study on Christmas Day? On the day itself?!"

    Harry sighed and pointed at Lin Yue, who was reading in the library.

    "Hermione asked us to take Lin Yue out to relax and have fun, so we at least have to make sure she enjoys herself and relaxes."

    "Just think about it, if we take her out to have fun and relax, but we haven''t finished our homework, we''ll just be thinking about the homework the whole time."

    "And then Lin Yue will notice that and bring us back to study..."

    Harry didn''t need to say more; just hearing that was enough to make Ron determined to finish his homework right now!

    "Lin Yue, good morning! Can we sit here?" Harry leaned down and quietly greeted Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue looked up, expressionless, at Harry and Ron. "Sure, go ahead and sit down."

    Harry and Ron breathed a sigh of relief and sat down across from Lin Yue to start their homework.

    After giving the two a faint glance, Lin Yue returned to her studying.

    The three of them studied until noon, and as lunchtime approached, Ron, holding his stomach, glanced at Lin Yue, who was still focused on her work.

    Feeling a bit embarrassed, he spoke up, "Um... shouldn''t we go eat? I''m a bit hungry, sorry..."

    Hearing this, Harry also looked up at Lin Yue, but she didn''t seem to hear them calling her name and continued to read, showing no reaction at all.

    Ron sighed helplessly, just about to lower his head to continue his homework when Harry, realizing something, quickly spoke up.

    "Lin Yue, how about we go eat first?"

    Hearing someone call her name, Lin Yue slowly lifted her head and glanced at Harry and Ron. "Okay, let''s go."

    She stood up, packed her bag, and quickly walked out of the library.

    Harry and Ron followed behind her, and Ron covered his mouth to speak quietly to Harry.

    "I shouldn''t have upset her, right? Why did she ignore me when I talked to her, but she responded to you?"

    Harry cautiously glanced at Lin Yue walking in front of them and replied just as quietly.

    "It''s not that you upset her, and it''s not that she doesn''t want to talk to you. It''s just that if you don''t call her by her name, she won''t realize you''re talking to her."

    "Ugh..." Ron couldn''t help but click his tongue. "What a bookworm..."

    The three of them arrived at the entrance of the Great Hall, which had been beautifully decorated for the occasion.

    As soon as you walk into the hall, you can see countless Christmas firecrackers. Pulling one will result in a harmless explosion and smoke, followed by some small gifts. Just a moment ago, Ron, who had been complaining about being hungry, was enthusiastically pulling Harry to play with the firecrackers.

    However, Lin Yue didn''t even glance at the firecrackers and walked straight to the dining table, starting to eat at a rapid pace. Since most of the students had gone home for Christmas, only a few students and professors remained in Hogwarts Castle.

    Therefore, Principal Dumbledore simply moved the four long tables in the hall to the sides and replaced them with a large round table in the center. This way, everyone could sit at the same table, making the atmosphere a bit livelier. However, this also led to... Lin Yue''s rapid eating being noticed by the professors once again.

    Professor Flitwick, who had originally wanted to discuss this issue with Lin Yue but had been distracted by various matters and had accidentally forgotten about it, finally caught her in the act this time. Sitting at the same table, it was the first time he observed Lin Yue eating up close, and he felt even more shocked and pained.

    Even professors who hope their students¡¯ study well feel uncomfortable when they see their students working so hard that they rush through meals, neglecting their health.

    "Miss Lin Yue, Miss Lin Yue..." Before Professor Flitwick could speak, Principal Dumbledore gently tapped his fork against the goblet in front of him, interrupting Lin Yue''s frantic eating. Hearing the principal call her name, Lin Yue immediately put down her knife and fork and looked up at him.

    "Professor Dumbledore, what¡¯s the matter?"

    Looking at Lin Yue''s expressionless face and emotionless eyes, Professor Dumbledore paused for a moment before revealing a kind smile.

    "You can take your time while eating; it¡¯s healthier that way, and you can enjoy the deliciousness of the food, can''t you?"

    Lin Yue was taken aback for a moment. "Sorry, my mealtime is fixed and cannot encroach on my study time."

    Principal Dumbledore felt a bit choked; are the current Ravenclaw students really this eager to learn? They talk about studying all the time...

    Back in his day, even Ravenclaw wasn''t like this.If his thoughts were to be heard by the many Ravenclaw students, they would probably be unable to hold back their loud rebuttals:

    "No! It''s only Lin Yue who is like this! Even if they love studying, they wouldn''t sacrifice their lives for it, nor would they encroach on their mealtimes for studying!"

    "Today is Christmas," Professor McGonagall said with a smile, placing a cup full of pumpkin juice next to Lin Yue. "Miss Lin Yue, why not take it easy for a day? Just for today, don''t think about studying."

    Lin Yue stared at the pumpkin juice that Professor McGonagall had set down, her mind caught in a conflict between two thoughts.

    Her studies shouldn''t stop, but she should listen to the professor. The professor said to take a break today and not think about studying.

    But... her studies can''t stop... she can''t take a break... she can''t...

    "Miss Lin Yue!" Principal Dumbledore timely interjected, interrupting Lin Yue''s thoughts that were about to fall into a loop of conflict.

    Lin Yue looked up, her expression devoid of emotion as she gazed at Principal Dumbledore. "Sorry, Principal Dumbledore, I just zoned out for a moment."

    "It''s alright," Dumbledore said with a smile, shaking his head. "Just for today, give yourself a break, okay?"

    Lin Yue looked at Dumbledore; his face remained kind, but his voice and the aura he exuded made it hard for anyone to resist following his advice.

    "Okay, thank you, Principal Dumbledore." Finally, with the "external force" of his encouragement, she decided to heed the professor''s instruction and take a break today, allowing the thought of studying to take a backseat.

    Lin Yue nodded mechanically, her expression as cold as water, and began to slowly eat her Christmas lunch.

    Seeing Lin Yue finally slow down her eating, the professors present all breathed a sigh of relief. Professor Flitwick looked gratefully at Principal Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. Dumbledore was skilled at guiding others, making them follow his kind suggestions, while Professor McGonagall was more meticulous. The outcome of their conversation with Lin Yue was certainly better than if he had spoken up alone.

 Chapter 18: Cloak of Invisibility, Deathly Hallows

    Because Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall asked her to take a good rest today and not study, Lin Yue decided to relax. So, when Harry and Ron finished playing with the magical firecrackers and came to the dining table with a big pile of gifts, ready to eat, they saw Lin Yue leisurely enjoying her meal, occasionally sipping on some pumpkin juice.

    "Merlin''s napkin..." Ron stared blankly at the scene of Lin Yue eating slowly, completely unaware that the gifts he was holding had fallen to the ground.

    Lin Yue was eating slowly, which seemed as impossible to him as Professor Snape giving points to Gryffindor. Yet, at this moment, this impossible event was happening! Harry, standing next to him, looked at the scene with disbelief. He had thought that by the time he and Ron finished playing with the magical firecrackers, Lin Yue would have already finished her lunch and gone to the library to read.

    They had even prepared to rush to the library to find her after finishing their lunch, but who would have thought that when they finished playing with the firecrackers, they would not find Lin Yue''s empty seat waiting for them, but rather see her sitting comfortably in her chair, leisurely enjoying her lunch.

    Harry and Ron sat down next to Lin Yue in perfect harmony, with Harry sitting next to Lin Yue and Ron next to Harry.

    "Lin Yue... are you going to the library after lunch?" Harry slightly turned his head and quietly asked Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue swallowed the bacon in her mouth. It''s strange; she should have eaten this before, but she had no idea it tasted like this.

    Is it because she ate slowly today? Turning to look at Harry, Lin Yue replied to his question in a flat tone.

    "I''m not going to the library after lunch. Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall told me to take a day off today and not to think about studying."

    "Okay." Harry nodded and glanced at Professor McGonagall in surprise. He never thought that Professor McGonagall would one day say to let students rest and not think about studying.

    "What about you? Are you still going to the library later?" Ron, seeing that Harry had finished asking and received no response, reached out and tapped his shoulder.

    "I''m not going." Harry shook his head and said quietly.

    "Great..." Ron breathed a sigh of relief. After all, he didn''t want to study on Christmas Day.

    With the study plan rejected, Lin Yue had nothing to do after finishing her lunch. When it came to thinking of something to do besides studying, she really couldn''t come up with anything. Even though the previous surgery hadn''t affected her memory, her life before the surgery was mostly filled with studying. To ensure her grades remained above the threshold for being destroyed, Lin Yue had used almost all her time outside of sleeping and eating. Of course, her eating and sleeping times were still normal back then, but even so, it wasn''t enough to satisfy her parents. This is how the surgery came about.

    As for going out to play, or watching TV and using the computer, Lin Yue had only ever seen her parents do those things; she had never been allowed to look at them herself. Going out to play was even more impossible, as almost all the children were studying at home, who could arrange to go out and play with others?

    But now that she had Harry and Ron with her, it didn¡¯t matter that she didn¡¯t know how to relax on her own. The two boys were confident that they would help her relax well.

    Until... "Merlin''s beard!" Ron exclaimed in despair, grabbing at his red hair. Just a moment ago, his piece had once again been captured by Lin Yue''s piece; this was already the tenth game he had lost.

    To help Lin Yue enjoy this relaxing day, he and Harry took her back to the Gryffindor common room. Ron eagerly volunteered to play wizard''s chess with her, but what he didn''t know was that Lin Yue had a vast amount of reading material in the Hogwarts library, which included books on wizard''s chess. Moreover, she was devoid of emotions, which meant she wouldn''t be disturbed by feelings while playing, allowing her thinking to be much faster than that of an average person.

    Ron was destined to lose; no matter how he played, Lin Yue could always make her next move in just a few seconds. In contrast, he initially seemed to handle the game well, but halfway through, he started to hesitate. Each move often took him several minutes, leaving Harry beside him in shock.

    Harry knew Ron''s level in Wizard''s Chess; it wasn''t just him and Hermione who couldn''t beat him. Even in the entire Gryffindor house, there were hardly any who could outplay him. Yet now, facing Lin Yue, he had lost ten games in a row. While Harry felt a bit sorry for Ron, he mostly found it amusing and couldn''t help but revel in his misfortune.

    After losing the eleventh game, Ron slumped down on the table without any dignity. Weakly raising his right hand, he said, "I¡¯m done, I¡¯m done... I can¡¯t win, I really can¡¯t win." Lin Yue nodded, expressionless, as she stood up and stretched her legs.

    Harry couldn''t help it anymore; he covered his mouth and chuckled while patting his good buddy on the shoulder.

    "Ron, are you okay?" The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    "Not really..." Ron lifted his head, looking at Harry with a face ashen as death. When he saw the uncontrollable smile on Harry''s face, he couldn''t help but scowl.

    Taking a deep breath, Ron began his counterattack, "Harry... it''s your turn now. I''ve already been with Lin Yue for a while, so it''s your turn to keep her company."

    Upon hearing this, Harry''s smile instantly froze on his face. Keeping Lin Yue company... he didn''t even know what to do.

    Ron can at least play wizard chess with Lin Yue, but what about him? He can''t take Lin Yue out to play Quidditch, can he? It''s freezing outside, and flying around in the sky would be deadly cold. What if Lin Yue catches a cold, and when Hermione finds out... wouldn''t he be in big trouble?

    Harry shivered violently, then completely dismissed the idea of taking Lin Yue outside to play Quidditch. After thinking for a while, he remembered something he had just received that morning, something that was said to be very precious.

    "Lin Yue, wait a moment, I''ll get you something to look at."

    After Harry finished speaking, he ran up the stairs to his dormitory and took out the invisibility cloak he had just received that morning. He handed the invisibility cloak to Lin Yue, who could play with it or study it. She was so eager to learn, and she should be interested in something as novel as an invisibility cloak.

    Running down the stairs with the invisibility cloak, Harry handed it to Lin Yue. "Here, you can play with it or study it."

    Lin Yue reached out with a calm expression to take the invisibility cloak from Harry. As soon as she held it, she felt something unusual. She could tell it was an invisibility cloak, but the texture of the cloak didn''t feel like the materials commonly used for invisibility cloaks as described in books.

    It is an invisibility cloak, but not an ordinary one. Lin Yue''s heart remained calm, with no emotional fluctuations, as she held the invisibility cloak in front of her. Lin Yue calmly examined it from top to bottom, and then noticed the ancient and intricate patterns on it. After folding the cloak neatly, Lin Yue looked at Harry.

    "This invisibility cloak of yours is very special."

    "Huh?" Harry looked at Lin Yue with some confusion. "What''s so special about it?"

    "This cloak is different from the ones you can buy now," Lin Yue said, her tone completely steady. "It is not made from the materials commonly used to create invisibility cloaks today, so its effectiveness is not time-limited; it should be permanently effective."

    Harry swallowed hard and nodded, "I see..."

    "This was left to you by your father," Lin Yue said, watching as Harry quickly processed this information in his mind.

    "How do you know?!" Harry looked at Lin Yue in surprise. He had only learned this morning, when he received the cloak, from a small note that had been sent along with it, that this invisibility cloak had once belonged to his father.

    If it weren''t for having seen Lin Yue''s handwriting, which is completely different from the font on the little note, Harry would have thought that this invisibility cloak was sent by Lin Yue just based on her earlier statement.

    "Because your father should indeed have an invisibility cloak passed down from his ancestors."

    Lin Yue calmly explained the facts she knew, "In the fairy tales of the wizarding world, the Peverell brothers made a bet with Death and received gifts from him."

    "Among them, the third Peverell brother received the invisibility cloak."

    Ron, who was standing nearby listening to Lin Yue and Harry''s conversation, suddenly clapped his hands.

    "I''ve heard this story too, the story of the Deathly Hallows!"

    "But isn''t this just a legend?" Ron looked at Lin Yue in confusion, wondering if the legend was true.

    "Not entirely," Lin Yue shook her head indifferently and spoke mechanically, "The Peverell family did exist in history and had a marriage alliance with the Potter family."

    "The Potter family can be said to be the descendants of the Peverells, specifically the third Peverell."

    "Therefore, it''s not surprising that Harry''s father would inherit the invisibility cloak passed down from their ancestors."

    "Merlin... Harry, this invisibility cloak of yours is one of the Deathly Hallows!" Ron exclaimed, looking at the neatly folded invisibility cloak that Lin Yue was holding.

    "Deathly Hallows?" Harry frowned, "What are they used for?"

    "The Resurrection Stone is said to bring back the dead, the invisibility cloak allows you to escape death, making it so that even Death cannot find you, and the Elder Wand makes you unbeatable. Whoever possesses these three items can become the Master of Death, the master of Death itself."

    Ron explained to Harry what he had seen in a fairy tale.

    "Is that possible? It''s just a fairy tale, right?" Harry said, somewhat amused and bewildered; becoming the Master of Death sounded like a fairy tale plot.

    "It should just be a fairy tale," Lin Yue said slowly from the side, her emotionless eyes looking at Harry and Ron.

    "The most likely identity of the Peverell brothers is that they were all powerful alchemists, and these three Deathly Hallows were alchemical products they created."

    "As for why there is a rumor that possessing these three Deathly Hallows can conquer death, I think it might be because the powers of these three Hallows are so great that they have surpassed people''s general understanding."

    "That makes sense," Harry nodded thoughtfully.

    After playing a full eleven games of Wizard''s Chess, Lin Yue exchanged stories about the legend of the Invisibility Cloak with Harry and Ron. By the time the three of them stopped talking, it was already time for dinner.

    Following Harry and Ron out of the Gryffindor common room, the three of them made their way to the Great Hall together. Inside the hall, the professors were already seated at the round table, and the few remaining students had taken their places as well. Lin Yue and her friends were among the last to arrive.

    After quickly walking to the round table and taking their seats, Professor Dumbledore looked around to see that everyone was present and then reached for the goblet in front of him.

    ¡°Everyone, I wish you a Merry Christmas.¡±

    ¡°Merry Christmas!¡± everyone else echoed as they raised their goblets. Lin Yue also expressionlessly raised her cup, mechanically wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. As for the sudden flutter in her heart, she dismissed it as possibly just a slight arrhythmia.

    In the students'' goblets is pumpkin juice, while the professors'' goblets are filled with wine.

    Because it is Christmas, the professors have mostly put aside their pretenses and indulged themselves for once, becoming slightly tipsy.

    Watching the slightly tipsy professors, Lin Yue suddenly had a strange thought flash through her mind. Perhaps the teachers she has encountered in this world are indeed different from the ones she has met before.

    Shaking her head, Lin Yue dismissed this inexplicable thought from her mind and slowly began to cut a large piece of turkey in front of her with a knife and fork.

    If it were a regular meal, she would not use a knife and fork to cut the turkey. Instead, she would dive in with her hands, aiming to finish as quickly as possible so she could get back to studying. In fact, if she bit it into small pieces, she would even swallow the bones just to save time.

    But today, only today, she would follow what Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall said and slow down her eating.

    As she slowly placed the cut turkey into her mouth, a taste she had never experienced before blossomed in her mouth. Lin Yue''s taste buds told her that this turkey was delicious, but she should feel... what should she feel? She blandly took a second bite of the turkey, and the food was indeed delicious, but what should she feel?

    Her brain did not provide her with an answer, so she did not think much about it and continued to eat the turkey bite after bite. Her mood remained unchanged as a thought kept repeating in her mind: this turkey tastes good. Accompanied by the Christmas pudding, ice cream was served at the table. This thought then transformed into this Christmas pudding, this ice cream tastes good.

    However, no matter how the food in these thoughts changed, Lin Yue''s face showed no signs of change, and her heart remained a still pond. With a pair of lifeless eyes, she could see others smiling and their eyes crinkling with joy as they enjoyed the delicious food.

    Lin Yue''s brain responded to this: they are laughing. Why are they laughing? Because they are happy. Why are they happy? Because the food is delicious. So... if she also thinks the food is delicious, then she should be happy too?

    But she did not feel happy; she felt no emotions. Lin Yue blinked and calmly reached for another piece of Christmas pudding. Completely unaware that even though her heart and mind were devoid of any feelings or fluctuations, tears had already begun to form in her eyes.

 Chapter 19: Mirror of Erised ?

    At a considerable distance from Hogwarts, Hermione was enjoying Christmas dinner with her parents at the Granger household. As she watched her mother bring a huge turkey to the table, Hermione''s eyes lit up; she really loved the taste of turkey. Just like in previous years, she received one of the turkey legs. Hermione carefully cut a piece of meat with her knife and fork and put it in her mouth, happily squinting her eyes.

    It was still the familiar taste; her mother''s cooking was just so good. She wondered if she would be able to learn how to cook like that in the future... If she learned, she could also make it for her own family and her loved ones. Thinking this, Hermione couldn''t help but picture Lin Yue in her mind.

    Why did Lin Yue come to mind? As soon as this thought arose, Hermione answered the question herself. It''s quite normal to prepare a Christmas dinner and invite friends over to eat. With a smile, she took another bite of turkey, chewing the meat while continuing to follow her earlier train of thought.

    Lin Yue... I wonder what she¡¯s doing now; she should also be having a Christmas dinner. But maybe not... If she still only takes three and a half minutes to eat... she should be done by now. Thinking of this, Hermione''s smile slowly faded. If Lin Yue still eats like that, Hermione pressed her lips tightly together. . That would really make her heart ache; a Christmas dinner should be a meal to enjoy... Watching her daughter press her lips together, looking as if she had something on her mind.

    Mr. Granger asked in confusion, "Hermione, what''s wrong? Are you feeling unhappy about something?"

    "Um?" Hermione came back to her senses and shook her head while looking at her father. "I''m fine, just a bit worried..."

    "Worried?" Mr. Granger looked at Hermione with a puzzled expression.

    However, Mrs. Granger, who had just brought out the remaining dishes from the kitchen, could almost guess what Hermione was worried about just by looking at her expression. It must be about that girl named Lin Yue.

    But she didn''t know what exactly Hermione was worried about. "Alright, don''t ask so many questions."

    Mrs. Granger patted her husband''s shoulder, signaling him to eat and not to pry.

    Then she walked over to Hermione, gently hugged her shoulders, and leaned in to whisper in her ear.

    "Hermione, you don''t need to worry. Today is Christmas, and Santa Claus will make sure that everyone has a joyful day."

    "Mom..." Hermione pouted, "You know, ever since I was eight, I''ve stopped believing that there is a Santa Claus in this world."

    "Ha," Mrs. Granger chuckled as she ruffled her daughter''s hair, "Sometimes believing in fairy tales can be a wonderful thing."

    Hermione lowered her head, and some thoughts quietly flowed through her mind. She had not believed in Santa Claus since she was eight.

    But tonight, she was willing to believe... and even for every Christmas in the future, she was willing to believe that there is a Santa Claus in this world.

    She just hoped that Santa Claus could truly help Lin Yue have a happy day, and that it would be real happiness.

    The Granger family''s Christmas dinner has begun, and the Christmas dinner at Hogwarts is still ongoing.

    Professors and students in the Great Hall are chatting with each other, enjoying dessert and ice cream after the meal.

    Lin Yue quietly sits in her seat, taking small bites of the vanilla ice cream in front of her.

    Her mind, for the first time in a long while, is completely empty at this moment; she isn''t thinking about studying or recalling anything from any book.

    It isn''t until the dinner ends, and she returns to the dormitory that Lin Yue''s mind returns to its usual state.

    Subconsciously reviewing her actions over the past two days, Lin Yue''s thoughts linger on the time she spent playing in the snow with Harry and Ron for an entire afternoon. She wasted study time playing in the snow, and that wasted study time needs to be made up. At the same time, she should accept punishment for her behaviour of wasting study time.

    Lin Yue raised her right hand without hesitation to press against her left arm, but she hesitated to take action. Her mind kept replaying the scenes from the Christmas dinner and the sensation of the Christmas gift Hermione had given her that morning.

    Although she still felt no emotional fluctuations, Lin Yue slowly lowered her hand.

    "I don''t want to punish myself tonight," this thought clearly emerged in her mind.

    She decided to punish herself tomorrow instead; even if the punishment was delayed, the amount would double, but she just didn''t want to punish herself today. She didn''t want the memory of punishing herself to be associated with the gift Hermione had given her and the Christmas dinner, even though she didn''t know why. After putting down her right hand that was meant for punishment, Lin Yue stared blankly at her surroundings. Originally, this was supposed to be study time, but now she wasn''t studying... she didn''t even know what to do.

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Sitting quietly on the bed, Lin Yue stared blankly at the floor until her eyes began to feel sore. Only then did she lift her head to look at the clock in the dormitory. It was one o''clock in the morning. She had been sitting for a full two hours; maybe she could go to sleep. Lin Yue told herself this in her mind, but... should she really sleep?

    "You don''t need much sleep; an hour a day is enough. The more you sleep, the more mistakes you''re making!"

    Her mother''s voice echoed in Lin Yue''s mind. She slowly lowered her head and ultimately did not lie down on the bed. She continued to sit quietly until her break time, and only then did she lie down on the bed and close her eyes. Without any buffer, she fell directly into a deep sleep.

    An hour later, Lin Yue suddenly opened her eyes and sat up in bed. It was a new day. Before getting out of bed to put on her shoes, Lin Yue wasted no time and raised her hand to press on her left arm. After a whole afternoon of playing in the snow for four hours, the punishment had been delayed last night, so the original four strikes had now turned into eight. After the exhausting eight strikes, Lin Yue''s left arm was already trembling slightly.

    Her left upper arm is now covered in dark purple bruises, with one handprint overlapping another, looking quite horrifying.

    Struggling to lift her left arm and move it in circles, Lin Yue''s expression remains calm, showing no signs of pain.

    Once the trembling in her left arm subsides a little, Lin Yue gets out of bed, puts on her shoes and socks, grabs her backpack, opens the door, and walks out of the dormitory.

    Arriving at the library, she finds that it is still too early, and Madam Pince has not yet arrived to start her work.

    So, Lin Yue can only place the books she needs to return on the table next to her and wait for Madam Pince to come before returning them.

    She then walks over to the bookshelf, pulls out a few new books, and sits down in her usual spot.

    After quietly reading for two and a half hours, at exactly seven o''clock, Madam Pince arrives at the library.

    Lin Yue steps forward to return the books she had borrowed earlier and also borrows some new ones before leaving the library with her backpack.

    Watching Lin Yue''s retreating figure, Madam Pince can''t help but marvel at Lin Yue''s diligence in her studies, and at the same time, she can''t help but think how wonderful it would be if all the students at Hogwarts were as hardworking.

    Just as this thought crosses her mind, she is startled by it and feels a pang of pain in her heart. Those children really do have it too hard... It would be better if they just maintained their current state, healthy and happy, learning while growing up well. With a helpless sigh, Madam Pince shakes her head and withdraws her gaze, thinking that Lin Yue is just too hard on herself.

    Lin Yue quickly walked into the great hall. As soon as she sat down at the round table in the centre, breakfast was promptly delivered by the house-elves.

    In just three and a half minutes, she finished her breakfast and hurried back to her dormitory, where she opened a book and began to read seriously.

    Meanwhile, unbeknownst to her, Harry, who had just walked out of his common room, was excitedly discussing the mirror he had seen the night before with Ron.

    "I saw my parents!" Harry shared his joy with Ron, who was beside him.

    "This..." Ron glanced at Harry awkwardly but decided to congratulate him first. "I''m happy for you, mate, but you know they... are gone."

    "I know! They are dead..." Harry lowered his head in silence for a moment, then lifted it again, his eyes shining with renewed light.

    "But I really saw them in the mirror yesterday! Maybe, maybe it''s a mirror that lets you see the dead!"

    "Well, maybe it is," Ron nodded.

    "Do you want to come with me?" Harry looked at Ron excitedly. "I mean, you could meet my parents."

    "Of course, mate," Ron patted Harry on the shoulder. "I''d love to!"

    Harry nodded happily. Seeing Harry''s unusually excited state, Ron felt a sudden inspiration.

    "I think we can invite Lin Yue to join us. I mean, she knows so much; maybe she can help us understand what that mirror is all about. Plus, we can help her relax in the process."

    "Good idea, Ron," Harry agreed with a nod. "Let''s invite her tonight."

    Ron looked puzzled and helplessly at Harry, "Why... do we have to go after curfew at night? You know, Lin Yue probably wouldn''t like breaking curfew."

    Harry raised his hand and slapped his forehead, "Oh right... I completely forgot, we could go during the day. I got too excited."

    Ron let out a long sigh and patted Harry on the shoulder, "It''s okay, let''s go."

    Arriving in front of the Ravenclaw common room door, there was no doubt that the two of them were once again asked a question by the bronze knocker. The two boys exchanged glances and, not wanting to think too hard, just started to blurt out random answers. In the end, Harry got lucky and guessed a reasonable answer, causing the bronze knocker to slowly open the door for them to enter. As they walked into the Ravenclaw common room, the first thing that caught their eye was the small library belonging to Ravenclaw House.

    "Truly fitting for the studious Ravenclaw," Ron remarked.

    Harry nodded in agreement, then looked around. Not seeing Lin Yue''s figure, he guessed she was probably in the dormitory reading. Thinking that besides her, no one else from Ravenclaw was staying at school for Christmas, he decided to call out loudly.

    "Lin Yue, Lin Yue, are you there?"

    Harry''s shout was significantly weakened as it passed through the door of the girls'' dormitory, but it ultimately reached Lin Yue''s ears.

    Although the voice was faint, it was enough for Lin Yue to recognize that someone was calling her full name.

    Breaking away from her study, Lin Yue expressionlessly put down the book she was reading and walked to the door to open it.

    Descending the stairs and arriving in the common lounge, Lin Yue looked at Harry and Ron with a blank expression and spoke emotionlessly, "What''s up?"

    "Uh... last night when I was out for a midnight stroll, I found a really interesting mirror. I thought I''d take you to see it. You know, to help you relax a bit."

    Harry hesitated as he spoke, deliberately emphasizing "relax" to show that he was following Hermione''s instructions, unsure if Lin Yue would agree.

    The thought of going to relax flashed quickly through Lin Yue''s mind.

    Relaxing would take up study time; it shouldn''t take up study time.

    But Hermione wanted them to take her to relax... The two thoughts in Lin Yue''s mind clashed again.

    In the end, the result was the same as last time; Lin Yue nodded indifferently, agreeing to let Harry take her to relax.

    As long as she made up for the time spent relaxing with the three hours of knitting gloves for Hermione and the four hours of playing in the snow, it would be fine.

    As for the punishment for taking up study time, she would deal with it when she got back.

    With Lin Yue in tow, Harry led her and Ron to the abandoned classroom where they had seen the mirror the night before.

    Upon entering the classroom, Lin Yue immediately spotted the enormous mirror in the center.

    As soon as Harry saw the mirror, he forgot about his surroundings and quickly walked up to it, gazing longingly at the image of his parents appearing within.

    After a few glances, Harry finally reacted and turned back to wave at Ron and Lin Yue, "Ron, Lin Yue, come here, look at my parents."

    "Okay." Ron nodded and hurried over.

    Lin Yue, on the other hand, walked up calmly, her gaze steady as she examined the mirror, and soon recognized the inscription of magical runes on it.

    The Mirror of Erised; the introduction she had read in a book instantly popped into her mind.

    "How about you? Did you see my parents?" Harry was still excitedly asking Ron from the other side.

    "No..." Ron replied, his tone equally excited but with a hint of confusion, "I saw... myself becoming the student council president, the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and receiving a special contribution award from Hogwarts!"

    "Does this mirror show our future?!" he exclaimed, looking at Harry with excitement.

    Harry paused for a moment, then shook his head with a wry smile, "No way, Ron, my parents are already dead."

    Ron suddenly realized and quickly spoke up, "Oh, sorry, I didn''t mean to¡ª"

    "It''s okay." Harry waved his hand, indicating that he didn''t mind.

    After confirming that this was the Mirror of Erised, Lin Yue stepped forward slowly, her expression unchanged.

    Ron turned to her curiously, "Lin Yue, do you know what this mirror really is? Why do I see different things from what Harry sees?"

 Chapter 20: Mirror of Erised 2/2

    Lin Yue looked at Ron with a calm gaze and said in a flat voice, "This is the Mirror of Erised, which can show a person''s deepest desires."

    "Deepest desires..." As Harry listened to Lin Yue''s words and looked at the Mirror of Erised in front of him, his eyes were filled with longing and obsession.

    Isn''t that right... his deepest desire is to have his family, the family that can be by his side.

    Upon hearing this, Ron couldn''t help but turn to look at the Mirror of Erised, wondering if what he truly desired was to become more outstanding than Charlie, Bill, and the others... Watching Harry and Ron, who were still gazing at the Mirror of Erised, Lin Yue spoke in a voice devoid of emotion.

    "This kind of mirror, created as an alchemical product, can clarify the future direction for those with a strong will. However, it can also cause those with a weak will to become obsessed, wasting their lives in front of the mirror and ultimately turning into mere skeletons."

    Lin Yue''s indifferent voice rang in his ears, sending a chill down Harry and Ron''s spines. Even Harry, who was immersed in the image of his parents embracing him in the mirror, was pulled out of it by her words. He tightly closed his eyes, trying hard to control himself as he turned his back to the Mirror of Erised. When he opened his eyes, Harry was gasping for breath, using all his willpower to restrain himself, and his forehead was already covered in a fine layer of sweat.

    "Thank you for the reminder... Lin Yue." Harry forced a smile, almost losing himself in the moment.

    Lin Yue looked at Harry with a blank expression, "I''m just speaking the truth; that last statement was a description of its effect in the book."

    Harry felt a bit choked up, realizing he had been overly sentimental... Lin Yue wasn''t trying to hint at anything about him.

    "What would you see in the mirror?" Ron asked curiously, looking at Lin Yue. He really wanted to know what the deepest desire of Lin Yue was, who always had no expression or tone and was solely focused on studying.

    Harry couldn''t help but curiously look at Lin Yue, wondering about her deepest desires... he wanted to know too! However, this mirror seemed a bit dangerous; should he let Lin Yue look into it?

    But clearly, Lin Yue herself wasn''t thinking that much. She had only heard Harry and Ron asking her what she would see in the mirror, what would be her innermost desire. To answer that question, she needed to look into the mirror. After her brain reached this conclusion, Lin Yue stepped up to the mirror and gazed blankly at the image within.

    As Lin Yue approached the mirror, the image began to change rapidly. A soft-looking bed bathed in sunlight flashed by, and the Lin Yue in the mirror was curled up on it, her sleeping face serene and peaceful.

    The next image that appeared was a dining table filled with various delicious foods, where Lin Yue was leisurely enjoying her meal.

    Finally, there was a fleeting image of her walking in the mountains with Hermione, and then the mirror was completely shrouded in thick fog, as if even the Mirror of Erised could not detect Lin Yue''s deepest desire.

    "What did you see?" Harry blinked and looked at Lin Yue with anticipation. Was it a perfect score on an exam? Or was it her winning the House Cup for Ravenclaw?

    Lin Yue turned back to face Harry and Ron, her expression unchanged. "First, I saw myself sleeping on a sunlit bed, then I was eating, and after that, there was a scene of me walking with Hermione. All of these flashed by, and in the end, there was just a fog, and nothing else."

    Harry and Ron exchanged a glance, and Ron looked at Lin Yue with a puzzled expression.

    "Is this your deepest desire? Sleeping, eating, and walking?"

    "What about the final mist?"

    Lin Yue shook her head calmly, "I don''t know, the book doesn''t mention this situation."

    "Alright," Ron said, scratching his head.

    After taking one last lingering look at the Mirror of Erised, Harry left the classroom with Ron and Lin Yue without looking back.

    He would never come here again, nor would he ever look at the Mirror of Erised again; he was quietly certain of that.

    Because he knew very well that his parents had protected him from Voldemort to ensure that he could live well, not to become a skeleton lost in fantasies in front of a magical mirror.

    At the corner, Ron said goodbye to Harry, and Lin Yue quickly returned to the dormitory, seamlessly entering a state of study. She had just spent an hour with Harry and Ron looking at the Mirror of Erised, so now she needed to make up for eight hours of study time. Eight days of sleep would be just enough to catch up, Lin Yue quickly calculated in her mind.

    The morning study session had completely ended. Lin Yue closed her book and, before heading to the Great Hall for lunch, raised her hand to add another mark on her left arm as a punishment for having used her study time to sneak a look at the Erised Mirror.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    As she opened the dormitory door, Lin Yue quickly walked out of the Ravenclaw common room and headed straight for the Great Hall.

    When she entered the Great Hall, lunch was just being served on the tables by the house-elves, and the professors and other students who stayed at school had not yet arrived.

    Without any professors to stop her, Lin Yue finished her lunch in three and a half minutes and quickly returned to her dormitory to continue studying. It wasn''t until she was back in her dormitory and had already started studying that the professors and students began to trickle into the Great Hall.

    Seeing the dishes on the Christmas holiday round table that had clearly been disturbed, the professors who could guess the situation, along with Harry and Ron, all sighed in unison.

    For the next four days, Harry and Ron were unable to catch Lin Yue at all. She would go to the library at seven every morning to return books and borrow enough for the day, then have breakfast, and return to her dormitory to study. She wouldn¡¯t leave her dormitory until lunchtime and dinnertime, and even then, she only took three and a half minutes to eat, totalling just seven minutes for each meal including travel time.

    Not to mention Harry and Ron, even the professors couldn¡¯t catch her; it was as if the staircases at Hogwarts had taken a liking to her. No matter where she wanted to go, they would assist her, making it impossible for the professors to encounter her on the way.

    The only person who had contact with Lin Yue during these four days was Madam Pince. She watched the girl, noticing that her complexion visibly grew paler over the four days, and her mental state seemed to deteriorate as well. Finally, on the morning of the fifth day, when Lin Yue came to borrow books from her again, Madam Pince could no longer hold back.

    "Miss Lin Yue... Have you been feeling unwell these past few days? Your complexion looks bad," Madam Pince said with concern as she looked at Lin Yue, whose face was indeed very pale, and the dark circles under her eyes were quite pronounced.

    "Thank you for your concern, Madam Pince I''m not unwell," Lin Yue replied expressionlessly, but her voice was unusually hoarse and dazed.

    This was the fifth day; she hadn''t slept a wink for four consecutive nights, but she had only managed to make up half of the study time she had missed, with the other half still needing to be caught up.

    Mrs. Pins pressed her lips together as she looked at Lin Yue. "If you''re not feeling well, go to the medical wing. Don''t make us worry, okay?"

    Lin Yue nodded with a deadpan expression, "Okay, thank you, Madam Pince "

    After taking the books Mrs. Pins handed her, Lin Yue quickly put them in her backpack, rushed to the great hall to grab a bite to eat, and then returned to her dormitory to continue studying.

    Harry and Ron couldn''t find Lin Yue, and it wasn''t practical for them to go to Ravenclaw Tower every day to look for her, especially since they had their own homework to do.

    So, they temporarily set aside the idea of helping her relax.

    Finally, on the morning of the ninth day after Christmas, Lin Yue used the eight nights of sleep she had missed to completely make up for her lost study time. After putting the finished books into her backpack, Lin Yue leaned on the table, trying to stand up. However, at that moment, her breathing became heavy, her mind felt particularly foggy, and the world around her seemed to start spinning in her eyes.

    As darkness descended in her line of sight, Lin Yue''s body fell heavily to the ground with a thud. Fortunately, there was a carpet in the Hogwarts dormitory; otherwise, this fall would have been quite painful for her.

    Her black hair fell across her face, accentuating her pale complexion, resembling a lifeless vampire. The dark circles under her eyes indicated her exhaustion. The sun slowly climbed above the horizon, and the sunlight gradually crept up from her ankles.

    Even when the sun rose high and the light shone on her face, Lin Yue showed no reaction. As day turned to night, it was only with the appearance of the moonlight that Lin Yue struggled to open her eyes.

    Her eyes remained lifeless and silent. Lin Yue used her hands to push against the ground, trying to get herself up. With a detached gaze, she looked out the window, and the bright night made her muddled mind realize something. Stumbling back, she sat down on her bed and raised her right hand to look at the watch on her wrist.

    Eight o''clock in the evening... So I fainted, and I fainted for a whole day. Lin Yue''s brain struggled to think, while at the same time, thoughts that didn''t even require much consideration came to mind. So I wasted nearly fifteen hours of study time from five o''clock in the morning to eight o''clock in the evening. Slowly lifting her head, Lin Yue wanted to get up to grab her backpack from the desk, and then, while it was still before curfew, go to the library to return books and borrow new ones.

    Unfortunately, before she could get up, her muddled brain, unable to maintain balance, caused her to fall back onto the bed.

    "Mm..." Lin Yue let out a sound without any expression on her face. Since she couldn''t walk, she simply leaned over and lay down on the floor. Bit by bit, she used her arms to pull herself toward the bathroom; she no longer had the mental capacity to control her legs.

    Her brain was so foggy that she could barely control her own body, but the idea of using cold water popped into her mind effortlessly. In the past, whenever she felt similarly dazed at home or couldn''t get out of bed, her mom or dad would splash a basin of cold water on her, and her foggy brain would reboot. Although her head would hurt afterward, it was exceptionally effective.

    Struggling to pull herself to the bathroom with her arms, Lin Yue lay on the floor and managed to turn on the water with difficulty. She chose not to use hot water; instead, the extremely cold water in winter poured directly over her.

    Her head and body were soon completely soaked with cold water, and while she couldn''t help but shiver, Lin Yue''s brain slowly began to shake off the fog. However, her complexion became even paler, and her lips turned dark purple. Supporting herself on the ground, she got up and turned off the water.

    With her right hand on her head, she leaned weakly against the wall and rested for a while. After feeling that she had regained a bit of strength, she turned around and walked out of the bathroom without hesitation. She grabbed a towel and dried her hair a bit, not caring that her body was still wet, and directly took off her soaked clothes to change into dry ones.

    Raising her right hand to check her watch, she realized that all this fuss had wasted an hour, and it was already nine o''clock in the evening. She needed to make up for sixteen hours of study time, and her throbbing brain provided the answer. Reaching for her backpack, Lin Yue staggered to the dormitory door, opened it, and stepped outside.

    As she approached the small library in the Ravenclaw common room, her footsteps suddenly halted. She raised her hand to touch her cheek, which felt as cold as ice, and recalled her reflection in the bathroom mirror after she had gotten up from the floor.

    Her face was pale, her lips dark, and her entire expression conveyed a sickly appearance. Her brain began to connect this with memories. She remembered similar situations when she was with her parents, which were due to illness.

    At that time, she had taken some medicine and, as her mom said, continued to go to school, so being sick also meant studying; that was a rule set by her mom. Neither her teachers nor classmates reacted to it, and they didn''t make her stop studying.

    But... what about Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall, and Headmaster Dumbledore? Lin Yue thought to herself without any emotional fluctuation. Considering that they allowed her to take a break on Christmas Day, they would let her rest in this situation as well.

    However, learning cannot be delayed; even when sick, one should still study. Moreover, she wasn''t sick; she just felt drowsy and wanted to sleep. So, she couldn''t go out now; she couldn''t let anyone see her like this. She should be in the Ravenclaw tower, studying in her dormitory.

    Giving up on the idea of going to the Hogwarts library to borrow new books, Lin Yue reached for four books from the small library inside Ravenclaw and hurriedly made her way back to her dormitory. She pulled out a chair, sat back down at her desk, and began to study again, carefully reading the contents of the books. Lin Yue once again entered a state of learning. As night deepened, the pure white moonlight shone on Lin Yue''s pale face, adding a touch of melancholy to her study scene.

 Chapter 21: A part of the truth

    Hogwarts'' Christmas holiday lasts for two weeks, fourteen days, and today is already the ninth day. Lin Yue has been reading from eight o''clock on the evening of the ninth day until six o''clock the next morning before finally closing her book.

    She stood up, slung her backpack over her shoulder, and headed to the Hogwarts library to return her books. At six o''clock in the morning, Madam Pince had not yet arrived, so Lin Yue placed the books on her desk and then turned around to quickly walk towards the Great Hall.

    Fifteen hours of unconsciousness had slightly improved her complexion, but only just a little. Her face still bore a sickly pallor, her lips were colourless, and dark circles surrounded her eyes. After having breakfast in the Great Hall, Lin Yue hurried back to the Ravenclaw tower, sat down at her desk, and entered a serious study mode, focusing intently on her books.

    In the following four days of the holiday, no professor or student remaining at school saw Lin Yue. Even Madam Pince had not seen Lin Yue come to the library to borrow books again, and she silently breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Lin Yue had finally given herself a few days off to rest.

    She thought to herself that this child finally knows how to let herself rest.

    However, the fact is that Lin Yue, after some thought, confirmed that her current appearance would definitely lead the professors to ask her to stop studying. But learning cannot be stopped, not even when one is sick. Therefore, she needed to avoid the professors. Lin Yue made this judgment without any feelings. As a result, she deliberately went to the dining hall early for the past four days and then quickly returned to her dormitory, all to avoid encountering the professors and the students who stayed on Hogwarts, especially Harry and Ron among them.

    Even during these four days, she only read books from the small library within Ravenclaw House. For a full four days, she had not closed her eyes, not even for a minute of sleep. Another thing was that her left arm had completely lost the ability to be raised during these days. On the night she fell unconscious, she punished herself for the fifteen hours of study time she had wasted. When her right hand pressed down on her left arm, leaving fifteen clear handprints without mercy, her left arm began to tremble uncontrollably, losing all strength to lift itself. With a calm expression, she slowly opened her right hand, and under the light in the dormitory, Lin Yue clearly saw her right palm covered in blood. Slowly taking off her wizard robe, Lin Yue gently pulled open her shirt, revealing that the upper left arm of her white shirt was completely soaked in blood.

    After Lin Yue took off her shirt, her left upper arm was covered in bloody handprints. Continuous injuries had finally taken a toll on her left arm, causing it to bleed.

    Calmly averting her gaze, Lin Yue reached for a tissue nearby and vigorously wiped her left arm, cleaning off the blood that had seeped out.

    The force she used seemed to make her completely unaware of the pain; even though it hurt deeply, there was not a trace of expression on her face.

    Even in this state, Lin Yue merely apathetically changed into a clean set of clothes and then sat down at her desk to resume studying. As a result, until the last day of the holiday, her left arm remained in a state where she couldn''t lift it.

    She truly was not afraid of pain; in the absence of emotions, while the pain was uncomfortable, it was bearable for her. However, aside from the pain, the injury to her left arm had reached a limit of the body''s capacity to endure, making it impossible for her to exert any strength with it.

    Let alone endure the pain to move it, so when the holiday ended, what Hermione saw was Lin Yue with her left arm hanging down, eating at the table with only her right hand, looking strangely out of place. Not to mention the suffocating pallor on her face and her dark lips, Hermione felt as if her heart was being squeezed.

    The Hogwarts Express arrived at Hogwarts in the evening, and she hurried to the Great Hall after packing her things. She arrived earlier than the other professors and students, thinking that if she got there early, she would run into Lin Yue. If Lin Yue hadn''t arrived yet, she could wait for her there. As a result, when she walked into the Great Hall, she indeed encountered Lin Yue, who had come early to eat, just like a few days ago. Before she could greet her, Hermione noticed Lin Yue''s strange posture.

    Furrowing her brows, Hermione quickly walked up to Lin Yue. "Lin Yue, good evening."

    Hearing Hermione''s voice, Lin Yue paused her eating for a moment, then looked up at Hermione with a blank expression.

    "Good afternoon, Hermione."

    "Uh-huh," Hermione nodded, her gaze fixed on Lin Yue''s left arm. "What happened to your left arm?"

    Lin Yue, who showed no emotion and would never lie, simply stated the truth.

    "A punishment for wasting study time."

    "What?" Hermione looked at Lin Yue in confusion, but Lin Yue did not respond further and continued to eat on her own.

    Hermione vaguely felt that something was off. She squinted at Lin Yue and then unceremoniously walked over to sit beside her, reaching out to grab some food for herself.

    "I''ll go back to your dorm with you later and let me see your left arm."This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Hermione said this in an undeniable tone, and Lin Yue did not argue back, continuing to eat her dinner without any reaction.

    After quickly finishing her own dinner, Hermione closely followed Lin Yue all the way to the entrance of the Ravenclaw common room. Lin Yue answered the riddle of the bronze knocker and led Hermione up the stairs to the common room, entering her dorm. Cho Chang and Marietta had just gone to the Great Hall for dinner, so the two groups missed each other perfectly.

    Hermione stood at the door with her arms crossed and nodded at Lin Yue, "Alright, let me see your left arm."

    Lin Yue mechanically replied, "Okay."

    Slowly taking off her wizard robe, she opened her shirt underneath. At first, when Hermione saw Lin Yue slowly removing her wizard robe, a deep blush appeared on her face. But when Lin Yue took off her shirt, Hermione''s shyness immediately vanished, leaving only a surge of anger and heartache in her heart.

    "Who did this?" Hermione asked, trembling as she stepped closer to Lin Yue, her voice filled with suppressed rage as she looked at the bloody handprints all over Lin Yue''s left upper arm.

    "I did it myself," Lin Yue replied emotionlessly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

    "What...?" Hermione was taken aback for a moment, her gaze shifting from Lin Yue''s left upper arm to her face.

    "Missing study time requires punishment," Lin Yue answered mechanically.

    Hermione swallowed hard, trembling slightly as she lifted Lin Yue''s right hand and placed it on her own left upper arm.

    Lin Yue looked at Hermione without any reaction, not understanding what Hermione was trying to do.

    "Try... to press your hand against this handprint..." Hermione said, her voice trembling. She still couldn''t believe that this was something Lin Yue had done to herself.

    "Okay." Lin Yue nodded and slowly pressed her right hand against one of the handprints on Hermione''s left upper arm, perfectly aligning with it.

    Taking a deep breath, Hermione had to close her eyes to force herself to calm down. When she opened her eyes again, they were filled with the authority of a lioness.

    "Who taught you to do this? To hurt yourself?"

    Lin Yue spoke in a flat tone, "My parents told me that if I waste study time or make mistakes in my studies, I should be punished."

    "Hurting yourself as a punishment?!" Hermione couldn''t help but raise her voice. She could hardly believe what kind of parents would say such things, what kind of parents would allow their child to harm herself.

    "Yes, isn''t that a punishment?" Lin Yue nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

    Hermione covered her face with her hands and silently screamed for a while, hiding her face in her palms.

    Only then did she slowly lift her head and look at Lin Yue, her voice becoming subdued.

    "What you said... about wasting study time, what does that mean?"

    Lin Yue looked at Hermione and instinctively opened her mouth to respond, but her brain seemed to finally kick in and stop her. Hermione was kind, and a voice in her head reminded her that if she punished herself for delaying her studies by making her a pair of gloves, she would feel guilty. After coming to this conclusion, Lin Yue selectively shared part of the truth.

    "The time spent relaxing with Harry and the others to have a snowball fight, the time spent going to see the Mirror of Erised together."

    Weakly nodding, Hermione could no longer focus on the mention of the Mirror of Erised in her words. All she heard was the time spent relaxing with Harry and the others... relaxing with Harry and the others.

    Who reminded Harry to take Lin Yue out to relax? It was her! Damn it, she was the one who caused Lin Yue to punish herself. Even though Lin Yue didn''t mention the glove-making incident, Hermione still felt guilty and blamed herself for it.

    Listening to this, she seemed to remember something and looked at Lin Yue, "So... when I took you to watch the Quidditch match before... you also punished yourself, right?"

    "That also took up your study time."

    Lin Yue seemed to be stuck, futilely opening her mouth. She instinctively wanted to answer truthfully, but something in her mind was stopping her, causing her head to throb painfully. Although there was no expression on Lin Yue''s face and she had no other physical reactions besides opening her mouth, Hermione could sense her struggle and the pain that accompanied it.

    Gently reaching out to hold her, Hermione slowly stroked her back, saying, "I understand. You don''t need to say anything."

    Lin Yue was held in Hermione''s arms, her face as pale as water, with her mouth closed tightly.

    Hermione closed her eyes for a moment, "Lin Yue, can I know how you schedule your study time?"

    "Sure."

    Hermione lowered her head, looking at Lin Yue, whom she was holding, "Go ahead."

    Lin Yue didn''t look up, just mechanically replied, "I sleep from four to five every day, have three meals a day, each lasting three and a half minutes, take five minutes to shower, and spend the rest of the time studying."

    "Is this also your damn... sorry," Hermione swallowed the curse that almost slipped out, "Is this also set by your parents?"

    "Yes," Lin Yue answered calmly, "It ensures I get the most basic rest, allowing me to study in the most efficient state."

    "That''s nonsense," Hermione muttered through gritted teeth.

    Releasing Lin Yue, Hermione crouched down to look into her eyes. "Don''t believe your parents; this will ruin you."

    "Your body can''t take it, and your mind can''t take it either. Do you know how bad your complexion looks and how heavy your dark circles are?"

    Lin Yue stared blankly at Hermione, her eyes as still as dead water. "Studying is the most important thing."

    "To hell with studying being the most important!" Hermione couldn''t hold back any longer; the lioness of Gryffindor unleashed her anger.

    Although she could say in front of Harry and Ron that being expelled was worse than dying, when she saw Lin Yue truly putting studying above her own health, even her own life, Hermione felt an uncontrollable rage.

    "What good is studying if you lose your life?!" Hermione grasped Lin Yue''s shoulders tightly, wanting to shake her awake, but she was afraid of causing more problems for her already weak body, so she hesitated to act. But not studying could also lead to losing her life... Lin Yue thought to herself, feeling no waves of emotion, yet she didn''t voice this thought.

    Hermione pressed her lips together and looked at Lin Yue. "Either you promise me that you''ll get at least six hours of sleep every day from now on, and that no matter what problems arise in your studies, you won''t punish yourself for it or I can just move into your dorm to supervise you; I don''t mind sleeping on the floor."

    Lin Yue''s brain quickly processed this, and she nodded, "I promise you; I guarantee that I will get at least six hours of sleep every day from now on, and I won''t punish myself for studying anymore."

    Hermione nodded, still pressing her lips together, and reached out to help Lin Yue adjust her shirt. "Put on your wizard robe it''s quite chilly."

    Lin Yue nodded and reached for her wizard robe to put it on.

    "I''ll be keeping an eye on your condition every day. If you still look pale and weak from lack of sleep, I''ll come straight to your dorm to sleep on the floor!"

    "Mm..." Lin Yue replied expressionlessly.

    "Make sure to go to bed early tonight and remember to get six hours of sleep. I''m leaving now; I need to take some time for myself."

    "Okay."

    Hermione raised an eyebrow and looked at Lin Yue, "Aren''t you going to say goodnight to me?"

    "Goodnight," Lin Yue replied mechanically.

    "Goodnight," Hermione said as she reached out to hug Lin Yue, "Have sweet dreams tonight."

    After saying that, she let go and turned and leave Lin Yue''s dormitory. As soon as she stepped out, Hermione''s expression changed dramatically.

    It was fierce; anger was no longer enough to describe her current state. She even felt that if Lin Yue''s parents were standing in front of her right now, without considering Lin Yue''s feelings, she could cast the most vicious curse she could think of on them without any psychological burden.

    Their approach to Lin Yue''s education could no longer be described as hoping their child would become excellent; they were simply raising a learning machine, training a compliant and efficient learning machine, completely disregarding Lin Yue''s well-being.

    She could hardly believe that there were parents in the world who treated their children this way.

    Standing on the stairs, she took a while to calm her emotions, and only when her expression gradually returned to normal did Hermione slowly walk down the stairs, leaving the Ravenclaw common room.

    However, Hermione still did not know that she had only learned a part of the truth... the real cruelty had yet to be discovered.

 Chapter 22: Constantly repeating sleep, small changes.

    After Hermione left, Lin Yue expressionlessly sat back down in her chair and opened her book to continue studying. She had promised Hermione that she would get six hours of sleep every night and would no longer punish herself for her grades, so she would naturally adhere to these two points. However, in other aspects, she would still follow the "rules." For example, aside from sleep time, meal time, and necessary time for dealing with physiological needs, all other time was designated for studying. Additionally, if she violated school rules or regulations, she would have to accept punishment.

    Her brain was indeed unconsciously sending her signals, urging her to listen to Hermione. Otherwise, if it were anyone else, unless they were a professor or the principal, she wouldn''t care about what they said, let alone change her study plans and regulations based on someone else''s words.

    As for why her brain repeatedly wanted her to listen to Hermione... Lin Yue herself didn''t know. That part of her brain, that piece of her heart that felt incomplete, made it difficult for her to understand these behaviours.

    When Cho Chang and Marietta returned, they found Lin Yue still sitting at her desk, diligently studying, just as she had been before Christmas. The two of them moved quietly, taking turns to shower, and then they also sat down on their beds to read the books they kept for bedtime reading.

    By eleven o''clock at night, Cho Chang was the first to put down her book, rubbed her eyes, and after saying goodnight to Marietta and Lin Yue, she curled up in her blanket and went to sleep.

    Marietta, on the other hand, did not feel tired because she had taken a nap on the Hogwarts Express on her way back, so she continued to read her book. It wasn''t until nearly midnight that a shocking scene unfolded: Lin Yue, who was supposed to keep reading, unexpectedly closed her book, expressionless, stood up, grabbed some clean clothes, and walked into the bathroom to take a shower.

    After finishing her shower, she quickly dried her hair, and Marietta stared at this scene in a daze, unsure if the person in front of her was really Lin Yue. Or... could it be that Lin Yue finally realized she was tired? So, she decided to rest early?

    Thinking of this, Marietta surprisingly felt a sense of relief in her heart.

    After drying her hair, Lin Yue raised her head and calmly glanced at Marietta. Remembering that Cho Chang had just said goodnight to both of them before going to bed, Lin Yue spoke up in a flat tone.

    "Good night." After saying that, she lay down on the bed, reached out to pull the bed curtain, and covered herself with the quilt to sleep.

    Marietta looked at the bed curtain that Lin Yue had pulled shut and couldn''t help but swallow. She actually... really fell asleep?

    But why did Lin Yue''s complexion look so bad? Her cheeks were unusually pale, and her lips had a bluish tint. Earlier, she had her back to Marietta and Cho Chang, so they hadn''t noticed. Just now, when she took a closer look... Lin Yue''s complexion was truly at its worst. Was she sick?

    Suppressing her shock and concern, Marietta closed the book in her hands, lay down on the bed, pulled the bed curtain, and decided to find time with Cho Chang tomorrow to ask Lin Yue if she was unwell. If she was, they would take her to the medical wing.

    Closing her eyes and trying to clear her mind, Marietta soon fell asleep.

    Lin Yue lay on the bed, covering herself with the quilt, and as soon as she closed her eyes, her exhausted body immediately "pulled" her into sleep. Sadly, just an hour later, Lin Yue suddenly opened her eyes wide.

    Instinctively, she sat up to pull back the bed curtain to study, but as soon as she reached out her hand, she remembered that she had promised Hermione to get at least six hours of sleep every day, and that she should continue sleeping.

    Retracting her hand, Lin Yue lowered her gaze and slowly lay back down.

    Closing her eyes, her weary body once again pulled her into a deep slumber, until an hour later when she woke up again.This cycle repeated for six hours, with Lin Yue waking up once every hour and then falling back asleep, going back and forth like this, preventing her from getting a good night''s rest.

    At six in the morning, Lin Yue, who had gotten six hours of sleep, sat up with a lifeless expression. She quickly changed her clothes, pulled back the bed curtains, and sat down at her desk to read.

    After finishing all the books, she borrowed from the Ravenclaw common room''s small library, Lin Yue put on her backpack and quietly walked out of the dormitory, holding the books. She returned the books to the small library, then left the Ravenclaw common room and headed straight for the Hogwarts library. Upon arriving at the library, Madam Pince was already organizing her things in preparation for work.

    Lin Yue greeted her expressionlessly, "Good morning, Madam Pince."

    "Good morning, Miss Lin Yue." Madam Pince instinctively looked up and smiled in response upon hearing her voice.

    However, when she saw Lin Yue''s complexion, her pupils dilated in shock. "Why is your face even paler than before?! And those dark circles... have you been staying up late studying?"The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Lin Yue paused for a moment and replied in a flat tone, "I won''t do that anymore. I will ensure I get six hours of sleep."

    Madam Pince reluctantly nodded, "Alright... although I think six hours of sleep isn''t quite enough for little wizards like you."

    Lin Yue calmly withdrew her gaze and walked straight to the bookshelf, pulling out a few books in order, and then handed them to Madam Pince. She helped Lin Yue register the borrowed books, and after Lin Yue politely thanked her, she left the library and quickly headed towards the Great Hall.

    As she entered the Great Hall, breakfast was just being served. Lin Yue sat down at the Ravenclaw table and quickly lowered her head to eat her breakfast. Just as she was halfway through her meal, Hermione, who had gotten up early just to block her in the Great Hall, walked in yawning.

    Although Hermione had enough sleep, she had to admit that she really hadn''t gotten up this early before; she was up by six-thirty! However, when she saw Lin Yue sitting at the Ravenclaw long table, she instantly felt that her early rise was worth it.

    She quickly walked over, leaning down to carefully examine Lin Yue''s complexion. Hmm... although it was still not great, it was much better compared to what she looked like yesterday. It seemed that Lin Yue had followed her advice and gotten a full six hours of sleep, and Hermione nodded in satisfaction.

    "Good morning, Lin Yue," Hermione said, and without caring that this was the Ravenclaw long table, she directly sat down opposite Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue, who had been silently scrutinized by Hermione, only lifted her head from her breakfast when she heard her name being called, responding in a flat tone.

    "Good morning, Hermione."

    Hermione used a knife and fork to bring herself a sandwich, took a big bite, and asked while chewing, "You got enough sleep for six hours yesterday, right? I can see your complexion has improved a lot."

    "Yeah... I got enough sleep," Lin Yue replied in a calm tone, nodding slightly. Although she woke up every hour, as long as she lay down and closed her eyes, she would immediately fall back asleep, so she could say she had slept for six hours.

    "That''s good," Hermione smiled and handed Lin Yue a cup of pumpkin juice. "Now that your sleep schedule is back to normal, do you feel much better?"

    Lin Yue reached out to take the pumpkin juice that Hermione handed over, took a sip, and nodded slightly with a neutral expression.

    "Mm, much better."

    "That''s good to hear," Hermione said with a smile.

    As usual, breakfast was finished in three and a half minutes. Lin Yue stood up and walked out of the Great Hall. Her first class this morning was Transfiguration.

    Before the Transfiguration class started, Professor McGonagall noticed Lin Yue sitting in the front row as usual.

    She also noticed the unusual paleness and fatigue on her face. "Miss Lin Yue, are you unwell?"

    Professor McGonagall looked at Lin Yue with concern. "If you get sick, you can go to Poppy, that is, the hospital wing, and you''ll get better very quickly."

    Lin Yue calmly shook her head. "Thank you for your concern, Professor McGonagall, but I''m not sick."

    "Not sick? Then what''s wrong with your complexion?"

    Lin Yue''s mind briefly stalled as she recalled the word Mrs. Pince had mentioned. "Staying up late to study. What she said was indeed the truth, with no discrepancies, and it was highly aligned with the facts. However, her staying up late meant that she had gone several days without sleep, leaving herself in a state of near coma.

    Professor McGonagall furrowed her brow tightly and said, "Miss Lin Yue, I cannot agree with your method of staying up late to study. Young wizards are in a period of growth, and you need plenty of sleep."

    Lin Yue nodded with a vacant expression, echoing the same words she had said in front of Madam Pince. "I won''t do it again."

    "I hope so." Seeing Lin Yue''s vacant eyes and expressionless face, Professor McGonagall sighed and said no more.

    In Transfiguration class, Lin Yue continued to showcase her excellence and impressive point-earning abilities, just like in every previous class. By the end of the lesson, she had earned quite a few points for Ravenclaw. Since the beginning of the school year, thanks to Lin Yue and the Ravenclaw top students who were motivated by her, Ravenclaw House was now far ahead in house points, leaving the other three houses behind.

    The first-year courses at Hogwarts are indeed not many. After the morning classes ended, there were no classes in the afternoon. Lin Yue quickly finished her lunch, reading while walking, and hurried to the library, sitting down in her usual spot to start reading.

    She completely failed to notice that three little tails were following her from behind.

    One of the little tails, Ron Weasley, turned to Hermione with a painful expression. "Hermione... there are no classes this afternoon, so it''s meant for resting, right? Can''t we go back to the common room and take a break?"

    "If you''re worried that Lin Yue is studying too long, we can take her with us to rest."

    The second little tail, Hermione Granger, listened to Ron''s words and couldn''t help but recall how she had brought Lin Yue to watch the Quidditch match, which led to Lin Yue punishing herself.

    A dull pain surged in her heart, and Hermione shook her head. "No need, I just want to study with her."

    While studying, she could keep an eye on that girl to prevent her from doing anything reckless. Plus, she could manage the study time and remind her to take breaks without harming herself.

    "And you and Harry haven''t finished your homework yet, right? It¡¯s just right to finish it later."

    Hermione stared seriously at Harry and Ron, and the two boys felt as if they were being scrutinized by Professor McGonagall, completely unable to muster any thoughts of refusal.

    "Alright... we''ll finish our work as soon as possible," Harry said, yielding to his feelings and "submitting" to Hermione.

    "Very good," Hermione smiled with satisfaction, then walked into the library and sat down next to Lin Yue, not disturbing her, but simply taking out a book and starting to read slowly.

    Harry and Ron exchanged glances, sighed helplessly, and then walked over to sit across from Hermione and Lin Yue, taking out their homework and beginning to work diligently.

    After studying for nearly an hour and a half, Hermione lifted her head, blinked her slightly tired eyes, and reached out to tap Lin Yue''s shoulder.

    "Lin Yue, Lin Yue."

    Lin Yue heard her full name being called and immediately snapped out of her studying state, turning to look at Hermione with a blank expression on her face.

    "You''ve been reading for an hour and a half, take a break."

    "I don''t need to..." Lin Yue instinctively wanted to say she didn''t need a break, but was abruptly interrupted by Hermione.

    "Don''t say you don''t need a break. You''re a person, not a machine. Just take a break."

    As she spoke, Hermione reached out and pulled the book in front of Lin Yue over to herself, enforcing the break! Lin Yue slowly withdrew her gaze, leaned back against the chair, and stared blankly at the wall opposite her.

    It looked like she was daydreaming and resting, but in reality, she was continuously reciting the content of the book she had just read in her mind. On the other hand, Harry and Ron were also allowed to take a break under Hermione''s permission. Taking advantage of the break, Hermione lowered her voice and asked them, "So... have you figured out who Nicolas Flamel is during the Christmas holiday?"

    "No..." Harry shook his head somewhat guiltily. He and Ron spent their Christmas holiday just doing homework and playing around.

    Nicolas Flamel, Harry only remembered to check who he was on the night he received the invisibility cloak, and afterward, the two of them forgot about it.

    "Well," Hermione shrugged, "I didn''t think of it either. If we can''t find out, we can''t find out. Let''s just keep looking slowly."

    Harry and Ron could only nod in agreement silently.

    Lin Yue, expressionless, was reciting the content from the book beside them, but Hermione and the conversation between Harry and Ron still reached her ears.

    However, just like last time, Hermione and the others didn''t ask her, so she took it for granted that they didn''t need her to tell them who Nicolas Flamel was, and thus Lin Yue remained silent.

    While the four were taking a break, a commotion suddenly erupted from outside the library.

    Listening closely, it seemed there were voices of Neville and Malfoy.

    The three members of Gryffindor exchanged glances, all feeling that nothing good was happening outside the library at that moment, especially with Neville and Malfoy together.

    Without a second thought, Hermione, Harry, and Ron stood up and walked towards the library exit together.

    Lin Yue watched the three of them leave with a calm expression. After two seconds, she also followed suit, standing up and following them without any emotional turmoil in her heart.

 Chapter 23: Neville incident

    Following Hermione and the others out of the Hogwarts library, Lin Yue calmly looked at Neville and the Malfoy group in front of her. Malfoy was flanked by his usual two lackeys, Crabbe and Goyle. At that moment, they were gathered together, pointing at Neville and laughing heartily, while Neville''s legs were bound by a spell, forcing him to jump in place continuously.

    Hermione furrowed her brows fiercely, pulled out her wand without hesitation, and pointed it at Neville. " Finite!"

    Neville''s legs were suddenly released, and he lost his balance, uncontrollably falling forward. Harry and Ron quickly reached out to catch him, while glaring angrily at Draco and his two companions.

    "Malfoy! You''re up to no good again!" Ron glared at Draco Malfoy, wishing he could kill him with just a look.Draco smirked disdainfully, slightly raising his chin towards Ron.

    "I just learned a new spell; I need someone to test it on, don¡¯t I?"

    "You!" Harry drew his wand, pointing it directly at Malfoy.

    "Harry! No!" Hermione reached out and tightly grasped Harry''s wrist, shaking her head.

    They couldn''t use magic on Malfoy in the corridor; it would cause trouble for themselves and Gryffindor.

    Harry gritted his teeth and reluctantly put away his wand.

    "Tch..." Draco scoffed dismissively, turning around and leaving with his two "lackeys."

    Ron closed his eyes for a moment, then turned to Neville, "Neville, you need to learn to stand up for yourself. Even if you don''t use magic, you should still hit him!"

    "I... I can''t," Neville shook his head timidly, "I''m too scared."

    "Maybe Malfoy is right. I... I really shouldn''t be a Gryffindor; I''m not brave at all."

    "Neville!" Ron looked at Neville with wide eyes, gripping his shoulders tightly, "Listen, in our eyes, you''re stronger than twelve Malfoys put together, got it?"

    Neville pressed his lips together and nodded slightly with minimal movement.

    Lin Yue looked at Neville with a deadpan expression and said emotionlessly, "Endless tolerance will only encourage those who bully you to become more aggressive."

    "According to the school''s regulations, I suggest you seek help from a professor."

    "Of course, it would be even better to just punch him!" Ron chimed in from the side, mimicking a punch in front of himself.

    "I... I will try my best," Neville said, shrinking his neck and nodding in agreement.

    Lin Yue glanced calmly at Ron; there was no doubt that his method had violated the rules. Retracting her gaze, Lin Yue politely greeted the four of them before heading back to the library to study. Hermione and the others returned to the Gryffindor common room with Neville to prevent Malfoy and his gang from causing trouble for Neville again. After agreeing with Hermione to get at least six hours of sleep every night, Cho Chang. and Marietta could see the "early sleeper" Lin Yue every day. Gradually, they became comforted by Lin Yue''s current routine; at least it was much healthier than her previous one, wasn''t it? However, no one knew that during those six hours of sleep at night, due to her incredibly accurate biological clock, Lin Yue would wake up once every hour, repeating this cycle over and over again.

    A few days later, the Gryffindor Quidditch team''s second match finally arrived. This time, the match was between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Surprisingly, the referee for this match was Professor Snape.

    "Professor Snape..." Ron exclaimed, dropping his fork in shock as he listened to Harry talk about the referee.

    "Yeah," Harry nodded gravely, "he''s the one officiating the match this time."

    "Merlin''s Bludger..." Ron picked up his fork again and fed himself a piece of sausage, "Is he trying to protect Harry?"

    "I mean, if Professor Quirrell was indeed the one trying to harm Harry in the first Quidditch match..."

    "That should be the case," Hermione nodded seriously, "but we can''t rule out the possibility that he might cause some trouble for the Gryffindor team."

    After all, it was a well-known fact within Hogwarts that Professor Snape particularly disliked Gryffindor.

    Harry took a deep breath, his face full of determination. "I will catch the Golden Snitch as quickly as possible!"

    "Go for it, mate! I believe in you," Ron said, giving Harry a hearty slap on the back, nearly knocking the mashed potatoes out of his mouth.

    Harry turned back to Ron with a speechless look, thinking that his friend was the most dangerous when there was no danger around.

    Hermione responded to this with a smile, lowering her head. Boys are always so full of energy.

    That said, when it came to her own turn, she was not lacking in "energy" at all.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    As she saw Lin Yue finish her breakfast and prepare to leave the hall, Hermione quickly put down her knife and fork and walked over.

    "Lin Yue, good morning!" Hermione said cheerfully as she approached Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue nodded expressionlessly. "Good morning, Hermione."

    "Um..." Hermione hesitated as she looked at Lin Yue''s unchanging expression. She wanted to invite Lin Yue to watch the Quidditch match with her, but remembering that Lin Yue had been punished for accompanying her to the last match, Hermione couldn''t help but hesitate about whether she should extend the invitation.

    Lin Yue quietly looked at Hermione, her voice showing no fluctuation. "Hermione, what''s wrong?"

    Hermione took a deep breath and smiled at Lin Yue again, "Um... I was thinking, would you like to join me for another Quidditch match? I wonder if that''s possible..."

    Lin Yue nodded calmly and answered without hesitation, "No problem."

    Hermione pressed her lips together, her gaze fixed intently on Lin Yue, "You promise me, you won''t punish yourself for this. You agreed before that you wouldn''t punish yourself over studying anymore."

    Lin Yue slowly nodded, his voice as calm as a still pond, "Okay, I won''t punish myself."

    "That''s good," Hermione sighed in relief, "Then tomorrow morning, shall we go to the Quidditch pitch together?"

    "Sure." Lin Yue nodded in agreement.

    Hermione smiled happily, turned around, and returned to sit with Harry and Ron, continuing to enjoy her lunch. Lin Yue, on the other hand, calmly stepped out of the hall and quickly walked towards the History of Magic classroom. Upon entering the History of Magic classroom, Lin Yue was not surprised to see the ghostly professor; Professor Binns was already floating at the podium. This ghostly professor didn''t need to eat or rest, and he always arrived early for class. He was the only professor in all of Hogwarts who could arrive at the classroom even earlier than Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue sat in the classroom, casually pulling out books from her backpack and starting to read. She had already memorized the textbook for the History of Magic completely, so she didn''t need to review before class and instead used the time to read some new books.

    Just as Lin Yue finished reading a dozen pages, other Ravenclaw eagles and Hufflepuff badgers began to enter the History of Magic classroom one after another. Once everyone had arrived, class time started, and Professor Binns, without even looking at how many students were present, immediately began his lecture.

    The ghost''s voice, devoid of tone and inflection, had a certain hypnotic effect as it echoed in the students'' ears. Soon, the Hufflepuff badgers couldn''t help but yawn one after another, and within just five minutes of class, a large number of them had fallen asleep.

    Professor Binns was completely indifferent to this, as if he couldn''t see it, and continued with his lecture. Before long, even the diligent Ravenclaw eagles began to struggle. If the course content were merely difficult, they wouldn''t be too afraid; in fact, they were somewhat curious about just how challenging the class would be.

    However, this class was not difficult; it was hypnotic. Professor Binns''s voice drilled into their heads like a small drill, saying, "You are very sleepy... go to sleep... you are very sleepy... go to sleep."

    In the blink of an eye, almost all the eagles were yawning. They instinctively glanced at Lin Yue, only to see that she was in the same state as usual, showing no signs of sleepiness even while listening to Professor Binns''s lecture. The Ravenclaw eagles admired her in their hearts, and after confirming that Lin Yue was diligently taking notes, they immediately surrendered to their drowsiness and laid their heads down on their desks to sleep.

    After all, Lin Yue was taking notes seriously, so they could borrow her notes later to copy the key points. As for now, of course, it was time to rest well!

    Lin Yue had no particular opinion about her classmates falling asleep in class. She only glanced at the sleeping students for a few seconds before quickly looking back at Professor Binns, her note-taking actions not pausing for a moment. At the same time, thoughts flashed through her mind: sleeping in class means not taking learning seriously, not taking learning seriously is wrong, not taking learning seriously can lead to declining grades, and declining grades can lead to being expelled...

    Lin Yue looked up at Professor Bins with a calm expression, her hand continuously taking notes. Perhaps the two most similar people in the entire classroom were Lin Yue and Professor Bins; they were like two precision instruments constantly in operation. They made no mistakes, showed no fatigue, and had no extra thoughts or feelings.

    After the History of Magic class ended, Lin Yue, as usual, lent her notes to her fellow Ravenclaw students. After they finished copying, the notes would circulate among the Hufflepuff students before finally returning to Lin Yue''s hands. All these steps would be completed in two days, with everyone doing their best not to delay Lin Yue''s time for reviewing her notes.

    The next morning, during breakfast, Lin Yue received her History of Magic notebook back from Hannah. With a blank expression, she nodded at Hannah and replied in a flat tone, "Thank you for your hard work."

    "No, no," Hannah quickly waved her hand, "We should thank you for letting us copy your History of Magic notes."

    Lin Yue gave no response, simply turning to put the notebook into her backpack. Hannah looked at Lin Yue, who exuded an air of calmness and always had a blank expression. The initial fear she had felt towards Lin Yue had gradually faded over time spent with her.

    Hannah could see that Lin Yue was a good person; although she could be a bit "strange" at times, that did not overshadow her charm. After putting away her notebook, Lin Yue sat down and quickly began eating her breakfast. Once she finished, she quietly sat on the Ravenclaw bench, waiting for Hermione to arrive. Fortunately, Hermione did not keep Lin Yue waiting for long; before long, she hurriedly finished her breakfast and ran from the Gryffindor table to the Ravenclaw table.

    "Lin Yue! Let''s go!" Hermione said excitedly as she looked at Lin Yue, as the Quidditch match didn''t hold any special attraction for her.

    Because she wasn''t really interested in Quidditch, her excitement was entirely about being able to watch the match with Lin Yue again.

    Hermione led Lin Yue out of the Great Hall, while Harry and Ron followed behind, eating their breakfast. The little eagles from Ravenclaw watched helplessly as the pride of Ravenclaw, was taken away by a Gryffindor.

    "That''s the second time..." Cho Chang said, watching Hermione and Lin Yue walk out of the Great Hall, unable to help but click her tongue.

    "Yeah, the second time," Marietta nodded in agreement, though a glint of something flashed in her eyes.

    "Speaking of which, Lin Yue really can take Hermione''s advice. When I first told her about her schedule, she didn''t listen at all," Cho Chang pouted, pretending to complain.

    Marietta looked at her friend, who had suddenly turned into a drama queen, and shook her head with amusement.

    "Of course, you can''t compare yourself to Miss Granger."

    "What do you mean?" Cho Chang turned sharply to look at Marietta, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

    Are you saying I can''t compare to Granger? Isn''t that indirectly insulting myself?

    Seeing the dangerous look in her friend''s eyes, Marietta quickly raised her hands in surrender, "You misunderstood!"

    "I didn''t mean to say you were inferior to Granger in any way."

    "Then what do you mean?" Cho Chang asked, furrowing her brows in confusion.

    Marietta widened her eyes slightly, looking at Cho Chang in disbelief.

    "Don''t you realize?"

    "Realize what?" Cho Chang felt even more confused.

    Marietta looked around and leaned closer to Cho Chang''s ear, "The way Lin Yue treats Granger, and the way Granger treats Lin Yue, is completely different from how they treat others."

    "And it''s obvious... Lin Yue listens to Granger''s advice but doesn''t listen to ours."

    "Uh-huh," Cho Chang nodded, "And then?"

    "Then, of course," Marietta said with a look that said, ''how can you be so slow'', extending her hands, one finger pointing out, then bringing her hands closer and closer until the two fingers touched, "Do you understand?"

    Cho Chang watched Marietta''s actions and, after a few seconds of contemplation, finally realized what she was saying.

    "This... how is that possible? I mean... they''re both girls, right?"

    Marietta looked at the stunned Cho Chang and waved her hand dismissively, "What''s the big deal? When it comes to real feelings, gender doesn''t matter."

 Chapter 24: Neville incident 2

    Cho Chang listened to Marietta''s words, paused slightly, and then nodded in full agreement.

    "That''s not wrong."

    Although it was a match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, the students from Ravenclaw still went to watch the game collectively because of Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue sat in the stands with Hermione, her eyes vacant and expressionless as she watched the Quidditch players from both teams enter the field.

    The match began with Madam Hooch''s whistle. Lin Yue sat next to Hermione, while Ron and Neville were on Hermione''s other side.

    Both boys were enthusiastically waving their hands, constantly cheering for the Gryffindor team.

    Hermione also clasped her hands tightly on her lap, looking somewhat nervously at the match taking place high above. The referee for this match was Professor Snape, and Harry did not dare to be careless at all. From the moment he took to the air, he began searching the entire field at the fastest speed, trying hard to spot the golden snitch. Not only that, but the entire Gryffindor team also seemed to be putting in extra effort, fearing that Professor Snape would seize any opportunity to do something to them.

    Lin Yue''s calm gaze followed Harry''s figure as it soared through the sky, her heart as still as water as she watched him continuously search for the Golden Snitch. Everyone around her was filled with excitement, loudly cheering for their respective houses, and even the students from Ravenclaw couldn''t help but wave their hands and shout encouragement. Only Lin Yue sat there, her heart full of dead silence, her face expressionless, completely out of sync with the atmosphere around her. However, like her, there were clearly others who felt out of place, and there were other words...

    "Do you know what common traits the Gryffindor team members have?" Draco Malfoy''s face suddenly turned from the front row, directly facing Ron and Neville, who were shouting encouragement. Ron and Neville were momentarily taken aback; they hadn''t expected Malfoy to come watch a match that wasn''t between Slytherin. Draco Malfoy received no response, but he continued speaking regardless.

    "Potter has no parents, and Weasley has no money... They¡¯re just a bunch of pathetic guys who formed a team."

    Draco let out a mocking laugh, and his two sidekicks, Crabbe and Goyle, joined in with hearty laughter.

    "And you, Longbottom," Draco said, lifting his chin disdainfully to look at Neville, "they should include you in the Gryffindor team too. Do you know why? Because you have no brains."

    Listening to Draco Malfoy''s provocation, Ron and Neville both instinctively clenched their fists, but Ron''s attention was entirely on Harry in the sky, so he didn''t respond at all. Neville, however, took a deep breath, recalling what Harry and Ron had said to him earlier, and mustered the courage to glare at Draco Malfoy.

    "Shut up, Malfoy!" Neville''s face turned red as he tried to make his voice sound more intimidating. "I¡¯m stronger than twelve of you combined!"

    "What?" Draco looked at Neville in disbelief, seemingly unable to accept what he had just said and surprised that he dared to retort.

    "I said! I¡¯m stronger than twelve of you combined!" Neville gradually calmed down and spoke with a firm tone.

    "Neville Longbottom! How dare you, you fool!"

    Draco gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with rage as he glared at Neville.

    "You¡¯re just as stupid as your parents, that¡¯s why they¡­"

    Before Draco could finish his sentence, Neville, completely enraged by the insult to his parents, charged at him, flipped over the chair, and tackled him, throwing punches.

    The two of them instantly rolled to the ground, fighting in the row in front of Hermione and the others.

    Seeing this, Goyle and Crabbe quickly rolled up their sleeves and joined the fray, grabbing Draco to help him deal with Neville.

    Hermione was completely focused on the match high above and was unaware of the "battle" between the boys.

    Lin Yue, however, slightly shifted her gaze to glance at them, thinking that insulting others was wrong, and so was fighting. These two thoughts flashed through her mind.

    After that, Lin Yue had no other feelings and continued to direct her attention to the match in the sky.

    Ron was fully aware of the "fight" between Neville and Malfoy, but since it was a crucial moment for Harry to catch the Golden Snitch, he really couldn¡¯t help Neville.

    "Harry, a little faster, just a bit faster¡­ catch the Golden Snitch," Ron silently prayed in his heart.

    He didn¡¯t know if his prayer had any effect, but Harry suddenly leaned forward and caught the Golden Snitch in his hand.

    "Well done, Harry!" Ron shouted excitedly, then without a moment''s pause, he flipped over the seat and rushed to the front row to join the fight, throwing punches and kicks at Draco, Goyle, and Crabbe.

    "Awesome! Amazing! It¡¯s only been five minutes, just five minutes!" Hermione exclaimed joyfully, standing up and bouncing around in celebration.

    She was thrilled for Harry, who had caught the Golden Snitch just five minutes into the match¡ªhe must have set a record!Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    In her extreme excitement, she even bent down and hugged Lin Yue tightly.

    Lin Yue was embraced by Hermione, and she felt no other emotions, only a sudden warmth in her chest.

    Being held by Hermione, Lin Yue expressionlessly turned her gaze to the seats in front. She had just seen Ron move to the row ahead, so he must have joined the fight as well. After the excitement subsided, Hermione blushed and released Lin Yue, unsure if it was due to the rush of adrenaline or some other reason.

    Instinctively, she looked to her other side, expecting to see Ron and Neville celebrating wildly, but they were nowhere to be found.

    Hermione paused for a moment, "Where are Ron and Neville?" They couldn''t have gone back early; they wouldn''t miss the match. So where did they go?

    Lin Yue slowly turned back to look at Hermione.

    "Lin Yue, do you know where Ron and Neville went? I was so focused on the match that I didn''t notice," Hermione said, lowering her head in confusion as she looked at Lin Yue, who remained calm and seated. She had no clue about Ron and Neville''s whereabouts.

    Upon hearing this, Lin Yue raised her right hand and pointed to the seats in front of her, "They''re over there."

    Hermione followed Lin Yue''s finger and was momentarily stunned. The front row of seats? But there was no one sitting directly in front of them. Moreover, the classmates on both sides seemed to have moved away a bit?

    After a moment of confusion, Hermione stepped forward to check. As she peeked over the back of the front row seats, she saw five boys rolling around on the ground in front of the seats.

    Ron, Neville, Malfoy, Goyle, and Crabbe were exchanging punches with each other.

    Especially Ron and Neville, for some unknown reason, were fighting particularly fiercely, and Draco and his two companions were not gaining any advantage.

    Hermione clicked her tongue and slowly retreated back to Lin Yue''s side, tilting her head to look at her face, which still showed no change.

    "What¡¯s going on? Why are they fighting again?"

    Lin Yue spoke in a mechanical voice, "Draco Malfoy insulted the Gryffindor team, mocked Ron''s family, and insulted Neville''s parents, so they started fighting."

    As Hermione listened to Lin Yue''s account, a look of undisguised disgust appeared on her face.

    She didn''t like it when people used violence to solve problems, but she had to admit that for someone like Draco Malfoy, she was in favor of giving him a good "lesson" to make him remember.

    The two girls, Hermione and Lin Yue, did not intervene in the "fight" between the boys. Hermione saw that Ron and Neville had the upper hand, so she felt there was no need to step in, while Lin Yue simply couldn''t think of any reason to intervene, believing that fighting was wrong, and she shouldn''t get involved. So, the two girls followed most of the spectators who had finished watching the match and walked down from the Quidditch stands towards Hogwarts Castle.

    Only the five boys remained on the ground, punching and kicking each other.

    As they exited the Quidditch pitch, Hermione and Lin Yue ran into Harry, who was walking towards them.

    "Harry, congratulations!" Hermione beamed at him and offered her praise.

    "You must have broken the record!"

    "He did break the record," Lin Yue said with a calm nod beside her, "Congratulations, Harry."

    Hearing Lin Yue''s usual calm voice, Harry felt he was too accustomed to it and smiled brightly.

    "Thank you, Hermione, thank you, Lin Yue... Where''s Ron?" Harry asked as he looked behind the two girls but couldn''t find his good friend.

    "Um... about Ron," Hermione hesitated for a moment and then told Harry what she had just seen, "He''s fighting Malfoy and his two lackeys with Neville."

    "What?!" Harry couldn''t help but widen his eyes and immediately ran towards the stands to help.

    Seeing this, Hermione quickly reached out to grab his arm, preventing him from rushing towards the stands. "Don''t get excited, Ron and Neville have the upper hand. They¡¯ve really given Malfoy and the others a beating."

    "If you go now, they''ll probably be done fighting."

    As soon as Hermione finished speaking, Harry saw two figures coming down from the stands¡ªit was Ron and Neville. Ron had a red bruise on his forehead, and Neville had one of his eyes blackened.

    "Ugh... Didn''t Hermione say you two had the upper hand?"

    Harry couldn''t help but gasp at the sight of Ron and Neville.

    Ron raised his hand to rub his forehead, grimacing for a moment, then raised an eyebrow with a somewhat smug expression. "Of course, Neville and I didn¡¯t let them have it easy. They¡¯re still lying on the ground and can¡¯t get up."

    Hearing this, Harry nodded and gave them both a thumbs up.

    Neville couldn¡¯t help but laugh as well, reaching into his pocket to pull out a Chocolate Frog card and handing it to Harry. "Thank you, Harry. If it weren''t for you guys, I wouldn''t have had the courage to stand up to Malfoy. I heard you were collecting Chocolate Frog cards, so this is for you."

    Harry politely accepted the card from Neville and gently shook his head. "No, Neville, you already had the courage to stand up to Malfoy. Ron and I just helped bring it out."

    Neville reached up to scratch his head, "Anyway, thank you all. I''m leaving now." After saying goodbye to the four, Neville turned and left. The Gryffindors were definitely going to have a celebration, and getting back early meant he could eat more snacks.

    Watching Neville leave, Lin Yue turned to Hermione, just about to say she was going back to study, when Harry suddenly exclaimed.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" Hermione, who was originally going to listen to what Lin Yue had to say, paused at the sound and turned to look at Harry, who had just shouted.

    Harry took a deep breath and placed the chocolate frog card in front of the other three.

    "I told you I remembered this person, Nicolas Flamel! You all come here!"

    Looking at the content on the chocolate frog card, Hermione''s eyes grew brighter and brighter.

    "Merlin''s leggings! I can''t believe I actually forgot about him!"

    "It?" Ron looked at Hermione with a puzzled expression.

    But Hermione didn¡¯t explain much. She grabbed Lin Yue''s right wrist and started running towards Hogwarts Castle. "Keep up with me!"

    Hearing Hermione''s words, Harry and Ron exchanged glances and immediately followed obediently.

    They ran all the way to the entrance of the Gryffindor common room, and both Hermione and Lin Yue were a bit out of breath. Hermione said the password, and the Fat Lady opened the door for them. Hermione pulled Lin Yue and was about to go inside.

    However, Lin Yue stopped at the door and didn¡¯t take another step forward.

    When she couldn¡¯t pull Lin Yue along, Hermione turned back to her, "Lin Yue, what¡¯s wrong?"

    Lin Yue calmly looked at the Gryffindor common room in front of her, "The school rules don¡¯t specify whether students from other houses can enter the Gryffindor common room." This behaviours, which was neither prohibited nor explicitly allowed, made Lin Yue instinctively hesitate.

    Hermione was taken aback by Lin Yue''s question, then looked at her with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "If the school rules don¡¯t say it¡¯s not allowed, then it¡¯s fine."

    After saying this as if it were obvious, Hermione pulled Lin Yue into the Gryffindor common room.

    The Gryffindor lions preparing for the celebration were surprised to see Hermione bring Lin Yue in, but they didn¡¯t say much. After all, they all knew Lin Yue; she wasn¡¯t from Slytherin, so it was fine to bring her in. Hermione took Lin Yue to a corner of the common room. "You wait here for a moment. I¡¯ll go back to the dormitory to get something. When Harry and Ron come back, tell them to wait here for me, okay?"

    Lin Yue nodded expressionlessly, her voice mechanical, "Okay."

    Hermione smiled and quickly ran up the stairs towards her dormitory. The moment she dashed up the stairs, Harry and Ron came running into the Gryffindor common room, panting heavily.

    Ron, out of breath, put a hand on Harry''s shoulder, "What¡¯s up with Hermione? She dragged Lin Yue and ran so fast; we couldn¡¯t even catch up."

    Harry, also exhausted, leaned on his waist, trying to catch his breath, "I don¡¯t know..."

    He looked around and finally spotted Lin Yue in the corner of the common room. "Lin Yue is over there; let¡¯s go ask her."

    "Okay..." Ron took a moment to steady his breathing and nodded, following Harry over.

 Chapter 25: Nicolas Flamel

    Two boys walked up to Lin Yue, looking around in confusion, but they didn''t see Hermione anywhere.

    "Lin Yue, where''s Hermione?" Harry asked Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue replied with a calm expression, "Hermione went back to the dormitory to get something. She asked us to wait for her here."

    "Oh, okay." Harry and Ron nodded and obediently waited in place like Lin Yue.

    Before long, Hermione came running down the stairs, holding a large book.

    "Follow me," she said to the three of them and led them to a nearby empty table.

    With a "thud," Hermione placed the large book on the table.

    "I borrowed this book for some leisure reading," she explained while quickly flipping through the pages.

    Ron stared at the hefty book, enough to knock someone out, in disbelief. "For... leisure?"

    Hermione glanced up at him slightly. "Do you have a problem with that?"

    "No, no," Ron quickly waved his hands, indicating he had no objections.

    Satisfied, Hermione returned her gaze to the book and finally stopped flipping to one of the pages.

    "Nicolas Flamel, right here!"

    Harry and Ron were momentarily stunned, then hurried over to take a look.

    "Nicolas Flamel, the only known maker of the Philosopher''s Stone..." Hermione read softly from the book.

    "Over six hundred years old!" Harry couldn''t help but click his tongue. "No wonder we couldn''t find him; a person over six hundred years old can''t be considered modern."

    In contrast, Ron''s attention was elsewhere. "The Philosopher''s Stone... that''s amazing."

    It can turn stone into pure gold and grant immortality. "No wonder Professor Quirrell wanted to steal it; who wouldn''t want a Philosopher''s Stone?"

    Harry and Hermione fell silent for a moment, sharing the same opinion¡ªwho wouldn''t want a Philosopher''s Stone? Only Lin Yue remained silent beside them; her mind was suddenly triggered by something one of the three said, and an idea popped into her head.

    Living too long... does it really have any meaning?

    Lin Yue shook her head, trying to dismiss the inexplicable thought, and continued to stand quietly in place. However, this did remind Hermione of something. "Lin Yue, you''ve read this book too, right? I remember you¡¯ve seen it on the shelf in the library."

    Seeing Hermione''s bright eyes, Lin Yue expressionlessly nodded, "I''ve read it."

    Hermione nodded in understanding, while Ron beside them looked a bit speechless. "Then why didn''t you just tell us who he was earlier...?"

    Lin Yue turned to Ron, her tone mechanical and serious, "You didn''t ask me."

    "Okay..." Ron covered his face in exasperation; it was true that none of them thought to directly ask Lin Yue who Nicolas Flamel was.

    "So," Harry quietly spoke up, "we can be sure that the thing in the forbidden area on the fourth floor is the Philosopher''s Stone."

    Hermione nodded in agreement, "Right."

    "So what does Professor Quirrell plan to do with it? Turn stone into gold? Or make a potion for immortality?" Ron asked with interest.

    "I don''t know," Harry shook his head, "but we can''t let him succeed."This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    "Mm!" Hermione and Ron both nodded vigorously.

    As their conversation came to a pause, Lin Yue quietly spoke up. "I''m going back to Ravenclaw to study."

    After saying that, she prepared to turn and leave, but Hermione quickly grabbed her with a tight-lipped expression. "Why not study later? Just play here for the morning; everyone will be preparing a lot of delicious food for the celebration, and you can eat something here before going back."

    Hearing Hermione''s request, Lin Yue nodded indifferently, "Okay."

    Hermione smiled happily, pulling Lin Yue out of the corner and heading straight for a table filled with small cakes. As for the large book she had left behind, Harry and Ron would help her take care of it.

    When they reached the table, Hermione reached out and picked up a small cake, handing it to Lin Yue. Lin Yue took the small cake, said thank you, and habitually lowered her head, quickly chewing and swallowing the cake. In less than ten seconds, she finished the small cake, which was about the size of her palm.

    Seeing Lin Yue eat the cake so quickly made Hermione feel a pang in her heart. She frowned and reached for a tissue to wipe the cake crumbs off the corner of Lin Yue''s mouth. "You eat so fast... can you taste the cake?"

    Lin Yue let Hermione wipe her mouth and nodded without any particular feeling. "It''s sweet."

    Hearing Lin Yue''s response, Hermione sighed heavily and picked up another type of pastry, offering it to Lin Yue. "Eat slowly. After you finish, I want you to tell me what it''s made of, so... you need to savor it, okay?"

    At Hermione''s request, Lin Yue''s mind was filled with thoughts urging her to agree, so she nodded and took the pastry, slowly savoring it bite by bite, feeling a bit awkward.

    Seeing Lin Yue finally slow down her eating, Hermione''s eyes curved with happiness, her face full of joy. She gently shook her slightly curled hair and smiled at Lin Yue, "So, what do you think? Can you tell what it''s made of?"

    Lin Yue swallowed the pastry in her mouth, slowly nodded, and replied in a mechanical tone, "It''s pumpkin."

    "Yes! You''re right," Hermione said with a smile, nodding and taking Lin Yue''s hand. "Let''s go get something else to eat."

    "Okay..."

    "Hermione... I really don''t understand. There are still several weeks until the finals, so why are we in such a hurry to review?" Ron said with a pained expression as he looked at the books in front of him, his voice filled with lament.

    Harry, sitting next to him, also looked distressed. Ever since the second Quidditch match ended last weekend, Hermione had been dragging both of them to start reviewing for the finals. No matter how much they emphasized that there were still several weeks until the final exams, Hermione was determined to start reviewing with them right away.

    ¡°Ron,¡± Hermione looked up and glanced at Ron, ¡°what nonsense are you talking about? Of course we need to start reviewing right now.¡±

    ¡°To be honest, I should have started reviewing during Christmas,¡± Hermione said, nervously tugging at her hair, ¡°What was I thinking back then, not starting to review!¡±

    ¡°Merlin¡­¡± Ron closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them, he glanced at Lin Yue, who was sitting next to them, reading extra books. He took a deep breath and leaned closer to Harry.

    ¡°If Hermione keeps this up¡­ it feels like she¡¯s going to be as intense as Lin Yue.¡±

    Harry cautiously peeked at Hermione, and after confirming that her attention was not on the two of them, he nodded.

    ¡°After all, they both love studying.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡± Ron¡¯s expression became complicated for a moment, ¡°They both have a true love for studying, but I just can¡¯t bring myself to like it.¡±

    Harry nodded seriously, ¡°Same here.¡±

    Time passed slowly as the two boys struggled through their painful review. When Harry looked up again, he saw a familiar tall figure standing in front of a bookshelf.

    Harry rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn¡¯t mistaken.

    He turned and poked Ron¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Look over there, is Hagrid here to read?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, huh?¡± Ron, who was feeling drowsy from studying, rubbed his face to wake himself up.

    Following Harry¡¯s gesture, he looked over and nodded in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s Hagrid.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect Hagrid to come borrow books to read?¡± Harry said, scratching his head in confusion at the scene.

    ¡°Looks like it, but I¡¯m curious about what book he¡¯s reading,¡± Ron said, looking at Hagrid with interest.

    After reviewing a section of content, Hermione looked up and saw Harry and Ron looking in another direction. Unable to help but frown, she reminded them, "Harry, Ron, don''t get distracted, focus on your studies."

    Harry lowered his voice, leaned forward, and whispered, "Look behind us, Hagrid is getting ready to borrow some books."

    Hermione blinked and turned to look behind Harry and Ron, at the spot she had unconsciously overlooked. Sure enough, there was Hagrid''s tall figure, flipping through the books in his hands.

    "Do you know what books are on that shelf?" Ron eagerly asked Hermione.

    Hermione''s mouth twitched. "Ron... how could I possibly know what every shelf has on it? I don''t know."

    "Okay." Ron nodded in disappointment.

    However... Hermione turned to look at Lin Yue, who was focused on her book and showed no reaction to their conversation. If she asked Lin Yue, she would definitely know. Just as Lin Yue finished the page she was on and was about to turn to the next one, Hermione seized the opportunity to ask her question without interrupting Lin Yue''s studying.

    "Lin Yue, do you know what kind of books are on that shelf over there?"

    Hearing her full name, Lin Yue snapped out of her studying state and looked at the shelf Hermione was pointing to. After quickly scanning it in her mind, she confidently answered, "The books there are all about dragons."

    "Dragons?!" Hermione couldn''t help but widen her eyes and swallow hard. For some reason, she felt a bad premonition in her heart.

    Harry and Ron were shocked by Lin Yue''s answer. Why was Hagrid reading a book about dragons?

    After thinking hard for a moment, Harry came up with a reason for Hagrid, "Well... Hagrid once told me that he likes dragons, so he might just want to look at books on that topic?" Ron nodded in agreement, and Hermione bit her lip, trying hard to convince herself of this explanation.

    Meanwhile, Lin Yue calmly looked at Hagrid, her eyes precisely capturing the color of the book cover and the visible part of the cover design. Her brain quickly filtered through the information, and in less than two seconds, she identified the book with the highest similarity¡ªit was a book about how fire dragons hatch and grow. Once her analysis was complete, Lin Yue calmly withdrew her gaze and returned to her studies. What was happening outside was unimportant; studying was the priority.

 Chapter 26: Baby Dragon Norbert

    Unfortunately, it was clear that while she thought that way, others obviously could not remain indifferent to the outside world, especially to the matters concerning people they knew. In the end, Harry couldn''t suppress his curiosity and inner unease. He stood up, walked over, and tiptoed to pat Hagrid''s arm. Hagrid was startled by the sudden pat. He hurriedly hid the book behind his back and sighed in relief when he looked down and saw it was Harry.

    "Oh, it''s you, Harry. You scared me..."

    Harry swallowed hard; his sense of unease grew stronger. He raised his hand and pointed at the book Hagrid had hidden behind his back.

    "Hagrid, why are you reading a book about dragons?"

    "I¡¯m not! I mean, I was just saying... how did you know I was reading a book about dragons? Did you hear something?" Hagrid said, looking a bit flustered as he stared at Harry.

    Harry was confused by this response. "No, I didn''t hear anything. I know you''re reading a book about dragons because I asked Lin Yue; she knows a lot about the library."

    Lin Yue, a well-known study fanatic among Hogwarts students, an indefatigable monster, a favorite student of the professors¡ªHagrid had undoubtedly heard rumors about her, not to mention they had met once before.

    "Miss Lin Yue, huh," Hagrid nodded. "She really is an excellent Ravenclaw. If it''s her, it wouldn''t be surprising that she knows what I''m reading."

    "So, why are you really reading books on this topic?" Harry asked stubbornly.

    Hagrid looked around anxiously and leaned down to speak quietly to Harry, "Come to my hut tomorrow afternoon. I''ll tell you all about it; it''s definitely a surprise. You can bring Miss Lin Yue along; I think she would be interested too."

    After saying this, Hagrid straightened up, took his book, and strode out of the library. In his view, for the studious Ravenclaws, witnessing a dragon egg in person should be something that greatly piques their interest.

    Harry watched Hagrid''s departing figure and sighed helplessly. He didn''t know why, but he felt that things seemed to be heading in a direction he vaguely suspected.

    Back at his seat, Hermione turned to him, "So, what did Hagrid say?"

    Harry shrugged, "He wants us to go to his hut tomorrow afternoon. He''ll tell us more then, and he said Lin Yue should come too; she might be interested."

    As he spoke, Harry glanced at Lin Yue, who had heard her full name and momentarily snapped out of her studying state, looking blankly at Harry before turning to Hermione.

    Tomorrow afternoon was her study time, and if it were just Harry saying it, she wouldn''t go. But Hermione...

    "Why don''t you come with us?" Hermione said, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Lin Yue. She was very willing to do something outside of studying with Lin Yue!

    Sure enough, as soon as Hermione said this, a sudden thought popped into Lin Yue''s mind, prompting her to agree to Hermione. She nodded, "Okay, I''ll go with you tomorrow afternoon."

    "Great!" Hermione said with a happy smile, nodding. She believed that by bringing Lin Yue out to interact with the outside world and other people, there would come a day when she would see Lin Yue show some expression and learn to feel.

    After finishing the conversation with Hermione and the others, Lin Yue calmly withdrew her gaze and continued reading without wasting any time.Hermione also blinked, signalling Harry and Ron to continue reviewing, while she lowered her head to slowly organize the key points and possible exam topics for each subject. Harry and Ron exchanged a silent sigh of understanding and continued to study diligently.

    It wasn''t until close to curfew that Lin Yue finally broke away from her studying state. By this time, Harry and Ron had already been dozing off with their heads down for a while, and even Hermione couldn''t help but yawn. Having been in study mode for so long, they all felt a bit tired. Noticing that Lin Yue was starting to pack up her things, Hermione quickly shook her head to wake herself up.

    "Lin Yue, are you leaving?" Hermione asked softly.

    "Yeah," Lin Yue nodded and said in a flat tone, "It''s almost curfew."

    "Okay," Hermione closed her book and gently patted Harry and Ron on the shoulders. "Wake up, we should head back. You can sleep once you''re back in the dorm."

    "Uh, huh? Okay..." Harry and Ron woke up, rubbed their eyes, and slowly started to pack their things before following Lin Yue and Hermione out of the library.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    As they walked up the stairs and reached the corner where they needed to part ways, Hermione waved first at Lin Yue, saying, "See you tomorrow, good night."

    Lin Yue waved her hand expressionlessly like Hermione and said, "Good night, see you tomorrow." After saying that, she walked towards the Ravenclaw tower without looking back.

    Hermione smiled at Lin Yue''s back, then turned to look at the two boys who still seemed unenergetic, and helplessly reached out to support them. "From now on, you guys should go back to the dormitory earlier. Alright, let''s go," she said, dragging them towards the Gryffindor tower.

    When they returned to the dormitory, Cho Chang and Marietta had already finished showering and were lying on their beds reading. They greeted the two in a flat tone, and Lin Yue took her bathing supplies and entered the washroom.

    After a brief three minutes, Lin Yue came out of the washroom while drying her hair. After drying her hair a bit, she took a book from her backpack and sat down at her desk to read seriously. It wasn''t until midnight that she closed the book and lay down on her bed.

    With her eyes closed, she passed six hours in a blink. The morning classes were as usual and posed no difficulty for Lin Yue, but she still listened attentively and took meticulous notes.

    After quickly finishing lunch, Lin Yue remembered that she had agreed with Hermione and the others to go to Hagrid''s hut in the afternoon, so she stood at the entrance of the Great Hall waiting for them. During the wait, she took out a book from her backpack and focused on flipping through it. After a while, Hermione and the others finally finished lunch and came out. Hermione spotted Lin Yue reading at the entrance of the Great Hall at a glance and hurriedly walked over in quick steps.

    "Lin Yue, have you been waiting long?"

    Lin Yue looked up at Hermione, her expression unchanged. "Not long, just sixteen minutes."

    Hermione awkwardly raised her hand to scratch her cheek. "Sorry for making you wait."

    "Not long, no need to apologize," Lin Yue replied in a mechanical tone. "Let''s go."

    "Mm." Hermione nodded, and Harry led them towards Hagrid''s hut.

    Lin Yue followed behind Hermione, not wasting any time on the way and instead reading a book while walking.

    When they arrived at Hagrid''s hut, Harry raised his hand and gently knocked twice on the door.

    Hagrid walked to the door, cautiously opened it to take a look, and upon seeing Harry and the others, he relaxed and stepped aside.

    "Come in!"

    The four of them quickly entered Hagrid''s hut one after another.

    Hagrid glanced outside, then swiftly closed the door.

    "Hagrid, what''s going on? Why are you so nervous?" Harry asked, looking at Hagrid in confusion as he returned to the room.

    Hermione looked at the fireplace in Hagrid''s hut, or more accurately, at the huge egg sitting in the pot on the stove, and struggled to open her mouth.

    "I think... it''s because of this, right?"

    "Merlin''s wand!" Ron exclaimed, following Hermione''s gaze, his eyes filled with disbelief and excitement.

    "This is a dragon egg, isn''t it?"

    Hagrid nodded excitedly. "Yes! I won this in a bet at the Hog''s Head Inn!"

    Lin Yue calmly looked at the dragon egg in the pot. "Norwegian Ridgeback."

    Upon seeing the dragon egg, her brain instinctively compared it with the information she had read in books and ultimately reached a conclusion.

    "That''s right!" Hagrid nodded vigorously, walking back to the dragon egg and gazing at it obsessively. "It''s so beautiful! I thought you Ravenclaws would love to read, so you would want to see these things in person. It''s quite rare to see!"

    Lin Yue spoke in a calm tone, "It is indeed rare, but privately raising a dragon violates the Wizarding Laws and also the rules of Hogwarts."

    Hagrid''s face turned a shade of embarrassment, and he seemed a bit flustered.

    "I... I will take good care of it, and look, it''s just an egg. If I don''t take care of it, it will be in danger."

    Hermione raised her hand to cover her face, "Hagrid... if you take care of it, you and the students will be the ones in danger."

    "Dragons, even young ones that haven''t reached maturity, have strong abilities¡ªfire breathing, poisonous fangs. Their lethality cannot be ignored, and I think you haven''t forgotten that you live in a wooden house?"

    As the excitement faded, Harry and Ron also calmed down and realized how dangerous Hagrid''s actions were at this moment. They began to persuade him to send the dragon to another place. Lin Yue''s gaze was fixed on the dragon egg, her mind quickly analyzing the situation.

    "At most, by the time it is two months old, your hut won''t be able to accommodate it anymore, and that''s assuming nothing unexpected happens, like it breathing fire and burning this place down."

    Hagrid sighed heavily at this, "Alright... I will send it away, but... but it has already started to hatch. Why don''t we wait until it hatches before sending it away?"

    Hermione, Harry, and Ron exchanged glances. Well... who wouldn''t want to see a dragon hatch with their own eyes?

    "Okay, Hagrid," Ron nodded, "Once it hatches, I will contact my brother Charlie. He studies dragons in Romania and can come to take it there. I promise it will be well taken care of, alright?"

    Hagrid let out a loud sob and nodded, "Okay, I''ll call you when it hatches."

    "Thank you." The four of them politely expressed their gratitude and then left Hagrid''s hut.

    "Merlin, I can''t believe Hagrid really has a fire dragon," Harry said, closing his eyes for a moment, still unable to believe what he had just seen.

    "He really loves dragons, doesn''t he..." Ron sighed as well.

    Hermione pursed her lips, "At least once the dragon hatches, it can be sent away. It should be fine, and besides, it should be quite rare to see a dragon hatch, right?"

    "Definitely rare," Ron nodded, "Even professional dragon trainers wouldn''t want to get close to a mother dragon while it''s hatching, let alone watch the baby dragon break out of its shell. That would be asking for trouble."

    "Let''s hope nothing goes wrong," Harry nodded in agreement.

    Lin Yue quietly listened to the conversation of the three people, her mind once again clashing with two conflicting thoughts.

    Raising a dragon violates wizarding laws and school rules, which is illegal and should be reported. However, this matter involves Hermione and Harry; you shouldn''t report it. The two thoughts clashed violently in Lin Yue''s mind, causing her head to throb with pain. Without showing any expression on her face, Lin Yue calmly said goodbye to Hermione and the others, then walked alone on the way back to the Ravenclaw tower.

    The two thoughts continued to collide, but ultimately the idea of not reporting prevailed, and Lin Yue slowly stopped in her tracks. Not reporting means she is helping to conceal someone else''s illegal behavior, which means her own actions would also violate the rules, and violating the rules requires punishment.

    Instinctively, she raised her right hand to press against her left arm, and suddenly a scene flashed through her mind of Hermione checking her left arm earlier. Slowly lowering her right hand, Lin Yue slightly bent down to press on her left thigh, and with all her strength, she pinched it hard. The pain instantly filled her mind, yet her expression remained unchanged as before.

    After repeating this punishment ten times, Lin Yue finally released her grip. Her left leg was unconsciously trembling slightly, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on her forehead. Standing still for a moment, Lin Yue expressionlessly straightened up and continued walking towards the Ravenclaw tower, though her walking posture had slightly changed compared to usual.

    Back in her dormitory, Lin Yue sat at her desk, took out the book she had borrowed from the library, and entered a state of study. She read until six in the evening before closing the book, standing up, and opening the dormitory door to head to the Great Hall for dinner. All the way, she kept her head down, reading, while the stairs of Hogwarts continued to cooperate, taking her to her destination.

    However, as she stepped down one level, her left leg''s muscles suddenly twitched slightly, and she lost her balance, falling forward. With a clang, a metallic sound echoed as a suit of metal armor nearby reached out to support her. Lin Yue stood up expressionlessly, kicked her left leg to confirm it was fine, then stood properly on the ground and politely nodded to the metal armor that had just helped her.

    "Thank you."

    The metal armor shook its head in response, seemingly indicating that she need not worry about it. Lin Yue withdrew her gaze and continued to walk towards the great hall while reading. As for why the metal armor had supported her just now, she felt no confusion about it; she simply made a possible analysis in her mind without any emotion. Hogwarts is a school of magic, so everything here is magical, including the metal armor. Therefore, it is quite normal for it to be able to support her.

 Chapter 27: Baby Norbert 2

    Time passed day by day, and the dragon egg in Hagrid''s hut was slowly approaching the day it would hatch. Finally, during breakfast today, Harry received a letter from Hagrid.

    Opening the letter, Harry quickly read through it and then turned to whisper to Hermione and Ron. "Hagrid''s letter says the dragon is about to hatch, and he wants us to come see it this afternoon."

    While having breakfast, Hermione took a sip of pumpkin juice and swallowed her sandwich. "Sure, let''s go after our classes this afternoon."

    "Yeah," Ron nodded in agreement. Hermione put down her cup of pumpkin juice and turned to look at the Ravenclaw table. As expected, Lin Yue had already finished breakfast and left.

    With a helpless sigh, Hermione turned back to continue her breakfast, deciding to talk to Lin Yue at noon instead.

    After the morning Charms class, Hermione pulled Harry and Ron and rushed straight to the Great Hall. Even in their breathless state from running, they encountered Lin Yue, who had been "delivered" by the Hogwarts stairs.

    "Lin Yue... good afternoon," Hermione said, placing a hand on her chest to catch her breath.

    Hearing her full name, Lin Yue stopped and mechanically turned to look at Hermione. "Good afternoon, Hermione. What''s up?"

    Once Hermione caught her breath, she smiled gently at Lin Yue and leaned in closer to speak softly. "Hagrid said the baby dragon is about to hatch, and he wants us to come see it this afternoon."

    Lin Yue listened to Hermione''s words and nodded expressionlessly. "Okay, I understand."

    Hermione lowered her gaze and thought carefully. "Your class this afternoon... is Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall, right?"

    "Yes."

    "Then we''ll come to pick you up," Hermione said, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue, under Hermione''s gaze, nodded without realizing it, "Um, thank you for your trouble."

    Entering the hall and sitting at the Ravenclaw long table, Lin Yue quickly ate while her mind flashed back to the moment when Hermione''s eyes sparkled. That shining light seemed to still illuminate her, making one feel warm and cozy. After lunch, Lin Yue went straight to the Transfiguration classroom. Sitting in class, she lowered her head to read, entering a state of study, just like usual, ignoring everything around her.

    Professor McGonagall, holding a textbook as she walked into the classroom, looked at Lin Yue, who was predictably reading, and sighed. After so many years of teaching, there was only this one student who made her want to advise her to take a break and rest well. In the end, she couldn''t bring herself to say it. Professor McGonagall withdrew her gaze and began to organize the podium. It was a good thing for students to love learning; she couldn''t just stop them from studying...

    After a Transfiguration class, Lin Yue once again contributed ten points to Ravenclaw. So far, Ravenclaw had a lead of over four hundred points compared to the other three houses, truly standing out. Walking out of the classroom with her backpack, Lin Yue turned her head and saw Hermione and the others still panting nearby.

    "Good job," Lin Yue said flatly, her mind drifting to the thought that they should wipe off their sweat, and she casually pulled out three tissues from her backpack and handed them to the three of them.

    "Thank you," the three said as they took the tissues to wipe the sweat from their faces, and Hermione naturally linked her arm with Lin Yue''s.

    "Let''s go."

    "Mm." Lin Yue nodded mechanically and followed them toward Hagrid''s hut.

    At the door of Hagrid''s hut, Harry raised his hand and gently knocked on the door, "Hagrid, it''s us."

    The door opened in response, and Hagrid stood behind it with an excited expression, "You came just in time! It''s about to hatch, come in!"

    As the four of them walked into Hagrid''s hut, Hagrid immediately closed the door.

    Inside Hagrid''s hut, it was unusually stuffy. In the pot on the stove, the dragon egg was moving restlessly, clearly about to hatch soon.

    "Wow..." Hermione and the others exclaimed in unison, leaning in to observe closely.

    Lin Yue looked at the dragon egg with a calm expression, her mind instinctively analyzing the situation. The dragon egg had shown clear signs of hatching, and it was estimated that it would break open in about three minutes.

    After completing her analysis, Lin Yue calmly withdrew her gaze, looking at a window on the side that had not been drawn with curtains. She walked over and pulled the curtains shut.

    Although she didn''t feel particularly anxious or guilty, Lin Yue was well aware that the existence of the dragon egg was illegal, so it couldn''t be known to others. Further concluding that everything in this hut should be properly concealed, she realized that the window should not be left uncovered. With this thought in mind, she had just pulled the curtains shut.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    After securing the curtains, Lin Yue walked steadily back to stand behind Hermione, quietly watching the dragon egg in the pot, her mind slowly counting down.

    Five, four, three, two, one¡ªtime to hatch. Just as this thought crossed her mind, a small head broke through the shell of the dragon egg and emerged.

    Looking at the little dragon that had crawled out of the broken shell, both Hermione and Harry had expressions that were hard to describe.

    "Uh... why do I feel like it looks a bit ugly?" Hermione turned to Lin Yue and quietly shared her feelings.

    Harry nodded in full agreement, "I think so too."

    Lin Yue stared intently at the newly hatched little dragon. She didn''t have any feelings of love or hate towards beauty or ugliness, so to her, the little dragon was just a creature, nothing more.

    "It''s so cool!" Ron exclaimed, his eyes shining as he looked at the little dragon. Hagrid was also excitedly watching it, even lifting it up with both hands.

    "Oh... what a cute little guy. Look, it even knows I''m its mom," Hagrid said.

    As soon as he finished speaking, the little dragon let out a burp, and sparks instantly ignited Hagrid''s beard.

    "Wow!" Hagrid exclaimed, hurriedly trying to pat out the flames on his beard.

    Harry and Hermione exchanged glances, both thinking the same thing: this little dragon must be sent away as soon as possible!

    "From now on, you will be called Norbert," Hagrid laughed as he looked at the little dragon in his arms.

    After the initial surprise wore off, Ron also calmed down. Seeing Hagrid holding Norbert so affectionately, he couldn''t help but cover his face with his hand. Hagrid couldn''t really think of himself as its mom, could he...? Outside Hagrid''s hut, a platinum-coloured head was circling around the window, trying to find any gap to see inside.

    Draco Malfoy flicked his hand in frustration; he was sure that Potter and the others coming to Hagrid''s hut meant trouble. He had been following them for the past few days and was determined to find something to use against them!

    "Hagrid, I think you remember that we agreed to send the dra... Norbert away after it hatches?" Hermione interrupted the "heartwarming" scene between Hagrid and Norbert, biting her lip.

    Hagrid paused, looking down at Norbert with a gaze full of reluctance. "But it''s still so small... It can''t leave its mother..."

    "You¡¯re not its mother, Hagrid," Ron sighed helplessly.

    Lin Yue stood nearby, her mind racing with analysis, and then spoke with a blank expression. "Hagrid, you can''t take care of Norbert. You can''t provide everything necessary for a dragon''s growth, which will lead to Norbert being weak. It will be in worse health than other dragons of the same age."

    Lin Yue''s words were devoid of any emotion; she couldn''t consider Hagrid''s feelings. Her cold analysis struck at the heart of the matter, and Hagrid began to sob loudly. He knew Lyn was right; he truly couldn''t provide Norbert with the necessary conditions and space to grow.

    "Okay, okay... We''ll send it away."

    Hermione, Ron, and Harry breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Lin Yue, giving her a thumbs up in unison. Lin Yue''s expression remained unchanged; she had simply analyzed the situation and stated the facts.

    In the following time, Ron wrote a letter to his brother Charlie to confirm the time for sending off Norbert, while he, Harry, and Hermione would take turns going to Hagrid''s hut to help take care of Norbert. As for Lin Yue, the three of them consciously decided not to let this matter disturb her, after all, she was busy enough with her studies...

    On Thursday afternoon, while Lin Yue was reading in the library, Hermione and Harry walked in with Ron, whose right hand was wrapped up. Hermione placed her backpack next to Lin Yue and, after sitting down, looked at Ron, who was sitting across from her, with a serious expression.

    "So... Malfoy knows about our plan to send off Norbert and the exact time?" Ron sat in his seat, feeling downcast. "Yeah... it''s all my fault. He came to the hospital wing and mocked me, and I got so angry that I lost my cool and let him take the book. Charlie''s letter was in that book."

    Hermione sighed silently but shook her head. "It''s okay, don''t blame yourself too much. When Harry and I go to send off Norbert, we just need to be careful."

    "Exactly," Harry nodded in agreement.

    Hermione took out her notebook, and after a while, while Lin Yue was turning the pages, she quickly asked her about the parts she was unsure of. Lin Yue lowered her head, staring blankly at Hermione''s notebook, mechanically answering her questions. Hermione nodded repeatedly as she listened, quickly jotting down the explanations Lin Yue provided. Meanwhile, Harry and Ron, listening to the knowledge drilling into their heads, felt a wave of dizziness.

    After clarifying her questions, Hermione thanked Lin Yue and then quietly discussed the plan to send off Norbert on Saturday night with Harry and Ron. Lin Yue listened attentively, understanding the time and place clearly, even though she hadn''t fully entered study mode yet.

    "The Invisibility Cloak should be able to cover the two of us, right? I¡¯m afraid Malfoy will provoke the professor to come over," Hermione said.

    Hermione quietly confirmed with Harry, who nodded, "It should be fine, as long as we walk a bit slower." Lin Yue lowered her head, her gaze returning to the book, and several thoughts flashed quickly through her mind.

    Hermione and Harry were supposed to send Norbert to the Astronomy Tower at midnight on Saturday, which was against school rules and even against wizarding law. If Malfoy found out about this, he was likely to report it to a professor, which meant Hermione and Harry could get caught. Being caught for violating both school rules and wizarding law would result in punishment for Hermione and Harry.

    Thinking of this, Lin Yue felt a dull pain in her head again; she should help Hermione... she couldn''t let her get caught by the professor. Lin Yue stiffly moved her fingers, reminding herself of what she needed to do.

    As curfew approached, Lin Yue packed her things, slung her backpack over her shoulder, and left the library. After saying goodbye to Hermione and the others, she headed back to the Ravenclaw tower.

    On the way, Lin Yue''s mind was racing with calculations: leaving the dormitory after curfew, breaking the rules, helping Hermione and the others get rid of the dragon, breaking the rules, helping Hermione and the others avoid the professor, breaking the rules. The three violations were clearly present in her mind, and without any hesitation, Lin Yue raised her hand and pinched her thigh three times.

    She stood still for a moment, waiting for the muscle tremors in her leg to subside before quickly returning to the Ravenclaw common room.

    Just before midnight on Saturday, Lin Yue expressionlessly got up from her desk and walked toward the dormitory door. Cho Chang and Marietta, who were on their beds trying to fall asleep, suddenly opened their eyes at the sound and stared in surprise at Lin Yue, who was about to walk out of the dormitory.

    "Lin Yue, what are you... going to do?" Cho Chang asked Lin Yue with a dazed expression.

    Lin Yue turned back, her gaze as still as a stagnant pool, and said, "Going out for a night stroll."

    Night stroll!!! Cho Chang and Marietta widened their eyes in disbelief, unable to fathom how the term "night stroll" could be associated with Lin Yue, who was solely focused on her studies and regarded as the absolute model student and good child by professors and classmates alike. However, if it were Lin Yue, perhaps a night stroll wouldn''t be so bad. It could be a little adventure for her, a chance to relax and not be so tense.

    Thinking this, Cho Chang smiled gently, got up barefoot, and walked over to help Lin Yue adjust her collar. "You need to dress properly for a night stroll, don''t catch a cold."

    "You don''t have to worry about running into professors. You''ve earned enough points for Ravenclaw, so they can deduct points at will; no one will blame you," Marietta added, standing up and walking over to lightly tap Lin Yue with her wand while casting a warming charm.

    "You can also check out the kitchen on the basement level; the house-elves will be more than happy to make you plenty of late-night snacks. Have fun!"

    Lin Yue looked at the two senior in front of her and suddenly recalled the dinner on Christmas Day... A dull pain surged in her brain, and her chest felt hot. She slowly and stiffly nodded her head.

    "Okay, thank you, Senior Cho Chang and Senior Marietta."

    "You''re welcome, go have fun!"

    Cho Chang waved her hand with a smile, watching Lin Yue leave the dormitory with Marietta.

    "How nice, she''s willing to do more things outside of studying, even things outside of school rules."

    Cho Chang turned to Marietta and winked with a smile, and Marietta also had a beaming expression.

    "Yeah, she¡¯s finally not so rigid and stuck in her ways anymore."

    As Lin Yue''s senior and roommates, they understood very well what she was like when she first entered school.

    She was lifeless, like a puppet, going through the motion¡¯s day by day, focused solely on studying. At that time, as part of the outside world, whatever they said probably didn¡¯t register with Lin Yue at all. But later... it must have been because of Hermione, Lin Yue began to connect with the outside world to some extent.

    Now she could even take the initiative to go out at night! That¡¯s why they just took the initiative to speak up, dispelling any concerns Lin Yue might have had, telling her where she could go, and supporting her actions.

    They just hoped that even if she was a little mischievous, Lin Yue could show more different expressions on her face. On this night, although the thoughts of the two senior were far from reality, their actions struck some sparks on a pitch-black, silent rock once again.

 Chapter 28: The Night Out That Is Tolerated

    With a blank expression, Lin Yue walked out of the dormitory, pulled out her wand, and tapped it twice against herself to cast the Disillusionment Charm.

    The Disillusionment Charm is a spell that can only be learned by upperclassmen at Hogwarts, requiring a high level of magical power and skill. Even though Lin Yue''s pronunciation of the incantation and the movements of her wand were exactly like those in the book, and her magical power was sufficient to support the casting of the charm, there were still some shortcomings in her execution.

    After all, she was just a first-year little witch, lacking in experience. As she moved, mottled patterns appeared around her, and anyone who looked closely could still discern her outline. She made her way smoothly to the Astronomy Tower, and without a doubt, she did not encounter any professors along the way. Even Mrs Norris had been taken far away from the Astronomy Tower by the moving staircases of Hogwarts.

    Standing quietly at the top of the Astronomy Tower, Lin Yue stared blankly at the door leading here, waiting for Harry and Hermione, who would arrive shortly. Raising her right hand to check the time, it was eleven fifty. If all went well, Harry and Hermione would be here in ten minutes.

    Lin Yue''s brain automatically reacted; she lowered her hand and leaned against the wall behind her, waiting with vacant eyes. Ten minutes later, accompanied by a soft sound, the door opened suddenly. However, nothing came in. But if one looked closely, two pairs of faintly visible feet could be seen near the ground.

    Lin Yue slowly withdrew her gaze from the floor, remaining perfectly still, so neither Harry nor Hermione noticed her. She watched as Harry and Hermione lifted the Invisibility Cloak, and they were carrying a wooden box that was not exactly small.

    The next moment, a gentle voice called out from the air behind Lin Yue, "Harry? Hermione?"

    "That''s us," Hermione quickly shouted at the person riding the flying broom in the air.

    "Hello, I''m Charlie. Is this the Norbert?" A sturdy boy pointed at the box in Harry and Hermione''s hands and asked.

    "Yes," Harry nodded, "We need you to take it away."

    "No problem," Charlie waved his hand, and along with one of his companions, he dismounted from the broom, lifted the wooden box, and they coordinated to fly back into the air.

    "Then we''ll be off," Charlie nodded to Harry and Hermione, and then he and his companion disappeared into the distance.

    Seeing the Norbert being taken away, Harry and Hermione immediately sighed in relief, and after relaxing, they both felt a bit lightheaded. So much so that even the usually meticulous and reliable Hermione didn''t notice they hadn''t put the Invisibility Cloak back on; the two of them casually opened the door and walked down from the Astronomy Tower, even chatting as they went.

    Lin Yue, who had been standing silently by the wall, quietly stepped forward to pick up the Invisibility Cloak and slowly followed behind Harry and Hermione.

    She didn''t interrupt their conversation, as it would be impolite to disturb others. Lin Yue''s brain automatically analysed this.

    When Harry and Hermione reached the bottom of the Astronomy Tower stairs, two voices could be heard.

    "Professor! You should believe me, Harry Potter really has a dragon, and it''s going to be sent away tonight!" Draco Malfoy said anxiously to Professor McGonagall, who was beside him.

    "That''s absurd, Mr. Malfoy," Professor McGonagall said sternly, looking at him. "A dragon? How could that be possible?"

    That said, Professor McGonagall still led by Draco towards the Astronomy Tower. Regardless of whether Harry Potter really had a dragon, if he was indeed out at night, he would still face detention and point deductions.

    By the time Hermione and Harry heard the voices of Professor McGonagall and Draco, it was too late; they had already reached the bottom of the Astronomy Tower stairs.

    At that moment, they realized they had left the Invisibility Cloak on the Astronomy Tower. Just as they were about to "surrender" and be caught by Professor McGonagall, Lin Yue quickly acted, spreading the Invisibility Cloak over Hermione''s head, covering her completely.

    Harry watched as Hermione suddenly disappeared beside him, then glanced at Lin Yue, whose outline was faintly visible, and instantly understood what was happening.

    Without needing to think much, he immediately stepped forward to expose himself completely, buying time for Lin Yue and Hermione.

    "Mr. Potter!" Seeing Harry suddenly appear from the Astronomy Tower stairs, Professor McGonagall couldn''t help but widen her eyes.

    Her breathing became rapid. "You really went out at night!"

    Harry, confirming out of the corner of his eye that Lin Yue and Hermione had hidden well, finally felt relieved and looked at Professor McGonagall with a guilty expression.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    "Yes, Professor, I''m sorry. I let you down."

    Professor McGonagall took a deep breath, "So, Mr. Malfoy mentioned there¡¯s a dragon?"

    "Ah?" Harry looked at Professor McGonagall in confusion, his acting skills were top-notch.

    "What dragon? Is there one at our school? How come I haven''t seen it? Is it raised by Professor Dumbledore?"

    The corners of Professor McGonagall''s mouth twitched uncontrollably, "No, Mr. Potter, there is no dragon at Hogwarts. Mr. Malfoy said you would be bringing one tonight."

    "What?!" Harry''s eyes widened as he looked at Professor McGonagall, then at Draco beside her, and immediately spread his arms.

    "I... I didn''t bring one! How could I possibly get a dragon? I mean, that''s illegal, right?"

    "Yes, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall nodded, turning to look sternly at Draco, "Mr. Malfoy, I will take you to Professor Snape to deal with your lies and your nighttime escapade."

    "What?" Draco was taken aback, "But Professor... I was trying to report Harry Potter and the others."

    "But you were out at night," Professor McGonagall said meticulously, stepping forward to take Harry and prepare to leave.

    As she stepped forward, her gaze naturally fell upon Lin Yue, who was standing next to Hermione, hiding herself with the Disillusionment Charm.

    Lin Yue''s Disillusionment Charm could indeed conceal her from all Hogwarts students and most adult wizards when she was still, but it definitely did not include elite wizards like Professor McGonagall.

    She almost instantly saw through Lin Yue''s charm. Lin Yue stood quietly in place, her eyes as still as dead water, staring at Professor McGonagall.

    She understood Professor McGonagall had discovered her, and what awaited her next would likely be the professor''s reprimand and punishment.

    However, the situation did not unfold as she had analysed in her mind. On the contrary, Professor McGonagall''s expression softened, and even her gaze towards Harry became much gentler.

    The little girl Lin Yue is here, and Potter is too, so Granger should be nearby, right? Are they taking Lin Yue out for a night adventure?

    If it were other students out for a night adventure, Professor McGonagall would ensure she caught them fairly, regardless of their academic performance or which house they belonged to.

    But Lin Yue is different; all the professors can feel how much pressure she puts on herself, with her studies occupying almost all her time. So, if other students can take her out to have fun, even if it slightly violates school rules, if safety is ensured, they would be willing, even pleased to see it happen.

    Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and gently coughed, ¡°Mr. Potter, we¡¯ll discuss your handling of this when we get back. Come with me.¡±

    After saying that, she pulled Harry away, not even glancing at Lin Yue, as if she hadn¡¯t noticed her at all. Watching Professor McGonagall leave, Lin Yue¡¯s mind froze again.

    Professor McGonagall noticed her but didn¡¯t catch her, without a hint of doubt, just a question popped up in her mind. Why is that¡­ Lin Yue mechanically blinked her eyes; perhaps Professor McGonagall was waiting for her to admit her mistake proactively¡­

    Yes, that should be the final answer; Lin Yue¡¯s brain automatically made the most reasonable analysis. Once Professor McGonagall was far away, Hermione, hidden under the invisibility cloak, finally dared to exhale the breath that had been building up in her chest.

    ¡°Phew¡­¡± Hermione slowly rubbed her chest and turned to look in the direction where Lin Yue had just been.

    ¡°Lin Yue¡­ is that you?¡± Besides Lin Yue, she couldn¡¯t think of anyone else who would know they were here tonight to send off Norbert and would help her avoid Professor McGonagall¡¯s ¡°capture.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Lin Yue¡¯s emotionless voice sounded, and as she nodded, the outline of her head appeared in Hermione¡¯s view.

    ¡°Wow¡­ is that the Disillusionment Charm?¡± Hermione¡¯s eyes brightened, looking at the spot where Lin Yue was with some surprise.

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing! The Disillusionment Charm is a spell learned in the upper years!¡± Hermione admired the scene before her.

    ¡°No, my Disillusionment Charm has significant flaws; I haven¡¯t mastered it well.¡± Lin Yue shook her head, stating the fact without any emotion.

    ¡°You¡¯re already very impressive,¡± Hermione pressed her lips together, ¡°don¡¯t say that about yourself.¡±

    ¡°And thank you for helping me just now; otherwise, I would have been caught by Professor McGonagall and deducted points from Gryffindor.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Lin Yue shook her head indifferently.

    Hermione tilted her head slightly, feeling an indescribable sense of anticipation in her heart. "Why are you here? I mean... is it because you''re worried about me, about us?"

    Lin Yue listened to the word "worried," thought carefully about its meaning, and then shook her head. "I don''t have that kind of emotion. I have no emotions; my brain just told me I should come, so I did."

    Hearing that familiar phrase again, Hermione no longer felt fear; she only felt repression and pain. Taking a deep breath, Hermione tried to steady her tone, pulled open the invisibility cloak, and gestured for Lin Yue to come in. "Let''s go. I''ll take you back to Ravenclaw first."

    Lin Yue nodded expressionlessly and slipped under the invisibility cloak. "Thank you."

    While Hermione was escorting Lin Yue back to Ravenclaw, Professor McGonagall, after handing Draco over to Professor Snape, took Harry back to her office.

    Harry stood with his head down in front of Professor McGonagall, waiting for the impending reprimand. However, the scolding he had imagined did not come. On the contrary, Professor McGonagall actually offered him comfort.

    "I''m sorry, Mr. Potter, but since I caught you, I have to deduct points, so Gryffindor will lose fifty points."

    Harry looked up at Professor McGonagall in a daze, not understanding why she was apologizing.

    "I understand that you and Miss Granger took Miss Lin Yue out for a night stroll, wanting to help her let go and relax."

    "I am proud to have students like you, who are not afraid of difficulties and possible negative consequences, bravely helping a friend. You truly embody the courage that a Gryffindor should have!"

    Harry opened his mouth, wanting to say something but unable to find the words. It was only at that moment that he fully realized what kind of wonderful professors he had encountered at Hogwarts.

    "Students come first" was not just something they said; they truly practiced it.

    "However, I think maybe you could be a bit more careful next time?" Professor McGonagall smiled at Harry, her smile filled with mischief, just like the little lions of Gryffindor.

    Harry couldn''t help but smile, "Of course, Professor McGonagall, we will."

    Professor McGonagall nodded in satisfaction, "Very well, but you must remember, you can''t let yourselves get sleepy in class the next day, or I might change my mind."

    "I understand," Harry nodded vigorously.

    Professor McGonagall walked to the office door and opened it, "Come on, Mr. Potter, I''ll walk you back. I''ll let you know about your detention time and details at another time."

    "Okay, thank you, Professor McGonagall," Harry replied obediently as he walked out of her office.

    Lin Yue was sent back to Ravenclaw by Hermione, and as soon as she returned to the dormitory, she was met with the attention of two senior students.

    "You''re back?"

    "How was it?"

    Cho Chang and Marietta poked their heads out from their respective beds, curiously asking.

    Lin Yue paused slightly, surprised that they were still awake. Then she mechanically opened her mouth, "Professor McGonagall saw me, but she didn''t catch me; she was waiting for me to admit my mistake."

    "What?" Cho Chang frowned in confusion. She understood every word Lin Yue said, but she couldn''t make sense of the whole sentence.

    Marietta next to her looked equally puzzled.

    So, at the insistence of the two senior students, Lin Yue recounted in detail how Professor McGonagall saw through her Disillusionment Charm but didn''t catch her, of course, her mind subconsciously omitted the presence of Hermione and Harry.

    After hearing Lin Yue''s account, Cho Chang and Marietta first expressed their amazement that she could use the Disillusionment Charm, and then they thought about why Professor McGonagall didn''t catch Lin Yue.

    Cho Chang pulled Lin Yue and made her sit on her own bed. "Don''t think too much, Lin Yue. Professor McGonagall doesn''t mean for you to admit your mistakes on your own."

    "That''s not what I mean." Lin Yue''s tone was flat, but it was clear that it was a question.

    "Yes," Cho Chang nodded.

    Marietta chimed in from the side, "Professor McGonagall probably just wants you to be happy. If you can be happier and more cheerful, don''t be so tense. Even if you go out at night, it''s still good."

    Lin Yue''s brain was racing, but ultimately, due to a lack of emotion, she couldn''t understand their words. She just instinctively felt that her eyes and heart were burning.

    "Breaking the rules needs to be punished and admitting mistakes on your own... maybe it can lessen the punishment." She continued to speak the conclusions her mind had come up with.

    Cho Chang pressed her lips together, squatted down, and held Lin Yue''s shoulders. "Don''t think about these things anymore. You don''t need to admit your mistakes."

    "Or... if you want to, that''s fine too," Cho Chang raised an eyebrow. "But I can guarantee that the outcome will definitely be very different from what you expect."

 Chapter 29: A different reality

    It was very different from what she had imagined... Lin Yue''s mind quickly analyzed that perhaps even if she took the initiative to admit her mistakes, the professor would not lessen her punishment.

    Reaching a conclusion, Lin Yue nodded calmly, "Okay, thank you for the reminder, senior."

    Cho Chang sighed and reached out to rub Lin Yue''s head, "Go to sleep."

    Lin Yue turned around, mechanically walked to the bedside, took off her shoes and socks, and lay down fully clothed on the bed. Sleeping in her clothes saved time and wouldn''t waste more of her study time; she had gotten used to sleeping this way.

    As Lin Yue lay on the bed, Cho Chang and Marietta also walked to their respective beds, tidied up a bit, and went to sleep. She wakes up every hour, Lin Yue woke up and opened her eyes at seven o''clock. She had gone to bed at one in the morning, so it was exactly six hours of sleep.

    Sitting up in bed, Lin Yue grabbed her change of clothes and toiletries and walked into the bathroom. She finished her shower as quickly as possible, casually dried her hair a bit, and then walked out of the bathroom. After packing her bag, she hurriedly left the Ravenclaw common room.

    While walking, she held a book in her hand, reading as she went. Her still damp hair fell behind her, wetting her wizard robe, and even the shirt underneath was soaked, clinging tightly to her back.

    However, Lin Yue seemed oblivious to it, continuing to walk briskly with her eyes glued to the book. Whether her hair was dry or not was of no concern; she just couldn''t let these trivial matters affect her study time. As for the headache that might arise from not drying her hair, Lin Yue had long since become accustomed to the pain, so it wouldn''t affect her studying, and that was enough for her.

    Entering the Great Hall, Lin Yue closed her book and sat at the Ravenclaw table, reaching for a knife and fork to serve herself breakfast, and began to eat ravenously. However, while Lin Yue could ignore her dripping wet hair, others could not. As soon as Hermione walked into the Great Hall, she saw this scene: Lin Yue was eating with her hair still wet and dripping. Frowning, Hermione quickly walked over, grabbed a clean napkin from the Ravenclaw table, and carefully approached Lin Yue from behind to help dry her hair.

    Lin Yue, who was eating quickly, felt the movement behind her and instinctively turned to look back.

    Hermione softly said, "Don''t move, just eat your food. I''ll dry your hair for you."

    Lin Yue nodded expressionlessly, politely said thank you, and continued to eat quickly. In three and a half minutes, she finished her breakfast, but Hermione still hadn''t completely dried Lin Yue''s hair. To avoid wasting study time, Lin Yue reached out and reopened the book she had placed beside her.

    Hermione couldn''t help but sigh at the scene before her, but she didn''t disturb Lin Yue''s studying. It was obvious... this girl was letting her hair air dry to avoid taking time away from her studies. Hermione wondered how many times Lin Yue had experienced headaches from having wet hair in the wind.

    Recalling her own childhood experience of not drying her hair and then catching a chill, Hermione hastened her movements as she dried Lin Yue''s hair. That had really hurt, and the pain lasted a whole day, only getting better after a good night''s sleep.

    After nearly ten minutes, Hermione finally dried Lin Yue''s hair completely. Seeing that she was still immersed in her studies, Hermione pressed her lips together and quietly stood behind her until Lin Yue finished the page she was reading.

    "Lin Yue, I''ve finished drying your hair."

    Lin Yue was pulled out of her studying state when she heard her full name. She closed the book in her hands, stood up, and adjusted her backpack.

    With a blank expression, she looked at Hermione and thanked her again, "Thank you, sorry for the trouble."

    "It''s no trouble," Hermione shook her head. "But you should try to dry your hair after showering in the future; otherwise, you might get a headache."

    Lin Yue replied in a flat tone, "It will take up study time. It''s fine, I''m not afraid of pain."

    Hermione closed her eyes, ultimately deciding not to say anything more, allowing Lin Yue to walk past her while reading.

    Lin Yue... how did you live before? Besides studying, what else was there in your life?

    The more Hermione learned about Lin Yue, the more heartbroken she felt. Understanding her daily habits and how she punished herself for studying made Hermione realize that Lin Yue''s previous life was likely in a state that she could not fully comprehend or even imagine.

    As Lin Yue quickly walked out of the great hall, a fleeting shadow caught her attention and abruptly pulled her out of her studying state. Closing her book, Lin Yue stepped forward to Professor McGonagall and politely nodded, "Good morning, Professor McGonagall."

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    Professor McGonagall, who was about to enter the great hall for breakfast, paused for a moment. "Good morning, Miss Lin Yue. Is there something you need?"

    Lin Yue expressionlessly nodded, then without hesitation bent down towards Professor McGonagall, "I''m sorry, Professor McGonagall, I broke school rules and went out last night. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to admit my mistake. I will humbly accept your criticism and punishment."

    Seeing Lin Yue bow deeply in front of her and listening to her emotionless yet practiced words, Professor McGonagall felt a lump in her chest that she couldn''t quite place.

    She had seen many lively Gryffindor bouncing around causing trouble, focused Ravenclaw who were eager to learn, gentle and soft Hufflepuff who loved food and gossip, and sharp Slytherin who were good at finding loopholes, but she had never seen anyone like this.

    Someone who would bow and admit their mistakes without hesitation in front of a professor, even someone whom the professor wouldn''t want to punish. Reaching out, Professor McGonagall helped Lin Yue up, and Lin Yue straightened her body, looking calmly at Professor McGonagall. Noticing her tightly pressed and slightly trembling lips, Lin Yue''s emotionless brain instinctively interpreted the other person''s current state as intense anger.

    So how would she be punished? Would she have to kneel in the corridor or stand barefoot in the snow? Lin Yue quickly thought of the various punishments she had received from teachers in the past. The latter usually lasted only about ten minutes, which, although uncomfortable, would take up less study time. She hoped for the latter.

    In the past, her teachers, under her parents'' instructions, had never been lenient with her punishments. This was why neither teachers nor students ever reacted when they saw the scars left on her from punishing herself. Because it was normal, and moreover, she was not the only one; many other students were suffering the same.

    Punishment would lead to improvement, and studying would progress. Lin Yue''s mind was firmly convinced of this, without considering whether the punishment was reasonable or truly necessary.

    Professor McGonagall made an effort to calm her emotions and slowly reached out to touch Lin Yue''s cheek.

    Feeling Professor McGonagall''s hand approaching her face, Lin Yue''s mind instantly understood what punishment she was about to receive.

    Then another thought suddenly popped up: if she got hit on the face, Senior Penelope would probably see it... But this was a punishment from the professor, so it should be fine.

    However, the anticipated impact did not come. Instead, Lin Yue felt a gentle reassurance from Professor McGonagall on her face.

    "I am not angry, Miss Lin Yue," Professor McGonagall said with a gentle smile at Lin Yue.

    "And at Hogwarts, you don''t need to be so reserved with us professors. We are your teachers, and we are also your elders. It is one of the responsibilities of elders to be tolerant of children''s mischief, isn''t it?"

    "To be honest," Professor McGonagall leaned down to meet Lin Yue''s gaze on equal terms, "I actually look forward to seeing you be a bit livelier, a bit more mischievous, and to open yourself up more. Don''t think too much; this is Hogwarts, after all."

    Professor McGonagall straightened up after speaking and helped Lin Yue tie her hair, which was scattered behind her, into a simple braid.

    "I have no punishment for you, nor will I deduct any points, but I do want to give you a suggestion."

    "Next time you go out at night, you could visit the eighth floor, where there is a tapestry depicting Barnabas the Barmy. That would be quite interesting."

    With a mischievous wink at Lin Yue, she stepped into the great hall, leaving Lin Yue staring blankly, expressionless, at her retreating figure.

    Not being punished and receiving a suggestion left Lin Yue''s mind completely boggled; she couldn''t comprehend everything Professor McGonagall had just done.

    This was in stark contrast to her previous experiences and understanding.

    Retracting her gaze, Lin Yue felt nothing inside; her vision had already blurred. She lowered her head to read again, but the letters on the page were no longer clear. In a haze, Lin Yue walked towards the Charms classroom with her head down.

    Upon entering the Charms classroom, Lin Yue sat down and focused intently on her book. As two drops of water fell onto the page, her vision became clear again.

    After a while, Professor Flitwick entered the classroom with a book in his arms.

    Just a moment ago, while having breakfast at the teacher''s table in the auditorium, he had heard Professor McGonagall mention Lin Yue''s night outing the previous day. She pretended not to see it, and then this morning, Lin Yue had taken the initiative to come to him to admit her mistake.

    After so many years of interaction, it was the first time Professor Flitwick saw such a complex expression on his colleague''s face¡ªconfusion, misunderstanding, shock, and heartache intertwined.

    But he felt the same way; he was both pleased that this child could finally loosen up a bit and go out at night, even if it was with other students, and heartbroken that she held herself in such low regard.

    She was just too honest. Professor Flitwick placed the book on the podium, walked over to Lin Yue, and spoke kindly.

    "Good morning, Miss Lin Yue."

    "Good morning, Professor Flitwick," Lin Yue quickly stood up and politely nodded to greet him.

    Professor Flitwick waved his hand with a smile, "No need to be so formal. You''ve already grasped most of the first-year material. If you feel tired or sleepy during class today, you can take a break as long as you don''t disturb others."

    Lin Yue nodded lightly and replied mechanically, "Okay, thank you, Professor."

    After finishing his conversation with Lin Yue, Professor Flitwick returned to the podium. As students gradually entered the classroom, it was soon time for class to begin.

    Subconsciously glancing at Lin Yue, Professor Flitwick couldn''t help but sigh when he saw her still focused on her book.

    This child... why doesn''t she know to take a break sometimes? Although they are professors, they certainly do not wish for their students to have nothing in their lives but studying, with nothing else to show for it.

    When class officially started, even though Professor Flitwick had hinted to Lin Yue beforehand, she still did not take a break or even sleep.

    As before, she stared at Professor Flitwick without blinking, her hand quickly taking notes, like a high-speed machine that never tires or overheats.

    Watching Lin Yue''s serious and focused demeanor, Professor Flitwick felt a sense of comfort in his heart, but more so, a dull pain.

    During lunch after the Charms class, most of the Gryffindor students had already heard about how Harry lost fifty points for his nighttime escapade the previous night.

    However, since the points deducted weren''t too many, and it was almost clear that the House Cup would go to Ravenclaw this year, everyone didn''t pay much attention to it.

    Or rather, after hearing Harry''s edited version of the incident, they learned that Malfoy had reported him for his nighttime adventure, which resulted in both losing points, and they couldn''t help but mock Malfoy''s actions.

    They were also happy to see Slytherin lose points along with them; after all, it was certain that the House Cup wouldn''t be won by Slytherin, which was enough for the Gryffindor lions.

    As for the fifty points Harry lost, it was just a deduction; it wouldn''t change the fact that they would still come in first place or not.

    So, when Lin Yue quickly finished her lunch and looked up, she saw Harry chatting and laughing with other classmates, showing no signs of anything being wrong.

    Her gaze scanned him from head to toe; there were no abnormalities on his face, no signs of injury on his hands, and his knees didn''t seem to be in pain. She couldn''t see anything wrong with his feet either... Just as she was thinking this, Harry stood up and went to get himself a plate of sausages from a distance.

    It was clear that his feet were not injured, and Harry had not faced any punishment other than the point deduction.

    Lin Yue''s brain summarized the information, opened the book, stood up, and left the great hall. As she walked, she read the content of the book, but her mind was unusually not trying to bury the information deep into her memory.

    At that moment, scenes from the Christmas dinner and her conversation with Professor McGonagall that morning were surfacing in her mind. These two scenes collided violently with her memories of herself standing in the snow and kneeling in the corridor, causing waves of pain in her head.

    It''s different, completely different... Two thoughts popped into Lin Yue''s mind: Hogwarts and the school she had attended before. The gap between the two was too vast. After reaching this conclusion, her brain stopped, unable to analyze any further.

    The lack of emotional connection made it difficult for her to understand the completely different reasons behind the two. In that case, Lin Yue subconsciously returned to the commonalities between them. They were both schools, and she was a student in both, so... all she needed to do was study. With this thought, her train of thought was abruptly halted, and Lin Yue''s mind returned to the book, with words and sentences flooding into her consciousness.

 Chapter 30: The Shadow in the Forbidden Forest ?

    "Detention in the Forbidden Forest?!" Hermione turned her head, looking at Harry in disbelief.

    The three of them had just finished studying in the library and were walking with Lin Yue towards their respective house towers.

    "Yeah," Harry nodded, looking at her with some confusion, "What''s the problem?"

    "What''s the problem?" Hermione frowned, "This is a big issue. The Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts is home to many dangerous creatures, which is why students are prohibited from entering. Even professors must be extremely careful when they go in."

    "How could they make you serve detention in the Forbidden Forest?" Hermione''s face turned a bit pale, and she pressed her lips tightly together. "Who told you this news?"

    "Professor McGonagall," Harry said, pulling a note from his pocket and handing it to Hermione. "She gave me this during dinner; it has the details and timing of the detention."

    Hermione took the note and examined it carefully. "Well... it seems you really do have to take a walk in the Forbidden Forest."

    "Don''t worry too much," Ron chimed in to comfort his two friends. "Since it''s the Forbidden Forest, Hagrid will definitely be with you."

    "Yeah," Harry nodded at Ron''s words, a reassuring smile appearing on his face as he signalled Hermione to calm down. "With Hagrid there, I won''t get into any trouble."

    Lin Yue watched them talk in front of her with a blank expression, her mind racing.

    Harry was going to be punished and sent to the Forbidden Forest. Based on her assessment, the danger level was quite high, even with Hagrid accompanying him. After all, other factors had to be considered, such as Hagrid not being able to stay with Harry at all times.

    In that case, Harry would be a first-year wizard facing various situations all on his own.

    Lin Yue made her judgment in just a few seconds, and Hermione''s decision also took only a few seconds.

    ¡°Harry, I¡¯m going with you,¡± Hermione said decisively.

    ¡°What? No, Hermione, you don¡¯t have to¡­¡± Harry turned to Hermione and waved his hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m going,¡± Hermione shook her head. ¡°It was originally my responsibility to accompany you to deliver Norbert, and you covered for me, so it¡¯s only right that I go with you and besides, you¡¯re going to the Forbidden Forest. Having one more person means more support, and you can lend me your Invisibility Cloak when the time comes.¡±

    Hermione finished her sentence in one breath without giving Harry any chance to refuse. By the time she stopped speaking, Harry had no opportunity to decline. Not to mention, just the way Hermione''s bright eyes were looking at him made it impossible for him to say no.

    It felt like being stared at by Professor McGonagall, making it hard to entertain any thoughts of refusal.

    ¡°Alright¡­ thank you,¡± Harry nodded helplessly, agreeing to Hermione''s plan.

    ¡°I¡¯m going too,¡± Lin Yue suddenly spoke up, her tone flat and without any fluctuation.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± this time it was Hermione who said to stop her. She turned to look at Lin Yue, her face serious.

    ¡°Your complexion still hasn¡¯t fully recovered; you should rest more. I can go with Harry.¡±

    Lin Yue fixed her gaze on Hermione, her expression as still as the Dead Sea, showing no signs of emotion.

    ¡°If you two go, the escape rate in case of special situations is low. If I go with you, the escape rate will greatly increase.¡±

    Hermione paused for a moment; she knew Lin Yue was speaking the truth. If they encountered any special circumstances, having Lin Yue with them would indeed make them safer.

    "Also, I was there that night, and Harry covered for me, so it¡¯s only right that I go too."

    Lin Yue spoke mechanically, without any emotion. Although she didn¡¯t understand the emotional implications of that statement or why it was said, since Hermione had just mentioned it was useful, she could use it for herself.

    Hermione gritted her teeth; she really didn¡¯t want Lin Yue to join them on this adventure. After all, going into the Forbidden Forest while being under restriction had never happened in the history of Hogwarts.

    It was clear that this was not a normal situation, and who knows what was waiting for Harry in the Forbidden Forest. If Lin Yue went with her and Harry, would she encounter¡­

    Lin Yue slowly and stiffly said, "Whether you agree or not, I will follow you. That¡¯s the truth."

    "Alright, alright¡­" Hermione completely deflated, raising her hands in surrender. "You can come along, but you must first ensure your own safety."If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    "Right," Harry nodded in agreement. "If you encounter danger, don¡¯t worry about me; you must turn around and run!"

    "Merlin''s magical creatures¡­" Ron raised his hand to cover his face. "Harry, your invisibility cloak can cover three people, right?"

    Harry and Hermione both looked at Ron, who shrugged. "I can¡¯t just watch you two go."

    "Listen to me, Ron, don¡¯t go." Harry patted Ron¡¯s shoulder.

    "There are too many people going; if the invisibility cloak can¡¯t cover us all, it¡¯ll be even more dangerous."

    Ron looked at Harry with reluctance, unwilling to let his friends take risks and face unknown dangers while he just hid in the common room.

    "We need backup, Ron," Hermione said with a reassuring smile. "If something really happens, at least there should be someone to help us from behind, and you''re the best choice."

    "I mean, you can explain things to all of us," Hermione said, pointing to herself, Harry, and Lin Yue.

    "Yeah," Harry winked mischievously at Ron and made a dark joke, "If something really happens, at least you can collect our bodies."

    "Shut up," Hermione said, unceremoniously giving him a smack on the back of the head.

    Lin Yue watched the interaction between Hermione and the two boys with indifference, and spoke in a flat tone, sharing her analysis.

    "Don''t worry too much. Although according to the history of Hogwarts, students have never been sent to the Forbidden Forest during detention, this suggests that Harry''s detention must be unusual and have a different purpose."

    Harry swallowed hard as he listened to Lin Yue''s analysis, and Hermione nodded with a pale face, as this was also something she had considered.

    "However, the content of the detention was given to Harry by Professor McGonagall, and the likelihood of Professor McGonagall harming Harry is almost zero. Therefore, we can infer that the possibility of Harry facing a real life-threatening danger is low. So, in summary, the most likely scenario is that there is something in the Forbidden Forest that needs to be shown to Harry, and they are using detention as an excuse to guide him to see it."

    Lin Yue paused here, her mind quickly considering various possibilities and quantitative analyses.

    "The thing that needs to be shown to Harry has an unknown level of danger, but we can roughly assume that it won''t pose a life-threatening risk."

    "Alright." Harry seemed to have relaxed after hearing Lin Yue''s analysis. He felt indifferent now; it was just about showing him something, and he would go see it.

    "As long as I don''t die, I can just stay in the hospital wing for a while," Harry said, ruffling his messy hair.

    "You are quite carefree..." Hermione shook her head with amusement, then reached out to pinch Lin Yue''s cheek, which felt soft and smooth.

    "Thanks for your hard work."

    "Not hard at all," Lin Yue replied honestly.

    "Then tomorrow night, I''ll go with Harry to meet you at the entrance of the Ravenclaw common room?"

    "Okay." Lin Yue nodded and turned to walk towards the Ravenclaw tower.

    Hermione sighed as she watched Lin Yue''s back, then turned to look at Harry and Ron, nodding, "Let''s head back too."

    The two responded and silently followed Hermione. Ron nudged Harry with his elbow.

    "What''s up?" Harry asked quietly, turning his head.

    "When you guys come back from the Forbidden Forest tomorrow night, you have to tell me what happened," Ron said, worry written all over his face. Even after hearing Lin Yue''s analysis, he couldn''t help but feel anxious for his two close friends.

    But he couldn''t show it in front of Hermione; she was different from Harry. Being a girl, she was more sensitive. If he showed his concern in front of her, it might make her think even more and feel more anxious.

    "Don''t worry," Harry said, patting Ron on the shoulder.

    Back in the dormitory, Lin Yue quickly changed out of her clothes and took a shower. After casually drying her hair, she sat down at her desk to read.

    Cho Chang and Marietta had a lot of classes today, so they were already asleep. It wasn''t until midnight that Lin Yue closed her book and prepared to rest.

    Sitting on her bed in her clothes, Lin Yue contemplated her actions for the next day: night exploration, sneaking into the Forbidden Forest, which violated two school rules.

    Without hesitation, she reached down and firmly squeezed her left leg twice, leaving two large bruises before she finally lay down on her bed calmly.

    Closing her eyes, she fell into a deep sleep without any gaps. She woke up every hour and opened her eyes at six o''clock sharp.

    Throughout the day, she had a Potions class in the morning and a Herbology class in the afternoon.

    As usual, Lin Yue didn''t receive a perfect score in Potions, but because of Hermione''s request, she didn''t punish herself over the score this time.

    Instead, she continuously berated herself in her mind, using the words her father and mother used to scold her.

    "Others can get full marks, why can''t you? You''re all taught by the same teacher in the same class. If they can get full marks, why do you get points deducted? What''s wrong with you? Are you a pig brain?!"

    Lin Yue hurriedly walked on the way to the hall for lunch, while instinctively saying the pre-determined response, "I am... sorry, I was wrong."

    Sitting at the Ravenclaw long table, Lin Yue quickly ate her lunch.

    After three and a half minutes of lunch time, Lin Yue arrived early at the greenhouse for Herbology class, waiting for Professor Sprout to arrive. Standing quietly in place, she looked at the potion¡¯s books borrowed from the library, remaining still for an entire hour without moving. In Herbology class, Professor Sprout generously awarded her ten points for her plant care techniques. By Merlin, it was rare for her to see a talented child like Lin Yue.

    Every step of her technique was the same as in the book, and she was very quick, making no mistakes. Achieving this at such a young age, Professor Sprout truly liked this child. After Herbology class, Lin Yue carried her backpack to the hall for dinner, and then returned to the Ravenclaw common room, sitting on the sofa reading while waiting for Hermione and Harry to come pick her up.

    At nine o''clock in the evening, the door to the Ravenclaw common room suddenly opened.

    Hermione walked in with Harry, and as soon as she entered, her gaze was drawn to the large Ravenclaw internal library on the left.

    "Wow..." Hermione''s eyes sparkled as she looked at the seemingly endless books, as if she were gazing at an infinite treasure.

    Harry followed Hermione''s gaze to the left and couldn''t help but wince at the sight of the towering pile of books. He reached out and tugged at Hermione''s sleeve, whispering a reminder.

    "Hermione, it''s about time..."

    "Huh? Oh, right." Hermione snapped back to reality and quickly nodded.

    Seeing Lin Yue sitting on the sofa, she walked over. "Lin Yue, we should go."

    Hearing her full name, Lin Yue snapped out of her studying state, closed the book in her hands, and stood up with a swift motion, her tone flat.

    "Okay, let''s go."

    Hermione carefully took out the Invisibility Cloak from her wizarding robe and draped it over herself and Lin Yue, then followed Harry out of the Ravenclaw common room.

    "Harry, can you see our feet?" Hermione asked quietly, walking behind Harry with Lin Yue.

    Harry turned back, bent down to take a closer look, and shook his head.

    "No."

    "That''s good, let''s hurry." Hermione sighed in relief.

    Walking side by side with Lin Yue, Hermione could constantly feel the warmth and softness of the person next to her, causing her heart to flutter and her face to heat up slightly. Confused, Hermione shook her head. What was wrong with her? Her heart was racing, and she felt a bit warm on her face and body. Was she coming down with a cold?

    Before she could think it through, they had already followed Harry to the first-floor corridor, where they saw Filch waiting. Filch led Harry and the invisible Lin Yue while Hermione went to find Hagrid, all the while trying to scare Harry with various terrifying tales. Ultimately, being young, Harry didn''t feel too much, but he still swallowed nervously at what Filch said.

    Hermione, walking beside Lin Yue, felt the same way, while only Lin Yue listened to the various rumors about the Forbidden Forest, quickly comparing them with the information she had read in the Hogwarts library. Most of it was false, nonsense, Lin Yue concluded.

    When they arrived in front of Hagrid''s hut, Draco Malfoy was already there, looking quite frightened about the prospect of entering the Forbidden Forest. He kept saying he would tell his father, and as she listened to him, Lin Yue''s brain instinctively began to analyze the information.

    Draco Malfoy''s father, Lucius Malfoy, a former Death Eater, a pure-blood aristocrat, and one of the members of the Hogwarts Board of Governors, had paid a large sum of money to escape punishment after Voldemort''s death and the subsequent crackdown on Death Eaters. Having instinctively organized the information in her mind, Lin Yue expressionlessly watched as Harry and Draco exchanged barbs.

 Chapter 31: The Shadow in the Forbidden Forest 2

    Harry and Draco''s banter ultimately ended without a clear winner. Hagrid, holding a lantern and leading his large black dog Fang, walked out of the small cabin. He nodded gently at Harry and then turned to the two young wizards present to give them a warning.

    "Recently, there have been incidents in the Forbidden Forest where unicorns have been harmed. The main purpose of going into the Forbidden Forest today is to investigate what is causing the harm to the unicorns."

    "This is very dangerous, so you must pay attention to your safety."

    Harry was initially a bit nervous, but as soon as he remembered that Draco Malfoy was right next to him, he quickly hid his anxiety. No matter what, he couldn''t let Malfoy see him make a fool of himself.

    Draco, however, couldn''t hold back, "Something that harms unicorns?!"

    "This is too dangerous! I want to go back; my dad won''t agree to me going."

    Hagrid snorted dismissively, "This is the confinement set by Professor Dumbledore, and Professor Snape has agreed to it. You can have your dad talk to them."

    Draco gritted his teeth and closed his mouth. The person his dad feared the most right now was Dumbledore, and Professor Snape was his dad''s partner.

    The fact that both of them agreed to this confinement meant that¡­ there was no room for negotiation for him this time.

    Listening to Hagrid''s words, Lin Yue''s mind was also quickly analyzing the situation. Something that harms unicorns¡ªunicorns possess very powerful magical abilities, and ordinary adult wizards cannot contend with them alone. This means that whatever is in the Forbidden Forest right now is very powerful.

    Slowly and mechanically turning to look at the Forbidden Forest, Lin Yue recalled Hagrid''s next words. This confinement was set by Professor Dumbledore, which means that the person who hopes Harry Potter will go into the Forbidden Forest to see what there is Professor Dumbledore.

    Lin Yue concluded without any emotional fluctuations, which also indicated that Harry Potter would be safe. After all, Professor Dumbledore would never harm Harry Potter. As for what he hoped Harry would see in the Forbidden Forest, it should be that thing that harmed the unicorns.

    In just a few seconds, Lin Yue had already sorted out almost all the truths in her mind. Hagrid, Harry, and Draco were all ready, with Hagrid leading the way as they headed into the Forbidden Forest.

    Lin Yue and Hermione followed behind them, cloaked in invisibility. Hermione bit her lip, feeling Lin Yue''s warmth beside her, and couldn''t help but feel a bit nervous.

    "Lin Yue... what do you think that thing that harms unicorns in the Forbidden Forest could be?"

    Lin Yue didn''t sense Hermione''s anxiety at all. She spoke in a calm tone, summarizing the facts, "I don''t know what the thing that harms unicorns is."

    "But the fact that it can harm unicorns proves that it is very powerful and very evil."

    Hermione shivered, clearly agreeing with Lin Yue''s words. She took a deep breath to calm herself and pulled out her wand.

    Next to her, Lin Yue had her wand ready in her right hand, always prepared to respond to any possible emergencies.

    At first, everything was calm as they walked around the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest. However, as they ventured deeper, the path they had been following split into two smaller trails.

    Hagrid looked at Harry with some difficulty, "Harry, we might have to split up."

    "What?!" Before Harry could speak, Draco was the first to shout in disbelief, "Are we going to be alone in the Forbidden Forest?!"

    Harry felt annoyed by the shouting of the guy next to him. He turned to Draco and sneered, "What''s wrong? Are you scared, Malfoy?"

    "Who¡¯s scared?!" Draco forced himself to glare at Harry fiercely. "You''re the one who''s scared, you filthy Potty!"

    Harry twitched the corner of his mouth and turned to Hagrid. "No problem, we can split up and search faster."

    Hagrid nodded and handed a lantern to Harry. "If anything happens, just shoot up red fireworks into the sky."

    "Okay." Harry took the lantern from Hagrid and agreed.

    Draco glanced down at the imposing Fang and quickly spoke up, "We need Fang to follow us."

    Hagrid handed Fang''s leash to Draco. "Alright, but I have to warn you, he''s quite timid."

    After giving a few more reminders, Hagrid headed down the small path to the left, while Harry and Draco took Fang down the small path to the right.

    Lin Yue and Hermione, cloaked in invisibility, followed them. Lin Yue scanned her surroundings with vacant eyes; although she lacked any spark, she wouldn¡¯t miss any clues.

    As they ventured deeper, Lin Yue keenly noticed some faint signs of running and signs of a struggle on the ground.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Suddenly, she looked up, and before she could say anything, she heard Draco shout in panic. He then dropped Fang''s leash and ran away without looking back.

    The reason for his escape was right in the clearing ahead of Harry.

    Lin Yue looked expressionlessly at the dark figure lying on the ground not far away. In front of the figure was a small pool of silvery blood and a unicorn whose fate was uncertain¡ªwhether it was dead or alive.

    Just now, Draco''s exclamation had clearly caught its attention. The dark figure suddenly raised its head, locking eyes with Harry.

    Harry held his breath, drew his wand, and shot a red firework into the sky.

    The dark figure quickly lunged towards him, and under the invisibility cloak, both Lin Yue and Hermione instinctively raised their wands.

    " Petrificus Totalus!"

    "Stupefy!"

    The two spells hit the dark figure one after the other, causing it to pause momentarily in place.

    Hermione, trembling under the Invisibility Cloak, shouted to Harry, "Harry, run!"

    Hearing Hermione''s shaky voice beside him, Harry pinched his palm hard to regain his ability to move, and in the next moment, he raised his wand towards the shadow without hesitation.

    Run? How could he run! Hermione was still here; Lin Yue was still here; he couldn''t abandon his friends and escape.

    " Petrificus Totalus!"

    Harry cast a petrification spell at the shadow, imitating Hermione, but the effect was not significant. The shadow was clearly enraged, drawing its wand to deflect Harry''s spell.

    Then, astonishingly, it bypassed him and charged directly towards Hermione and Lin Yue, whose earlier incantations and shouts had already revealed their positions.

    Seeing the shadow rushing towards them, Lin Yue didn''t need to think. She lifted the Invisibility Cloak and dashed out, firmly shielding Hermione behind her, just like when they encountered the troll back then.

    "Wingardium Leviosa."

    With her wand tracing circles in the air, her incantation was devoid of any emotional fluctuation. The fallen leaves in the area began to float off the ground, rising into the air and spinning rapidly, encircling Lin Yue, Hermione, and Harry tightly in the center.

    The edges of the swiftly moving leaves were as sharp as blades. Lin Yue''s wand movements changed quickly, and the leaves gathered into a long dragon, charging towards the shadow.

    Bang! Bang! Bang! Spells shot out from the shadow''s wand, continuously shattering the dragon made of leaves, but in the next moment, more leaves would immediately fill the gaps.

    The shadow roared in anger, and many fallen leaves had already broken through his defenses, leaving countless wounds on his body that felt like cuts from a knife.

    It seemed that he was completely enraged, as the frequency of the spells he cast increased. Hermione and Harry could only see flashes of red light mixed with green light in front of them, blinding them.

    As the standoff continued, Lin Yue''s face quickly turned pale. Her brain was rapidly analyzing the situation under emergency conditions; she recognized the spells the shadow was using: the red one was the Cruciatus Curse, and the green one was the Killing Curse.

    If this continued, her magical power would eventually be depleted, and at that point, the three of them would likely be doomed. After dodging a Cruciatus Curse and pushing the shadow back, Lin Yue concluded that the best choice was to act.

    Without hesitation, she charged forward, breaking free from the range of the fallen leaves, and collided directly with a red light that was rushing towards her without dodging or evading.

    The red light-struck Lin Yue, causing pain¡ªexcruciating pain that penetrated to the bone and pierced her heart.

    Lin Yue''s face remained expressionless, but her feet couldn''t help but stumble for a moment.

    The shadow let out a mocking laugh, thinking to itself that she was just a little wizard, unable to keep her composure, her magic still insufficient. Now that she had fallen victim to a Cruciatus curse, how could she fight back?

    All she could do was lie on the ground and wail! With this thought, the shadow''s vigilance completely relaxed.

    Unfortunately, what it didn''t know was that Lin Yue had long anticipated this reaction, or rather, she had been waiting for the moment when the shadow would let its guard down.

    Steadying her footing, she waved her wand towards the sky. Lin Yue''s voice was hoarse, yet still calm.

    "Wingardium Leviosa."

    Four streams of falling leaves rose from the ground around the shadow, fiercely charging towards it.

    The shadow looked at Lin Yue, who was still able to stand and even cast such a wide-range spell with disbelief in its eyes.

    The four streams of falling leaves were rushing towards it; there was no way to block them, and any one of them that collided head-on would surely result in death.

    With a reluctant roar of anger, the shadow''s body began to mist, transforming into a cloud of black fog that soared into the air, then attempted to dive back down towards the ground.

    Whoosh! A sound sliced through the air as an arrow landed in front of the black fog. Clearly, it was the centaurs arranged by Professor Dumbledore who had arrived.

    The black fog paused for a second, then immediately turned and fled without hesitation.

    Lin Yue stood in place with a pale face. Although she had only been hit once, the pain throughout her body was still lingering.

    She dropped her wand, and with a loud thud, all the fallen leaves lost their support and fluttered down to the ground.

    Without the leaves blocking her view, Hermione immediately identified Lin Yue''s location, rushed over, and pulled her into the invisibility cloak, looking at her with concern.

    "Lin Yue, how are you? You''re not hurt, are you?"

    Lin Yue hoarsely replied, "I''m not hurt..." There were no injuries on her body, so it was the truth.

    "What''s wrong with your voice?" Hermione felt a bit relieved to hear Lin Yue say she wasn''t hurt, but she couldn''t help but worry about her unusually hoarse voice.

    It was too dark in the Forbidden Forest, so she couldn''t see Lin Yue''s pale face; otherwise, she would have probably screamed and dragged her to the hospital wing by now.

    "It''s fine, it''ll be better in a while," Lin Yue answered in a flat tone.

    Once the pain subsided, her voice would naturally recover.

    "Alright," Hermione said, biting her lip, and fell silent. Hagrid and the centaur had already arrived.

    When Harry was simultaneously asked about the situation by Hagrid and the centaur, he casually made up a story about what had just happened, but his gaze kept darting towards the spot where Lin Yue and Hermione were. He was genuinely worried about how Lin Yue and Hermione were doing.

    The centaur, worried that Harry was frightened, let Harry ride on his back and quickly took him out of the Forbidden Forest along with Hagrid. Lin Yue and Hermione, on the other hand, slowly walked towards the edge of the Forbidden Forest while cloaked in invisibility.

    Her legs felt weak, and her feet felt unsteady. Lin Yue had never felt her body so powerless before. Even though she was weak and in pain, there was no change in her expression; her face was calm and steady.

    Finally, they exited the Forbidden Forest, and Lin Yue''s breathing became uncontrollably heavy. However, Hermione, due to the sound of the wind around them, did not hear it.

    "Hermione, you go back first. You can let Harry know I''m safe," Lin Yue said in a hoarse voice, her tone indifferent. Her mind was racing with thoughts amidst waves of intense pain, urging Hermione to leave first.

    "I''ll take you back to the Ravenclaw tower," Hermione shook her head. She didn''t want to leave Lin Yue here.

    "The professor won''t catch me," Lin Yue said in a hoarse, flat voice. "You go back first. You can let Harry and Ron know I''m safe."

    Hermione glanced at Hogwarts Castle, then lowered her gaze. Indeed... if she didn''t go back, after Harry returned and told Ron the specifics, they would likely think something had happened to her and Lin Yue. If they had to go find the professor then... Harry would probably end up in detention, and she and Lin Yue would also lose points.

    "Alright, then I''ll go back and tell Harry and the others. You be careful and get back to the dormitory quickly."

    "Okay." Lin Yue replied without any fluctuation in her tone.

    Hermione, cloaked in invisibility, hurriedly left, while Lin Yue stood at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, reaching out to steady herself against a nearby tree. Her face was pale, and she was sweating profusely. Lin Yue stumbled as she leaned against the tree, inching her way toward Hogwarts Castle.

    Even though she was already accustomed to pain, the agony from the Cruciatus Curse was still too much for her. However, it could be said that it was fortunate she had grown used to pain; otherwise, she would have collapsed without any ability to resist the moment the curse struck her.

    Step by step, she made her way into Hogwarts Castle, leaning against the wall as she slowly climbed the stairs. The pace of her ascent seemed to slow down, as if afraid that moving too quickly would cause this frail child to topple over.

    After hoarsely answering the question at the door knocker, Lin Yue finally entered the common room and slowly crawled up the last flight of stairs. She opened the dormitory door, walked to her bed, and without even taking off her shoes and socks, she collapsed directly onto the bed.

 Chapter 32: The girl who is held in the palm of ones hand.

    The white moonlight streamed through the window into the Ravenclaw tower, illuminating Lin Yue''s pale cheeks, making them appear even more pale.

    The terrifying aspect of deep-seated pain lies not only in the unbearable torment and suffering it brings but also in its direct impact on a person''s soul. Lin Yue''s soul was already riddled with wounds from past experiences, and at this moment, it felt as fragile as a precarious attic.

    In the silent darkness, a miniature version of Lin Yue curled up, hugging her legs as she lay in the shadows. A faint golden glow emanated from her, but it was quickly swallowed by the darkness.

    Upon closer inspection, dark red, lightning-like entities continuously roamed around little Lin Yue, tearing at her soul.

    "Alas..." A soft sigh echoed, and a wave of magical energy surged throughout Hogwarts, enveloping the entire school. Everyone inevitably fell into a deep sleep, completely unaware of the outside world, including Professor Dumbledore.

    Outside Hogwarts, the winds rose and clouds gathered, as a massive amount of invisible magical energy frantically converged towards Lin Yue''s dormitory from all directions.

    Lin Yue''s body slowly floated up from the four-poster bed, enveloped by a large and gentle mass of magical energy. The magic rolled and surged, like a pair of large hands cradling Lin Yue, gradually forming a white cocoon of light.

    The magic entered Lin Yue''s body bit by bit, and in the boundless darkness, the black and red lightning on little Lin Yue was slowly pulled away by the scattered magic.

    The curled-up little Lin Yue finally began to calm down, soothing the pain in Lin Yue''s soul. The light cocoon slowly dissipated, and Lin Yue was gently placed back on the bed, even being carefully covered with a blanket.

    The sky outside Hogwarts gradually calmed down as well, leaving only a silent presence still watching over the scene.

    " Keek!" A loud eagle cry sounded at Lin Yue''s bedside, and a blue eagle was looking down at her.

    "Don''t worry, she''s fine." A soft and gentle voice echoed in the void.

    The blue eagle raised its head and let out a high cry into the emptiness.

    "I can''t restore her directly," the gentle voice sighed helplessly. "Her body has been reverted to eleven years old, and her nerves have been reconstructed, but only her habits and emotions cannot be directly bestowed, even by the world."

    Listening to the gentle voice, the blue eagle glanced at Lin Yue, extending its wings to carefully stroke her cheek.

    " Keek!"

    "It''s not that it can''t be bestowed, but that it shouldn''t be. Emotions are something that humans experience and comprehend gradually, and it is precisely the emotions that humans come to understand that drive them to become complete individuals."

    "What Lin Yue needs to do is to recover her emotions. If I were to directly bestow her emotions, would she still be the same her? Therefore, all I can do is guide her, following the thoughts that arise autonomously from the deepest parts of her brain."

    "The same goes for her habits. If she doesn''t break through this barrier with her own will, then my act of directly instilling new ideas in her would be no different from what her parents would do."

    "You know this too, which is why you haven''t done anything all along."

    " Keek!" The blue eagle glared at the void, spreading its wings and fiercely flapping them. The gentle voice paused for two seconds before responding helplessly, "Do as you wish, just don''t kill her."

    After finishing, the voice completely faded away, disappearing without a trace. The blue eagle turned back to look at Lin Yue, a hint of affection flashing in its human-like eyes.

    The blue eagle lowered its head and gently rubbed its beak against Lin Yue''s cheek, then raised its head, spread its wings, and soared into the air. Ignoring all walls and doors, the blue eagle flew unimpeded to Professor Chilo''s office.

    Looking at Professor Quirrell, who was lying on the bed in a deep sleep, and the figure behind his head, the blue eagle narrowed its eyes slightly and flapped its wings, charging straight forward.

    Boom! The bed board beneath Professor Quirrell shattered instantly, and he crashed heavily to the ground, causing even the floor to crack.

    " Keek!" the blue eagle called out, flapping its wings and soaring upwards, heading straight for the Hogwarts headmaster''s office.

    Upon entering the headmaster''s office, the portraits inside showed that Headmaster Dumbledore was also in a deep sleep, with only a phoenix standing on a special perch still awake.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    The blue eagle''s gaze slowly moved to the phoenix, Fawkes, whose body suddenly stiffened, and then it awkwardly buried its head in its wings. Don¡¯t look at it¡­ it knows nothing, sees nothing, hears nothing.

    " Keek!" Seemingly satisfied with Fawkes'' attitude, the blue eagle shifted its gaze back and then flew into the air, flapping its wings fiercely once more.

    In an instant, a strong gust of wind erupted in the headmaster''s office, flipping the desk over, sending the sofa rolling several times, and shattering all the frames of the portraits.

    Fawkes felt the commotion outside and trembled, not daring to lift his head. Blue Eagle looked at the wrecked principal''s office and nodded in satisfaction before leaving gracefully. A tempted wizard, a descendant of Salazar, dared to act against the child she had her eyes on right under her nose¡ªserves him right for getting beaten up.

    She had been watching over this child since he arrived in this world, and even the stairs, statues, and suits of armor in Hogwarts had been instructed by her to take care of him and now, it turned out that he had been beaten by a descendant of Salazar!

    Then there was the current headmaster, who set up a trap¡ªif you''re going to do it, at least do it right, but leaving hidden dangers behind that caused the student to suffer was just asking for trouble. It was only right that she destroyed the principal''s office and don¡¯t think she didn¡¯t know that this guy had previously suspected Lin Yue.

    This child had already suffered enough, and yet he still doubted her. Although she knew that this guy hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, just being a bit cautious, it didn¡¯t stop her from taking out her anger on him. One of the four founders of Hogwarts, Rowena Ravenclaw, was just that wilful! If he, Albus Dumbledore, had the ability, he could come to her for an explanation.

    Blue Eagle let out a human-like hum and flew back to Lin Yue''s dormitory. After some thought, she transformed into a blue light and flew into the watch on Lin Yue''s right hand, leaving a small blue eagle mark on the side of the watch.

    Not long after, a yellow little badger also ran into Lin Yue''s dormitory, looking around. Finally, its gaze landed on Lin Yue''s watch. Tilting its head, it charged straight into it.

    Meanwhile, in a room deep within Hogwarts, a red lion was watching a green little snake with glee.

    The descendants have harmed the child that Ravenclaw favoured; just wait for her to settle the score later, especially with Helga Hufflepuff by her side. It will be an exciting girl-on-girl showdown.

    Lin Yue lay on her bed, turning over as if unaware, completely oblivious to the fact that she had unknowingly gained two mothers who absolutely adored and even spoiled her.

    As soon as her six hours of sleep were up, Lin Yue suddenly opened her eyes, expressionless, and sat up in bed. The intense pain she had felt the day before had vanished without a trace.

    Raising her right hand to check her watch and confirming the time, Lin Yue quickly got up and walked into the bathroom. Three minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom after a quick shower, her hair still dripping.

    Putting on her watch, Lin Yue''s vacant gaze lingered on the edge of the watch for two seconds, looking at the eagle and badger depicted on it. Letting her hand drop, Lin Yue felt no confusion or curiosity in her heart; she simply sat down at her desk and expressionlessly opened a book.

    She flipped through the pages quickly, only breaking out of her study mode at seven o''clock. She stood up, slung her backpack over her shoulder, and walked out of the dormitory with her book in hand.

    All the way, the stairs of Hogwarts autonomously guided her to her destination.

    Upon arriving at the Great Hall, breakfast was just being served on the four long tables. Lin Yue sat at the Ravenclaw table and quickly began to "stuff" food into her mouth.Before her three-and-a-half-minute mealtime was up, Hermione walked into the Great Hall. Without even glancing at the breakfast, she quickly made her way to Lin Yue''s side.

    "Lin Yue, are you okay?"

    Lin Yue turned her head, looking at Hermione with a calm expression, her tone flat, "I''m fine."

    Only then did Hermione let out a sigh of relief. Last night, she had been so anxious, thinking she should go back and find Harry and the others to avoid them doing anything unnecessary, so she left first.

    After communicating with them, she couldn''t help but remember the sound of Lin Yue''s voice at that time¡ªso hoarse, exhausted, and weak...

    The sky was too dark then, and she couldn''t see Lin Yue''s face at all, so she couldn''t confirm her condition. Plus, she was too nervous at the time to think too much.

    Once she calmed down, she almost instinctively wanted to go find Harry for the invisibility cloak and then check on Lin Yue in the Ravenclaw tower.

    However, before she could even step out, she suddenly blacked out and fell forward, completely unconscious.

    As a result, when she woke up this morning, she had a large red bump on her forehead, but Hermione didn''t know about it.

    As soon as she woke up, she rushed to the hall without stopping, still wearing yesterday''s clothes, having no time to wash up, and naturally, she didn''t see the bump on her forehead. In her hurry, she didn''t even feel the pain on her forehead.

    Lin Yue looked at the large bump on Hermione''s forehead and calmly drew her wand.

    To others, this might seem a bit terrifying, and if someone were more cautious, seeing someone expressionless and calmly drawing a wand in front of them would likely trigger an instinctive reaction to draw their own wand in defense or to turn and run. However, Hermione had no such thoughts; she just tilted her head, curious about what Lin Yue was going to do with her wand.

    Lin Yue raised her wand and gently tapped Hermione''s forehead, saying, ¡°Episkey."

    With the emotionless incantation, the large red bump on Hermione''s head instantly returned to normal.

    Hermione felt a slight warmth on her forehead and raised her hand to touch it, asking somewhat confusingly, " Episkey? Did I hurt my head?"

    Lin Yue nodded expressionlessly and mechanically replied, "You just had a big bump on your head, most likely from falling to the ground."

    Hearing Lin Yue mention the most likely cause, Hermione felt a bit embarrassed and touched her nose.

    It was truly shameful to have suddenly fallen and hit her head while anxiously trying to confirm the other person''s safety.

    However, Lin Yue was completely unaware of Hermione''s embarrassment. Seeing that she was no longer speaking, Lin Yue returned to her seat and continued to eat her breakfast quickly.

    Noticing this, Hermione pursued her lips, looked around, and seeing that there weren''t many people in the Great Hall, she simply sat down next to Lin Yue and started eating breakfast with her.

    Since three and a half minutes of breakfast time had already passed, Lin Yue finished her meal in nearly a minute.

    Hermione swallowed the salad in her mouth and turned to Lin Yue, "Lin Yue, are you full?"

    Lin Yue nodded indifferently, "Mm."

    "Alright... then you can go to class first," Hermione said, turning back and lowering her head to continue eating her breakfast.

    Lin Yue put on her backpack, stood up, and quickly left the auditorium while reading a book.

    As the end of the semester approached, the students at Hogwarts began to feel the pressure. After all, they were all students and took exams seriously.

    The library at Hogwarts gradually became more crowded, and Lin Yue''s notebooks for all subjects had already been borrowed out. Her notebooks contained all the key points from each subject, with no omissions, and her handwriting was neat, almost like it was printed¡ªclear and concise. Even the small tips that the professors mentioned during class were recorded accurately.

    Therefore, reviewing her notes was far more efficient than studying from textbooks. To the other students at Hogwarts, Lin Yue seemed to be the least nervous about the upcoming final exams. After all, with her level of understanding, there was no doubt that she would be the top student among the first years this year.

    However, Lin Yue was the most anxious and pushed herself the hardest among the students at Hogwarts. She kept reminding herself that she couldn''t be careless or negligent when facing exams; no matter how simple the exam was, she had to take it seriously.

    She repeatedly copied the textbook content for each subject and practiced various first-year spells in her dormitory repeatedly. Her roommates, Cho Chang and Marietta, were left in awe as Lin Yue''s parchment filled with copied notes piled up high next to her desk, almost as tall as the desk itself.

    Her frequency of practicing spells was also very high; she hardly had any downtime. But with the final exams approaching, Cho Chang and Marietta felt it was inappropriate to urge her to take a break, so they could only watch her frantically copy notes, review, and practice spells.

    Under her influence, they unknowingly joined the frenzied review team. Although they didn''t study as intensely as Lin Yue, they were still more diligent than when they studied on their own, and their efficiency improved significantly.

    The two of them had even made a bet in private to see who the top student in the second year would be and who would come in second. Yes, it wasn''t arrogance; given the current situation and their estimates, they believed that the first and second places in the second year would likely be claimed by the two of them.

 Chapter 33: analysis the underground chambers

    The final exams at Hogwarts weren''t difficult, at least not for Lin Yue. The professors tested knowledge that had been covered in class, unlike her previous exams that included some extracurricular or advanced material. Therefore, Lin Yue found all her exams went very smoothly; every knowledge point and every answer was in her mind.

    With a blank stare fixed on the paper, Lin Yue would think through each question five times, repeatedly confirming every word before writing it down, ensuring she wouldn''t need to make any corrections after finishing. Corrections would lead to point deductions, and Lin Yue constantly reminded herself of this. In a previous exam, she had lost five points because there were signs of changes on one question, which resulted in a ten-minute punishment of standing in the snow¡ªher first experience of her feet itching and hurting.

    After neatly finishing the exam, Lin Yue stared at her paper, mentally going through it again and again until the bell for submission rang. Expressionless, she stood up, slung her backpack over her shoulder, and walked out of the exam room. This was her last exam, and also the last exam for all the students at Hogwarts. After this exam, all the students at Hogwarts would have completed their final exams for the year.

    Students cheered as they rushed out of the exam room, heading towards the outside of Hogwarts Castle. They wanted to run wildly on the grass, bask in the sun, and go by the Black Lake to see the giant squid; they just didn¡¯t want to stay in the castle any longer. After being "tormented" by final exams for two weeks, they needed to relax.

    Amidst the cheers and excitement, Lin Yue, who walked silently against the crowd, appeared quite odd. She walked purposefully onto the moving staircase, quickly heading towards the Hogwarts library. The end-of-year exams were just one set of tests; there would be more exams ahead, so her studies couldn''t stop, nor should they. She needed to continue learning.

    As she made her way, students coming out of various exam rooms noticed Lin Yue and consciously made way for her. This well-known study fanatic from Ravenclaw, an unflagging monster of diligence, was undoubtedly heading to the library.

    Upon entering the library, Lin Yue, under the watchful gaze and sighs of Madam Pince, dropped her backpack, grabbed a stack of books from the shelves she had been reading, returned to her seat, and entered a state of study, beginning to read quickly. Page after page of content was continuously absorbed by Lin Yue''s mind, while Harry and Ron, having finished their exams, were being led to the library by Hermione.

    "Hermione..." Harry swallowed hard as he looked in the direction the three of them were walking. "I don''t think you''re planning to go to the library to check if your answers are correct, right?"

    Let him be, he just finished his final exams and wanted to relax his brain for a bit.

    "Of course not," Hermione turned back to Harry, her face showing a look of ''what are you talking about?'' "I''ll do that in a couple of days."

    "Merlin..." Ron raised his hand to cover his face in agony. Well, at least she wasn''t planning to do that today, right?

    "So what are we going to do?" Harry looked at Hermione in confusion, then suddenly realized.

    "Are we going to the library to find Lin Yue?"

    "Exactly," Hermione nodded and turned back to continue walking upstairs. "Even though the final exams are over, knowing her, she must still be studying in the library. Let''s go find her and take her out to relax a bit."

    "True," Ron nodded as he followed Hermione. "She really worked hard during the finals."

    Thinking about Lin Yue''s determination to memorize the textbook and spells, and the thick stack of parchment always stuffed in her backpack, Harry silently nodded in agreement with Ron''s words.

    The three of them arrived at the library, and unsurprisingly, they saw Lin Yue sitting at her usual spot, engrossed in her book.

    Completely absorbed in her studies, Lin Yue didn''t notice Hermione and the others'' arrival at all. However, Madam Pince couldn''t help but show a pleased expression upon seeing the three of them.

    Hermione smiled and greeted Madam Pince before walking up to stand beside Lin Yue.

    As usual, Hermione waited until Lin Yue finished a page before speaking.

    "Lin Yue, good afternoon."

    Hearing her full name, Lin Yue instantly snapped out of her studying state, turned to look at Hermione, and replied mechanically, "Good afternoon, Hermione. Is there something you need?"

    Hermione smiled gently at Lin Yue, her voice so soft that it left the two boys behind her in disbelief.

    "We just finished our final exams today, why don''t we go out and relax a bit?"

    Harry and Ron chimed in, "Yeah, yeah, let''s go out and unwind."

    "Exactly, give yourself half a day off; you''ve worked hard enough."

    Lin Yue stared blankly at Hermione, a thought resurfacing deep in her mind¡ªshe wanted to agree with Hermione.

    Nodding without any emotion, Lin Yue closed the book in her hands, stood up, and said, "Okay, let''s go."This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Hermione cheered happily, reaching out to help Lin Yue pack her book into her backpack. Before Lin Yue could even put it on her back, Ron had already taken it and slung it over his shoulder.

    Ron shrugged under Hermione''s gaze, "Hey, Harry and I are here too. Lin Yue''s backpack is pretty heavy; we''ll take turns carrying it."

    Hermione raised an eyebrow at him, "Wow, Ron, when did you learn to be so gentlemanly?"

    Ron blushed, looking down and mumbling softly, "Well... you guys helped us review, so we should at least thank you."

    "Alright then." Hermione nodded, linking her arm with Lin Yue''s and leading her out of the library.

    Harry, following behind, patted Ron on the shoulder with satisfaction, "Well done, buddy, keep it up."

    Ron nodded, his face still red, and caught up with the two girls walking ahead.

    He had just mentioned that he and Harry would take turns carrying the backpack, but the reality indeed required it.

    Lin Yue''s backpack was too heavy; she had borrowed as many books as possible from the library, many of which were hefty tomes that looked like they could crush someone.

    With a fully packed backpack, as they walked down the stairs to the first floor of Hogwarts and hadn''t even exited the castle yet, Ron was already a bit out of breath and felt his shoulders aching.

    "Merlin''s backpack... I feel like this bag contains the entire Hogwarts library."

    Seeing this, Harry smiled and shook his head, reaching out to grab Lin Yue''s backpack from Ron. "Let me take it, Ron."

    Ron didn''t insist and nodded, letting the backpack slide off his back.

    As soon as Ron set down the backpack, Harry''s expression changed instantly; his eyes widened as he looked at the bag. This backpack... is so heavy! Swallowing hard, Harry hoisted the backpack onto his shoulder. Just as he was about to call out to Ron to keep walking, he noticed Ron staring blankly at his own shoulder.

    "Ron, what are you staring at?"

    Harry asked in confusion as he walked over, only to see a large area under Ron''s collar that was red from the backpack''s strap, with some spots looking slightly swollen, which looked quite alarming.

    "No way..." Ron murmured, looking down at his shoulder with a sense of existential doubt. He then raised his head to look at Lin Yue, who had already walked a distance away.

    If his shoulder looked like this after just a short time carrying her backpack, what must Lin Yue''s shoulders look like? Harry followed Ron''s gaze and clearly thought of the same thing. He patted Ron on the back, saying nothing, and just pulled Ron along to catch up with Hermione and Lin Yue. He would mention this to Hermione later; he believed she would have a way to solve it.

    Unfortunately, when they sat down on the grass, before he could even bring up the small issue of Lin Yue''s backpack weight, he was hit with a wave of headache.

    "Harry, are you okay?" Seeing Harry clutching his head with a pained expression, Hermione asked with concern.

    "I''m fine," Harry quickly waved his hand, "it''s just my scar... it hurts a bit."

    "Your scar hurts?" Hermione frowned.

    "Yeah." Harry replied while holding his forehead.

    "Has it hurt before?"

    "It has, at the beginning of the school year, Professor Snape looked at me, and at that moment, my scar hurt. It also hurt that night in the Forbidden Forest."

    "What does that mean? Does the pain from a magical scar possibly have different meanings?" Hermione speculated, then looked at Lin Yue as if seeking confirmation.

    Lin Yue felt Hermione''s gaze and turned her head to look at her with a calm expression, speaking in a flat tone, "What''s wrong?"

    "Um," Hermione pressed her lips together, "Lin Yue, do you know if the pain from a magical scar has any special significance?"

    Lin Yue quickly searched her mind for various books she had read, "The pain from a magical scar could be due to the curse associated with the magic that caused the injury, or it could be that the magic cannot be completely healed."

    As she spoke, her gaze shifted to Harry, her tone mechanical, "The only case of a magical scar caused by the Killing Curse is Harry''s; I can''t make any assumptions."

    "But personally, I think his situation shouldn''t fall into either of those categories."

    "Alright..." Harry nodded, covering his forehead, indicating that he understood, "Thank you, Lin Yue."

    "I actually think... this scar pain might be warning me that something bad is about to happen."

    Harry shrugged, "Think about it, Professor Snape looked at me, and my scar hurt; he really did deduct points from me almost every class afterward."

    "When I saw that hooded figure in the Forbidden Forest, my scar hurt; he really did want to harm us."

    Ron furrowed his brow and thought for a moment, "That makes sense... but what does it mean that your scar hurts now?"

    Harry lowered his gaze, "I''m not sure, but something bad is definitely going to happen, definitely..."

    The previous pain from the scar was because of the hooded figure in the Forbidden Forest, and going into the Forbidden Forest was because he went to send off the baby dragon Norbert...

    As Harry pondered aimlessly, a sudden realization struck him. Wait, the baby dragon! The dragon egg! Carrying a dragon egg illegally is against the law; who would carry a dragon egg around and even use it as a bet? Understanding the key point, Harry immediately became excited and shared his thoughts with the other three present.

    After hearing Harry''s idea, Hermione and Ron both gasped sharply. If that''s the case, then the other party... Suddenly jumping up, Harry grabbed Lin Yue''s backpack and ran towards Hagrid''s hut, with Ron following closely behind. Hermione took Lin Yue''s hand and brought her along as they all sprinted after Harry.

    Lin Yue''s face remained unchanged, but her mind had already begun to speculate.

    Betting with Hagrid using a dragon egg couldn''t be for money; it must be for... information?

    But what information could Hagrid have that the other party might need? Lin Yue concluded that the other party wanted information, and then her analysis stopped there.

    It wasn''t until Harry knocked on Hagrid''s hut door and asked him about the person he had bet with regarding how to get past the three-headed dog that Lin Yue''s analysis in her mind suddenly connected.

    Various trivial details flashed quickly in her mind and were automatically sorted out. At that moment, Harry also mentioned what the centaur Firenze had said when he carried him out of the Forbidden Forest and speculated that the figure in the black cloak in the Forbidden Forest might be Voldemort.

    Ron¡¯s face turned pale, and Hermione next to him shuddered.

    "But... the Dark Lord is dead, right?" Ron''s face was ashen as he looked at Harry in fear.

    "Hagrid said... Professor Dumbledore believes the Dark Lord might not be dead," Harry said with difficulty.

    "The most likely scenario is that Voldemort is not dead," Lin Yue said in a flat tone while her mind continued to sort and analyze.

    "According to the records in the Hogwarts library, no one has ever found Voldemort''s body, and his cause of death is speculated to be the rebounding Killing Curse from Harry."

    "The Killing Curse does not turn a person to dust; it acts on the soul. Therefore, I believe the most likely scenario is that Voldemort escaped for unknown reasons and entered a weakened state, disappearing without a trace."

    Hearing Voldemort''s name mentioned several times, Ron and Hermione''s faces grew even worse, while Harry remained relatively calm.

    "So, it really could be him."

    "Additionally," Lin Yue said, her gaze calmly sweeping over the other three present, "the known item in the restricted area on the fourth floor is the Philosopher''s Stone. The three-headed dog guards the Philosopher''s Stone, and the figure in the black cloak who was trying to extract information from Hagrid about how to get past the three-headed dog must want the Philosopher''s Stone."

    "The Philosopher''s Stone can produce the Elixir of Life, which has effects similar to unicorn blood. Therefore, it can be inferred that the figure in the black cloak in the Forbidden Forest and the one who was questioning Hagrid are the same person."

    As Lin Yue continued to output her analysis, which was meticulous and expressionless, Ron and Harry felt a chill run down their spines, while Hermione bit her lip tightly, feeling a pang in her heart.

    "They need unicorn blood, the Philosopher''s Stone for life extension, and they have great hostility towards Harry, suggesting that the weakened Voldemort or someone related to Voldemort is the opponent."

    As Lin Yue spoke, her mind continued to rapidly select related items. "During the first Quidditch match, the likelihood of Professor Quirrell harming Harry is the highest; the figure in the black cloak can be inferred to be Professor Quirrell."

    "His relationship with Voldemort is unknown, and his method of contacting Voldemort is also unknown. I can only analyse it up to this point."

    After Lin Yue finished speaking, she closed her mouth. Harry and Ron stood there in a daze, while Hermione took a deep breath, rushed forward, and hugged Lin Yue, her right hand continuously stroking her back.

    "Thank you, your analysis is already very good."

    However, she really didn''t like hearing Lin Yue''s analysis; she really didn''t like it, just like when she had previously listened to Lin Yue explain those emotions. It was really uncomfortable, a painful tugging in her heart... Being held in Hermione''s embrace, Lin Yue expressionlessly raised her hand to return the hug. She didn''t understand what was wrong with Hermione and had no doubts in her heart; she just couldn''t analyse it.

 Chapter 34: break in to the underground chambers

    After hearing Lin Yue''s explanation, Harry stood in place for a long time without speaking. Hermione and Lin Yue remained in an embrace until Harry closed his eyes and spoke again, prompting the two of them to let go.

    "I''ll go to the forbidden corridor on the third floor tonight and get the Philosopher''s Stone before Professor Quirrell does."

    "No! Harry, that''s very dangerous!" Hermione exclaimed, her eyes wide as she looked at Harry, clearly disapproving of his plan.

    "We can go tell the professors, tell Professor Dumbledore. They will handle this, instead of us first-year students taking risks."

    Harry thought for a moment and realized that Hermione was right, so he nodded in agreement.

    "Okay, I agree. Let''s go tell the professors and see what they say."

    The four of them immediately stopped hesitating and quickly ran across the grass towards Hogwarts Castle. Lin Yue, being pulled along by Hermione, was at the back, her mind rapidly organizing and analyzing the known information.

    Her meticulous brain quickly connected to all the events that had happened this semester: the duel challenge with Malfoy, the frantic run into the forbidden corridor on the third floor, and the discovery of the three-headed dog and what it was guarding.

    Harry had received an invisibility cloak from an unknown sender on Christmas, and shortly after, he coincidentally found the Mirror of Erised. Hagrid had revealed top-secret information to them, such as about Nicolas Flamel and the three-headed dog, Fluffy.

    One by one, although there was too little information and evidence for Lin Yue to analyze and deduce the truth, she had a vague thought in her mind: these events were not coincidences; there must be someone behind them.

    Someone was pushing Harry, or rather, pushing them to do something. Coincidences can happen once or twice, but if they happen every time, then someone is orchestrating these coincidences.

    Even though she thought of this, no one asked her, so Lin Yue remained silent, expressionless, as Hermione pulled her into Hogwarts Castle, where they happened to run into Professor McGonagall.

    Professor McGonagall saw the Gryffindor trio pulling Lin Yue into the castle and smiled gently, "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, Miss Lin Yue, why aren''t you taking a break after your exams? The sunshine today is quite nice."

    "Sorry, Professor McGonagall, we have an urgent matter. Where is Professor Dumbledore?" Harry asked anxiously.

    Seeing Harry''s expression, Professor McGonagall was clearly taken aback. "Professor Dumbledore has gone to a meeting at the Ministry of Magic."

    "At a time like this?!" Harry found it hard to accept. The Philosopher''s Stone was likely about to be taken by Voldemort, and Dumbledore, the only person Voldemort feared, was at a meeting?

    "Professor Dumbledore is very busy; he has many matters to attend to," Professor McGonagall frowned. "Mr. Potter, what exactly is the matter?"

    Harry blurted out without thinking, "It''s a secret."

    Hermione took a deep breath, and Ron couldn''t help but cover his face with his hand; Harry had definitely said the wrong thing!

    Only Lin Yue, who showed no emotion, thought that Harry had spoken the truth; the matter of the Philosopher''s Stone was indeed a secret, wasn''t it? A top-secret one at that.

    Professor McGonagall''s nostrils flared slightly as she listened to Harry. "Alright, Mr. Potter, since that''s the case, you can wait until tomorrow when Professor Dumbledore returns and then go to his office."

    Harry''s heart raced, and he spoke urgently, "Tomorrow might be too late. Alright, it''s about the Philosopher''s Stone; someone is trying to steal it!"

    With a clatter, all the books Professor McGonagall was holding fell to the ground. She quickly reacted, bent down to pick up her books, and then looked at the four children with a serious expression.

    "I don''t know how you found out about the Philosopher''s Stone, but it is well protected, so you don''t need to worry."

    "Alright," seeing that Harry wanted to say something else, Professor McGonagall shook her head, "You all should go and relax."

    With that, Professor McGonagall strode away, nodding at Hermione as if to signal her to take good care of Lin Yue and rest. Seeing Professor McGonagall nod at her, Hermione felt a bit guilty and averted her gaze. She knew very well that they couldn''t seek the professor''s help... they would probably have to handle it themselves. Sure enough, Harry turned to his three friends and said one sentence.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    "You all go rest; I¡¯ll go prepare. Tonight, I will go through the trapdoor and get the Philosopher''s Stone."

    Immediately, he saw Hermione looking at him as if he were crazy, and Ron staring at him as if he were joking. Even Lin Yue was staring at him blankly, "Based on personal analysis, the likelihood of them agreeing to let you go alone is almost zero."

    Lin Yue spoke up in Harry''s line of sight, and Hermione and Ron instinctively nodded along.

    Hermione slightly raised her chin, "Actually, it''s quite normal for the professor not to believe it. After all, it''s really absurd for a student to suddenly say that the Philosopher''s Stone is going to be stolen."

    "So I was also prepared just now to go with you to get the Philosopher''s Stone tonight."

    "Exactly," Ron chimed in from the side, "You didn''t think we would agree to let you go on this adventure alone, did you?"

    "Wait, you guys don''t have to..." Harry waved his hands anxiously. Didn''t they understand? They might have to face Voldemort this time, and they could die!

    "It doesn''t matter," Ron stepped forward and put his arm around Harry''s shoulder, "Anyway, if Voldemort really comes back, no one will have a good time."

    "My family is closely related to Muggles, and Hermione is a Muggle-born. Rather than waiting for him to get the Philosopher''s Stone and resurrect, we might as well take the initiative."

    Hermione linked her arm with Lin Yue''s and followed behind the two, "That''s right, and if the three of us go together, our chances of success will definitely be greater."

    She had subconsciously excluded Lin Yue from this plan. It was one thing not to take Lin Yue along for a relaxing outing, but this was a life-threatening activity... she absolutely did not want to involve Lin Yue. Clearly, Harry and Ron shared the same thought, so they didn''t discuss the plan to get the Philosopher''s Stone in front of Lin Yue any further.

    If sacrifices were to be made, sacrificing the three of them would be enough; there was no need to involve another person. Lin Yue was brought to the entrance of the Ravenclaw common room by Hermione, without any emotional fluctuations. Hermione reached out to straighten Lin Yue''s collar and then looked up into her eyes.

    "Take a good rest; we''ll be leaving now."

    After Hermione finished speaking, she turned and left. She had a feeling that she couldn''t stay any longer; if she did, she might not want to leave at all.

    Lin Yue watched intently as Hermione and the others left, clearly knowing that they were going to prepare for their trip to the forbidden area on the Third floor to retrieve the Philosopher''s Stone. At the same time, she understood that the reason Hermione and the others sent her back was that they didn''t want her to be involved.

    However, lacking emotions, she didn''t understand¡ªor rather, she couldn''t grasp what it felt like to worry, so she couldn''t figure out why Hermione and the others didn''t want to take her along. Clearly, if they brought her, their safety and chances of survival would be higher.

    Mechanically lowering her head, Lin Yue turned to answer the question posed by the bronze door knocker and walked into the Ravenclaw common room.

    Back in the dormitory, sitting in her seat, Lin Yue instinctively wanted to take out a book and continue studying. However, the reality was that she couldn''t recall any knowledge points in her mind. Her brain was in chaos, and her heart felt as if it had been tightly gripped by someone; she couldn''t think at all and could only sit there in a daze.

    What was wrong with her... what was this situation? Why was her heart tightening in waves? Why was her brain screaming and trembling?

    She had never experienced this before... wait, she had. When was that?

    It seemed like a long, long time ago, so far back that her memory was hazy. It seemed to be when she was just a few years old, seeing two fully armed men drag away a sister she knew from next door.

    She felt just like she did now. But why was that? She felt... very, very what?

    Lin Yue''s brain kept stuttering, like a computer trying to start something but failing repeatedly. She sat there for several hours, remaining in her chair until Cho Chang and Marietta finished dinner and played with their friends for a while until curfew. Seeing Lin Yue sitting there in a daze, Cho Chang and Marietta were momentarily stunned.

    Cho Chang furrowed her brows and walked slowly forward, bending down to take a look. To her surprise, she noticed that Lin Yue''s eternally expressionless face had actually faintly wrinkled into a slight frown.

    This discovery made Cho Chang''s heart skip a beat. Lin Yue frowned?! What could have happened that was so serious!

    "Lin Yue, Lin Yue, what''s wrong with you?"

    The slightly furrowed brows of Lin Yue instantly relaxed, and she returned to her usual expressionless state. Turning to look at Cho Chang, she spoke in a flat tone, posing a question.

    "I thought of a few people and what they are going to do. My mind is in chaos, and my heart is racing. Why is that?"

    Cho Chang was momentarily at a loss for words due to Lin Yue''s question, but Marietta, who was behind her, gently spoke up.

    "If you are talking about one person, I might say you like her. But since you mentioned several people, it could mean... you know they are going to do something dangerous, and you are worried about them."

    "Worried..." Lin Yue raised her hand to gently touch her chest, where her heart was racing uncontrollably. "So this feeling is what worry really is," rather than just a term defined in books.

    "Lin Yue, is something wrong?" Cho Chang squatted down, gently holding Lin Yue''s hand and looking at her with concern.

    Lin Yue turned her head, her gaze calm as she looked at Cho Chang. In her mind, the image of her revealing the truth and Cho Chang and Marietta following her to the restricted area on the third floor suddenly flashed.

    Her heart tightened again inexplicably. Worry, this is worry...

    "This is a secret," Lin Yue spoke truthfully, while also avoiding the possibility of Cho Chang and Marietta accompanying her.

    Yes, going to the restricted area on the third floor, just now, she understood what worry was, and her mind immediately made this decision.

    Suddenly, standing up, Lin Yue strode towards the door. "Wait..." Cho Chang called out to stop Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue turned around and looked at her with a blank expression. Cho Chang tried to suppress her worries and smiled gently.

    "You haven''t had dinner yet, have you?"

    "No," Lin Yue shook her head.

    "Let''s go get it for you. By the time you come back... you can eat." So you must come back!

    "Okay, thank you, senior." Lin Yue nodded, turned around, and walked out the door with big strides.

    Marietta walked over to Cho Chang''s side, looking at the dormitory door with concern. "Are we really just letting her go alone?"

    "With the two of us... we would probably just complicate things if we went," Cho Chang shook her head. "Let''s go out again; at least we can''t let her come back hungry."

    Marietta nodded, sighed, and followed Cho Chang out, heading straight for the Hogwarts kitchen, hoping Lin Yue could return quickly and safely so that she might still get to eat some warm food.

    Arriving at the restricted area on the third floor, Lin Yue thought about her night adventure and the need to break into the restricted area, so she reached for her left thigh but then remembered what she had to do later.

    Lin Yue withdrew her hand; she needed to be able to move quickly, she thought emotionlessly, so she would wait until everything was over before accepting her punishment.

    Looking at the wooden door blocking her way, Lin Yue raised her wand and used a unlocking spell, causing the door to swing open instantly.

    As she stepped through the door, the three heads of the three-headed dog immediately turned towards her.

    Before the three-headed dog could start barking, Lin Yue tightened her grip on her wand and calmly shouted at it, "Sleep!"

    Bang! The powerful spell sent the three-headed dog, Fluffy, flying, crashing heavily onto the ground behind it.

    However, this did not cause much harm to the tough-skinned three-headed dog; it was merely forced into a deep sleep.

    Pulling open the trapdoor on the ground, Lin Yue jumped down without hesitation.

    After a while of falling, Lin Yue landed steadily on the bottom of the Devil''s Snare, immediately recognizing it. With a blank expression, she waved her wand.

    " Incendio!"

    A fierce flame immediately began to burn beneath the Devil''s Snare, causing it to retract its tendrils in a frenzy. Lin Yue fell down but her mind remained calm, adjusting her posture in mid-air and landing smoothly on the ground.

    Waving her wand again, the flames ceased, and she looked up at the Devil''s Snare. Even though she consciously weakened the spell''s power, the Devil''s Snare still suffered some damage.

    The three-headed dog belonged to Hagrid, and the Devil''s Snare belonged to Professor Sprout.

    Both were personal property, and although she had no choice but to cause damage, it was still a violation of the rules and destruction of their personal belongings.

    These were two points that would require punishment, which Lin Yue firmly remembered in her mind, and then she walked forward without any emotional fluctuations.

    Opening the door to the next room, Lin Yue looked up and saw a swarm of keys flying around the ceiling. Looking at the door across the room and the keyhole on it, she immediately understood what this room wanted her to do.

 Chapter 35: Underground Chambers battle

    Although Lin Yue understood what this room was trying to make her do, she had no intention of following the wishes of the room''s designer. Just moments ago, at the three-headed dog, she saw the left-behind harp. The moment she saw it, her brain analyzed that it couldn''t possibly have been conjured by Hermione and the others; even Hermione didn''t have that level of Transfiguration skill.

    So that harp could only belong to one person, the one who wanted to steal the Philosopher''s Stone, Professor Quirrell. Therefore, she could deduce that Professor Quirrell had already entered the forbidden area. Thinking further, it was likely that Hermione and the others had also entered the forbidden area... Her heart raced, and the feeling of her brain buzzing returned instantly.

    With a detached expression, Lin Yue raised her head and strode across the room, her wand pointed directly at the wooden door in front of her.

    " Bombarda!"

    Boom! With Lin Yue''s magic continuously pouring out, the wooden door was instantly sent flying. However, before it flew away, it visibly held its ground against her for two seconds, clearly still under the effect of a protective spell.

    As soon as she stepped into the next room, Lin Yue saw Hermione and Ron. At that moment, Ron was lying on a giant chessboard, already unconscious, while Hermione was beside him trying to wake him up.

    Hearing footsteps, Hermione looked up in a panic. When she saw it was Lin Yue, she breathed a sigh of relief but immediately became even more anxious.

    "Lin Yue! What are you doing here? Hurry, go find a professor, quick!"

    Hermione shouted anxiously, but Lin Yue seemed to be oblivious, expressionless as she stepped onto the chessboard.

    As if sensing a new presence entering the chessboard''s area, the originally shattered pieces quickly reassembled, and soon both sides'' pieces were rearranged.

    Hermione and Ron found themselves trapped among the pieces, which completely ignored their presence.

    Although Hermione still wanted to shout at Lin Yue to come back, it was clearly impossible now; the pieces were ready, and Lin Yue had to play this game no matter what.

    What gave her some reassurance was that Lin Yue''s wizard chess skills were quite good. She had heard Harry and Ron mention that Ron had played ten games with her, and he had lost all ten.

    Lin Yue''s emotionless gaze swept over the opposing pieces, which were on high alert, and then over Hermione and the unconscious Ron beside her.

    There were no obvious external injuries on Hermione, and she seemed quite alert, so she was likely fine. Although Ron had fainted, Hermione''s demeanor didn''t seem too urgent, indicating he probably wasn''t in serious trouble either.

    Just moments ago, Hermione had suggested going out to find a professor, and with Harry not being there, it meant Professor Quirrell had gone deeper into the room, while Harry had chased after him, leaving Hermione to seek help. In an instant, Lin Yue''s mind processed the most likely scenario.

    The chances of Harry facing Professor Quirrell and surviving were extremely slim. This conclusion automatically formed in Lin Yue''s mind, and she then walked toward Hermione and Ron with a vacant expression.

    Just as she was about to pass through the middle of the chessboard, clang! The pieces in the front row quickly drew their swords to block her path. With a detached gaze, Lin Yue raised her wand and spoke in a flat tone,

    "Wingardium Leviosa."

    All the pieces in the vicinity were lifted into the air by the levitation spell. Hermione stared blankly at the scene before her, recalling the day Lin Yue had forcefully pulled down a wall.

    With an expressionless wave of her wand, the pieces that Lin Yue had levitated instantly crashed into the wall behind Hermione and Ron, shattering into pieces with a series of loud impacts.

    She crouched down in front of Hermione and pointed her wand at Ron''s chest, saying,

    "Rennervate."

    Taking a deep breath, Ron suddenly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw upon waking was Lin Yue, and he asked the same question as Hermione.

    "Lin Yue?! What are you doing here?"

    Lin Yue''s tone was flat and mechanical as she spoke, "I came because I was worried about you."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Hearing Lin Yue say the word "worried" made Hermione feel a mix of disbelief and joy as she looked at her.

    Lin Yue noticed Hermione''s gaze and turned to her, pausing for a second when she saw the tear stains on her face.

    Not knowing how to comfort her, she reached into her robe pocket and pulled out a tissue, handing it to Hermione.

    "Here, wipe your face."

    Although Lin Yue''s voice remained mechanical and stiff, Hermione still sensed warmth in it with a bittersweet smile, Hermione took the tissue and wiped her face, softly saying thank you.

    Ron, lying on the ground, silently averted his gaze, thinking that if he were in a hospital bed in the infirmary right now, he might feel more at ease. If it really came to it... he would be willing to play another game of chess; he was feeling quite awkward now. Fortunately, his awkwardness didn''t last long. After watching Hermione wipe away her tears, Lin Yue stood up without hesitation.

    Seeing her about to move forward, Hermione quickly called out, "Lin Yue! There''s danger ahead; the one who wants to steal the Philosopher''s Stone is right there. Come back with us to find the professor!"

    Hermione''s eyes and words were filled with a pleading emotion. Although she knew Harry was also up ahead... the thought of Lin Yue going there made her heart ache like a knife. She didn''t want Lin Yue to go; this thought was crystal clear in her mind. As for the fact that the potion in another room had already been consumed, it was something she had anxiously pushed aside.

    "Harry''s chances against Professor Quirrell are extremely low," Lin Yue reiterated the conclusion in her mind.

    Then she looked at Hermione and added, "Hermione... wouldn''t want Harry to die."

    This sentence came out haltingly from Lin Yue''s mouth. Although she could analyze the conclusion that this sentence represented, she couldn''t fully grasp the emotional factors behind it. The lack of emotional understanding in her mind was still quite severe, so she couldn''t refine her earlier analysis. Chose the wall next to it.

    " Bombarda, Bombarda, Bombarda!"

    A continuous stream of Bombardment Spell shot out from Lin Yue''s wand tip, and the wall, which had protective enchantments, gradually could not withstand the force, with shattered stones beginning to fly in all directions.

    Finally, after a full eight Bombardment Spell, the wall in front of Lin Yue was destroyed, leaving a large hole. Stepping through the hole she had created, Lin Yue faced yet another wall.

    Without even glancing at the table nearby that held potions, Lin Yue continued to cast blasting curses at the wall with an indifferent tone.

    Accompanied by the violent sounds of explosions, Quirrell, who was holding Harry and showing him the Mirror of Erised in the innermost room, along with Voldemort on the back of his head, were momentarily stunned.

    This sound... could it be Dumbledore?

    Bang! With the final explosion, a girl¡¯s figure emerged from the gap in the wall.

    Harry turned around and saw Lin Yue, his pupils shaking, and he no longer felt anxious; instead, concern for his friend filled his heart.

    "Run! Lin Yue, run!"

    Hearing his shout, Quirrell and Voldemort on the back of his head finally reacted, "Catch her!"

    A sharp, hoarse voice rang out, and Lin Yue''s gaze locked onto the back of Quirrell''s head, as the voice came from there.

    Quirrell received the command and immediately raised his wand,

    " Colloportus!"

    Lin Yue looked at the spell beam rushing towards her with an incredibly calm mind. She sidestepped, and the spell beam struck the ground behind her.

    "Wingardium Leviosa."

    Upon hearing her incantation, Quirrell instantly became tense, gripping his wand tightly in preparation for a counterattack. He hadn''t forgotten how masterfully this little girl wielded the levitation spell. The last time in the Forbidden Forest, he had nearly died under her levitation spell; if it hadn''t been for his master saving him, he would have been dead then.

    However, contrary to his expectations, Lin Yue''s levitation spell was not aimed at him but at Harry, who was still recovering from his surprise and concern about Lin Yue''s sudden appearance. He felt himself being lifted into the air, and the next moment, Lin Yue pulled him behind her.

    "Grab her! Grab them! The Philosopher''s Stone is in that boy''s pocket!"

    A sharp, hoarse voice rang out again, and Lin Yue''s gaze was fixed intently on the back of Quirrell''s head.

    Quirrell received the order and no longer hesitated. With a wave of his hand, a series of killing curses shot straight towards Lin Yue.

    ¡°Wingardium Leviosa.¡± Lin Yue pointed her wand at the ground, then swiped it upwards. Instantly, the bricks on the ground floated up and formed a wall in front of her, effectively blocking the killing curses fired by Quirrell.

    If it were just Lin Yue, she could certainly engage Quirrell in a direct duel, but with Harry tied up behind her and unable to move, she had to prioritize defense.

    Continuously using the levitation spell to raise new bricks to repair the "wall" in front of her, Lin Yue turned to Harry with a blank expression and said,

    ¡°Get the ropes off you and run with the Philosopher''s Stone.¡±

    Harry looked at Lin Yue, who was blocking him, gritted his teeth, and with all his strength, he struggled to break free from the ropes. He then got up and ran towards the gap that Lin Yue had just blasted in the wall.

    He understood that only when he was out of the way could Lin Yue retaliate without concern. If he was there, she would have to think about his safety, which would only hinder her.

    Slightly tilting her head, Lin Yue caught a glimpse of Harry leaving through the large hole in the wall. She suddenly waved her wand forward, and the "wall" in front of her immediately collapsed into countless bricks, hurtling towards Quirrell.

    Quirrell rolled on the ground in a panic to dodge the countless bricks coming at him but was soon hit by a tooth that resembled a big stick.

    Seeing that his attack had succeeded, Harry immediately shrank back behind the large hole in the wall. He could escape from this room without any problem, but he absolutely could not abandon Lin Yue and run away.

    Dodging two beams of green light, Lin Yue threw four blazing flames around Quirrell, forcibly wrapping him up.

    ¡°Wingardium Leviosa.¡±

    As she recited the levitation spell again, the flames produced by the blazing fire instantly shot up and began to spin wildly around Quirrell under Lin Yue''s control, forming a fiery tornado that enveloped him.

    The temperature in the room rose sharply, and even Harry, standing in another room, felt the scorching air coming through the large hole in the wall.

    Quirrell, at the center of the fiery tornado, screamed in agony as he was burned, casting various curses desperately outward. However, whenever he could see, he couldn''t hit Lin Yue, and now trapped in the tornado, he couldn''t see anything at all, making it impossible for him to hit her.

    Lin Yue dodged left and right without any change in her expression, maintaining the fiery tornado''s continuous burning and spinning. Quirrell''s screams did not evoke any emotional response from her.

    There was no thrill in defeating an enemy, no anxiety or panic about killing someone, and certainly no pity.

    In Lin Yue''s view, she had not violated the rule that required a life to be paid, so she should not have her life taken away. Now that Quirrell wanted to violate that rule and take her life, she could resist in any way she wanted.

    Quirrell''s spellcasting gradually slowed down within the fiery tornado; his body had been severely burned and was even starting to carbonize.

    Voldemort roared angrily from the back of Quirrell''s head, breaking free from Quirrell''s body and flying outward. Lin Yue''s gaze shifted to the black smoke that had emerged from the fiery tornado, which vaguely resembled a human head.

    Voldemort¡ªLin Yue''s brain quickly identified the figure and made a judgment: he could break through the flames, so he was not afraid of physical attacks, and she could not inflict effective damage on him for the time being.

    Retracting her gaze, Lin Yue forcefully waved her wand downward, causing the flames of the tornado to pour downward. Quirrell screamed as if he was completely burned to ashes from head to toe.

    Hearing Quirrell''s screams from the room behind him, Harry unconsciously swallowed hard. Was it really Lin Yue... Looking up, he happened to see the black smoke that had just passed through the wall, and he immediately recognized it¡ªVoldemort!

 Chapter 36: Resting at Medical Wing

    Voldemort also noticed Harry, but it was too late; Dumbledore should be returning soon. With an unwilling shriek, Voldemort dashed out of Hogwarts at the fastest speed.

    Meanwhile, Principal Dumbledore hurriedly entered the Potions room through a large hole in the wall. Seeing Harry standing there unharmed, he let out a slight sigh of relief, but he didn''t completely relax; after all, the hole in this wall and the one on the opposite side were not something Harry and the others could have done.

    The only person he could think of who might have had close contact with Harry and could have done this was one person, and he still couldn''t be sure if that child was safe.

    "Principal Dumbledore!" Harry saw him relax completely and lean against the wall behind him. Now that Dumbledore was here, everything was over...

    Before either of them could mention Lin Yue, she emerged first from the hole in the wall behind Harry. The little witch''s robe was now in disarray, enough to show the dangers she had faced while dodging spells, and the dust covering it told the story of the fierce battle.

    "Miss Lin Yue." Dumbledore felt a complete sense of relief when he saw Lin Yue come out safely. He waved his wand at her, helping to tidy her wizarding robe while carefully checking her physical condition.

    "Good evening, Principal Dumbledore." Lin Yue looked at him expressionlessly, nodding politely to greet him.

    "Principal Dumbledore, is Lin Yue okay?" Harry asked with concern from the side.

    Putting away his wand, Dumbledore smiled kindly at Harry, "Don''t worry, Miss Lin Yue is fine; she might just be a bit too tired. She should go to the hospital wing and ask Madam Pomfrey for some Dreamless Sleep Potion to rest."

    "That''s good to hear." Harry let out a breath.

    Lin Yue stood quietly beside Harry, her expression calm and her face devoid of emotion, as if the conversation between Harry and Professor Dumbledore had nothing to do with her, but rather with someone completely unrelated.

    As they walked out of the Forbidden Zone with the two children, Professor Dumbledore turned to Harry and said, "You are very brave, Harry, just like your parents. They would be proud of you."

    "Yeah." Harry smiled, but inside he reminded himself not to be so reckless in the future.

    Tonight, Ron had been knocked out on the chessboard, and Lin Yue, covered in dust, made him feel uneasy. He couldn''t bear to think about what would happen if he caused harm to his friends because of his actions; he would never be able to forgive himself.

    Looking at Lin Yue, who seemed to maintain her calm demeanor beside Harry, Professor Dumbledore paused for a moment before he reached out and gently patted her head, like a kind grandfather comforting his granddaughter.

    "Miss Lin Yue, your loyalty to your friends and your bravery in the face of danger are commendable. Please allow me to apologize to you, even though you may not know why."

    Listening to Professor Dumbledore''s words, Lin Yue looked up at him calmly. She truly couldn''t figure out why he was apologizing to her. Teachers and parents do not make mistakes; all she needed to do was obey them.

    Under Professor Dumbledore''s gentle gaze, Lin Yue slowly withdrew her gaze, running calculations in her mind.

    Breaking school rules by going out at night, one punishment; knocking out the three-headed dog and injuring Hagrid''s pet, one punishment; using the Fire-Making Spell to damage the Devil''s Snare, which harmed Professor Sprout''s personal property, one punishment; blowing up a door and damaging school property, one punishment; destroying pieces on the chessboard and damaging Professor McGonagall''s personal property, one punishment; tearing down two walls, two punishments; damaging a floor, one punishment.

    Quickly completing her calculations, Lin Yue concluded that she needed to punish herself eight times.

    "Professor Dumbledore, how are Hermione and Ron?" As they ascended the moving staircase, Harry asked Dumbledore, who was ahead of him.

    "Minerva has already taken them to the hospital wing; they are fine," Dumbledore replied, turning back to Harry with a reassuring smile.

    Upon hearing Hermione''s name, Lin Yue, who had just finished calculating her punishments and had memorized them, instinctively looked up at Dumbledore. After hearing him say that Hermione was fine, she lowered her head again and continued walking.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    They arrived at the hospital wing without any issues. Ron''s injuries had been treated by Madam Pomfrey, but he was forced to drink a Dreamless Sleep Potion and had fallen asleep.

    Hermione, worried about Lin Yue and Harry, refused to take the Dreamless Sleep Potion. She wanted to see Lin Yue and the others were safe as soon as possible. Since she wasn''t injured, Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall let her be.

    Now, seeing Lin Yue and Harry follow Professor Dumbledore into the hospital wing, she jumped off the bed without hesitation and ran up to Lin Yue, hugging her tightly.

    Lin Yue, suddenly embraced by Hermione, was taken aback for a moment, then, mimicking her earlier actions, raised her arms to return the hug.

    "Merlin above... I''m so glad you''re okay..." Hermione''s voice was choked with emotion, and she felt a wave of fear in her heart.

    Lin Yue opened her mouth; her brain told her she wanted to say something, so she mechanically uttered a sentence. "Um... I''m fine, Professor Dumbledore checked on me."

    Hermione released Lin Yue and nodded at Professor Dumbledore, "Thank you, Professor Dumbledore."

    Professor Dumbledore shook his head, looking at the two girls with deep guilt in his eyes. "No... I should be the one apologizing to you."

    He spoke the last part almost in a whisper. The school should be a place that protects students, but for Harry''s future and the future of the wizarding world... he had to harden his heart and let Harry and his friends gradually accept training.

    Even if Harry and the others would hate him in the future, even if people would say he wasn''t a qualified headmaster, it didn''t matter; at least they could still stand safely in Hogwarts at that time.

    But... could he really harden his heart? Looking at the two young witches standing in front of him and Harry, who was trying to cover his eyes nearby, Professor Dumbledore couldn''t help but ask himself this question.

    "Alright, I think Miss Granger, you should take the Dreamless Sleep Potion and get some good rest."

    Professor McGonagall walked over from Ron''s bedside, looking at the three children, her lips trembling. She had just finished listening to Hermione explain everything. Voldemort... she had come so close, so close to never seeing these children again. If she had believed them back then... Professor McGonagall took a deep breath, suppressing the moisture in her eyes, and removed her wizard hat in front of the three students.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, Miss Lin. I didn¡¯t believe you at the time, and it caused you to go alone... to face danger."

    Hermione was the first to feel uneasy, raising her hand in a somewhat flustered manner, "No, it¡¯s not your fault, Professor."

    Harry also raised his hand, feeling a bit embarrassed as he scratched his cheek, "Hermione is right, it¡¯s not your fault, Professor. I was too anxious at the time and spoke in a way that made you misunderstand."

    Looking up with a blank expression at Professor McGonagall, Lin Yue stated her understanding, "The professor wouldn¡¯t be wrong."

    Everyone present thought she was comforting Professor McGonagall, so they didn¡¯t notice the specific words she used: "wouldn¡¯t be wrong."

    Under Madam Pomfrey''s arrangement, Lin Yue, Hermione, and Harry each lay down on a hospital bed and took the Dreamless Sleep Potion. Without any hesitation, Lin Yue drank it all in one go. Her face remained unchanged, but two seconds later, her eyelids began to feel heavy, and the next moment, she completely closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

    Seeing the children starting to rest, the two professors present showed relieved smiles. Such things shouldn¡¯t happen.

    "Then why is this child¡¯s spirit so tense? She should have had a good sleep for a long time," Madam Pomfrey asked, leaving Headmaster Dumbledore momentarily speechless. Although he was the headmaster, he didn¡¯t know everything.

    It was Professor McGonagall, sitting next to him, who pursed her lips and answered her question. "At the beginning of the school year... I, Flitwick, and Sprout all left her advanced study books, but later we found that all subjects were assigning her work, and since she was already learning enough, we stopped."

    Madam Pomfrey nodded, then shook her head, "No, she hasn¡¯t been resting well lately; otherwise, her condition wouldn¡¯t be this bad."

    "Maybe she¡¯s been studying on her own," Professor McGonagall speculated, "after all, she is a Ravenclaw."

    "Alright..." Madam Pomfrey sighed, reluctantly accepting this explanation.

    It just so happened that it was time for final exams, and Lin Yue hadn¡¯t attended Potions class recently, nor had anything happened to make her punish herself, so the dark bruises on her left thigh had faded. Moreover, this time when she went to the restricted area on the fourth floor for convenience, Lin Yue didn¡¯t punish herself in advance; otherwise, Madam Pomfrey would have noticed.

    Even so, Madam Pomfrey had prepared enough Dreamless Sleep Potion for her to last several days, intending to let her sleep well in the hospital wing before going back. This way, the child wouldn¡¯t just focus on studying and neglect resting after returning.

    Lin Yue is ultimately a student of Ravenclaw, so Principal Dumbledore still notified Professor Flitwick. Before long, Professor Flitwick pushed open the door to the infirmary and rushed in, even his pajamas were not changed, which showed how urgent his arrival was.

    "Dumbledore, how are the children?" Professor Flitwick asked in a low voice upon seeing the four children sleeping soundly in their beds.

    "Nothing serious, they''re all resting," Principal Dumbledore shook his head.

    "Yes, but Miss Lin Yue''s condition isn''t too good," Madam Pomfrey said, using her wand to direct several bottles of potions to Lin Yue''s bedside.

    "What happened to Miss Lin Yue?" Hearing Madam Pomfrey''s words, Professor Flitwick immediately became anxious.

    "She needs rest, plenty of rest," Madam Pomfrey said firmly, "And her stomach¡ªMerlin''s dinner, I can hardly believe how she managed to get her stomach into this state. She already shows signs of a stomach ailment. By the way, was she the student who only took a few minutes to eat before?"

    "Yes... Albus and Minerva advised her too, but they only managed to get her to eat a bit slower on Christmas Day," Professor Flitwick sighed, his voice low.

    Madam Pomfrey took a deep breath, "Very well, it seems I need to keep some stomach-strengthening potions on hand from now on!"

    Before they could say another word, as the hour passed, Lin Yue''s eyelids struggled to open. Her subconscious was battling against the effects of the potion.

    With her mind in a haze, she managed to crack her eyes open a slit, but ultimately, she was forced to shut down again before she could fully open her eyes, slipping back into a deep sleep.

    The three professors and Madam Pomfrey naturally did not miss this scene. Madam Pomfrey furrowed her brows and stepped forward to take a look; she had never seen someone wake up from the Dreamless Sleep Potion before the time was up.

    After a careful examination, she found that the potion still had its effects, so what was going on?

    Madam Pomfrey looked at the most knowledgeable person present, Professor Dumbledore, but he shook his head, indicating that he was also unsure.

    After thinking for a while, Madam Pomfrey simply moved a chair and sat down next to Lin Yue, keeping a close watch on her condition.

    Professor Flitwick, as the head of Ravenclaw, also did not want to leave and took a chair to sit beside his student.

    Seeing this, Professor McGonagall transformed into a cat and jumped onto the foot of Lin Yue''s bed, while Professor Dumbledore left to deal with the situation regarding Quirrell.

    So that night, the two professors along with Madam Pomfrey watched as Lin Yue forced herself to wake up every hour, only to fall back into a deep sleep. The Dreamless Sleep Potion was effective for eight hours, and she went through this cycle eight times.

    The three of them felt uncomfortable just watching; the sight of her struggling and waking up with all her might...

 Chapter 037 I have become complacent

    As the eight-hour mark arrived, the effects of the Dreamless Sleep Potion completely wore off, and Lin Yue suddenly opened her eyes now the potion lost its efficacy.

    Her body had long wanted to force her to "turn on," but unfortunately, the influence of the Dreamless Sleep Potion had only allowed her to struggle repeatedly between waking and sleeping.

    Now that the potion had completely lost its effect, Lin Yue woke up without any surprise.

    At the foot of her bed, Professor McGonagall had transformed back from her tabby cat form, and the serious witch was now pursing her lips as she looked at Lin Yue. Professor Flitwick was sitting nearby, and upon seeing her awake, he handed her a glass of water.

    Lin Yue took the cup with both hands, expressionless, and after saying a brief thank you, she lowered her head to take a small sip. Madam Pomfrey walked over from Hermione and the others'' hospital beds, waving her wand at Lin Yue.

    "Your body is fine, but your spirit still hasn''t fully recovered. You''ll need to stay here with me for a while; is that alright?" Her gaze was quite intimidating as it fell on Lin Yue. Within the confines of the hospital wing, not many dared to challenge Madam Pomfrey''s authority.

    Lin Yue fell silent for a moment, her gaze calmly fixed on Madam Pomfrey. "I might need to go out to get a book. All my books are in the dormitory, and I''ve already finished a few. I want to go to the library to exchange them."

    Hearing Lin Yue''s words, Madam Pomfrey took a deep breath, glancing at the girl and thinking, even in such a state, she still wants to study?!

    "Miss Lin Yue, what you need right now is rest. Put studying aside for the moment; your health is the most important thing, do you understand?"

    The words echoed in her ears, triggering an immediate response in her brain. The thought that studying comes first exaggeratedly occupied Lin Yue''s mind.

    Lin Yue''s tone was flat and mechanical as she replied, "Studying is the priority. My body is just trying to be lazy and delaying my study time."

    Madam Pomfrey felt genuinely exasperated and turned to Professors McGonagall and Flitwick, signaling them to say something.

    "Miss Lin Yue, I understand your desire to study, but Madam Pomfrey is right. How about this," Professor McGonagall gently took Lin Yue''s hand, "You can read in the hospital wing, but you must listen to Madam Pomfrey. If she tells you to rest, then you need to rest."

    As professors, they really can''t force students who love to study to stop studying... And with Madam Pomfrey watching, it¡¯s unlikely that Lin Yue would overdo it.

    Lin Yue''s brain quickly analyzed the situation. Professor McGonagall had instructed her to listen to Madam Pomfrey, and when she said to rest, Lin Yue should rest. In other words, Professor McGonagall also required her to rest when Madam Pomfrey suggested it; that was the professor''s intention.

    "Okay, I will do as you say," Lin Yue nodded stiffly.

    The three adults present finally felt a bit relieved, although they still had some confusion. They were puzzled as to why Lin Yue woke up every hour after taking the Dreamless Sleep Potion, which had never happened before. However, upon examining her, they found no issues aside from excessive fatigue and gastrointestinal damage, so they assumed it was just Lin Yue''s unique constitution. After all, even Potion Master Professor Snape and professional healer Madam Pomfrey did not understand the situation, so a first-year student like Lin Yue would likely not know either. Asking her might only add psychological pressure, which would be counterproductive.

    "Rest well, Miss Lin Yue," Professor Flitwick said with a smile as he stood up. "Don''t worry about the exam; you scored very well."

    "Yes," Professor McGonagall nodded with a smile as well, "You scored highly in my class too."

    "Thank you, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick," Lin Yue mechanically nodded, automatically analyzing that she must have received full marks. Although surviving the last two-thirds of the year-end exam was enough, and doing well in the first third could bring her family a decent allocation of resources, for her, only a perfect score would be considered acceptable. Her parents had told her so. Only a perfect score would prevent her from facing punishment, so she instinctively interpreted the professors'' praise as her having achieved full marks.

    But why were they praising her for just getting full marks? Wasn''t that the most basic expectation? Without any emotional confusion, Lin Yue simply reflected on these thoughts calmly in her mind.

    After praising Lin Yue, Professors McGonagall and Flitwick left, and Madam Pomfrey returned to her office to prepare a diet plan to help Lin Yue''s gastrointestinal health. The curtains on either side were drawn open; to her left was Harry, to her right was Hermione, and to Harry''s left was Ron.

    The three of them had already woken up when Madam Pomfrey was checking their bodies. At this moment, Ron had a pained expression on his face and couldn''t help but cry out in despair.

    "I just opened my eyes not long ago and I hear the professors discussing grades... Merlin, I feel like my mood has already soured."

    "You studied well, Ron, have a bit of confidence in yourself," Hermione said, turning her head and rolling her eyes without hesitation. "Even if you don''t have confidence in yourself, please have some trust in my abilities. I definitely helped you review without any problems."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "Or should I say," Hermione narrowed her eyes dangerously, "that you didn''t remember what I told you to?"

    "I remembered, I remembered, I really did!" Ron quickly raised both hands to defend himself.

    For Merlin''s sake, he was still a wounded person and didn''t want to suffer another one of Hermione''s major attacks.

    Satisfied, Hermione nodded and got out of bed, walking over to Lin Yue''s hospital bed to sit down, reaching out to tuck the hair on her cheek behind her ear.

    "How did you sleep last night?" Since Professor McGonagall and the others didn''t mention it, Hermione was unaware that Lin Yue woke up every hour while sleeping.

    "Pretty good," Lin Yue replied with a blank expression, nodding slightly.

    Raising her right hand to check the time, Lin Yue immediately calculated that she had slept for eight hours... eight hours.

    You have become complacent!

    The four words suddenly appeared in Lin Yue''s mind, causing her head to throb with pain.

    In the villa''s yard, a girl dressed in short sleeves and shorts stood barefoot on the ground, surrounded by snow that had been deliberately swept to ensure it completely covered her feet.

    A middle-aged woman stood at the villa''s door, tightening her down jacket. "You have become complacent, haven''t you? Do you know that the second place is only ten points behind you? Why did you lose a point in physics and not get a perfect score?"

    "Are you satisfied with yourself like this? Have you reached the passing standard?"

    "No..." Snow fell all over the girl, and she trembled uncontrollably, but there was not a trace of pain on her face or in her eyes.

    "You admit that you have become complacent," the middle-aged woman glared at the girl.

    "I have become complacent."

    "Say it again!"

    "I have become complacent."

    "Say it again!"

    "I have become complacent."

    "Very good," the middle-aged woman showed a satisfied expression, "Remember this lesson."

    The girl''s lips were dark, and her feet, buried in the snow, had turned red.

    "Yueyue, mom is doing this for your own good. You have to maintain your absolute first place."

    The middle-aged woman spoke earnestly, "As usual, come in by yourself in ten minutes." After saying that, she turned and went back into the villa.

    With a bang, she closed the door. The middle-aged woman rubbed her arms through her down jacket, "It''s freezing! Why is it so cold this winter?"

    You have become complacent!

    The four words flashing in her mind continuously stimulated Lin Yue''s brain, and past memories surged forth.

    She should do something... She should be punished, a thought kept reminding her in Lin Yue''s mind.

    Hermione said that she shouldn''t punish herself for studying anymore. Another thought emerged in her mind, and the two ideas kept pulling at each other, as if they were trying to tear Lin Yue''s brain in half.

    Even as memories surged and waves of pain coursed through her brain, Lin Yue''s expression didn''t change even a little. But still, Hermione looked into her eyes and vaguely sensed that she was thinking about something bad, that she was... struggling?

    Without any hesitation, Hermione took off her slippers, lay down on the hospital bed, and directly pulled Lin Yue into her arms, gently patting her back.

    Harry and Ron turned around obediently, facing away from the two girls who were embracing.

    "What''s wrong? What are you thinking about?" Hermione asked softly, looking down at Lin Yue in her arms.

    Warm... so warm... Lin Yue dazedly lifted her head. There was no villa, no gently falling goose-feather snow, only Hermione''s gentle smile and her warm embrace.

    "I¡¯ve been slacking off..." Lin Yue instinctively voiced the conclusion in her mind.

    "Who said that?" Hermione frowned. "The professors just praised you for your good grades."

    "I slept for eight hours yesterday, and I haven''t started studying today. I''ve been slacking off, I..." Lin Yue''s voice was devoid of emotion.

    Hermione raised her hand to cover Lin Yue''s mouth, looking at her seriously. "You haven''t been slacking off, okay? You haven''t. You just took a normal, necessary break."

    "I haven''t been slacking off?" Lin Yue confirmed with Hermione, feeling no emotion in her heart.

    "You haven''t," Hermione nodded affirmatively.

    "But I overslept, and I didn''t use my study time to study."

    "That''s called giving yourself a break," Hermione said, gently running her fingers through Lin Yue''s hair.

    "A break..." The definition of a break immediately surfaced in Lin Yue''s mind. A break? In her understanding, a holiday was a time for completely autonomous study, filled with books and papers, not lying in bed.

    "Is this a break?" Lin Yue stared blankly at Hermione''s slender, fair neck.

    "This is a break," Hermione said, pulling Lin Yue completely into her embrace, letting Lin Yue''s face nestle into her neck.

    "Stop thinking, let your mind rest for a while."

    "Mm..." Lin Yue''s thoughts were swept away, and she just sat there dazed, not thinking about anything, nestled in Hermione''s neck, her nose filled with Hermione''s scent.

    Nearby, Harry had quietly pulled the curtain at his bedside, isolating them from the two girls.

    "Harry..." Ron, holding his stomach, looked at his good friend. "Do you think I could ask Madam Pomfrey for a stomach potion? My stomach hurts a bit."

    "You could try?" Harry replied uncertainly.

    "By the way, when can we be discharged?" After a while, Ron waited until his stomach felt normal before reaching for the chocolate Madam Pomfrey had prepared for them at the bedside and took a big bite.

    "We should be able to leave this afternoon, but Lin Yue has to stay for a few days. Didn''t the professors say she needs to rest here?" Harry thought for a moment and answered.

    "Indeed, she really needs to rest well," Ron nodded in agreement.

    "Sigh..." Harry sighed. After spending more time with Lin Yue, he could vaguely sense a kind of contradiction and conflict within her.

    It was as if what she was doing wasn''t what she wanted to do. This feeling was faint, and compared to Hermione''s perception of Lin Yue, it was much weaker, but he still had some impression of it. As a friend, he was genuinely worried about Lin Yue''s state.

    He used to think she really loved studying, and while it still seemed that way now, Harry just felt that something was off. As Harry said, the three of them were released from the hospital wing by Madam Pomfrey that afternoon, while Lin Yue was undoubtedly left behind. That same afternoon, Cho Chang and Marietta were finally permitted by Madam Pomfrey to enter the hospital wing to visit.

    "Merlin¡¯s beard, Lin Yue, luckily you''re okay." Cho Chang patted her chest as she looked at her junior sitting on the hospital bed, expressionless and reading a book.

    Merlin knew how shocked she and Marietta were after hearing the rumours. The rumours said that a dark wizard, Professor Quirrell, attempted to steal the Philosopher''s Stone, and was discovered by the three saviours of Gryffindor, who then went to stop him. In the end, Ravenclaw''s Lin Yue confronted the dark wizard and defeated him.

    Although the rumours concluded with Lin Yue defeating the dark wizard, who knows if she was injured? Did she fall under a curse? After all, he was a dark wizard! Didn''t they see that Lin Yue was staying in the hospital wing and didn''t return that night?

    Lin Yue closed her book, breaking out of her studying state, and politely greeted Cho Chang and Marietta, "Good afternoon, Senior Cho Chang, Senior Marietta."

    "Good afternoon," Marietta responded with a smile, "How are you? Is there anywhere else you feel unwell?"

    Lin Yue shook her head, her voice calm and steady, "No, it''s just that Madam Pomfrey thinks I need more rest, so she asked me to stay in the hospital wing."

    "That''s absolutely right!" Cho Chang and Marietta said in unison.

    "But it''s a pity you won''t be able to see tomorrow''s Quidditch match, it''s Ravenclaw against Gryffindor."

    The two of them sat down on chairs beside Lin Yue''s hospital bed, with Cho Chang looking at Lin Yue with regret.

    "Indeed," Marietta nodded, "Fortunately, you¡¯re here; Ravenclaw is currently leading the other houses by over eight hundred points, there''s no way they can catch up."

    "Yes, you''re a great contributor to Ravenclaw, everyone is saying that once you get out, they want to hold a special celebration for you." Cho Chang said, smiling at Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue''s expression showed no change. "I''m just doing what I should do."

    Cho Chang and Marietta exchanged glances and shrugged helplessly. Meanwhile, in the watch on Lin Yue''s right hand, Rowena Ravenclaw, who had just woken up from intermittent sleep, suddenly heard Cho Chang and Marietta''s words.

    Before she could feel happy for Lin Yue, she was shocked to find that the child had entered the hospital wing.

    Entered the hospital wing?! This child had previously endured the Cruciatus Curse without going to the hospital wing. What on earth happened this time to bring her to the hospital wing?

 Chapter 038: Rewards and Punishments 1

    In a fit of anger, Rowena instinctively used magic to check Lin Yue''s body, feeling somewhat relieved only after confirming that she was fine. However, she still didn''t understand what was going on. After thinking it over, Rowena decided to use her founder''s authority at Hogwarts to monitor all the portraits and statues in the castle, successfully learning the whole story from two badgers gossiping in the corridor.

    Listening to the Gryffindor trio trying to stop Professor Quirrell from stealing the Philosopher''s Stone, and hearing Lin Yue challenge Professor Quirrell one-on-one, Rowena ''s first reaction was, "Is this child going to challenge Voldemort again?!"

    Although it wasn''t in his full form, it was still dangerous. So, she hadn''t learned anything from the Cruciatus Curse she had suffered before, right?

    Pulling her attention back, Rowena felt heartache as she watched Lin Yue talking with Cho Changand Marietta through her watch.

    But while she felt heartache, Rowena also understood that as a friend of the Gryffindor trio, Lin Yue would face such situations in the future. Moreover, it seemed that there was something special between her and Hermione Granger from that trio. Since her partner was Helga, Rowena keenly sensed the budding connection between the two girls.

    Although she understood that these were essential trials for the children, it didn''t stop Rowena from once again directing her anger at Dumbledore.

    In the Middle Ages, they also trained children, but that was all done outside of school! Who would bring danger to the school? And to actively bring it in at that!

    During the most chaotic times of the Middle Ages, no one could run wild at Hogwarts. Now, Dumbledore dares to bring Voldemort directly into what he is thinking?!

    Even if you set up a situation outside the school for the children to train, at least you shouldn''t let danger enter the school. Hogwarts should be a home for the children, not a sharpening stone for them.

    Feeling dizzy, the blue eagle raised its wings to cover its head. The yellow badger, just waking up, ran over and hugged the blue eagle''s head with its paws, rubbing it gently.

    The badger let out two gentle calls, "You haven''t fully recovered yet, so hurry up and rest a bit more. As for Lin Yue''s matters, once we¡¯re fully healed, we¡¯ll settle all the scores for her."

    The blue eagle flapped its wings twice and called out, "Yeah, by then Salazar, Godric, and that Dumbledore, Voldemort won''t escape."

    "Alright," the badger whispered, holding the blue eagle close, "I''ll help you take them down then; I guarantee none of them will get away."

    Feeling the companion beside him, the blue eagle quickly fell back into a deep sleep.

    Looking down at the blue eagle in his arms, Helga''s yellow badger eyes flashed with a hint of softness.

    But then she ground her teeth fiercely, the sharpness of the little badger revealed at that moment.

    If it weren''t for the fact that the four of them had all been injured in the final battle against the church back in the day, needing a long time to sleep and heal, Salazar''s descendant wouldn''t have dared to run wild, let alone harm the child they cared about.

    Their healing time was already in the final stages; when she woke up again, she and Rowena would definitely make that Voldemort understand what it meant for badgers and eagles to consider snakes as their prey.

    The badger slowly closed its eyes and fell back into a deep sleep once more.

    Deep within Hogwarts, the green snake sleeping beside the red lion stirred slightly, as if sensing something ominous, but it did not wake from its slumber.

    During the time when Rowena and Helga were conversing, Lin Yue had also finished her discussion with the two older students, watching their departing figures.

    With a blank expression, Lin Yue raised her right hand to look at the watch on her wrist. She had just felt a surge of magic coursing through her body. That sensation was similar to when Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey had checked her health, indicating that someone had used a detection spell on her.

    Lin Yue''s mind concluded and further analyzed the situation, proving that there was someone present within her watch. Looking again at the small badger and eagle marks that had suddenly appeared on the edge of the watch, various speculations flashed through Lin Yue''s mind, ultimately leading to the most likely yet incredible conclusion.

    The idea of someone being attached to her watch, a concept that would be hard to imagine even for wizards, could only be accomplished by Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff, the two founders, whose magical powers were unfathomable.

    With the two founders residing in her watch, Lin Yue had no other thoughts and simply let her hand drop. She placed her right hand on her left thigh and firmly squeezed it eight times.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    Her left thigh turned purple again, but Lin Yue felt no ripple of emotion as she picked up a book, leaned against the headboard, and entered a state of study.

    It wasn''t until Madam Pomfrey came over to take the book from her hands and ordered her to rest that Lin Yue slowly lay down under the covers and drank the dreamless sleep potion that Madam Pomfrey had brought her.

    Moonlight illuminated the hospital bed and scattered across Lin Yue''s face. Even in deep sleep, her expression remained as still as stagnant water, devoid of smiles or the comfort and tranquility one should have while asleep.

    In her slumber, the muscles in Lin Yue''s left thigh twitched slightly, as if issuing a faint protest...

    After staying in the infirmary for three days and drinking the dreamless sleep potion for three consecutive days, Madam Pomfrey finally released Lin Yue.

    However, even after three days of the potion, Lin Yue still woke up every hour at night, and it seemed that nothing about her had changed.

    Back in the Ravenclaw common room, bang! Bang! Two loud sounds rang out next to Lin Yue''s ears.

    Colorful ribbons floated down from the sky, landing on her shoulders and scattering across the floor of the common room.

    "Lin Yue! Welcome to the celebration we prepared for you!" The cheerful voice of the female prefect, Penelope, rang out.

    Hearing her full name pulled her out of her studying state, Lin Yue closed the book in her hands and looked blankly at the Ravenclaws in the common room.

    Politely nodding to everyone, she said, "Thank you all, I just did what I was supposed to do."

    "I knew you would say that" Penelope said with a smile, shaking her head, while the little eagles also wore friendly smiles.

    After spending an entire school year together, everyone understood that although Lin Yue had this expressionless demeanor and spoke in a mechanical manner, she had absolute patience and politeness towards others.

    As a result, no one in Ravenclaw was afraid of her or rejected her anymore. The female Ravenclaws all giggled and rushed over, first taking the book from Lin Yue''s hands and then pushing her onto the sofa in the common room.

    They had all heard from Cho Chang and Marietta that Lin Yue was still reading while recuperating in the hospital wing, and now that the celebration had started, they couldn''t let that happen.

    The main contributor to the celebration needed to eat, drink, and relax!

    "Here, use this to exchange for your book," Cho Chang said with a smile, shoving a small piece of cake into Lin Yue''s hand.

    Lin Yue wanted to say that this should be her study time, but suddenly the words Hermione had said in the hospital wing about giving herself a break popped into her mind, and her open mouth gradually closed again.

    Lowering her head, she instinctively stuffed the entire small cake into her mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and then almost swallowed it whole.

    Penelope sighed as she watched Lin Yue and handed her another piece of cake with a different flavor. "Eat slowly, savor it, okay?"

    Lin Yue took the piece of cake Penelope offered, nodded expressionlessly, and lowered her head to eat the cake bite by bite.

    Seeing Lin Yue slow down to eat, the other Ravenclaws showed relieved smiles. Marietta moved a cup of juice in front of Lin Yue, and the other little eagles began to eat, drink, and chat with each other.

    This celebration after the final exams made everyone in Ravenclaw, except for Lin Yue, feel joy and satisfaction.

    Sitting on the sofa, Lin Yue stared blankly around, her classmates'' faces full of smiles, and the air filled with laughter and joy.

    Lin Yue mechanically blinked her eyes, wondering how many classmates she would still see next year.

    This thought popped up in her mind instinctively; the last third of the students would be eliminated, which was a rule she understood about schools.

    All schools were like this, and since Hogwarts was a school, it should be the same.

    Lin Yue once again established an equation in her mind, replacing the variable of different worlds with the equivalent of "all schools." After all, in her view, all schools should be the same, and her previous experiences and understanding supported this belief.

    Although she had witnessed the differences between the professors at Hogwarts and her previous teachers, she thought this was merely a difference among teachers, and the fundamental rules of the school should not change.

    So, at this celebration, while laughter and joy surrounded her, Lin Yue was quickly contemplating how many familiar faces she would see in the next academic year. This was not out of pity or a sense of nostalgia; it was just her habitual way of thinking and analysing.

    The celebration ended at eleven o''clock in the evening, as the end-of-year banquet was scheduled for the next day. If all went well, everyone would likely stay up late again, so it was better not to stay up too late today. Back in her dormitory, Lin Yue finished her shower in less than five minutes, casually dried her hair, and then sat down at her desk to enter a study mode and start reading.

    Cho Chang and Marietta exchanged a glance and shook their heads helplessly. Marietta stepped forward to help Lin Yue dry her hair with a towel, while Cho Chang took his change of clothes and went into the bathroom to take a shower.

    "Lin Yue, you need to dry your hair after showering," Marietta said gently, slowly helping Lin Yue with her hair.

    "It''s fine to leave it wet. Drying it or blow-drying it just wastes study time," Lin Yue replied without hesitation, echoing words her mother had once said to her.

    "It''s not good for your health," Marietta sighed. By the time she had thoroughly dried Lin Yue''s hair, Cho Chang had finished his shower and came out. Marietta set Lin Yue''s towel aside.

    She picked up her own change of clothes and was about to head to the bathroom to shower when Lin Yue suddenly broke her study state and turned to look at Marietta.

    "Thank you."

    Although her tone was expressionless, Marietta felt a sense of comfort. She sensed Lin Yue''s progress, albeit faintly. "You''re welcome."

    With a happy smile, Marietta walked into the bathroom.

    After studying until midnight, Lin Yue closed her book and lay down on her bed, entering a cycle of restless sleep in this cycle of sleep, Lin Yue marked the beginning of the last day of her first year at Hogwarts. The castle was filled with a bustling atmosphere as all the students began packing their luggage. In comparison, Lin Yue had it much easier.

    She didn''t have much luggage, just some necessary daily items, along with small trinkets and various dolls prepared for her by the world consciousness, all stuffed into her suitcase without even being touched as she packed these daily necessities into her suitcase, Lin Yue sat on the four-poster bed in her dormitory and suddenly remembered where she would go during the holiday.

    Her mind raced. Lin Yue used to go home after school, and of course, it would be the same during the holidays. But now, she had no home to return to without a trace of sadness or disappointment, Lin Yue emotionlessly pondered where she could go.

    Hotels, inns, guesthouses... various nouns and definitions appeared in Lin Yue''s mind. Before she could concluded, Cho Chang waved at her.

    "Lin Yue, let''s go! The end-of-year banquet is about to start."

    "Okay." Lin Yue nodded, stood up, and followed Cho Chang and Marietta out of the dormitory.

    As they entered the hall, the Ravenclaw banner was already hanging, with a majestic eagle prominently displayed on it.

    Hogwarts students were happily chatting in the hall, and Hermione, sitting at the Gryffindor table, stood up excitedly and ran over when she saw Lin Yue enter.

    "Lin Yue, good evening." Hermione affectionately took Lin Yue''s hand. Lin Yue lowered her head, her gaze blankly glancing at their joined hands, and spoke in a tone that showed no change.

    "Hermione, good evening."

    "By the way, I should congratulate you on winning the House Cup for Ravenclaw." Hermione said with a smile, gently stroking the back of Lin Yue''s hand.

    "Thank you." Lin Yue mechanically nodded.

    After chatting for a few more moments, the two returned to their respective house tables as the banquet began.

    Principal Dumbledore first delivered a speech, then raised his hands to signal everyone to be quiet.

    Another year has gone, now as I understand the house cup need to be award and the point stand thus, in fourth place Gryffindor with 312 points, third place Hufflepuff with 352 points, in second place Slytherin 472 points and in first place with 1226 points Ravenclaw House¡±

    "First, I want to congratulate the students of Ravenclaw. You have won the House Cup for this year."

    The little eagles of Ravenclaw turned to look at Lin Yue, who was sitting in her seat, expressionless and unresponsive, with kind eyes.

    There was no doubt that the biggest contributor to Ravenclaw winning the House Cup this year, aside from the collective efforts of everyone in Ravenclaw, was Lin Yue.

    "However, before we present the House Cup, some recent events must be taken into account, and I have a few last-minute points to award."

 Chapter 039: Rewards and punishments 2

    "To, Miss Hermione Granger, for the cool use of intellect, while others were in grave peril fifty points."

    The hall erupted in enthusiastic applause, with all three houses except Slytherin clapping, undoubtedly acknowledging that recognizing others'' excellence is also a virtue.

    Hermione¡¯s turn to blush; she smiled shyly, and her gaze instinctively turned to Ravenclaw, where she immediately spotted Lin Yue at that moment, Lin Yue was clapping along with everyone else, her face showing no expression. Hermione''s joy instantly diminished by more than half; she wished to share the happiness with Lin Yue, she couldn¡¯t help but think.

    "Second, Mr. Ronald Weasley for the best played game of chess that Hogwarts has seen these many years, fifty points."

    Now it was Ron¡¯s face that had turned almost as red as his hair, and he shyly lowered his head, crossing his arms to cover his face. Meanwhile, his brother Percy was proudly talking about his little brother¡¯s achievements to others, while Harry and Hermione looked at him with cheerful smiles.

    Headmaster Dumbledore raised his hands to signal for silence, and the hall quieted down again.

    "And third to Mr. Harry Potter," Headmaster Dumbledore paused for a moment, "For pure nerve and outstanding courage, so I will award him sixty points."

    As the hall erupted into another round of sustained applause, Headmaster Dumbledore had to raise his hand again to signal everyone to stop.

    "And finally, it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends. Therefore, I will award ten points to Neville Longbottom."

    Neville''s expression was one of surprise at the Gryffindor long table, as he had never earned a single point for Gryffindor before. His classmates around him were happily patting him on the shoulder.

    Even though the points added now were not enough to surpass Ravenclaw, it was still satisfying for the Gryffindors. They had all seen the efforts of the Ravenclaws and, deep down, they knew they couldn''t catch up, especially with someone as formidable as Lin Yue in Ravenclaw. It was only right for Ravenclaw to win the House Cup.

    Moreover, for the Gryffindors... as long as Slytherin didn''t win the House Cup, it didn''t matter which house took it.

    Headmaster Dumbledore raised his hands to quiet the hall again, turning his gaze towards Lin Yue at the Ravenclaw table. The young witch''s face remained expressionless, her eyes devoid of any sparkle. No one could read a single bit of information from her face or know what she was thinking.

    In fact, Lin Yue''s thoughts were quite simple. She was subconsciously analyzing the reasons for the points awarded to Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Neville based on Dumbledore''s words. Ron earned points for getting Harry and the others through the chess game, Hermione earned points for bringing Harry through the potions challenge, and Harry earned points for bravely facing Professor Quirrell and Voldemort without yielding.

    As for Neville, Lin Yue''s mind quickly recalled what Dumbledore had just said about standing by one''s principles in the face of friends. Neville''s friends would refer to Hermione and the others, and standing by principles would mean adhering to school rules.

    From this, it could be inferred that Neville must have tried to stop Harry and the others from going out during curfew, but since they ended up going to the Forbidden Corridor on the fourth floor, he must have failed.

    So, Lin Yue mechanically turned her head, her gaze landing on Hermione among the three. It must be Hermione, after all, her spellcasting was the best among the three.

    Neville''s expression was one of the surprises at the Gryffindor long table, as he had never earned a single point for Gryffindor before. His classmates around him were happily patting him on the shoulder.

    Even though the points added now were not enough to surpass Ravenclaw, it was still satisfying for the Gryffindors. They had all seen the efforts of the Ravenclaws and, deep down, they knew they couldn''t catch up, especially with someone as formidable as Lin Yue in Ravenclaw. It was only right for Ravenclaw to win the House Cup.

    Moreover, for the Gryffindors... as long as Slytherin didn''t win the House Cup, it didn''t matter which house took it.

    Headmaster Dumbledore raised his hands to quiet the hall again, turning his gaze towards Lin Yue at the Ravenclaw table. The young witch''s face remained expressionless, her eyes devoid of any sparkle. No one could read a single bit of information from her face or know what she was thinking.

    In fact, Lin Yue''s thoughts were quite simple. She was subconsciously analyzing the reasons for the points awarded to Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Neville based on Dumbledore''s words. Ron earned points for getting Harry and the others through the chess game, Hermione earned points for bringing Harry through the potions challenge, and Harry earned points for bravely facing Professor Quirrell and Voldemort without yielding.

    As for Neville, Lin Yue''s mind quickly recalled what Dumbledore had just said about standing by one''s principles in the face of friends. Neville''s friends would refer to Hermione and the others, and standing by principles would mean adhering to school rules.

    From this, it could be inferred that Neville must have tried to stop Harry and the others from going out during curfew, but since they ended up going to the Forbidden Corridor on the fourth floor, he must have failed.

    So, Lin Yue mechanically turned her head, her gaze landing on Hermione among the three. It must be Hermione, after all, her spellcasting was the best among the three.

    Hermione felt the gaze directed at her and turned to meet Lin Yue''s eyes, who smiled brightly at her. Lin Yue nodded back without any ripple of emotion in her heart.

    Principal Dumbledore observed the interaction between Lin Yue and Hermione, smiling subtly; youth is truly wonderful...

    He redirected his attention to the students in the entire hall, "Finally, Miss Lin Yue, she has single-handedly passed all the challenges set by the professors, successfully confronted the dark wizard, protected the Philosopher''s Stone, and safeguarded her friends. Therefore, I am awarding Miss Lin Yue one hundred seventy points."If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    "This also means," Dumbledore had to raise his voice because all the students from the three houses had stood up, enthusiastically applauding for Ravenclaw. Hermione and her friends were extremely happy, watching Lin Yue; Ravenclaw had won the House Cup by a large margin, and she was truly the biggest contributor.

    "Ravenclaw House has won this year''s House Cup!"

    At the Ravenclaw table, the little eagles erupted in cheers, while Gryffindor and Hufflepuff also clapped joyfully.

    Although the Slytherins did not stand up to applaud, there was no negative emotion in their gazes towards Ravenclaw. While they were reluctant to see their house''s potential seven-year winning streak interrupted, they respected Ravenclaw''s victory this time.

    Amidst the cheers, Cho Chang, Marietta, and several other Ravenclaws hugged Lin Yue together, surrounding her and shouting happily. In contrast, Lin Yue''s expression was calm, her mind repeatedly cycling through two contradictory thoughts. She had made eight mistakes along the way, and thus punished herself eight times.

    However, Principal Dumbledore had awarded her points instead, rewarding her for what she felt were mistakes. Why reward herself when she had clearly done wrong? No feelings of confusion arose; Lin Yue''s mind quickly analyzed the possible reasoning. It must be a way to use rewards ironically to help her remember this mistake.

    Lin Yue ultimately concluded that her father had punished her in this way before.

    Once, when she failed to achieve full marks in all subjects due to a mistake, even though she was still the top student at the end of the academic year, her father "rewarded" her with the only new piece of clothing she had received in three years.

    The front of the shirt had three large characters: "First Place," while the back bore the phrase "First Place but Didn''t Get Full Marks," with the particularly eye-catching words "Pig Brain" underneath.

    Emotionless, she wore this shirt outside without feeling sad or embarrassed, but she keenly analysed that it was a punishment for not achieving full marks and for not meeting expectations.

    Therefore, now, when faced with Professor Dumbledore''s extra points, she also analysed it as a similar situation.

    The bruises still present on her legs and the extra points in the funnel, the rewards and the punishments in her mind, created an absolute and contradictory split between reward and punishment at this moment.

    The dinner was very pleasant, and the Ravenclaws sitting next to Lin Yue were all eager to serve her more food, constantly reminding her to eat slowly, as the end-of-year dinner was not the time for studying.

    Even if they finished the dinner at lightning speed, they wouldn¡¯t let her touch her books; after a whole year of hard work, it was time to rest.

    Halfway through the dinner, Hermione, Harry, and Ron ran over to the Ravenclaw table. Facing Lin Yue, the three of them had serious expressions and solemnly expressed their gratitude.

    This was not only for the incident with the Philosopher''s Stone but also for all the help Lin Yue had given them throughout the semester.

    "Thank you, Lin Yue. If it weren''t for you, I might have died in the Forbidden Section on the fourth floor that night," Harry said earnestly as he looked at Lin Yue. "I really shouldn''t have received extra points; I got help from all of you."

    "Don''t say that, Harry. A big part of the courage Ron and I had come from you," Hermione said, giving Harry''s shoulder a pat to boost his confidence.

    "That''s right, buddy. Because you were there, I could be braver," Ron added, looking at Lin Yue with a completely serious expression, unlike his usual somewhat silly demeanour. "Thank you for saving me that day."

    Lin Yue shook her head expressionlessly and first looked at Harry, "No one can deny your courage to face Quirrell and Voldemort."

    She was always gentler and more tolerant towards others than towards herself, strict with herself but lenient with others; this was a rule she followed deeply ingrained in her bones.

    Turning to Ron, Lin Yue nodded, "You''re welcome."

    Hermione smiled and stepped forward to gently hug Lin Yue, "There are so many things I want to thank you for. You helped me uncover the truth during the Quidditch match, you helped me put on the Invisibility Cloak when we sent off Norbert, and you saved me and Harry in the Forbidden Forest... You really, really helped me a lot. You''re really great."

    "Thank you..." Lin Yue replied mechanically, returning the hug.

    Hermione sniffed, "Now that the truth is out, I think it''s time for me to do what I had in mind before."

    Harry and Ron looked at Hermione in confusion. What did she mean by doing what she had in mind before? Did she have something unfinished?

    Released from Hermione''s embrace, Lin Yue followed her gaze to Professor Snape at the teacher''s table and quickly recalled how Hermione had directly burned the robes of both Professor Snape and Professor Quirrell during the Quidditch match.

    Lin Yue instantly understood Hermione''s intention. Taking a deep breath, Hermione pulled out a tightly wrapped wizard''s robe from a small bag she had been carrying on her back.

    Then, she walked steadily towards Professor Snape at the teacher''s table. Harry and Ron exchanged glances, swallowed hard, and followed her.

    Lin Yue''s eyes were as still as dead water, devoid of any ripples, as she followed closely behind Hermione.

    When they reached Professor Snape, Hermione took a deep breath in front of his deadpan gaze, similar to Lin Yue''s, and extended her hands to present the tightly wrapped wizarding robe.

    "Professor Snape, I''m really sorry for doubting you during the Quidditch match and for burning your robe. This is the robe I¡¯m giving you as compensation."

    Professor Snape''s face seemed to twitch a couple of times as he accepted the robe from Hermione.

    Harry and Ron also looked at Professor Snape and sincerely said they were sorry. No matter how Snape usually treated them or how biased he was towards Slytherin, they realized that doubting him was a mistake, and they should admit their fault.

    Lin Yue also deeply bowed to Professor Snape, saying, "I''m sorry, Professor Snape."

    She had clearly deduced the truth but allowed Hermione to eliminate the potential risks according to her own thoughts, so she was also at fault; Lin Yue''s mind was certain of this.

    Professor Snape spoke slowly, "It is indeed foolish to casually suspect others, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger."

    "But I think..." Professor Snape paused, "that timely eliminating all possible risks is wisdom. Moreover, how foolish it is to admit your mistakes after others have not caught your errors. Do you think you will receive praise for this? Now go back to your seats."

    Hearing the familiar sarcasm from Professor Snape, Hermione and the others secretly broke into a sweat but also felt relieved, immediately pulling Lin Yue away.

    After they left, Principal Dumbledore turned to Professor Snape with a cheerful expression.

    "Severus, there''s no need to be so serious when teaching the children; they can easily misunderstand things."

    This Severus... He clearly meant to tell Harry that in uncertain situations, one must absolutely eliminate all possible dangers; that is the right approach.

    And he shouldn''t admit to mistakes that others haven''t caught him on; he shouldn''t be so stubborn, yet he insists on saying it this way, always reminding himself to attract hatred.

    Professor Snape snorted coldly and put away the new robe in his hands. "I''m not interested in educating them."

    Principal Dumbledore shook his head with a smile. Well, Severus would never admit it; that''s just his personality.

    After the end-of-year feast, Lin Yue said goodbye to Hermione and the others, and amidst the cheerful chatter of the little eagles, returned to her dormitory.

    Sitting on her bed in the dormitory, Lin Yue had already packed her things and confirmed that she hadn''t left anything behind. She stared intently at Cho Chang and Marietta as they packed their belongings.

    She had originally wanted to borrow a few books from the Ravenclaw library to study, but was discovered by Penelope, who directly "escorted" her back to the dormitory, so she didn''t manage to get the books.

    Now, she could only watch Cho Chang and Marietta pack while mentally reviewing all the first-year textbooks from Hogwarts, as continuous revision was also very necessary.

    Once Cho Chang and Marietta confirmed that they had packed everything, they finally sighed in relief and sat down on their respective beds.

    After discussing where they wanted to go and what they wanted to do during the holiday, Cho Chang and Marietta simultaneously turned their attention to Lin Yue.

    "Lin Yue, do you have any plans for the holiday?" Cho Chang asked curiously, looking at Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue looked at Cho Chang , her face expressionless, and replied in a mechanical tone, "Finish all my homework, review the first-grade curriculum, thoroughly master the second-grade curriculum, and then study independently."

    Cho Chang felt a bit choked up; Lin Yue was really pushing herself too hard, not even giving herself a break during the summer vacation?

    "During the break... you don''t have to be this intense, right?" Marietta said with difficulty. To be honest, at Hogwarts, students who can seriously complete their homework during the holidays are already considered quite good. Someone like Lin Yue, who plans her holiday like this... could be called one of a kind; she wasn''t leaving herself any time to rest at all.

    Lin Yue nodded as if it were obvious, saying in a flat tone what she had once heard her mother say, "You should also study during the holidays; the holiday is for learning in a different environment, not for completely slacking off. Not studying will only allow others to surpass you."

    Cho Chang and Marietta silently shouted in their hearts, "No way, okay! Absolutely not!" There really aren''t any students at Hogwarts who are this intense; even Ravenclaw students aren''t this intense!

    Lin Yue''s expression remained calm. The reason she didn''t mention attending tutoring classes during the holiday was naturally that she had never attended one. Enrolling her in tutoring classes would be an additional "waste" of money, so her parents had always let her study at home on her own.

    Anyway, if she worked hard enough, she could compete with those who attended tutoring classes; that''s what her parents told her.

 Chapter 040 Rescue and Salvation

    Cho Chang took a deep breath to calm her surprised emotions, then got up and sat down by Lin Yue''s bed. She reached out and gently rubbed Lin Yue''s head.

    "Don''t always talk about studying," Cho Chang said gently, "Why not go out and have some fun with your family during the summer vacation? It would be nice to relax a bit."

    Lin Yue turned her head, her eyes as deep and unfathomable as a bottomless pool, unchanged for years. "My parents are not in this world."

    She spoke the harsh truth without any emotion, leaving Cho Chang and Marietta momentarily stunned.

    "I''m sorry, I didn''t know... I didn''t mean to upset you," Cho Chang said, a bit flustered.

    Lin Yue shook her head expressionlessly. "It''s okay, I''m not sad. I don''t feel these things."

    Cho Chang bit her lip, looking at Lin Yue with concern. "So, are you going to stay at your relatives'' house during the holiday?"

    After a quick mental calculation, Lin Yue shook her head. "No, I''m staying in a hotel."

    "A hotel?! The Leaky Cauldron?" Marietta also came over, sitting on the other side of Lin Yue and looking at her with concern.

    "The Leaky Cauldron? Where is that?" Lin Yue asked Marietta without any emotion.

    "Didn''t you notice it when you went to Diagon Alley before?" Marietta paused for a moment, then quickly convinced herself.

    "Well, that''s true. You don''t really care about anything other than studying. The Leaky Cauldron is the name of the pub at the entrance of Diagon Alley. It''s the most famous pub in the wizarding world of Y country, and they offer lodging services on the second floor."

    Lin Yue nodded and was about to ask where Diagon Alley was when the time reached twelve o''clock. Realizing it was time for bed, she closed her mouth and quietly curled up on the bed.

    Cho Chang and Marietta exchanged a comforting glance. No matter what, at least Lin Yue could go to bed earlier now, which was progress. The two of them leaned down and gave Lin Yue a polite kiss on the forehead, wishing her goodnight before returning to their own beds to rest.

    Lying in bed, Lin Yue fell into a deep sleep the moment she closed her eyes, even though she had been ensuring six hours of sleep each day lately. However, her body¡ªor rather, her subconscious¡ªstill believed she was sleep-deprived, so the instant she closed her eyes, she would enter deep sleep, waking up again an hour later.

    This cycle continued throughout the night.

    By the next day, all the little wizards at Hogwarts had completely packed their bags, waiting to eat breakfast before lining up to take the Hogwarts Express home. After not going home for a semester since Christmas, almost all the little wizards were happy and welcoming the arrival of summer vacation.

    However, there were a few little wizards who felt indifferent or simply did not welcome the arrival of summer vacation. Lin Yue was one of those who felt completely indifferent; she calmly observed the joyful atmosphere in the Great Hall, with not a single ripple of emotion in her heart.

    Summer vacation was just a change of place for learning, and she had a clear understanding of that in her mind. As for the ones who did not welcome summer vacation at all, that was naturally Harry. The moment he thought about going back to the Dursleys, he couldn''t help but frown.

    But looking at the smiles of his close friends Hermione and Ron, as well as the cheerful atmosphere among the classmates around him, he was unwilling to break the mood, so he could only force a smile and joke with his classmates, treating it as¡­ enjoying the last moments of this school year at Hogwarts.

    Only Lin Yue noticed Harry''s strange expression as she quickly finished her breakfast and scanned the Great Hall; she almost instantly concluded that something was off with Harry''s expression.

    Harry''s smile was clearly different from those of the others around him; the muscles they used and the extent to which they moved were vastly different.

    So, Harry didn''t want to smile, but he was smiling anyway; her brain automatically produced this result. Lin Yue then withdrew her gaze, feeling no confusion about why Harry was forcing himself to smile. Instead, she began to silently memorize the textbook on Transfiguration.

    After breakfast, the young wizards were set to board the Hogwarts Express, but before that, the heads of houses distributed their report cards.

    The young wizards looked at their report cards with mixed feelings of joy and worry, but it was only for a moment; the next second, they tossed those grades aside.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Grades, well, if they were acceptable¡ªwithin their own expectations, the young wizards found it easy to accept their results, even if they were slightly lower than hoped. At most, they would hear a few words from their parents about working harder when they got home, and the professors at Hogwarts didn¡¯t say much to the young wizards who didn¡¯t perform well either.

    Everyone has their strengths; it¡¯s not just this one report card that can define whether a young wizard is excellent or not. If they can figure out what they want to do in the future and work towards that without going astray, that¡¯s enough.

    At the Ravenclaw table, the Ravenclaws were more curious about Lin Yue''s results than their own.

    Lin Yue worked so hard¡­ her grades should be excellent, right?

    With this thought in mind, many Ravenclaws couldn¡¯t wait to rush to the seat behind Lin Yue after checking their own report cards.

    When they saw Lin Yue''s report card, they couldn¡¯t help but gasp; as expected¡­ she excelled in all subjects, with no mistakes in any of them.

    The Ravenclaws who had seen Lin Yue''s report card didn¡¯t celebrate loudly; they simply returned to their seats quietly.

    Based on their understanding of Lin Yue, she would likely remain calm about this result. Since she was like that, they decided not to disturb her. Putting away her report card, Lin Yue felt no fluctuations in her heart. Full marks in all subjects, meeting the passing standard.

    Lin Yue passed the end-of-year exams for this academic year. She summarized in her mind while mechanically turning her head towards the entrance of the great hall. The results had already been released, and soon fully armed individuals would come in to take away the last third of the students for destruction.

    Thinking of this, Lin Yue suddenly felt her heart tighten, pounding wildly, and her mind became a blur. This was the concern that Senior Marietta had told her about... concern, but what was she worried about?

    Lin Yue turned her head in a daze and then saw her classmates at the Ravenclaw long table chatting and laughing, saw Hermione and her friends at the Gryffindor table talking to each other, and saw Hannah, her potions partner for the entire year, sitting at the Hufflepuff table.

    Like a revolving lantern, memories flashed rapidly in Lin Yue''s mind: the celebration party thrown for her by everyone in Ravenclaw, the adventures she experienced with Hermione and the others, and the countless potions she made with Hannah.

    What was she worried about... In the chaos of her mind, Lin Yue forcibly squeezed out a thought. She was worried about her classmates... A tearing pain shot through her head, but Lin Yue''s expression remained unchanged, though several drops of cold sweat had already trickled down her forehead.

    She was worried that her classmates would be destroyed; she was worried that her classmates would become part of that last third. Clearly, she had been able to think about this issue calmly before, but at this moment, she could no longer remain rational.

    I don¡¯t want to... Lin Yue gritted her teeth, her right hand stiffly and laboriously reaching for her robe pocket, where her wand was kept. I don¡¯t want my classmates to be destroyed... A bright thought suddenly popped into her mind.

    But immediately after, another equally clear thought sprang up in her mind: this is the rule, the rule should be followed, I must follow the rule, I cannot violate the rule.

    Her right hand, reaching for the robe pocket, froze in mid-air, unable to move an inch.

    Lin Yue watched in horror as the door to the great hall slowly opened a crack.

    The fully armed enforcers, the cries of other students, the sensation of the drugs being pushed into her body¡ªall of it surged back into her memory.

    No! I don¡¯t want this! Lin Yue forced her jaw open and bit down hard on her own tongue.

    The strong metallic taste of blood instantly filled her mouth, and the intense pain jolted her back to reality. Her right hand reached into the pocket of her robe, and she pulled out her wand with a swift motion.

    In the next moment, the great hall door swung wide open, but it was not the fully armed enforcers who entered; it was Mr. Filch, the caretaker of Hogwarts, here to inform all the young witches and wizards that it was time to board the train.

    With her mouth full of blood, Lin Yue let her wand drop to her side, and all her actions came to a halt.

    No enforcers, no ready-to-fire submachine guns¡ªLin Yue''s chaotic mind began to settle, and her heartbeat gradually slowed.

    She lowered her head and put her wand back into the pocket of her robe, continuously swallowing the blood that flowed from her tongue.

    The enforcers chose to go to the students'' homes to capture them... Lin Yue easily reached this conclusion.

    Looking up at the young witches and wizards in the great hall, Lin Yue felt as if her vision had turned black and white for some reason, and she experienced a sense of falling downward.

    At the professors'' call, the little wizards filed out with their luggage, and Lin Yue stood up, mechanically following the classmates in front of her.

    Her vision was unusually blurry, almost with a hint of patterns, like an old black-and-white television that was glitching. At that moment, she had lost all her previous ability to think and could only stiffly follow her classmates out of the great hall, out of Hogwarts, and onto the Hogwarts Express, where she soon found herself in one of the compartments, staring blankly at the seat across from her.

    When she returned for the summer vacation... a third of her classmates would be missing. A wave of darkness washed over Lin Yue, as if her brain was protesting; her tongue felt both painful and numb.

    Leaning against the backrest, Lin Yue closed her eyes for the first time during study time. In the darkness, she saw a little girl, who studied every day, who learned every day. Even so, her grades could only place her in the middle of the rankings at the end of the school year.

    She couldn''t bring her parents to the villa they longed for, nor could she elevate them into the elite class they dreamed of. She knew it was her fault, that she wasn''t smart enough... she was a foolish child, not the genius her parents wanted.

    So, she would squeeze out some of her already limited sleep time to look at recipes and learn to knit. She could hold a book in one hand and a spatula in the other; she could prepare a new pair of gloves for her parents before each winter came. She longed to prove that even without a villa, the family could still live happily together...

    But what happened after that, what happened...

    A harsh sound echoed wildly in her mind, and a bone-chilling sensation surrounded her. Lin Yue trembled as she curled up into a ball.

    She felt so weak... she was so tired... when had she felt this way before...

    "Are you cold?"

    A pair of arms, warm as the sun, wrapped around Lin Yue, and the harsh sound abruptly stopped, replaced by a warm whisper in her ear. Her trembling body slowly relaxed, and the darkness in her mind began to dissipate bit by bit.

    A small voice, a small figure reached out its hands towards the illusory sky, help me, please save me!

    When she opened her eyes again, Lin Yue''s gaze was still as calm as dead water.

    Slightly turning her head, she saw that it was Hermione who was hugging her from behind, while Harry and Ron were helping her put her luggage on the rack. Cho Chang and Marietta sat across from her, looking at her with concern.

    "Senior Cho Chang and Senior Marietta just found me and said you weren''t in a good state, so I hurried over. What happened?" Hermione lowered her head and gently rubbed Lin Yue''s cheek.

    Lin Yue trembled as she opened her mouth, her voice coming out hoarse and unpleasant, like a broken bellows.

    "I don''t want to stay in a hotel during the summer... can I stay at your house?"

    Lin Yue spoke her thoughts honestly; her ability to think had returned. Hogwarts had not announced the rankings of all students, so she couldn''t be sure if Hermione, Harry, Ron, Cho Chang, and Marietta were among that third who would be missing.

    Even if Hermione, Cho Chang, and Marietta had excellent grades, they could still make mistakes, or other students at Hogwarts could perform exceptionally and surpass them.

    In the current situation, she couldn''t save everyone at Hogwarts; she could only try to save Hermione and the others. And considering the possibility of enforcers coming to their homes to take people away, the only solution she could think of was to go home with them; only then could she stop the enforcers.

    Even if this would violate the rules, she would accept the punishment after everyone successfully escaped. The enforcers could destroy her, and she had no objections to such consequences.

    Lin Yue''s mind, now capable of thought, quickly refreshed her ideas, and she determined this plan without hesitation. Even if the outcome of this plan involved her own destruction, she felt no emotional turmoil; the success of the plan was her only goal.

 Chapter 41: The planned summer vacation.

    Not in a hurry to answer Lin Yue''s question, Hermione squinted at her. She couldn''t shake the feeling that... Lin Yue''s mouth looked unusually red when she was speaking just now.

    "Lin Yue, open your mouth so I can take a look," Hermione said as she got up and squatted in front of Lin Yue, her hands resting on her arms, staring at her with a serious expression.

    Lin Yue looked at Hermione with a blank expression. Without needing much analysis, she concluded that Hermione had seen the injury in her mouth.

    Slowly opening her mouth, Lin Yue revealed her tongue, which was bleeding profusely from where she had bitten it.

    "Hiss..." Not only Hermione, but also Cho Chang and Marietta, who were sitting across from her, saw this scene, and the three girls collectively gasped.

    "Is it because of studying?" Hermione asked Lin Yue, thinking about the final exam results that had just been released, pressing her lips together.

    The abrupt question left the other present confused, but Lin Yue immediately understood the full context of Hermione''s question.

    "Did you punish yourself because of studying?"

    Shaking her head without any change in her expression, Lin Yue''s voice was hoarse and defeated, "No."

    Hearing Lin Yue say "no," Hermione finally let out a sigh of relief. She reached into her small bag on the seat and pulled out a bottle of water, handing it to Lin Yue.

    "Drink some water to soothe your throat."

    After saying that, she stood up and looked at Cho Chang , "Senior Cho Chang , do you know any healing spells?"

    Cho Chang nodded and, without any hesitation, took out her wand and walked in front of Lin Yue, bending down. "Lin Yue, open your mouth."

    Lin Yue mechanically opened her mouth, still holding the water bottle that Hermione had given her.

    The tip of the wand hovered just in front of Lin Yue''s mouth, and Cho Chang gently recited a spell, " Episkey."

    A cool sensation swept over, and Lin Yue''s tongue began to heal at a visibly rapid pace.

    In just a few seconds, it had returned to normal. Cho Chang retracted her wand, sighed, and looked at Hermione, "Biting your tongue, and your throat is hoarse... you were shivering from the cold just now... Lin Yue might be a bit overheated and have throat inflammation."

    Hermione frowned slightly, leaned down, and pressed her forehead against Lin Yue''s forehead. Then she straightened up and shook her head, "You''re not running a fever."

    "Drink more water," Hermione gestured for Lin Yue to drink.

    Lin Yue nodded, her eyes dull as she twisted open the cap of the water bottle and brought it to her lips for a sip.

    On the other side, Harry and Ron worked together to lift Lin Yue''s suitcase onto the luggage rack, then quietly sat to the side, silently acting as two competent background figures.

    Hermione watched Lin Yue drink and smiled with satisfaction, then couldn''t help but add, "Drink more."

    Lin Yue nodded again and tilted her head back to take a few more sips of water.

    "Lin Yue, you just said you didn''t want to stay in a hotel. Aren''t you going home for the holidays?" Hermione asked. Next to her, Cho Chang and Marietta were frantically signaling her, and Hermione looked at them in confusion.

    "I won''t be going home. My home isn''t in this world," Lin Yue said expressionlessly, stating the truth.

    Marietta stood up and leaned close to Hermione''s ear, whispering, "Lin Yue''s parents are gone, so she doesn''t go home."

    Upon hearing Marietta''s words, Hermione instinctively felt a wave of sympathy, but then she remembered what Lin Yue had told her: it was her parents who taught her daily routines, who imposed strict rules and punished her.

    At that moment, she felt a bit relieved that Lin Yue''s parents were gone, and even felt a small sense of joy.

    Shaking her head to clear those messy emotions, Hermione looked at Lin Yue with some anticipation.

    "Why don''t you come to stay at my house for the summer? My mom and dad would definitely welcome you."If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Lin Yue''s brain instinctively wanted to agree, but she quickly realized that if she only went to Hermione''s house, she wouldn''t be able to protect Cho Chang , Marietta, Harry, and Ron.

    Turning her gaze to Cho Chang and the others, she found Cho Chang smiling lightly and reaching out to ruffle Lin Yue''s hair.

    "What''s wrong? Are you going to miss us?"

    Marietta smiled and replied, "Well, Lin Yue, you can come to stay at our house too. We all welcome you!"

    Lin Yue''s mind raced, and within two seconds, she came up with the best and most suitable solution for the current situation, mechanically speaking up. "Can I rent a villa and invite you all to live with me?"

    "Rent a... villa?" Hermione said, struggling to process it. Renting a villa would be a significant expense. Lin Yue had lost her parents; did she even have a source of income?

    She couldn''t let her pay for it. Hermione instinctively looked at the two senior sisters present, wanting to ask for their opinions. Cho Chang and Marietta exchanged glances, and both nodded.

    "I think it''s a good idea. Leave this to us; we''ll rent it," Marietta winked at Lin Yue.

    "Exactly, there''s no reason for a junior to pay for us. Just leave it to us," Cho Chang said, while playfully covering Hermione''s mouth, who seemed about to say something. After all, if they weren''t going to let Lin Yue pay, how could they possibly let Hermione pay?

    Lin Yue watched their interaction with eyes as still as dead water, her heart pounding in her chest, a surge of indescribable warmth building up inside her.

    She could analyze Hermione and the senior believed her parents were dead. Further analysis suggested they were worried that she wouldn''t have money after her parents'' death, which is why they wanted to cover the cost of renting the villa.

    However, this was Lin Yue''s plan. She wanted to protect Hermione and the others, eliminating the possibility of them being targeted by the executioners.

    So how could she let Hermione and the others pay for her? "It''s okay, I can handle it myself."

    Lin Yue''s voice was devoid of emotion, yet it was filled with a sense of power that left no room for any desire to refute her.

    "I am very wealthy," Lin Yue continued to speak the truth calmly, "the kind of wealth where I can have as much as I want."

    Goodness... The other five people in the private room couldn''t help but sigh inwardly, wondering just how much inheritance Lin Yue''s parents must have left her.

    Hermione bit her lower lip; well... Although Lin Yue''s parents didn''t seem to be involved in any personal matters, it appeared they at least hadn''t been stingy with her materially, and even provided her with quite a good standard of living.

    One could only say... this was truly a huge misunderstanding.

    Since Lin Yue had said so, Cho Chang and Marietta could only go along with her thoughts.

    If the execution personnel were not directly apprehending people at school, they generally began to arrest people and carry out the destruction procedures two weeks after the holiday.

    Lin Yue raised her head and fixed her gaze on Hermione and the others, "I will rent a villa within two weeks and then write to you, is that okay?"

    Two weeks was just enough time to have a good reunion with her family.

    Cho Chang and Marietta nodded without any objections.

    Hermione smiled at Lin Yue, reaching out to poke her cheek, "Then before you find the villa, you can stay at my house. I really want someone to keep me company during the summer vacation."

    And if that person is Lin Yue... that would be even better, Hermione silently added in her heart.

    "Okay." Lin Yue nodded stiffly, then turned to look at Harry and Ron.

    "You guys can come too, right?"

    Harry and Ron were taken aback for a moment; they had thought this was a girls'' gathering among Lin Yue and the others, but it turned out they were included too?

    Ron thought carefully for a moment, "My mom... should agree."

    "Okay." Lin Yue nodded without any change in her expression, shifting her gaze to Harry.

    Harry pressed his lips together, feeling awkward, "My aunt and uncle... might not agree to let me go out."

    "Do your aunt and uncle control you that strictly?" Hermione frowned, looking at Harry with confusion, feeling a sense of unease in her heart.

    Sure enough, Harry was too embarrassed to speak, but Ron directly mentioned what he had heard Harry say on the Hogwarts Express at the beginning of the school year about his situation at his aunt and uncle''s house.

    "This is abuse!" Hermione slammed her hand on the chair beside her. First Lin Yue''s parents, and now Harry''s aunt and uncle¡ªwhy are all the parents like this?

    Cho Chang and Marietta also looked furious. Living in a cupboard under the stairs?! Did this family treat Harry like a house-elf?

    "Why don''t you just not go back?" Hermione sincerely suggested to Harry.

    "Yeah!" Ron excitedly slapped his thigh, his eyes shining as he looked at Harry.

    "You can just come to our house, we can play together, and play Quidditch together," Ron added, very understandingly, under Hermione''s increasingly dangerous gaze, "and do homework together."

    Hermione snorted lightly and withdrew her gaze. If Lin Yue stayed at her house, she needed to keep an eye on her so she wouldn''t just read and study all the time.

    If Harry stayed at Ron''s house, she had to remind them in advance not to just focus on playing. This is the difference between people.

    Harry''s eyes also lit up with anticipation, "I would love to, I mean, if it won''t trouble your family."

    "Of course it won''t," Ron waved his hand, "Trust me, my mom and dad will be very happy, and Ginny, my sister, she really admires you."

    Harry''s face turned red, and he scratched his cheek a bit shyly.

    "But the Dursleys might come to pick me up," Harry said somewhat awkwardly, as the station was a public place, and he didn''t want to cause any trouble for Ron''s family.

    "Well... you can go home with them first, and then in three days, no, in two days, we''ll come to pick you up."

    Ron looked firmly at Harry, determined to pick up his buddy in two days no matter what.

    "Okay, thank you, Ron." Harry nodded gratefully, feeling a wave of joy at the thought that he only had to endure two more days before escaping the Dursleys.

    Just two days, and then he could say goodbye to the Dursleys again.

    Linyue waited until Harry and Ron finished their discussion before she spoke up to confirm with them in a neutral tone.

    "I will write to you within two weeks to inform you of the location of the villa I rented."

    "Okay." Harry and Ron nodded in unison.

    During the conversation among the six of them, the Hogwarts Express had already been on its way for a while, and even the train''s vendor had started selling snacks to everyone.

    After buying some snacks to serve as lunch, the six people in the compartment took advantage of the last bit of time they could use magic to play Exploding Snap.

    Even Lin Yue was pulled into the game by Hermione, with the sole purpose of getting her to relax and stop thinking about studying.

    The notice that magic could not be used during the summer vacation had already been handed to them, and Lin Yue had no particular thoughts about this rule; she simply remembered it and compared it to the relevant laws and regulations of the Ministry of Magic that she had read before.

    In the end, she concluded that young wizards were not allowed to use magic during the holidays, except in special emergencies, and she firmly etched this sentence in her mind.

    After finishing the last round of Exploding Snap, the Hogwarts Express slowly came to a stop at Platform 9? at King''s Cross Station.

    Harry and Ron helped four girls take down their suitcases, and after retrieving their own luggage, everyone walked out of the platform together.

    Before they left the platform, Lin Yue mechanically asked, "I would like to invite Senior Penelope later, do you all agree?" Penelope had taken good care of her at Hogwarts, and the thought of Penelope possibly being dismissed made her feel a tightness in her heart, so she wanted to invite her as well.

    The five people walking next to Lin Yue all expressed their agreement upon hearing her words. They were all students and children; having more people around meant more fun, so there was no reason to disagree, especially since it wasn''t like they were inviting Malfoy...

    After exiting Platform 9?, the six of them said their goodbyes. Before Harry and his friends could finish saying goodbye, a plump man came over with a similarly plump boy and a tall, thin woman.

    Impatiently urging Harry, the other four people present had dark expressions and nodded for Harry to go ahead. Lin Yue also looked calmly at Harry and nodded to say goodbye.

    It wasn''t until Harry left with his aunt and uncle that Hermione let out a cold huff. She could hardly believe that there were such annoying people in the world; Harry''s aunt and uncle were two, and Lin Yue''s parents were also two.

    Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, Hermione took Lin Yue''s hand and said goodbye to the other three. After Lin Yue also said her goodbye in a calm tone, Hermione pulled her towards her parents.

    The Granger couple had already spotted their daughter, but they didn''t want to disturb her while she was saying goodbye to her friends. Now, seeing her approach with one of her friends, they couldn''t help but be a bit surprised.

    Mrs. Granger was surprised but also had a bit of speculation; this girl had an Eastern face, so she must be Lin Yue, whom Hermione had mentioned before. She indeed looked like a pretty and well-behaved girl, instantly making people like her at first glance.

    Hermione''s taste was quite good, Mrs. Granger nodded to herself in approval of her daughter''s choice, and with a loving gesture, she reached out to pat the heads of the two girls, one with each hand.

 Chapter 42: Arriving at the Grangers house.

    "Mom! Dad!" After not seeing her parents for an entire semester, Hermione was patted on the head by Mrs. Granger, who then wrapped her arms around Hermione''s waist.

    "I miss you so much..."

    "We miss you too." Mr. Granger looked at his wife and daughter embracing each other with a happy expression.

    Lin Yue felt the warmth of Mrs. Granger''s hand on her head and looked up at her expressionlessly until they separated, at which point she politely greeted them.

    "Hello, Mrs. Granger, Mr. Granger, my name is Lin Yue."

    Her voice was devoid of any emotion, monotonous like a blank sheet of paper, and her expression was as stiff as a whiteboard.

    This made the Grangers momentarily stunned; after all, she was the same age as their daughter.

    Although Hermione preferred reading over playing with friends, she was still a lively child who loved to laugh and have fun.

    But this girl in front of them gave them a sense of complete detachment from the outside world.

    Hermione chuckled lightly, reached out to hold Lin Yue''s hand again, and looked up at her mother with a playful expression, "Mom, can Lin Yue stay at our house for a while? Please~"

    Mrs. Granger smiled and playfully tapped Hermione''s nose, "Of course, we would be very happy to have her as a guest."

    Mr. Granger also nodded in agreement with a smile.

    Upon hearing Mrs. Granger''s words, Lin Yue''s brain quickly reacted, and she slightly bowed according to etiquette.

    "Thank you, Mrs. Granger, Mr. Granger."

    This child... despite her serious demeanor, she really is polite, Mrs. Granger thought, quickly reaching out to help Lin Yue up.

    "No need to be so formal; you are Hermione''s friend, and we are very happy to finally have someone to play with Hermione during the summer. She won''t have to spend the summer with her books anymore."

    As she spoke, she sighed; who would have thought that a child loving to read so much could one day become a source of worry?

    Lin Yue didn''t say anything in response to this statement, but Hermione beside her couldn''t help but twitch the corners of her mouth a couple of times. "You''re mistaken, Mom..." Just wait and see, if she doesn''t stop her, Lin Yue''s enthusiasm for studying and reading will definitely be more terrifying than hers.

    Since Lin Yue was still there, Hermione didn''t go into detail with her parents and planned to have a thorough chat with her mom after they got in the car.

    After exiting King''s Cross Station, Hermione opened the car door and let Lin Yue sit in the front passenger seat while she sat in the back with Mrs. Granger.

    As the car started, Lin Yue''s gaze was fixed on the street outside through the windshield, and she began to silently memorize the Potions textbook and the various potion-making methods in her mind. Since their luggage was already placed in the back seat before getting in the car, she couldn''t read and could only memorize in her head.

    Seeing Lin Yue in the passenger seat staring blankly ahead with a slightly swaying gaze, Hermione knew that she had entered study mode again, probably silently memorizing some book.

    "Sigh..." Hermione let out a soft sigh and tugged at Mrs. Granger''s sleeve, signaling her to lean down and listen to her.

    Mrs. Granger raised an eyebrow and leaned down to put her ear close to her daughter''s mouth, wondering what little Hermione wanted to tell her.

    "Mom, Lin Yue... her situation might be a bit special."

    With a complex expression, Hermione explained a bit to Mrs. Granger. Mrs. Granger was taken aback for a moment, her expression turning serious as she lowered her voice.

    "What do you mean by special? Hermione, please explain in detail."

    Hermione bit her lip and told Mrs. Granger about several habits that Lin Yue had developed due to her upbringing.

    She studied for all but one hour of sleep each day, spent only three and a half minutes eating, had no time for breaks, and used all her free time to read and study. If there was any mistake in her studies or if her study time was taken up by something else, she would punish herself.

    As Mrs. Granger listened to these "habits," she fell into a daze. This was... too unreal, too terrifying. Do parents really treat their children this way?

    "When I discovered it before... Lin Yue couldn''t even lift her left arm. Her upper arm was covered in bruises and black marks, and some were even oozing blood."

    Lin Yue didn''t say anything in response to this statement, but Hermione beside her couldn''t help but twitch the corners of her mouth a couple of times. "You''re mistaken, Mom..." Just wait and see, if she doesn''t stop her, Lin Yue''s enthusiasm for studying and reading will definitely be more terrifying than hers.

    Since Lin Yue was still there, Hermione didn''t go into detail with her parents and planned to have a thorough chat with her mom after they got in the car.

    After exiting King''s Cross Station, Hermione opened the car door and let Lin Yue sit in the front passenger seat while she sat in the back with Mrs. Granger.

    As the car started, Lin Yue''s gaze was fixed on the street outside through the windshield, and she began to silently memorize the Potions textbook and the various potion-making methods in her mind. Since their luggage was already placed in the back seat before getting in the car, she couldn''t read and could only memorize in her head.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Seeing Lin Yue in the passenger seat staring blankly ahead with a slightly swaying gaze, Hermione knew that she had entered study mode again, probably silently memorizing some book.

    "Sigh..." Hermione let out a soft sigh and tugged at Mrs. Granger''s sleeve, signaling her to lean down and listen to her.

    Mrs. Granger raised an eyebrow and leaned down to put her ear close to her daughter''s mouth, wondering what little Hermione wanted to tell her.

    "Mom, Lin Yue... her situation might be a bit special."

    With a complex expression, Hermione explained a bit to Mrs. Granger. Mrs. Granger was taken aback for a moment, her expression turning serious as she lowered her voice.

    "What do you mean by special? Hermione, please explain in detail."

    Hermione bit her lip and told Mrs. Granger about several habits that Lin Yue had developed due to her upbringing.

    She studied for all but one hour of sleep each day, spent only three and a half minutes eating, had no time for breaks, and used all her free time to read and study. If there was any mistake in her studies or if her study time was taken up by something else, she would punish herself.

    As Mrs. Granger listened to these "habits," she fell into a daze. This was... too unreal, too terrifying. Do parents really treat their children this way?

    "When I discovered it before... Lin Yue couldn''t even lift her left arm. Her upper arm was covered in bruises and black marks, and some were even oozing blood."

    Hermione now feels a bit of lingering fear when she recalls the scene of Lin Yue being punished back then; it was truly chilling and heartbreaking. The dark purple and black handprints, and even blood seeping out?! Although she is a dentist, Mrs. Granger, being a doctor, still understands some related knowledge and gasped in shock.

    "This child really doesn''t take her own body seriously enough! What''s even more infuriating is her parents; their education has made Lin Yue accustomed to neglecting her own well-being."

    "After that, I prohibited her from doing that and made her sleep for six hours every day. Fortunately, she seems to be able to listen to me," Hermione said with some relief, glad that Lin Yue could still respond to the outside world and that Lin Yue could hear her words.

    "Well done," Mrs. Granger said, gently patting Hermione''s head.

    "Do her parents know that she''s staying with us?"

    Mrs. Granger silently began to consider how she and her husband would deal with Lin Yue''s parents if they found out about this. They definitely wouldn''t send Lin Yue back; given what her parents had taught her, Mrs. Granger had no doubt that if Lin Yue were returned to her parents'' "care," her health would eventually collapse.

    Hearing Mrs. Granger''s question, Hermione paused for a moment, then lowered her gaze and spoke. "Her parents have passed away, which is why I invited her to stay with us; otherwise, she would have to stay in a hotel."

    "Passed away?" Mrs. Granger was slightly surprised but quickly returned to normal. How should she put it... Actually, it''s better that they have passed away; it saves them from further tormenting this child.

    One could only say that she and Hermione are indeed mother and daughter, sharing similar thoughts on this matter.

    "Hermione did very well," Mrs. Granger said, fondly pinching her daughter''s cheek. "In the future, for Christmas and holidays, we can invite her to our home. At the very least, we can''t let her spend her holidays alone in a hotel."

    Although Hermione herself hadn''t realized it yet, based on her observations during Christmas, it was clear that she had some feelings for Lin Yue.

    Since that was the case, as a mother, Mrs. Granger needed to plan ahead for her daughter, allowing Lin Yue and Hermione to spend more time together during Christmas and summer vacation to cultivate their relationship. This would also give Lin Yue a chance to experience the Granger family''s environment, making it much easier for Hermione when she pursued Lin Yue later.

    Mrs. Granger''s calculations in her heart were clearly already considering that perhaps it would be years before Hermione would confess her feelings.

    "Mm!" Hermione nodded vigorously, smiling happily. Her parents always supported her like this, which made her heart swell with joy.

    Having someone to back you up, knowing that you have a support system no matter when, feels really good.

    "By the way, Mom, in two weeks, Lin Yue wants to rent a villa and stay there with me and a few other classmates. We can all hang out and have fun together. You can agree to this, right?"

    Hermione looked at Mrs. Granger with eager eyes, her expression resembling a little cat asking its owner for food. Mrs. Granger smiled and shook her head, reaching out to poke Hermione''s little nose.

    "Of course, I''m happy that you want to go out and have fun with your classmates. How could I possibly stop you?"

    "However, is Lin Yue paying for the rental?" Mrs. Granger hesitated for a moment. "Does she have enough money?"

    Although this was a decision and plan made by the children, and she and her husband shouldn''t interfere, she still worried whether Lin Yue might face any difficulties.

    Hermione nodded, unsure of what expression to show. Lin Yue''s parents treated her so poorly, instilling a bunch of harmful habits in her. But they provided her with material conditions that were undeniably good, which was truly... contradictory.

    "It seems like her parents left her quite a bit of money. She said that she can have as much money as she wants."

    Mrs. Granger was taken aback by Hermione''s words; it was too illogical. Based on what Hermione had previously said about Lin Yue''s parents'' behavior, Mrs. Granger had no doubt that they did not treat Lin Yue as their own child.

    They only saw her as a machine to continuously absorb knowledge and develop herself. In such a high-pressure environment surrounded by learning, it was no wonder Lin Yue gave off a rigid and monotonous vibe. If she was always immersed in studying, how could she have rich emotions and reactions to the outside world?

    But since they treated Lin Yue like a machine, her parents wouldn''t leave money for a machine. If they didn''t care about the child''s physical and mental state, would they care about her material conditions? It was clearly impossible. That money... although she didn''t know the details, it was likely not given to her by Lin Yue''s parents.

    Mrs. Granger gently ran her fingers through Hermione''s hair but did not share her speculations with her. After all, it was Lin Yue''s own matter; she should be the one to speak about it.

    The car finally stopped in the Granger family''s garage. After opening the car door and getting out, Lin Yue blankly glanced at the detached house in front of her, then walked to the back of the car and took out her and Hermione''s suitcases, one in each hand.

    "Thank you," Hermione said as she took her suitcase, smiling brightly at Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue nodded; her tone still indifferent. "You''re welcome."

    Carrying her suitcase, Lin Yue followed Hermione and the Granger couple into the house. She instinctively lowered her head, not casually looking around at others'' home, as it would be impolite; her brain told her so.

    "Here, Lin Yue, you can wear these slippers. They are new," Mrs. Granger said with a gentle smile, placing a pair of new slippers at Lin Yue''s feet.

    Lin Yue quickly looked up at her and mechanically said, "Thank you, Mrs. Granger."

    "You can just call me Auntie," Mrs. Granger said, looking at Lin Yue with a bit of concern. This child spoke in such monotone; she must have been suppressed a lot in the past.

    After taking off her shoes, Lin Yue stepped into the slippers and followed Hermione into the living room, pulling her suitcase along.

    Hermione pointed to the stairs not far away, "My room is on the second floor, and the guest room is also on the second floor."

    After saying that, she looked at Lin Yue with some anticipation, "Are you going to stay with me, or in the guest room?"

    Living with a friend! And this friend is Lin Yue! Just thinking about it made Hermione happy.

    Lin Yue looked at the expression on Hermione''s face, quickly analyzing in her mind.

    Is Hermione... looking forward to it? Based on her tone and demeanor, it seemed she was hoping that Lin Yue would stay with her.

    Agreeing to her, staying with her, another thought popped up in Lin Yue''s mind.

    "It seems I need to clean up a bit."

    Since she was ten years old, her parents had taught her how to sweep the floor, mop, make the bed, and change the sheets, but they had never helped her clean her room again or even entered her room. They had given her the key to her room.

    According to them, it was because the child had grown up and needed her own private space. Even as parents, it wasn''t appropriate for them to enter their child''s private space, and this would help cultivate her own hands-on skills.

    So now that she was back for the holidays, Hermione still needed to tidy up her room properly.

    Lin Yue turned to Hermione and asked in a flat tone, "Can I take a closer look at your room?"

    Hermione was taken aback; wasn''t her room right in front of Lin Yue?

    But when she turned to look at Lin Yue, she realized that after asking her, Lin Yue had lowered her head, staring straight at the floor, not looking anywhere else.

    Feeling a little uncomfortable in her heart, Hermione set her suitcase aside and gently hugged her, "Sure, you can definitely take a look. We don''t have so many formalities at our house, just relax, okay?"

    Lin Yue instinctively mirrored Hermione''s action and hugged her back, softly responding.

    Raising her head, Lin Yue carefully observed Hermione''s bedroom over her shoulder, quickly analyzing in her mind: the floor needed sweeping and mopping, the windowsill needed cleaning, the sheets and duvet cover needed to be changed, and the desk needed to be wiped down. Overall, it would take about fifteen minutes based on her speed.

 Chapter 43: Cleaning Up and Dinner

    The analysis was completed, and Lin Yue released her embrace of Hermione, mechanically stepping out of her arms. Her lifeless gaze swept across the entire room but did not find a broom, mop, or anything of the sort.

    "What are you looking for?" Hermione turned to Lin Yue, asking in confusion.

    "A broom, mop, rag; your room needs cleaning," Lin Yue said expressionlessly, catching Hermione off guard.

    Coming back to her senses, Hermione quickly raised her hand and waved it, "I can do it myself, you don''t need to clean. Just rest over there for a bit; you seem a bit overheated."

    After saying that, she reached out and rubbed Lin Yue''s head, indicating that cleaning the room was not her concern.

    Lin Yue shook her head, her tone flat, "I''ll help you."

    With a helpless sigh, Hermione decided not to argue with Lin Yue any further. If she wanted to help, then she might as well let her.

    Thinking this, Hermione took Lin Yue''s hand and led her out of her room and into the bathroom on the second floor, where the broom and mop were stored.

    Before Hermione could say anything, Lin Yue had already picked up the mop and mop bucket. Considering the water-fetching, carrying the bucket, and mopping the floor, it was basically the most exhausting task, and she took on the job of mopping without a second thought.

    Placing the bucket under the faucet to fill it with water, Hermione picked up the broom and, watching Lin Yue''s back as she filled the bucket, asked, "Do you need me to help you carry the bucket?"

    That bucket gets pretty heavy when filled with water; every time she used it, her arms would ache from lifting it.

    Lin Yue instinctively calculated the maximum capacity of the bucket in her mind, then turned to look at Hermione and shook her head, responding in a mechanical voice.

    "No need, I can do it."

    "Alright." Hermione pressed her lips together and walked out of the bathroom with the broom.

    Returning to the room with the broom, Hermione slowly swept the floor, but most of her attention was still focused on the bathroom on the second floor outside the room. She listened carefully for any sounds from there, fearing that Lin Yue might encounter some trouble alone.

    That bucket, even if it wasn''t completely full, was still heavy. What if she accidentally fell while carrying the water? What if she accidentally strained her arm?

    Or... what if she accidentally got her clothes wet while wringing out the mop? Would she catch a cold?

    Hermione''s mind was filled with various worries, one after another, while Lin Yue was not as "dangerous" as she imagined.

    Noticing that the water in the bucket was sufficient, Lin Yue reached out to turn off the faucet.

    At that moment, the water in the bucket was just enough to completely wet the mop without causing any splashes, precisely measured as if it had been poured out with a graduated cylinder.

    Picking up the mop beside her, Lin Yue bent down and skillfully dipped the mop, then wrung it out.

    With the mop in her right hand and the bucket in her left, Lin Yue exerted force and, in the next moment, steadily lifted the bucket, walking confidently out of the second-floor bathroom and back to the door of Hermione''s room.

    Hermione had almost finished cleaning her room. Lin Yue walked in with a mop and began to mop the floor carefully and earnestly, putting a lot of effort into each stroke, visibly cleaning very thoroughly.

    After all, she was only eleven years old. After sweeping the floor, Hermione felt a bit tired and straightened up, leaning against the wall by the door to catch her breath for a moment.

    As a result, she saw Lin Yue swiftly finish mopping the floor, even remembering to clean under the bed. Without stopping, Lin Yue came over again to grab the mop for a second round.

    Seeing a hint of sweat on Lin Yue''s forehead, Hermione felt her heart race, as if she was worried about Lin Yue, but it seemed... it was more than just concern.

    She reached out and pressed her hand on Lin Yue''s shoulder, speaking gently, "Lin Yue, take a break before continuing."

    Lin Yue shook her head stiffly, her voice flat, "No need, I''m not tired."

    After saying that, she took the freshly dipped mop, left her slippers at the door, and walked into the room in a pair of black short socks to start mopping a second time.

    Hermione watched Lin Yue work diligently, biting her lip. She put the broom at the door and hurried downstairs to find Mrs. Granger for a cloth to wipe the desk and windowsill.

    If Lin Yue was working, she couldn''t just rest, could she? She couldn''t wait for Lin Yue to finish mopping the floor while leaving all the other chores for herself to do alone.

    Seeing Hermione run downstairs into the kitchen, Mrs. Granger, who was talking to Mr. Granger about Lin Yue''s situation, paused her conversation. She noticed the slight sheen of sweat on Hermione''s forehead and her eyes flashed with understanding.

    She took a tissue and walked over to wipe Hermione''s sweat, "Are you cleaning your room? Why did you come down?"

    Hermione, a bit embarrassed, raised her hand to touch her nose, "Lin Yue is helping me clean too. She''s mopping the floor, and I came up to get a cloth to wipe the desk and windowsill."Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    Mrs. Granger nodded, reached for a cloth and carefully rinse it twice before handing it to Hermione.

    "Why are you still letting her help you with your work?"

    Hermione playfully stuck out her tongue, "I tried to stop her, but it was no use; she insisted on helping."

    "She really is a good child..." Mrs. Granger sighed, feeling even more critical of Lin Yue''s parents in her heart.

    What a wonderful child and look at what they have turned her into.

    Hermione took the cloth, and hearing her mother praise Lin Yue made her feel uncontainable happy, so she turned around and excitedly went upstairs again.

    "Our Hermione seems much more lively compared to that child..."

    Mrs. Granger turned to her husband, unable to help but express her thoughts. After all, Hermione used to have the image of a bookworm in the eyes of her teachers and classmates at school.

    Mr. Granger smiled and wrapped his arm around his wife, "After all, we have always respected Hermione''s own wishes and life."

    So, while Hermione may seem a bit reserved because she loves reading, she is quite confident and optimistic.

    Madam Granger nodded in agreement; they were also first-time parents and believed there were still many things they were doing wrong or inadequately. However, compared to what Hermione said about Lin Yue''s parents... they suddenly felt that perhaps they were doing okay.

    Returning to the room with a cloth in hand, Hermione originally thought Lin Yue would still be mopping the floor, but to her surprise, Lin Yue had already finished. Even her own desk had been tidied up by Lin Yue. All the books were placed within easy reach for Hermione, and some books that were clearly unfinished were placed at the very front of the desk. The entire desk was organized and looked very convenient to use.

    Hermione stood there in a daze, staring at the spotless floor that Lin Yue had cleaned and the neatly arranged desk, utterly astonished.

    Swallowing hard, Hermione couldn''t help but think that Lin Yue''s cleaning skills... were almost on par with a professional housekeeper. With how dedicated she was to her studies... how could she still find time to learn to do housework, and do it so skillfully?

    Wait, hold on, Lin Yue had said that her parents didn''t allow her to waste time on housework, so when did she learn to do it, and how did she manage it? With her level of proficiency, Hermione really didn''t believe that she didn''t do housework often.

    Holding two cloths, she took off her slippers at the door and walked to her desk. While wiping the table, Hermione casually asked Lin Yue, "Lin Yue, you seem so professional at doing housework. Did your parents teach you?"

    Lin Yue naturally pulled another cloth from Hermione''s hand and turned around to carefully wipe the windowsill.

    "I learned by myself from reading books."

    "Oh." Hermione nodded in understanding, not feeling surprised.

    After all, Lin Yue had been like that in the Hogwarts library, going through the books on the shelves one by one, equally "not letting go" of any book, regardless of what they said or whether they were useful to her.

    One could say she was engaging in super-saturated learning, relying on her quick thinking, strong memory, and short breaks.

    "Then you," Hermione paused slightly, preparing herself mentally before continuing to ask, "when did you do housework at home?"

    Lin Yue quickly cleaned the windowsill and was already ready to wipe the window.

    "After school, during holidays."

    Hermione frowned, just about to raise her head to ask how her study time was not filled with everything except eating and sleeping, and how she managed to squeeze in time for housework. According to the rules set by her parents that she couldn''t delay her study time, wasn''t that contradictory?

    But when she looked up, she saw Lin Yue already had one foot on the windowsill, ready to climb up.

    Hermione''s heart skipped a beat; the windowsill in her room was not low at all. She immediately forgot about wiping the table, threw down the cloth, and rushed to Lin Yue''s side, supporting her waist.

    "You don''t need to wipe the window! Get down!"

    Hearing Hermione''s words, Lin Yue slowly lowered the foot she had on the windowsill and turned to look at her.

    "I don''t need to wipe the window?"

    "No!" Hermione shook her head firmly.

    "Okay," Lin Yue nodded, her gaze moving calmly to Hermione''s bed, "Shall I help you change the sheets and duvet cover?"

    Lin Yue naturally pulled another cloth from Hermione''s hand and turned around to carefully wipe the windowsill.

    "I learned by myself from reading books."

    "Oh." Hermione nodded in understanding, not feeling surprised.

    After all, Lin Yue had been like that in the Hogwarts library, going through the books on the shelves one by one, equally "not letting go" of any book, regardless of what they said or whether they were useful to her.

    One could say she was engaging in super-saturated learning, relying on her quick thinking, strong memory, and short breaks.

    "Then you," Hermione paused slightly, preparing herself mentally before continuing to ask, "when did you do housework at home?"

    Lin Yue quickly cleaned the windowsill and was already ready to wipe the window.

    "After school, during holidays."

    Hermione frowned, just about to raise her head to ask how her study time was not filled with everything except eating and sleeping, and how she managed to squeeze in time for housework. According to the rules set by her parents that she couldn''t delay her study time, wasn''t that contradictory?

    But when she looked up, she saw Lin Yue already had one foot on the windowsill, ready to climb up.

    Hermione''s heart skipped a beat; the windowsill in her room was not low at all. She immediately forgot about wiping the table, threw down the cloth, and rushed to Lin Yue''s side, supporting her waist.

    "You don''t need to wipe the window! Get down!"

    Hearing Hermione''s words, Lin Yue slowly lowered the foot she had on the windowsill and turned to look at her.

    "I don''t need to wipe the window?"

    "No!" Hermione shook her head firmly.

    "Okay," Lin Yue nodded, her gaze moving calmly to Hermione''s bed, "Shall I help you change the sheets and duvet cover?"

    Hermione paused for a moment and nodded, "Okay."

    Lin Yue received permission before walking over to Hermione''s bed, reaching out to unfold her blanket and preparing to take off the old duvet cover.

    Watching Lin Yue''s smooth movements, Hermione sighed helplessly in her heart. This girl was both adorable and heart-wrenching with her rigid demeanor; politeness and etiquette seemed to be ingrained in her bones.

    Following Lin Yue to help take off the duvet cover, Hermione turned around and opened her wardrobe to take out a new duvet cover and bed sheet.

    Lin Yue took the duvet cover and, without waiting for Hermione to help, quickly changed it in no time. Hermione silently changed her own bed sheet, and Lin Yue seamlessly laid the new sheet on top.

    With the room completely tidied up, thanks to Lin Yue''s professional-level skills, the two of them only took sixteen minutes in total. Sitting together on her bed, Hermione took a tissue and focused on wiping the sweat from Lin Yue''s forehead and neck.

    "Lin Yue, besides the time you spend sleeping and eating, isn''t all your time for studying? Where do you find the time to do housework?"

    Lin Yue replied expressionlessly, explaining without any emotion, "Housework and studying can be done simultaneously; I can memorize knowledge points while doing chores."

    "Anyway, you need to check if you''ve memorized the knowledge points firmly, so why not just do housework while memorizing? If you can focus on doing housework without getting the knowledge points wrong, doesn''t that prove you''ve learned them by muscle memory? That''s true learning."

    She handed the broom in her hand to the expressionless girl in front of her. Her daughter had cleaning skills that rivaled professionals, even better than a cleaning robot, so why spend tens of thousands on one?

    After all, her daughter would ensure her grades didn''t drop.

    Gently pinching Lin Yue''s cheek, Hermione felt an indescribable pain in her heart.

    So Lin Yue''s parents not only forced her to study all the time but also relied on her for daily life?

    What exactly did they provide for Lin Yue? Probably just material things, which is to say, money...

    A bittersweet feeling filled Hermione''s heart, but fortunately, Mrs. Granger''s voice interrupted her thoughts just in time.

    "Hermione, Lin Yue, it''s time to eat."

    Hearing Mrs. Granger''s call, Hermione took a deep breath, stood up, and took Lin Yue''s hand to walk out of the room. "Let''s go, it''s time to eat downstairs."

    "Okay." Lin Yue nodded expressionlessly and followed Hermione downstairs.

    The dining table was already set for four, and a sumptuous dinner was laid out on the table.

    Lin Yue stared at the utensils and food on the table for a moment, then her brain quickly processed that this must have been prepared by Mrs. Granger. Sitting down at the table with Hermione, Lin Yue placed her hands calmly on her lap, quietly waiting. Next to her, Hermione, who hadn''t tasted her mother''s cooking for an entire semester, eagerly picked up her knife and fork. Noticing that Lin Yue was still sitting there properly, she turned to her in confusion.

    Lin Yue remained composed and sat upright until Mr. and Mrs. Granger also sat down and picked up their utensils. Only then did she reach for her knife and fork, causing Hermione to look at her in surprise.

    Is this the dining etiquette from Lin Yue''s side? Hermione wondered, but ultimately her desire for food overcame her curiosity. She used her knife and fork to take a piece of steak and placed it on her plate.

    Lin Yue, sitting next to her, after the initial waiting, immediately entered a state of rapid eating.

    Sure enough, Hermione shook her head helplessly and gently reached out to stop Lin Yue''s hand that was bringing the fork to her mouth. "Eat slowly, okay? No one will rush you in our house."

    Lin Yue paused for a moment, then mechanically put down her fork. "Okay."

    The Granger couple couldn''t help but tighten their lips at the scene. This child really was just as Hermione said, unable to eat peacefully.

    Mrs. Granger gently pushed a small portion of thick soup in front of Lin Yue, "My cooking is quite good, you know. Hermione really likes it, so can you take your time to enjoy it, Lin Yue?"

    Lin Yue looked up; her eyes vacant as she stared at Mrs. Granger. "Okay, thank you, Auntie. I will savor it."

 Chapter 44: The optimal solution of inequality.

    Under Hermione''s supervision and Mrs. Granger''s encouragement, Lin Yue slowed down and calmly finished her first dinner after arriving at the Granger household.

    After dinner, as soon as the Granger couple and Hermione set down their knives and forks, Lin Yue quickly stood up from her seat, skillfully gathered the plates and cutlery from the table, and stepped towards the kitchen.

    Seeing this, Hermione hurriedly stood up and smiled sweetly at her mother, "We can wash the dishes."

    After saying that, she rushed into the kitchen to take over the task of drying the dishes and putting them away in the cupboard.

    The Granger couple exchanged a glance, unable to suppress their smiles; both girls were such considerate children.

    They quietly walked to the kitchen door and peeked inside. In the kitchen, Lin Yue was washing the dishes under the faucet at incredible speed.

    Each plate in her hands was sparkling clean in less than twenty seconds, and Hermione, standing nearby with a dry cloth, struggled to keep up with Lin Yue''s pace as she wiped the plates that Lin Yue handed over.

    This dishwashing session was remarkably fast; in less than five minutes, Lin Yue and Hermione had already cooperatively washed all the dishes and put them back in the cupboard.

    After finishing the dishes, Lin Yue did not pause for a moment. Her mind was constantly reciting the knowledge from her herbology class as she quickly walked up to Hermione''s room on the second floor.

    She opened her trunk, pulled out some parchment, a quill, and ink, and looked at Hermione''s desk.

    This is Hermione''s desk, and she still needs to study; I can''t let my presence affect others.

    These thoughts instinctively popped into Lin Yue''s mind: I cannot let my presence affect others; this is a basic virtue that needs to be upheld.

    Turning around with the parchment, quill, and ink in hand, Lin Yue quickly walked back down the stairs.

    Hermione and the Granger couple, who were standing at the foot of the stairs looking up in confusion, had different expressions when they saw Lin Yue coming down with these items.

    Hermione''s face was indeed filled with sighs and heartache, while the Granger couple''s faces were full of disbelief and pity.

    Sitting at the dining table with the item in hand, Lin Yue spread out the parchment and began writing her Transfiguration assignment. As she wrote, her mind continuously generated subsequent content without any pause, like the smoothest typewriter, one word after another, one line after another, with knowledge constantly being retrieved from Lin Yue''s mind and written down on the paper.

    Mr. Granger couldn''t help but want to say something, but Hermione tugged at his sleeve and shook her head.

    "What''s wrong?" Mr. Granger looked down at Hermione, momentarily taken aback. To him, it seemed unusual for a child to start doing homework on the very first day of vacation.

    Isn''t the purpose of a break to relax and let the children have some fun? Homework should just take a little time out of their playtime during the break to ensure they don''t forget everything they''ve learned.

    So he wanted to suggest to Lin Yue that at least she should take a break for tonight; it wouldn''t be too much to rest a little on the first night back home for summer vacation.

    Hermione sighed helplessly, "Lin Yue has already started writing, so let''s let her finish this paper before we suggest she take a break."

    "Otherwise, interrupting her train of thought now might make it even harder for her to write later."

    Mr. Granger paused for a moment, realizing that his daughter was right. He shook his head and, along with Mrs. Granger, sat down on the sofa with Hermione.

    Since Lin Yue was writing her paper, the three of them couldn''t watch TV, so they decided to chat instead. Having not seen their daughter/parents for an entire semester, they all had a lot to say to each other, and the family of three began to talk together.

    Mrs. Granger sat in the middle, with Hermione on her right and Mr. Granger on her left. Hermione began to animatedly recount various amusing stories from her semester to her parents.

    Of course, it was a censored version; for instance, when she mentioned seeing the dragon hatch, she only described the wonderful scene she witnessed, completely omitting the part where she almost got caught by a professor afterward, and even more so, the incident where Harry, who followed her into the Forbidden Forest for detention, encountered Quirrell possessed by Voldemort.

    Listening to their daughter¡¯s descriptions, the Grangers truly felt the magic and wonder of a magical school. However, no one knows their child better than a mother. From the words and phrases Hermione used, Mrs. Granger could still sense her daughter''s concealment.

    Not to mention, when Hermione spoke about the dragon egg, a flicker of fear and regret flashed in her eyes, which did not escape her mother¡¯s notice. The child had grown up; she wanted to handle things on her own without worrying them. Mrs. Granger pressed her lips together and reached out to stroke Hermione''s head.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Hermione looked up at her mother, who then spoke to her with a face full of affection. ¡°Hermione has grown up,¡± Mrs. Granger gently brushed her hair, ¡°You know to share good news and not worries, but remember, we will always be a family. If you encounter any difficulties, we will face them together. Although your father and I may not know much about the magical world or be able to help with what happens there, if you ever feel unhappy or in danger, just come home. Home will always be a safe place.¡±

    ¡°Yes, your mum and I will always be waiting for you at home. If there are any bad people or bad things, Dad will help you chase them away!¡± Mr. Granger chimed in cheerfully, waving his fist as he spoke.

    However, his smile did not reach his eyes; deep inside, he was filled with guilt and worry, causing his heart to ache. It was all his fault¡­ As Hermione''s father, he should have been the one to provide her with a haven, shielding her from the storms until the day she could spread her wings and face the wind and rain on her own.

    Yet now, he could only stand in place, watching his daughter walk further and further into the unknown, facing all the storms he knew nothing about.

    Hermione bit her lip tightly, reaching out to hug her mom and dad, and only after burying her face in Mrs. Granger''s embrace did she secretly redden her eyes.

    Wasn''t she afraid when facing the troll? Wasn''t she afraid when confronting the hooded figure in the Forbidden Forest? Wasn''t she afraid when facing the various trials and unknown dangers in the restricted area on the fourth floor?

    How could she not be? She was just an eleven-year-old child; no matter how smart she was, it didn''t change that fact.

    When she encountered those things, she also wanted to call for her mom and dad, to shrink into their arms seeking protection. But she knew she couldn''t. Her parents were ignorant and powerless regarding everything in the magical world.

    It wasn''t them protecting her; it was she who had to grow up quickly, to become that big tree that could shield her parents from the storms of the magical world. This had been determined the moment her name appeared on the Hogwarts acceptance list.

    Reflecting on the experiences of the past year, she had faced various dangers, but the real threats had all been blocked by Lin Yue.

    When she was still as tender as a sapling, she had already grown into a towering tree, shielding the sky above her head.

    No... not just herself; Harry and Ron, and perhaps even more little wizards, had probably already been gathered under her branches.

    So she had to work even harder to study, to become a towering tree that could stand alongside Lin Yue, shielding her parents while also providing support to the person next to her.

    So that she wouldn''t have to push herself so hard, and could enjoy life instead of being chased by it.

    Gently stroking Hermione''s back, the Granger family fell into a long silence.

    Sitting at the dining table writing her paper, Lin Yue had long since put down her quill. When Hermione shared her amusing stories from Hogwarts, she inevitably mentioned Lin Yue''s name, after all, Lin Yue had been so involved in Hermione''s school life.

    So the moment Hermione mentioned her full name, Lin Yue had already disengaged from her studying.

    Although Hermione deliberately lowered her voice for fear of disturbing Lin Yue, it was clear she hadn''t anticipated that Lin Yue''s hearing was so good.

    Even though she tried to speak softly, Lin Yue still heard her.

    Listening to the conversation between Hermione and the Granger couple, Lin Yue''s mind was constantly at work.

    Hermione didn''t want her mum and dad to worry after learning about what happened to her at Hogwarts, so she concealed some things. Lin Yue, who had quickly understood what worry really felt like, concluded why Hermione didn''t tell the truth.

    It seemed that Hermione''s concealment wasn''t very effective, as her aunt and uncle still noticed that she had encountered some dangers at Hogwarts, which made them worry about her. After hearing what the Grangers said later, Lin Yue continued to analyze the situation.

    So why did they worry about each other and speculate on each other''s thoughts, leading them to decide to hide things from one another? Lin Yue felt no confusion in her mind; she was simply engaging in further analytical thinking as a matter of procedure.

    However, just like a computer stuck due to a programming glitch, Lin Yue''s thoughts were stuck at this point and couldn''t progress. Her brain throbbed again and again because... they were family.

    These seven words emerged intermittently from the depths of Lin Yue''s mind, as if they had been violently disrupted by something before. Family... Lin Yue quickly searched her mind for the definition of family and then continued to push her thoughts forward.

    So, the Granger couple worried about Hermione''s safety because they were her family, her parents.

    Hermione didn''t want her parents, the Grangers, to worry about her because she was their family, their daughter. But why worry? Lin Yue''s thoughts reached a point where she made another mistake.

    Do family members worry about each other? Do parents worry about their children? But she had never seen the parents she had encountered before worry about their children being taken away by executioners. Only a few parents would shed a few tears, but after analysis, she couldn''t determine whether those tears were for their impending relocation to a slum or for their children.

    Just like her own parents, her memory was completely accurate; she remembered their extremely relaxed expressions when they watched her being taken away by executioners. If Lin Yue could understand all emotions, she would know that the extremely relaxed expressions on their faces were called relief and joy.

    However, although Lin Yue couldn''t figure out why the Grangers, as parents, would worry about their daughter, or why Hermione, as a daughter, would not want her parents to worry about her, she understood that the feeling of worry was unpleasant; it made the heart ache and the mind feel chaotic.

    Images of the Grangers'' kind and friendly expressions when they first saw her flashed in her mind, along with the memory of Mrs. Granger encouraging her to savor her dinner slowly. She thought of the little moments spent with Hermione and didn''t want the Grangers, Hermione''s parents, to experience the feeling of worry.

    Even more so, she didn''t want anything to happen to Hermione that would cause the Grangers to feel worried. Perhaps it was due to that tiny bit of "selfishness" deep within her mind that Lin Yue had yet to recognize.

    Lin Yue made the simplest yet most unscientific inequality in her mind. Hermione''s safety, combined with the Granger couple''s concern for her, is greater than her own safety, which is accompanied by no one worrying about her.

    Choosing the better option, it is already obvious which is more worthwhile: Hermione''s safety or Lin Yue''s own safety. Hermione''s safety should take priority over her own. Lin Yue''s expression remained unchanged, and she coldly confirmed the result of the inequality in her heart.

    Although she had been doing this all along, Lin Yue''s thoughts became completely clear at this moment. She didn''t know why this inequality didn''t appear in her mind when facing others, but since it had appeared now and yielded a result, Lin Yue would seriously follow the optimal solution to ensure Hermione''s safety in both the magical and Muggle worlds.

    Lowering her head, she picked up the quill again, preparing to start writing her thesis. For some reason, the sound of the Granger couple''s breathing as they embraced Hermione seemed particularly pronounced in Lin Yue''s ears. Normally, she could quickly enter a state of study regardless of how noisy it was around her, but at this moment, she found it difficult to concentrate due to those breathing sounds.

    Imagining the scene of Hermione embracing the Granger couple and recalling their conversations, Lin Yue felt a sudden tightness in her nose, and her eyes began to heat up. Blinking her vacant eyes, two tears fell onto the parchment. This part of the paper was still unwritten, so the thesis didn''t need to be rewritten, and it wouldn''t delay her subsequent study time or slow down her learning efficiency.

    Lin Yue emotionlessly made a judgment, raised her hand without any fluctuation in her mood to wipe the corners of her eyes, and once her vision cleared, she first used her sleeve to wipe away the two tears on the parchment. She then immersed herself back into her study state, smoothly continuing to complete her Transfiguration thesis.

    Once Hermione suppressed the warmth in her eyes and felt that her eyelids were no longer red, she finally released her hold on the Granger couple and lifted her head from Mrs. Granger''s embrace. "I¡¯m going to see if Lin Yue has finished her thesis," Hermione said with a bright smile at her parents before turning and walking down from the sofa to the dining table to check on Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue had just finished her thesis on transformation magic and was in the process of rolling up the long piece of parchment.

    Seeing that Lin Yue had completed her paper, Hermione quickly stepped forward to help her tidy up and started talking to her, hoping to prevent her from finishing this roll of parchment and then continuing to write papers for other subjects.

    "Lin Yue, why are you doing your homework at the dining table? The lighting here is poor, and it can hurt your eyes. Why not write upstairs?"

    She had wanted to ask this earlier, but just like she would with her father, she was afraid of interrupting Lin Yue''s train of thought, so she held off until now, when Lin Yue had finished her thesis, to finally voice her concern.

 Chapter 45: Physical examination

    "Because you might still need the desk upstairs," Lin Yue replied in a flat tone, her emotionless expression, "I can''t let my own needs affect you, so I should come to study at the dining table downstairs."

    One shouldn''t let their own reasons affect others; if there''s something good, it should be given to others, while keeping the less favorable for oneself. This is a deeply ingrained etiquette, a constraint written into the soul.

    Hermione frowned and hugged the materials Lin Yue was using for her paper, "Stop always thinking about others and think about yourself for a change. You should be the one prioritized, shouldn''t you?"

    If you don''t even consider yourself, then why would others prioritize you? Wouldn''t that just lead to being taken advantage of?

    Hermione couldn''t understand Lin Yue''s mindset; she simply couldn''t grasp why Lin Yue instinctively placed others before herself. However, if Hermione were to express her thoughts, Lin Yue might respond with, "Suffering is a blessing; not being overly calculative is a basic rule of etiquette."

    Mrs. Granger walked over and gently patted Hermione''s head. At her age, she had already seen quite a few Easterners like Lin Yue.

    Most of them, like Lin Yue, were not competitive and would even sometimes yield their own opportunities and praise to others. Mrs. Granger could only say that she respected their way of doing things, but understanding it was too difficult; cultural differences made it hard for them to do so.

    Now that she had met Lin Yue, Mrs. Granger barely understood why they could do this. They had been taught to behave this way since childhood, and they indeed continued to do so as they grew up, as it had become a "habit."

    As for Lin Yue herself, Mrs. Granger thought she seemed to take this a step further than other Easterners, even considering leaving the desk for Hermione when it came to something as trivial as where to do homework.

    Moreover, Hermione didn''t even need the desk at that moment. Mrs. Granger could respect the personal choices and practices of those adults.

    However, when it came to Lin Yue, she couldn''t help but want to say a few words. Otherwise, she worried that Lin Yue might lose many opportunities and benefits that originally belonged to her because of this habit.

    "Lin Yue, what belongs to you, or what you can strive for, you should work hard to pursue it and aim for the best. There are times when you shouldn''t yield, so don''t yield, understand?"

    Mrs. Granger looked at Lin Yue with a serious expression, feeling that this child was just too sensible. A child who is too sensible... will be bullied.

    Lin Yue''s expression was blank, and Mrs. Granger''s words created a serious conflict with her understanding. Not competing, not fighting, being courteous and humble¡ªwasn''t that what was written in books?

    With two conflicting thoughts in her mind, Lin Yue couldn''t force herself to discern who was right or wrong; she could only nod at Mrs. Granger with an unchanged expression.

    "Okay, thank you, Auntie. I will do my best."

    Hearing Lin Yue''s flat voice and seeing her expressionless face, Mrs. Granger suddenly felt a sense of discomfort.

    Can the simple oppression from parents and immersion in studies really turn a person into this? It¡¯s normal for someone to become quiet and unresponsive to the outside world, but it shouldn¡¯t lead to such rigidity and indifference, right? Seeing Lin Yue like this, she couldn''t help but think of a notorious treatment method from history, and she felt a chill run down her spine.

    Regaining her composure, Mrs. Granger smiled at Hermione, "Hermione, take Lin Yue upstairs to rest. You two can chat or do something; don¡¯t let her study anymore. It¡¯s the first night of the holiday; she should relax."

    "Okay." Hermione nodded and took Lin Yue''s hand, leading her upstairs.

    Before Lin Yue left, she politely said goodnight to the Granger couple, "Auntie, Uncle, goodnight." After saying that, she followed Hermione upstairs. Once the two children turned the corner, Mrs. Granger guessed they should be out of earshot and turned to her husband, her forehead already covered in cold sweat.

    "Don''t you think Lin Yue looks a lot like those people?"

    Although they were both doctors, and Mr. Granger was a dentist, they were still aware of the relevant medical history, so he understood what his wife was implying.

    He frowned, his heart racing, "It shouldn''t be... That kind of surgery has long been completely banned; it''s illegal. What doctor would dare to perform it?"

    "And besides, no matter what, Lin Yue''s parents are still her parents. They wouldn''t be that cruel, would they? Furthermore, if they were really that heartless, there would be no reason to go to such lengths to harm her. It can''t just be to make her obedient."Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    "With today''s advanced medical technology, that surgery has already been proven harmful. Surely no one would be that ignorant..."

    Mr. Granger stopped there, unsure of Lin Yue''s situation.

    "Never mind," Mrs. Granger shook her head. "Let''s not go to the clinic tomorrow. We''ll take Lin Yue for a full check-up, and we can also have Hermione checked out. We can find out if there''s anything wrong."

    "Okay." Mr. Granger nodded, agreeing with his wife''s decision. It would be good to check; if there was an issue, they could find a way to treat it, and if not, they could rest easy.

    Meanwhile, in Hermione''s room upstairs, Hermione was sitting on the bed, playing with Lin Yue''s hair.

    Lin Yue leaned against the headboard in a daze, allowing Hermione to twirl her fingers around her hair.

    "Sigh..." Hermione sighed, "Everyone used to say I loved studying and was a bookworm, but now compared to you, I feel like I''m practically bursting with energy."

    "Where do you find someone who can''t wait to start studying and doing homework on the first night back from vacation? At least give yourself a break."

    Lin Yue''s eyes were as calm as an ancient well, showing no signs of emotion as she shook her head.

    "Homework is just the basics. I need to complete it as quickly as possible, and then I have to focus on self-study. The vacation is the best time to gain an advantage; I can''t let others surpass me, and I need to use this time to surpass them. like overtaking someone on a curve"

    "Gain an advantage, surpass...?" Hermione looked puzzled. Was that term really what she thought it meant?

    Overtaking someone on a curve? Isn''t that likely to cause an accident? And how does that relate to Lin Yue saying that completing homework during the vacation is just the foundation, and that she also needs to engage in self-study?

    Shaking her head, Hermione wisely decided not to dwell on the term since she sensed that its true meaning was probably something she wouldn''t like.

    Giving up on the confusion over the term, Hermione''s eyes darted around as she came up with a good idea.

    "Ahem, Lin Yue, can I discuss something with you?"

    Lin Yue slowly turned her head to look at Hermione, her tone calm and without any fluctuation, "Okay, you speak."

    Hermione raised her hand, a bit shy, and scratched her cheek, "Well, I really want to study with you and also play with you. This summer... can we study together when I study, and play together when I play? Just to keep me company?"

    "Is that okay?" Hermione looked at Lin Yue with hopeful eyes, forcing herself to put on a pitiful expression.

    A thought suddenly appeared in Lin Yue''s mind without any pause: I shouldn''t slack off during the break. I can''t relax; I should continue studying during the vacation and not let others overtake me. I should... surpass others.

    A slight pain surged in her mind, interrupting the thought that had just emerged, causing a momentary pause.

    Another thought flashed from deep within her brain, telling her to agree to Hermione.

    "Okay..." Lin Yue complied with this thought, her eyes still deadpan as she nodded.

    "Great! It''s a deal!" Hermione smiled happily and comfortably lay down on the bed, snuggling into her blanket.

    Seeing Hermione burrow into her blanket, Lin Yue leaned over to turn off the bedside lamp, and the room was instantly plunged into darkness.

    Slowly crawling into her own bed, Lin Yue closed her eyes and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

    Hermione, who had initially wanted to chat with Lin Yue for a bit after turning off the light, felt a pang of heartache as she listened to Lin Yue''s steady breathing nearby.

    Carefully rolling over, she wrapped her arms around Lin Yue and gently patted her back. It had been so long since she had let Lin Yue sleep for six hours every day.

    She could still fall asleep so quickly; she wondered just how exhausted Lin Yue must be.

    Lowering her gaze, Hermione''s resentment towards Lin Yue''s parents deepened a bit more. Holding Lin Yue, Hermione slowly closed her eyes.

    In the pitch-black silence of the deep night, everyone had fallen into a deep sleep, except for an invisible presence that quietly supplemented Lin Yue''s identity in this world, leaving a universal black card in the pocket of the pants she would wear tomorrow...

    An hour later, Lin Yue woke up at six o''clock sharp, quietly got out of bed to change clothes, being careful not to wake Hermione.

    Just as she changed into her pants, Lin Yue noticed something seemed to have appeared in her pocket. Taking it out to look, it was a black bank card, without a specific bank name or card number. Along with it was a note explaining how to use the card.

    After a brief analysis of the card''s origin, Lin Yue easily categorized it with the items she had previously found in her box. So, this should also be something given to her by the world''s consciousness. Putting the black card into her pocket, Lin Yue quietly walked out of Hermione''s room.

    In the kitchen downstairs, she was silently reciting her History of Magic textbook while skillfully preparing breakfast after about half an hour, a table full of sumptuous breakfast was laid out.

    Just as Mrs. Granger had gotten up to make some breakfast for Hermione and Lin Yue to take with them, Mrs. Granger, who was worried about them being hungry after their physical examination, was stunned when she saw the large spread on the table.

    Hearing footsteps, Lin Yue placed the last plate of sandwiches on the table and turned to look at Mrs. Granger.

    ¡°Good morning, Auntie. Come and have breakfast.¡±

    Mrs. Granger looked at the enticing breakfast spread on the table, somewhat incredulously at Lin Yue.

    ¡°Good morning... Did you make all of this, Lin Yue?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Yue nodded expressionlessly, ¡°Is it not to your liking, Auntie? Or is there something you wanted that¡¯s not here? I can make something else.¡±

    ¡°No, no,¡± Mrs. Granger quickly waved her hand, ¡°I¡¯m just a bit surprised.¡±

    Lin Yue and Hermione were the same age, and they believed that Hermione had become independent enough, being able to clean her room and do laundry by herself but compared to the large breakfast Lin Yue had prepared... Hermione really couldn¡¯t do that.

    Nodding, Lin Yue mechanically helped Mrs. Granger pull out a chair.

    Mrs. Granger looked at Lin Yue, who was a bit shy and pursed her lips. When she decided yesterday to take the two girls for a physical examination today, they had already gone upstairs to rest. She and her husband didn''t want to disturb them, thinking they could talk to them this morning.

    Unexpectedly, Lin Yue had gotten up so early to prepare breakfast. Since the physical examination required fasting, Lin Yue had made such a large spread for breakfast, but they could only look at it for now and not eat... She felt a bit guilty about it.

    ¡°Auntie, aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± Lin Yue turned to look at the breakfast she had prepared.

    Not being sure what the Granger couple liked to eat, she had made a variety of dishes, each in small portions, hoping to have something they loved. But... was there really nothing that Auntie liked?

    Maybe she hadn¡¯t thought it through enough, or her cooking wasn¡¯t good enough, and Auntie was dissatisfied. Lin Yue lowered her eyes, the sound of scolding echoing in her mind. ¡°You can¡¯t even do this well, are you a pig brain?¡±

    Mrs. Granger came back to her senses and saw Lin Yue with her head down and eyes cast down, feeling a pain in her heart. She quickly reached out and pulled Lin Yue to her side.

    Picking up a piece of sandwich, she took a bite. ¡°Auntie is eating!¡± After chewing a few times, Mrs. Granger''s eyes lit up with sincerity. ¡°It¡¯s delicious! Lin Yue, you¡¯re such a great cook!¡±

    This wasn¡¯t just to comfort Lin Yue; her cooking was genuinely excellent! In Mrs. Granger''s view, it was not very different from that of a professional chef.

    Lin Yue heard Mrs. Granger''s satisfied voice, and the scolding in her mind finally stopped.

    Staring blankly at her, Lin Yue shook her head and mechanically said, "I''m not very good at cooking."

    When her parents used to eat her meals, they would always point out various issues with each dish¡ªtoo salty, too bland, or the meat was overcooked.

    Mrs. Granger swallowed the sandwich in her mouth and shook her head, "Don''t say that. Your cooking is very good and not just among your peers; it''s even better than mine."

    As she spoke, Mrs. Granger reached out and ruffled Lin Yue''s hair, "Did you learn to cook from your mother?"

    Lin Yue shook her head, her voice flat, "I taught myself by reading books."

    Mrs. Granger was taken aback for a moment, then couldn''t help but exclaim, "Self-taught? That''s impressive..."

    But... Lin Yue is only eleven years old, which means she must have been even younger when she started learning to cook? Ten? Nine? Why would she learn this at such a young age...? Mrs. Granger felt a sense of confusion.

    What puzzled her even more was that such a young child learning to cook¡ªdidn''t her parents worry at all? Knives, hot oil, gas¡ªeach of these is very dangerous.

 Chapter 46: Physical examination 2

    Although there were doubts, Mrs. Granger did not ask any more questions. It was clear that Lin Yue''s parents did not treat her well, so Mrs. Granger did not want to bring them up and make her sad.

    After finishing the sandwich in her hand, Mrs. Granger went into the kitchen and took out a plastic bag. Looking at Lin Yue apologetically, she said, "I''m sorry. Last night, since you and Hermione were resting, her dad and I didn''t go upstairs to find you. We plan to take both of you to the hospital for a check-up today, so you can''t have breakfast this morning."

    As she spoke, she started putting the breakfast Lin Yue had prepared into the bag, saying, "I''ll bring this for you. You can eat it after your check-up."

    Lin Yue nodded expressionlessly and reached out to help Mrs. Granger pack the breakfast. "It''s okay, Auntie, you don''t need to apologize. You and Uncle did nothing wrong."

    Mrs. Granger reached out and gently ruffled Lin Yue''s hair. This child, the more she spoke, the more it tugged at her heart...

    By the time Mr. Granger came to the dining table, only his portion of breakfast was left; the rest had been packed away by Mrs. Granger and Lin Yue, to be given to the two children after their check-up.

    "Good morning, Uncle," Lin Yue greeted Mr. Granger in a calm voice.

    "Good morning," Mr. Granger replied with a smile and a nod. "Later, we''ll take you and Hermione for a check-up."

    Lin Yue''s face showed no change, her eyes lifeless. "I understand, Auntie just told me, sorry for the trouble."

    "There''s no trouble at all," Mrs. Granger gently wrapped her arm around Lin Yue. "You don''t have to be so polite with us."

    After all, given how little Hermione was acting, it was very likely they would be family in the future.

    Lin Yue mechanically nodded, feeling a slight warmth in her heart.

    "Mm? This sandwich tastes really good. Did you come up with a new recipe?" Mr. Granger took a bite of the sandwich and looked at his wife in surprise; this sandwich was completely different from the ones she used to make.

    Mrs. Granger glanced down at Lin Yue and smiled, praising her, "This was made by Lin Yue; her skills are impressive, right?"

    "Very impressive," Mr. Granger nodded affirmatively.

    Mrs. Granger looked at him with a smile, then suddenly changed the subject, "But from what you said, does that mean you think my previous sandwiches weren''t tasty?"

    Mr. Granger paused mid-chew, his mind screaming in alarm.

    Thinking at the fastest speed of his life, Mr. Granger waved his hand in a flattering manner.

    "How could that be? It''s just that the flavors you both create are different."

    Mrs. Granger slightly sensed this and accepted his explanation.

    Mr. Granger let out a sigh of relief and continued eating breakfast.

    Lin Yue''s eyes, as still as stagnant water, lingered on the Granger couple for a moment, vaguely feeling that even though she hadn''t eaten anything, she was quite full now.

    Without any doubts or thoughts about why, Lin Yue''s attention was drawn to the sound of footsteps coming from the stairs.

    Turning her head, she saw Hermione coming down the stairs in her pajamas and slippers, rubbing her eyes.

    "Good morning, Hermione," Lin Yue''s voice was calm and flat.

    Hermione yawned and nodded, walking up to Lin Yue. "Why didn''t you sleep a bit longer? Why are you up so early?"

    "Got up to make breakfast," Lin Yue replied as if it were the most natural thing.

    "Make breakfast?" Hermione was taken aback, instinctively looking at the dining table, but only saw breakfast in front of her dad.

    "Is that all?" A wave of regret washed over Hermione; had she known sleeping in would make her miss Lin Yue''s homemade breakfast, she wouldn''t have slept in. She would have set an alarm and got up early.

    "And we both need to do a health check, so we can''t eat right now."

    Lin Yue shook her head expressionlessly and briefly explained to Hermione.

    "Physical examination?" Hermione looked up at Mrs. Granger in confusion, wondering why they suddenly needed to do a physical exam.

    Mrs. Granger lovingly patted Hermione''s head, "It''s nothing, just checking if you and Lin Yue have any health issues. Kids should be more careful."

    Thinking about Lin Yue''s experience in the Hogwarts infirmary with Madam Pomfrey, Hermione nodded in agreement; indeed, Lin Yue needed a thorough check-up.

    Compared to the magic she had just been exposed to for a year, taking Lin Yue to the hospital for a detailed examination would make her feel more at ease.

    Once Mr. Granger finished breakfast, he took Lin Yue, Hermione, and Mrs. Granger into the car.

    Mr. Granger drove steadily, and Lin Yue was quietly reciting her Potions textbook in the car.

    Hermione, sitting next to her, shook her head, reached out, and pulled Lin Yue into her arms, forcing her head to rest against her chest.

    "You woke up so early, and it will take a while to get there. You should take a nap."

    Lin Yue''s recitation was interrupted; she blinked mechanically, feeling Hermione''s hand gently patting her back.

    Slowly closing her eyes, Lin Yue knew she wouldn''t be able to sleep since it wasn''t nap time, so instead, she began to simulate the potion-making process in her mind in the darkness.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Hermione looked down at Lin Yue in her arms, thinking she had fallen asleep since her mouth wasn''t moving and her eyes weren''t fluttering. She relaxed and turned to look out the car window.

    The buildings outside the window flew by quickly, and the four of them were lucky not to encounter any traffic.

    After nearly an hour of driving, they finally arrived at the most prestigious private hospital in London.

    As for why they chose a private hospital, it was partly because the conditions at private hospitals were indeed better than many public ones, and partly due to the Granger couple''s suspicions about Lin Yue''s special situation.

    If her current issues were indeed caused by that kind of surgery, it would be better not to let this information spread too widely.

    Her parents had already passed away, so there was no way to hold anyone accountable.

    Letting it leak would only lead to more gossip about this already unfortunate child, so they opted for a private hospital with better confidentiality.

    The car slowly parked in a parking space, and Hermione gently shook Lin Yue in her arms.

    "Lin Yue, Lin Yue, we''ve arrived, wake up."

    Lin Yue, who hadn''t actually been asleep, immediately snapped out of her daydream of concocting potions upon hearing her full name, and opened her eyes wide.

    The sudden brightness made it a bit hard for her to keep her eyes open, which, of course, Hermione interpreted as her still being groggy from just waking up.

    Stifling a laugh, Hermione looked at the "dazed" Lin Yue. Although Lin Yue''s face showed no expression, there was an inexplicable cuteness about her that wasn''t present in her usual state.

    Reaching out, Hermione took Lin Yue''s hand and opened the car door on her side. "Let''s go."

    "Mm." Lin Yue nodded vacantly after her eyes adjusted to the light, following Hermione out of the car and walking closely behind her towards the hospital.

    Once inside the hospital, the Granger couple went to handle the paperwork for the two girls'' physical exams, while Hermione led Lin Yue to a corner of the hospital lobby.

    There were quite a few people in the hospital lobby, most of them hurrying from one department to another, constantly undergoing various checks.

    Lin Yue''s eyes quickly scanned the entire lobby, also glancing at the upper floors she could see.

    It had been a long time since she last visited a hospital; she hadn''t been to any since that surgery. Lin Yue thought to herself, feeling no particular emotion about it.

    Even when the school arranged for student health checks, her parents would give some money to the teachers in advance, asking them to let her focus on her studies while they took care of the health check arrangements.

    Then they would hand the money over to the hospital responsible for the health checks. In this regard, her parents were quite willing to spend money.

    After about ten minutes, the Granger couple returned, each holding a stack of papers with various health check forms. Compared to Hermione''s stack, Lin Yue''s included an additional examination for her brain.

    The Granger couple, along with their two children, Lin Yue and Hermione, began to rush between various departments. After completing all the other examination items, they finally brought Lin Yue to the place for a brain examination.

    Hermione looked at the examination room for the brain scan, where a CT scan was to be done, and curiously asked Mrs. Granger, "Mom, do we really need to do this for the check-up?"

    Mrs. Granger slightly shook her head, signaling Hermione not to say too much. She then asked Mr. Granger to take Lin Yue inside for the brain CT scan and detailed EEG examination.

    She herself sat at the door with Hermione, waiting. Under Hermione''s curious and puzzled gaze, Mrs. Granger still did not explain their speculations about Lin Yue''s current condition.

    The surgery was simply too cruel and evil, and out of protection for her daughter, Mrs. Granger did not want Hermione to know about it at this time.

    Of course, if Lin Yue were in that situation, for the sake of future treatment or daily life, she would tell Hermione the truth. After all, she was the person closest to Lin Yue and had spent the most time with her, making it easier for her to care for and help Lin Yue.

    If Lin Yue was not in that situation and their speculations were wrong, then Hermione did not need to know about it.

    Seeing that her mother had no intention of explaining, Hermione slowly withdrew her gaze. Forget it, if Mom wanted to say something, she would have said it long ago. If Mom didn''t want to talk, there was no point in looking at her.

    Hermione sighed, her gaze filled with worry as she looked at the door to the room across from her. "Lin Yue, oh Lin Yue... please don''t really be in trouble."

    After a long while, the door finally opened, and Lin Yue stepped out with a blank expression. Mr. Granger, walking behind her, looked dazed, as if he had just experienced something unbelievable.

    "What happened?" Mrs. Granger felt a jolt in her heart at her husband''s expression. Could it be that their suspicions were true?

    Hermione also looked at Mr. Granger with some unease, waiting for him to speak.

    Mr. Granger glanced at Lin Yue with difficulty, then turned to Hermione. "Hermione, why don''t you take Lin Yue to the hall to wait for a bit?"

    Hermione frowned, reluctant to leave. Given the situation with Lin Yue, her heart was screaming for her to stay. Lin Yue''s mind was automatically analyzing the situation. She understood that Hermione didn''t want to leave and wanted to stay and listen.

    So, facing the Granger couple, she nodded without any spark of emotion on her face. "I can go to the hall by myself; you two can talk."

    After saying that, she turned and quickly walked towards the hall, quietly reciting the potions textbook under her breath. As soon as Lin Yue left, Mrs. Granger and Hermione anxiously spoke at the same time, "What''s wrong with Lin Yue?"

    Mrs. Granger pressed her lips together, nervously looking at her husband, "It can''t really be the same as our guess, right?"

    "Not quite the same," Mr. Granger frowned and shook his head.

    "The emotional center in this child''s brain is normal."

    Upon hearing this conclusion, Mrs. Granger visibly relaxed, and Hermione also began to understand a bit; that''s why Mom and Dad wanted Lin Yue to have a brain scan. They had previously thought there was something wrong with Lin Yue''s emotional center in the brain.

    "But it''s not completely normal," Mr. Granger added to his statement.

    "What?" Mrs. Granger''s earlier relief was quickly replaced by tension again. She glared at her husband, as if to say, couldn''t he just finish his sentence in one go?

    Hermione looked at him speechlessly, "Dad, can you explain clearly in one go, what exactly happened to Lin Yue?"

    Mr. Granger had a troubled expression on his face as he tried to organize his words. "The emotional center in Lin Yue''s brain hasn''t been damaged, but its activity is very low. The brain waves there are even worse than those of a baby''s emotional center."

    "In other words, she is like... someone whose emotional center has just developed and hasn''t learned what emotions are, so she can''t even respond with emotions while recognizing the outside world."

    "Just developed?" Mrs. Granger frowned deeply. This situation was indeed strange. Logically, the emotional center should have developed at birth and continuously perceived emotions as the baby grew.

    How could it be that Lin Yue''s emotional center seemed to have just developed, and she hadn''t learned what emotions were?

    Mrs. Granger felt a wave of confusion, but Mr. Granger''s words didn''t stop there.

    "Moreover, during the examination just now, the doctor noticed that the brain waves in Lin Yue''s brain seemed to be deliberately suppressing the emotional center."

    "Deliberately suppressing the emotional center? Does that mean Lin Yue is suppressing herself, not allowing herself to feel emotions?" Hermione quickly interjected, her expression darkening.

    "Yes," Mr. Granger nodded. "Additionally... her sleep center is abnormally active, which means she must often have trouble sleeping."

    "Similarly, the brain waves in her own brain are constantly stimulating her sleep center, keeping it in a state of hyperactivity."

    "This can''t possibly be innate!" Hermione gritted her teeth, speaking each word carefully. With so many interconnected "coincidences," if you say it''s innate, then it''s just too coincidental; only a fool would believe that!

    "Uncertain..." Mr. Granger''s face was equally grim, mixed with pain and anger. "It''s impossible to imagine what her parents did to her before."

    "Those two beasts! They don''t deserve to have children! They should go to hell and be thrown into a boiling pot by Satan for eternity!"

    Hermione exploded with profanity on the spot. She had originally thought Lin Yue''s parents were disgusting enough, raising her with a whole bunch of bad habits and turning her into a learning machine.

    But she never expected that they could be even more disgusting, actually tampering with Lin Yue''s body, especially her brain, the most complex and dangerous organ. How could they dare to do that!

    The Granger family usually had good manners, but this time, facing Hermione''s outburst, Mr. and Mrs. Granger showed no intention of stopping her.

    Mrs. Granger even coldly snorted, "In the East, they should go to hell and suffer the torments of eighteen levels of hell!"

 Chapter 47: Watching Cartoon Together

    Although it was ultimately not determined what Lin Yue''s parents had done to her brain, it is a definite fact that something was done to it. However, the doctors at the private hospital stated that regardless of what had been done to Lin Yue''s brain in the past, her current brain state is normal. The only issues are with her brain waves and the development of her emotional center, which are not quite normal. In terms of medicine, there is nothing they can do about these two points; she can only gradually learn to let go of her self-imposed restrictions and experience emotions.

    After receiving the detailed examination report, the Granger family walked out of the neurology department corridor into the lobby. Hermione immediately spotted Lin Yue standing in a corner of the lobby, staring blankly ahead and mumbling something to herself.

    Seeing Lin Yue''s dazed expression and lack of any emotion, Hermione instinctively felt a urge to cry. Without needing to go over and listen, she knew that Lin Yue was likely reciting some textbooks from her classes.

    Having had her brain tampered with, Lin Yue must have felt incredibly helpless and desperate at that time, especially since it was her own parents who had done this to her. Just thinking about it sent chills down Hermione''s spine, even as an outsider.

    At that moment, Lin Yue was probably feeling even worse. Overcome with emotion, Hermione disregarded the fact that they were in a hospital lobby and any issues of politeness. She ran over with open arms and tightly embraced Lin Yue, as if trying to protect her by merging her into her own body.

    Lin Yue paused her recitation for a moment, expressionless as she looked at the person holding her. After confirming it was Hermione, she resumed reciting her textbook.

    Hermione closed her eyes, trying to calm her emotions, and then released Lin Yue, forcing a smile at her. "Let''s go home."

    Lin Yue looked at Hermione with eyes as calm as still water, showing no signs of emotion. She didn''t want to smile, and her brain instinctively analyzed and identified the incongruity on Hermione''s face.

    Hermione''s smile was unusually stiff, making it clear that she didn''t genuinely want to smile. Coupled with her red-rimmed eyes and erratic breathing, Lin Yue could basically confirm that her smile was not sincere.

    "If you don''t want to smile, then don''t," Lin Yue said this with no emotion in her heart.

    A voice deep within her mind clearly told her that she didn''t want Hermione to force a smile. As for why she felt that way... Lin Yue didn''t think it through; she just didn''t want to.

    Hermione managed a smile that was almost a cry, except she didn''t shed any tears. She reached out and gently rubbed Lin Yue''s head, her voice soft.

    "How could that be? I really want to smile; I love to smile the most."

    Despite having no real emotions herself, and not even understanding what emotions were, Lin Yue was still trying to comfort her. It was truly... sweetly kind of her.

    Lin Yue nodded without any change in her expression, "Alright."

    Since Hermione said so herself, there was no problem with it. After all, Lin Yue didn''t quite understand why Hermione felt the need to force a smile.

    While the two girls interacted, the Granger couple stood nearby, but neither of them approached to interrupt, wanting to give the children space to be alone and respecting their communication and interactions. These were the most basic things they could manage.

    However, even Mr. Granger, who wasn''t very perceptive in these matters, began to notice the interaction between his daughter and Lin Yue.

    He turned to Mrs. Granger, uncertain, "Dear, what¡¯s going on between Hermione and Lin Yue?"

    Mrs. Granger raised an eyebrow, surprised that her husband had noticed so quickly; she thought it would take him a while to catch on.

    But since he had noticed, Mrs. Granger felt there was nothing to hide. Her husband wasn''t a rigid person; he just had a strong protective instinct for their daughter.

    "Well," Mrs. Granger nodded at Mr. Granger, "but right now, it should just be that Hermione is interested in Lin Yue, considering Lin Yue''s situation... and Hermione probably hasn''t fully recognized her own feelings yet."

    In other words, Hermione still didn''t realize that she had already developed feelings for Lin Yue deep down.

    Mr. Granger nodded, his gaze complex as he looked at Hermione and Lin Yue.

    The little girl Lin Yue was indeed someone who deserved sympathy, but she didn¡¯t understand what feelings were; she had to learn and experience various emotions on the spot. He could imagine how exhausting this relationship might be for his daughter in the future.

    After being together for so many years, how could Mrs. Granger not see her husband''s thoughts? She gently patted his shoulder.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    "In a relationship, both people need to make sacrifices. Since Hermione likes Lin Yue, she will be willing to rush towards her, even if that child is tangled in thorns. Hermione will resolutely pull the thorns away and embrace that child."

    Mr. Granger fell silent for a moment. Indeed, that¡¯s what liking someone is, isn¡¯t it?

    "Yes," Mr. Granger said with a gentlemanly smile, raising his hand to pat the back of his wife''s hand resting on his shoulder. "You''re right; we just need to support them."

    "Lin Yue is also a good child. If Hermione really ends up with her, I would feel at ease."

    Mrs. Granger chuckled lightly, raising an eyebrow at him. "How can you be so sure she''s a good child after such a short time?"

    Mr. Granger shook his head with a smile. "Isn''t it obvious? She''s polite, diligent, and so understanding that it makes one feel sorry for her. You must feel the same way."

    "Mm." Mrs. Granger pressed her lips together and softly responded.

    Indeed, compared to children of the same age, Lin Yue was far too understanding, to the point where Mrs. Granger even hoped she could be a bit more lively and boisterous, rather than being so rigid and mechanical, doing everything flawlessly.

    As they got into the car with the two children, Mr. Granger slowly started the vehicle and drove towards home. Mrs. Granger turned around and handed the packed breakfast to Hermione and Lin Yue.

    "Have a little something to eat, but don¡¯t eat too much. We¡¯ll be having lunch soon after we get home."

    Hermione and Lin Yue each took a breakfast, nodding in unison.

    Lin Yue opened the bag and took out a piece of bread spread with jam, opening her mouth wide and stuffing it in. In the blink of an eye, the piece of jam bread disappeared.

    Next to her, Hermione didn¡¯t have time to stop her and just watched as Lin Yue directly "swallowed" the jam bread.

    Gently holding Lin Yue''s wrist, Hermione looked at her helplessly, "Eat slowly, okay? There''s no rush."

    Lin Yue blinked mechanically and replied, "Okay."

    After saying that, she took out another piece of jam bread and began to eat it slowly, one bite at a time.

    Seeing Lin Yue finally slow down, Hermione felt relieved and eagerly took out a sandwich from the bag, bringing it to her mouth for a big bite.

    Mmm! Delicious! Hermione''s eyes suddenly lit up, not that she meant to say her mom''s sandwiches were bad.

    It was just that Lin Yue''s sandwiches and her mom''s sandwiches were completely different styles, and Lin Yue''s style was exceptionally tasty.

    Because Mrs. Granger had warned them not to eat too much, Lin Yue stopped after eating two pieces of jam bread, and Hermione also stopped after eating one sandwich.

    After tidying up the bag, Lin Yue was once again pulled into Hermione''s embrace, slowly closing her eyes. She began to simulate in her mind again, but this time it wasn¡¯t about brewing potions.

    Instead, she was simulating planting herbs. Thinking she had successfully let Lin Yue rest by falling asleep on the way back, Hermione smiled and decided to encourage Lin Yue to "sleep" as much as possible at Hogwarts in the future.

    The car slowly stopped in the Granger family''s garage, and Hermione, holding Lin Yue, had unknowingly fallen asleep.

    Mrs. Granger turned around and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle softly, gently calling out, "Lin Yue, Hermione, we¡¯re home."

    Hearing her full name, Lin Yue instantly snapped out of her simulation of planting herbs, opening her eyes wide, which were clear and bright, indicating she hadn¡¯t really fallen asleep.

    Mrs. Granger couldn''t help but pause for a moment. Wasn''t she also accepting of Hermione hugging her to help her sleep, even though she couldn''t fall asleep herself?

    This child, Lin Yue, was a bit too well-behaved. If she learned about emotions in the future and still acted this way, wouldn''t she be bullied by Hermione?

    At this moment, Mrs. Granger had seemingly forgotten that Hermione was her biological daughter and was directly worried about whether Lin Yue would be bullied in the future.

    Slowly turning her head, Lin Yue looked up at Hermione''s still sleeping face.

    Cautiously extending a hand, Lin Yue gently nudged Hermione as if she were touching a fragile piece of art.

    "Hermione, Hermione, we''re home, wake up."

    The call, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, rang in Hermione''s ears. However, to Hermione, it was incredibly pleasant, making her want to open her eyes immediately to see the person in front of her.

    As she opened her eyes in a daze, Hermione instinctively raised her hand to touch Lin Yue''s cheek, which still looked a bit blurry.

    Once she was fully awake, she yawned and took Lin Yue''s hand to get out of the car.

    The four of them got out of the car together, and as soon as they entered the Granger home, the first thing Lin Yue did after changing her shoes was to look up at the clock, which she had already checked the night before.

    It was eleven o''clock in the morning; it was time to prepare lunch. Putting on her slippers, Lin Yue walked towards the kitchen without any hesitation.

    This natural behavior left Hermione and the Granger couple stunned for a couple of seconds.

    Then the three of them snapped back to reality and hurriedly followed her into the kitchen.

    In the kitchen, Lin Yue was already taking ingredients out of the refrigerator. At the same time, her brain was continuously calculating the ratios and nutritional combinations of various foods.

    Her parents had always placed great importance on this. They firmly believed that only by eating healthily could they maintain good health. Therefore, Lin Yue would always calculate the ratios in advance and make reasonable combinations whenever she cooked.

    During meals, her parents would also try to eat slowly to ensure they enjoyed every dish and every nutrient, often finishing their meals thirty minutes after Lin Yue had already finished.

    Now that she thought about it, her uncle and aunt, as well as Hermione, should also pay attention to this aspect, as it would benefit their health.

    So Lin Yue''s brain automatically began to calculate the ratios of various ingredients according to her usual practice.

    Mrs. Granger sighed as she watched Lin Yue''s skilled movements and stepped forward to gently take the items from her hands.

    "Lin Yue, you just finished your physical examination and had blood drawn. How about you go rest with Hermione for a while? I''ll make lunch."

    Lin Yue looked up at Mrs. Granger, her eyes vacant as she nodded slightly, "Okay, thank you, Auntie."

    "Good girl, go on, sit on the sofa with Hermione for a bit, watch some TV, and you''ll be able to eat soon." Mrs. Granger gently pinched Lin Yue''s cheek and nodded at Hermione, signaling her to take Lin Yue along.

    Hermione quickly stepped forward, linking her arm with Lin Yue''s while carefully avoiding the spots where they had drawn blood, and led her to the sofa. Mr. Granger stayed in the kitchen to assist his wife.

    Turning on the TV, Hermione aimlessly flipped through the channels¡ªstage plays, movies, cartoons... she really didn''t know what to watch.

    Turning to Lin Yue, Hermione decided to ask for her opinion, "Lin Yue, is there anything you want to watch?"

    Lin Yue mechanically turned her head, looking at Hermione with a blank expression.

    TV? She had hardly ever watched it. At home, it was usually her dad and mom who watched, and she never had the time to relax and watch TV; she couldn''t afford to slack off.

    However, deep in her memory, it seemed she had watched some very old cartoon, perhaps secretly in a shopping mall.

    She was very young at the time, maybe around eight years old. Her mom had taken her shopping and let her go to the bookstore while she went to a clothing store.

    On her way to the bookstore, she saw a shop with many TVs, and one of them was playing an old cartoon featuring a roadrunner that speaks only with ¡°beep beep¡± noise with a cunning, devious and constantly hungry Coyote repeatedly attempts to catch and eat the roadrunner but is humorously unsuccessful. Instead of using animal instinct, the coyote deploys absurdly complex contraptions trying to catch his prey.

    That cartoon was completely different from the ones that simply taught children how to study and develop good study habits.

    That cartoon made her feel... what was it? Lin Yue''s head throbbed as her powerful memory struggled to recall her feelings at that time.

    She only remembered that later, when her mom found out she was secretly watching the cartoon, she slapped her and then called to report the store.

    The reason was for playing meaningless cartoons that affected children''s learning.

    After making the call, her mom turned around and told her to get up from the floor, then took her home.

    Looking up at Hermione, Lin Yue spoke in a flat tone, "I want to watch a cartoon."

    Hermione nodded and switched the TV to the cartoon channel, where "Thomas the Tank Engine" was playing.

    Putting down the remote, she gently wrapped her arm around Lin Yue and sat with her, watching the cartoon on TV.

    To be honest, she had started to find cartoons uninteresting around the age of ten, perhaps because she had seen enough of them.

    But now, watching with Lin Yue... somehow, the cartoon seemed to have some meaning again. She glanced at Lin Yue beside her.

    Her eyes were still vacant, her face still expressionless, but inexplicably, Hermione felt that a flicker of light seemed to pass quickly through the depths of her eyes.

 Chapter 48: Amusement park visit 1

    Having stayed at the Granger''s for a whole week, Lin Yue had thoroughly figured out the Granger couple''s work schedule and their general daily routines.

    The Granger couple usually left for work at eight in the morning and returned home at five in the afternoon. They had lunch either in the office cafeteria or at nearby restaurants.

    However, after Lin Yue figured out their work hours, their lunch was directly arranged. Lin Yue, who woke up at six, was the earliest riser in the Granger household; no one else could wake up earlier than her.

    Hermione, during the summer vacation, also liked to sleep in a bit, usually getting up around nine. The Granger couple was accustomed to waking up around seven, having a quick breakfast before heading off to work.

    Now that Lin Yue was up at six, they could no longer make breakfast; by the time they woke up, breakfast was already on the table. She even prepared lunch in advance, placing it in two thermos containers so that it would still be warm when they ate at noon.

    According to her, this was something her mother had told her before: restaurants outside generally used a lot of oil and salt and might not be hygienic, so they usually didn¡¯t order takeout and preferred to eat home-cooked meals.

    Mrs. Granger tried to speak up to stop Lin Yue from making breakfast and preparing lunch for them. After all, they were a bit worried about letting a child who hadn''t even turned twelve yet handle various kitchen utensils. It didn''t matter if things got broken; they were just afraid Lin Yue might hurt herself.

    However, when the words were on the tip of her tongue, she saw Lin Yue''s expressionless face and heard her say, "Did I do something wrong with the food? I''m sorry, I''ll improve." Mrs. Granger had to swallow her words and instead reached out to gently rub Lin Yue''s little head, telling her that everyone loved the meals she made, but they were just worried she was working too hard.

    Lin Yue immediately shook her head, indicating that she wasn''t struggling at all and that she could memorize her textbooks while cooking, assuring Mrs. Granger that it wouldn''t affect her studies, which made Mrs. Granger feel relieved. With no other choice, Mrs. Granger sighed helplessly and ultimately accepted Lin Yue''s "kindness" with gratitude.

    With Lin Yue around, not only did the lives of the Granger couple change, but Hermione''s vacation life also underwent a significant transformation. Looking at the pile of completed homework in front of her, Hermione fell into a state of contemplation.

    Had it only been a week since the vacation started? She had finished her summer homework. Usually, she would spread it out over the entire break to complete it slowly! Yet, during this week, she had been closely following Lin Yue, constantly supervising her to take breaks, and somehow, she had completed the assignments ahead of time without realizing it.

    This was all under the premise that Hermione had repeatedly emphasized that both she and Lin Yue could only study in the afternoon, and they needed to rest well in the morning and evening. Otherwise, she had no doubt that Lin Yue could finish all her homework in just two to three days without compromising quality.

    At this point, Hermione had completely given up on the idea of competing with Lin Yue in their studies. They were different¡ªcompletely different. Hermione loved learning, while Lin Yue was a victim of being forced to study. In this situation, Hermione felt she couldn''t compare herself to Lin Yue in terms of studying, and all her attention was focused on how to pull Lin Yue away from her studies.

    Taking a deep breath, Hermione turned to Lin Yue, who was already engrossed in her textbook for who knows how many times. She waited for Lin Yue to finish the page before speaking up. "Lin Yue, how about we go to the amusement park together? Let''s go have some fun?"

    Lin Yue heard her name and instantly snapped out of her studying state, closing her book and looking at Hermione.

    "Amusement park?" Her brain paused for a moment; the amusement park in her memory was not a place for children, or rather, not a place for ordinary kids like her.

    Could she really go to the amusement park with Hermione?

    "Yes, yes!" Hermione nodded vigorously, ready to tell Lin Yue about the fun things at the amusement park to entice her to go, even though she had only been to an amusement park once herself. She found it too noisy there; compared to that, she preferred going to the library.

    But taking Lin Yue... Merlin forgives her, she really didn''t dare to go to the library. She was afraid that once Lin Yue found out where the library was, she would go there every day, and then Lin Yue would be immersed in studying again and wouldn''t be able to pull herself out.

    "The amusement park is really fun! There''s a Ferris wheel, a carousel, bumper cars, and we can even ride the pirate ship together."

    As Hermione spoke, she looked at Lin Yue with sparkling eyes. Originally, she wasn''t very interested in the amusement park; she just wanted Lin Yue to go out and have some fun, which is why she brought it up.

    But thinking about going to the amusement park with Lin Yue... Hermione couldn''t help but feel excited and thrilled inside. Going to the amusement park with Lin Yue would definitely be a lot of fun.

    At that moment, even the noise of the amusement park that Hermione had previously disliked seemed to her a symbol of its popularity.

    Although she couldn''t figure out why an amusement park would be a place for ordinary kids like her and Hermione to visit, Lin Yue still followed the voice deep in her mind and nodded at Hermione.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    "Okay, let''s go." Lin Yue replied in a flat tone.

    Hermione cheered, "Wait a minute, I''m going to call Mom and Dad to let them know."

    After saying that, she turned and ran towards the place where the landline was located in her home. She and Lin Yue were going to the amusement park, but she needed to tell her parents first. More importantly, she had to ask them where the money was kept.

    She couldn''t just suggest going to the amusement park and then expect Lin Yue to pay for her once they got there.

    Picking up the landline, Hermione skillfully dialed her parents'' office number. After a few rings, the call was answered, and Mrs. Granger''s voice came through.

    "Good morning, Mom," Hermione said with a smile in her voice.

    Mrs. Granger couldn''t help but smile upon hearing her daughter''s voice. "Good morning, Hermione! What''s up?"

    "Mom, I want to go to the amusement park with Lin Yue. Is that okay?"

    Going to the amusement park? Mrs. Granger was momentarily taken aback, then felt a wave of comfort and joy.

    That''s great! It''s not easy, but her daughter finally wanted to go out and have fun during the holidays instead of going to the library or staying home reading.

    Thinking this, Mrs. Granger found herself liking Lin Yue even more. She knew that Hermione was suggesting the trip to the amusement park to take care of Lin Yue, so she wouldn''t be studying all the time.

    As for Hermione not liking to go to the amusement park... wasn''t that only when the three of them went together? This time, she was going with Lin Yue, and Mrs. Granger believed Hermione would enjoy it!

    "Of course you can! I''m really happy that you''re taking Lin Yue to the amusement park instead of the library."

    Mrs. Granger, in a good mood, couldn''t help but tease her daughter.

    "Mom!" Hermione''s face turned slightly red as she gently called out. She had indeed gone to the library when it was just her, but now with Lin Yue, how could she possibly go to the library!

    "Haha," Mrs. Granger chuckled a couple of times, then straightened her expression. "Alright, alright, I''m not teasing you anymore. In the bedside table in our room, in the first drawer, there are five hundred pounds. You can take it all."

    "Go play if you want to play, eat if you want to eat, no need to save."

    "Okay, I got it, thanks, Mom." Hermione hung up the phone, slipped on her slippers, and hurried to her parents'' room. She opened the first drawer of the bedside table and indeed found five hundred pounds inside.

    Taking the money out of the drawer, Hermione rolled it up and stuffed it into her pants pocket, then walked out of the room to find Lin Yue in the living room.

    At that moment, Lin Yue was sitting on the sofa, staring blankly at the floor, mumbling the history of magic to herself.

    Hermione sighed helplessly, walked over, and gently wrapped her arm around Lin Yue''s shoulder. "Stop studying, we should get going. Mom said we can go."

    "Okay." Lin Yue nodded mechanically, her expression unchanged, and stood up to follow Hermione to the door to change her shoes.

    The two girls walked out of the house, locked the door and the gate with a key, and hailed a taxi by the roadside.

    Once they were seated in the back of the taxi, Hermione instinctively pulled Lin Yue into her arms, gently stroking her hair, trying to lull her to sleep.

    Lin Yue blinked her eyes, and her expressionless eyes, like still water, slowly closed. She began to organize and integrate her knowledge of magical history in her mind. By the time the taxi arrived at the amusement park, she had consolidated all the key points from an entire textbook on magical history.

    The taxi slowly stopped by the roadside, and Hermione gently tapped Lin Yue''s shoulder, "Lin Yue, we''re here."

    Lin Yue suddenly opened her eyes, nodded, and watched as Hermione paid the fare and then led her out of the car, heading towards the ticket booth outside the amusement park.

    At the ticket booth, Hermione politely smiled at the lady inside, "Hello, two children''s tickets, please."

    The lady at the ticket booth couldn''t help but smile at the two cute little girls outside. She kindly handed over the tickets and informed Hermione of the amount she needed to pay.

    Hermione nodded, counted out the corresponding money, and handed it to her. The lady at the ticket booth nodded and cheerfully said, "Welcome to the park and please be safe!"

    Hermione obediently nodded and happily pulled Lin Yue towards the entrance of the amusement park.

    Lin Yue was quickly pulled by Hermione towards the entrance of the amusement park. Everything in front of her was both the same and different from what she had come to know about amusement parks through a news report on television.

    The amusement park itself was the same, with its grand and majestic gates, the sounds of laughter and joy filling the air, and the amusement rides that could be vaguely seen within the park.

    What was different was that the amusement park she had in mind wouldn¡¯t have so many children.

    Her gaze flickered over the children running around joyfully, and Lin Yue''s brain paused for a moment.

    Does this amusement park cater to ordinary children? Isn¡¯t it afraid of being reported by parents?

    These two thoughts flashed through her mind, but she felt no doubt in her heart. Following Hermione, she stepped through the gates of the amusement park, and a scene she had never seen before unfolded before her eyes.

    In the distance, a tall Ferris wheel was slowly rotating, a roller coaster was speeding by, and various staff members dressed in costume were everywhere. For a moment, Lin Yue felt dazzled.

    But it was just that moment; the next second, the trajectory and cycle of the Ferris wheel were subconsciously calculated in Lin Yue''s mind.

    The forces acting on the roller coaster and its motion state were also rapidly computed by her brain.

    Everything she could see in the amusement park transformed into a series of problems presented in her mind.

    At that moment, Lin Yue felt as if she were solving problems, continuously analyzing the various values of each ride, with the equations in her head constantly updating, as if she had turned the entire amusement park into a large test paper filled with countless questions.

    Hermione carefully looked around and refocused her attention on Lin Yue. Just as she was about to ask which ride Lin Yue wanted to try first, she noticed Lin Yue''s eyes were darting around, and she was muttering something under her breath.

    Frowning in confusion, Hermione cautiously leaned in to listen to what she was saying, but she heard nothing; Lin Yue wasn''t making any sound.

    After hesitating for a moment, Hermione decided to interrupt Lin Yue. "Lin Yue, what are you doing?"

    Hermione asked hesitantly while reaching out to link her arm with Lin Yue''s.

    Lin Yue, who had been lost in a frenzy of calculations, snapped back to reality and turned to look at Hermione.

    In a flat tone, Lin Yue replied, "I¡¯m calculating the various values and data for each amusement ride."

    Hearing this, Hermione couldn''t help but close her eyes in disbelief. Seriously... even at the amusement park, Lin Yue couldn''t let go of her studies?

    She was really being too hard on herself. "Stop thinking about that, okay? We''re here to have fun, and we¡¯re not allowed to think about anything else!"

    Hermione pinched Lin Yue''s cheek with her other hand, trying to sound fierce.

    But since she didn''t actually intend to be harsh with Lin Yue, her feigned tone ended up sounding a bit cute and playful.

    This was why Lin Yue couldn''t detect anything off in Hermione''s voice, nor could she analyze what was going on. If it had been someone else, they might have laughed at the situation.

    Lin Yue blankly withdrew her gaze from the amusement rides and tilted her head to look at Hermione, nodding obediently.

    "Okay, I won''t think about it."

    "That''s more like it!" Hermione smiled happily and pointed to all the amusement rides around them. "Which one do you want to play on? Let''s go together."

    Lin Yue had already scanned all the amusement rides visible around her when she was calculating. She hardly thought about it and simply raised her hand to point at a ride she had seen the most on her test papers but had only actually seen once: the Ferris wheel.

    "I think we should ride this one first."

    Hermione followed Lin Yue''s finger and looked at the massive Ferris wheel.

    "Sure, let''s go ride the Ferris wheel first," Hermione nodded, linking arms with Lin Yue as they walked towards the Ferris wheel. Along the way, she kept chatting with her to prevent her from accidentally getting lost in calculating the data of various amusement rides again.

    They came to the amusement park to have fun and relax together, not to study math or physics!

 Chapter 49: Amusement Park visit 2

    Throughout the journey, Lin Yue had been talking to Hermione and had indeed stopped calculating the data and various values of the amusement park''s rides. When they arrived at the Ferris wheel, Lin Yue was pulled by Hermione to stand at the back of the queue. Looking up expressionlessly at the massive Ferris wheel that was slowly turning not far away, Lin Yue realized for the first time what a real Ferris wheel looked like in everyday life.

    Hermione tightly held onto Lin Yue next to her, afraid that if she wasn''t careful, Lin Yue would be pushed away by the crowd coming and going. She looked down at the amusement park ticket in her hand and quickly compared it with the rides she knew about.

    The Ferris wheel, the pirate ship, the roller coaster, and the bumper cars were all included the only one that required a separate payment should be the haunted house. The haunted house... Hermione lowered her gaze and thought carefully about whether to take Lin Yue there. If they went, perhaps in the atmosphere of the haunted house, Lin Yue would be a little scared? Then she would experience the feeling of fear, right?

    Moreover, if Lin Yue got scared and she was right next to her... Hermione''s mind instinctively imagined the scene of her taking Lin Yue into the haunted house, and Lin Yue being frightened by the ghosts inside and burrowing into her arms. Just thinking about it made Hermione''s lips involuntarily curl up, and she couldn''t suppress her smile.

    Lin Yue stood next to Hermione, habitually turning to look at her expressionlessly, and was momentarily taken aback when she saw the smile on her lips. Hermione was smiling, and it was a genuine smile. Lin Yue''s brain automatically began to analyse.

    Unlike when they had just come out of the hospital, Hermione''s smile this time was extremely natural, with her facial muscles relaxed, so Lin Yue easily reached this conclusion. But why was Hermione smiling? Lin Yue continued to ponder. The book said that the reasons for smiling are generally happiness, excitement, or thrill.

    But why was Hermione happy? Without any expression of doubt, Lin Yue simply followed her thoughts and posed this question. After looking around, Lin Yue thought of what she believed to be the most likely answer in her mind.

    Because they came to the amusement park, Hermione was happy, and Hermione was happy to be able to play at the amusement park. Having reached this conclusion, Lin Yue didn''t look any longer, silently retracting her gaze to continue staring blankly at the Ferris wheel in the distance.

    After showing the ticket to the staff at the Ferris wheel, Lin Yue and Hermione sat together in one of the cabins. Sitting in the cabin, Hermione gently tugged at Lin Yue''s sleeve.

    "Lin Yue, are you afraid of heights?"

    Lin Yue turned her head without any change in her expression and looked at Hermione, who mechanically shook her head. "Fear of heights generally refers to acrophobia, also known as fear of heights. The basic symptoms of acrophobia are dizziness, nausea, and loss of appetite."

    "I don''t feel fear, so I can''t have those reactions. I don''t have acrophobia."

    Hermione''s instinctive concern made her blurt out the question of whether Lin Yue was afraid of heights. The moment she began to explain the definition of acrophobia, Hermione regretted it; Lin Yue hadn''t even grasped these emotions... How could she possibly be afraid of heights?

    She was subconsciously suppressing her emotional center with her own brainwaves, so how could her body easily allow those physiological reactions to occur?

    Reaching out to pull Lin Yue into her embrace, Hermione lowered her head and gently pressed her lips to the top of Lin Yue''s head. "No more talking, no more talking. It''s my fault."

    Lin Yue thought carefully about why Hermione was apologizing but couldn''t come up with a reasonable reason for Hermione to apologize.

    "You don''t need to apologize; you haven''t done anything wrong," Lin Yue said flatly, speaking the truth.

    Hermione didn''t respond, just slowly caressed Lin Yue''s cheek, her gaze fixed on the window outside.

    From now on, she must be more careful with her words, Hermione resolved in her heart. She really didn''t want to experience Lin Yue''s mechanical explanations for words a third time or even more. That feeling, like a computer, made her heart ache.

    After holding Lin Yue for a moment, seeing that the Ferris wheel was about to reach its highest point, Hermione quickly released Lin Yue from her embrace, took her hand, and walked to the glass window of the cabin, pointing outside.

    "Lin Yue, look, the view outside is so beautiful."

    Lin Yue followed the direction of Hermione''s finger and looked out. The tall Ferris wheel offered a panoramic view of the entire amusement park and even a large part of the city. It was a visual experience she had never had before. In her memory, she had learned many poetic verses about the scenery from high mountains.

    She had never climbed a mountain, so she had never truly understood what the mountain scenery in those poems was like. Even when faced with her own translated verses, her blank emotions were insufficient to support her imagination of an illusory mountain. Having never been to a high mountain, but this time riding the Ferris wheel, the view from the top of the mountain should be similar to what she was seeing now...

    Lin Yue stared blankly into the distance, her eyes lifeless, as the sky far away mirrored her own silence, seemingly unresponsive to everything.

    Standing beside her, Hermione looked at the scenery outside the Ferris wheel and turned to Lin Yue with anticipation. "This summer, you wanted everyone to get together and have fun, but next summer, my parents seem to be planning to take us to France. We should climb the Eiffel Tower together then! It''s much taller than this Ferris wheel!"This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Lin Yue''s mind paused for a moment as she turned her gaze calmly towards Hermione. "I can go too..."

    "Of course!" Hermione nodded as if it were obvious. "You¡¯re basically the second child in our family now."

    "Or," Hermione pretended to squint dangerously, "are you saying you don¡¯t want to spend next summer with me?"

    Listening to Hermione, Lin Yue obediently shook her head, following the instructions deep within her mind, and mechanically replied, "I don¡¯t."

    "That''s good." Hermione smiled happily and continued to hold Lin Yue''s hand as they watched the scenery outside the Ferris wheel.

    Next summer... Lin Yue stared blankly outside the Ferris wheel, wondering if she would still be alive by then, to go to France with Hermione.

    Her brain quickly analyzed the situation, and Lin Yue concluded that the probability of her surviving until that time was extremely low. This summer, she had to invite six people, including Hermione, to the villa for a "vacation." These six were the ones she couldn''t let go of.

    If any one of them scored in the bottom third, they would be... A flicker of absolute rational struggle crossed Lin Yue''s eyes but quickly vanished.

    I don¡¯t want them to be destroyed... Lin Yue stood quietly in place, so if any executioners came to take any of them away, she would definitely stop them.

    After that... she should accept the punishment for violating the rules without resistance, but Hermione said she wanted to travel to France with her, to climb the Eiffel Tower together.

    I must do this! Just like when she promised Hermione earlier, Lin Yue''s mind kept repeating this phrase, and she decided to follow the thoughts deep within her mind.

    However, after calculating, with her current abilities, even using magic in a "critical situation" as defined by the Ministry of Magic, she couldn''t contend with an entire execution agency.

    Her abilities weren''t at that level yet; even surviving would be difficult. The most she could do was buy Hermione and the others some extra time after things really happened.

    Turning stiffly to look at Hermione, Lin Yue''s thoughts drifted to her inevitable demise, yet her expression remained unchanged.

    She felt no emotions, but instead, she reaffirmed that her plan could succeed and that she could definitely protect Hermione and the others.

    As for what she just promised Hermione, to go to France with her and the Grangers... she would strive to make it happen, to live by Hermione''s side until that day.

    The Ferris wheel kept spinning, and the cabin where Lin Yue and Hermione were slowly descended from the highest point towards the ground.

    Throughout the entire descent, Lin Yue''s eyes remained fixed on Hermione, not looking away.

    It wasn''t until their cabin completely returned to the ground that Hermione, who had been stared at for a long time, finally felt a bit shy and withdrew her gaze from the cabin''s window.

    Clearing her throat, she loosened her grip on Lin Yue''s hand and instead linked her arm with hers. "Ahem, stop looking; we should get off now."

    After Lin Yue reached the highest point of the Ferris wheel, she began to look at her, watching until they returned to the ground... She couldn''t understand what was so captivating about her that made this guy stare for so long.

    Hermione''s cheeks flushed slightly as she linked arms with Lin Yue and walked out of the Ferris wheel.

    As they walked out, Hermione''s eyes lit up when she spotted the carousel not far away; she had her eye on one of the seats pulled by a horse-drawn carriage.

    Excitedly turning to Lin Yue, Hermione said cheerfully, "Lin Yue, how about we go ride the carousel?"

    Lin Yue nodded with a calm expression, her tone flat, "Sure."

    Hearing this, Hermione smiled brightly and led her to the front of the line for the carousel. There were even fewer people waiting to ride the carousel than for the Ferris wheel, so they quickly got their turn.

    As they stepped onto the carousel, Hermione purposefully guided Lin Yue to the carriage, pointing to a spot inside, "How about you sit there?"

    Lin Yue looked vacantly at the spot in the carriage, nodded, and walked in to sit down.

    Hermione watched Lin Yue settle into the carriage, smiling happily, before turning to sit on the horse that pulled the carriage.

    The carousel slowly started, and as it spun, Hermione turned to look at Lin Yue.

    The girl in the carriage had a blank expression, her eyes hollow, yet her demeanor and appearance were exceptional.

    This must be what a princess from the Middle Ages looked like... Lin Yue indeed resembled the princess she had imagined, and as Hermione sat steadily on her "horse," she momentarily felt like Lin Yue''s knight.

    To clear the path for her and ensure her safety for a lifetime.

    If only I could really do that, Hermione thought to herself, if I could truly protect Lin Yue, help her heal, and keep her away from the painful memories of the past, if I could really shield Lin Yue from any potential dangers in the future.

    If in the future, it was me standing in front of Lin Yue, instead of her standing in front of me... that would be wonderful.

    Hermione looked at Lin Yue in the carriage, took a deep breath, and raised a big smile at the corner of her mouth. She spoke in a very loud voice to drown out the music of the carousel.

    "Lin Yue! You look like a princess! Look at me, don¡¯t I look like your knight?"

    As she said this, Hermione puffed out her small chest and struck a pose of authority.

    Princess? Knight? Lin Yue listened to Hermione''s words in a daze, her brain quickly reacting to these two terms.

    In her memory, these two words basically only came from a certain type of book that had been banned, fairy tale books.

    So she only knew the definitions of these two words, but looking at Hermione''s expression...

    Lin Yue nodded blankly, "Yes, we look very similar."

    She said this in response to Hermione''s expectant gaze, even though she couldn''t see the expectation in Hermione''s eyes.

    She didn''t understand her current excitement, but a voice deep in her mind told her to agree with Hermione''s words.

    As the carousel ride ended, Hermione got off the "horse" and bent down at the door of the "carriage," extending her right hand toward Lin Yue.

    "My princess, please get off."

    Lin Yue paused for a second, then slowly extended her right hand to rest on Hermione''s hand.

    Gently, Hermione pulled Lin Yue out of the carriage and led her down the carousel''s large platform.

    Looking at the various amusement rides not far away, Hermione turned her head to Lin Yue and winked, "Shall we try each one of them?"

    "Okay." Lin Yue nodded expressionlessly, allowing Hermione to lead her to try one ride after another.

    On the pirate ship, Hermione laughed loudly with the other children, cheering joyfully, while Lin Yue sat beside her, listening to the sounds that seemed to come from another world.

    Until Hermione leaned close to her ear and shouted, "Lin Yue! You should shout a few times too! Feel the atmosphere, even if it''s not out of fear, you can still let it out!"

    Lin Yue''s eyes moved slightly, her gaze blankly looking ahead. She opened her mouth and let out a shout devoid of any emotion.

    Hearing her emotionless shout, Hermione felt a pain in her heart, closed her eyes briefly to suppress the warmth in her eyes, and reached out to hold Lin Yue''s hand.

    As if to guide her, she laughed and shouted beside her.

    After getting off the pirate ship, Hermione''s voice was a bit hoarse. Lin Yue was linked by the arm, and Hermione directly led her to the water stand.

    The quick and decisive steps made Hermione, who hadn¡¯t yet realized her own hoarseness, feel puzzled. Wasn¡¯t there any amusement ride over there?

    When they arrived, before Hermione could speak, Lin Yue swiftly took out the black card given by the world consciousness from her pocket and handed it to the shopkeeper. Hermione''s voice was hoarse, and she needed to drink water quickly, so her movements had to be a bit faster.

    "Two bottles of water, thank you."

    The shopkeeper was momentarily taken aback when he received the black card. Did buying water really require a bank card? Moreover, this card¡­ had nothing but the words "Yue Lin" on it. Was it even usable?

    However, it was still an official store in the amusement park, not a roadside stall, so they were equipped with a card reader.

    The shopkeeper tapped the black card, and instantly, the password input page popped up.

    The shopkeeper handed the card reader to Lin Yue, who took it without hesitation and directly entered her birth date.

    Payment successful, the shopkeeper was secretly surprised, took back the card reader, and handed the bank card along with two bottles of water to Lin Yue.

    After receiving the bank card and water, Lin Yue once again thanked her in a flat tone, then opened a bottle of water and turned it to Hermione.

    "Your voice is hoarse, drink some water quickly."

    Hermione looked at the water in her hand, feeling a warmth in her heart that made her unable to help but smile.

    After taking a big sip, Hermione smiled at Lin Yue and said, "Thank you, Lin Yue~"

    It turned out that Lin Yue had just taken her along because he noticed her voice was a bit hoarse, so he brought her to buy water...

    This guy, who clearly hasn''t fully understood or learned about emotions himself, is still so gentle and considerate.

 Chapter 50: Haunted House

    The two girls played for the whole morning, and it was already noon, time for lunch. The food options in the amusement park weren''t many, and to make it convenient, they were mostly fast food. One of them ordered a meal set, and Hermione, taking advantage of her parents not being around, specifically ordered two cups of cola for herself and Lin Yue to indulge a little.

    Having parents who are both dentists has its downsides; she hardly ever had the chance to drink sugary beverages because they are bad for teeth. Even the pastries made at the Granger household are sugar-free. So, even now, Hermione looks forward to Christmas every year, as on that day she can drink as much soda as she wants without restrictions. But today, since her parents weren''t around, she could also enjoy drinks without limits!

    Looking at the two large cups of cola in front of her, Lin Yue remained calm. To be honest, she didn''t really know what this bubbling black liquid was. The "drinks" she had consumed were limited to boiled tap water and pumpkin juice after arriving at Hogwarts. As for cola, orange juice, and other beverages, she only knew their history and general concepts. However, if a cup of such a drink was placed in front of her, she still wouldn''t be able to recognize it.

    Turning to Hermione, she saw Hermione eagerly pick up her cup of cola and take a big gulp. Her expression twisted for a moment, then relaxed, and a content smile blossomed on her face. Lin Yue tilted her head and asked in a flat tone, "Hermione, what is this?"

    Hermione, who was about to take a second sip, paused for a moment. She looked at the cola in her hand, uncertainly gesturing. "Are you asking about this?"

    "Mm-hmm." Lin Yue nodded affirmatively.

    "This is cola," Hermione replied, "a carbonated drink, very tasty, but not very healthy."

    "Oh." Lin Yue nodded. When Hermione said it was cola, Lin Yue was able to connect this cup of drink with the concept in her mind.

    Hermione pressed her lips together, put down the cup of cola in her hand, and gently patted Lin Yue''s back.

    She was overthinking... Lin Yue''s parents wouldn''t even let her eat properly, so how could they possibly allow her to drink soda?

    "Try it, it tastes really good, and it will cool you down after you drink it."

    Lin Yue nodded blankly, reached for the cola in front of her, and brought it to her mouth, gulping it down.

    Hermione''s eyes widened in shock at this scene, and she quickly tapped Lin Yue''s arm to stop her, "Stop, stop! Merlin above, this cola is cold, and the carbonation is very stimulating. Drinking it like that will hurt your throat!"

    Hearing this, Lin Yue finally stopped and put down the cup, the stimulating sensation of carbonation exploding in her mouth and throat.

    But there was not a trace of discomfort on her face. Hermione looked at her nervously, constantly assessing her from head to toe, "You... your throat isn''t uncomfortable, is it?"

    Lin Yue felt the gradually dissipating irritation in her throat and shook her head, "No."

    "That''s good..." Hermione sighed in relief, gently patting her chest, "You scared me. Don''t drink soda like that."

    "No, you shouldn''t drink anything that fast, even water. Otherwise, if the water is a bit hot or a bit cold, won''t that ruin your throat?!"

    "It won''t," Lin Yue shook her head confidently, "It will only hurt for about a week, and my voice will be very hoarse."

    Hermione''s brow twitched violently, and her other hand instinctively tightened around the plate holding her burger and fries on the table.

    "What do you mean? You didn''t... always drink water like that before, did you?" Please say no! Hermione''s grip on the plate tightened even more.

    Unfortunately, things didn''t go as she hoped. Lin Yue''s calm face even showed a hint of nonchalance, "Yes, I try to drink as much as possible at once, quickly, to save more study time."

    "I..." Hermione looked at Lin Yue in front of her, forcing herself to swallow the words she hadn''t said yet.

    "Alright," Hermione took a deep breath, placed her hands on Lin Yue''s shoulders, "Listen carefully, starting today, you need to eat and drink slowly, okay?"

    "Put your health first, and that damned important studying, put it second."

    As she listened to Hermione''s words, Lin Yue''s mind once again experienced a clash between two thoughts.

    Health first? But studying should be the priority, that''s what her understanding told her.

    Yet deep in her mind, another voice was shouting along with Hermione, "No! That''s not right! Your health should come first; health is the foundation of revolution!"

    The two thoughts clashed, and Lin Yue fell into a slight "stutter," but in front of her was Hermione''s earnest face.

    Lin Yue heard her own voice tremble slightly as she spoke, "Okay, I remember."

    Hermione smiled a little more at ease and ruffled Lin Yue''s hair, "Let''s eat."

    "Mm." Lin Yue nodded, reaching for her burger and taking a big bite.

    After sipping her cola, Hermione looked at Lin Yue with a complex expression. The more she got to know her, the more she felt that the tragedies behind Lin Yue were piling up.

    It was a chain of tragedies, one linked to another, locking Lin Yue inside.

    She could feel that she was slowly cutting through this chain, gradually pulling Lin Yue out.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Gently putting down her cola, Hermione took another big bite of her burger, chewing fiercely, "Don''t worry, Lin Yue, I will definitely pull you out completely!"

    After finishing their lunch, the two girls slumped in their seats, continuously burping.

    Without the Granger couple around, after downing two cups of cola, both Hermione and Lin Yue felt bloated, especially after each having a large meal.

    It took them half an hour to recover enough to stand up and leave.

    "Burp," Hermione covered her mouth and let out a small burp, "I think I won''t want to drink cola again for a month."

    Next to her, Lin Yue''s face showed no change, though she occasionally let out a small burp as well.

    After walking around the amusement park for a while to help digest, and once the excess food in their stomachs had settled somewhat, Hermione turned to Lin Yue.

    "Lin Yue, how about we go to the haunted house?" Hermione was still thinking about her plan to use the haunted house''s atmosphere to stir Lin Yue''s emotions. Of course... having Lin Yue get scared and jump into her arms would be quite nice too~

    Lin Yue had no objections to these matters; whatever Hermione said was what it was. So she directly expressed her agreement and let Hermione lead her toward the haunted house.

    When they arrived outside the haunted house, the staff hesitated for a moment as they looked at the two little girls, then bent down to make eye contact with the more outgoing Hermione.

    "Little girls are you two here to play by yourselves?"

    "Um, we should be able to go in, right?" Hermione nodded and pointed to the haunted house behind him.

    "Yes, you can go in..." The staff scratched his head, "But it will be quite dark inside, and there are scary staff members. Do you need us to find someone to accompany you inside?"

    Upon hearing his suggestion, Hermione immediately shook her head. It was a joke; she had another purpose for bringing Lin Yue in, which was to wait for Lin Yue to get scared and then jump into her arms.

    What if they brought a staff member along, and Lin Yue wasn''t scared anymore, or worse, what if Lin Yue jumped into the wrong person''s arms?

    "Thank you, mister but we can manage on our own."

    "Alright," the staff said with a kind smile, "Two brave little girls, please go in."

    Saying this, he took the money Hermione handed him, gave them two tickets, and guided them to the entrance of the haunted house.

    Looking at the dark entrance of the haunted house, Hermione, who had experienced the trapdoor at Hogwarts, felt nothing. After thanking the staff with Lin Yue, she pulled her in together.

    Once inside the haunted house, Lin Yue''s vision was completely engulfed in darkness; everything around her was pitch black. It wasn''t until her eyes gradually adjusted that she could vaguely see her surroundings.

    Various scary props were placed along the sides of the path, and ahead was a skeleton model hanging upside down, with something that looked like shredded meat hanging from it.

    These things would indeed be scary enough for most children and even adults.

    However, Lin Yue felt no fear; even though the atmosphere around her was dark and frightening, she felt no sense of terror. Looking at those props, she merely thought about the possible materials used to make them.

    Beside her, Hermione also wore a look of disinterest. Having spent an entire year in a school full of magic, she was used to the ghosts in the school, the moving portraits, and even had experienced trolls and end-of-year adventures.

    Now, seeing such a haunted house, Hermione had only one thought: Is this it?

    They walked into a small, separate room, where they saw a staff member dressed as a wicked witch brewing potion.

    Lin Yue instinctively looked at the large pot in front of her, her nose twitching slightly as a scent of mung bean wafted into her nostrils¡ªmung bean soup. Her brain quickly made a judgment, and Lin Yue concluded what that large pot of soup was.

    Hermione shook her head secretly as she observed the staff''s actions; they were not doing it correctly at all. It was a wonder if they could brew any potion like this. But what was in her pot? It did look a bit faintly green.

    The evil witch, who was "brewing potions," had just lifted her head to scare someone when she saw Lin Yue''s East Asian face, and her spirit instantly deflated. An Eastern person, huh? She wouldn''t be able to scare her... After all, this soup was made using a method she learned from her Eastern roommate.

    Since it turned out to be a light green color, it could pass for the evil witch''s potion, and drinking it could also help cool down, so the boss had arranged for her to pretend to be an evil witch brewing potions in the summer heat, and she could serve it to tourists.

    Thinking that she wouldn''t be able to scare that Eastern girl, but the local girl next to her should be able to, the evil witch ladled out two bowls of mung bean soup and brought them to them.

    "Come... two lovely girls, drink my potion! Only one of you can leave from here~" She tried to lower her voice, making it sound hoarser and eviler.

    However, it was completely useless; neither Hermione nor Lin Yue was scared. Hermione just pointed uncertainly at the mung bean soup in front of her. "What is this? Can we really drink it?"

    Lin Yue was the first to reach out and take a bowl of mung bean soup from the evil witch''s hands. Without hesitation, she took a sip, confirmed that it was fine, and then turned to look at Hermione.

    "It''s mung bean soup, no problem. It can help cool down in the summer, and it''s well-cooked; it''s been simmering long enough."

    The evil witch couldn''t help but twitch her lips; the two little girls... were surprisingly calm. She hadn''t scared either of them at all.

    And wasn''t it because it had been simmering long enough? She had been cooking it since morning!

    Hearing this, Hermione also took another bowl of mung bean soup, lowered her head to take a small sip, and then nodded. The taste was indeed unique, and it felt good to drink.

    Since they weren''t afraid, Lin Yue and Hermione didn''t rush to leave. They strolled through the haunted house while sipping on the mung bean soup, managing to turn the haunted house into a park-like experience.

    Various NPCs took turns appearing, and various mechanisms were constantly triggered, but none of them could scare the girls. The person in charge of the haunted house was watching this scene from the surveillance cameras and was almost in tears.

    This was too demoralizing. God knows he had been watching the monitors specifically because he was afraid these two little girls would be too scared and end up crying in place, refusing to move. But now, not only were they not scared, they seemed to have no reaction at all.

    It was precisely this situation that strengthened the person in charge''s determination to update the haunted house; it had to be updated. How could it be that even two little girls couldn''t be scared?

    By now, Hermione had already given up on the hope that the atmosphere in the haunted house would infect Lin Yue and make her learn to be afraid, let alone that she would be scared enough to jump into her arms.

    If she herself wasn''t scared, how could Lin Yue possibly be scared?

    But thinking about it, it made sense... She had taken it for granted. Lin Yue had the courage to face Voldemort head-on; how could she be afraid of a haunted house that was all fake?

    As they walked out of the haunted house, Lin Yue and Hermione had just adjusted to the light when they were approached by the haunted house manager, who looked very serious.

    He earnestly told Lin Yue and Hermione that their haunted house would be updated, that he would work hard to make it scarier, and he hoped that when the updates were complete, he could invite them both to come and play.

    After listening, Hermione turned to Lin Yue and gave her a glance. Although she couldn''t have Lin Yue jump into her arms, just wandering through the haunted house with Lin Yue... she was very willing to do that!

    "Lin Yue, what do you think?" Hermione blinked and looked at Lin Yue with some anticipation.

    Lin Yue turned her head, expressionless, and nodded, "I''m fine with anything, you decide."

    Hermione smiled and turned to the person in charge of the haunted house, "Okay, we will definitely come back next time."

    After saying that, the haunted house manager asked Hermione to leave her home phone number so that he could call her when the haunted house was updated.

    After leaving her number, Hermione pulled Lin Yue along as they left. They had already done most of the fun things in the amusement park, and both of them were a bit tired; it was time to go home.

    As they walked out of the amusement park, Hermione turned to Lin Yue and gently brushed aside the stray hair in front of her face, "How was today? Did you have fun? Just... did you feel your heart racing, like you were bubbling over?"

    Lin Yue was taken aback. Heart racing? Bubbling over?

    Watching Hermione raise her hand and calmly place it on her own chest, Lin Yue carefully felt for a moment and nodded. Yes, her heart was indeed beating very fast.

 Chapter 51: Choosing a villa

    Is this happiness...? Lin Yue''s hollow eyes stared blankly at her chest, where her heart was beating violently.

    "No... it''s more than just happiness." A sudden thought struck Lin Yue deep in her mind, and she blurted it out without thinking. When she realized what she had said, she couldn''t understand why she had said it.

    "Hmm?" Hermione tilted her head, looking at Lin Yue with confusion. More than happiness? What else could there be?

    Seeing that Lin Yue seemed to have no answer either, Hermione smiled and shook her head, gently wrapping her arm around Lin Yue''s waist.

    "Let''s not worry about the rest; just have fun today!"

    "Mm." Lin Yue nodded with a blank expression.

    After getting into a taxi and heading home, by the time the two girls arrived, the Granger couple had already come home from work and were busy in the kitchen together.

    After changing into slippers, Lin Yue walked into the kitchen and politely greeted them, "Auntie, Uncle, good evening."

    Hermione, following behind her, also smiled brightly, "Mom and Dad, we''re back!"

    The Granger couple, who were cooking, turned around to look at their "two daughters" with warm smiles.

    "Good evening." ¡Á2

    Mrs. Granger picked up a towel nearby and wiped her hands, then squinted and reached out to poke Hermione''s nose.

    "Come on, tell me, how many drinks did you have today?"

    Hermione''s expression stiffened, and she awkwardly laughed a couple of times, "Haha, Mom, why would you say that..."

    Mrs. Granger withdrew her hand and crossed her arms, "I know my own daughter well enough. Without me and your dad around, you would definitely drink a lot, and you probably had Lin Yue with you too."

    Hermione stuck out her tongue but wasn''t really scared; after all, her mom wasn''t really scolding her, was she? She opened her arms and gently hugged Mrs. Granger''s arm, playfully shaking it.

    "I didn''t drink that much~"

    "How much is ''not that much''?" Mrs. Granger raised an eyebrow, feeling quite good watching Hermione cling to her arm, but she didn''t forget to tease her.

    She hadn''t seen her daughter actively seeking affection since Hermione was eight, so she had to make the most of this opportunity.

    "Just... two cups each," Hermione carefully held up two fingers.

    Mrs. Granger shook her head with a helpless smile, "Alright, since you were out having fun with Lin Yue, remember to brush your teeth well tonight."

    "Mm-hmm!" Hermione nodded obediently.

    Mr. Granger, who was cooking nearby, looked at his wife and daughter happily interacting and couldn''t help but smile with happiness.

    Lin Yue watched the interaction between Hermione and Mrs. Granger, and her heart ached, constantly reminding her of the large void within her.

    It wasn''t until their interaction ended that Lin Yue spoke in her flat tone, "Thank you, Auntie and Uncle, for treating us today."

    Mrs. Granger reached out and pulled Lin Yue in front of her, squatting down to look into her dim, lifeless eyes.

    "Children should be polite, but that''s for outsiders. You don''t have to be too formal with your own family; that would be too distant."

    Lin Yue subconsciously analyzed the words that Mrs. Granger had just said in her mind. The main point of Mrs. Granger''s statement was to remind her and them not to be overly polite, with the implication that... they had already considered her part of the family.

    Gently taking Lin Yue''s hand, Mrs. Granger lovingly stroked the back of her hand, looking at her and then at Hermione. "From now on, you are also a child of our family, the second daughter of me and your uncle."

    After saying this, Mrs. Granger stood up, gave Hermione a meaningful glance, and then gently pushed Lin Yue towards her. "Alright, take little Lin Yue out to watch some TV. I''ll call you when dinner is ready."

    "Okay." Hermione took Lin Yue''s hand and walked towards the kitchen door, while Lin Yue turned back to look expressionlessly at the Granger couple who were cooking.

    "Thank you, Auntie and Uncle."

    When dinner was served and everyone began to eat, the Granger couple clearly felt that Lin Yue was different from how she had been during the previous week. Without needing Hermione''s reminder, she consciously slowed down her eating pace.

    Although she still ate a bit faster than the average person, at least she was taking bites instead of just swallowing without care. Seeing this, the Granger couple felt a deep sense of comfort; Lin Yue had changed, and for the better. This lifted their spirits, even allowing them to eat a few more bowls of rice.

    Hermione couldn''t help but feel a bit regretful. If she had known that saying this would make Lin Yue slow down while eating, she would have said it much earlier, and wouldn¡¯t have let Lin Yue endure such "torture" for so long.

    But it wasn''t too late to realize this now. Hermione took a hearty bite of lamb chop, knowing at least how to guide Lin Yue towards change from now on, and she could continue using this method.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    After dinner, Lin Yue and Hermione tidied up the dishes together and then sat on the sofa, slowly browsing through a brochure about the villa that the Granger couple had brought back or rather, it was Lin Yue who was slowly browsing through it on her own, while Hermione watched with interest from the side. For her, if her best friend Lin Yue was by her side, it didn''t matter where they lived.

    Lin Yue flipped through the villa brochure page by page, constantly organizing and summarizing the pros and cons of these villas in her mind.

    To counteract the executioners, it would be best if there were no other houses nearby, to avoid collateral damage, and the location should be somewhat remote, making it harder to find.

    Ideally, the road in front should be quite dilapidated, insufficient to support large military vehicles, such as armored cars or tanks. Additionally, there must be a back door, the more concealed the better, so that if executioners do appear, Hermione and the others can escape easily.

    Based on these requirements, Lin Yue kept flipping through the pages, while Hermione, who initially watched with great interest, soon became confused after a while.

    How could Lin Yue not find a satisfactory villa after so long? What kind of villa was she actually looking for?

    The Granger couple, who were watching TV while keeping an eye on the two girls, shared the same confusion as Hermione.

    Fortunately, they didn''t have to wait much longer. Lin Yue''s hand paused on one of the pages, which featured a villa built in a dense forest.

    Since it was located in a forest, to protect against wild animals, the owners had built a five-meter-high wall around the villa. Lin Yue confirmed through careful observation and analysis of the villa''s floor plan that there was indeed a back door.

    In a dense forest, large military vehicles could not enter, and with the wall as protection, it could also serve as a weapon if necessary.

    The location was relatively remote, there were no neighbors nearby, and there was a back door for Hermione and the others to make an emergency escape. Lin Yue felt that this was the best option.

    Quickly reaching a conclusion in her mind, Lin Yue handed the villa brochure to Hermione, "Hermione, do you think this villa is okay?"

    Hermione took the villa brochure and looked down at it, suddenly surprised by the villa that Lin Yue had chosen.

    In the midst of the dense forest, with high walls... So Lin Yue actually liked this style of villa?

    However, if it¡¯s surrounded by natural woods, it should indeed be quite interesting, being close to nature. But who knows?

    Hermione hesitated and glanced at her parents, wondering if they would be concerned about the safety there.

    "I think it''s fine," Hermione nodded and handed the villa brochure to her parents. "Mom and Dad, take a look. Lin Yue and I want to choose this villa."

    Mrs. Granger took the villa brochure and leaned in with Mr. Granger to look at the villa depicted on it, and both of them were immediately stunned.

    Looking at the dense forest surrounding the villa, it would be impossible for the Grangers not to have some concerns about safety; after all, it was a dense forest.

    But this was the children''s own choice. Hermione was ultimately their daughter, not their accessory. She had her own opinions, and as parents, as long as Hermione''s opinions were not too extreme or in violation of any laws or moral boundaries, they should understand and support her.

    Mr. Granger looked carefully at the villa in the brochure and then raised his head to smile and nod at the two girls.

    "Sure, if you want to stay in this villa, go ahead. I remember you, Hermione, mentioned that several of your friends and seniors would be going too?"

    "Yes," Hermione quickly nodded, counting on her fingers, "Harry and Ron, the two boys from our year, and my friend Lin Yue, you know them, Mom and Dad."

    Mr. and Mrs. Granger both nodded in agreement.

    "And there''s also Senior Cho Chang, Senior Marietta, and Senior Penelope. They all take good care of Lin Yue, so we want to invite them to the villa for a gathering."

    "Well," Mr. Granger pondered for a moment, "that should be fine. After all, it''s a place where people live, and there shouldn''t be any large beasts. The seven of you together should be enough to handle general emergencies."

    Mrs. Granger also nodded in agreement, "But if you go out for a walk in the woods, you must stick together as much as possible and leave markers along the way. Be careful not to get lost, understand?"

    "Mm-hmm!" Hermione nodded vigorously.

    Meanwhile, Lin Yue''s mind began to race as she started to think about what to do in case of an emergency. She realized that she had not considered everything; she had only focused on the safety of the villa''s staff and had not thought about other possible emergencies.

    According to the Ministry of Magic''s regulations, young witches and wizards could use magic to protect themselves in emergencies. If she could use magic... After analyzing the differences between various animals and giants, Lin Yue felt that she could handle it.

    Once they decided on this villa, the Grangers said they would communicate with the villa owner, and if all went well, they should be able to take Lin Yue and Hermione to complete the rental procedures the day after tomorrow.

    Hermione couldn''t help but cheer in her heart as she thought about the upcoming holiday, happily holding Lin Yue''s hand as they went upstairs to get some rest.

    After Hermione and Lin Yue went upstairs, Mr. Granger took out his phone and called the number listed in the villa brochure.

    The person on the other end was very enthusiastic upon hearing that they wanted to rent the villa, and when they learned that it would be seven children staying there, they had no other concerns. After all, aside from various household appliances, there wasn''t anything particularly valuable in the villa, and everything was insured, so they weren''t worried about the kids accidentally breaking anything.

    After discussing a few details, Mr. Granger raised his concern, "Since it will be children staying there, I would like to ask, are there any large wild animals or venomous snakes around the villa?"

    The villa owner chuckled on the other end of the line and confidently assured him, "You can rest assured, there are absolutely none. After all, it''s meant for people to live in. I have someone who manages the nearby woods year-round, so there are no large wild animals¡ªjust a few rabbits and squirrels. There are no venomous snakes either; we apply snake repellent every month."

    Mr. Granger felt relieved, and the villa owner added, "Coincidentally, the time for managing the woods is coming up soon. I will have someone clear a small path in the woods, so the children can take a walk along the path when they stay."

    "Thank you so much," Mr. Granger said with a smile.

    The villa owner laughed heartily, "No problem at all. I have children at home too, so it''s always right to be extra careful with the kids."

    After hanging up the phone, Mrs. Granger placed her hand on her husband''s shoulder, "You really thought this through."

    "Yeah," Mr. Granger shrugged, "If the kids want to stay, then it''s our job as parents to support them, help them prepare, and ensure their safety."

    Mrs. Granger nodded slightly and then thought for a moment, "That''s right, I need to go to the supermarket after work tomorrow to see what I need to buy for them."

    Mr. Granger chuckled lightly and wrapped his arm around his wife''s waist, "Let''s go together tomorrow."

    "Mm-hmm." Mrs. Granger nodded in satisfaction.

    At the same time, in Hermione''s room upstairs, the lights had been completely turned off, and Lin Yue had already fallen into a deep sleep.

    Hermione was lying beside her, watching her sleeping face without blinking.

    After just returning home, she had caught that meaningful glance from her mother in the kitchen.

    That look from her mother... brought a strange feeling to her heart, a mix of shyness and nervousness.

    It felt as if some little girl''s thoughts had been seen through by her parents, but what thoughts could she possibly have that her mother could see through?

    And it was related to Lin Yue? Hermione cautiously reached out and poked Lin Yue''s smooth cheek, afraid of waking her up by accident.

    Regarding her feelings for Lin Yue... her mother had seen through them, yet she herself was still unaware. The more Hermione thought about it, the faster her heart raced, and soon the sound of her heartbeat was echoing in her ears.

    Biting her lip, she quickly withdrew her hand and closed her eyes to steady her heartbeat.

    Taking a deep breath and exhaling, Hermione slowly opened her eyes again, looking at Lin Yue''s calm sleeping face.

    Her own feelings... Hermione gently clenched her hand tucked under the blanket. It would be impossible to say she had no awareness at all.

    But when it came to articulating what those feelings were, Hermione found herself at a loss. Forget it, she decided, just let it be and go with the flow.

    Shaking her head, Hermione continued to lie on her side, gently holding Lin Yue and slowly closing her eyes.

 Chapter 52: Painkiller

    The villa to be rented has been confirmed, and the next step is to write letters to everyone to inform them of the villa''s location and to ask if they can come over after the second weekend. The letters to Harry and Ron were written by Hermione, as she was unsure if Ron had successfully picked up Harry on the second day of the holiday, so she wrote one letter for each of them.

    As for Cho Chang, Marietta, and Penelope, Lin Yue was in charge because both she and Hermione happened to not have any owls. They directly rented five owls from the owl post office and sent out the letters the morning after confirming the villa.

    After sending the letters, the Granger couple, who had just received notice that they could take a day off, took the two girls to the agency to meet the villa owner and sign the rental contract. Upon arriving at the agency, the Granger family and Lin Yue met the villa owner.

    Lin Yue stared blankly at the man in front of her. He was strong, with a simple and cheerful smile on his face. He gave off a warm, generous, and easy-going vibe. Of course, Lin Yue couldn''t feel any of that, but she still made a simple profile of the man based on his expression, clothing, and physical condition.

    He was a male, aged between thirty-five and forty, muscular but not from gym training; his most likely profession was a farmer or someone in the livestock industry. His expression was sincere, without any fake gestures, making him a trustworthy person.

    After subconsciously analyzing him, Lin Yue politely greeted him with a blank expression, and then, accompanied by the agency staff, she reviewed the contract in a professional manner that surprised everyone present.

    After confirming there were no issues, Lin Yue signed and swiped her card. When she swiped her "quirky" bank card, it once again shocked everyone present except Hermione. The agency staff and the villa owner looked at her in astonishment; they initially thought it was the parents paying for the kids to gather at the villa, but it turned out the big shot was the child herself!

    However, since she could afford it, it didn''t matter who signed the contract. After signing the rental contract and completing the payment, the villa owner handed the keys to the yard and the villa to Lin Yue.

    "You just need to prepare the daily necessities you will use. I run a farm, so I will help you prepare the food and put it in the villa''s cold storage," the villa owner said with a hearty laugh.

    "Okay, thank you," Lin Yue replied politely, nodding. Her unchanging expression and flat tone once again stunned the agency staff and the villa owner.

    After renting the villa, Lin Yue followed the Granger family out of the agency. Sitting in the car on the way home, Hermione couldn''t help her curiosity and turned to Lin Yue.

    "Did you study the laws of the British Muggle world before?"

    Lin Yue turned her head stiffly and nodded as if it were a matter of course, "All rules, no matter where they come from, should be remembered and followed. Following the rules is what makes a good student. I have memorized the relevant laws and regulations of all countries around the world."

    Hermione was taken aback for a moment, then stared in disbelief. What did Lin Yue just say? She has memorized the laws and regulations of all countries in the world?!

    Having spent a semester with Lin Yue and studying alongside her, Hermione knew very well that Lin Yue''s memorization was not just a rough understanding. It meant she could write all of it down perfectly without missing a single punctuation mark.

    With so many countries in the world, the laws and regulations are so intricate and complex that most people struggle to grasp their own country''s laws, yet Lin Yue has mastered all of them. While Hermione was astonished, she also recalled Lin Yue''s astonishing reading speed in the Hogwarts library, which was akin to computer data entry.

    Well... it seems like it¡¯s not entirely incomprehensible.

    Back at home, the five letters she had sent out had all received replies. Cho Chang and Marietta had already learned about this matter on the Hogwarts Express on their way back, so they informed their parents in advance, and their parents expressed support for their plan.

    In the letter, they once again thanked Lin Yue for her invitation and mentioned that they would arrive at the villa on the Sunday of the second week.

    Penelope only realized she had been invited when she received Lin Yue''s letter, but fortunately, she didn''t have any plans for the summer break yet. Her parents had a "free-range" approach to her; as long as she was safe and not breaking any laws, they allowed her to do whatever she wanted.

    So, it was easy for her to get her parents'' consent, and she mentioned in the letter that she could arrive at the villa on time the following Sunday. As for Harry and Ron''s letters, they were combined into one. In the letter, Ron answered Hermione''s question, confirming that his family did indeed go to pick Harry up the day after he arrived at the Dursleys.

    Although the Dursleys were reluctant to let Harry leave, Ron expressed his frustration, saying they didn''t want Harry to have too good or happy a summer. However, since there were many of them going, almost the entire family, and they were wizards, the Dursleys, who were already terrified of them, ultimately let Harry go and took him back home.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    At the end of the letter, Ron mentioned that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had also agreed to their plan, so they could arrive at the villa on time. After reading everyone''s letters, Hermione beamed, "Great, everyone can get together!"

    "Yeah," Lin Yue nodded calmly, but her mind suddenly felt relaxed, as if a string that had been tightly wound was suddenly released. She even felt that her breathing had become much easier; everyone could go... then she could protect them well.

    Lin Yue mechanically blinked as she watched Hermione put away the letters. After Hermione finished organizing the letters, she turned to Lin Yue and poked her arm, "Remember, once we go to the villa, don¡¯t think about studying anymore. If Harry and Ron ask you about their homework, just ignore them; I¡¯ll help them out."

    As Hermione said this, she squinted her eyes and looked at Lin Yue with a somewhat intimidating gaze, "You have to wait until the new school year''s book list arrives from Hogwarts. After we buy the books, you can continue studying, which means you can preview the next year''s courses, okay?"

    Lin Yue listened to Hermione''s demands with a calm expression, but her mind was racing. Not studying during the break meant she would be standing still, making it easier for others to overtake her, which could lead to her ranking dropping and possibly being eliminated again.

    However, seeing Hermione''s serious and earnest face, Lin Yue didn''t hesitate any longer and spoke according to the voice deep in her mind. "Okay, I agree."

    Hermione let out a sigh of relief, feeling both happy and helpless as she looked at Lin Yue. This girl... despite her constant requests for her to take a break, she still finished her holiday homework in just a week, and she was still not satisfied. She wanted her to relax during the upcoming holiday, but she would pause for a moment before responding. Hermione had no doubt that if she weren''t around, he could easily "speedrun" through her holiday homework and study independently for the entire break.

    Merlin knew how high her magical and knowledge levels were. At least Hermione felt that after spending almost the entire last school year in the Hogwarts library, having read through nearly half of it, Lin Yue''s level should be on par with fifth or even sixth-year students at Hogwarts.

    Thinking of this, a deeper sense of helplessness surged within Hermione. Back when they had just started the first year, she had wanted to compete with Lin Yue in their studies, but now... she thought it was better not to compare. She felt that compared to studying, physical well-being was more important. Under the influence of Lin Yue''s various study habits that disregarded his health, she had learned to be more sensible, thank you very much.

    As for her previous thoughts, she could only say that if the fifth and sixth-year little wizards at Hogwarts knew, they would quickly wave their hands in denial. Come on, Lin Yue''s magical level was not something they, as fifth and sixth years, could match; even most adult wizards couldn''t keep up with her.

    In the following week, Lin Yue and Hermione didn''t go out to play anymore. They began to seriously summarize what daily necessities the five of them would need and how much of each item. Mrs. Granger was responsible for helping them shop after work and checking for any omissions. However, Mrs. Granger soon realized that she only needed to handle the shopping because the list of daily necessities that Lin Yue and Hermione compiled had no omissions at all, and even the quantities were accurate.

    But Hermione quickly discovered that in the part of the list Lin Yue had made, all the essential items for survival were accounted for perfectly. The quantities were calculated precisely by his powerful computational ability, but he had completely overlooked various snacks, drinks, and other items that would enhance the enjoyment of life; not even one was listed.

    Recalling that Lin Yue didn''t even know what cola was at the amusement park, Hermione was so angry her teeth were itching. What kind of parents raised a child who didn''t even know how to relax, who had no sense of life''s enjoyment, only knowing the bare minimum to survive?

    Therefore, Hermione directly added all kinds of snacks and various flavored drinks to the lists Lin Yue had made, making Mrs. Granger''s eyebrows twitch. However, considering that these kids were going to gather and have fun together, Mrs. Granger temporarily set aside concerns about healthy eating and dental health. After all, these kids wouldn''t only eat snacks and skip meals; at least with Lin Yue around, they wouldn''t do that.

    Moreover, there was only this one time each year when they could indulge like this, so why not let them enjoy it? Thus, Mrs. Granger bought everything Hermione listed in terms of snacks and drinks, and she made sure to get plenty of each.

    Lin Yue quickly wrote a list of daily necessities, and today she happened to be writing about sanitary products. Based on her previous usage, she prepared an appropriate amount of sanitary pads and tampons for her senior Cho Chang, Marietta, and Penelope. She and Hermione had not yet had their periods, so they didn''t need them for now.

    After a slight pause, Lin Yue quickly estimated the height and weight of the three senior sisters in her mind, and then wrote down an amount of painkillers that exceeded a certain dosage based on their data in the list.

    The pain that may occur during menstruation can affect studying, so painkillers can be used to manage discomfort. At the same time, if one feels lethargic and wants to take a break, using cold water to wake oneself up is a natural thought in Lin Yue''s mind.

    This is the most cost-effective and efficient method; her mother had always required her to do this. As for the additional pain that might arise from pouring a basin of cold water over her head, it was simply just take some more painkillers.

    Lin Yue would assess the appropriate dosage for herself, always taking just a bit more than needed for pain relief. If the effect wasn''t sufficient to alleviate the pain, she would learn while enduring it; she would never let herself reach the point of needing to go to the hospital, as that would waste too much learning time.

    Therefore, she naturally prepared slightly over-the-limit painkillers for the three senior sisters, making it convenient for them to relieve pain during their menstrual periods and to wake themselves up with cold water.

    Of course, the list of sanitary products that Lin Yue wrote had not yet reached Mrs. Granger but had first landed in Hermione''s hands.

    Habitually taking the list Lin Yue had prepared, Hermione carefully considered the sanitary products listed and realized that indeed, Senior Cho Chang, Senior Marietta, and Senior Penelope would need them.

    When she saw the painkillers listed below, Hermione thought Lin Yue was just being cautious in case any of them experienced menstrual cramps.

    Glancing slightly at Lin Yue, who was still writing, Hermione couldn''t help but sigh inwardly; although she hadn''t yet learned about emotions, she seemed to be naturally considerate.

    With a wry smile, Hermione shook her head and added a few packs of biscuits to the end of the list. Since there were too many items to buy, the Grangers had been shopping day by day, as it was too much to carry all at once.

    Lacking relevant professional knowledge, Hermione didn''t realize that the amount of painkillers Lin Yue wrote down was excessive for three people. However, when this list was handed to Mrs. Granger after returning home, she immediately noticed that the dosage of the painkillers was incorrect.

    Mrs. Granger was just about to call out to Hermione when she saw that Hermione had already run over to talk to Lin Yue.

    Not wanting to disturb the children, Mrs. Granger turned to her husband beside her and started a conversation.

    "That Lin Yue really is quite meticulous; look, she even thought of the painkillers. But after all, she¡¯s still a child, and the dosage she wrote isn¡¯t quite right."

    Mr. Granger looked at her with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "If she had written it correctly, that would be truly frightening. To be honest, I''ve been quite surprised these days looking at the list of household items she¡¯s written."

    "She¡¯s only eleven, yet she can list the items needed in daily life so thoroughly, even calculating the quantities just right. It really makes me wonder if her family relied on her for everything before."

    As she spoke, she shook her head self-deprecatingly, thinking that perhaps she was being too sensitive. After all, she was just a child; cooking and cleaning were one thing, but it couldn¡¯t be that every aspect of life depended on her, right?

    Mrs. Granger listened to her husband¡¯s words and nodded in agreement, but inside, she felt a sense of dissonance.

    Lin Yue could calculate the quantities of household items so accurately; could she really have made a mistake with the dosage of the painkillers?

    Biting her lip and shaking her head, Mrs. Granger pushed the chaotic thoughts out of her mind. Lin Yue was just a child, she hadn¡¯t learned the relevant knowledge, and it was normal to make mistakes. Yes, it was normal; she must be overthinking it.

    Almost instinctively, she didn¡¯t want to consider any other possibilities.

 Chapter 53: Arriving at the villa

    In the span of a week, the Granger couple prepared ample living essentials for the seven children, and as for food, the villa''s owner had already stocked it in the villa''s cold storage.

    On the Saturday of the second week, the Granger couple took advantage of their time off to drive Lin Yue and Hermione to the villa. Behind their car, there was also a small transport vehicle responsible for delivering the living essentials, which was already the maximum capacity that the road to the villa could handle.

    Upon arriving at the villa, Lin Yue followed Hermione out of the car and naturally walked towards the small transport vehicle. She casually picked up a large box that looked quite heavy and, with some difficulty, made her way towards the villa.

    Just as Lin Yue got out of the car, she suddenly disappeared. Hermione was looking around for her when she saw Lin Yue coming out from behind the small transport vehicle, carrying a large box. Hermione quickly ran over and helped her lift the box from the opposite side.

    With their combined effort, Lin Yue''s steps became much steadier. Hermione, who had initially wanted to chat with Lin Yue, now felt reluctant to speak. The box was a bit too heavy for the two eleven-year-old girls, almost twelve. She thought that if she opened her mouth, her breath would escape, and it would be easy to drop the box on the ground.

    Dropping the box would be a minor issue, but if Lin Yue fell as well, that would be a problem. In contrast, Lin Yue appeared unfazed, as if the box she was holding had no weight at all. Only the bulging veins in her hands and her slightly trembling arms revealed just how much effort she was exerting.

    When they reached the gate of the wall, the gate was already open. After passing through the wall, the two girls walked a little further before entering the villa''s door.

    As soon as they entered, Hermione, with a flushed face and sweat on her forehead, gritted her teeth and spoke. "Lin Yue... let''s put the stuff down here for now. This box is too heavy; I can barely move it. I don''t want to drop it and have it take you down with it."

    Before Lin Yue could respond, Mrs. Granger quickly walked out from the living room upon hearing the noise. She had just entered the villa to check if there was anything that needed tidying up, and then she noticed that the two children were not behind her.

    She initially thought that Hermione had taken Lin Yue to explore the nearby area, reasoning that both children were quite clever and that the area had recently been treated with snake repellent, so there wouldn''t be any issues. Therefore, she didn''t go looking for them.

    But now, upon seeing them, she exclaimed, "Oh my God," as she realized that the two girls were carrying a box that was almost half their size.

    Hermione''s face was contorted with unpleasant and she was sweating profusely. Although Lin Yue still had a blank expression, her face was flushed, and sweat was pouring down like a fountain.

    Mrs. Granger''s expression changed as she lifted the large box that the two girls were struggling to carry. This box was heavy, and she could faintly feel it was a bit strenuous.

    After taking a few steps forward and placing the box in a convenient spot in the living room, Mrs. Granger straightened up and turned to look at Lin Yue and Hermione.

    "I thought you two were out having fun nearby, but instead, you¡¯re moving boxes?"

    "Because there was a box to move, and I should help," Lin Yue replied in a flat tone.

    When someone nearby is working, you should have some awareness and go help out voluntarily. This is an unwritten rule, and Lin Yue''s mind was firmly convinced of this.

    Hermione, beside her, wiped her sweat with a tissue from her pocket, gasping for breath as she spoke, "I saw Lin Yue moving the box by herself, so I went to help."

    After saying that, she took out a few more tissues from her pocket and gently turned to help Lin Yue wipe the sweat from her face and neck.

    Lin Yue, who originally wanted to go out and help, was momentarily halted by Hermione''s action of wiping her sweat, leaving her standing still in place.

    Mrs. Granger sighed helplessly, walked over, squatted down, and gently stroked Lin Yue''s hair, then pinched her daughter''s little face.

    "You two are good kids, especially Lin Yue."

    Hermione stuck out her tongue at this, putting away the tissue she had used to wipe her sweat, preparing to find a trash can to throw it away later.

    However, she had no objections to her mother''s words. If we¡¯re talking about good kids... she admitted that Lin Yue was indeed an absolutely good kid. In terms of being a good kid, she really couldn''t compare to Lin Yue.

    "But sometimes being too sensible can be heart-wrenching."

    Mrs. Granger affectionately took Lin Yue''s hand and gently massaged the muscles that had just stiffened from moving boxes.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    Hermione watched this scene with her brows twitching twice, not because her mother was massaging Lin Yue''s hands and not hers, but because...

    Lin Yue stiffened for a moment, turning to look at Hermione, who was also holding one of her hands and carefully massaging it.

    With both hands being held, she was now completely unable to go out and help.

    At that moment, Mr. Granger and the hired mover were coming in, each carrying two stacked boxes.

    As soon as he walked in, Mr. Granger saw Hermione and Mrs. Granger helping Lin Yue with her hands.

    Instinctively, he thought Lin Yue had hurt her hand and rushed over in a panic.

    "What happened? Did you hurt your hand? Quickly, I''ll take Lin Yue to the hospital."

    The mover behind him also hurried over, wanting to see if there was anything he could help with.

    Mrs. Granger quickly raised her hand to wave, "No, no, it''s just that Lin Yue and little Hermione just moved a big box in together, and Lin Yue even moved it by herself for a while. I was afraid her hand would cramp, so I was helping her massage it."

    "As for Hermione..." Mrs. Granger looked at her daughter and raised an eyebrow, probably realizing that she had unknowingly become a bit jealous.

    Even her own mother was feeling jealous she didn''t expect her daughter to be such a little jealous one.

    Hearing that Lin Yue wasn''t hurt, Mr. Granger finally breathed a sigh of relief, his gaze turning to the large box in the corner of the living room.

    "Oh, it''s this box! I was wondering why I couldn''t find it earlier. I clearly remembered putting it on the outside; I thought I had remembered it wrong."

    Then he suddenly realized and looked sharply at Lin Yue and Hermione, "This box is the heaviest among those boxes."

    Hermione is fine; at least she was lifting the box together with Lin Yue at the end. Before that, Lin Yue had been moving the boxes by herself, and her arms would definitely hurt tomorrow.

    Lin Yue calmly nodded at Mr. Granger''s words. She knew that the box was the heaviest among all the boxes; she could analyze that with just a glance at them.

    It was precisely because it was the heaviest that she wanted to move it. Shouldn''t heavy and hard work be taken on willingly? This is the most basic moral requirement.

    Seeing Mrs. Granger and Hermione let go of her hand, Lin Yue turned around, ready to go out and move boxes again.

    But now that everyone was here, how could they let her go out to move things?

    Mr. Granger smiled and waved to his daughter, "Hermione, take Lin Yue to play, or you can help your mom organize things."

    After saying that, he bent down to meet Lin Yue''s gaze, "With enough gentlemen around, it would be quite ungracious to let ladies or even children move things. I think we both consider ourselves gentlemen."

    As he spoke, Mr. Granger exchanged a glance with the mover, who puffed out his chest confidently and patted his own chest.

    "I''m a professional at this; you can trust me."

    "That''s right," Mrs. Granger chuckled, covering her mouth. Watching Hermione take Lin Yue''s hand, she placed her hands on the backs of the two girls and pushed them toward the living room. "So, you two can help me organize things."

    Sometimes, when you hire professionals, you need to respect their work. Offering a little help is polite, but excessive assistance might hinder their work and show a lack of trust in their professionalism.

    Lin Yue opened her mouth in vain but couldn''t say anything. This was completely different from the education she had experienced and the rules and knowledge in her mind.

    Pushed into the living room by Mrs. Granger, Lin Yue ultimately said nothing. She bent down to start unpacking boxes and quickly began organizing various household items.

    The villa had already been cleaned by the owner before they arrived. So Lin Yue and the others only needed to organize the household items and change the sheets on the beds.

    When Mrs. Granger saw Lin Yue''s skilled movements, which were even more fluent than her own, she was no longer surprised. It seemed like whatever was happening with this child had become a matter of course.

    She was like a truly ideal "good child," with self-awareness, understanding, and obedience ingrained in her bones.

    After moving all the boxes and settling the payment for the delivery guy, Mr. Granger also came to help organize things.

    With four people working together, and with Lin Yue, who could be considered professional, they finished organizing the household items and changing the sheets in less than forty minutes.

    Looking at the already tidied villa, Lin Yue stood dazed in place. Before the new reading list arrived, she had promised Hermione not to think about studying. So now, even in her mind, she shouldn''t be reciting or simulating anything. Having never actively relaxed before, she had no idea what she could do without someone guiding her. Fortunately, it was almost noon, and Lin Yue quickly ended her daze and walked towards the kitchen. It was nearly lunchtime, and she should go cook.

    Mrs. Granger walked over with a smile and gently pressed her hand on Lin Yue''s shoulder. "Lin Yue, why don''t you go with Hermione to have some snacks and take a stroll around the villa? From now on, you''ll be on your own in the villa, and you won''t get to eat my cooking anymore, so let me handle this meal. How does that sound?"

    Lin Yue glanced at Mrs. Granger with a deadpan expression and nodded indifferently, "Okay, thank you, Auntie."

    Turning around, Hermione had already prepared some snacks and stuffed a bag of chips into Lin Yue''s arms. She pulled Lin Yue along and eagerly headed towards the cold storage behind the villa.

    She had just seen it and was quite interested since she had never been to the cold storage before.

    "Hermione, don''t eat too many snacks; it will be time for dinner soon," Mrs. Granger called out from behind them.

    "Got it, Mom," Hermione replied, looking back.

    Then, linking her arm with Lin Yue''s, she opened the bag of chips in her arms and happily popped a piece into her mouth.

    Looking down at the snacks in her arms, Lin Yue was unsure if she should eat them. Snacks weren''t a necessity and eating them would take away from her study time, so she felt she shouldn''t eat snacks.

    Lin Yue''s brain was subconsciously thinking, while Hermione next to her clearly had no idea what she was pondering. Seeing that she hadn''t opened the bag of chips, Hermione directly reached out and stuffed a chip into her mouth.

    "This brand of chips is pretty good, you should try it," Hermione said with a smile after swallowing her own chip.

    Lin Yue nodded, slowly chewing the chip in her mouth before swallowing it.

    "How is it? Isn''t it quite tasty?" Hermione looked at her expectantly.

    "Mm." Lin Yue replied expressionlessly, it was a taste she had never tried before.

    "Then have another piece." Hermione happily laughed and handed another chip to Lin Yue''s mouth, not even letting her eat it herself. Hermione now found it more fun to feed her.

    Lin Yue looked at the chip being offered to her mouth, obediently opened her mouth, leaned forward, and ate the chip, which made Hermione''s smile widen even more.

    The two of them walked together to the cold storage. Hermione reached out and forcefully opened the cold storage door, then curiously walked inside.

    Lin Yue held the chips with her left hand and used her right hand to push the cold storage door all the way open to prevent it from closing automatically, then stepped into the cold storage.

    The moment she stepped into the cold storage, Lin Yue began timing in her mind; the temperature inside was very low. She and Hermione couldn''t stay too long, otherwise, the temperature difference between inside and outside was too great. Even if they didn''t get frostbitten, there would still be a risk of catching a cold.

    Walking over to Hermione, Lin Yue saw her bending down to carefully examine a half side of pork placed on the cold storage shelf.

    "This... is pork?" Hermione, who didn''t cook much and usually only used small pieces of beef, pointed uncertainly at the large pink packaged meat in front of her.

    "Mm." Lin Yue nodded without any change in her expression.

    "So big," Hermione clicked her tongue, "this can''t be fried in a pot, right? It needs to be cut first?"

    Lin Yue reached out to slightly lift the half side of pork to take a closer look. "It''s more suitable for braising; you can make braised ribs or braised pork."

    "Braising?" Hermione looked at Lin Yue in confusion.

    "Mm." Lin Yue nodded expressionlessly.

    "Is it an Eastern method of cooking?"

    "Yes."

    Hermione''s eyes instantly lit up. In the past few days, to cater to the Granger family''s taste, Lin Yue had only made Western food when cooking, and hadn''t used any Eastern methods. Now, hearing Lin Yue mention Eastern cooking, Hermione immediately thought of the Eastern dishes she had read about in books, feeling like she was about to drool.

    "Can you make it for me to try in a couple of days, Lin Yue? I can help you!" Under Hermione''s eager gaze, Lin Yue''s expression remained unchanged, but she nodded without hesitation, "Okay."

 Chapter 54: The beginning of vigilance.

    As Lin Yue kept counting down the seconds in her mind, the moment the time was up, she gently tapped Hermione, who was still curiously looking at the frozen goods.

    "Hermione, it''s time. We should go out now; if we don''t, the chances of catching a cold or hypothermia will increase."

    Hearing Lin Yue''s words, Hermione straightened up without any hesitation. "Okay, let''s go."

    After saying that, she followed Lin Yue out of the cold storage, and the two of them worked together to close and lock the large door of the cold storage.

    Rubbing her slightly chilly arms, Hermione curiously turned to Lin Yue. "How did you know that if we stayed longer, we might catch a cold or get hypothermia? Were you watching the time the whole time you were inside?"

    Lin Yue nodded calmly. "I was counting down the seconds; we can''t stay in the cold storage for too long."

    "Impressive, as expected of you." Hermione gave Lin Yue a thumbs up, then pulled her along to continue exploring the villa, feeding Lin Yue chips as they walked.

    However, she didn''t forget what her mother had told her earlier. After sharing a bag of chips with Lin Yue, Hermione stopped feeding her and didn''t eat any snacks herself.

    Without Hermione''s feeding, Lin Yue wouldn''t eat snacks at all, so the chips in her arms looked exactly the same when they left the living room.

    When they returned to the living room, she placed the chips on the table without opening the bag. Just then, she heard Mrs. Granger calling them for lunch.

    Hurrying to the kitchen, Lin Yue first grabbed a plate and cutlery, then walked out to set the table.

    Hermione followed behind her, placing two dishes on the dining table, while Mr. Granger brought over two bowls of onion soup.

    Once the table was completely set, Lin Yue stood quietly beside it, waiting until the Grangers were seated before she took her own seat.

    Having lived with Lin Yue for two weeks, the Grangers had already gotten used to her daily habits and etiquette.

    Therefore, they didn''t hold back and directly picked up their cutlery to start eating.

    Lin Yue wouldn''t eat until they started, so it was better for them to be a bit quicker.

    Seeing the Grangers begin their lunch, Lin Yue finally picked up her cutlery to serve herself a portion of steak. She originally intended to eat it all at once and then chew and swallow it.

    But looking at Hermione next to her, who was carefully cutting her steak and eating elegantly, and remembering her promise to Hermione to eat slowly in the future, she reconsidered.

    Lin Yue placed her eyes, as calm as still water, on the steak and slowly began to cut it into many equally sized small pieces with her knife and fork, then sent them one by one into her mouth.

    Sitting next to Lin Yue, Hermione caught sight of this scene and nodded in satisfaction, then lowered her head to continue eating her lunch.

    After lunch, the Granger couple was about to leave. Before they departed, Mrs. Granger leaned down and focused on her daughter.

    "You can have whatever drinks and snacks you want while you''re here for the holiday; consider it a way to relax. But remember to brush your teeth properly. Not just you, all of you kids need to pay attention to this, understand?"

    "Don''t worry, Mom, we will," Hermione replied obediently, nodding her head.

    Only then did Mrs. Granger feel satisfied. She straightened up, rubbed Hermione''s head, and affectionately pinched Lin Yue''s cheek.

    "Good girl, don¡¯t take everything upon yourself. Let Hermione do what she can."

    Hearing her mother¡¯s words, Hermione pouted. What was her mom talking about? She would definitely take the initiative to do things she could do; there was no need for Lin Yue to remind her.

    Besides, she couldn''t just let Lin Yue do all the work while she rested nearby.

    "Okay, thank you, Auntie. Be careful on the road," Lin Yue said mechanically, nodding at Mrs. Granger.

    Mr. Granger also said goodbye to the two girls, and the couple drove away.

    The villa''s gate slowly closed, leaving only Lin Yue and Hermione in the entire villa; the rest of Harry and the others wouldn''t arrive until tomorrow.

    Although there were many empty rooms in the villa, Hermione, who had slept with Lin Yue for two weeks, still wanted to sleep with her. There was no other reason; having Lin Yue beside her while sleeping was simply too satisfying.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    The feeling of being held was exceptionally good.

    Turning to look at Lin Yue with anticipation, Hermione lowered her voice and asked, "Lin Yue, will you still sleep with me?"

    Sleeping with Hermione meant being together all night, which made it easier to protect her. Lin Yue''s mind instinctively made this equation.

    Reaching a conclusion, Lin Yue nodded without hesitation, "Okay."

    Hermione''s face lit up with joy as she received Lin Yue''s affirmative response, and she pulled her upstairs. It was noon, and they could still take a good nap.

    Lying on the bed, Lin Yue looked calmly at Hermione, who was sleeping soundly with her arms around her. Lin Yue''s right hand was discreetly resting in her pants pocket, where her wand was kept.

    The first two weeks of summer vacation were about to pass, and the enforcement personnel might come knocking at any moment. She had to remain vigilant at all times.

    Throughout the entire nap, Lin Yue''s hand never left her wand, and her mind remained tense. She listened carefully to the sounds around her, her eyes occasionally darting between the door and the window.

    When Hermione woke up, the first thing she saw was Lin Yue, whose eyes were clear and expressionless.

    Rubbing her eyes sleepily, Hermione said in a lazy voice, "Lin Yue... didn''t you take a nap?"

    Lin Yue calmly stated the fact, "It''s not my sleeping time now; I won''t feel sleepy."

    "Alright... I understand," Hermione sighed helplessly and sat up to shake off her drowsiness.

    Lin Yue also sat up, got out of bed, and moved her limbs a bit. With a solemn expression, she turned to look at Hermione.

    Hermione covered her mouth and yawned, then got out of bed to wash her face. She glanced at the time; it was four in the afternoon.

    Her gaze slowly moved to the clock in the room. Seeing that it was four o''clock, Lin Yue didn''t say anything; the preparation time for dinner should be at five, and it wasn''t time yet.

    After watching television with Hermione for an hour, Lin Yue finally got up to prepare dinner in the kitchen. Hermione, being very cooperative, followed her into the kitchen to help.

    In the kitchen, the gas and knives posed certain dangers, so Lin Yue instinctively kept Hermione away from those, handing her a whisk and a few eggs instead.

    Hermione understood what she meant and smoothly began to crack the eggs. While beating the eggs, she watched Lin Yue cook. Lin Yue''s knife skills were excellent; before Hermione''s eyes could keep up, she had already finished chopping the vegetables. No matter how many times she watched, it was still shocking. Hermione clicked her tongue in her mind and asked the question she had always wanted to ask.

    "Lin Yue, you chop so fast, aren''t you afraid of cutting your hand?"

    She had also chopped vegetables under her mother''s supervision, but she was very slow. Even her mother, Mrs. Granger, wasn''t quick at chopping; after all, safety was the most important thing. Lin Yue''s hands moved without any pause, so fluidly that it was dazzling.

    "In the beginning, yes, but after doing it a lot, you get used to it."

    She spoke the most truth in a calm tone, and Hermione frowned deeply after hearing it. While beating the eggs, she leaned over to look at Lin Yue''s hands. Fortunately, there were no scars; it seemed that when Lin Yue had accidentally cut her hand before, the wound wasn''t very deep.

    Lin Yue, of course, noticed Hermione''s gaze, but her movements showed no signs of slowing down. Analyzing based on what Hermione had said earlier, Lin Yue easily guessed what she was looking at¡ªwhether she had scars on her hands. Thanks to the world consciousness that had regressed her physical age, she currently had no scars on her body. However, she did have quite a few scars on her original body, including knife scars from her early vegetable chopping practice and many frostbite marks on her hands and feet.

    Lin Yue thought about this without any feelings and placed the chopped vegetables into the pot. The two girls worked together to prepare a hearty dinner that was not excessive in quantity. After dinner, Lin Yue watched TV with Hermione for the whole evening, and it wasn''t until eleven o''clock that Hermione pulled her upstairs to sleep.

    Lying in bed, Lin Yue was embraced by Hermione. Listening to Hermione''s gradually steady breathing, Lin Yue knew clearly that she had fallen asleep. Her bright eyes blinked in the night; since she had changed into pajamas that had no pockets, she placed her wand under her pillow and tightly gripped it with her right hand.

    At midnight, Lin Yue slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep instantly, just like before. The difference this time was that her sleep only stayed in the lightest layer, ensuring that she could wake up at the slightest sound.

    In the middle of the night, Hermione murmured and turned over, causing Lin Yue to suddenly open her eyes. She quickly drew her wand from under the pillow, pointing it at the side Hermione had turned to, her face unchanged, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

    Five minutes later, when there was still no movement in the direction her wand was pointing, Lin Yue slowly lowered her wand, lay back down, and placed it back under her pillow, still tightly gripping it with her right hand.

    She woke up once every hour, and each time Hermione turned over, Lin Yue would sit up alertly. By six o''clock, she got up as usual, feeling a dull pain in her head.

    Standing up and shaking her head, Lin Yue put on her slippers and went downstairs to make breakfast. She quickly prepared breakfast and hurried back upstairs. After confirming that Hermione was still lying in bed, the tension in her mind eased slightly.

    At eight-thirty in the morning, Hermione sat up and rubbed her eyes. Lin Yue was sitting beside her, her right hand in her pants pocket, staring at her without blinking.

    If it were someone else staring at her like that upon waking up, Hermione would have definitely found a way to escape or resist. But with Lin Yue, Hermione simply opened her arms and gently hugged her waist, even instinctively rubbing against her.

    "You wake up so early every day; you should sleep in a little."

    Lin Yue looked down at Hermione, who was holding her waist, feeling nothing in her heart, just a slight increase in her heart rate. "I can''t be lazy, and I can''t indulge myself. Once I give in the first time, I won''t be able to resist wanting more."

    Hermione, holding Lin Yue''s waist, let out a helpless sigh. "Breakfast is ready, let''s get up and eat."

    Lin Yue''s voice was flat and emotionless. Hermione nodded and got up to head to the bathroom. Without any hesitation, Lin Yue followed Hermione to the bathroom door, lowered her head, and stood there, listening carefully to the sounds inside to ensure Hermione was safe.

    After washing up, Hermione came out of the bathroom, and they both went downstairs to have breakfast.

    After the two girls finished breakfast, they sat in the living room, watching TV and waiting for the other five people to arrive.

    At exactly nine o''clock in the morning, the sound of a doorbell rang throughout the villa; someone was ringing the doorbell at the entrance of the villa.

    Hermione stood up, ready to go to the gate to open the door, but Lin Yue stepped ahead of her.

    When they reached the gate, Lin Yue drew her wand with her right hand and pressed the button for the electric door with her left hand, causing the villa''s gate to slowly open.

    Standing outside were Harry and Ron. "Good morning!" ¡Á2

    The two boys smiled brightly and waved at Lin Yue and Hermione, but their smiles froze instantly when they saw the wand tightly gripped in Lin Yue''s hand.

    "What¡¯s... going on?" Harry hesitantly pointed at the wand in Lin Yue''s hand.

    It was forbidden to use magic during the holidays, right? And why was Lin Yue still holding her wand when she came to pick them up? Was she planning to teach them a lesson? They hadn''t arrived late; they got there at nine. Ron was also "brainstorming" like Harry. He even cautiously glanced at Hermione, who was blocked by Lin Yue, only to see her looking just as surprised at Lin Yue''s tightly held wand. Lin Yue confirmed that the visitors were indeed Harry and Ron, not any enforcement personnel, and put her wand back in her pocket, nodding indifferently.

    "Good morning, I wasn''t sure who was at the door, so just to be safe."

    To ensure safety? That was indeed reasonable, considering the villa was quite remote. The explanation convinced the three people present.

    After Harry and Ron walked through the gate, before it could close completely, a shout came from the sky, "Don''t close the door, Lin Yue, don''t close the door."

    Lin Yue quickly looked up at the sky. Although she was familiar with the voice, it could be artificially synthesized, so she needed to confirm it with her own eyes.

    Fortunately, upon confirmation, the person rapidly approaching on a flying broomstick was indeed her roommate, Senior Cho Chang.

    She pressed the button to control the electric door, allowing it to open again, while keeping her eyes fixed on Cho Chang to prevent any sudden attacks from behind her.

    Cho Chang''s flying skills were quite impressive; she swooped down and landed steadily on the ground.

    "Good morning, everyone," Cho Chang said with a warm smile, waving at the four people present.

    "Good morning, Senior Cho Chang," they all replied in unison.

    After welcoming Cho Chang inside, Lin Yue closed the electronic door again.

    Hermione stepped forward, curiously looking at the somewhat disheveled Cho Chang. "Senior Cho Chang, since you were already riding a flying broom, why didn''t you just fly in directly?"

    Cho Chang smiled and tidied her hair, which had been tousled by the wind, and explained to the younger student from the Muggle world, "Because in the magical world, landing directly on a flying broom in someone else''s home, just like Apparition into someone else''s house is considered impolite."

    "Oh, I see," Hermione nodded in understanding.

    Meanwhile, Lin Yue quietly observed their conversation, firmly committing these two etiquette rules, which she had previously been unaware of, to memory.

 Chapter 55: Gathering at the villa.

    Marietta and Penelope still didn''t know when they would arrive, so Lin Yue and Hermione took Harry and the others back to the villa first.

    Upon entering the villa, Harry, who had lived in the Muggle world for over a decade, was fine, but Ron and Cho Chang felt dazzled.

    There were all sorts of things they didn''t recognize placed around the villa, and what caught Ron''s attention the most was the black square object in the living room.

    "Uh, what is this? Is it the electric machine you mentioned, Harry?"

    Harry paused for a moment and patiently corrected him, "This is called a television, Ron. You can watch programs on it; it''s one of the entertainment options for Muggles."

    "Sounds interesting," Ron nodded in understanding.

    "Muggles really are full of wisdom," Cho Chang said, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. After speaking, she took a large box out of her backpack and handed it to Lin Yue.

    "This is a cake my mom made; she said to let you all try it."

    Seeing this, Ron quickly took out a similar box from his suitcase. "This is toffee my mom made; she said thank you for inviting us to the villa for the summer."

    Lin Yue and Hermione accepted the "gifts" from their friends. Hermione smiled gently and said thank you, while Lin Yue politely thanked them with a neutral expression.

    Cho Chang sighed and pinched Lin Yue''s cheek, "A whole summer has passed, and you''re still so expressionless."

    Lin Yue stood quietly in place, allowing Cho Chang to pinch her cheek, but her attention had never left the villa''s door. She was on high alert, mentally prepared for the possibility that the door could be forcibly broken open at any moment by several enforcement personnel.

    Before long, the doorbell at the entrance rang again. Lin Yue stepped forward towards the door, drawing her wand as she walked. Hermione followed her, ready to greet the guests, but she felt a bit puzzled by Lin Yue''s demeanor.

    Even if Lin Yue had to be on guard against whoever was ringing the doorbell, she didn''t need to act like this; it felt as if she was preparing for a life-and-death struggle.

    Shaking her head, Hermione dismissed this unrealistic thought and followed Lin Yue to the front door.

    Pressing the door''s opening switch, Lin Yue stood firmly in front of Hermione, her eyes fixed on the slowly opening door.

    Her wand was ready to be raised at any moment. Soon, the door opened, and Marietta, carrying a suitcase, waved at them, with a taxi pulling away behind her.

    "Good morning, Hermione, Lin Yue."

    "Good morning, Senior Marietta," the two replied in unison, nodding politely at her.

    As Marietta approached with her suitcase, she, being best friends with Cho Chang, playfully pinched Lin Yue''s cheek and nodded in satisfaction after doing so.

    "Not bad, you''ve gained some weight. You were too thin before."

    Lin Yue nodded expressionlessly, took Marietta''s suitcase, closed the door, and walked towards the villa.

    As she walked, her mind was racing with thoughts. Gaining weight meant she was eating more, and if this continued, she might end up eating even more in the future.

    Lin Yue didn''t care whether she was fat or thin, but gaining weight could lead to eating more, which might encroach on her study time. So, she decided she should eat less for a while to get her stomach and body back to their previous state.

    I can''t let my guard down, Lin Yue''s mind frantically reminded her; even the smallest details couldn''t be overlooked, as they could significantly impact her study efficiency.

    Similarly, Marietta brought gifts for Lin Yue and Hermione, but instead of cakes or candies, it was two small wooden carvings.

    "My mom works at the Ministry of Magic, and she got these from someone in the International Magical Cooperation Department. They''re wizarding products from Africa, said to bring good luck."

    Politely accepting the gifts and thanking her, Hermione silently sighed with relief.

    At last, it wasn''t cakes or candies. To Hermione, those two large boxes of cakes and candies were just glaringly excessive in sugar.

    One could only say she was indeed the daughter of a dentist.

    Marietta had just closed the large suitcase she brought with her when Cho Chang, who had chosen a room and organized her things upstairs, came down.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Seeing Cho Chang, Marietta''s eyes instantly lit up, and with a cheer, she rushed over.

    Watching Marietta leap towards her, Cho Chang''s pupils widened in surprise, and she quickly steadied herself to catch Marietta.

    "Cho Chang, long time no see~"

    Cho Chang was at a loss for words, reaching out to pull Marietta back, "What do you mean long time no see? It''s only been two weeks, and aren''t you afraid we might both fall to the ground with you jumping at me like that?"

    "Not at all," Marietta waved her hand dismissively, "I believe with your strength, catching me is no problem."

    Cho Chang''s mouth twitched slightly; well, at least she was complimenting her strength.

    Marietta took her suitcase upstairs to choose a room and put her luggage away, and just happened to run into Harry and Ron, who were about to come downstairs.

    After greeting each other, the three of them went about their own business.

    Meanwhile, Lin Yue was standing at the entrance of the villa, watching Penelope, who was carrying a backpack and a large suitcase.

    "Good morning, Senior Penelope," Lin Yue greeted politely with a nod, silently retracting her wand.

    "Good morning!" Penelope smiled, her eyes crinkling, and nodded at Hermione and Cho Chang behind her.

    She reached out to ruffle Lin Yue''s hair and praised her, "You have a good sense of safety, well done."

    "Thank you, Senior Penelope," Lin Yue replied mechanically, welcoming her inside, and the door slowly closed behind Penelope.

    After receiving the small pendant that Senior Penelope had given her again, Lin Yue put it away without wearing it directly. Various small accessories, dolls, and toys would distract her from studying; such things shouldn''t be on her body. Her gaze moved blankly to the window in the living room, where she could clearly see the situation in the yard.

    Lin Yue stepped forward, standing straight and still, her right hand poised and ready to draw her wand at any moment.

    Seeing Lin Yue staring blankly out the window, Harry and Ron exchanged puzzled glances but didn¡¯t disturb her, continuing their discussion about Quidditch instead. Perhaps she was thinking about some topic?

    The four girls¡ªHermione, Cho Chang, Marietta, and Penelope¡ªbegan organizing a "schedule" for everyone living in the villa.

    Tasks like cooking and cleaning needed to be arranged in advance; otherwise, Lin Yue would likely end up doing everything by herself.

    Understanding this well, Hermione explained the details to the other three girls and started making a list.

    ¡°Harry, can you cook?¡± Hermione asked as she walked over to him with the list.

    Harry, who was chatting with Ron, looked up and nodded, ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± Hermione wrote on the list, ¡°You and Ron will be a team. When it¡¯s your turn, you¡¯ll cook, and he¡¯ll handle the cleaning.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Harry and Ron replied in unison.

    By the time Hermione finished listing everyone¡¯s schedule, Lin Yue was still standing motionless in front of the window, her gaze fixed outside.

    Since Hermione had mentioned that after arriving at the villa, they could only think about studying after the owl delivered the book list and they had bought the books, Lin Yue¡¯s mind was not on studying at all. Instead, she was repeatedly simulating all possible intrusion routes for the execution personnel and constantly thinking about how to effectively counter and block them.

    ¡°Lin Yue, why don¡¯t you sit down for a bit? You¡¯ve been standing for over half an hour,¡± Hermione said, stepping forward and gently patting Lin Yue¡¯s shoulder.

    She had indeed been standing still for more than half an hour. Wouldn¡¯t that get tiring?

    Lin Yue turned her head, her face showing no expression, "Okay."

    After saying that, she stiffly turned around and walked to the sofa without any stumbling, her gaze still fixed on the window outside.

    Cho Chang, who had been sitting on the sofa studying the TV remote, moved to sit beside her.

    "Do you want to go out and play?"

    Lin Yue shook her head indifferently, "I''m just being vigilant to see if anyone breaks in."

    Cho Chang was taken aback for a moment and looked towards the yard outside. She had specifically checked when she arrived on her flying broom.

    This villa was surrounded by a ring of trees, with only a not very wide road leading to it; the rest were just small paths.

    Who would go to such trouble to come here to do something like an attack? That would be a thankless task, wouldn''t it?

    But doubts aside, it was good that her junior had a sense of vigilance.

    Just like Penelope did, Cho Chang reached out and ruffled Lin Yue''s hair, "Having a sense of vigilance is good, but you might not need to be so tense."

    Hermione sat down next to Lin Yue and nodded in agreement, "That''s right, this villa is equipped with an alarm system. As long as it''s not a wizard, anyone sneaking in will definitely trigger the alarm."

    "But there shouldn''t be any wizards sneaking into such a remote villa, right?"

    As Hermione said this, she shrugged her shoulders and gently wrapped her arm around Lin Yue, "Do you want to watch a cartoon? How about Tom and Jerry? Or Thomas?"

    Only after hearing Hermione''s words did Lin Yue finally pull her gaze back from the window, shaking her head with a neutral expression, "I''m fine with anything."

    This time was supposed to be study time, but Hermione said she should take a break. Cartoons that had no educational value should have been absolutely prohibited, but Hermione said she could watch them.

    Lin Yue''s mind was blankly contemplating as she watched Hermione turn on the TV and switch to the channel playing Tom and Jerry. This comedic animation is truly suitable for all ages; even adults can enjoy it thoroughly, not to mention that those present were mostly children.

    Even the oldest, Penelope, was deeply captivated by the humor of the animation, and the six children watching it together wore bright smiles. The living room was filled with laughter and joy, while Lin Yue sat calmly between Hermione and Cho Chang, listening to their laughter nearby.

    Looking at Marietta, Penelope, Harry, and Ron, who were all laughing heartily, she felt a warmth in her chest and a sharp pain in her head. However, amidst this pain, her mind experienced an unprecedented sense of relaxation and comfort. Unfortunately, before she could savor this feeling, a sudden intense pain surged in her mind, shattering the faint sensations she had.

    After watching nearly an hour of Tom and Jerry, the corners of the mouths of the six children, except for Lin Yue, had not dropped even once. After finishing, Marietta reached out to rub her face, which had become a bit stiff from laughing, and said, "Muggles'' ideas are truly admirable. This TV is amazing, and the programs are so interesting!"

    Penelope, who was also rubbing her stomach and still smiling, added, "Yeah, it''s funny that many people in the wizarding world think they are foolish."

    "Those people are the ones truly a very limited outlook." Cho Chang shook her head, wishing only to obtain magic, without realizing that Muggles had already forged a path that, while different from magic, was equally impressive.

    "I¡¯m a bit interested in taking Muggle Studies as an elective in the future," Ron said, looking at Harry. After being exposed to these Muggle products, he developed a strong interest in them.

    Penelope, who had already been in third grade and had attended a semester of Muggle Studies, opened her mouth with a complex expression. "I think... it might be better if you let Harry teach you."

    Everyone present turned to look at her in unison, and Penelope shrugged, "I didn¡¯t mean to say that the professor is bad, but the Muggle Studies course at Hogwarts is too outdated. They probably haven¡¯t updated the textbooks in nearly a century; in their textbooks, Muggles are still wearing armor and hacking at each other."

    "Merlin''s armor hacking!" Hermione exclaimed in disbelief, and Harry widened his eyes in surprise beside her.

    "Wearing armor and hacking at each other," Lin Yue quickly made a judgment upon hearing the keywords, "The wizarding world¡¯s understanding of Muggles is still stuck in the Middle Ages."

    "Then Ron, it¡¯s indeed better to ask me or Hermione about this course," Harry sincerely looked at Ron, noting that the wizarding world¡¯s understanding of Muggles was quite lacking.

    "Alright," Ron nodded, abandoning his plan to take Muggle Studies.

    Not just him, nearly everyone present had given up on the idea of taking this course. Only Lin Yue''s thoughts remained firm; as a school, there must be a reason and significance behind the arrangement of Muggle Studies at Hogwarts.

    There are no courses in school that lack meaning or usefulness. If one has such thoughts, it can only prove that they are not studying adequately or simply not taking it seriously. Therefore, she should still attend this course, or rather, she should take all her courses seriously. No course should be underestimated, and no one should be given up. This is the most basic requirement of being a student.

    Lin Yue''s mind was firmly set as she thought about it; after watching nearly an hour of animation, lunchtime was approaching.

    She stood up and instinctively walked towards the kitchen, and Hermione quickly got up to follow her. The others exchanged glances but did not get up.

    According to the "schedule," today it was Lin Yue and Hermione''s turn to cook and clean. Besides, they were guests after all, and it was their first day here, so it wouldn''t be right to rush in and take over the chores.

    However, after this... the three more observant girls¡ª Cho Chang, Marietta, and Penelope¡ªexchanged glances.

    As for Hermione, that was one thing, but they would definitely take over some of Lin Yue''s tasks. That girl needed to relax, and the more relaxation she could get, the better.

 Chapter 56: Terrifying strength.

    Walking into the kitchen, Lin Yue reached into the nearby sink and with a strong pull of her right hand, she lifted out a large piece of pork rib.

    When Hermione entered the kitchen and saw this scene, her head tilted back slightly; she hadn¡¯t felt it before when it was still frozen. Now that it thawed, the sheer size of this piece of rib was truly impressive.

    Looking up at the knives hanging above, Lin Yue paused her movements for a moment. There was no cleaver, and after surveying all the knives, she concluded. At the same time, she analyzed the tools and summarized that none of them were suitable for chopping the ribs.

    Lowering her gaze to the large piece of rib on the cutting board, Lin Yue reached out and grabbed both ends of one rib. Hermione blinked, looking at Lin Yue''s actions with confusion. Wasn''t she supposed to chop the ribs into smaller pieces? What was she doing?

    Crack... crack. Accompanied by the faint sound of bones breaking, Hermione''s eyes gradually widened. No way, it couldn''t be what she was thinking, could it? That would be a bit too unbelievable.

    However, the next moment, what Hermione was thinking happened. With a clear snap, the rib in Lin Yue''s hand broke into two sections. Reaching for a knife above, Lin Yue easily cut through the flesh still connecting the two pieces of rib, completely separating them into two segments.

    Hermione swallowed hard, her gaze unconsciously shifting to Lin Yue''s slender, long hands. Lin Yue''s strength... is it really that great?

    Looking at her in person, one would never guess, especially since she is quite thin. So, what does she usually do to have such strong hand strength and upper body power?

    As Hermione pondered this question, she couldn''t help but associate it with the behavior of Lin Yue''s that she had previously discovered and prohibited.

    Her hand strength... it couldn''t have been developed during that time, could it?

    Thinking of this possibility, Hermione felt a wave of suffocation wash over her, and her eyes began to heat up as her heart raced wildly.

    Unaware of the turmoil in Hermione''s heart, Lin Yue calmly placed her hands on both ends of the next rib.

    With a sudden exertion of strength, her slight muscles bulged on the back of her hands, but the power should not be underestimated.

    Another crisp sound echoed as the ribs broke apart once more.

    Cutting through the flesh, another rib was transformed into two sections, and she continued this process until all the ribs were in two pieces before placing them into the pot.

    Although these ribs were significantly larger than the ones used before, it would be fine as long as they were stewed a little longer.

    After adjusting the sauce and pouring it in, along with adding scallions and ginger, Lin Yue covered the pot.

    Hermione raised her hand to rub her cheek, calming her emotions before stepping forward.

    "Lin Yue, are you stewing the ribs to eat later?"

    Lin Yue was busy placing the next dish''s ingredients on the cutting board. Upon hearing Hermione''s voice, she turned to look at her, but her chopping motion did not pause at all; she just continued.

    "No, the ribs need to stew for a while to taste better, so we¡¯ll eat them tonight."

    Hermione only felt Lin Yue''s words ringing in her ears, but she didn''t quite catch what Lin Yue had specifically said. All her attention was focused on the fact that Lin Yue was cutting vegetables while turning back to talk to her.

    "Turn your head back!" Hermione exclaimed in horror, waving her hands frantically at Lin Yue, signaling her to turn back and focus on cutting.

    She thought Lin Yue wouldn''t start cutting vegetables so quickly, which was why she had asked her. Who would have thought that Lin Yue would continue cutting so soon, and even while talking to her?

    Lin Yue nodded and calmly turned back, looking at her hands as she cut the vegetables. She certainly didn''t think there was anything wrong with talking while cutting; she often recited her textbooks in her mind while cooking, multitasking was quite normal for her. Moreover, since Hermione was talking to her, wasn''t she supposed to turn back to look at her while responding? Otherwise, that would be rude.

    Seeing Lin Yue turn back to cut the vegetables, Hermione finally breathed a sigh of relief and stepped forward to help Lin Yue washes the rice and do some preparation work, just like usual. Throughout the cooking process, Hermione didn''t dare to say another word to Lin Yue, fearing that if she spoke, Lin Yue might turn her head again and get distracted from what she was doing.

    There weren''t any particularly complicated dishes being made, and once the rice was ready, Lin Yue brought the dishes to the dining table. Hermione swallowed hard at the aroma of the food; she had never had Eastern cuisine before, and it looked very appetizing, just as the delicious food described in the books.Stolen novel; please report.

    "Time to eat," Lin Yue called out to the living room, and the five people who were chatting quickly got up, eagerly heading towards the dining table. They could hardly wait; they had already caught a whiff of the delicious food!

    The seven kids sat down at the dining table, and at that moment, the oldest among them was Penelope. Therefore, Lin Yue sat next to Hermione, her hands resting quietly on her lap as she silently watched Penelope.

    Ron, who had already started eating eagerly, elbowed Harry, who was also enjoying his food, and asked, "Why isn''t Lin Yue eating?"

    Harry swallowed the food in his mouth, looked at Lin Yue, and shook his head, "I don''t know, maybe she''s not hungry?"

    Sitting next to Lin Yue, Hermione knew where the problem lay. She sighed helplessly and glanced at Penelope, who was busy arranging the tablecloth.

    Among the kids, Penelope was the oldest, and Lin Yue was probably waiting for her to eat first before she started.

    Feeling Hermione''s gaze, Penelope looked up at her, "What''s up?"

    Hermione shrugged and shook her head, "Nothing."

    It was a good habit for senior Penelope to tidy up her tablecloth before eating; she couldn''t just tell her to hurry up and eat instead of organizing.

    Anyway, it wouldn''t take Penelope long to arrange the tablecloth, so Lin Yue could wait a bit longer.

    Thinking this, Hermione, like Lin Yue, quietly waited.

    Across from them, Cho Chang and Marietta naturally noticed this and slowed down their eating a little.

    After exchanging glances, they decided to ask Hermione about the situation when Lin Yue wasn''t around.

    After Penelope finished arranging the tablecloth, she began to eat at a leisurely pace, elegance and detail coming naturally to her.

    Watching her use the knife and fork, Lin Yue finally reached for her own utensils, slowing down to start eating.

    Lin Yue''s slow eating speed surprised everyone present except Hermione.

    Merlin''s lunch, Lin Yue was actually eating slowly?!

    Ron looked at this scene in disbelief and even muttered to Harry beside him, "Dude, pinch me, I''m not dreaming, right?"

    Harry glanced at his best friend beside him with some excitement and fulfilled his request.

    "Ouch..." Ron grimaced and covered his arm, glaring at Harry, "Wow, you really know how to apply pressure."

    Harry cleared his throat awkwardly, turned his face away, and buried his head in his food, but a sly smile of triumph lingered at the corner of his mouth.

    In contrast to the cheerful interaction between the two boys, the three girls who regarded Lin Yue as a younger sister were filled with satisfaction. Lin Yue could finally slow down and eat, which would no longer affect her health.

    Everyone was content after lunch. Just as Lin Yue was about to wash the dishes, Hermione quickly took all the utensils away.

    "You did most of the cooking for lunch, so let me handle the dishes," she said.

    "You should take a nap. If you don¡¯t want to sleep, then watch some TV."

    After giving Lin Yue her instructions, Hermione turned her gaze to Harry and Ron, narrowing her eyes slightly.

    "You two can sleep until one-thirty, and then get up to do your homework. Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know; you haven¡¯t touched your homework at all!"

    Indeed, they hadn¡¯t done any homework at all. They had only been playing for the past two weeks. Harry and Ron stiffened simultaneously.

    After obediently responding, they both went upstairs for a nap. Every minute of extra sleep counted, but they would have to come down to do their homework afterward.

    The remaining three Ravenclaw girls watched the two younger boys'' "dejected" figures and covered their mouths, laughing.

    Their homework had long been planned out; they wrote a portion each day, allowing them to both play and study, and they could finish it before the last two weeks of summer vacation.

    In the remaining two weeks, they could still review while playing, balancing work and resting perfectly.

    However, the three girls'' gazes shifted in unison to Lin Yue, who was sitting motionless on the couch, watching TV. They guessed that Lin Yue had probably finished her homework long ago.

    Sitting on the sofa, Lin Yue watched the animated show still playing on the TV, but her focus was still on the yard outside the living room window.

    She was not only listening to any sounds from the yard gate but also keeping an ear out for any helicopters passing overhead.

    To ensure the destruction process went smoothly, the execution personnel sometimes combined ground and aerial operations.

    Thus, both the sky and the ground were points of concern; Lin Yue firmly believed in her mind.

    Cho Chang, Marietta, and Penelope did not take a nap but instead followed their own plan to go upstairs and complete their homework for the day.

    After finishing the dishes, Hermione saw that Lin Yue hadn¡¯t gone upstairs, so she walked over to the sofa and sat down next to her.

    Naturally, she reached out and pulled Lin Yue to lean on her shoulder, softly asking, "Don¡¯t you want to take a nap?"

    "I don¡¯t want to; it¡¯s not my sleeping time," Lin Yue replied in a flat tone.

    "Then let¡¯s watch TV," Hermione said, brushing her hair and keeping her company.

    As the clock struck one-thirty in the afternoon, Hermione looked down at Lin Yue and said, "I¡¯ll be right back."

    With that, she got up and went upstairs. Lin Yue mechanically turned her head to watch Hermione¡¯s figure go up the stairs.

    She quickly analyzed in her mind that Hermione was going to wake Harry and Ron up to do their homework.

    Retracting her gaze, Lin Yue continued to watch TV with a blank expression, still fixated on the same meaningless animated show.

    But why did she no longer feel the same excitement she had when she secretly watched cartoons in the mall? There was no sense of confusion at all.

    Lin Yue was just pondering a neutral question, but what was she feeling at that moment? After thinking carefully, her head started to ache again, and without reaching a conclusion, she decided not to think about it anymore.

    Just then, Hermione came back down and gently pulled her into an embrace. The two of them sat together for a while before Cho Chang and the others gradually came down. The amount of holiday homework assigned by the professors at Hogwarts wasn''t too much, even Professor Snape was the same. The holidays were meant for students to relax, so leaving a reasonable amount of homework was enough to ensure they wouldn''t forget everything they had learned.

    If too much homework was assigned, they might just give up and not complete it seriously. So it was better to assign less, allowing students to spread out their work, writing a little each day to finish it, leaving them time to play. This way, they might even write more seriously.

    For Cho Chang and the others, who were good at managing their time, an hour and a half of homework each day was actually sufficient. After greeting each other on the sofa, they started watching cartoons together with Lin Yue, and it was only after more than an hour that Hermione stood up to go upstairs. When she came back down, Harry and Ron were following her.

    "From now on, we need to stick to this schedule every day. At least an hour and a half of homework, finish it on time, and don¡¯t expect me to let you copy it at the end. Lin Yue won¡¯t let you either," Hermione said, crossing her arms and looking back at the two. Harry and Ron hurriedly nodded in agreement. An hour and a half of homework was manageable, and they still had plenty of time to relax. They better not provoke Hermione; they would need her for their future exam reviews.

    When dinner time came, the large pot of ribs that Lin Yue had stewed finally made it to the table. After stewing for the entire afternoon, the moment the lid was lifted, the aroma filled the entire dining room and living room. Everyone present couldn''t help but swallow, and even Penelope, who was arranging the tablecloth, moved a bit faster.

    Once Penelope took a large piece of rib with her hand, Hermione eagerly followed Lin Yue and grabbed a big piece as well. Taking a bite, the rich broth filled her mouth, and Hermione squinted her eyes in happiness. Lin Yue took a bite of the rib beside her, chewed, swallowed, and then turned to Hermione, speaking in a calm voice.

    "I''m sorry, Hermione. I didn''t pay attention when I took the ribs last night. This particular rib is better suited for stewing rather than braising, so I made stewed ribs. Next time, I¡¯ll definitely make braised ones."

    Hermione, who was eating, paused for a moment upon hearing Lin Yue''s words. After realizing what she said, she quickly swallowed the meat in her mouth. "Lin Yue, you don¡¯t need to apologize," she said, wanting to reach out to pat Lin Yue''s head, but seeing the grease on her hands, she silently put her hand down. "You¡¯re the one who worked hard to cook, so of course, we¡¯ll eat whatever you make. We definitely don¡¯t have the right to be picky."

    Hermione smiled brightly, and the others at the dining table nodded in agreement. Lin Yue stiffly nodded her head, but her mind paused for a moment.

    Shouldn''t she be punished for not making the dishes that others wanted to eat? After all, she had let down their expectations.

    But Hermione said it was okay, and added that she was the one cooking, so everyone should eat whatever she made without being picky.

    As she lowered her head and bit into a piece of meat from the rib, a scene from her memory gradually surfaced in her mind.

 Chapter 57: The dish that was made incorrectly.

    "Trash! Stupid pig!" A pair of chopsticks was violently thrown at the girl''s face. Five seconds later, she expressionlessly lifted her head, her vacant gaze directed at the man who had thrown the chopsticks¡ªher father.

    "What did I ask you to do?" The man glared at the girl as if she had committed an unforgivable act.

    "Tomato scrambled eggs," the girl replied calmly.

    "And what did you make?" The man slammed his hand on the table.

    "Chives scrambled eggs."

    The girl''s mind raced with analysis. There were no tomatoes left at home, her parents hadn''t bought any in time, and she had no money to buy them.

    But dinner still needed to be eaten on time; not doing so could affect her health.

    After considering everything, she chose to make chives scrambled eggs, which was the least damaging option.

    The man''s chest heaved rapidly, like an angry bull. "Since you wanted to make chives scrambled eggs, you must like eating them too."

    The girl looked at him indifferently and replied in a flat tone, "I have no preferences."

    "Hmph," the man scoffed, pointing at the chives scrambled eggs and the large bowl of rice that had barely been touched. "Since you like it, finish it all. Remember, you must finish it all."

    After saying this, the man stood up and left with his wife. A few days ago, they had received a bonus for their daughter''s year-end exams, and they could afford to treat themselves without worrying about money.

    The sound of the door slamming echoed as the girl sat down at the table, mechanically pulling the bowl of rice in front of her, along with the plate of chives scrambled eggs.

    She swallowed mouthfuls of food mixed with saliva quickly; she had already consumed a good portion of the rice and a whole plate of chives scrambled eggs.

    "Cough cough cough, ugh..." With a blank expression, she turned her head to the side as too much food surged up her throat.

    This is my punishment; I can''t stop midway. This is to make me remember my mistake; I must not fail to do it.

    Lifting her head, the girl continued to shovel rice into her mouth, ignoring the other dishes on the table that were not part of the punishment.

    The tasteless white rice was swallowed bite after bite, the feeling of choking, the sensation of food rising, and the bloating pain in her stomach.

    After swallowing another mouthful of rice, she finally couldn''t hold it in anymore and turned her head to cough violently, expelling everything she had eaten.

    "Cough cough cough cough cough..." Even as she coughed loudly, there was not a trace of pain on the girl''s face.

    Before the coughing fit had ended, she lifted her head again, picked up the chopsticks, and faced the half bowl of rice once more.

    The stomach that had just heaved from expelling food quickly welcomed new food again. Under this new stimulation, she barely managed to take two bites before she vomited again.

    After struggling for a good while, the girl finally finished the entire bowl of "food."

    Breathing heavily, drenched in sweat, her gaze shifted to the mess on the floor beside her.

    Her father''s punishment had been to finish the bowl of rice and chives scrambled eggs, but... she still hadn''t finished.

    "Lin Yue! Lin Yue! What are you doing? Stop eating!"

    In a daze, Lin Yue snapped out of her memories and stared blankly ahead.

    Harry and Ron, two stronger boys, were each holding one of her hands to prevent her from reaching for the ribs in the pot. Hermione was also hugging her waist, trying to keep her seated and prevent her from moving.

    Cho Chang, Marietta, and senior Penelope had moved the pot of ribs far away, looking at her with concern.

    A wave of pain surged in her stomach, and Lin Yue looked down to find a pile of rib bones had mysteriously appeared beside her hands.

    "Merlin''s hungry belly! Even if you''re hungry, you can''t eat like this!"

    Seeing Lin Yue regain her senses and stop struggling, Harry finally relaxed and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Merlin knew how strong Lin Yue had been just now; the two boys could barely hold her down with one hand each. Hermione had to put almost her entire weight on Lin Yue just to keep her in the chair.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    Ron, panting, released his grip and nodded in agreement, "You... it didn''t even feel like you were eating; it felt like you were trying to stuff yourself to death!"

    Lin Yue withdrew her hands, and only then did she realize her arms were sore from the excessive effort just now.

    The three girls cautiously approached and placed the pot back on the dining table, always on alert. If Lin Yue showed any intention of reaching out again, they would immediately take the pot away, determined not to leave that pot of ribs for her.

    The only one left was Hermione, who still tightly held onto Lin Yue, unwilling to let go as if still in shock.

    In just a short while, they had barely chatted for less than five minutes, and Lin Yue had already eaten more than half of the large pot of ribs.

    Her father, Mr. Granger, a strong adult male, couldn''t eat that much!

    In less than five minutes, when Hermione looked at Lin Yue again, it was clear she was on the verge of throwing up, yet she was still frantically stuffing ribs into her mouth.

    A chilling scene unfolded. Without a moment''s hesitation, she reached out and snatched the ribs from Lin Yue''s hands, firmly holding down her hands that were still trying to grab the ribs.

    Seeing that Lin Yue wanted to get up again, Hermione immediately hugged her tightly. Cho Chang and Marietta worked together to lift the pot away from the dining table. Lin Yue''s appearance, as if she were about to burst, was truly frightening; even Harry and the others felt a bit shaken.

    Not to mention Hermione, who was still holding onto Lin Yue tightly and refusing to let go.

    "Hermione..." Lin Yue''s voice was hoarse from eating too quickly and too much, and she couldn''t speak loudly for fear of the ribs she had stuffed in her throat coming back up. So her call was small and hoarse, "Hermione, I''m sorry for causing you trouble."

    Lin Yue felt no particular emotion; she simply felt that her earlier actions had troubled Hermione and the others, so she apologized directly.

    Hermione shook her head while holding Lin Yue, saying nothing, but her grip tightened even more.

    Looking at the indifferent Hermione holding her, Lin Yue felt nothing, yet her heart was warming up.

    Cho Chang took a deep breath, walked over to Lin Yue and Hermione, squatted down, and gently patted Hermione''s back.

    "Hermione, Hermione, Lin Yue isn''t eating anymore; it''s okay now. Can you let her go? If you keep holding her so tightly, your arms will get tired too."

    Hermione didn''t respond to Cho Chang''s words, shaking her fluffy head vigorously, her arms tightening around Lin Yue, clearly indicating that no one could make her let go.

    Cho Chang opened his mouth awkwardly, but it was Marietta who suddenly understood and stepped forward to gently say, "Hermione, Lin Yue was already full; if you keep holding her so tightly, she will feel uncomfortable and might even throw up. How about you let go first..."

    Before she could finish the words "let go," Hermione suddenly released Lin Yue, looking up at her with tear-filled eyes.

    "Did I... did I hold you too tightly and make you uncomfortable?"

    Lin Yue shook her head, her expression unchanged, "No."

    "Then you... you won''t eat anymore, right?" Hermione sniffed, her arms trembling slightly from having held on too tightly.

    However, she was still prepared to hold Lin Yue tightly again if she showed any sign of wanting to eat more. No matter what, she couldn''t let Lin Yue eat anymore; if she did, it would be bad for her!

    Hermione screamed in terror, and Harry and Ron, who were "buried in their work," looked up to see her in shock. Lin Yue turned her head to glance at the half-full pot of ribs; she hadn''t finished eating yet... According to the previous punishment standards, she hadn''t properly punished herself.

    She might forget the mistake, no, the previous punishment was sufficient, and she hadn''t remembered the error. This time, she still hadn''t made the dish Hermione wanted to eat, but had replaced it with something else... So perhaps she should intensify her punishment.

    Lin Yue''s silence made the six children present tense up simultaneously, each one "itching to move," ready to act again at any moment.

    "No! You can''t eat anymore!" To everyone''s surprise, Hermione, who had just been tearfully sniffling, suddenly shouted fiercely. She took a couple of deep breaths to suppress her anger and tried to look at Lin Yue gently.

    "You¡¯re not eating; you¡¯re torturing yourself."

    When it came to torturing oneself, Hermione froze, her expression gradually paling as she thought of something. "Are you... torturing, punishing yourself?"

    Lin Yue mechanically nodded and naturally replied, "Yes."

    "Why?! Just because you said you would make me braised ribs, but instead you made stew?"

    Hermione gritted her teeth, looking at Lin Yue in disbelief. She couldn''t believe that such a small matter could lead Lin Yue to almost make herself sick. If there had been a bit more ribs, would she have ended up making herself sick to death?

    Lin Yue nodded again in silence, looking at Hermione as she answered her question, "Yes, I made a mistake; I didn''t make the dish you were looking forward to."

    "I already said I wasn''t blaming you, right?" Hermione wiped her eyes and looked at Lin Yue, her red eyes filled with self-reproach and heartache.

    It was all her fault; if she had been clearer and more precise at that time... maybe, just maybe, Lin Yue wouldn''t have done this.

    "I made a mistake, and I should be punished; I need to remember the error."

    Lin Yue spoke in a flat tone, accepting punishment for her mistakes, which she believed was only natural.

    "Meilin..." Ron murmured to himself, thinking that his mother had been strict enough with them.

    But now... Lin Yue was even stricter with herself than his mother was with them.

    Even Harry began to think... maybe his days at the Dursleys weren''t so bad after all?

    "Punishing yourself again?!" Penelope raised her voice sharply, unable to control herself. The Ravenclaw prefect, known for her friendliness, was visibly upset.

    Beside her, Cho Chang and Marietta immediately caught on, "What do you mean, punishing yourself again?"

    "When has Lin Yue ever punished herself before?"

    Both of them were Lin Yue''s roommates, and she punished herself, yet they had never noticed anything?

    Looking at Lin Yue''s abdomen, which was clearly distended, the two older girls were filled with guilt.

    Upon hearing the question, Penelope was momentarily taken aback. She bit her lip, instinctively reluctant to mention what she had seen before¡ªLin Yue had slapped her own face until it was red and swollen due to her potion class grades.

    Lin Yue was a girl just like them... how sensitive a girl''s pride can be, even among her closest classmates.

    If others found out about this, Lin Yue would feel uncomfortable and embarrassed.

    More importantly... if everyone looked at her with pity because they felt sorry for her, how uncomfortable would that be for her?

    Noticing that Penelope didn''t want to speak up, Cho and Marietta kindly refrained from asking more questions.

    At least now they knew about Lin Yue punishing herself, and they could pay more attention to her in the dormitory in the future.

    They couldn''t let Lin Yue have the opportunity to punish herself anymore.

    The situation finally calmed down, but no one felt like continuing to eat.

    Hermione cupped Lin Yue''s face in her hands and looked at her seriously, "Let''s just forget about this. Don''t, don''t punish yourself in any way. You don''t need to be punished, okay?"

    Not needing to be punished for making a mistake? Although Lin Yue felt that Hermione''s statement contradicted the rules in her mind, a voice deep within her still made her nod.

    "Okay, I understand."

    Hermione finally relaxed and smiled, and Lin Yue also stood up, reaching for the utensils to take them to the kitchen to wash.

    Beside them, Cho Chang and Marietta quickly moved to grab the utensils before Lin Yue could, taking them into their own hands.

    ¡°Lin Yue, you must be a bit full, right? Why don¡¯t you and Hermione go for a walk?¡± Cho Chang said gently, holding a plate and bowl with a soft smile.

    Marietta also nodded in agreement while holding a knife and fork, and she shot a glance at Hermione, ¡°Yes, yes, while it¡¯s still light out, you two should go for a stroll, and let Harry and Ron accompany you.¡±

    Harry and Ron immediately understood and walked up to Lin Yue and Hermione, ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go, let¡¯s take a walk together.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a good chance to get familiar with the area.¡±

    Lin Yue looked at them, her gaze calm, but her movements stiff as she turned to Hermione.

    Go for a walk? But she hadn¡¯t finished her tasks yet; she shouldn¡¯t be able to go out.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s take a walk together.¡± Hermione gently wrapped her arm around Lin Yue¡¯s shoulder, her touch soft yet firm, leading her forward.

    Penelope nodded at Cho Chang and Marietta and followed along, walking behind Harry and Ron. She was the oldest here.

    The younger students were going out for a walk, and she wouldn¡¯t feel at ease if she didn¡¯t go with them, so she decided to join.

    Cho Chang and Marietta watched Lin Yue stare blankly for two seconds before she agreed to Hermione¡¯s suggestion to go out, and only then did they feel relieved, taking the utensils into the kitchen to wash the dishes.

    The situation finally calmed down, but no one felt like continuing to eat.

    Hermione cupped Lin Yue¡¯s face with both hands and looked at her seriously, ¡°Let¡¯s just let this go. Don¡¯t, don¡¯t punish yourself in any way. You don¡¯t need to be punished, okay?¡±

    Not needing to be punished for making a mistake? Although Lin Yue felt that Hermione¡¯s statement contradicted the rules in her mind, a voice deep within her still prompted her to nod.

    ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±

 Chapter 58: Mysterious "Intruder"

    Walking along the path in the woods outside the villa, with Hermione holding her arm, Lin Yue instinctively observed her surroundings, her free right-hand tense and ready. She prepared to respond to any potential emergencies, her gaze sweeping across the area around the path.

    Lin Yue automatically analyzed the situation of the path; the surrounding branches showed signs of having been cut not long ago, just as the villa owner had said. He had specifically helped clear this path, and there were also noticeable snake repellent substances near the grass on the ground.

    Penelope, as the senior, walked in front, while Harry and Ron brought up the rear. They unconsciously left the safest position in the middle for Hermione and Lin Yue. Even though they vaguely understood that the strongest among them was actually Lin Yue.

    Walking slowly through the woods, Lin Yue found it hard to move quickly because she had just eaten too much; she could only inch forward step by step. Hermione held her arm to support her, and Harry, Ron, and Penelope were not in a hurry, leisurely walking along.

    Lin Yue quietly glanced at Penelope, who was deliberately slowing down in front, then looked back at Harry and Ron, who could only walk slowly. She spoke in a flat tone, "Hermione, you guys can go ahead. I''ll follow behind you."

    She didn''t want to be a burden to others; Hermione and the others could walk ahead, and she would do her best to keep up. They shouldn''t have to accommodate her.

    Hermione tightened her grip on Lin Yue''s arm and shook her head. "What nonsense are you saying? We came out to take a walk together; how could we leave you behind while we go ahead?"

    "That''s right," Penelope said, turning around and casually walking backward, even reaching out to ruffle Lin Yue''s hair. "It''s nice to walk slowly; it won''t tire you out, and you can enjoy the scenery here."

    "It''s also good for your health," Hermione added from the side. Although both her parents were dentists, she knew that vigorous exercise right after eating wasn''t good for the stomach¡ªsuch a small piece of medical knowledge.

    Hermione knew, while Harry and Ron behind them hadn¡¯t said a word at all. The two boys spotted a rather strange bug on the ground by the roadside and were curiously watching it together.

    Penelope and Hermione exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of helplessness in each other''s eyes.

    Sigh... boys, they have a unique way of enjoying things.

    However, since they were walking slowly, there was no need to stop and wait for Harry and the others, so they continued on.

    Sure enough, after a couple of minutes, Harry and Ron caught up after they had seen enough.

    Walking briskly along the forest path, Lin Yue suddenly found herself recalling a scene she had seen before in the Mirror of Erised.

    She and Hermione were walking together in the mountains... that scene seemed very similar to the one now.

    She discreetly turned to glance at Hermione, and after confirming that the two scenes were indeed quite alike, Lin Yue withdrew her gaze, feeling no stirrings in her heart.

    The summer spent together by the seven children was undoubtedly joyful, and a summer where they lived together without any adults around was even more joyful!

    After gathering together, the seven of them had been living in the villa for nearly a week, and everyone had already gotten used to life in the villa.

    They spent a short amount of time each day doing homework, and the rest of the time was spent snacking and watching TV.

    When it was their turn, they would clean up a bit and cook a meal.

    It¡¯s worth mentioning that none of the seven kids were clueless about housework; everyone had good self-care abilities.

    This made Harry unable to help but roast his cousin Dudley, who still lived like a "baby" and couldn¡¯t do anything, even more in front of everyone.

    Ron¡¯s comment was blunt, ¡°What kind of high expectations can you have for a pig?¡±

    Harry strongly agreed with this; indeed, for a pig, as long as it can eat and drink, that''s enough. The three girls'' comments were somewhat more gentle; they merely expressed that Dudley was being spoiled to this extent now. If there is no change in the future, when he grows up, he will have plenty of hardships to face. Lin Yue quietly listened from the side and did not express any opinions, according to Harry''s words. She was somewhat puzzled as to why Dudley had not been eliminated up to this point. However, in the next moment, she came to a conclusion: yes, it must be Dudley''s parents; Harry''s uncle and aunt are part of the elite class, so Dudley could be exempt from participating in this "system." Speaking of this system, Lin Yue turned her head and looked calmly out the window. The executioners still had not arrived; there was no sign of them either on the ground or in the sky. This third week was almost coming to an end, and they still hadn''t come? As her mind raced, Lin Yue quickly organized the most likely answer. This year, the students'' resistance was quite intense, so the executioners encountered some obstacles during the elimination process, causing delays. Of course, there was also another possibility, the most ideal one.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Everyone in Hermione''s group passed their exams, and none of the seven of them needed to be eliminated, so of course, there were no executioners coming to their door.

    However, the tranquility of life in the villa was soon disrupted.

    On Saturday morning, as Lin Yue had just gotten up and finished breakfast, she turned to see Harry, who looked exhausted. The dark circles under his eyes were unusually heavy, and she glanced at the time. It was six-thirty in the morning, and apart from her and Harry, everyone else was still asleep.

    Under normal circumstances, even Harry shouldn''t have been up at this time. After all, even when it was their turn to prepare meals, he and Ron would usually wait until eight in the morning to get up. One reason was that it was too early to wake up, and the other was that if they got up too early and made breakfast, it would be cold by the time everyone else got up to eat, facing cold fried eggs and cold bacon. That taste... but Lin Yue didn''t have such concerns.

    Considering that she woke up early, she usually made porridge in the morning, leaving it in the pot to be just right when everyone else got up.

    Standing up and walking in front of Harry, Lin Yue confirmed that his complexion and mental state clearly indicated he hadn''t slept well.

    "Good morning, Harry."

    "Hmm? Ha..." Harry, hearing her voice, glanced at Lin Yue beside him and covered his mouth to yawn.

    "Good morning, Lin Yue."

    "You didn''t sleep well last night." Lin Yue stated the fact expressionlessly.

    "Yeah." Harry''s expression changed slightly, and he nodded in acknowledgment.

    Seeing Harry''s expression, Lin Yue instinctively analyzed that something must have happened. She scanned Harry from head to toe but found no signs of injury or wounds. If it wasn''t the executioners, then it was probably just that Harry had a nightmare, Lin Yue concluded in her mind.

    She then walked into the kitchen and served Harry a bowl of steaming shrimp porridge.

    As Lin Yue came out of the kitchen holding a bowl of shrimp porridge, Harry quickly stepped forward to take it and politely thanked her.

    "Thank you."

    "You''re welcome." Lin Yue replied in a flat tone, then mechanically returned to sit on the sofa.

    Harry, who originally wanted to tell Lin Yue about the special situation from last night, silently closed his mouth. He decided to wait until Hermione and the others woke up to tell them, trying not to add any "burden" to Lin Yue.

    After finishing the shrimp porridge, Harry laid his head on the dining table, and after a night of poor sleep, he dozed off.

    While Lin Yue was staring out at the yard, she suddenly heard a faint, steady snoring. Turning her head, she saw Harry sleeping soundly with his head on the dining table.

    Standing up, Lin Yue picked up a small blanket from the sofa and draped it over Harry.

    Sleeping in clothes without any cover could easily lead to a cold, Lin Yue thought calmly, while pulling the blanket tighter around Harry.

    After doing all this, Lin Yue slowly walked back to the sofa, sat down again, and stared unblinkingly at the ground and sky outside the window.

    Around seven-thirty, Hermione, feeling refreshed after a good sleep, walked down the stairs. While looking for Lin Yue, she inevitably noticed Harry, who was soundly asleep on the dining table.

    Pausing for a moment, Hermione walked over and gently tapped Lin Yue on the shoulder.

    Lin Yue had already heard Hermione''s footsteps and calmly looked up at her.

    "Good morning, Hermione."

    "Good morning." Hermione smiled gently and responded softly.

    She pointed towards the dining table and quietly asked, "What''s wrong with Harry? Why is he sleeping here?"

    Lin Yue was taken aback for a moment, shook her head, and replied in a flat tone, "I don''t know, but based on his complexion and mental state, he probably didn''t sleep well last night."

    "He admitted that himself."

    "Oh." Hermione nodded in understanding. So he''s catching up on sleep, but why come downstairs to do it instead of sleeping upstairs?

    After pondering for a moment without finding an answer, Hermione decisively gave up on further contemplation and walked into the kitchen with Lin Yue, gratefully accepting a bowl of shrimp porridge that Lin Yue had served.

    Taking a sip of the shrimp porridge, Hermione squinted her eyes in delight; the aroma of rice and the sweetness of the shrimp blended perfectly together.

    As expected of Lin Yue, her cooking skills are truly amazing.

    It wasn''t until 9:30 in the morning that Harry slowly woke up to the faint sounds of conversation around him.

    Lin Yue, who was sitting at the dining table holding hands with Hermione, instinctively turned her gaze towards Harry and spoke without any tone.

    "Harry is awake."

    As soon as Lin Yue finished speaking, Hermione, who had been playing with her hands, Cho Chang, Marietta, who was writing a letter home, and Ron, who was eating chips, all turned their attention to Harry.

    "Hey, mate, you''re awake?" Ron stepped forward and patted Harry on the back.

    Harry, just waking up, put on his glasses and felt a wave of discomfort upon seeing the bag of chips in Ron''s hand.

    "Ron Weasley, don¡¯t pat me with your greasy chip hands!"

    Ron shrank his neck, chuckled sheepishly, and withdrew his hand, cautiously glancing at Harry.

    Even though he had just woken up, Harry was surprisingly alert.

    Noticing Ron''s gaze, Harry rolled his eyes without hesitation; he knew his friend well enough.

    As soon as Ron Weasley opened his mouth, Harry could guess what he was going to say.

    "What happened to you last night? Lin Yue said you didn¡¯t sleep well?"

    Hermione looked at Harry with concern, and the other three girls also stopped their conversations and writing, focusing their attention on him.

    Harry grimaced, "Don¡¯t mention it, in the middle of the night... a, um, strange creature suddenly barged into my room?"

    "I don¡¯t know what it is, so I can only call it that."

    A strange creature? And it barged in? Hermione and the other girls were momentarily stunned, their expressions filled with confusion and seriousness as they looked at Harry.

    Lin Yue''s pupils constricted sharply, and a painful sensation gripped her heart like a vice.

    Barged in, enforcers? Lin Yue''s mind automatically made that connection.

    Forcibly breaking into a student¡¯s home equals enforcers, which equals taking Harry away to be eliminated.

    "What kind of creature?" Before Lin Yue could think further, Hermione asked Harry with a serious expression.

    After all, this was a remote villa, and it was normal for animals to intrude, but if it was a dangerous animal, that would be a problem.

    Seeing Hermione''s expression, Harry realized she might have misunderstood, and quickly raised his hand to gesture.

    "It¡¯s not a dangerous creature; it can talk and communicate with me. It should be some kind of magical creature, with a big nose, not small ears, very pointy, and it feels a bit... neurotic?"

    Merlin knows how much effort he put in last night to calm that little guy down so it wouldn¡¯t shout and disturb Lin Yue and the others'' sleep.

    Hearing Harry''s description, the girls, including Lin Yue, blurted out a term in unison, "House-elf."

    "What?" Harry exclaimed in surprise, "House-elf? What kind of creature is that?"

    In response to Harry''s question, Hermione instinctively provided an explanation, describing what a house-elf is.

    Meanwhile, Lin Yue listened to Hermione''s explanation, her mind racing with thoughts.

    In the original world without magic, enforcers were just ordinary people equipped with firearms to ensure the smooth execution of eliminations.

    In this world with magic, Hogwarts is a magical school, and one could deduce that enforcers might also possess magical abilities.

    There are also people from the magical world, and this house-elf could very well be sent to check if they were prepared to resist.

    Or more directly, it could be sent to capture Harry.

    Lin Yue made her judgment, but the ensuing conversation between Ron and Harry instantly confused her thoughts.

    "So what did the house-elf want from you?" Ron looked at Harry in confusion.

    Harry sighed helplessly and summarized the house-elf''s message, "It told me not to go to Hogwarts because it would be dangerous."

    "But how could I not go to Hogwarts? That¡¯s my home!"

    Harry shook his head, a bit agitated. He could never not return to Hogwarts; it was the home he recognized.

    Hearing Harry''s words, Lin Yue''s mind came to a sudden halt, her previous thoughts instantly disrupted and restructured.

 Chapter 59: Incompetence Lockhart

    The house-elf is very likely not sent by the enforcers. Its purpose is to warn Harry that Hogwarts is in danger and that he should not return to school. It is not to inform him that his grades do not meet the standards and that he needs to be eliminated, so he doesn''t have to go back to school. According to her memory of the enforcers, they have a powerful armed force backing them. Therefore, they usually disdain deceit and manipulation; at most, they gather intelligence on whether the other party will resist and how they might resist. Then they would directly storm in to capture people, and any student attempting to resist would be futile. Their powerful armed force makes them unafraid of any student or even parental resistance. So the house-elf that Harry mentioned could not have been sent by the enforcers.

    ¡°House-elf,¡± Penelope frowned, looking at Harry and pondering before speaking, ¡°generally only very old and wealthy wizarding families own them. Did you offend any classmates with such a background at school?¡±

    Almost without hesitation, Harry, Ron, and Hermione simultaneously blurted out, ¡°Malfoy!¡± ¡Á3

    Ron nodded angrily, "It must be Malfoy; he wants to stop Harry from going to school."

    Hermione fell silent, deep in thought, then looked up and shook her head, "We can''t be so sure; after all, we can''t dismiss the possibility that the house-elf is telling the truth."

    "Then Harry can''t really not go to Hogwarts," Ron shrugged.

    "That''s definitely not possible," Hermione nodded.

    Autumn smiled gently at the three younger students and spoke to comfort them.

    "Don''t worry too much; there¡¯s still Professor Dumbledore and all the professors at the school. Harry will definitely be able to continue his studies."

    "But you all need to be careful this school year," Marietta chimed in, having heard about the trio''s adventures with Lin Yue at the end of the last school year.

    "Night wandering, adventures, try to avoid them as much as possible."

    The three of them exchanged awkward glances and nodded.

    Lin Yue listened to the conversation among the other six, her mind racing.

    The house-elf warned Harry of danger, not the professors, which suggests that this danger is likely known only to the house-elf, while the professors and Dumbledore are unaware.

    However, when it comes to matters concerning Hogwarts, the professors and Dumbledore should know better.

    So, the only explanation for this situation is that the danger comes from the outside, or in other words, the source of the danger is external.

    And this external source has deep contact with the house-elf, which is why it learned of this information.

    Based on the house-elf''s living environment and related information, the most likely external source is its master''s home.

    Hogwarts'' books mention that house-elves cannot reveal their master''s secrets.

    Thus, the house-elf only said that Hogwarts is in danger and advised Harry not to return, without mentioning what the danger is or where it comes from, which makes sense.

    So, in summary, Lin Yue concluded that the master''s household is preparing to do something.

    What they are planning to do will lead to danger at Hogwarts, and the house-elf, upon learning of the situation, came to warn Harry.

    But why the house-elf chose to side with Harry instead of its master, Lin Yue couldn''t deduce without further information.

    She could only analyze and summarize based on the information she had, staring blankly at the six people present.

    Everyone had already started talking about other topics, and just like before, no one asked her anything, so she felt no need to speak up.

    Speaking up with her own insights when no one has asked could easily be seen as showing off knowledge, which could be off-putting and is quite impolite.

    Seeing everyone chatting, Lin Yue quietly made her way to the kitchen; it was almost lunchtime, and she should start preparing the meal.

    When Hermione saw Lin Yue walking towards the kitchen, she quickly followed her in, and Cho Chang and Marietta also moved in unison into the kitchen. The three of them worked together, and Lin Yue, who was originally Hermione''s partner and the main cook, had now become a helper. Moreover, she was the one with the least amount of work to do, smoothly finishing her tasks. When Lin Yue turned around again, the remaining tasks had already been taken over by Hermione and the others. With nothing much to do, Lin Yue could only take a couple of steps back and quietly stand at the kitchen door. She stared blankly at Hermione, Cho Chang, and Marietta, who were busy working, waiting to help if needed.

    However, before she could watch for long, Penelope, who had been waiting for a while, came over and gently placed her hand on Lin Yue''s shoulder. "Lin Yue, don''t just stand here, let''s go watch some TV? How about it?" Lin Yue turned her head stiffly to look at Penelope, then glanced at the three busy people in the kitchen. She slowly shook her head, "I''ll wait and see if they need help."

    "They don''t need help."

    "We''re enough with the three of us."

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    "Yeah, Lin Yue, you should take a break."

    Hermione and the others turned their heads in agreement, and Lin Yue futilely opened her mouth to say something, but in the end, she just nodded and followed Penelope to the living room. The three girls exchanged smiles, successfully getting Lin Yue to take a break.

    When they arrived in the living room, Harry and Ron had already set up the cartoon channel for Lin Yue. They had even opened the snacks for her. As soon as Lin Yue sat down on the sofa, Harry handed her a bag of opened cookies. "Thank you," Lin Yue said expressionlessly, and then mechanically started putting the cookies into her mouth, showing no sign of joy, pleasure, or relaxation that one usually has while eating snacks.

    Not long after watching the cartoon, a few hoots from an owl could be heard outside the window.

    Lin Yue quickly turned her head to look, no longer stiff and mechanical as before, and her right hand swiftly reached for the wand in her robe pocket.

    Harry and Ron shivered at her instinctive reaction, while Penelope, sitting next to her, turned her head as well, unaware of the scene. Instead, she smiled and exclaimed loudly upon seeing the owl outside, "The school''s owl has arrived; it must be here to deliver the book list."

    The three girls in the kitchen heard her words and temporarily set aside their tasks, running out of the kitchen.

    Since it was from the school, Lin Yue stood up and led the way to the window. The school would also cooperate with the executioners, although she felt that Hogwarts was very different from her previous school.

    But it was better to be cautious; she reached out to open the window, her sharp eyes watching the owls flying in. After confirming that they were indeed carrying nothing but letters, she calmly withdrew her gaze and extended her hand toward the owl in front of her.

    The owl landed on the windowsill and carefully placed the letter it was holding into her hand. It even gently nudged her fingers with its beak, as if to comfort her and encourage her to relax.

    "Thank you." Although it was an owl, the deeply ingrained etiquette in her mind compelled Lin Yue to sincerely express her gratitude.

    As she opened the letter, it was indeed the book list that Senior Penelope had mentioned.

    Unfolding the list, Lin Yue scanned it from top to bottom, noticing that more than half of the long list was made up of books written by someone named Gilderoy Lockhart.

    Upon closer inspection of the titles, Lin Yue categorized them as novels and biographies. However, the list indicated that they were textbooks for the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, which instinctively elevated their importance in her mind.

    "Merlin''s book list..." Ron let out a wail as he looked at the list in his hand.

    "Another one by Gilderoy Lockhart." He covered his face with his hand, lamenting in pain.

    "What''s wrong with this person?" Hermione, who had been in the Muggle world, looked at Ron in confusion. She thought that someone who could write so many books and have them selected as textbooks must be quite impressive. She even felt a hint of admiration for him just a moment ago.

    "Uh." Harry felt a bit awkward; during his time at the Weasley house, he had helped clean up a Gnome, so he knew that Mrs. Weasley greatly admired Gilderoy Lockhart. She even wanted to read his books to learn from the methods he described.

    "My mom really admires him," Ron said weakly, "but a lot of the stuff in his books is really useless."

    "Like cleaning Gnome; the methods he provided are just... super terrible."

    Harry nodded vigorously in agreement. He had previously tried the method for clearing out Gnome that Gilderoy Lockhart suggested out of curiosity. The result was that it was still faster to just throw them out by hand.

    "That can''t be true," Hermione frowned fiercely. "If his book is really useless, how could it be chosen as a textbook for Hogwarts?"

    Penelope sighed helplessly and shook her head. "But this is the textbook for Defense Against the Dark Arts."

    "As we all know," Cho added from the side, "the professor for this class changes every year, and the quality varies greatly, not to mention the textbooks."

    "You can understand this just by looking at last year''s Professor Quirrell," Marietta shrugged. "And at least he had some ability."

    "Yeah, now the textbook is Gilderoy Lockhart''s book. I''m just afraid that the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor will also be him. That would really mean bringing in a complete fool, a big fool."

    Penelope frowned deeply, criticizing Gilderoy Lockhart without mercy. The usually gentle senior said such harsh words, which left the Gryffindor trio momentarily stunned.

    Cho clicked her tongue and disdainfully placed the book list on the table. "It''s not that we''re badmouthing him; it''s just that this person''s reputation is so terrible even in Ravenclaw families."

    "Exactly," Marietta nodded in agreement. "My mom calls him the least Ravenclaw-like Ravenclaw student."

    "He has had no ability since school, only knows how to brag. He should have learned the Levitation Charm in first year, but he didn''t manage to succeed until second year."

    Penelope spoke of Lockhart''s "glorious deeds" with a face full of disdain. After hearing this, Hermione also glanced at her book list with a hint of disdain, feeling that the admiration and respect she had just begun to develop were completely misplaced. It would have been better to feed it to a dog. She shifted her gaze from the book list to Lin Yue, who was standing still with an unchanged expression, carefully studying the list. Hermione had no doubt that in just this short time, Lin Yue had memorized the entire list from start to finish.

    Indeed, Lin Yue was impressive; just look at how she was able to use the Levitation Charm to confront Voldemort in her first year. Then there was Lockhart, who only learned the Levitation Charm in his second year... Just as Penelope had said, she hoped this guy wouldn¡¯t be the one teaching them Defense Against the Dark Arts.

    As Lin Yue listened to Hermione and the others talk, her mind quickly made judgments. No book is without value; if you think a book is completely useless, it just means you haven''t read it seriously. Therefore, Lockhart''s books must be useful. Lin Yue put away the book list, just as she had diligently read every book in the Hogwarts library. She would also read Lockhart''s books seriously; even if she didn¡¯t learn any magic, she could still learn good phrases and various writing techniques.

    As for the possibility of him becoming a professor, Lin Yue quickly thought in her mind. That would mean he should at least have enough ability in some area; teachers do not make mistakes. There is always something students can learn from their teachers. If he really became a professor, then she would need to pay attention in class and learn from him.

    At that moment, Lin Yue still didn¡¯t realize that she could indeed learn something from Professor Lockhart. It just wouldn¡¯t be about magic, but rather about how to perform theatrics, how to boast, and how to craft a good story.

    The seven young witches and wizards who received the book list, except for Lin Yue and Harry, wrote letters home to inform their families that the list had arrived. That evening, everyone received replies. Autumn, Marietta, Hermione, and Penelope''s parents sent them enough money to buy the books. Mrs. Weasley, Ron''s mother, gently inquired when they would like to go to Diagon Alley to buy books, as Ginny would also be starting at Hogwarts this year. Therefore, they needed to go to Diagon Alley in advance and could go together.

    In reality, Mrs. Weasley was somewhat worried about the seven children going to Diagon Alley by themselves, even though the area was generally safe. But what if something happened? So, the gentle and meticulous Mrs. Weasley wanted to take the children along. After all, they had many kids, so taking a few more wouldn¡¯t be a problem; it would be lively with more children. The others had no objections, and Hermione even said that if her parents had time, they would come along to accompany everyone.

    Listening to Ron and Hermione, Lin Yue couldn¡¯t help but think of her own parents. Did they worry about their child? Was it the same feeling she had experienced before, where her heart felt tight and her mind was heavy? They probably hadn¡¯t, she thought, with no fluctuations in her heart, but suddenly, a gentle flow of magic coursed through her body from the watch on her wrist.

    "You are also a child who is cared for, a child who is loved." This voice abruptly appeared in Lin Yue''s mind.

 Chapter 60: A trip to Diagon Alley, the Disdainful Goblins

    The sudden sound caused Lin Yue''s mind to pause for a moment as she looked down at the watch on her left wrist. She had just clearly felt that the warm current was emanating from the watch and spreading throughout her body. Similarly, the voice she had just heard in her mind should have been transmitted by the watch.

    Previously, she had speculated when she saw the little badger and little eagle on the edge of the watch. The only ones capable of doing this, hiding themselves inside the watch, should be two of the legendary four founders: Helga Hufflepuff and Rowena Ravenclaw. So, was it Lady Ravenclaw or Lady Hufflepuff who spoke just now?

    After thinking for a while and confirming that it should be one of them, she raised her head again. It was just a voice, and she had never heard Lady Hufflepuff or Lady Ravenclaw speak. Therefore, she couldn''t distinguish which of the two had spoken just now. But regardless of who it was, were they expressing concern or affection for her?

    Lin Yue thought about it without any particular feeling and concluded that it should be so, after which she stopped thinking about the matter. As for Lady Ravenclaw, who had just spoken, she had only instinctively responded upon suddenly sensing Lin Yue''s situation while she was in a deep sleep. After giving her response, she fell back into slumber.

    At that moment, she was comfortably sleeping with her wings spread out on top of the little badger beneath her, who was also soundly asleep with his eyes closed.

    After a unanimous discussion, it was decided that the day to go to Diagon Alley to buy books would be the following Saturday. This way, both the Weasley couple and the Granger couple would have time to go together. On the day they were to go to Diagon Alley, Lin Yue got up early and took out a sufficient amount of Galleons from her bag, which could continuously produce Galleons. After having breakfast made by Harry, the seven children prepared to set off.

    Because the villa rented by Lin Yue is a Muggle residence, it is against the rules to connect to the Floo Network. Similarly, they cannot ride broomsticks, partly because they do not have enough broomsticks, and even if they did, flying seven people on broomsticks through a Muggle residential area would pose too great a risk of exposure.

    After careful consideration, Penelope, the oldest among the seven children, made a difficult decision. She led everyone to the path by the villa''s entrance, took a deep breath, and raised her wand in front of her.

    Ron, Cho Chang, and Marietta immediately understood what she intended to do upon seeing her actions, and their faces turned pale.

    Knight Bus, the term popped into Lin Yue''s mind automatically; she had seen it in a book before. Raising her wand by the roadside was the way to summon the Knight Bus. It was said to be able to take wizards anywhere, as long as it was on the ground.

    Bang! With a loud noise, a very peculiar-looking triple-decker bus stopped in front of the seven of them. Lin Yue instinctively sized up the Knight Bus, continuously analyzing various data in her mind.

    In the end, it was easy to conclude that this vehicle absolutely did not conform to any common sense in the Muggle world. Similarly, Lin Yue''s gaze shifted to the direction from which the Knight Bus had come; the path there was much narrower than the Knight Bus. However, the Knight Bus still arrived smoothly. Indeed, how could a magical vehicle be hindered by the width of the road?

    Having studied at Hogwarts for a year, she surprisingly hadn''t thought of this. She had naively assumed that by choosing such a location, no large armored vehicles would be able to enter. Yet she forgot about the means of the magical world. Fortunately, Hermione and the others had all scored in the top two-thirds and successfully passed the execution time. If any of them had made a mistake on the exam, they might have had to face large armored vehicles.

    Naively, carelessly... Lin Yue followed Hermione onto the bus, blankly handed a gold Galleon to the conductor, and then took the change he offered. She was certain in her mind that she should be punished.

    Moreover, the potential negative consequences of this naivety and carelessness could be particularly severe, concerning the safety of Hermione and the others. She not only deserved to be punished, but she also deserved a heavy punishment.

    Screech... A harsh grinding sound erupted, and the Knight Bus shot out like an arrow. Lin Yue''s self-criticism was interrupted. Hermione quickly reached out her left hand to link arms with her, while her right hand tightly grasped the post of the bed they were sitting on. The beds that everyone was sitting on were being moved around continuously within the bus.

    Ron, sitting next to Harry, looked pale and seemed like he was about to throw up. On the other hand, Penelope, who had more experience, managed to stay somewhat calm and composed, trying to speak steadily to the ticket collector about their destination to Diagon Alley. After finishing her conversation with the ticket collector, Penelope turned to Lin Yue and the others, feeling a bit embarrassed as she scratched her cheek.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    "The Knight Bus... it is indeed a bit uncomfortable to ride, but it is fast and convenient, and it''s the best option we have," she explained. Cho Chang and Marietta nodded in understanding, each holding onto the bedpost. Ron, however, was too weak to even react; he was dizzy from the Knight Bus ride. Harry was beside him, trying hard to encourage him not to throw up.

    Hermione tightened her grip on Lin Yue''s arm and eventually pulled her into an embrace. Hermione''s face also showed some color loss, but she still managed to smile at Penelope. "It''s quite nice, a novel experience," she said. Penelope awkwardly laughed a couple of times; to be honest, if wizards in the wizarding world had any other travel options, they wouldn''t choose the Knight Bus.

    Lin Yue, nestled in Hermione''s arms, felt the strong push from behind and the constant jostling of their position. She also felt a desire in her stomach to heave up the food. Swallowing hard, Lin Yue took a deep breath and managed to suppress that "desire." Having been punished before for "overeating," she was quite skilled at stifling the feeling of nausea.

    It must be said that although the Knight Bus was uncomfortable to sit on, it was very fast. Cuddled in Hermione''s embrace, Lin Yue kept her eyes fixed on the front windshield of the Knight Bus. No matter how congested the road was, the Knight Bus could squeeze through. Even parked cars, roadside telephone poles, and houses would make way for it. Therefore, the driver drove recklessly, showing no awareness of speed limits. The only time he would slow down was when someone crossed the street or at traffic lights.

    Perhaps it was because making people "automatically" yield might get noticed? Lin Yue speculated in her mind. After the two passengers in front reached their destination, the Knight Bus suddenly came to a halt¡ªit was Diagon Alley. The seven children, all looking as pale as paper, helped each other as they got off the bus. As soon as Ron got off, he ran to a nearby tree pit and began to throw up, while Harry patted his back hard, trying to keep as far away as possible.

    Penelope, Cho Chang, and Marietta were supporting each other, panting heavily. Lin Yue''s face was also somewhat pale, but her expression remained unchanged. There were no signs of heavy breathing or nausea; she could even support Hermione in return. Imitating Cho Chang''s gesture of patting Marietta''s back, she slowly helped Hermione breathe easier.

    "Are you... not feeling unwell?" Hermione asked, pressing her hand against her chest to suppress the nauseous feeling, looking up at Lin Yue, who showed no reaction apart from her pale face. Lin Yue shook her head expressionlessly, her tone indifferent, "This nauseous feeling is too weak; I won''t throw up."

    Hermione instinctively felt something was off about this statement, but in her discomfort, she couldn''t think too deeply. The seven children had barely rested for five minutes when the Weasley family emerged from the Leaky Cauldron, having just spotted Lin Yue and the others outside. At the same time, the Granger couple arrived, having just gotten out of their private car.

    "Oh my God," Mrs. Granger exclaimed, seeing Hermione, who was pale and on the verge of vomiting, supported by Lin Yue. She quickly stepped forward to hand Hermione a mint, not forgetting to give one to Lin Yue as well. "What happened?"

    Hermione unwrapped the mint and put it in her mouth; the cool flavor instantly rushed into her nasal cavity and reached her brain, significantly alleviating her nausea. "Merlin... finally feeling better," Hermione sighed.

    Lin Yue spoke truthfully, "We came here on the Knight Bus; it drove too recklessly." All seven children received mints distributed by Mrs. Granger, while Mrs. Weasley handed each of them a freshly cleaned one.

    They were outside the Leaky Cauldron, where there were concealment and Muggle-repelling charms, so there was no need to worry about being seen. Fred and George, standing behind the Weasley couple, approached their younger brother with a mischievous intent.

    "Oh! The Knight Bus," Fred began in a sing-song manner. "Remember when little Ron rode it for the first time?" George added, winking at Fred. "He cried!" ¡Á2 "What a pity," Fred shook his head. "This time he didn''t cry," George nodded in agreement.

    Ron, feeling a bit better, shot them a fierce glare. Once everyone had recovered, they politely greeted the two sets of parents present. Then they all walked into the Leaky Cauldron, entering Diagon Alley.

    Even as they walked into Diagon Alley, Mrs. Weasley was still thanking Lin Yue, "Thank you so much for inviting Ron; I hope he didn''t cause you any trouble."

    Ron was standing next to them, his face nearly as red as his hair.

    Lin Yue calmly shook her head, showing no change in her expression, "No, Ron hasn''t caused me any trouble."

    Mrs. Weasley affectionately patted Lin Yue''s head, while Mr. Weasley eagerly asked the Grangers about the Muggle world.

    The Grangers were also inquiring about the wizarding world, such as the Knight Bus that had made the seven children so flustered just moments ago.

    After hearing Mr. Weasley talk about the Knight Bus, the Grangers exchanged glances, both thinking that perhaps Muggles were better at driving.

    Walking ahead of them, Hermione, who was linked with Lin Yue, expressed that she felt the same way.

    The first stop in Diagon Alley was, of course, Gringotts, as Harry and the Weasley family needed to withdraw some money.

    Hermione also needed to exchange the money her parents had given her for Galleons.

    Lin Yue quietly stood beside Hermione, watching her exchange pounds for Galleons with the goblin teller.

    Cho Chang, Marietta, and Penelope stood nearby, curiously observing the pounds Hermione took out.

    "Is this the currency of the Muggle world?" Marietta tiptoed to get a better look at the banknotes in Hermione''s hand.

    "Yes," Mrs. Granger replied gently from the side, reaching into her wallet to pull out several different denominations of banknotes to hand to Cho Chang and the others.

    The three of them took the banknotes and examined them curiously, with Penelope nodding thoughtfully.

    "This is indeed convenient; at least it''s lighter than Galleons."

    After looking at the banknotes, they handed them back to Mrs. Granger, who waved her hand dismissively.

    "Later, the four of us adults will go to that pub outside for a drink, so you can keep this money to explore a bit on your own. Consider it an auntie treating you to ice cream, how about that?"

    Madam Granger said so, and Cho Chang and the others couldn''t refuse. They could only politely thank her and then take the banknotes to find the goblin teller, experiencing the feeling of exchanging currency.

    During Hermione''s currency exchange, Lin Yue''s gaze was fixed on her. Therefore, she also noticed the goblin serving her. She clearly saw that although the goblin''s words and sentences were very polite, its eyes were looking down at Hermione with disdain.

    With some understanding of micro-expression analysis, Lin Yue instinctively judged that the goblin''s true attitude towards Hermione was one of contempt.

    When Hermione returned, Lin Yue looked at her smiling face and, with a sudden pain in her mind, unconsciously spoke up. "That goblin looks down on you."

    Hermione''s smile faltered slightly, and she nodded helplessly. She reached out to gently embrace Lin Yue, resting her head on her shoulder. "I know. I noticed it the first time I came to Gringotts last year. They look down on Muggles, just like those pure-blood family wizards do."

    Lin Yue turned to look at Hermione without any feelings, "Aren''t you angry?"

    Hermione looked up at this emotionless person asking if she was angry and smiled while shaking her head. "I''m not angry because this is their prejudice; it''s their mistake. I shouldn''t let others'' mistakes make me angry and harm my own health.

    "When I become good enough, whether it''s the pure-blood family wizards or these goblins, they won''t be like this anymore."

    Lin Yue nodded indifferently, but her mind suddenly became chaotic, and a feeling of defiance spread in her chest. It was as if something was trying to burst out; she seemed to... urgently want to do something, but what did she want to do? And why did she want to do it?

    If someone could understand her feelings, they would tell her that this feeling is called impulse.

 Chapter 61: A trip to Diagon Alley, an impulse.

    For many years, the absolute rationality and the sudden surge of impulsive emotions in Lin Yue formed a contradiction. On one hand, Lin Yue wanted to reach for the wand placed in the pocket of her robe, but on the other hand, her rationality was telling her that she shouldn''t do that. Doing so would violate the regulations of the Ministry of Magic and could potentially cause trouble for herself, or even for Hermione.

    Rationality and impulse were at odds, neither side yielding to the other, and Lin Yue''s forehead began to bead with a thin layer of sweat. Fortunately, Hermione quickly noticed that something was off with Lin Yue. Thinking that Lin Yue was uncomfortable from staying too long in Gringotts, she took Lin Yue''s hand and led her out of the bank.

    "Are you feeling better?" Once outside, breathing in the fresh air, Hermione took a handkerchief from her pocket and carefully wiped the sweat from Lin Yue''s forehead.

    With the shift in focus, the conflicting rationality and impulse in Lin Yue''s mind gradually calmed down, and the struggle between the two sides ceased. The sweat on Lin Yue''s forehead stopped flowing, and she nodded lightly with a neutral expression, "Much better."

    "That''s good," Hermione smiled reassuringly. "Staying in Gringotts really can be uncomfortable, those goblins..."

    As Hermione spoke, she shook her head. Those goblins inherently looked down on wizards, or rather, on humans. Only those pure-blood families that could bring them wealth would be treated differently. However, this different treatment was merely superficial; the goblin race was, as described in books, incredibly greedy.

    Both Lin Yue and Hermione, having read that book, were aware of this fact, but Lin Yue, being more detached, didn''t think as much as Hermione did. She only knew that those goblins had just expressed contempt towards Hermione and the Grangers. This impression was deeply etched in her memory.

    Lin Yue and Hermione stood at the entrance of Gringotts waiting for the others. They didn''t have to wait long before the Granger and Weasley couples came out with a group of children.

    The four adults checked the time and then suggested that everyone go off to explore freely for an hour and a half before gathering at Flourish and Blotts to buy books. This way, they could also go to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink and a chat.

    The children naturally agreed, and Lin Yue nodded expressionlessly in agreement.

    After making these arrangements, Mrs. Weasley squinted her eyes and warned her twin sons. "Fred, George, no going to Knockturn Alley."

    "Ok, Mum..." Fred groaned with a pained expression.

    "When will you ever stop saying that?" George also raised his hand to cover his face, looking equally distressed.

    "When you two learn to behave," Mrs. Weasley said, her nostrils flaring slightly. After giving them a few more reminders, she and Mr. Weasley left with the Grangers, while their youngest child, Ginny, followed along.

    Before leaving, Ginny took a couple of extra glances at Lin Yue, seemingly curious about the girl who always had a blank expression and didn''t say much.

    With the parents gone, the children split up to do their own things. Percy went off to explore Diagon Alley by himself, while Fred and George left together, leaving just the seven of them.

    The seven of them first went to the ice cream shop, each ordering a scoop of ice cream, using the money Mrs. Granger had given them for treats.

    As they licked their ice cream, the seven children wandered around Diagon Alley. For the others, this shopping experience felt neither special nor unfamiliar.

    Hermione, Cho Chang, Marietta, and Penelope don''t need much introduction. Whether living in the wizarding world or the Muggle world, most girls tend to enjoy shopping. So, they often spend their free time going shopping.

    Especially for the three little witches who grew up in the magical world, their shopping destination is Diagon Alley. As for Ron, he is always dragged out by his two "restless" twin brothers, and most of the time, they go to Diagon Alley to buy prank products. So, he is very familiar with shopping there.

    Even Harry, who has a rather tough life, often goes out to "hang around" because he and the Dursleys can''t stand each other. The only one who feels strange about the current situation is Lin Yue. Her first thought is that walking around leisurely like this will waste a lot of study time. Then she suddenly realized that she hasn''t bought any books yet, and she had promised Hermione that she wouldn''t want to study until she got the books.

    Her thoughts quickly shift, and Lin Yue subconsciously starts to recall the last time she aimlessly "wandered around." It seems to be a memory from her childhood when she was the only child at home, so she couldn''t get into trouble. Her mother took her, who was still too young to stay home alone, to the mall. That was when she was caught secretly watching cartoons.

    She remembers that her mother took her shopping for almost an entire day. She was so tired that she wanted to be carried by her mother, but her mother didn''t pick her up. By the time they got home, her little feet were swollen from all walking. She reflects on how fragile she was back then and criticizes her younger self for causing trouble for her mother.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    At the same time, she is sure that spending an hour and a half shopping with Hermione and the others will be just fine. Wandering aimlessly in Diagon Alley, all sorts of strange and interesting products catch her eye.

    Lin Yue''s gaze wandered among various products, and almost every time she saw a new item, detailed information about it would automatically pop into her mind.

    What the product was, where it came from, how to obtain it, and what the estimated price was.

    After walking for an hour and a half, Lin Yue had nearly "analyzed" all the products in the diagonal alley.

    Even in a non-learning state, she had reviewed a portion of the books she had read.

    After all, she needed to make associations based on those products, and during the process of making connections, it was easy to involve knowledge from her books.

    So, until she arrived at the entrance of the Flourish and Blotts Bookstore, Lin Yue''s brain had been continuously working without any pause.

    Upon reaching the entrance of the Flourish and Blotts Bookstore and seeing the long line outside, everyone looked surprised and puzzled.

    "We got here relatively early, but in previous years, there was no way there would be this many people at this time at Flourish and Blotts Bookstore. What¡¯s going on this year?" Marietta looked curiously at the long queue outside the bookstore.

    It wasn''t even the peak season for buying books before school started; how could there be so many people?

    Penelope, who was taller and puzzled by the crowd, tiptoed to take a look inside the Flourish and Blotts Bookstore, and her face immediately fell.

    She steadied herself back on the ground, her mouth turned down, clearly unhappy.

    "Merlin''s beard, it''s that Lockhart is holding a signing event."

    "A signing event? Lockhart?" The three Gryffindors, who had been educated about Lockhart by the three Ravenclaws, frowned simultaneously.

    A complete fool... and he''s holding a signing event?

    Lin Yue had no thoughts or feelings about this; she simply watched the long line at the entrance of the Flourish and Blotts Bookstore with indifference. Instinctively analyzing the crowd size and the bookstore''s dimensions, she concluded that, given the current foot traffic and the size of the Flourish and Blotts Bookstore, the probability of a stampede occurring here was very high.

    Turning her head mechanically, Lin Yue stated her calculated result in a flat tone. "With the current crowd size and the size of the Flourish and Blotts Bookstore, the likelihood of a stampede is quite high. I do not recommend entering."

    Hearing Lin Yue''s words, the six people exchanged glances, and Hermione reached out to pull Lin Yue into her embrace. Knowing how reliable Lin Yue was, Harry and Ron simultaneously looked at the three senior girls present.

    "How about we just don''t go in? We can ask the staff to help us get the books," Hermione suggested hesitantly, while Harry and Ron nodded in agreement.

    Cho Chang, Marietta, and Penelope had always doted on this younger student from their house, and naturally, their trust in Lin Yue was very high. They immediately agreed with the suggestion, as safety was the most important thing.

    Moreover, there was another important point: none of them were fans of Lockhart, and in fact, they somewhat disliked this boastful and showy Ravenclaw. Rather than going in to see Lockhart''s face, they preferred not to enter at all.

    Having made their decision, the seven children simply did not move further inside. Penelope waved to call over a staff member and, after informing him of the books everyone needed, the seven children waited right at the entrance of the Flourish and Blotts Bookstore.

    Before long, the four adults along with Fred, George, and Percy arrived at the Flourish and Blotts Bookstore on time.

    Mrs. Weasley, upon learning that a book signing event for Lockhart was taking place here, immediately blushed and expressed her desire to wait for a Lockhart autograph. Mr. Weasley felt a bit jealous but still smiled and showed understanding, taking over everything his wife was holding. He also reassured her to wait for the signature without worry, saying he would take care of the children. After saying that, he squeezed into the bookstore with Fred, George, and Percy to buy their books, leaving Ginny by Lin Yue and the others.

    Although Lin Yue had already mentioned that the probability of a stampede occurring at the Flourish and Blotts bookstore was relatively high, Mr. Weasley waved his hand with a smile, saying that the four of them were all men and quite strong, so it would be fine for them to go in. Hearing him say that Lin Yue decided not to say anything more and simply cast a calm glance at Ginny, who was curiously looking at her.

    Feeling Lin Yue''s gaze, Ginny looked into her eyes, which showed no warmth, and couldn''t help but swallow hard, feeling a bit scared inside. Hermione, who had her arm around Lin Yue''s shoulder, also noticed this scene. She bent down to meet Ginny''s gaze and gently comforted her. "Don''t be afraid of Lin Yue; she just isn''t used to showing any expression or emotion," Hermione said, feeling a sharp pain in her heart, "but she''s really a good person."

    "That''s right," the five people nearby all nodded in agreement with smiles.

    Ron also glanced at Lin Yue and whispered to Ginny, "You know that super academic genius I was talking about? That''s her."

    Ginny''s eyes instantly lit up at his words, and she turned to look at Lin Yue with starry eyes.

    Lin Yue was taken aback for a moment, looking at Ginny''s face and instinctively analyzing her micro-expressions.

    This expression is... admiration? But why would she admire me?

    From what Ron just said, it seems to be because I study well, but as a student, studying is what I should do.

    And knowing that someone else studies well, shouldn''t I be thinking hard about how to surpass her and become number one? Why should I be admired?

    Lin Yue had several thoughts racing through her mind without any confusion, and before she could finish processing them, she heard a somewhat arrogant voice coming from behind.

    "Ah ha... still hanging out with your pathetic friends, Potter?"

    Hearing that "annoying" voice, Harry didn''t need to think to know who it was. Anger bubbling inside him, he turned around and glared at Draco.

    "Watch your mouth, Malfoy. My friends are at least better than you."

    "Is that so?" Draco raised an eyebrow, his disdainful gaze sweeping over Ron, Hermione, and Lin Yue. "Pureblood scum, mudbloods, they don''t even look human... your friends really are something."

    "How dare you!" At his words, the three Ravenclaw seniors all drew their wands in unison, and Ron angrily pulled out his wand, ready to cast a curse at him.

    "Draco." A languid, arrogant voice rang out, and a snake-headed cane extended out, pulling Draco back a bit.

    Lucius Malfoy stepped out, looking down at the seven children in front of him who had drawn their wands, along with Ginny behind them.

    "So, it seems the Weasley family has another child going to school."

    Lucius looked at these people with the same disdain as his son, his voice slow and arrogant.

    "Little girl, can your parents... still afford to send you to school?"

    Ginny''s face flushed fiercely, but she did not back down and glared at Lucius.

    Three Ravenclaw seniors, including Hermione and Cho Chang, simultaneously shielded Ginny behind them, their wands still raised.

    "I think you should pay more attention to your son''s manners, Mr. Malfoy," Cho said coldly. If it weren''t for Lucius Malfoy being present, they would have already taken action against Draco''s earlier remarks.

    "What did you just say, Draco?" Lucius turned to his son.

    "Nothing, Father, just some truths," Draco said, arrogantly repeating his earlier words.

    Lucius raised an eyebrow after hearing this and looked at Ron, Hermione, and Lin Yue, pausing slightly when he saw Lin Yue.

    Still speaking arrogantly, he said, "What he said is indeed the truth."

    As soon as this was said, all the young wizards present, except for Ginny and Lin Yue, raised their wands.

    Seeing six young children pointing their wands at him, Lucius squinted his eyes. "I think you¡¯d better not do anything foolish."

    Even with Penelope, a slightly older student, present, he could easily deal with these children.

    However, Lin Yue clearly perceived this statement as a threat directed at Hermione and the others.

    Hermione''s life was more valuable than his own, so protecting Hermione took precedence over himself.

    His mind instinctively recalled a previous inequality he had experienced, and a feeling surged in his chest, urging him to act.

    Along with Cho and the others, Harry and Ron were also similarly threatened.

    Lin Yue''s absolute rationality was instantly overshadowed by the result of the inequality and impulse. He swiftly drew his wand and stepped in front of Hermione and the others.

    With a cold gaze directed at Lucius, he showed no signs of anger, only an endless chill.

    "Can I take this as a threat, Mr. Malfoy?"

 Chapter 62: A trip to Diagon Alley, The Terrifying Girl

    Lin Yue''s cold, mechanical tone, combined with her expressionless face, was enough to make anyone feel a shiver running down their spine, sending chills through them. Even Lucius was momentarily taken aback by her demeanor, only regaining his composure a few seconds later.

    He squinted at the girl in front of him, who, according to Draco, was favored and coddled by the professors, having added several hundred points to Ravenclaw in just one year, causing Slytherin to lose the House Cup. Of course, Draco had clearly not told him how dedicated and hardworking Lin Yue was in her studies, nor had he mentioned the rumors that she single-handedly killed a troll.

    "You should know that this is not Hogwarts, I am not your professor, and I am certainly not Dumbledore. I will not tolerate your rudeness," Lucius said, tightening his grip on his snake-headed cane.

    "Sorry, Mr. Malfoy, but from the beginning until now, I believe neither I nor anyone else has said anything impolite," Lin Yue replied, her emotions completely neutral, though her grip on her wand also tightened.

    "We have maintained basic social etiquette; rather, it is Draco Malfoy who has violated the rules of etiquette. You should punish your son instead of threatening Hermione and the others," she continued.

    Lucius gripped the lower end of his cane with his left hand and drew out the snake-head part at the top with his right hand, revealing his wand.

    "Clearly, Dumbledore and the others have taught you poorly, turning you into children who cannot discern the situation, right?"

    Lin Yue locked her gaze on Lucius, and then on Draco beside him. "Can I take that to mean you are posing a threat to our safety, Mr. Malfoy?"

    "I am here to educate you on behalf of your professors and parents," Lucius said, raising his head and speaking arrogantly. As soon as he finished speaking, he noticed Hermione and the others were already prepared to raise their wands in defense.

    However, Lin Yue took a step faster.

    "Wingardium Leviosa."

    Having determined that the other party posed a safety threat to her, especially to Hermione and the others, she was within her rights to take emergency measures according to Ministry of Magic regulations. She utilized every spell she had learned to protect herself, drawing from the many spells she was familiar with.

    Lin Yue still chose to use her Levitation Charm, which had proven effective multiple times.

    As the Levitation Charm was cast, Lucius, who initially thought a small Levitation Charm wouldn''t have any effect, was about to cast a shield charm when he realized that both he and his son Draco had already lifted off the ground.

    With a gentle flick of her wand, Lin Yue sent Lucius and Draco flying backward.

    Bang! Bang! They crashed into the potion ingredient shop behind them, getting covered in various potion materials.

    They completely lost their previous noble and arrogant demeanor, now looking utterly disheveled.

    The onlookers were shocked by this scene. Initially, they wanted to step in to help when they saw an adult wizard and a young wizard in conflict.

    But upon realizing it was the Malfoys, they all stopped in their tracks, not wanting to get themselves into trouble.

    Unexpectedly, in the next moment, the current head of the Malfoy family and the designated heir were sent flying by a young wizard using a Levitation Charm.

    A young wizard, using a Levitation Charm, sent the head and heir of the Malfoy family flying¡ªthis was easy to understand in isolation.

    However, when put together, it was simply unbelievable, making people doubt whether they were seeing things correctly.

    The Malfoy father and son, who crashed into the potion ingredient shop, were seeing stars from the impact. They were hit so hard that they couldn''t even get up, lying on the ground with throbbing headaches and dizziness.

    However, it was clear that Lin Yue had no intention of stopping there. For her, aside from Hermione and a few of her friends, as well as some familiar faces that could evoke faint emotional responses deep in her mind, she felt no emotions towards other strangers, including pity and mercy.

    To protect Hermione and the others, especially Hermione''s safety, the only way to achieve that was to eliminate threats.

    And right now, the Malfoy father and son on the ground were clearly still breathing.

    Lin Yue''s brain was rapidly analyzing the situation, even though they looked incredibly weak now, seemingly unable to get up. However, there was still a possibility that they could rise and resist; it hadn''t dropped to zero. What she needed was for that possibility to be reduced to zero.

    Raising her wand again, she instinctively uttered the Levitation Charm, causing the broken wooden planks from the shop to float up in an orderly manner. The sharp edges of the broken boards faced the Malfoy father and son; if Lin Yue shook her wand again, these splintered boards would turn into countless blades, turning the Malfoys into a sieve.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Lin Yue was about to continue, but behind her, Hermione, Cho Chang, Marietta, Penelope, and even Harry and Ron all moved in unison to stop her. Ron, using his height advantage, snatched Lin Yue''s wand away, while the four girls each held onto one of her arms.

    Harry stepped forward, blocking Lin Yue from the gaze of the onlookers. Although they were also angry at the actions of the Malfoys, they all understood that Lin Yue could not kill... at least not in public.

    There was a significant difference between teaching the other party a lesson and outright killing them!

    The wand was taken away, but the wooden planks still floated in mid-air, causing all the spectators to instinctively take a step back. Even Hermione, who was tightly holding onto Lin Yue, looked at her in surprise¡ªno wand, no incantation...?

    Lin Yue mechanically turned to look at Hermione. She actually didn''t need a wand or to say the incantation to use the Levitation Charm. Using a wand and saying the incantation would only amplify the power of her spell. So as long as she wanted to, she could still turn the Malfoys into a sieve.

    However, from Hermione''s actions, she sensed that she didn''t want to do that. Meeting Lin Yue''s gaze, Hermione understood her unspoken question: did she not want her to continue?

    "Stop it, Lin Yue. You can''t kill them here."

    "That''s right, don''t dirty your hands." Harry, standing in front of her, slightly turned his head to echo her sentiment.

    Cho Chang, Marietta, and Penelope, who were also holding her arms, nodded vigorously in agreement.

    With eyes as still as a pool of stagnant water, Lin Yue''s voice was flat and devoid of emotion, "Okay."

    As soon as she finished speaking, the wooden planks that had been floating in the air all fell to the ground.

    Hermione and the six others let out a sigh of relief as Ron stepped forward and handed the wand back to Lin Yue.

    "Sorry, I was just too anxious earlier."

    "It''s fine," Lin Yue shook her head and took back her wand.

    Holding her wand, Lin Yue scanned the crowd around her with a cold gaze. Didn''t they need to go to work? How could they watch for so long?

    As soon as the onlookers met Lin Yue''s gaze, they felt a chill run down their spines and turned to run away desperately into the distance.

    This was no ordinary little witch! How could this be a little witch!

    On that day, the wizards present seemed to feel the fear that had once been instilled in them by two Dark Lords.

    The crowd scattered, and the Weasley couple, along with their other children and the Granger couple, finally managed to squeeze out of the Leaky Cauldron.

    They had just witnessed the scene at the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron.

    But at that moment, everyone had been retreating continuously, and they couldn''t find a chance to get out. Didn''t they see Gilderoy Lockhart standing at the back of the Leaky Cauldron? He had already been pushed around to the point of having a bruised face.

    "Kids, are you all okay?" As soon as they squeezed out, Mrs. Weasley anxiously checked on each of the seven children who had just faced Draco and his father.

    Merlin above! That Lucius Malfoy was once a Death Eater; who knows if he secretly placed some dark curse on these children. Should we take them all to St. Mungo''s for a check-up?

    The Granger couple was also nearby, examining the children with their knowledge of Muggle medicine, especially Lin Yue. There was something wrong with her brain to begin with, and she had just experienced that kind of shock; what if something happened?

    Meanwhile, the Malfoy father and son were unsteadily getting up from the wreckage of the potion shop. They felt dizzy and their heads were pounding, as if the world around them was spinning.

    If they went to a Muggle hospital for a check-up right now, they would be diagnosed with a concussion.

    As they struggled to stand up, Mr. Weasley, standing at the front of the group, pulled out his wand with a solemn expression. The usually gentle man now resembled an enraged lion. One could almost feel that he was still the capable member of the Order of the Phoenix who could stand firm even when Voldemort was rampant.

    "Malfoy, have you fallen so low that you need to resort to violence against children? If you want to fight, then fight me!"

    With that roar, Molly sprang to her feet behind him, drawing her wand and standing beside her husband. She could ignore Lucius''s mockery of their poverty, but she could not tolerate Ginny feeling inferior because of his taunts. Not being able to provide better conditions for the children was something they believed was their fault as parents; it should not be a reason for the children to feel inferior.

    Fred and George also put away their usual funny demeanor and stood behind their parents with their wands drawn, alongside Percy.

    Looking at the two adult wizards glaring at him from across the way, as well as the group of young wizards behind them, Lucius leaned against the wall, swaying unsteadily.

    His gaze shifted to Lin Yue, who remained indifferent behind them. Damn... is she really a young wizard? Is this the kind of ability a young wizard should have?

    Noticing her gaze on Lin Yue, the Weasley couple stepped in front of her, and everyone present took a synchronized step forward to shield her from view.

    Hermione even pulled her into an embrace, her eyes filled with vigilance as she looked at the backs of the people in front of them.

    "Well, we''ll see about that," Lucius said, regaining his composure as he realized the situation was not in his favor. He grabbed Draco, and the father and son stumbled away from there together. As they watched the Malfoy father and son leave, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    Hermione ruffled Lin Yue''s hair and exclaimed, "Lin Yue, you¡¯re really amazing."

    Lin Yue blinked in confusion. Amazing? She was just a student; what was so amazing about her?

    "That''s right!"

    "What you did was truly remarkable."

    "Absolutely fantastic!" ¡Á2

    Fred and George chimed in with enthusiastic agreement to Hermione''s statement, and the other young wizards also laughed and praised Lin Yue. The Granger couple looked at Lin Yue with affection, while Mrs. Weasley cast a worried glance at her husband.

    "Should we take them to St. Mungo''s for a check-up? I''m afraid Malfoy might have used some underhanded trick."

    "Okay." Mr. Weasley agreed without hesitation, as it concerned the safety of the children.

    The Granger couple, not understanding what St. Mungo''s was, inquired about it, while Lin Yue confidently walked towards the potion materials shop, which was now a complete ruin.

    Hermione and the others exchanged glances and followed Lin Yue as she walked over.

    As they watched Lin Yue approach, the potion shop staff and the manager felt a sudden tightness in their chests.

    Merlin help us, please don¡¯t let her be here to confront us; we are innocent!

    What they didn¡¯t expect was that when Lin Yue reached them, she immediately bent deeply at the waist without hesitation.

    She politely apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for damaging your shop. I will compensate you double.¡±

    The manager and the staff exchanged surprised glances; could there really be compensation?

    Just a moment ago, the Malfoy father and son hadn¡¯t even mentioned it before leaving, and they thought this young girl wouldn¡¯t bring up compensation either.

    Straightening up, Lin Yue quickly scanned the broken shop.

    She calculated how many Galleons it would take to rebuild the broken wall from the shattered wooden planks, and then assessed the total amount of potion materials scattered on the ground and in the boxes that held them.

    Of course, Lin Yue calculated based on filling each type of potion box to the brim.

    After calculating the total amount for compensation, Lin Yue concluded that it would be five hundred Galleons.

    Since she was offering double compensation, she would need to pay these two shopkeepers and the staff one thousand Galleons.

    Taking out her money pouch, Lin Yue began to pour out the Galleons.

    Although she could only pour out five at a time, everyone present already understood the special use of this money pouch.

    Hermione and the others didn¡¯t urge Lin Yue, while the staff and manager didn¡¯t dare to rush her.

    It wasn¡¯t until they saw Lin Yue had poured out enough Galleons to buy both of their shops that they hurriedly waved their hands.

    ¡°Enough, enough! Our shop just opened not long ago, and we didn¡¯t even have all the potion materials filled. This amount of money is already enough to buy both of our shops.¡±

    Lin Yue just shook her head and only stopped after counting out a thousand Galleons. She looked up at the shopkeeper and the staff, her tone completely flat, "A thousand Galleons, you can count it."

    The shopkeeper and the staff quickly waved their hands, "No need, no need, that''s definitely enough."

    Even though both of them said that it wasn''t necessary to have so much money, this young girl still compensated the full amount, and even doubled it...

    She is such a good person. It really is the Malfoy family''s fault, just as the rumors say, a family that produced a Death Eater, even bullying a little witch!

    Not only did the shopkeeper and the staff think this way, but Lin Yue''s subsequent compensation actions were also noticed by the merchants in Diagon Alley and the surrounding businesses.

    She was just acting in self-defense, wanting to protect herself and her friends, and yet she was so polite afterward.

    In stark contrast to the attitudes of Lucius and Draco Malfoy, this made the merchants'' impression of Lin Yue skyrocket.

    A wealthy and generous young witch, powerful yet reasonable, and who values her friends¡ªwho wouldn''t like her?

    This also led to a period of positive publicity for Lin Yue''s actions from the merchants in Diagon Alley, completely reversing her somewhat intimidating image.

 Chapter 63: Aftermath of the event

    Most people wisely choose to say nothing about the "big drama" happening in front of the Flourish and Blotts. After all, the ones being beaten were the Malfoy father and son, who represented the Malfoy family not to be trifled with. As for the ones doing the beating, although she was just a little witch, judging by her own abilities, she was probably not someone they could provoke, which made people even more reluctant to speak up.

    However, in a world where most people keep their mouths shut, there are always a few who do not. At that moment, there happened to be one such person in the Flourish and Blotts: Gilderoy Lockhart.

    While everyone else was aware of the need to stay quiet for fear of getting involved, he sensed a golden opportunity¡ªan opportunity to elevate his fame to new heights. Previously, he had no idea that Harry and Lin Yue were nearby because they hadn¡¯t entered the Flourish and Blotts. But now that he knew, he thought about how great it would be to get a photo with Harry Potter, the boy who lived, the savior of the wizarding world.

    Just imagine if the Daily Prophet published an article titled "The Boy Who Lived''s Most Admired Person: Gilderoy Lockhart." How much would that boost his fame! While not many people might know Lockhart, a lot of people knew Harry, the boy who lived. He could easily leverage Harry''s reputation.

    Of course, thinking even more positively, if he could also have a chat with that peculiar girl and get the Daily Prophet''s reporters to snap a few more photos, that would be even better.

    "Shocking! Hogwarts young wizard actually defeated an adult wizard, chaos ensued at the scene, thanks to Lockhart stepping in to stop it!"

    With this sensational headline in mind, Lockhart couldn''t help but feel a surge of excitement as he thought about how his fame was about to skyrocket. He couldn''t believe how much his reputation could grow from this incident.

    Despite still having a bruised face, Lockhart rushed over to a reporter from the Daily Prophet present at the scene and shared his ideas for these two news stories.

    However, he was met with a look of disbelief from the reporter, who seemed to think Lockhart was out of his mind. The reporter thought to himself, "He¡¯s trying to get involved with that girl and the Malfoy family? And he wants me to write a report based on his ridiculous ideas? That would just mean I¡¯m putting a target on my back from both sides! Does he think I¡¯m a fool?"

    Not all reporters from the Daily Prophet are like Rita Skeeter, willing to do anything for a bit of attention!

    But then again, the story about Harry Potter¡­ maybe it was feasible? After all, the Boy Who Lived wasn¡¯t that terrifying, was he?

    With this thought, the reporter couldn¡¯t help but shift his gaze towards Harry.

    At that moment, Lin Yue, who had just finished compensating the potion materials shop, was still in a highly focused state. Almost as soon as the reporter''s gaze landed on Harry, Lin Yue''s eyes were already on him.

    The reporter from the Daily Prophet suddenly stiffened, cold sweat continuously sliding down his forehead.

    That icy, almost inorganic gaze was truly chilling. The reporter had no doubt that if he made even the slightest move, he might be the next one to be blasted away by a levitation spell.

    His brain quickly analyzed the situation, and Lin Yue immediately concluded that this person posed no threat and had no intention of harming Hermione and the others.

    Seeing the camera hanging around the man''s neck, Lin Yue confirmed that he was a reporter, and that his earlier glance at Harry was likely an attempt to interview him.

    Having determined that the other party was not dangerous, Lin Yue calmly turned his head back. As for figuring out that the other person wanted to interview Harry, well, he had figured it out, so what? The other party hadn¡¯t said anything, perhaps he had changed his mind.

    Considering the polite rule of respecting others'' wishes, it was better not to interfere, so he decided to say nothing.

    After Lin Yue shifted his gaze away, the reporter finally relaxed completely. He felt as if he had been drained of energy, his back soaked with cold sweat, and he was gasping for breath.

    In his view, Lin Yue''s earlier glance was clearly a warning: be careful, don¡¯t just interview anything for the sake of popularity, or you¡¯ll regret it.

    Just from that, the reporter was determined to write the news truthfully and without embellishment.

    One could say that Lin Yue''s glance directly helped the wizarding world of Britain gain a good reporter who pursued the truth.

    However, the nearby Lockhart clearly did not sense this. When he saw Lin Yue and the others had gathered their purchased textbooks and were preparing to leave, he panicked.Stolen novel; please report.

    If he missed this opportunity, who knew when the next one would come? This was a golden chance bestowed by Merlin!

    Without thinking, he rushed forward to grab Harry or even Lin Yue, completely forgetting the severity of Lin Yue''s earlier lesson to the Malfoys.

    The Daily Prophet reporter, Edgar, watched this scene with his eyelids twitching, and without a moment''s hesitation, he reached out and firmly grabbed Lockhart.

    If he just rushed in like that, what if that young girl thought he was also agreeing to what he wanted to do? He couldn¡¯t let this fool drag him down! Yes, this reporter Edgar had already determined that Lockhart was a pure fool!

    Thanks to Edgar''s intervention, Lin Yue and the others managed to leave smoothly, quickly purchasing their items. The group then exited the Leaky Cauldron and boarded the car of Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Granger, heading straight for St. Mungo''s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.

    Thanks to Mr. Weasley¡¯s modified magical car being spacious enough, even with a large group, they were able to fit into just two cars.

    Mrs. Granger, who was following behind, was quite shocked and turned to look at Hermione and Lin Yue sitting together in the back seat. ¡°Is Mr. Weasley¡¯s car really not overloaded?¡±

    Hermione shook her head. ¡°No, Mom, Mr. Weasley¡¯s car must have been modified by him using magic.¡±

    As she spoke, Hermione¡¯s expression changed slightly, as if she remembered¡­ the Ministry of Magic has regulations against using magic on Muggle items without permission.

    Seeing her daughter¡¯s expression, Mrs. Granger blinked curiously. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you think of something?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ I just remembered that the Ministry of Magic seems to have rules that don¡¯t allow wizards to use magic on Muggle items without permission.¡±

    ¡°And if I¡¯m not mistaken, Ron once mentioned during a casual chat that Mr. Weasley works in the department that prohibits the misuse of Muggle items.¡±

    Is this considered knowing the law and breaking it? Hermione thought, feeling a mix of amusement and exasperation.

    Mrs. Granger couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and reached out to ruffle her daughter¡¯s hair. ¡°In these matters, you have to learn to be flexible. Sometimes, if it¡¯s harmless and won¡¯t cause serious consequences, you can just let it slide. That way, everyone will be better off.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Mr. Granger, who was driving, nodded in agreement. ¡°Sometimes you need to be a bit diplomatic, especially if you want to pursue a career in politics in the future.¡±

    Hermione nodded, seemingly understanding, while Lin Yue, who was beside her, blinked mechanically as she listened to the Granger couple''s conversation.

    Aren''t rules supposed to be strictly followed? Violating the rules should lead to punishment.

    Why is there a tendency to turn a blind eye? Lin Yue instinctively pondered the answer in her mind.

    Then she quickly organized her thoughts. Turning a blind eye depends on the situation; for instance, when it comes to destruction, if it involves children from the elite class, they can escape unscathed.

    However, "Mr. Weasley''s actions do not violate the law."

    Lin Yue spoke in a flat tone, fully aware of every law and regulation from the Ministry of Magic, as she had reviewed them alongside the Hogwarts school rules at the first opportunity.

    "Uh?" Hermione tilted her head in confusion, and Mrs. Granger looked at her with interest. Mr. Granger, who was driving, still kept his eyes on the road but couldn''t help but perk up his ears.

    "According to the Ministry of Magic''s regulations on the misuse of Muggle items, if a wizard casts magic on a Muggle item without the intention of using it, it is not illegal."

    "As long as Mr. Weasley''s intention is not to use it, it does not count as a violation of the law."

    "However, considering that the person who amended this law is him, my personal understanding is that this is a deliberate loophole he left in the law."

    "Wow." Hermione raised her eyebrows in surprise; it seemed that Mr. Weasley truly had a passion for Muggle items.

    He even left a loophole in the law specifically for this hobby.

    However, she couldn''t help but shake her head in disappointment at the current state of the Ministry of Magic.

    Leaving loopholes in the law is very dangerous, especially when the loophole is somewhat obvious.

    Clearly, the combination of magic and Muggle items would be more effective, yet the Ministry of Magic does not engage in open collaboration, opting for informal methods instead.

    Instead, they outright deny everything with a one-size-fits-all approach. She felt that the Ministry of Magic in British really had some issues.

    The Granger couple shook their heads in disbelief; of course, they could think of what Hermione was thinking, after all, Hermione was their child. The behavior of the British Ministry of Magic really made one wonder how they managed to avoid widespread opposition and protests.

    Upon arriving outside St. Mungo''s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Lin Yue and Hermione each took one of the Granger couple''s hands, allowing them to enter the hospital together.

    The scene inside the hospital felt quite "familiar" to the Granger couple; at the very least, the wizards'' doctors and nurses were dressed similarly to Muggle doctors and nurses. The Weasley couple skillfully registered the seven children who were present at the scene, and then they took the Granger couple along to have the children examined.

    Worried that the children might have been harmed by dark magic or some curse, the examinations mainly focused on traces of magic and curses. The group was busy in St. Mungo''s for half a day, and the final result showed that none of the seven children, including Lin Yue, had any signs of dark magic or curses.

    Once the children''s safety was confirmed, the Weasley couple and the Granger couple sent Lin Yue and the others back to the villa, where they would stay until school started. Then they would go to King''s Cross Station to take the Hogwarts Express.

    What they did not encounter was Draco and Lucius Malfoy, who were at St. Mungo''s for a neurological examination. Without a doubt, Narcissa Malfoy was furious about the situation involving her husband and son. Although she did not approve of their reckless provocations, she also felt that her son''s words were not wrong; the Weasley family were indeed blood traitors, and that Granger was definitely a Mudblood. As for Lin Yue...

    Narcissa frowned fiercely, "Lucius, are you sure it was that girl who did this to you and Draco?"

    "Wasn''t there an adult wizard who secretly intervened?"

    "No, Narcissa," Lucius shook his head while lying on the hospital bed, "I specifically noticed that it was that strange girl who made the move."

    "Hmph!" Draco, still feeling dizzy, said, "She''s just a peculiar person, and almost all the professors like her."

    "Then it seems she is indeed quite exceptional," Narcissa affectionately patted her son''s head, "Is she pure-blood? Over there in her hometown?"

    "I don''t know," Draco shook his head, a look of disdain on his face, "But the way she eats, like a starving beast¡ªMerlin, she looks like she¡¯s never had a meal before. That kind of uncouth behavior, she must not be pure blood."

    Narcissa nodded at this, her earlier admiration fading. She turned to look at Lucius on the other bed.

    "What are you planning to do?" Her husband and son couldn''t just be treated like this without consequence.

    However, Lucius fell silent, a vague sense of unease creeping in regarding that girl named Lin Yue. Her gaze, her extreme indifference to others, her emotionless attitude even gave him a feeling more terrifying than that of the Dark Lord. Coupled with the abilities she had displayed, Lucius felt that he would not want to provoke her further; otherwise, he would surely regret it in the future.

    But with his son involved, and Narcissa beside him, he glanced at Draco and then at Narcissa.

    Lucius slowly spoke, "Leave this matter to me; you can rest assured, I won''t let her have it easy."

    As he said this, Lucius narrowed his eyes slightly. Although he still felt dizzy, it did not hinder his thinking.

    It was clearly unwise to deal with that girl directly, but if he could have the Ministry of Magic do it for him... that would be a good plan.

    If he gave Fudge a little hint and some corresponding benefits, he believed he would be more than willing to "trouble" a student, especially one without any family backing.

    At that moment, Lin Yue was in the villa, being hugged by Hermione while watching TV and munching on chips, completely unaware of Lucius''s plans several kilometers away.

    Of course, even if she knew, Lin Yue would not feel anything; her actions did not violate any laws or regulations of the Ministry of Magic. In her view, under such circumstances, she should not be troubled or criticized by anyone.

 Chapter 64: The sealed platform.

    The children did not consider the possible retaliation from the Malfoy family, but as adults who had fought against those pure-blood families, the Weasley couple clearly did.

    Therefore, as soon as they returned home, they wrote a letter to Professor Dumbledore. They detailed the events that occurred in Diagon Alley that day and sought his help regarding the likelihood of the Malfoy family retaliating against Lin Yue.

    Looking at the letter that arrived at his home, Professor Dumbledore was not surprised by the news that Lin Yue had easily defeated both Lucius and Draco. After all, Lin Yue had even repelled Voldemort, albeit in an incomplete state, which was enough to demonstrate her abilities.

    In comparison, how could the two Malfoys, armed with their pathetic little wands, possibly be her match? However, Arthur and Molly''s concerns were not unfounded; Lucius Malfoy would certainly attempt to take revenge on Lin Yue.

    But given his level of intelligence, he would definitely not take direct action to offend such a visibly promising young witch. Therefore, his best option would be to go to the Ministry of Magic and persuade Fudge to help him get back at her.

    Whether it was issuing Lin Yue a warning about using magic during the holidays or shamelessly holding a trial under the pretext of Lin Yue intentionally causing harm, both were forms of retaliation they could pursue.

    In an instant, Dumbledore had already thought of all the paths Lucius Malfoy could take. Without any hesitation, he stood up, put on his wizard hat, and walked to the fireplace, grabbing a handful of Floo Powder and throwing it into the flames to head straight to Fudge''s office.

    After all, Lin Yue was a student at Hogwarts, and as the headmaster, he had an obligation to protect his students. This naturally included protecting them from any unreasonable persecution, without a doubt.

    St. Mungo''s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries was quite efficient; after Lucius and Draco had consumed a potion and lay down for an afternoon, their dazed minds had recovered. Almost as soon as they regained their senses, Lucius used the fireplace at St. Mungo''s to head directly to Fudge''s office.

    Fudge warmly welcomed him and invited him to sit on the sofa. Before the two could start discussing matters, the fireplace suddenly ignited with green flames once again.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Fudge frowned as he looked at the fireplace that had flared up with green flames again, ¡°Why are so many people coming to see me tonight?¡±

    The flames surged violently, and suddenly, Professor Dumbledore stepped out from within.

    ¡°Dumbledore, what brings you here?¡± Fudge quickly stood up, walked over, and shook hands with Professor Dumbledore.

    ¡°I came to discuss a few matters with you, Cornelius,¡± Dumbledore said with a smile as he shook Fudge''s hand, and then he immediately noticed Lucius, who was sitting on the sofa behind Fudge, looking pale and tense.

    ¡°Oh, what a coincidence, Mr. Malfoy,¡± Dumbledore said as he took off his wizard hat and nodded politely.

    ¡°Coincidence? I don¡¯t think so, Dumbledore.¡±

    Lucius glared at Dumbledore, feeling dark and resentful. Coincidence? Just this morning, he and Draco had been ¡°taught a lesson¡± by that Lin Yue.

    Now, just as he was about to find Fudge to cause trouble for Lin Yue, Dumbledore showed up.

    To say this was a coincidence? Even a first-year wizard at Hogwarts wouldn¡¯t believe it!

    It must be those damned Weasleys who informed Dumbledore about this matter.

    Fudge had managed to reach the position of Minister of Magic, and even if he was incompetent, he still had some ability to read the room.

    Seeing Lucius¡¯s dark expression as he kept staring at Dumbledore, Fudge quickly understood what was going on.

    It seemed that something had happened, and Malfoy wanted to use him to do something, but Dumbledore probably didn¡¯t want him to.

    At times like this, Fudge felt a heavy weight in his heart, caught between the side represented by Dumbledore and the pure-blood family represented by Malfoy.

    Each time, he could only muddle through, lacking any authority as a minister.

    This time would undoubtedly be the same; he could only wait to see what outcome Dumbledore and Lucius would ¡°negotiate.¡±

    ¡°Lucius, I¡¯ve heard that you had a little conflict with a young wizard?¡± Dumbledore said gently, a bright ¡°firelight¡± flickering in his eyes.

    Lucius gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on the snake-headed cane. "I suppose this matter has nothing to do with our great and noble Headmaster Dumbledore, right?"If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "That''s not quite fair," Headmaster Dumbledore replied with a smile, shaking his head. "Miss Lin is my student, and you were once my student as well. It''s quite normal for a headmaster to mediate when there are conflicts between students."

    With that statement, not only was the nature of the entire incident defined as a mere trivial conflict, but the direction of the conversation also completely followed the path Dumbledore wanted.

    Lucius held his cane tightly, his gaze piercing as he looked at Dumbledore, speaking each word deliberately, "So my son and I are just going to suffer this injustice, is that right?"

    "Young people can be a bit impulsive," Dumbledore said, stroking his white beard. "We must always be understanding."

    "Weren''t you also guilty of making quite a few mistakes when you were young, Lucius?"

    Dumbledore slightly lowered his head, looking at Lucius over the top of his glasses.

    Lucius felt a shiver run through him. Was Dumbledore warning him? Warning him not to forget that he had once stood by the Dark Lord''s side?

    "And, as far as I know, you and young Mr. Malfoy haven''t suffered too much, considering the advantages you''ve verbally claimed."

    Faced with Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of the past century, Lucius was more aware of his abilities than the Ministry of Magic was.

    So he said no more, directly bidding farewell to Fudge and returning home from the Ministry of Magic.

    There was no point in saying anything further; with Dumbledore protecting her, he had no way to deal with Lin Yue.

    Otherwise, after all these years, he would have found a way to make the Weasley family disappear long ago.

    Watching Lucius leave, Dumbledore shook his head with a smile and put his wizard hat back on.

    "Sorry to bother you, Cornelius. I trust the Ministry won''t mind this little conflict?"

    The implication was that Dumbledore wanted to confirm whether the Ministry would intervene in this matter.

    "Of course, Dumbledore," Fudge nodded with a forced smile. Since Lucius himself had already accepted it, how could he possibly confront Dumbledore? "This is just an ordinary little conflict; the Ministry will definitely not intervene."

    "That''s wonderful," Dumbledore smiled. "I wish you a pleasant evening, Cornelius."

    With that, he stepped into the fireplace, and a burst of green flames erupted, instantly making his figure disappear into the hearth.

    Fudge let out a sigh of relief; this evening... was really a bit unsettling.

    Unbeknownst to him, Lin Yue and a few others had been staying in the villa to review after buying books. Even Harry and Ron were being pressured by Hermione to add an extra hour of study time each day on top of their homework.

    Both of them felt a mix of pain and joy; the pain came from not wanting to study during the holiday, while the joy stemmed from genuinely feeling their knowledge increasing. Just imagining that studying would be easier when school started again, and that they could even contribute more points to Gryffindor, lifted their spirits.

    As for the three Ravenclaw seniors, they were even more enthusiastic about studying, almost matching Hermione''s intensity, and had already begun memorizing key concepts from their textbooks.

    The most special one was undoubtedly Lin Yue. With the new school year''s textbooks in hand and the "study ban" lifted, Lin Yue was completely engrossed in her reading. She read on the sofa in the villa, went up and down the stairs with a book, ate while reading, and even read while cooking and using the bathroom.

    Merlin knows how shocked Hermione the first time was she saw Lin Yue cooking while reading.

    "Merlin and God! The oil was about to splatter onto her hands!"

    At that moment, Hermione rushed over, snatched the spatula from Lin Yue''s hand, and gently pulled her away, turning off the heat in one smooth motion.

    Not caring that she still held the spatula, Hermione quickly took Lin Yue''s hand and checked it over and over until she confirmed there were no burns, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

    Lin Yue blinked blankly, not quite understanding why Hermione had pulled her away and why she was now holding her hand and looking at it repeatedly.

    Her hand... wasn''t anything special to look at, right?

    Lin Yue lowered her head and stared at her right hand, which was now as white as jade, and paused for a moment.

    It was only now that she truly noticed how different her hand was compared to before; it seemed... indeed a bit beautiful.

    Her hands used to be white as well, but it was a sickly kind of white, nothing like the glossy white she had now.

    Not to mention the burns, frostbite, and scars that used to be on her hands.

    Although she had lost her emotions, she still had a normal sense of aesthetic.

    So, she knew that her hands back then were not pretty; she just didn''t care, nor could she care.

    Letting out a sigh of relief, Hermione saw Lin Yue staring blankly at the hand she was holding.

    Feeling both angry and amused, she poked Lin Yue''s forehead with her other hand, "You really are something, reading while cooking. Aren''t you afraid of getting burned?"

    As she spoke, Hermione''s previously calmed emotions couldn''t help but flare up again with a hint of anger.

    Lin Yue was just too careless about her own safety. Of course, Hermione''s greater resentment and anger were directed at Lin Yue''s parents; her current state was closely related to them!

    "I''m used to it, very skilled, I won''t get burned," Lin Yue shook her head expressionlessly.

    The familiar tone of speech, combined with the unfamiliar aspects, made Hermione feel like she was about to laugh out of frustration made Hermione feel like she was about to laugh out of anger. Lin Yue''s parents truly deserved a curse!

    Reaching out, she picked up the book from the stove and closed it, shaking the book in her hand.

    "Confiscated! No reading while cooking."

    "Oh." Lin Yue nodded indifferently and turned back to continue cooking.

    Hermione walked out of the kitchen to put the book back in the room upstairs, and only then did Lin Yue relax a bit and move her right leg.

    On the inner thigh of her right leg, there was a noticeable wound about ten centimeters long.

    Ignoring the fact that magical transportation could easily reach the villa, this posed a potential security risk for Hermione and the others.

    Lin Yue had long thought that this needed to be punished, and it was a severe punishment; she indeed carried it out.

    In the following days, no one noticed anything unusual about Lin Yue''s leg.

    Subconsciously, Lin Yue tried to maintain a normal walking posture in front of them, even if it meant increasing her pain; she did not change her walking style.

    Moreover, she always wore pajama pants while sleeping, so Hermione had no opportunity to discover it.

    During these days, the only thing that made Hermione and the others feel "overwhelmed" was Lin Yue''s learning speed.

    Even though Cho Chang and Marietta were Lin Yue''s roommates at Hogwarts, they often spent a lot of time apart.

    Now that they all lived in the same villa, they were basically together all the time, so Lin Yue''s learning speed was displayed more intuitively.

    In just three days after getting the books, she had memorized all the textbooks word for word.

    Penelope thoughtfully quizzed her on some knowledge points and was even more surprised to find that she not only memorized them but had also understood them thoroughly.

    For a moment, the other six little wizards felt somewhat discouraged, but then they thought, this is Lin Yue.

    How many people like Lin Yue could emerge in the thousands of years of history of the British wizarding world?

    Thinking this way, they instantly felt relieved.

    When the day to return to school arrived, the seven little wizards did not trouble any of their parents and went together to King''s Cross Station.

    However, when they arrived at the station, they were greeted by...

    Bang! Bang! "Aww!" ¡Á2

    Harry and Ron tumbled to the ground, and the remaining five girls, including Lin Yue, rushed over to help them up and tidy up their scattered luggage.

    "Merlin''s beard... what just happened?" Ron rubbed his sore elbow and looked curiously at the pillar where the entrance to Platform 9? was located.

    Passersby couldn''t help but turn to look at seven of them; after all, it wasn''t every day that you saw kids crashing into a wall.

    Fortunately, Penelope and Hermione reacted quickly, standing up and smiling as they sent some of the onlookers away, which eased the situation around them a bit.

    "What happened? I''ve never heard of anything like this before," said Cho Chang, pressing against the solid pillar that was undoubtedly the entrance to Platform 9?.

    "The passage is blocked?" Marietta frowned as well.

    "What do we do? The train is about to leave," Harry said anxiously, glancing at the clock.

    "Don''t panic," Hermione and Penelope returned, with Hermione waving her hand to signal Harry to calm down.

    "The best option is to write to Professor Dumbledore; he will handle it. After analysis, this method is reliable, has a high success rate, and does not violate any Ministry of Magic laws or Hogwarts rules," Lin Yue concluded after her brain worked quickly.

 Chapter 65: Vigilance and Sense of Security

    Lin Yue''s method received unanimous agreement from the small wizards present, and they waited at the entrance of Platform 9? until the Hogwarts Express departed.

    After confirming that they still could not enter, the seven of them walked out of King''s Cross Station and into a nearby alley.

    Harry took the initiative to write a message to Professor Dumbledore explaining the situation, which he handed to Hedwig, and then they stood still, waiting.

    Watching Hedwig''s departing figure in the sky, Lin Yue''s mind instinctively began to analyze.

    The magic at the entrance of Platform 9? is regularly maintained by the Ministry of Magic.

    Not to mention that it was the time for Hogwarts to start the school year, the Ministry of Magic must have checked the platform entrance in advance.

    Even the professors at Hogwarts should have come to inspect it.

    Therefore, the platform had not encountered any issues before today. No.

    Lin Yue crossed out that line of reasoning in his mind and connected to another line of information.

    There were no other small wizards lingering at King''s Cross Station besides the seven of them.

    So, it should have been normal at the platform entrance before they arrived.

    Thus, the truly correct conclusion can be drawn: the closure of the platform entrance was specifically for the seven of them.

    Among the seven, only Harry had been warned by a house-elf not to return to Hogwarts.

    The scope narrowed again; the closure of the platform entrance was because of Harry, and it became evident who the "mastermind" behind the closure was.

    It was the house-elf that prevented Harry from going to Hogwarts.

    The magic at the platform entrance is jointly protected by the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts, and only a few wizards in the entire magical community of the UK could influence it.

    However, house-elves are different; their magic is completely distinct from that of wizards. If it were them, it would not be difficult for them to accomplish this.

    Lin Yue made a long series of calculations in just a few seconds, but Hermione, who was beside her, still noticed the rapid movement of her eyes.

    Tilting her head in confusion, Hermione curiously asked while holding Lin Yue''s arm, "What are you thinking about?"

    As soon as Hermione''s question was out, the other five also turned their attention to Lin Yue.

    Now, including Hermione, the six young wizards had almost confirmed that caring for Lin Yue was a top priority.

    Lin Yue had no expression on her face and explained her deductions and results in a flat tone.

    Harry felt a bit dizzy listening to her, but he understood a little; the most likely reason... was that it was because of him that everyone couldn''t get into Platform 9?.

    Although he didn''t cause the situation, he sincerely apologized to everyone.

    However, before he could finish his sentence, Penelope interrupted him.

    "This isn''t your responsibility, don''t be like that. It''s not good to keep apologizing."

    "You don''t need to be so polite among friends, mate." Ron elbowed Harry a couple of times, and Harry finally regained his smile.

    Not being able to get onto the platform just meant waiting a little longer; they wouldn''t miss going back to school, so everyone could still happily chat and joke with each other.

    Lin Yue, held by Hermione, looked at Harry and the others who were laughing and joking, and surprisingly, the corners of her mouth slightly lifted.

    Hermione, catching a glimpse of this scene, turned her head in disbelief. After confirming that she indeed saw the very slight upward curve of Lin Yue''s lips and not just imagining it, her excitement exploded like a balloon.

    She exerted all her strength to control herself, preventing herself from shouting out in excitement.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    She was afraid that if she shouted, Lin Yue would realize she had seen her smile and instinctively return to her usual expressionless state.

    However, even though Hermione didn''t shout and disturb Lin Yue, that smile on Lin Yue''s face was just a fleeting moment in less than five seconds, the corners of Lin Yue''s mouth returned to their usual state.

    Hermione felt a bit disappointed, but she could also sense a great excitement. Although Lin Yue''s smile just now was very faint, especially fleeting, it was still a smile, wasn''t it? That was the biggest progress!

    Hermione''s mood was even happier than when all her professors had given her excellent grades. However, it was undeniable that there was still a tiny bit, just a little bit, of smugness in her heart. Lin Yue''s first smile was something only she had seen!

    So, was she different now? Hermione thought aimlessly in her mind. Although she didn''t know why, just thinking about how special she felt being around Lin Yue made her incredibly happy, as if she wanted to bubble over.

    The speed of owls delivering messages in the wizarding world was very fast, and they possessed high intelligence. Therefore, Hedwig understood her owner''s situation of being trapped and unable to go to school, and she flapped her wings even harder than usual. She managed to cut the delivery time in half.

    When Professor Dumbledore received the letter, he was slightly surprised. After stroking his white beard, he looked at Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick, who were right beside him.

    Professor McGonagall recognized Hedwig and looked at Professor Dumbledore with some confusion, asking, "Isn''t that Potter''s owl, Hedwig? How did it get here?"

    Dumbledore handed the letter in his hand to Professor McGonagall, his tone somewhat soothing. "Harry wrote to say they didn''t manage to board the train; the platform has been closed, and he asked us to come over to them."

    "Didn''t board the train?" Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows in surprise; such a thing had never happened in the history of Hogwarts.

    "But this ''they''..." Professor McGonagall paused, "Does that mean Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley also didn''t board the train?"

    As she spoke, she read Harry''s letter, "Well, it seems there are also Miss Lin, Miss Penelope, Miss Chang, and Miss Marietta."

    "How did they all end up together?" Professor McGonagall shook her head with a smile, but her actions were somewhat anxious as she pulled out her wand.

    If they hadn''t boarded the train, it meant they were all outside. This was a group of children, and what¡¯s more, they were her students. Who knew if they would run into trouble? Professor McGonagall almost wished she could Apparated there right now.

    "Minerva, calm down," Professor Flitwick chuckled lightly and patted his old friend''s arm. "With Miss Penelope and Miss Lin there, I think the children''s safety should be fine."

    Dumbledore nodded in agreement, "Yes, and the security in the Muggle world is quite good as well."

    "Moreover, you can''t Apparition inside the castle; we at least have to get outside the castle grounds first."

    "Alright, I was too anxious," Professor McGonagall nodded, putting away her wand, her face showing no sign of embarrassment.

    What was there to be embarrassed about when worrying for her students? This was perfectly normal for a professor.

    "Dumbledore, let''s hurry," Professor Flitwick looked at Dumbledore, unable to suppress his urge to hurry them along.

    It was clear that he wasn''t as calm as he appeared.

    Headmaster Dumbledore nodded seriously and quickly walked towards the castle''s main door, followed closely by Professors McGonagall and Flitwick. The three old professors moved with a speed that was unexpected for their age.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Three loud explosions echoed from the alley outside. Lin Yue quickly turned her head, instinctively drawing her wand from her pocket and pointing it at the entrance of the alley.

    "Lin Yue, what''s wrong?" Qiu Zhang asked, noticing Lin Yue''s sudden action and becoming alert as well.

    "The three loud bangs just now are very similar to the sound of Apparition described in the book."

    Lin Yue stared blankly at the entrance of the alley. "There is a high possibility that three people just used Apparition to appear outside."

    "The most likely scenario is that Professor Dumbledore and the professors have come to pick us up."

    "But we can''t rule out other possibilities, so I drew my wand and prepared for any unexpected situations."

    Hearing Lin Yue''s emotionless and methodical explanation, the other five exchanged glances and, in unison, drew their wands, pointing them at the entrance of the alley.

    Lin Yue is undoubtedly the strongest among them, especially if the opponent is not a professor and a fight is necessary. She must ensure that there is enough space for Lin Yue to maneuver and not hold her back. At the same time, Hermione''s leg muscles are always tense, even though she currently lacks strong spell combat abilities. However, when the moment is critical, she can still rush in to block a spell for Lin Yue.

    The seven young wizards all raised their wands, standing ready, their minds constantly recalling the spells they had learned before. When Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Flitwick walked into the alley, they saw this scene. Their students were pointing their wands directly at them, their faces filled with vigilance and seriousness.

    Seeing this, the three professors felt no anger; instead, they were pleased that their students could be so alert. Professor McGonagall wore a hint of admiration on her face, Professor Flitwick nodded with a smile, and Professor Dumbledore blinked his eyes, speaking cheerfully. "Good morning, children."

    Upon hearing his words and realizing it was indeed the professors, Hermione and the others all sighed in relief and lowered their wands. Only Lin Yue still held her wand up; after all, there is such a thing as Polyjuice Potion in the magical world. Although it was somewhat unlikely for them to have the hair of Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Flitwick at the same time, the probability was not zero. Therefore, Lin Yue could not simply dismiss this possibility.

    Concerned for Hermione and her other friends'' safety, the pain from the wound on Lin Yue''s thigh reminded her that she must not take things for granted or be careless. "Lin Yue, they are professors," Hermione tugged at Lin Yue''s sleeve and whispered.

    "It could be Polyjuice Potion," Lin Yue''s heart showed no signs of wavering; her eyes were fixed intently on the three professors. If just a moment ago, McGonagall and the others were pleased and comforted by their students'' vigilance, now they felt more pity. A moderate level of caution is a sign of the children''s alertness. But for Lin Yue, who, as a second-year student, could consider whether they were disguised by someone using Polyjuice Potion, it showed just how insecure she must feel to be this alert.

    Professor McGonagall pressed her lips together and spoke gently, "I once suggested to you, Miss Lin Yue, that you visit a certain place, but I believe you haven''t gone there yet?"

    Memories flashed quickly in her mind, and Lin Yue soon recalled the image of the painting on the eighth floor that Professor McGonagall had suggested she visit during her next night outing. Confirming that the people across from her were indeed the professors themselves, Lin Yue swiftly put away her wand.

    She sincerely lowered her head, "I''m sorry, Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, I was rude just now."

    "That is not a mistake, Miss Lin Yue," Headmaster Dumbledore stepped forward, smiling and shaking his head, "Being sufficiently vigilant ensures sufficient safety."

    "I am glad you have such vigilance, Miss Lin Yue."

    Professor McGonagall reached out and ruffled Lin Yue''s hair, hoping that Hogwarts would provide her with a sense of security in the future.

    Professor Flitwick, standing nearby, smiled proudly, "I think just based on your vigilance, you deserve extra points."

    "Filius, we can''t give students extra points before the school year even starts."

    Professor McGonagall replied with a smile, but judging by her expression, she seemed to want to do so.

    "Alright, let''s get ready to head back to school," Headmaster Dumbledore addressed the seven children in front of him.

    Then, the three professors each took one child and, in three groups, used Apparition to bring them to Hogsmeade.

    The sensation of Apparition was truly unpleasant, especially the first time; Hermione and the others in Hogwarts clutched their chests, their faces pale and gagging.

    Although Lin Yue didn''t gag, her face was slightly pale as well. After taking a couple of deep breaths, Hermione patted her chest.

    "This is really on par with riding the Knight Bus."

    Once everyone had recovered, the three professors led them towards Hogwarts Castle.

    Professor McGonagall slightly tilted her head, looking at Hermione, who was closely beside Lin Yue, and raised an eyebrow. Were these two children so close?

    It seemed there was something between them... Professor McGonagall smiled knowingly at the thought.

    Thinking back to Lin Yue''s expressionless demeanor, which always seemed devoid of happiness, she felt that if her assumptions were correct, then when these two children reached that stage, she might discuss with Filius about letting Miss Granger stay in the Ravenclaw tower for a while.

    After all, Hogwarts'' dormitories wouldn''t be a concern for space.

    But there was no need to consider that now; Professor McGonagall shook her head, they were still young.

    And even if Miss Granger had already shown some hints in that direction, to warm up Miss Lin Yue and pull her out from that hard, cold shell, it seemed that Miss Granger would still need to put in quite a bit of effort.

 Chapter 66: The collective guardianship of Ravenclaw.

    Because they arrived at Hogsmeade through an Apparition, Lin Yue and her companions walked back to Hogwarts with Professor Dumbledore, even though they reached the Great Hall before other students. They sat in the empty Great Hall, and both Cho Chang and Marietta, sitting beside Lin Yue, looked around curiously at the hall they had already seen for two years. It was as if they had never seen the Great Hall of Hogwarts before. Or rather, they had indeed never seen it looking so empty.

    Sitting between the two older students, Lin Yue quickly recalled the textbooks she had memorized for this school year, completely ignoring the enthusiastic glances that the two older girls were casting around.

    Hermione and Harry were also sitting at the Gryffindor long table, discussing something with each other. As for Penelope, she had been taken away by Professor Flitwick to help; the professors also needed to do some preparations before the official start of the school year. Since the students from her house had returned early, Professor Flitwick naturally asked her for help without hesitation. It wasn''t until after lunch that Penelope walked into the Great Hall, wiping sweat from her forehead. In the hall, there were only seven people, including her, as the professors were still busy in their respective offices. Therefore, the lunch brought to the long table by the house-elves was not much, just enough for them to eat.

    Penelope sat down next to Cho Chang, took a big bite of a pie, and continued to wipe the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief.

    Cho Chang looked at the rarely "disheveled" senior and, somewhat surprised, took out his own handkerchief to help her wipe the sweat, so she could focus on eating.

    "Senior Penelope, what on earth did you go do? Why are you sweating so much?"

    Marietta looked at the fine beads of sweat on Penelope''s forehead with some confusion; even now, Penelope was still sweating.

    "Don''t mention it," Penelope sighed helplessly after swallowing a mouthful of pie. "I went to help Professor Flitwick clean the statue of Lady Ravenclaw in the Ravenclaw common room."

    "It hadn''t been cleaned all holiday, and it was super hard to wipe."

    Cho Chang and Marietta nodded in understanding; it made sense.

    As the founder of Ravenclaw House, the statue of Lady Ravenclaw had always been cleaned by the students of Ravenclaw House themselves, never needing the help of house-elves. Now that summer has passed, it must have been difficult to clean... However, it seemed that out of concern for tiring out the young witches and wizards, Professor Flitwick had always done this task himself before.

    But this time, with Penelope around, Professor Flitwick decided to let her take a turn. It turned out that the young witches and wizards were not as fragile as he had thought. Lin Yue lowered her head to eat, and as she listened to Senior Penelope, she unconsciously began to reflect.

    The material of the statue of Lady Ravenclaw is indeed quite difficult to clean.

    With no fluctuations in her hearts, they concluded that after having lunch, they would spend the entire afternoon in the Great Hall. The other young wizards finally arrived at Hogwarts and walked into the Great Hall. As the young wizards filed in, many were surprised to see Lin Yue and the others sitting together, their mouths agape.

    The Gryffindors instinctively surrounded Hermione, Harry, and Ron, asking how they had arrived early and why they hadn¡¯t seen them on the Hogwarts Express.

    The Ravenclaws gathered around Penelope, Autumn, and Marietta, while Lin Yue... was seen with her mouth moving as if she were reciting something.

    The Ravenclaws tacitly accepted that she was studying and did not approach to disturb her.

    However, Lin Yue, who was indeed immersed in reciting her textbook, did not notice Draco''s poisonous glare from the Slytherin table.

    But Lin Yue was oblivious to this; Penelope, on the other hand, noticed it and frowned deeply. She waved her hand to signal the boy across from her to sit a little to the left, blocking Lin Yue from Draco''s view.

    The boy sitting across from him was taken aback for a moment. Although he didn''t understand why Penelope wanted him to move to the left, he obediently shifted his position. After all, his house prefect wouldn''t harm him; he would just listen to what she said.

    "What¡¯s going on? Why is Malfoy staring at Lin Yue like that?"

    "What does Malfoy mean by that?"

    Draco''s gaze just now was completely unmasked. Perhaps he thought that with the Malfoy family backing him, there was no need to hide anything. As a result, many of the Ravenclaws clearly saw his expression, and at this moment, everyone squinted their eyes, looking unfavorably at the Slytherin table.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Lin Yue was indeed a key contributor to Ravenclaw''s victory in the House Cup last year. Although she always appears cold and expressionless, which can seem quite intimidating, after spending a year with her, they have come to understand her true character. Beneath her icy and rigid exterior, she is very patient with everyone. If you call her name, she will respond to you. Although her speech is formal, she is always polite. Her knowledge is also extensive; she is well-versed in many advanced topics and will patiently and diligently answer any questions you have. Such an excellent, studious, and polite junior has long been cherished by the Ravenclaws. Now, a Slytherins is glaring at her so fiercely. Have they even asked if they could agree to this?

    Cho Chang and Marietta exchanged a glance and silently looked at Lin Yue. After seeing that she had no reaction, they both breathed a sigh of relief and began to recount what had happened in Diagon Alley, with Penelope chiming in with her comments.

    "How dare he!" A boy who had just moved his seat slammed his hand on the table and turned to glare at the Slytherin table, his eyes blazing with anger. He cursed Hermione Granger for being a Mudblood and insulted Lin Yue, questioning whether she was even human!

    How dare he! What was wrong with Lin Yue? She was just being herself, and she had the entire Ravenclaw house backing her up. She only needed to live and study according to her own wishes; everything else could be left to them.

    The long table was visibly buzzing with whispers as the first-year students had not yet been sorted, so only students from the second to seventh years were present. The Ravenclaw were discussing among themselves, coming up with countless plans to teach Malfoy a good lesson.

    That look he had just given was clearly one of hatred towards Lin Yue; they would not sit idly by and watch that brat bully their precious Ravenclaw.

    As the students discussed their plans, Penelope, the girl prefect, and another boy prefect, who should have put a stop to it, did not voice any further objections. On the contrary, they used their knowledge of the professors to suggest several ways to avoid getting caught.

    Cho Chang and Marietta also joined in to contribute to the Ravenclaws'' action plan. During the discussion, Lin Yue was the only one at the Ravenclaw table who was out of the loop. Moreover, Cho Chang even kindly covered her ears with her hands.

    She could tell that Lin Yue was extremely rule-abiding; if she heard their plans, it might upset her. So, there was no need for her to know about these matters.

    Lin Yue, who was suddenly and gently covered her ears by Cho Chang, stopped reciting and looked up at Cho Chang.

    Seeing Lin Yue''s eyes, which were as expressionless as an inorganic object, Cho Chang smiled gently and shook his head, indicating that she was fine.

    Receiving the answer, Lin Yue felt no confusion or curiosity in her heart; she nodded and lowered her head to continue reciting from the textbook.

    Thus, under the joint planning of the little eagles of Ravenclaw, a detailed "prank" scheme was laid out, almost one for each day.

    A group of top students gathered together, and even discussing prank operations was highly efficient.

    With spells, potions, and even alchemy and ancient runes, the knowledgeable Ravenclaw was far more terrifying in their pranks than the simple mischief of Gryffindor.

    Various methods emerged one after another, and the details could be well controlled, ensuring that Malfoy would be extremely uncomfortable, but without anything truly serious happening.

    They guaranteed that for this entire school year, as long as Malfoy was at school, he could have "exciting days" every day and would definitely not have the energy to trouble Lin Yue.

    Poor Draco, who was gritting his teeth wanting to do something after learning that he couldn''t take revenge because Dumbledore intervened, found that his plans had already been arranged for him before he could even think of anything.

    The discussion among the Ravenclaws continued until the new student sorting began. Cho Chang released her hand that had been covering Lin Yue''s ears and gently reminded her in a soft voice, "Lin Yue, the sorting ceremony has started. Let''s learn later and watch the ceremony first."

    Lin Yue turned her head stiffly to look at Cho Chang and nodded, "Okay." After saying that, she focused on the new student sorting.

    This year, there weren''t many new students entering Ravenclaw, but without exception, the first thing they did upon entering the house was to look at Lin Yue, who was sitting between Cho Chang and Marietta. This second-year senior, who had gained quite a reputation, had earned over 800 points for the house in one academic year, and her fame had indeed spread among the parents.

    Moreover, her previous "appearance" in Diagon Alley meant that almost no new student was unaware of her. However, upon seeing Lin Yue''s expressionless face and the deadness in her eyes, many first-year Ravenclaws couldn''t help but shrink back.

    Then, the older Ravenclaws beside them would gently introduce Lin Yue, explaining that she was just used to being this way, but she was a very nice person. "No matter what questions you ask, as long as Lin Yue knows the answer, she will seriously help you."

    Penelope unreservedly and without exaggeration "recommended" Lin Yue to the new little eagles. When Lin Yue heard Penelope call her name, she turned to look at her and nodded lightly after hearing her words.

    "If you have any questions, I will answer whatever I can."

    Extending a helping hand to others within one''s capacity is a basic courtesy. The new Ravenclaws blushed and quietly expressed their gratitude to their senior. Their evaluation and sense of familiarity towards Lin Yue increased a little more in their hearts.

    "Senior Lin Yue, aren''t you tired?" A ethereal and elegant voice rang out.

    Lin Yue accurately pinpointed the source of the voice; it was a little girl with golden hair and a pair of slightly bulging, somewhat dazed eyes.

    "Why would I be tired?" Lin Yue couldn''t fully understand her meaning, so she could only ask, even though she felt no confusion inside.

    "You¡¯re dragging a lot of things." The girl pointed at Lin Yue''s back, but there was nothing behind her.

    "I''m not dragging anything." Lin Yue blinked; her brain told her that there was nothing behind her except for the back of the chair.

    "Alright," the girl nodded, and then as if remembering something, she reached out her hand towards Lin Yue. "I''m Luna, Luna Lovegood."

    "Lin Yue." Lin Yue politely extended her hand to shake hands with Luna, her expression showing no change at all.

    At the Gryffindor long table, Hermione, who was about to pick up her knife and fork to enjoy dinner, instinctively looked up at the Ravenclaw table. She wanted to see if Lin Yue was following her advice and eating dinner slowly, but she didn''t see Lin Yue eating. Instead, she saw Lin Yue shaking hands with a new student.

    A complex feeling surged within Hermione; she was half happy for Lin Yue making new friends, but the other half felt a bitterness at seeing Lin Yue shake hands with the younger student. She bit her lip, took a big sip of pumpkin juice, and silently scolded herself.

    "Hermione Granger, what are you thinking? Lin Yue is your friend, and you know her situation, right? Now she has new friends, and you should be happy for her, that''s all."

    Even though she thought this, Hermione couldn''t shake off the bitterness in her heart. It wasn''t until she saw Lin Yue and Luna release each other''s hands that the bitterness in her heart quietly faded away.

    Lin Yue always keeps her promises, so she took her time enjoying dinner. This scene left the Ravenclaws speechless, and even the professors at the staff table were quite surprised. After the initial shock, everyone felt genuinely happy. Unfortunately, this happiness didn¡¯t last long, especially for the eagles.

    After dinner, Professor Dumbledore formally introduced Gilderoy Lockhart, who was dressed like a flamboyant peacock, sitting next to him. He announced that Lockhart would be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts. The eagles, who had been smiling at Lin Yue''s leisurely pace, suddenly had their expressions fall, looking gloomily at Lockhart, who believed himself to be quite charming and was throwing flirtatious glances around.

    Merlin¡¯s beard¡­ they had hoped that Lockhart was just there for dinner, nothing more. But now, was he really going to be their professor? Listening to the discussions around her, Lin Yue blinked calmly. To her, it didn¡¯t matter who the professor was; she just needed to learn well from them. The school wouldn¡¯t make a mistake, Lin Yue¡¯s mind was certain of that.

    Meanwhile, Hermione, who understood Lockhart was a fraud, began to consider the possibility of asking Lin Yue for help with Defense Against the Dark Arts this year.

 Chapter 67: The terrible class of Defense Against the Dark Arts.

    After Principal Dumbledore introduced himself, Lockhart stood up to give a self-introduction. The focus of his introduction was on his personal achievements, how popular he was, and how charming his smile was. Lin Yue looked at Lockhart, who was showing a confident smile at the teacher''s table and felt no stirring in her heart. Everyone has different tastes, so she didn''t find Lockhart''s smile attractive; on the contrary, she thought it was quite ugly.

    However, when facing a professor, Lin Yue knew that her thoughts were completely unnecessary; she just needed to listen to the professor and study hard. When Lockhart finally finished his long, narcissistic speech, the great hall erupted in enthusiastic applause. Many young witches who were captivated by him were clapping vigorously.

    Only in Ravenclaw House did no one applaud for him. Earlier, a first-year wizard from a Muggle background, who didn''t understand the situation, wanted to clap for him. However, the older students nearby stopped him and explained the fact that Lockhart was a fraud, as well as his disgraceful past during his school days.

    The young wizards who initially wanted to applaud instantly lost their enthusiasm; they decided it was better to avoid such a professor. As for Lin Yue... before she could even raise her hand, Qiu Zhang and Marietta, who had anticipated this, quickly held her hand down. They were worried that if Lin Yue clapped now, she would feel disgusted later when she returned to normal and remembered that she had applauded today.

    Seeing that no one from his own house, Ravenclaw welcomed him, he felt disheartened.

    Lockhart''s expression stiffened slightly, but he quickly adjusted and smiled at the little wizards who were applauding him before returning to his seat at the teacher''s table. As soon as his bottom touched the chair, Professor Dumbledore announced the end of the banquet, and both professors and students could leave. Lockhart, who had just sat down, had to stand up again. It would be hard to say that Dumbledore had no intention of doing this... that was indeed unlikely.

    Lin Yue stood up, expressionless, and followed her seniors Qiu Zhang and Marietta towards the Ravenclaw tower. As she walked, she replayed in her mind the faces of everyone she had just seen in the great hall.

    Aside from the graduating seventh-year students, there were no students missing from the great hall. Why was that? Lin Yue''s mind stalled for a moment; she couldn''t deduce the reason.

    Logically, students ranked in the bottom third should have been eliminated. But now, not a single student has been eliminated. Was there a problem with the execution personnel, or was it something else...

    Before Lin Yue could think of a specific reason, another thought suddenly popped into her mind. Had she felt it before? This school was different from her previous one.

    So, the difference was... Hogwarts does not eliminate students?

    Lin Yue derived the result as best as she could, but immediately afterward, a wave of intense pain surged through her brain. This was completely contrary to her basic understanding; in her basic understanding, students ranked in the bottom third should be eliminated by the school. Schools around the world operated this way, but wasn''t she no longer in her original world?

    A thought suddenly surged up from the depths of Lin Yue''s mind: the schools in the two worlds could indeed be different. The pain gradually faded, and after returning to her dormitory and sitting down at her desk, she stopped thinking about this issue.

    Even if the schools in the two worlds were different, so what? The school in this world didn''t eliminate students, so what did it matter? As a student, her primary responsibility was still to study. Lin Yue thought this to herself and opened her textbook on Defense Against Dark Magic, diligently "reviewing" it again. She had her first Defense Against Dark Magic class tomorrow, so she should take another look at the textbook.

    Qiu Zhang and Marietta exchanged a glance, both shaking their heads in resignation. However, they ultimately did not stop Lin Yue; after all, she was just previewing the material. Now Lin Yue was also proactively going to bed early, so it should be fine, right...

    Thinking this, the two senior students took turns showering and then used a spell to dry their hair before going straight to bed. Normally, they wouldn''t do this, as using a spell to dry hair can be somewhat damaging to its quality. After all, who doesn''t care about their hair?

    But today was different; they were really a bit tired, so they simply used the spell to dry their hair and went to sleep.

    On the other hand, Lin Yue was still seriously reading Lockhart''s book. Her brain was providing a detailed analysis of the stories within. Most of it was credible and could be referenced, but there was also a portion that was purely for the effect of the book and should not be learned.

    However, Lin Yue completely believed in the spells in the book. It stated that they would not go wrong, and this principle was listed alongside the school, teachers, and parents as four guidelines that would not fail.

    Lin Yue completely agrees with this and has been putting it into action. Therefore, when trying out the magic described in Lockhart''s book, Lin Yue approached each spell with utmost seriousness and effort. Unfortunately, despite this, she was unable to cast nearly half of the spells mentioned in Lockhart''s book, and her incantations had no effect at all. There wasn''t even a slight fluctuation in her magical power. As for the other half, the results she achieved were either vastly different from what was described in Lockhart''s book or completely unrelated. Even her current practice is the same; she puts away her wand.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Lin Yue glanced at the time; there were seven minutes until midnight, and it was almost her bedtime.

    Thinking of this, Lin Yue quickly changed out of her wizard robe, grabbed some clean clothes, and hurried into the bathroom.

    As she swiftly washed her body, Lin Yue muttered to herself in a low voice, scolding and belittling herself.

    "I can''t even learn a spell; I''m really stupid."

    "It''s clearly written in the book, yet I still can''t do it. I must have a pig''s brain."

    "Why can everyone else do it, but I can''t? Maybe it''s because I don''t have a brain like everyone else."

    During the five minutes she spent in the shower, Lin Yue''s mouth didn''t stop moving. She had a lot of related phrases in her memory; initially, these were words her parents used to scold her. Later, when they realized that Lin Yue could remember these words, they simply stopped scolding her themselves and let her write them down. Whenever Lin Yue "needed" to be scolded, they would have her do it in front of them. So now, Lin Yue was quite adept at this task.

    Hermione had previously said that she couldn''t punish herself anymore for studying. However, while punishment could be avoided, being scolded was unavoidable.

    By the time Lin Yue finished her shower, there were only two minutes left until midnight. She quickly dried her hair with a towel. Then she lay down on the bed, and the pillow was instantly soaked. Lin Yue fell into a deep sleep in an instant.

    On the other bed, Qiu Zhang and Marietta, who had not yet fallen asleep, carefully got out of bed. They had lived with Lin Yue for a year and knew that she could fall asleep in seconds. Originally, they had planned to dry her hair after she finished her shower.

    Who would have thought that before they could even get out of bed, Lin Yue had already lain down and fallen asleep? There was no way they could let Lin Yue sleep with wet hair; her head would hurt so much tomorrow. So, the two seniors had no choice but to get out of bed barefoot and quietly walk to Lin Yue''s bedside.

    One of them helped her sit up while the other gently dried Lin Yue''s hair. Fortunately, Lin Yue fell into a deep sleep as soon as she was asleep, so she was not disturbed by Qiu Zhang and Marietta''s actions at all.

    After the two seniors placed Lin Yue back on the bed, changed her pillow for a new one, and tucked her in with a blanket, they returned to their own beds.

    After sleeping for an hour, Lin Yue suddenly opened her eyes, finding her hair and pillow dry. The previously wet pillow was now placed aside, and Lin Yue instantly realized that it was Senior Qiu Zhang and Senior Marietta who had helped her dry her hair and change her pillow.

    Did I trouble others again? This thought flashed through Lin Yue''s mind. She then closed her eyes again and returned to sleep; she needed to get a full six hours of rest.

    After sleeping for six hours, Lin Yue opened her eyes at six in the morning. She quickly got out of bed, washed up, and grabbed her backpack before heading out of the dormitory towards the great hall.

    When she arrived at the great hall, it was just like last semester; since it was too early, there was no food available yet. Sitting at the Ravenclaw long table, she flipped through her book until breakfast appeared on the table. Only then did Lin Yue put away her book and leisurely started eating her breakfast.

    Halfway through her breakfast, Hermione also walked into the great hall. She smiled and waved at Lin Yue, saying, "Lin Yue, good morning."

    "Good morning, Hermione." Lin Yue swallowed the fried egg in her mouth, nodded expressionlessly, and then continued to lower her head to eat breakfast.

    Hermione smiled and walked over to sit at the Gryffindor long table, also starting her breakfast. By the time Lin Yue finished her breakfast, the two senior students, Qiu Zhang and Marietta, finally "arrived late." Lin Yue stopped her steps towards the entrance of the Great Hall, looked at them steadily, her tone showing no fluctuation whatsoever.

    "Thank you, Senior Qiu Zhang and Senior Marietta, for helping me dry my hair and change my pillow last night."

    Qiu Zhang and Marietta both felt a bit embarrassed by her serious thank you. Qiu Zhang, with a slight blush on her face, raised her hand to pinch Lin Yue''s cheek, saying, "You''re welcome, hurry to the classroom."

    "That''s right," Marietta also forced a calm nod, "You don''t have to be so polite with us, just go."

    "Okay." Lin Yue nodded and quickly walked towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

    Upon entering the classroom, Lin Yue''s gaze was immediately taken over by countless pictures of Gilderoy Lockhart, as almost every corner of the room was adorned with his photos. At that moment, she didn''t know how many Lockharts were grinning at her, constantly trying to exude what they believed to be charm.

    Lin Yue turned her head stiffly to look around, and after confirming that Professor Lockhart was not present, she sat back down in her seat. Acting as if she hadn''t seen anything, she took out her Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook and read it carefully.

    When the Ravenclaws came in later, they gradually sat down beside her, subtly surrounding her and making her the center of attention. However, the thoughtful Ravenclaws still left one empty seat next to Lin Yue. After all, they were having this class together with the Gryffindors.

    After finishing breakfast, Hermione, Harry, and Ron walked into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Upon seeing Lin Yue surrounded by the Ravenclaws with only one empty seat next to her, Hermione immediately understood that the empty seat was meant for her. Without hesitation, Miss Granger left her two close friends and sat down in the empty seat next to Lin Yue.

    Harry and Ron exchanged glances, both smiling and shaking their heads as they sat down among the Gryffindors.

    As the class officially began, Lockhart walked out from the office in the classroom. He exaggeratedly opened his arms and spoke passionately to the little wizards in front of the podium.

    "Welcome, welcome everyone to my class! Here, you will witness the mysteries of magic."

    Scattered applause broke out, with only a few Gryffindor girls clapping for him. This time, Lin Yue was held back by Hermione, who firmly pressed down on her hands. How could such a smart and talented little witch like Lin Yue applaud that incompetent wizard Lockhart! Hermione was filled with this thought, which is why she held Lin Yue''s hands tightly.

    Seeing that not many people were applauding him, Lockhart endured the embarrassment and boasted a few more lines before handing out a test paper.

    "Let me see how much you have grasped the content of the textbook."

    Exams where an activity Lin Yue was extremely skilled at, and she took the paper with ease.

    After Lin Yue finished writing her name, she began answering the questions. The questions on the paper were all mentioned in the book, with no innovation or material beyond the syllabus that an exam should have.

    For her, it was completely effortless.

    However, next to her, Hermione was frowning at the paper, her brows furrowing so much that they could almost squash a fly.

    What on earth were these questions?

    What is Lockhart''s favorite color, Lockhart''s secret ambition, Lockhart''s most desired Christmas gift?!

    Merlin, what does this have to do with Defense Against the Dark Arts!

    Looking at this paper, Hermione felt like throwing her pen away and not writing a single word. Of course, she wanted to slap the paper right onto Lockhart''s face.

    But seeing Lin Yue writing furiously next to her, Hermione sighed and gave up on her thoughts.

    Might as well write seriously... Otherwise, if Lin Yue gets a perfect score and she hands in a blank paper, just thinking about it gives her a very bad feeling.

    The Ravenclaws next to them were having the same mental journey after seeing Lin Yue''s intense writing.

    Reluctantly, the Ravenclaws began to write, while on the other side, the Gryffindors, except for a few of Lockhart''s fans, looked pained upon seeing the paper.

    They didn''t even want to give Lockhart a glance, tossing their quills aside and crossing their arms.

    They just sat there waiting for Lockhart to collect the papers, since they were in class with the Ravenclaws anyway.

    They were never going to score better than the little eagles, and with such a ridiculous paper, writing it would just be a waste of time.

    So, when it came time to collect the papers ten minutes later, Lockhart was faced with a whole half-class of blank papers.

 Chapter 68: The terrible class of Defense Against the Dark Arts 2

    "Ah... it seems that some of you still lack a bit of understanding about me, but that''s okay, we will have a long time to get to know each other," Lockhart said, winking at the students, which made quite a few young wizards feel a wave of nausea.

    Lin Yue looked at him without any reaction, waiting for him to officially start the class.

    Unfortunately, Lockhart clearly had no intention of doing so; he continued to flip through the papers and when he saw Lin Yue and Hermione''s papers, his eyes suddenly lit up.

    "Wow!"

    "Miss Lin Yue, Miss Granger, where are you?"

    Lin Yue heard the professor call her name and immediately raised her hand, staring blankly at Lockhart. Next to her, Hermione, seeing this, reluctantly raised her hand as well.

    When Lockhart saw Lin Yue''s face, he paused for a moment; he recognized this girl. She was the one who had taught a lesson to the Malfoy father and son in Diagon Alley and had almost been successfully used by him to boost his own fame.

    If it hadn''t been for that clueless reporter not to agree, didn''t he know how much this incident could have benefited him? He could have possibly gotten a promotion because of it! Lockhart sighed at the missed opportunity from back then, and then immediately put on a big smile and spoke.

    "I''m very glad that you all took my books so seriously. Without a doubt, you must admire me greatly."

    Lin Yue''s face remained unchanged, while Hermione''s expression grew even more disheartened. Admiring a fool? Merlin''s scarecrow, she would rather face the challenges of the previous school year''s end again!

    As he spoke, his gaze locked onto Lin Yue''s face. "Without a doubt, I will teach you how to wield powerful magic effectively, just as I have done before, using it to help others."

    Lin Yue met Lockhart''s gaze without flinching, her eyes still as lifeless as inanimate objects.

    Lockhart felt a chill run down his back and quickly averted his gaze. Merlin, this girl is a bit too strange, isn''t she? It would be best to keep my distance from her, especially if she can''t help me boost my fame in this regard.

    "Alright, ladies and gentlemen," Lockhart said as he walked slowly to the podium, spreading his arms wide. "This school year, you will witness many of the most dangerous and malicious dark magic and magical creatures in my class. I will teach you how to deal with them, just as I have done countless times before."

    Listening to his words, the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors couldn''t help but scoff at him. The most dangerous? The most malicious? That could only scare you to death!

    "It seems you all don''t quite believe it?" Lockhart raised an eyebrow, reaching for a cage covered with a black cloth on the podium. "Now, let me show you a wicked creature, an extremely wicked creature. Please don''t scream, as that would anger them."

    Lockhart''s facial expressions changed dramatically, and his "peak performance" truly managed to impress some of the young wizards. Although Lockhart had no real skills, what if he really had brought some dangerous magical creature?

    Hermione took a deep breath, drew her wand, and moved slightly forward, subtly shielding Lin Yue. Lin Yue glanced at Hermione in front of her with an indifferent expression, showing no reaction.

    Based on the size of the cage next to Lockhart and the degree of its shaking, she could analyze that there were no dangerous creatures in the magical world that were so small they couldn''t even break out of a cage. Moreover, from the faint sounds coming from the cage and observing it, she had already determined that the creature inside was most likely a Cornish Pixie.

    This was a creature that wasn''t particularly dangerous but was extremely annoying; once released, they wreaked havoc until everything around them was in chaos. Hermione could handle such a creature, so Lin Yue had no reaction to Hermione standing in front of her. If it were a more dangerous creature, she would have pulled Hermione behind her long ago. After all, in the inequality of their lives, hers was greater than her own.

    Seeing that he had achieved his goal, a significant portion of the young wizards in the audience displayed nervous expressions.

    Lockhart smiled proudly as he lifted the black cloth covering the cage. "Let me reveal to you the newly captured Cornish Pixies!"

    As the cloth was pulled away, a cage full of Cornish Pixies appeared before the young Ravenclaws and Gryffindors present.

    A burst of laughter suddenly erupted in the classroom, with all the young wizards slapping their thighs and laughing uncontrollably.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "They''re not dangerous at all."

    "Cornish Pixies, hahahaha..."

    Hearing the laughter and chatter of the young wizards in the classroom, Lockhart raised an eyebrow. "Don''t underestimate them; they can be quite troublesome."

    "Now let me see how you will deal with them."

    With that, he yanked open the cage containing the Cornish Pixies, and a dozen of them flew out.

    "What a madman!"

    Hermione exclaimed, clearly aware of the mischief that the Cornish pixies could cause, and quickly packed her and Lin Yue''s belongings into their respective bags.

    Lin Yue did not react at all; in her view, Lockhart, as a professor, must have released the Cornish pixies to train them in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Next, he would likely teach them the spell for this lesson and have them use it to deal with the Cornish pixies.

    Sure enough, when Lockhart saw the little wizards starting to panic and gather their things, he pulled out his wand.

    "Alright, alright, everyone stays calm. These little pixies are easy to handle; you just need to follow my lead."

    He then waved his wand and recited a spell that no one had ever heard.

    Unsurprisingly, it had no effect; his wand was immediately grabbed by a Cornish pixie and thrown away.

    The smile on his face stiffened for a moment, then he forced a grin.

    "Next, I have a challenge for you: catch these Cornish pixies and bring them back."

    After saying this, he hurriedly "tumbled and rolled" back to his office, leaving the little wizards speechless as they watched his retreating figure.

    As expected, what a useless person.

    The Cornish pixies rampaged around the classroom, tearing up textbooks and knocking over ink bottles. They even tried to lift Neville and hang him from the chandelier.

    Lin Yue saw this scene and waved her wand, reciting the spell that Lockhart had just cast. However, just like Lockhart''s result earlier, nothing happened.

    Hermione, standing beside her, cast a petrification spell on another Cornish pixie and then turned to Lin Yue. "Don''t try that madman''s spell anymore, it''s completely useless!" She even doubted whether it was really a spell at all.

    Lin Yue fell silent for a moment; the teacher wouldn''t make a mistake, so it must be that she hadn''t learned it well enough. She really felt so foolish...

    Lin Yue scolded herself in her mind, her eyes, as still as dead water, scanned the classroom where the Cornish pixies had made the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors look utterly disheveled. Slowly, she raised her wand.

    "Wingardium Leviosa."

    The incantation came out devoid of any emotion, and at the same moment, all the Cornish pixies in front of everyone froze. The two Cornish pixies holding Neville were also suddenly pulled apart by a force, and he was gently placed back on the ground.

    Lin Yue waved her wand in circles with her right hand in the air, and the little Cornish pixies were instantly swept up, spinning around the classroom ceiling. At that moment, they were completely unable to control themselves, only able to let themselves spin faster and faster in the air. Finally, after several circles,

    Lin Yue pointed her wand sharply at the cage on the podium. The dizzy little Cornish pixies were all pointed back into the cage by Lin Yue. Even the cage door was closed with a floating spell by Lin Yue. With the Cornish pixies locked up again, the little wizards in the classroom let out a huge sigh of relief.

    Now, whether they were Ravenclaws or Gryffindors, their eyes were filled with gratitude and admiration as they looked at Lin Yue.

    Just then, the class bell rang, and Hermione picked up both of their backpacks with one hand and took Lin Yue''s hand with the other.

    "Let''s go." She really didn''t want to stay in this classroom for another second! After leaving the classroom, Lin Yue silently took her backpack back from

    Hermione''s hand without any change in her expression and quietly said thank you. "No need to be so polite," Hermione said with a smile, putting her arm around Lin Yue''s shoulder. "We''re friends, and Lin Yue, you were really amazing just now, catching all the Cornish pixies at once!"

    "It wasn''t anything special," Lin Yue shook her head with a flat tone.

    Listening to Hermione''s admiration, she felt nothing inside. She had just done what the professor asked; it was expected. Moreover, Lin Yue''s eyes moved slightly; she hadn''t even cast the professor''s "teaching" spell, and as her parents said, she was still too slow-witted. After entering the hall, Hermione separated from Lin Yue, and because Lin Yue showed no signs of anything, Hermione had no idea that Lin Yue had been internally criticizing and berating herself all the way.

    It wasn''t until she sat at the Ravenclaw long table that Lin Yue''s internal scolding finally subsided. Eating her lunch at a leisurely pace, Lin Yue reflected on what she would learn in the afternoon''s Transfiguration class. Before long, Cho Chang and Marietta walked into the hall, naturally sitting on either side of Lin Yue and digging into their lunch. Next to them, several second-year Ravenclaws were passionately discussing the recent Defense Against the Dark Arts class with their upperclassmen.

    Penelope listened to the second-year students, the little eagles, criticizing the recent Defense Against the Dark Arts class and Gilderoy Lockhart. After swallowing a bite of steak, she frowned, "He just ran off like that? Leaving you all with a room full of Cornish pixies?"

    "Yes," a second-year girl nodded with a look of disdain on her face.

    "Can you believe he''s still a professor?" a second-year boy next to her chimed in, nodding in agreement.

    "In the end, Lin Yue is the reliable one," the girl continued, looking at Lin Yue with admiration and affection in her eyes. "She managed to catch all the Cornish pixies by herself."

    Penelope smiled, reached Cho Chang, and ruffled Lin Yue''s hair, "That''s amazing."

    Lin Yue was taken aback for a moment, then looked up at Penelope, who was touching her head, and the girl who had just called her name. After confirming that nothing was wrong, she lowered her head again, continued to eat her lunch, and mentally "reviewed" the transfiguration knowledge she would study in the afternoon.

    "Senior Penelope," Cho Chang glanced at Lin Yue and leaned closer to Penelope''s ear.

    "Uh? What''s up?" Penelope turned to look at Cho Chang, somewhat puzzled about what she wanted to say.

    "With Lockhart... we really can''t learn anything," Cho Chang said gently, though her brows were tightly furrowed.

    "That''s true," Penelope nodded in agreement, firmly believing that Lockhart couldn''t teach them anything.

    Seeing that Penelope agreed with her, Cho Chang became a bit excited and continued, "Then how about we self-study?"

    "Self-study?" Penelope was taken aback for a moment, then lowered her gaze to think about the feasibility before raising a key question.

    "Then... who will teach?"

    Cho Chang blinked and turned her head slightly.

    "Lin Yue?" Penelope widened her eyes slightly, looking at Cho Chang with hesitation.

    "Lin Yue is indeed very capable, but after all, she is only in her second year..."

    She was somewhat worried about whether the magic Lin Yue knew could be taught to those sixth and seventh-year students.

    "Her level should be sufficient," Cho Chang said with a smile, shaking her head.

    Aside from Miss Granger from Gryffindor, she dared to say that no one understood Lin Yue''s learning progress better than she and Marietta.

    They had noticed the books Lin Yue read in the dormitory, and it could only be said that, based on the difficulty of those books, Lin Yue could directly join the sixth or seventh grade without any problem.

    She might even be able to take first place in her grade.

    Marietta, who had been listening to the two of them, leaned in and nodded in agreement with Cho Chang''s words.

    "No problem, Senior Penelope. Plus, we can ask a few sixth and seventh-year seniors for help."

    "Lin Yue will be the main instructor, and the others can help each other. It''s definitely better than not learning anything from Lockhart."

    Penelope pressed her lips together and made up her mind, "Okay! As long as Lin Yue agrees, I will negotiate the time and place with Professor Flitwick."

    "And then I will also ask who else wants to participate."

    "Alright." ¡Á2

    Cho Chang and Marietta nodded simultaneously, and the thoughts of the three girls were highly consistent with Hermione''s thoughts from last night.

    Lin Yue, who had been sitting among them, naturally heard their conversation, which mentioned her full name more than once.

    So she naturally came out of her "review" state and waited until they finished talking.

    Only then did she politely speak up, her voice as calm as a still well, "I have no problem. Thank you for your trust. I will teach everyone seriously."

 Chapter 69: Proof of ability

    Hearing Lin Yue''s response, Cho Chang and the others were momentarily stunned, and then Penelope smiled and reached out to pinch her cheek.

    "Then let me thank you on behalf of everyone first. Don''t worry, they definitely won''t let you teach for nothing."

    Lin Yue blinked mechanically, not quite understanding what Senior Penelope meant.

    Isn''t it the most basic thing to help others within one''s ability, even to help others learn?

    What does it mean that they won''t let her teach for free?

    However, it was clear that neither Penelope, Cho Chang, nor Marietta had any intention of explaining it to her.

    After lunch, Lin Yue was pulled back to the dormitory to rest by Cho Chang and Marietta, while Penelope directly got up to find her head of house, Professor Flitwick.

    To establish such a self-study organization, she still needed the professor''s approval and assistance.

    "Professor Flitwick, sorry to bother you, can I discuss something with you?"

    Penelope politely greeted Professor Flitwick, who smiled and nodded in response.

    "Of course, Miss Penelope."

    With that, the two moved to a nearby corner where they wouldn''t be in the way. Penelope looked up to confirm that Lockhart was not nearby before speaking.

    "Professor Flitwick, you should know that Professor Lockhart..." Considering that Lockhart was still a professor, Penelope controlled herself and refrained from calling him a fool in front of Flitwick.

    "He lacks ability." She swore she had been as tactful as possible.

    But given the reality, it was impossible to be gentle and polite about it.

    Because Lockhart was undoubtedly a fool; there was no way to sugarcoat that!

    However, Professor Flitwick showed no signs of anger. "Yes, we are indeed aware of that."

    Professor Flitwick sighed and nodded, "But there''s nothing we can do. For reasons everyone knows, it has indeed become very difficult to find someone willing to take on the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."

    "He is the only one who applied voluntarily."

    Penelope smiled helplessly; the situation with the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts was indeed special.

    "But we really can''t learn anything from him, so we want to form a self-study group to learn the content of Defense Against the Dark Arts ourselves, such as various defensive spells."

    Professor Flitwick, who was a dueling champion in his youth, waved his arm in appreciation, "Good idea, I support you."

    Seeing that Professor Flitwick agreed, Penelope instantly breathed a sigh of relief, "So we would like to ask you, Professor, about the venue and time?"

    "Oh," Professor Flitwick smiled gently, "You can decide that completely on your own. You can meet anytime during your free periods, as long as it''s before curfew."

    "As for the venue, you can use any empty classroom in Hogwarts, just don''t damage the castle."

    Penelope nodded happily and thanked Professor Flitwick, "Okay, thank you, Professor."

    "You''re welcome, Miss Penelope. I''m glad to see that you all value your studies so much," Professor Flitwick said with a pleased look. "But don''t push yourself too hard; remember to leave enough time for rest."

    "We will," Penelope immediately replied, then turned and quickly walked out of the hall.

    She needed to hurry back to the Ravenclaw tower to tell everyone about this. Undoubtedly, the sooner this study group was established, the better.

    Moreover, she still needed to convey this news to the other three houses.

    Yes, even though all the Ravenclaws were planning to deal with Malfoy, Penelope had no intention of blaming the entire Slytherin house for this matter.

    That wouldn''t be right; everyone is a student and has equal rights to learn.

    Back in the Ravenclaw common room, Penelope immediately spotted Lin Yue, who was sitting between Cho Chang and Marietta, engrossed in a book.

    "It worked! Professor Flitwick agreed," Penelope approached and shared the good news with the three younger students.

    "That''s great!" ¡Á2

    Cho Chang and Marietta excitedly high-fived each other, while Lin Yue, sitting between them, kept her head down reading and remained focused on her studies since she didn''t hear her full name.

    "Next, I need to talk to everyone about this," Penelope took a deep breath and looked around at the Ravenclaws in the common room. "Everyone, please come over here."

    "If there are still people in the dormitory, please call them out as well; I have something to say."

    The Ravenclaws present looked at each other upon hearing her words and obediently went back to their respective dorms to gather everyone.

    Although they were puzzled, the male prefect cooperated with Penelope and managed to gather everyone in front of the sofa in the common room.

    "Is everyone here?" Penelope stood on her tiptoes to look, and after the Ravenclaws checked with each other, they all nodded.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    "That''s good," Penelope steadied herself and looked at the people present. "As everyone knows, our current Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Lockhart, is just a fraud."

    "He can''t teach us anything."

    Even the first-year wizards present had heard from the second-year students about Lockhart''s "heroic deeds" in his first-class during lunch. After releasing the Cornish pixies, he couldn''t handle them, threw his wand away, and then fled in panic. In the end, it was Lin Yue who had to catch all the pixies again.

    With such a performance, everyone firmly believed Penelope''s conclusion that Lockhart couldn''t teach them anything.

    "So, I want to organize a self-study group where we can learn Defense Against the Dark Arts together."

    "Wow, cool!"

    "Great idea!"

    "I think it''s very necessary; I have to take my O.W.L.S. this year."

    After seeing that almost all the Ravenclaws nodded in agreement, Penelope continued with a smile. "In this self-study group, we will help each other learn, with older students guiding the younger ones. As for the main instructor, I would like to invite Miss Lin Yue to take on that role."

    Hearing her full name, Lin Yue finally broke away from her studying, closed her book, raised her head, and slowly stood up upon seeing the group of people in front of the sofa, politely nodding to them.

    "Um, I know everyone might have some doubts about whether Lin Yue can guide the older students."

    Penelope carefully considered her words, trying to increase others'' trust in Lin Yue''s abilities as much as possible. However, to her surprise, the younger students almost unanimously shook their heads. Questioning Lin Yue''s abilities? Wasn''t that just absurd? She had been able to single-handedly defeat a giant in her first year, and by the end of the school year, she had even fought Professor Quirrell alone and won. With such a level of skill, how could they dare to question her?

    Seeing this situation, Penelope raised her eyebrows in surprise. The Ravenclaws, as top students, were undoubtedly a bit proud, making it difficult for them to genuinely admire someone. But looking at the current situation, it seemed that everyone truly respected Lin Yue.

    Before doing something, one should first let the other party confirm that you could accomplish it. Then, let them decide whether to allow you to do it. With this thought in mind, Lin Yue drew her wand without any hesitation and pointed it at a seventh-year boy in front of her. "Senior, I''m sorry, but I might have to offend you a bit. I want to prove my abilities to everyone."

    Listening to Lin Yue''s emotionless tone, the senior standing in front of her nodded trustingly and drew his wand, standing still. The Ravenclaws nearby quietly stepped back, with no one expressing any concern; after all, this was Lin Yue. Their precious Ravenclaw would definitely not harm them.

    " Expelliarmus."

    Before the seventh-year senior could react, his wand was already snatched from his hand without any resistance and caught by Lin Yue. Immediately, Lin Yue turned her wand to point at the empty ground; the next spell was not suitable to be cast on a person.

    Lin Yue''s mind quickly analyzed the situation; no one present could withstand it, and anyone hit would definitely need to go to the hospital wing.

    "Stupefy!"

    Bang! With a loud noise, the tiles on the ground shattered, and even the castle floor cracked open.

    " Impedimenta."

    She directed her wand at a chair next to the empty space, and after being hit by Lin Yue''s impediment curse, the chair was immediately knocked backward, as if pushed away by some invisible barrier.

    " Reducto!"

    The poor chair was destroyed on the spot. A series of spells were continuously unleashed by Lin Yue, ranging from easy to difficult.

    The second grade, third grade, fourth grade, all the way up to the seventh grade, there wasn''t a single defensive spell that could stump Lin Yue. Moreover, the spells she cast were incredibly powerful. As Lin Yue continuously recited the incantations, the eyes of the Ravenclaws widened more and more. They knew Lin Yue was impressive, but this was just too much...

    Was Merlin chasing after her to give her extra lessons?

    Until the last spell appeared, everyone was left completely speechless.

    " Protego."

    An invisible barrier instantly stretched across in front of Lin Yue, next to the others. It might not be entirely accurate to call it an invisible barrier. Because as soon as it appeared, it "plowed" a deep "trench" into the walls, floor, and ceiling on both sides.

    It was clear that this armor spell had embedded itself into the walls, indicating just how vast its range was.

    "Merlin above... she must be the real Ravenclaw."

    A bewildered little eagle voiced the thoughts of the other Ravenclaws present.

    The second-year spells were executed with a strength far beyond that of ordinary people.

    This is what true "intelligence" looks like, right? This is what true "diligence" looks like, right?

    Compared to Lin Yue... they all felt like fake Ravenclaws.

    Waving her wand to lift the Shield Charm, Lin Yue continuously recited spells to restore everything she had damaged back to its original state.

    She justified casting spells on the surrounding objects to prove her abilities to everyone.

    However, it was also true that this action damaged school property, and a mistake is still a mistake.

    Just like back at home, where every moment outside of eating and sleeping was dedicated to studying.

    It was perfectly normal for her to do housework.

    But if she wasn''t thinking about studying while doing housework, then that time wasn''t spent studying, which would be a violation of the rules.

    One must be strict with oneself; the standards must be the highest and most rigorous.

    A chair, the floor, the ceiling, and the two walls had damaged a total of five pieces of school property.

    Lin Yue firmly etched this in her mind, put away her wand, and turned to face all the Ravenclaw students, speaking clearly and earnestly.

    "I have completed all the spells from first to seventh grade that belong to Defense Against the Dark Arts. May I ask if everyone can acknowledge my abilities?"

    The almost certain tone of her question made the Ravenclaws present feel a tightness in their hearts, and they all felt a bit uncomfortable.

    "I acknowledge."

    "I acknowledge."

    "Of course we acknowledge."

    "If we don''t acknowledge this, then I fear even the Ravenclaw lady would call us foolish."

    Everyone was discussing animatedly, but the central idea was a unanimous trust and recognition of Lin Yue''s abilities.

    Seeing that everyone had expressed their approval, Penelope, Cho Chang, and Marietta all smiled happily.

    Penelope brushed her hair back and looked at the Ravenclaws present. "Our self-study group¡¯s main lecturer is Lin Yue, so I think we should show some appreciation."

    As she spoke, a glint flashed in her eyes. "I suggest that we take turns providing snacks for Lin Yue. I''ll start, and for the next week, I will buy snacks for her."

    She silently tucked away the latter part of her sentence about feeding her, as she had been itching to do so ever since she saw Hermione feeding Lin Yue snacks back at the villa.

    Lin Yue''s expressionless chewing was just too amusing, and the way she ate whatever was offered to her was simply adorable.

    Cho Chang and Marietta, who had also lived in the villa, quickly caught on and turned to look at Penelope.

    "Great idea! As expected of a senior, you¡¯re quick on the uptake."

    "I''ll take the second week!" Cho Chang quickly chimed in.

    The words that were about to come out of Marietta''s mouth immediately changed, "It''s my third week!"

    At this moment, the remaining Ravenclaws finally reacted and started to feed Lin Yue! They were feeding their precious Ravenclaw!

    In an instant, voices rose and fell among the eagle group, and Lin Yue stared blankly at her excited classmates in front of her.

    Her brain could clearly tell her that everyone was excited about being able to buy snacks for her and feed her snacks.

    However, her brain couldn''t explain why.

    She couldn''t understand why buying snacks and feeding them to her, which clearly consumed their resources and was of no help to their studies, made them so enthusiastic and eager.

    But regardless of whether Lin Yue understood or not, the Ravenclaws'' snack feeding plan was set in motion, and even for the entire school year, Lin Yue''s snacks had been "outsourced."

    It was clear that Lin Yue, who had never eaten snacks before, would be able to enjoy snacks freely in the days to come, if it was within a healthy range.

    As for the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and possibly Slytherin students who would want to join later...

    They could just wait in line. At least for this entire school year, the opportunity to feed Lin Yue belonged solely to them, the Ravenclaws, and of course, to Miss Granger from Gryffindor.

 Chapter 70: Blow up the long table

    The day after the entire Ravenclaw house agreed to form a self-study group, the Ravenclaws began spreading the news to the other three houses during breakfast.

    In Gryffindor, Hermione''s eyes lit up without a doubt, and she immediately joined without any hesitation. Since it was clear that she wouldn''t learn much from Lockhart, she had originally planned to ask Lin Yue to teach her Defense Against the Dark Arts. Now that there was this ready-made opportunity, she certainly wanted to seize it and agree.

    Harry, Ron, and the Weasley twins also agreed without hesitation. After seeing Hermione and the others agree, several more Gryffindors joined in as well.

    It is worth mentioning that Percy frowned when Penelope brought up this matter to him. He expressed that she shouldn''t place too much trust in the abilities of a second-year wizard, even if she could perform those spells herself. He argued that it didn''t mean she could teach others to use them, and he suggested that she should trust the professors'' abilities, stating that Professor Lockhart might just be giving everyone a chance to show off in the first class.

    Penelope listened to his words, her lips twitching slightly. After waving her hand, she left. Since he didn''t believe in Lin Yue''s abilities and didn''t think that Lockhart was truly incompetent, there was nothing more to discuss. This made Percy, who had originally wanted to engage in a "high-minded discussion," suddenly shut his mouth and turn back to continue eating, feeling somewhat at a loss.

    On the Hufflepuff side, the second-year students didn''t hesitate at all and all joined in. Having taken classes with Lin Yue for an entire year last year, they were aware of her abilities. To receive her guidance was something they could only wish for. The usually united Hufflepuffs, seeing that the second years had all joined in, also expressed their desire to participate.

    The older students joined with the intention of looking after the younger ones, and although they had some understanding of Lin Yue''s abilities, to be honest, she was just a second-year witch. It was hard for them to believe that she had reached a level where she could teach them.

    As for Slytherin House, the Ravenclaw side was represented by three seventh-year seniors. After all, their plan against Malfoy also started at breakfast today, and if it was discovered that it was the work of Ravenclaw, these three upperclassmen would be able to "retreat unscathed."

    "What do you want?" The Slytherins, except for Gryffindor, were still somewhat polite to the Slytherins from other houses. At this moment, two seventh-year Slytherins stood up and looked at the three Ravenclaws inquiringly.

    "We''ve formed a self-study group, mainly focusing on Defense Against the Dark Arts. You can choose whether or not to participate."

    One of the Ravenclaw girls among the three Ravenclaws smiled slightly, but her smile didn''t reach her eyes.

    "A self-study group?" The seventh-grade Slytherin who had just asked frowned and glanced over at the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables.

    "Do those brutes from Gryffindor and those slackers from Hufflepuff have to join too?"

    Before he could finish speaking, another Slytherin with a more arrogant demeanor chimed in.

    The Ravenclaw girl frowned, feeling a strong discomfort at what he had just said.

    "That''s right, as long as you want to, everyone from the four houses at Hogwarts can participate."

    Although she felt uncomfortable and dissatisfied, she patiently explained it again.

    "No thanks, what can we learn by studying with brutes and slackers alongside bookworms?"

    Marcus Flint, sitting at the Slytherin long table, interjected, and a burst of laughter erupted from the Slytherin table.

    The three Ravenclaws'' expressions instantly turned serious as they nodded, "Alright, we know you don''t need it, let''s go."

    After saying that, the three Ravenclaws walked straight back to the Ravenclaw long table.

    "What did they say that they shouldn''t have?" Penelope asked, looking at the laughing Slytherin table and the two senior boys and one senior girl who returned with cold faces, almost certain of her question.

    "What else could it be? Gryffindor is full of brutes, Hufflepuff is a bunch of gluttons, and we are just bookworms," one of the senior boys lamented, shaking his head.

    After hearing the mockery, Penelope chuckled a couple of times and took a bite of her pie, "It''s normal; the four houses at Hogwarts have misunderstandings about each other."

    "Yeah." The Ravenclaws around her nodded in agreement; this was indeed true.

    Lin Yue lowered her head and silently ate her meal, constantly "reviewing" the knowledge of Potions from this academic year in her mind.

    No one knew that the knives and forks on the Slytherin table, even those in their hands, had just slowly moved a millimeter until the three Ravenclaws returned to the Ravenclaw table, at which point they returned to normal.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Just as breakfast was coming to an end and most of the little wizards, including Lin Yue, had already stood up and were walking towards the exit of the Great Hall, an unexpected event occurred at the Slytherin table.

    Draco Malfoy, who was originally eating, suddenly had his hair grow long, dragging on the ground and creating quite a mess without stopping.

    With a dark expression, Draco threw down his knife and fork and directed an angry glare at the Gryffindor table.

    Meanwhile, Lin Yue, who was halfway through her walk, quickly locked her gaze onto a senior from Ravenclaw.

    Her brain was working at high speed, and the knowledge she had stored told her that Draco Malfoy''s hair at this moment resembled the effects of a hair growth potion.

    However, a typical hair growth potion would automatically stop hair growth after reaching a certain length.

    As for Malfoy, it was obvious that he couldn''t stop at all. His hair was growing uncontrollably, and it was almost burying him. So, it was a modified hair growth potion, Lin Yue confirmed in her mind. When that senior passed by her just now, there was clearly a scent like hair growth potion on her, even though it had been deliberately washed off and might have been cleaned thoroughly. However, someone familiar with potions could still vaguely detect it, as potions always leave some residue.

    Her gaze fixed on the dining table in front of Draco, which was already covered by his hair. Lin Yue deduced that the senior must have put the modified hair growth potion in his pumpkin juice or breakfast. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Professor Snape walking towards the Slytherin table with a cold expression, and a probability calculation flashed quickly through Lin Yue''s mind.

    Professor Snape is a master of potions, and although that senior student had calculated everything well, the potion wouldn''t take effect until Draco finished his breakfast and drank his pumpkin juice. However, it was still very likely that Professor Snape would detect the scent of the hair growth potion from the plates or cups. Following that, the probability of him smelling the hair growth potion on the senior student was very low, but not impossible. Moreover, given Professor Snape''s usual style of conduct, he would likely deduct points from the senior student and impose detention even without direct evidence.

    Based on this, Lin Yue concluded that it was best to destroy all evidence, leaving Professor Snape unable to determine whether the effects were due to the potion or a spell. With a calm demeanor, Lin Yue withdrew her gaze and walked towards the entrance of the Great Hall. However, as soon as she stepped out, the entire Slytherin long table began to explode violently. The table turned into splintered wood, which then became sawdust, and the sawdust turned to ashes. By the time Lin Yue completely exited the Great Hall, the Slytherin long table and everything on it had turned to dust.

    There were no warning signs, and the speed was astonishing, leaving the professors at the staff table momentarily stunned. After a full two seconds, Professor Snape finally rushed forward with a cold expression, waving his wand to disperse the surrounding dust. Fortunately, the Slytherin students had been protected in advance by Lin Yue using two large non-verbal, Wandless Shield Charm, so no one was harmed. The only one injured in the explosion was Draco himself, who had lost a significant portion of his long hair and sat there in a daze, staring at the empty space in front of him where the Slytherin long table used to be.

    Quickly making her way to the History of Magic classroom, Lin Yue''s face remained calm. She did not feel she had done anything wrong; in her view, the only mistake she made was damaging school property. Her mind subtly told her that she wanted to protect the students of Ravenclaw, so she easily chose to shield that senior student. Even though the chance of that senior being discovered was nearly zero, she wanted to make that possibility zero. As for the students of Slytherin she had just protected, she only aimed to destroy the evidence, not to harm her classmates, so of course, it was normal to protect them.

    Except for Draco Malfoy, he and his father had threatened Hermione and the others. Therefore, in Lin Yue''s view, they were a potential threat, based on the outcome that Hermione''s life was more important than her own. If necessary, Lin Yue wouldn''t mind sacrificing her own life to eliminate the Malfoys and remove the threat to Hermione. This was worth it, Lin Yue thought firmly as she sat down in the History of Magic classroom. At that moment, there were five bruises on her left thigh, a punishment for damaging school property while trying to prove her abilities to everyone in the Ravenclaw common room yesterday. She had just damaged the Slytherin long table again, and Lin Yue decided that when she returned to her dormitory tonight, she would add another wound to her thigh as a form of self-discipline. In the Great Hall, the Slytherins looked sullen, and Professor Snape cast an angry glance at Principal Dumbledore at the teacher''s table, seemingly signaling him to investigate.

    Principal Dumbledore stood up and waved his wand gently in the direction of Slytherin, and a faint halo instantly descended there.

    While Principal Dumbledore was conducting his investigation, Penelope turned to look at the senior student who was involved in today''s "operation," her eyes questioning, "Senior, was it you who did this?"

    The senior student looked confused and innocent, shaking her head vigorously.

    It wasn''t her; she didn''t know anything about it. Blowing up a table wasn''t a big deal.

    But to suddenly blow up a table in front of so many professors, when they were completely unprepared...

    She didn''t have that kind of ability.

    Exchanging glances with her friends Qiu Cho Chang and Marietta, Penelope felt a vague suspicion arisen in her heart.

    The corners of her mouth curled up slightly; Lin Yue... sure enough, she would still stand by their side.

    Unlike Penelope and the others, Hermione immediately thought of Lin Yue when she saw the Slytherin table explode.

    No professor would do something like that, so the only one she could think of who had the ability to do such a thing in front of the professors was Lin Yue.

    Thus, when she saw Principal Dumbledore personally using magic to investigate, Hermione''s heart jumped into her throat.

    This is Headmaster Dumbledore! Lin Yue won''t be found out, right? Fortunately, even when Headmaster Dumbledore personally conducted the inspection, he couldn''t find anything from the pile of dust that had already flown who knows where. As for the magical traces... Lin Yue didn''t cast any spells or use a wand, so he could only determine that it was a blasting curse. He couldn''t find anything else.

    Seeing Headmaster Dumbledore shake his head at him, Professor Snape took a deep breath and said, "Very well, Slytherin, everyone go to class." After saying that, he strode over to Draco, handed him a vial of potion, and then left the Great Hall.

    The unwilling Slytherins cast resentful glances at Gryffindor; their long-standing rivalry made them instinctively suspicious of Gryffindor. Only Draco, alone, downed the potion Professor Snape had given him, his gaze darkly shifting between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw houses. He clearly knew he had angered people from both houses, so they were all suspects.

    Facing the furious stares of the Slytherins, the Gryffindors, already used to it, laughed and chatted as they walked out of the Great Hall to go to class. They could laugh about that scene for an entire year, no matter whether they were responsible for it or not. Even if they were to take the blame, they would be more than happy to do so.

    As for Ravenclaw, the Ravenclaws were even less concerned about Draco''s gloomy gaze.

    Except for Gilderoy Lockhart, who was an absolute exception, which Ravenclaw student didn''t possess spell-casting skills that could lead their year?

    Could they really be afraid of Malfoy seeking revenge? And let''s not even mention the Malfoy family.

    Ravenclaw has continuously produced academic talents for a thousand years; in alchemy, spells, potions¡ªwhat area haven''t they explored?

    If they truly faced off against them, the Malfoy family might not come out on top.

    It is foolish to make enemies with capable academic elites, and it is even more foolish to make enemies with a group of capable academic elites.

    Although young Master Malfoy clearly did not understand this, nor did the pure-blood supporters, including Marcus Flint.

    However, their parents always understood, or even if they don''t understand now, they will eventually.

    For a thousand years, these academic talents have never truly united, but now they clearly have their own center.

    Like a storm, once the eye of the storm appears, it begins to spin and intensify.

    With no change in expression, Lin Yue quickly flipped through the pages of the history of magic textbook, reciting it from memory.

    Before long, the second-year Ravenclaws entered the classroom one after another, and everyone consciously gathered around Lin Yue, even having their own fixed seats for each class.

    Surrounding Lin Yue, they formed a protective circle.

 Chapter 71: Excellent teacher

    With vacant eyes, Lin Yue walked into the empty classroom and turned to face a whole group of Ravenclaw students, as well as nearly an entire group of Hufflepuff students, while only about half of the Gryffindor lions had shown up.

    She scanned the expectant gazes of everyone with indifference and mechanically began to speak.

    "Today we will learn the Disarming Charm. This is a very useful spell that can remove your opponent''s weapons, including wands, Muggle firearms, and anything else they are holding that you define as a weapon."

    Lin Yue paused slightly to ensure that everyone had heard her clearly before continuing.

    "The Disarming Charm is very effective against most wizards, as very few wizards can cast spells without a wand. Only a select few powerful wizards can do that, so for all other wizards, once they are hit by the Disarming Charm, they can basically be considered to have lost their ability to resist."

    "At the same time, the powerful Disarming Charm also has the ability to knock opponents away."

    After Lin Yue''s explanation, the younger students who had not yet learned the Disarming Charm suddenly understood and gained a deeper insight into its effects. The older students exchanged glances, questioning whether they had underestimated the Disarming Charm.

    "The incantation for the Disarming Charm is ''Expelliarmus.''"

    Lin Yue pronounced it clearly and slowly, ensuring that everyone present could hear it distinctly.

    "Please repeat after me: Expelliarmus."

    "Expelliarmus." The young wizards in the classroom mimicked Lin Yue''s pronunciation and recited the incantation.

    Lin Yue''s gaze quickly scanned everyone, and her brain automatically processed the sounds around her. Each person''s pronunciation corresponded to their individual identity.

    "Mr. Parsons, ''Expelliarmus,'' please say it again."

    Locking her gaze on a third-year Hufflepuff boy, Lin Yue looked at him with a neutral expression.

    "''Expelliarmus."

    Parsons struggled to mimic Lin Yue''s pronunciation and repeated it again, which sounded noticeably better to Lin Yue''s ears than the last time.

    However, there were still some issues, and Lin Yue corrected Parsons'' pronunciation bit by bit.

    Lin Yue pointed out all the little wizards who had pronunciation problems one by one.

    The little wizards didn''t feel embarrassed at all; it was quite normal to have mistakes pointed out.

    Moreover, Lin Yue''s attitude was incredibly gentle, and after experiencing the potions class, everyone felt as if they were basking in a spring breeze when facing her.

    While the other little wizards felt refreshed, Hermione looked at Lin Yue with some surprise.

    Just now, didn''t everyone just recite the spell together?

    From just that one recitation, was it enough for her to identify all the little wizards with pronunciation issues and pinpoint the problems?

    Lin Yue''s focus and analytical ability were constantly reshaping her understanding.

    Hermione secretly clicked her tongue, watching Lin Yue correct everyone''s pronunciation before starting to teach them the gestures for casting spells.

    Lin Yue gently waved her wand, making the gesture for the disarming spell, with each movement precise to within a millimeter, almost identical to what was described in the book.

    The young wizards in the audience also instinctively followed her in waving their wands, while Lin Yue''s gaze swept back and forth.

    Sure enough, as soon as they stopped waving their wands, Lin Yue spoke up. However, unlike her previous pronunciation, this time she pointed out everyone.

    After all, the young wizards were not her and could not perfectly replicate Lin Yue''s spell-casting gestures. There were more or less some deviations, but in Lin Yue''s eyes, these were clearly mistakes that could not be overlooked in the learning process.

    "Don''t rush, take your time, and try again."

    "Your arm can be a little lower, that''s right, you''re doing great."

    Being corrected repeatedly on their spell-casting gestures, even the smallest details were not overlooked.

    In such a situation, one would expect that some young wizards might become impatient.

    But the fact is that none of the little wizards showed any signs of impatience.

    Although Lin Yue always spoke in a cold and stiff tone, everyone could feel her warmth and concern from her words.

    She was coaxing them to learn! This thought appeared in the minds of the little wizards in unison.

    In that case, how could they not work hard? Whatever Lin Yue said was the truth! Come on, let''s study hard!

    An indescribable fighting spirit quickly erupted among the little wizards, as they corrected their spell-casting gestures time and again, their muscles rapidly forming memories.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    Lin Yue''s attention was divided into hundreds of parts, focusing on each person present.

    The first to complete the practice and meet Lin Yue''s requirements was not a senior student, but Hermione.

    After giving a nod to Hermione, she understood and waved her wand at the human model at the front of the classroom, "Expelliarmus!"

    Bang! The human model flew back and crashed heavily against the wall.

    The first and second-year little wizards cheered and clapped for Hermione''s brilliant performance.

    The remaining senior students who had learned the disarming charm looked at Hermione in disbelief.

    Such power? Are the younger students this strong now?

    If Hermione''s performance still left them in disbelief, then Harry''s performance next made them somewhat numb.

    The power of his disarming charm even surpassed Hermione''s, which made Harry secretly happy in his heart.

    As the corrections were completed, Penelope, Cho Chang, and Marietta also performed their first casting of the disarming charm after "relearning" it.

    "The power has indeed increased," Cho Chang said as she put down her wand and turned to look at Marietta.

    Marietta nodded in agreement, while Penelope beside them was unable to hide her excitement.

    "Is it because the spell-casting gestures and incantation pronunciations are more standard?"

    The eager Ravenclaw students clearly had developed a thirst for knowledge about this.

    "Yes," Lin Yue, who had been paying attention to everyone''s movements, came over to Penelope and the others and confirmed.

    "The standard the spell-casting gestures and incantation pronunciations are, the stronger the magic cast under the same magical power."

    Lin Yue stated calmly, and as soon as she finished speaking, everyone became even more motivated.

    Especially the older students, who began to take it seriously.

    Initially, Lin Yue had estimated that the learning time for the Disarming Charm would be fifteen minutes.

    From learning the correct wand movements and pronunciation of the incantation, to successfully casting the spell, and then to applying it proficiently in practice, ensuring it could be cast silently and instantaneously to achieve the desired effect in real combat.

    All of this was supposed to take fifteen minutes, which was already the result of her slowing down her own standards by half.

    Unfortunately, the outcome did not go as she had expected; just getting everyone to successfully cast the spell took fifteen minutes.

    With her wand drawn, Lin Yue stood in the middle of the group, not moving her wand or reciting the incantation. The desks and chairs in the entire classroom automatically levitated and arranged themselves into four corners.

    The Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Gryffindors swallowed nervously, watching Lin Yue intently.

    Slowly raising her wand, Lin Yue scanned everyone with a neutral expression, "Try to disarm my wand with the Disarming Charm."

    "Reminder: the probability of successfully disarming my wand with a spoken spell is nearly zero; it is recommended to use a silent spell."

    As soon as Lin Yue finished her reminder, the little wizards surrounding her simultaneously donned expressions of pain.

    They didn¡¯t want to use the silent spell¡­ but they couldn¡¯t even manage to use it, right?

    Except for a few older wizards, the others might not even succeed if they tried.

    "Let¡¯s begin."

    Lin Yue said in a flat voice, her gaze quickly sweeping over everyone present.

    An unspoken pressure instantly enveloped each person.

    We need to disarm her quickly; the same thought surged in everyone''s mind.

    " Expelliarmus!"

    " Expelliarmus!"

    Chants of spells echoed continuously, but Lin Yue casually waved her wand, effortlessly deflecting the disarming spells aimed at her.

    She kept moving her feet, and a significant portion of the spells didn''t even reach her, instead hitting the ground beside her.

    The sound of the incantations helped her identify exactly who was casting the spells, allowing her to directly block the disarming attempts.

    Her meticulous observation enabled her to see the expressions in the eyes of everyone nearby, the subtle movements of their arms, and from that, she could predict the direction they might cast their spells, allowing her to dodge in advance.

    With Lin Yue''s terrifying focus and analytical abilities, not a single one of the hundreds of disarming spells cast in turn hit her.

    The small wizards, immersed in the tension and continuously casting spells, failed to notice this.

    Many upperclassmen were unknowingly using silent spells as well.

    Yet, none of them could break through Lin Yue''s "defense."

    Raising her left hand, she glanced indifferently at her watch; it had been ten minutes since the practical training began.

    For ten minutes, everyone had been continuously casting disarming spells.

    The first-year wizards had collectively sat down to rest, while only Hermione, Harry, and Ron from the second year were still holding on.

    The third-grade little wizards still had half of their time left, but even that half was drenched in sweat, clearly indicating a significant consumption of magical energy. The little wizards from other grades were in slightly better condition, but they also showed obvious signs of fatigue.

    Lin Yue mechanically turned her head to glance at everyone''s tired state and realized it was time to end things. Sensing someone behind her, Lin Yue instinctively prepared to turn around and block a spell, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hermione''s figure.

    Her movements froze for a moment; previously, Hermione had been casting disarming spells at her, but she had managed to block them all. However, this time was different. Hermione was fully focused on her, her lips pressed tightly together.

    Hermione is going to use a nonverbal spell.

    Lin Yue instantly understood, and then looked at those classmates who had been working hard and refusing to give up.

    For some reason, she suddenly recalled a distant past, back to a time before she had even been on that operating table.

    She had exhausted all her efforts to learn the knowledge of the next two years in advance, only to find that the teacher tested on even more advanced material when she received the exam paper.

    What did she feel at that time? She wasn''t sure, only remembering that she seemed to have shed tears, and Lin Yue felt a slight pain in her brain.

    I should let them succeed; the conclusion emerged from the depths of her aching brain. Lin Yue gave up on blocking and allowed Hermione''s silent disarming spell to hit her hand, knocking her wand away.

    "Success!"

    "Well done, Miss Granger!"

    As Lin Yue''s wand was finally knocked away, the little wizards present couldn''t help but cheer together.

    Lin Yue tilted her head slightly, raised her right hand, and in an instant, everyone''s wands flew out of their hands simultaneously.

    "The last point I want to make is that when the Disarming Charm is strong enough, it can affect more than one person."

    After saying this expressionlessly, Lin Yue lowered her hand, and everyone''s wands returned to their hands.

    This way, no one would become complacent due to their success. Lin Yue made this judgment in her mind, then nodded to the others, took her wand back from Hermione, and walked out of the classroom.

    It''s best to give students a little setback after they achieve good results or perform well.

    This is to prevent them from becoming arrogant, and Lin Yue clearly remembered that her parents and teachers used to do the same.

    As Lin Yue walked out of the classroom, the little wizards who had just retrieved their wands looked at each other.

    They deeply realized what the gap was; with Lin Yue''s current abilities, if it were a real battle, they probably wouldn''t be enough to take her on even if they all teamed up.

    Hermione came back to her senses, smiled and shook her head, then quickly put away her wand and rushed out.

    "Lin Yue!" Hermione ran up and hugged her arm.

    Lin Yue turned her head stiffly to look at Hermione, who was holding her arm, and asked, "Hermione, what''s wrong?"

    "Thank you for letting me off just now," Hermione said, sticking out her tongue and looking at Lin Yue with bright eyes.

    "You''re welcome, I just thought you should have a little success," Lin Yue replied in a tone as still as dead water, expressing her thoughts.

    "Yeah, but I was really surprised that I could successfully use the nonverbal spell."

    A thoughtful and proud expression appeared on Hermione''s face; she never hid her confidence and pride.

    She always displayed it generously, like the sun, shining her warmth in all directions.

    "Your foundation is very good; the nonverbal spell is just a natural outcome."

    Lin Yue said expressionlessly that she could easily analyze the results.

    Hermione, feeling a bit shy, touched her nose and followed her into the auditorium, hugging her arms.

    "You really are amazing, Lin Yue. You can be considered an excellent teacher."

    "I''m not an excellent teacher; I''m just a student."

    "Not at all," Hermione said with a smile, shaking her head as she reached out to smooth Lin Yue''s hair. "You have patience, you notice each one of us, you have high standards but your tone is very gentle, and you teach both theory and practice."

    "And you also take our feelings into account, thinking about how to help me succeed once," Hermione couldn''t help but laugh at this point, "as for finally releasing everyone''s wands."

    "Is it because you heard everyone''s cheers that you did that? Afraid we would become arrogant?"

    "Mm." Lin Yue nodded affirmatively; Hermione had accurately analyzed her thoughts.

    Except for the part about considering everyone''s feelings, which allowed Hermione to successfully release her own wand, did she think of it that way herself?

    "So," Hermione let go of Lin Yue''s arm, walked in front of her while walking backward and spreading her hands, "you are an excellent teacher."

    An excellent teacher... Lin Yue blinked without realizing it, but the excellent teacher Hermione spoke of was very different from what she understood as an excellent teacher.

    Is it because the world is different, the school is different, so the definition of an excellent teacher is also different?

    Lin Yue didn''t feel confused, but her brain instinctively began to think.

 Chapter 72: Chasing Malfoy

    In the three weeks after the start of the school year, Lin Yue''s schedule was almost identical to last semesters, except that she was a bit slower when it came to eating. She spent all her free time reading extra books in the library, with the addition of a task to teach everyone Defense Against the Dark Arts.

    Under Lin Yue''s guidance, the Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Gryffindors, she taught had completely mastered the Disarming Charm, the Stunning Spell, and the Impediment Hex. They had classes about once a week, focusing on mastering one spell each time. However, Lin Yue''s definition of mastery not only required them to be able to use the spells but also to apply them flexibly in combat.

    To achieve this, Lin Yue would conduct simulated battles in every class. At the end of each simulated battle, she would always allow her wand to be knocked away. To be honest, her acting skills weren''t very good, and since she wasn''t even trying to act, the little wizards in the self-study group could easily tell that she was deliberately letting her wand be knocked away.

    It''s just that everyone knows this is Lin Yue''s good intention, so no one mentioned it. After all... after attending a class, being able to see that you are truly making progress is really something to be happy about, isn''t it?

    During the three weeks, Professors Flitwick, McGonagall, and Sprout had all "casually" passed by the classroom where Lin Yue and the others were having their activities. It¡¯s impossible for them not to care at all that the young wizards from their own house were learning Defense Against the Dark Arts under her guidance.

    That''s why the three heads of houses would occasionally look for opportunities to "casually" pass by. However, after passing by once, they felt reassured and didn''t go again.

    Lin Yue spoke very well, and this is the consensus after all three heads of house visited once. The three of them have even started discussing what conditions Hogwarts should offer to keep her as a teacher after Lin Yue graduates. Such a capable young witch, who will undoubtedly become even more capable in the future, and is also so good at teaching¡ªhow could they possibly not want to keep her?

    So, they need to discuss in advance how to make their side''s appeal to Lin Yue surpass that of the Ministry of Magic and other places that Lin Yue might choose. Lin Yue is not aware of the plans of the three heads of house for her, life at school means not thinking about anything else, and studying is the only thing that matters. Of course... this is under normal circumstances.

    While having dinner and looking at the book beside her, Lin Yue, completely immersed in her studies, paid no attention to what Cho Chang and Marietta were saying next to her.

    "Merlin''s eyes, what''s wrong with Slytherin? They look at Gryffindor as if they are looking at their father''s murderer. Have they developed a grudge again?"

    Cho Chang looked at the Slytherin long table and clicked her tongue, gently nudging Marietta beside her with her elbow.

    She was always well-informed, so she should know what was going on.

    Marietta glanced up at the Slytherin long table and shrugged indifferently.

    "Looks like they''ve made enemies again."

    "What happened?" Cho Chang put down her knife and fork, her eyes sparkling with interest as she looked at Marietta.

    "Today is Saturday, so both the Gryffindor team and the Slytherin team went to the Quidditch pitch to practice."

    "And then they started arguing?" Cho Chang raised her eyebrows in understanding.

    "Yeah." Marietta nodded.

    "Malfoy was selected for the Slytherin team this year, and his dad gave the Slytherin team a Nimbus 2001, so their captain and Malfoy used that to mock the Gryffindor team."

    Cho Chang listened while nodding. Based on her understanding of the Gryffindors, they wouldn¡¯t just sit there quietly.

    Sure enough, "Then Hermione retorted with a sarcastic comment to Malfoy. Malfoy had already been on edge because of our actions, and as soon as he was provoked, he said something he shouldn''t have."

    At this point, Marietta frowned deeply, clearly disgusted by that term as well.

    "Again, ''Mudblood''?" Cho Chang mouthed the last three words.

    Marietta nodded affirmatively, while Cho Chang rolled her eyes without any mercy.

    "Stupid pure-blood families."

    Marietta glanced at Lin Yue, a slight smile tugging at her lips. "It''s not over yet; I have to thank Lin Yue."

    Hearing her full name, Lin Yue quickly swallowed the steak in her mouth and looked at Marietta.

    Thanking herself. Why does she have to thank herself again?

    Lin Yue instinctively thought with her brain, but without enough information, she couldn''t come up with a conclusion at all.

    Marietta "kindly" reached out to ruffle Lin Yue''s hair, explaining in a gentle tone.

    "Most of the members of the Gryffindor team are part of a study group, and after hearing Malfoy say that they all drew their wands immediately."

    "The Slytherin team got beaten up pretty badly."

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    Cho Chang covered her mouth with her hand, laughing happily, and even spoke with a hint of laughter, "That really is thanks to Lin Yue."

    Thanks to her helping everyone improve their spell-casting abilities and practical skills in Dark Arts defense, the Gryffindor team was able to easily defeat the Slytherin team.

    I wonder if the Slytherins would regret not joining Lin Yue''s study group if they knew the truth.

    Thinking of this, Cho Chang shook her head again. No, no, no, maybe some of the Slytherins would think that way.

    But for pure-blood loyalists like Marcus Flint and Draco Malfoy, they would probably just resent Lin Yue.

    As she thought of something, Cho Chang turned to glance at the teacher''s table. "Did Professor Snape say anything?"

    He usually shows a lot of favoritism towards Slytherin, yet this time, when the Slytherin team was beaten by Gryffindor, he didn''t show any reaction... that seems very unreasonable.

    "This time Professor Snape''s handling of the situation was very fair," Marietta wrinkled her nose, clearly surprised by this as well. "He put Harry and Ron in detention because they were the ones who fought the hardest."

    "Flint and Malfoy, the two who mainly insulted Hermione, were also deducted points and given detention."

    "If we''re talking about punishment, even Slytherin received a heavier penalty than Gryffindor."

    Cho Chang widened her eyes in surprise. To her, and indeed to everyone, this was an incredible event. Gryffindor and Slytherin had a conflict, and the side that was punished more severely was Slytherin?

    "Ah... I heard that Hermione cried after Malfoy insulted her, and it was only after Hagrid comforted her that she felt better," Marietta said with a sigh. The eagles of Ravenclaw, who had learned this news, had already decided to escalate their "actions" against Malfoy.

    If before it was just minor skirmishes, now these top students were going to get serious. They had insulted him once, and now they had done it again. Would there be a third time?

    Even if it were not for Hermione, they would be furious for Lin Yue. Hermione crying was like a thunderbolt that struck Lin Yue''s mind, causing a dull pain that reverberated through her head, and for a moment, she couldn''t help but see flashes before her eyes.

    Hermione has been hurt again... because she didn''t completely eliminate the threat.

    Lin Yue''s heart felt as if it was being tightly squeezed. She stood up unsteadily, supporting herself on a chair. After stumbling a couple of steps, she quickly walked towards the Gryffindor long table.

    "Lin Yue, be careful!" Cho Chang stood up worriedly as she watched Lin Yue stumble, steadying the chair that Lin Yue almost knocked over, preventing her from tripping over it again.

    By the time she wanted to help Lin Yue, she had already walked quite a distance away.

    Marietta was sitting on the other side of Lin Yue, and it was too late for her to help Lin Yue as well.

    "Lin Yue must be going to find Hermione," Marietta speculated as she watched Lin Yue head straight for the Gryffindor long table.

    "That should be it," Cho Chang nodded affirmatively.

    Then, in their line of sight, Lin Yue reached behind Hermione and gently tapped her shoulder.

    "Hermione..." Lin Yue''s voice was now hoarse and low, making it hard to believe.

    Hermione, who was bowing her head to eat dinner, quickly turned around upon hearing Lin Yue''s voice. Once she confirmed it was her, her worried words came pouring out without stopping.

    "Lin Yue, why does your voice sound like that? Are you feeling unwell? Did you go to the hospital wing? Drink some water."

    As she spoke, she handed Lin Yue her own water cup from the dining table, too anxious to remember that it was one she had already used.

    Lin Yue clearly didn''t think about that either; she mechanically took the cup Hermione handed her and took a big gulp.

    "Do you feel better?" Hermione stood up and gently patted Lin Yue''s back.

    "Mm..." Lin Yue nodded expressionlessly.

    "You came to find me because... you heard about what happened this morning?"

    Hermione pulled Lin Yue to sit down at the Gryffindor long table, and the Gryffindors nearby showed no displeasure at the arrival of this Ravenclaws.

    In fact, they even moved aside a bit to make her more comfortable and spacious.

    "Mm." Lin Yue nodded affirmatively again.

    "I''m fine," Hermione said with a smile as she brushed Lin Yue''s hair. "It doesn''t matter to me if they insult me; my excellence won''t be diminished by their insults."

    "It''s just... a bit uncomfortable, the discomfort of prejudice and discrimination between people."

    Shaking her head, Hermione reached for the pumpkin juice and took a sip. "We''re all human, so why treat each other this way? Equality and coexistence should be the right way to go."

    "Humans are the most complex beings," Lin Yue said flatly, quoting something she had read in a book.

    "Yes, humans are the most complex beings," Hermione nodded, acknowledging that they are so complex that it''s hard to understand them, and sometimes even a person can''t understand themselves.

    Out of the corner of her eye, Lin Yue saw Draco Malfoy get up and walk towards the hall''s entrance. She suddenly stood up and, in a moment of impulse, said to Hermione, "I''m going back now."

    "Huh? Okay," Hermione nodded, watching Lin Yue quickly leave the hall.

    As she lowered her head to continue eating, Hermione thought about Lin Yue, who had come over to check on her, and couldn''t help but smile.

    Following closely behind Draco, Lin Yue''s gaze shifted between him and his two lackeys, Crabbe and Goyle.

    Threatening lackeys equate to smaller threats, Lin Yue''s mind automatically generated the equation.

    For Hermione''s safety, threats should be eliminated, including the smaller ones.

    Lin Yue did not hide her intentions at all, casually following behind Draco and the other two. However, because her footsteps were naturally light, and the three in front were just second-year little wizards with no sense of counter-surveillance, they felt completely at ease in Hogwarts.

    As a result, they were completely unaware of Lin Yue following them, nor did they notice her emotionless gaze.

    Once they entered a corridor that was completely devoid of other people, Lin Yue stopped. It was time to eliminate the threat.

    Not addressing the threat in time had allowed Hermione to get hurt, and the upcoming use of magic in the corridor would harm a classmate. She thought a few self-inflicted Cruciatus curses should be enough punishment for herself. If it wasn''t, she could confess to a professor, but the threat had to be eliminated.

    Looking at the torches on the wall used for lighting, the Levitation Charm was nonverbal spell without a wand once again.

    Like last year''s treatment of Quirrel and Voldemort, the flames on the torches were pulled together by the Levitation Charm, forming two walls of fire that blocked Draco and his two companions in front and behind, trapping them.

    "What is going on?!"

    "What happened? Is this some kind of school activity?"

    "Damn it, Goyle! Are you stupid? It''s obvious that someone has trapped us!"

    Hearing Goyle''s question about whether this was a school activity, Draco felt like he was going to explode with anger.

    The formation of the fire walls happened in an instant, so Draco and his companions had no idea that Lin Yue was behind it; in other words, they had no clue who was responsible for the current situation.

    Boom!

    With a loud explosion of flames, the addition of the fire spell caused the temperature of the two fire walls to rise sharply, instantly pushing Draco back as he tried to rush through.

    Raising his hand to shield himself, Draco and his companions struggled to withstand the intense heat that was rushing towards them.

    The extreme heat had already soaked them in sweat, and if this continued, they would be cooked alive.

    "Aguamenti!" Draco shouted, drawing his wand and pointing it forward. "Crabbe, Goyle, quickly use Aguamenti!''"

    " Aguamenti!" ¡Á2

    Three streams of water shot out from the tips of their wands towards the fire wall, but it had no effect at all; the water was evaporated the moment it touched the fire wall.

    Lin Yue''s eyes moved slightly, and the two fire walls began to close in towards the center.

    "Damn it! No matter who you are, I am from the Malfoy family! If you don''t want to face the Malfoy family''s revenge, let me go!"

    Lin Yue''s mind suddenly stirred at this moment, and without any feelings of compassion, she immediately realized that she had just overlooked something. Draco''s father, Lucius Malfoy, was also a threat to Hermione; she should eliminate all threats before punishing herself.

    The wall of fire was closing in, and Draco and the others had already dropped to the ground. The continuous evaporation of moisture from their bodies had brought them close to shock. The wall of fire was about to close, and in that instant, Draco and the others would be continuously burned until they turned into a pile of charred remains.

    Just before the wall of fire closed, a soft and warm hand covered her eyes. A gentle voice whispered in her ear, "Relax, Lin Yue, stop."

 Chapter 73: The eccentricity of the castle, the discovered inequality.

    Two walls of fire that were constantly moving closer to each other remained in place, and the flames above the walls gradually faded away, ultimately turning into nothingness and disappearing.

    Hermione, who was covering Lin Yue''s eyes, secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, Lin Yue didn''t kill anyone; otherwise, she really couldn''t imagine the uproar this would cause at Hogwarts.

    Principal Dumbledore would definitely conduct a personal investigation, and by then, Lin Yue might just be found out. She really didn''t want Lin Yue to be sent to Azkaban. "Alright, let''s hurry and leave," she said.

    Hermione leaned close to Lin Yue''s ear and whispered in an extremely soft voice. After speaking, she released her hand from covering Lin Yue''s eyes, took her hand, and quickly left the corridor.

    At first, when she saw Lin Yue leave the Great Hall, she thought Lin Yue was just going back to her dormitory after finishing her meal or heading to the library to read. But as she turned back to continue her dinner, her mind replayed the scene of Lin Yue leaving the Great Hall like a revolving lantern.

    At that moment... the memories replaying in Hermione''s mind clearly indicated that Draco Malfoy had also left the hall just before Lin Yue did.

    In that instant, Hermione recalled the incident from earlier that day when Malfoy had insulted her. Without having time to think further, she suddenly stood up and rushed out, not even answering Harry and Ron''s questions.

    After all, if it was really as she suspected, she needed to catch up with Lin Yue as quickly as possible. She couldn''t let Lin Yue commit murder because of her, especially since it would be easy to trace back to her.

    Hermione couldn''t allow Lin Yue to end up in Azkaban because of her. Fortunately, she managed to catch up. Looking at Lin Yue, who was now being led by her and walking silently with her head down, Hermione felt an immense sense of relief in her heart.

    Behind the two people, the once charred black walls, floor, and ceiling that had been scorched by flames gradually returned to their original state. The magical aura dissipating in the air was continuously absorbed by the surrounding walls, as if the castle were breathing, drawing in these magical energies.

    If earlier, in the hall, it was possible to trace the magic Lin Yue used to blow up the Slytherin table, but not identify the corresponding person, now in this corridor, it was impossible to even determine what magic she had used, let alone find out who it corresponded to.

    As if that wasn''t enough, a large hole suddenly appeared beneath the three unconscious Malfoys lying on the ground, large enough for all three of them to fall into together. They plummeted down, accompanied by three dull thuds as they hit the ground, landing neatly in the Slytherin common room.

    The large hole in the floor slowly closed up, returning to its original appearance. Now, aside from the scorched Malfoy, Goyle, and Crabbe, there was no evidence left to prove what had just happened. Everything vanished without a trace under the castle''s own concealment.

    Being led back to the dormitory by Hermione, Lin Yue looked up at Hermione with a steady gaze.

    Is she going to scold me, or punish me, for not properly protecting her?

    I should have done this according to the results of the inequality, but I didn''t manage to do it.

    However, to Lin Yue''s surprise, what awaited her was not Hermione''s accusations or even a slap, but a warm embrace.

    "Are you angry? Are you angry because Malfoy insulted me, and you wanted to kill them?"

    Hermione tilted her head to look at Lin Yue''s profile, eager to hear her say yes, as that would prove Lin Yue had learned to feel anger.

    Lin Yue shook her head without any change in her expression, "No, I won''t get angry."

    "It''s just that he threatened Hermione, so I have to eliminate the threat."

    Hermione bit her lip, not feeling disappointed. It takes time to thaw a frozen lake; it would definitely be difficult for Lin Yue to return to normal.

    But that''s okay; she had plenty of patience for Lin Yue.

    "What about yourself?" Hermione released Lin Yue and gently stroked her cheek. "Have you thought about the fact that if you kill Malfoy and the others at Hogwarts, you are very likely to be discovered by the professors, or even by Professor Dumbledore?"

    "If that happens, you could very well end up in Azkaban."

    Lin Yue looked at Hermione, her eyes devoid of light, filled only with a mechanical calmness.

    "According to the results of the inequality, Hermione''s life value is greater than my life value."

    "Therefore, Hermione''s life priority should come before mine."

    "If I can use my life or freedom to help Hermione eliminate danger, it is a very worthwhile choice, in line with the conclusions of the inequality operation."

    Hermione listened to Lin Yue''s lengthy explanation, feeling her head buzzing. Did she hear it wrong? What inequality? When did her life and Lin Yue''s life become part of the same inequality? Moreover, her life was considered greater than Lin Yue''s, with a priority above Lin Yue''s, allowing Lin Yue to use her own life to eliminate threats against her and saying it was worth it.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    After getting through the initial shock, Hermione placed her hands on Lin Yue''s shoulders and struggled to speak. "Can I ask, what the hell, sorry, what is the inequality that compares your life and mine?"

    Lin Yue nodded and spoke as if it were obvious, "According to the equation, Hermione''s life is valued by both Aunt and Uncle at the same time."

    "If something happens to Hermione, both Aunt and Uncle will worry, and that feeling of worry will make them uncomfortable."

    "In the same situation, if something happens to me, my parents won''t feel worried, so no one will be uncomfortable."

    "Based on the above conclusions, if we include my life and Hermione''s life in an inequality, Hermione''s life is greater than mine."

    A wave of dizziness hit Hermione; it was the first time she had heard that two people''s lives could be compared like this.

    She felt like crying and laughing at the same time¡ªcrying for Lin Yue''s indifference towards her own life, and laughing at how kind Lin Yue was, trying to protect her parents from the feeling of worry after experiencing it herself, even though she didn''t fully understand emotions.

    Truly, she was both foolish and kind-hearted.

    "Lin Yue, listen to me," Hermione cupped Lin Yue''s face in her hands. "Life cannot be compared, do you understand? Its weight means it cannot be placed on a scale."

    "Everyone''s life is precious, and the most important thing for everyone is to cherish their own life."

    "In particularly urgent situations, for a greater cause or a more significant goal, we can sacrifice our lives."

    "But before that, if there is any other choice, even if that choice brings you additional loss, as long as it is not the loss of life, you should choose that option."

    "So you must remember, you are the first priority, okay?"

    Although this contradicted her own final conclusion based on value and consequences, Lin Yue still nodded, indicating that she understood.

    "That''s great," Hermione stood on her tiptoes and gently kissed Lin Yue''s forehead, a brief touch before pulling away. She raised an eyebrow and looked at Lin Yue.

    "And who says that if something happens to you, no one will worry? I will worry, Senior Cho Chang will, Senior Marietta will, Senior Penelope will, Harry and Ron will, the whole Ravenclaw community will. You have long been in the hearts of many people."

    Lin Yue, who was "held in Hermione''s arms," looked at her with a gaze as lifeless as an inorganic substance, held in the hearts of many... Her heart was beating violently, as if something was breaking through the ground.

    "So, if someone threatens your life in the future, don''t hold back. Hit as hard as you can, just like I said, your life comes first for you," the little lioness of Gryffindor smirked, revealing her claws.

    "Okay." Lin Yue nodded blankly, her mind automatically remembering the feeling of something breaking through from just now.

    "Don''t tell anyone about what happened today," Hermione said, leading Lin Yue to the bed and having her sit down. "No matter who asks you about it, don''t admit that you did it."

    "Just pretend it never happened, understand?"

    "I understand." Lin Yue nodded in agreement with a flat tone.

    Gently running her fingers through Lin Yue''s hair, Hermione felt the smoothness slipping through her fingers and squinted her eyes in delight.

    "Alright, I''m going back to the dormitory now. Remember to get some rest early."

    "Mm."

    "Good night, Lin Yue." Hermione ruffled Lin Yue''s hair.

    "Good night, Hermione." Lin Yue felt Hermione''s soft and warm hand.

    Watching Hermione Walk out of the dormitory, Lin Yue finally stood up and sat back at her desk, lowering her head to stare blankly at her hands.

    Hermione said that life should not be compared, and that she should cherish her own life, not use her life to protect her.

    Her brain was racing, and Lin Yue quickly corrected her thoughts and conclusions.

    Her mind told her that she still wanted to protect Hermione.

    Yes, just thinking of Hermione made the words "protect" automatically surface in her mind.

    So she still wanted to protect Hermione, but it couldn''t be at the cost of her own life; she had to ensure her own safety while protecting Hermione.

    Having reached this final conclusion, Lin Yue stopped summarizing and reflecting on this point and began to recall how many school rules and regulations she had just violated, and how many places she should be punished for.

    Not promptly removing the danger for Hermione was one point, and using magic in the hallway was another.

    The flames had damaged the castle walls, the floor, and the ceiling, which was another point, and injuring her classmates was yet another.

    However, since Malfoy and his two lackeys are not dead, the severity of the punishment should be reduced accordingly.

    Taking out her wand, Lin Yue got up and sat down on the edge of the bed, kicking off her shoes and getting into bed.

    As she got into bed, she magically pulled the bed curtains closed behind her.

    Under her wizard robe and school uniform skirt, there were faint bruises and a nearly healed light scar on the inner side of her left thigh.

    In Lin Yue''s eyes, her left leg gradually became "transparent," revealing her blood vessels and muscle tissue in full view.

    Studying is the top priority, and punishment should not affect learning, so she chose a location for punishment that must avoid major blood vessels and muscle tissue, ensuring that she could use her left leg normally and that it wouldn''t overly affect her usual state.

    If she were to lose too much blood and feel dizzy while studying, that would impact her learning efficiency.

    After determining a suitable spot for punishment, Lin Yue''s wand tip hovered just above her thigh.

    As Lin Yue slowly moved her wand, a wound suddenly appeared on the inner side of her fair thigh, continuously changing with her movements.

    The wound Lin Yue made on herself wasn''t very deep, but it wasn''t shallow either; she could even see the red inside the wound.

    Within two seconds, the broken capillaries began to bleed, and Lin Yue only stopped her hand when the wound reached ten centimeters.

    The intense pain caused a thin layer of sweat to form on her forehead, but her expression didn''t change in the slightest.

    Having once experienced the pain of the Cruciatus Curse, she found the current pain relatively tolerable; the pain from the Cruciatus Curse was truly "ahead of its time" for her.

    Watching the blood flow from the wound, Lin Yue pointed her wand at the injury and recited the blood-stopping spell.

    Magic in the wizarding world is indeed very useful; there are not only Episkey that can directly heal wounds but also blood-stopping spells that only stop the bleeding without healing effects.

    The standalone blood-stopping spell was originally designed to make it easier for wizards to learn and to lower the difficulty.

    After all, the Episkey is still somewhat difficult, while stopping the bleeding is comparatively easier.

    This is very suitable for most wizards to use in emergencies to deal with their own wounds, preventing excessive blood loss and potential accidents.

    Now, this spell has become a great choice for Lin Yue. By using this spell, she can keep the wound and pain to make her punishment effective, while also avoiding excessive blood loss that could affect her study state. It''s a win-win situation, which Lin Yue finds very valuable.

    After adjusting her school uniform skirt and wizard robe, Lin Yue pulled back the bed curtain and stepped outside, her left leg twitching slightly. However, after taking a couple of steps to adapt, her left leg returned to normal movement. Aside from some pain, there were no other effects.

    Sitting down at her desk, Lin Yue took out the book she borrowed from the library and began to read it carefully. The cover of this book was now clean, but when she first picked it up in the library, it was covered in dust. She had to use a cleaning spell to start reading it.

    However, regarding the subject of this book... not many people would choose to read it. It is a book about the history and personnel composition of the Sacred Twenty-Eight families in the wizarding world. Who would want to read that?

    The Sacred Twenty-Eight families themselves don¡¯t need to read this book; they are either intermarried or have longstanding feuds, so who doesn¡¯t know who? As for wizards of Muggle descent or half-blood wizards, they are even less likely to pay attention to the nobility of the magical world; knowing that there is a Sacred Twenty-Eight is already good enough for them.

    Would they specifically go to read such a book? They are not that idle. Only Lin Yue, who doesn¡¯t miss a single book, and a few wizards who want to choose a pure-blood family to attach themselves to would read this book.

    However, this version of the book is quite new, and as Lin Yue reads, she subconsciously memorizes the content in her mind.

    The name of Draco Malfoy is clearly written in the Malfoy family section, which proves that this book has existed for no more than twelve years. Some books in the magical world do not have a publication date, and this book happens to belong to that category, so Lin Yue can only judge the age of its edition by herself. Flipping to the next page, Lin Yue''s eyes fell on the next wizarding family, the Gaunt family.

 Chapter 74: Learned for nothing

    The Gaunt family can be traced back to Salazar Slytherin, one of the four founders of Hogwarts. They can barely be considered descendants of Slytherin, but according to records, this family has had no descendants for decades. Marvolo Gaunt, Morfin Gaunt, and Merope Gaunt were the last three members of the Gaunt family that existed back then. These three names and the origin of the Gaunt family instinctively registered in Lin Yue''s mind, merging with the vast amount of information she had previously read. They were just waiting to be retrieved when needed and could also be interconnected to form a larger web.

    "Lin Yue, good evening." Cho Chang and Marietta walked into the dormitory. After having dinner, the two of them went to the library to do some homework, which is why they only returned now. Upon returning, they saw Lin Yue sitting in her seat reading, and Marietta exchanged glances with Cho Chang, signaling her.

    How did Lin Yue come back? Didn''t she go to find Hermione? Cho Chang was momentarily taken aback and blinked in response to Marietta. Wasn''t she just going to comfort Hermione? After comforting her, of course, she would come back.

    Cho Chang had a look of obviousness on her face, but Marietta looked disappointed. Knowing her best friend well, Cho Chang could tell what Marietta was thinking just by looking at her expression. With a helpless roll of her eyes, Cho Chang leaned closer to Marietta and whispered in a "fierce" tone.

    "They''re both still young!"

    Marietta, feeling guilty, raised her hand to touch her nose and spoke in a similarly low voice, "I know, but isn''t Hermione''s behavior too obvious?"

    "That doesn''t matter," Cho Chang shook her head, looking at Lin Yue, who had turned around to face them. "At least they should wait until they''re in third year, and Lin Yue has to be able to reciprocate Hermione''s feelings."

    "That''s true." Marietta nodded, affirming her best friend''s statement.

    "Good evening, Senior Cho Chang, Senior Marietta," Lin Yue greeted the two seniors politely, having overheard their whispered conversation.

    As soon as Cho Chang and Marietta called her by her full name, Lin Yue snapped out of her studying state. However, she noticed the exchange of glances between them and chose not to interrupt.

    Exchanging glances is still a form of communication, and interrupting others'' conversations is quite impolite; of course, she couldn''t do that.

    When Cho Chang and Marietta heard Lin Yue''s greeting, they both smiled and nodded. Their junior was not only excellent but also well-behaved, which made her quite likable.

    Stepping forward, Cho Chang affectionately patted Lin Yue''s head, and in passing, she noticed the book on the table and paused for a moment.

    "A book introducing pure-blood families in the wizarding world? Are you interested in this kind of book too?"

    Faced with Cho Chang''s surprise, Lin Yue replied in a calm tone, "I read it according to the library''s order, and no book is without meaning. Every book is worth reading and should be read."

    Cho Chang felt a bit taken aback; how could she have thought to ask Lin Yue that question? She should know Lin Yue''s "rules" about reading. It was as if her mind had momentarily short-circuited.

    "Alright, you keep reading," Cho Chang smiled and didn''t disturb Lin Yue any further. He turned around and went to pack up with Marietta to prepare for a shower.

    Lin Yue turned back and quickly got back into a studying state.

    The next morning''s class was once again the second most uncomfortable class for everyone: Defense Against the Dark Arts.

    Of course, the most uncomfortable class was Professor Snape''s Potions class. There''s no helping it; Professor Snape''s words are too harsh, and he really doesn''t give full marks or extra points to any students other than Slytherin.

    Many young wizards firmly believe that they won''t face a class more uncomfortable than Potions until they graduate.

    However, Hermione thinks that Professor Snape''s Potions class is much better than Lockhart''s Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

    "At least in Professor Snape''s Potions class, I can learn something, but what can I learn in Lockhart''s class? Acting?"

    Hermione ruthlessly criticized Lockhart''s unique teaching method.

    It seemed that due to the failure of the first class, Lockhart finally realized that his ineptitude would not change just because he had become a professor at Hogwarts.

    So he transformed his teaching into a method that was completely ineffective for the young wizards. He had the students take turns coming up to the front to act out scenes from his books, which bored the students from all four houses to no end.

    ¡°Harry, Harry, I think you should play me,¡± he said.

    ¡°And you too, Neville, come on, shy boy, you don¡¯t need to be shy in my class.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Lockhart beamed as he pointed at Harry and Neville.

    Harry was Lockhart''s favorite "actor" in class, and he particularly enjoyed having Harry play himself.

    Harry privately felt that Lockhart just wanted to see him make a fool of himself; otherwise, why would he always perform so poorly, yet Lockhart still insisted on having him act?

    Lin Yue sat in her seat watching Harry and Neville walk up to the podium with a look of despair, beginning their lifeless performance.

    At first, Lockhart often called Lin Yue up to perform as well, but after she had gone up twice and delivered her lines with a blank expression and no variation in tone, he stopped calling on her.

    If you say she wasn''t cooperative... she would get on stage as soon as you called her, showing no signs of dissatisfaction, making it hard for you to find fault with her.

    If you say she was cooperative, she would perform with absolutely no emotion or expression, to the point that even Neville performed better than she did.

    As a result, Lin Yue had become the "safest" person in Lockhart''s class. Watching Harry and Neville''s "passionate interpretation" on stage, Hermione helplessly propped her chin up.

    "Lin Yue, in comparison, you really are an absolutely amazing teacher. Do you have any plans to stay on and teach at the school in the future?"

    As Hermione spoke, she turned to look at Lin Yue. Although it seemed a bit early for them at their age to be discussing future employment issues, she had brought it up, so why not? She was curious about Lin Yue''s plans for her future.

    Lin Yue stiffly turned her head, her eyes dull as she looked at Hermione. "I will work hard to learn good knowledge, get into university, then pursue a master''s degree, and strive to become a doctoral student."

    Hearing this, Hermione blinked in surprise. "University? Master''s degree? Doctoral degree?"

    "Are you going to return to the Muggle world to study?"

    Quickly searching her mind, Lin Yue realized that she had never heard of the term¡¯s university, master''s degree, or doctoral student in the magical world. Under the influence of her habitual thinking, she assumed that these institutions existed in the magical world, but everyone was just focused on their current studies, so they didn''t mention them.

    "I will continue my studies in the magical world," Lin Yue mechanically replied to Hermione''s question while her mind kept searching.

    Hermione looked at Lin Yue in confusion. "I remember... besides Hogwarts, there are no other schools in the British magical world."

    There certainly weren''t any universities, master''s programs, or doctoral programs.

    Lin Yue''s mind suddenly short-circuited. There was only Hogwarts as a magic school in the UK, so what about further education?

    Previously, when she learned that Hogwarts was a seven-year program, she thought it was a combined middle and high school system, and that she would continue to take university entrance exams afterward.

    But is that it? Is that the end?

    Seeing Lin Yue''s stunned expression, Hermione quickly reached out to pat her back.

    "It''s okay, it''s okay. If you want to go to university, I''ll go with you. We can apply to Cambridge University, we can go to the University College London, and we can work hard to get into these prestigious schools."

    "I''ll also accompany you if you want to pursue a master''s or a doctorate."

    As she spoke, Hermione made a firm decision in her heart; she had to get her parents to help her and Lin Yue prepare in advance.

    At the very least, they needed to self-study various courses from the Muggle world, and they had to enroll in a school to register their student status, then apply for a leave of absence to only take exams.

    This way, Lin Yue could go to university according to her own plans and pursue further studies for a master''s and a doctorate.

    Since Hermione now knows what Lin Yue wants to do, she instinctively starts to help her plan, while also including herself in Lin Yue''s future plans.

    After a brief moment of surprise, Lin Yue nodded calmly, acknowledging that she indeed needs to study hard. There are no higher institutions in the magical world, but there are in the Muggle world.

    Learning has no limits; she must continue to learn. In Lin Yue''s mind, everything revolves around studying, and it seems that everything is for the sake of learning.

    The exasperating Defense Against the Dark Arts class finally came to an end, and Harry and Neville at the podium were as happy as people were twelve years ago when they heard that Voldemort was dead when the bell rang.

    Eagerly rushing off the podium, Harry grabbed his backpack and dashed out of the classroom without even calling for Hermione, Ron, and Lin Yue. Amused, Hermione shook her head and, after packing her own bag, linked arms with Lin Yue to walk out of the classroom together.

    The nearby Ravenclaws, seeing that Hermione was taking their precious Lin Yue away, all averted their gazes and casually left the classroom.

    Upon entering the Great Hall, Hermione only let go of Lin Yue''s arm after she had escorted her to the Ravenclaw table.

    Lin Yue sat down at the long table and only began to move her knife and fork after Hermione had taken her seat at the Gryffindor table and started eating.

    While she was quietly having her lunch, Lin Yue heard a light "bang" from the Slytherin table.

    Looking up again, she saw Draco Malfoy sitting there, his whole body covered in colorful paint, with a gloomy expression on his face.

    The burn he had received from Lin Yue yesterday had completely healed.

    Lin Yue hadn''t used magical flames like Fiendfyre; instead, she had borrowed the flames used for lighting at Hogwarts, enhanced with a fire spell.

    As a result, he and Crabbe and Goyle only had simple burns.

    For Madam Pomfrey, treating such burns was as easy as drinking water; she just used two professional spells and fed them a vial of potion, and the three boys were discharged on the spot.

    As for who had attacked them... given that Professor Snape and Headmaster Dumbledore found no traces at the scene, not even a hint of magical residue, this issue, along with the previous explosion at the Slytherin table, had turned into a mystery.

    This time, it was clearly the work of a certain Ravenclaws.

    The colorful paint that exploded on Draco was not ordinary paint; it sparkled and even seemed to move around on him like a living thing.

    Lin Yue recognized the nature of the colorful paint briefly as an alchemical product, and then continued to lower her head and eat.

    As for the other Ravenclaws, many of them also recognized what the colorful paint on Draco was.

    They almost unanimously shifted their gaze to a seventh-year senior from their house, Senior Pratt.

    Such astonishing alchemical work is recognized by everyone, even at Ravenclaw, as something only she could create. Sure enough, Pratt slightly nodded at the Ravenclaws looking at him, indicating that they guessed correctly.

    Professor Snape had almost gotten used to the daily "accidents" that occurred with Draco. I have to say, the Ravenclaws really do have the demeanor of top students; they are different from the Gryffindors. Aside from the first day when the Ravenclaws were a bit inexperienced, the later ones had prepared specific methods to prevent the professors from discovering who the "mastermind" was.

    Just like now, when Professor Snape raised his wand to remove the colorful paint from Draco, the movement of the paint only paused for a few seconds before suddenly rushing away from Draco towards him. If it weren''t for Professor Snape dodging in time, the colorful paint would have attached itself to him.

    Watching the colorful paint quickly disappear and evaporate on the ground, Professor Snape''s mouth twitched violently a couple of times. He turned to the alchemy professor at the teacher''s table, who cleared his throat and walked down to mutter a few alchemical terms to Draco.

    In the next moment, a large portion of the colorful paint on Draco disappeared instantly, but the remaining small part could not be removed no matter what.

    The alchemy professor raised an eyebrow, already understanding who could produce such a piece of work.

    "Truly a grea... challenging piece," he said, glancing at Professor Snape and the nearly tearful Draco beside him, and silently changed his wording.

    "I still have a long way to go," Pratt said, watching the professor effortlessly remove more than half of his alchemical creation, shaking his head helplessly.

    "How old are you? The professor has been studying alchemy for many years; can you stop belittling yourself and discouraging us?"

    A fellow Ravenclaws studying alchemy spoke up, feeling disheartened. If Pratt thought he was lacking, what did that make them?

    Had they really learned nothing?

    However, what happened next truly made them doubt whether they had learned anything at all.

    Pratt stood up and walked confidently to Lin Yue''s side. After she swallowed the food in her mouth, he leaned down and spoke gently.

    "Lin Yue, may I ask how I can prevent my alchemical creations from being eliminated by others?"

    Lin Yue glanced at Pratt and replied flatly, "Of course, Senior Pratt."

    After saying that, she turned her attention to Draco, her brain quickly analyzing the methods and principles behind the colorful pigments on him.

    From this, she deduced a way to make them disappear, and then worked backwards to figure out how to counteract that method.

    In less than five seconds, Lin Yue reached a final conclusion and turned back to clearly articulate her logic to Pratt, word by word.

    Pratt nodded along as he listened, almost reaching for a notebook to take notes.

    The group of little eagles, who had either just started learning or had been studying alchemy for several years, felt utterly disheartened; indeed, they had wasted their time.

 Chapter 75: Tilt at a forty-five-degree angle, rubbing against the cheek.

    Although they repeatedly told themselves not to compare their studies with Lin Yue, that there was no basis for comparison, the eager Ravenclaws couldn''t help but want to compete with Lin Yue in academics. The result was just like now, feeling completely defeated.

    Lin Yue is only in the second grade, and it''s not yet time for her to take alchemy classes, so she must have been self-studying alchemy. In the end, her self-taught alchemy skills are sufficient to guide her seniors, which is really embarrassing. The alchemical terminology that Lin Yue discussed with Pratt left Cho Chang Zhang and Marietta, who were sitting nearby, completely confused. As third graders, they haven''t been exposed to alchemy yet, so they couldn''t understand anything. By the time Lin Yue finally finished explaining how to improve alchemical products to Pratt, both of them felt overwhelmed.

    "Lin Yue... you''re really pushing yourself, aren''t you? You even know alchemy!" Marietta looked at Lin Yue with a bitter expression, unable to imagine where this child found the time to learn so much.

    "The books on alchemy in the library cover a wide range of topics, so I came across them," Lin Yue replied.

    Lin Yue turned to look into Marietta''s eyes and spoke in a detached tone, her face still wearing a calm expression.

    "As a student, I should at least learn four to five years'' worth of knowledge in advance to ensure that I can handle this year''s exam paper."

    Both Cho Chang Zhang and Marietta felt a sharp twitch in their brows simultaneously.

    They were also students at Hogwarts; how could they not know that there was such a thing as preparing for the Hogwarts exams?

    Before the two could recover from their confusion and shock, Lin Yue had already stood up, wiped her mouth, and left the Great Hall.

    Lunch was over, and she should go to the classroom for her next lesson to study and wait for class to begin.

    Sitting in the Potions classroom, Lin Yue focused intently on the Potions book in her hands, reading and rereading it repeatedly.

    Even memorizing every letter in the book did not make her stop.

    She had never received excellent grades in Potions class, so she must be particularly untalented in this subject.

    Even though she had achieved excellent results in the previous year''s final exam, that was just an isolated incident.

    It was very likely that she had simply gotten lucky that time, after all, in most cases, she had not been able to achieve excellence.

    This proved that she was a complete fool in Potions, a slow learner; she should put in more effort and dedication.

    Throughout the entire afternoon until the first class, Lin Yue''s eyes never left the Potions book.

    It wasn''t until all the little wizards entered the Potions classroom and Professor Snape announced the start of class that Lin Yue finally put down her Potions book.

    After mentioning a few points to pay attention to, Professor Snape did not say anything else and directly wrote the steps for making the potion of the lesson on the blackboard.

    "Now you may begin making it."

    Professor Snape''s cold and stern gaze swept across the entire classroom, causing many young wizards to shiver involuntarily as he passed by. Hannah, who was sitting next to Lin Yue in the same group, couldn''t help but shrink her neck and hide a bit behind Lin Yue.

    The potion-making class officially began, and Lin Yue and Hannah, who had already collaborated for a whole year last year, had developed a strong rapport. Their division of labour was also very clear, with each person taking half of the key steps to ensure that both could learn how to make the potion.

    During the process, Professor Snape walked around the classroom, and many young wizards made mistakes out of fear. However, Lin Yue remained incredibly calm, her face still expressionless as always. Even Hannah beside her was calmed down by her demeanour.

    Before the class was over, the two naturally completed the potion of perfect quality at the fastest speed and handed it to Professor Snape for inspection. "Please check the potion that Hannah and I made, Professor Snape."

    Lin Yue spoke in a flat tone while handing the potion in her hand to Professor Snape.

    Professor Snape took the potion and glanced down at it. "The quality is acceptable, Miss Lin Yue."

    "But I noticed that Miss Hannah had some minor issues with her technique while handling the materials."

    At this point, he paused, glanced at Hannah, and then spoke slowly.

    "The knife for cutting Mugwort should be at a forty-five-degree angle. Why didn''t you tilt it enough?"

    "And why didn''t you remind her?" Professor Snape''s gaze slowly shifted to Lin Yue.

    "You think it doesn''t matter as long as it doesn''t affect the potion''s production? Foolish, Miss Lin Yue. Miss Hannah, your potion can only receive an E. You may leave."

    Lin Yue politely nodded at Professor Snape, "Okay, Professor Snape, thank you for your guidance. We will pay attention in the future."

    After saying this, Lin Yue turned around and returned to her seat to pack her bag, then left the Potions classroom with her backpack.

    Hannah followed closely behind her, biting her lip and sincerely apologizing. "I''m sorry, Lin Yue, it''s me who dragged you down again."

    Lin Yue stopped in her tracks, turned back to look at Hannah, and shook her head. "No, the textbook didn''t mention anything about cutting at a forty-five-degree angle."

    "But cutting it this way can indeed help the mugwort work most effectively. I should have thought of it in advance and reminded you. This is my fault."Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    After saying this, Lin Yue paused for a few seconds before continuing, "I''m looking forward to continuing our collaboration in the next class, Hannah."

    Although she felt nothing in her heart, Lin Yue thought to herself that it was polite to say this.

    After speaking, Lin Yue turned around and walked towards the hall. She should hurry to have dinner and then go to the library to study.

    Not even being able to remind Hannah showed that she still wasn''t putting in enough effort in her studies. She wasn''t smart to begin with; she was a foolish child and needed to work harder. As she quickly walked into the hall and sat down at the Ravenclaw long table, Lin Yue scolded herself in her mind using a programmed language while eating dinner.

    Lin Yue politely nodded at Professor Snape, "Okay, Professor Snape, thank you for your guidance. We will pay attention in the future."

    After saying this, Lin Yue turned around and returned to her seat to pack her bag, then left the Potions classroom with her backpack.

    Hannah followed closely behind her, biting her lip and sincerely apologizing. "I''m sorry, Lin Yue, it''s me who dragged you down again."

    Lin Yue stopped in her tracks, turned back to look at Hannah, and shook her head. "No, the textbook didn''t mention anything about cutting at a forty-five-degree angle."

    "But cutting it this way can indeed help the mugwort work most effectively. I should have thought of it in advance and reminded you. This is my fault."

    After saying this, Lin Yue paused for a few seconds before continuing, "I''m looking forward to continuing our collaboration in the next class, Hannah."

    Although she felt nothing in her heart, Lin Yue thought to herself that it was polite to say this.

    After speaking, Lin Yue turned around and walked towards the hall. She should hurry to have dinner and then go to the library to study.

    Not even being able to remind Hannah showed that she still wasn''t putting in enough effort in her studies. She wasn''t smart to begin with; she was a foolish child and needed to work harder. As she quickly walked into the hall and sat down at the Ravenclaw long table, Lin Yue scolded herself in her mind using a programmed language while eating dinner.

    Even though dinner time was restored to normal by Lin Yue, it didn''t take much time; she finished eating in just ten minutes.

    After getting up and leaving the great hall, Lin Yue headed straight to the library.

    Upon arriving at the library, Lin Yue took out a few books in order and sat down in her "fixed seat" to start reading rapidly.

    After about ten minutes, Hermione also walked into the library and purposefully sat down next to Lin Yue.

    Once seated, she didn''t disturb Lin Yue''s studying and took out her own homework to complete it seriously.

    Since Hermione didn''t call out to Lin Yue, Lin Yue naturally didn''t notice that she was sitting next to her.

    She continued to focus on the book in her hands until more than an hour had passed. Hermione put down her quill and closed her eyes tightly for a moment, feeling a bit sore.

    Looking at Lin Yue, who was still engrossed in her reading, Hermione sighed and gently poked her arm.

    "Lin Yue, take a break and rest your eyes."

    Hearing Hermione call her full name, Lin Yue finally reacted, nodded, closed her book, and turned to look at Hermione.

    With her hands on Lin Yue''s temples, Hermione spoke softly, "Close your eyes."

    Slowly closing her eyes, Lin Yue felt Hermione gently massaging her temples. Her eyes indeed felt a bit more relaxed.

    Lin Yue opened her eyes again, and Harry and Ron were already sitting across from her.

    She had just seen Hermione "busy" and didn''t say anything, but now that Hermione was done, Lin Yue also opened her eyes.

    The two of them spoke with faces full of frustration, "This detention is really driving me crazy."

    Harry gritted his teeth and said fiercely, "That narcissistic idiot Lockhart made me write him a reply. He spent the whole night bragging about how much his fans love him and how famous he is."

    "Like a noisy toad!" Ron said with a long face, "I¡¯m not doing any better... Filch made me polish trophies and I can''t use magic. I''m about to drop dead."

    Hermione pressed her lips together as she looked at Harry and Ron. "I''m sorry, if it weren''t for my situation, you wouldn''t be in detention."

    "You shouldn''t be the one apologizing, Hermione," Harry shook his head. "And it''s just detention; compared to what you''ve done to help us, it''s nothing."

    "That''s right," Ron also perked up and nodded. "It''s just detention. But if you really feel bad about it, could you let me copy your Potions homework this week?"

    Upon hearing this, the look of guilt on Hermione''s face instantly vanished, and she narrowed her eyes slightly.

    "Feel bad? I feel fine, Ron Weasley. You can forget about copying my homework."

    "Helping you and Harry check your homework is one thing, but copying? Not a chance."

    "Oh, fine." Ron shrugged, not really expecting Hermione to agree; he was just trying his luck.

    "It''s about time; we should head back to the dormitory," Hermione said as she raised her hand to check the time, then looked at Lin Yue beside her. "Lin Yue, you should head back to the dormitory too, right?"

    Lin Yue glanced at the watch on her left wrist and nodded, "Hmm."

    She quickly stood up and packed her things, and the four of them left the library together.

    Not far from the library, they ran into Nearly Headless Nick, the ghost of Gryffindor House.

    Nick saw that Harry and the others were in good spirits, and he floated over to them, sincerely saying, "Mr. Potter, my deathday is coming up soon, and I¡¯m planning to hold a deathday party on that day. I hope to invite you to attend."

    "Oh, what?" Harry was taken aback for a moment, looking at Nick with some surprise.

    This was the first time he had heard of a ghost throwing a deathday party for him. Was their own death still something worth celebrating for them?

    However, out of politeness, Harry quickly changed his expression and smiled as he replied, "I mean, I would be very happy to go. When is it?"

    "Oh, I''m so glad you can come," Nick''s mood instantly lifted, "It''s on Halloween night, a little while from now."

    "Uh... okay, I will go," Harry nodded with a smile.

    After watching Nick leave, Harry hesitated for a moment before turning to ask Hermione and Ron, and he also glanced at Lin Yue.

    "Are you guys going?"

    Hermione was the first to nod, her eyes sparkling with curiosity, "Of course, I''ve never seen what a ghost''s deathday party is like."

    "Sure, let''s go take a look," Ron agreed, nodding as well.

    Lin Yue mechanically turned to look at Hermione, quickly retrieving information about ghost deathday parties in her mind, and spoke in a formal tone.

    "Ghost deathday parties usually only invite other ghosts, so the atmosphere will be quite cold."

    "Ghosts cannot eat food and have no sense of taste; they can only pass through food. Therefore, the food at a deathday party is usually highly decayed and has a strong odor, so that ghosts can sense it as they pass through."

    "So if we go, we need to bring enough clothes and food."

    Lin Yue paused for a moment and continued to add in a flat tone, "Do you need me to bring these when I go with you?"

    Yes, she had already assumed in her mind that she would be going too.

    Hermione and the others were left speechless upon hearing Lin Yue''s introduction of the memorial dinner.

    Harry opened his mouth in a daze, "Well... I don''t really want to go right now."

    "No way, Harry," Hermione turned to look at him, "You promised, so you have to go."

    Harry rubbed his somewhat stiff face with his hand, "I know, I was just saying. I will go."

    Hermione nodded in satisfaction and then turned to Lin Yue, gently reaching out to touch Lin Yue''s cheek with a hint of affection.

    It was soft and smooth, and super elastic; the sensation on her hand made Hermione''s smile widen even more.

    "Lin Yue, you really shouldn''t go. You need to eat well, and you also said the deathday dinner is going to be very cold. You might catch a cold if you go."

    Lin Yue blinked and slowly nodded, deciding that she would just go back to the dormitory to study.

    "Then Hermione, Ron, you two shouldn''t go either. You didn''t agree to go with Nick just now," Harry suggested to his two close friends after hesitating for a moment.

    It''s cold, and there''s nothing to eat, so it''s better to go alone.

    "It''s fine," Hermione waved her hand dismissively when it was her turn, "Just wear more clothes and bring some food. There''s no way we would let you go alone."

    "Yeah," Ron joked, nudging Harry with his elbow, "We''re going with you."

    "Alright." Harry couldn''t help but laugh and nodded.

    When they reached the point where they had to part ways, Hermione leaned in and rubbed her cheek against Lin Yue''s, and sure enough... it was a delightful feeling.

    Hermione contentedly squinted her eyes and whispered to Lin Yue, "Good night, sweet dreams."

    Even though Hermione brushed her cheek against Lin Yue''s, Lin Yue felt nothing.

    With a completely indifferent expression and a flat tone, she replied, "I don''t dream, good night, Hermione."

    Hermione sighed helplessly, released Lin Yue, and tapped her on the nose, "Go back."

    Lin Yue nodded and turned to walk towards the Ravenclaw tower. It wasn''t until her figure disappeared that Hermione turned to walk with Harry and Ron towards the Gryffindor tower.

 Chapter 76: Analysis that uncovers the truth

    "So, you heard that strange voice after coming out from detention at Lockhart?" Hermione asked, sitting next to Lin Yue and looking at Harry across from her.

    She had just gone to pick up Harry and Ron after their detention, and right after picking up Ron, the two of them suddenly started running, pulled along by Harry.

    He said he had heard some strange voice that wanted to kill. But when she and Ron listened carefully, they heard nothing at all.

    "Yeah, the voice said something like, ''Tear you apart, kill you.''"

    Harry frowned; he genuinely felt a sense of unease. If that voice was serious, then someone was in danger, right?

    "But neither of us heard it," Hermione and Ron exchanged confused glances. What was this voice, and why could only Harry hear it while they could not?

    Shaking his head, Ron looked at Harry seriously. "Harry, no matter what that voice is or why only you can hear it, you must not tell anyone else about it. Even in the wizarding world, being able to hear what others cannot is not a good thing for most people."

    "Okay..." Harry nodded helplessly; he wouldn''t go around telling others. If it weren''t for the fact that only the three of them and Lin Yue were in the library, he wouldn''t have brought it up at all.

    Looking at Lin Yue, who was still focused on her book, Hermione decided to ask her, hoping her broader knowledge might shed some light on the situation. "Lin Yue." Once Lin Yue finished the page she was reading, Hermione spoke softly.

    Hearing her full name, Lin Yue snapped out of her studying and turned to Hermione. "What¡¯s up?"

    Hermione pressed her lips together and hesitated before saying, "It''s just that Harry mentioned earlier that he heard a sound we couldn''t. Do you know why that is?"

    Lin Yue blinked and turned to look at Harry, quickly analyzing in her mind.

    With the knowledge in her brain, she listed various possibilities and eliminated them based on their reasonableness.

    In less than three seconds, Lin Yue began to respond mechanically.

    "There are four possibilities regarding this matter. First, there could be a dark magic item that is enchanting Harry, which is why only he can hear this voice.

    Second, Harry might be under a mild Imperio curse, allowing him to hear others'' voices while you cannot.

    Third, Harry may have an innate ability to hear frequencies that ordinary people cannot. Fourth, Harry might possess a special linguistic talent that enables him to understand the languages of other races."

    After Lin Yue finished speaking, her lifeless eyes glanced back and forth between Hermione, Harry, and Ron before she concluded, "The above four scenarios are the most likely to occur with Harry; other possibilities are too unlikely, essentially close to zero, so I have ruled them out."

    As Hermione listened to Lin Yue''s analysis, her thoughts became much clearer. However, she still felt a familiar pang of bitterness, as it was all too reminiscent of a precisely functioning machine.

    Sigh... Hermione gently hugged Lin Yue and looked at Harry and Ron. "At least we now know what the possible scenarios are. Next, we just need to investigate in those directions."

    "Yeah!" Harry and Ron nodded vigorously in agreement.

    Lin Yue was held in Hermione''s arms, expressionless as she listened to their discussion about the upcoming plan.

    Having decided to conduct an investigation, Hermione and Ron paid special attention to the people and things around Harry in the following days.

    They found no signs of anyone casting the Imperius Curse on Harry, nor did they discover any suspected dark magic items appearing near him.

    "Could it be the last two possibilities?" Hermione looked at Harry as if she were observing a magical creature, constantly sizing him up.

    This made Harry feel a bit anxious, and he instinctively wrapped his arms around himself. Hermione''s gaze reminded him of the mad scientists he had seen in the TV shows at the Dursleys'' house, as if she could dissect him at any moment.

    Ron looked at Harry''s expression and burst into laughter, covering his mouth. Even after Harry shot him several glares, it had no effect.

    As Lin Yue walked past the three of them into the Great Hall, she saw this scene. She had just heard Hermione''s words, so could the first two possibilities be ruled out?

    Crossing out the first two possibilities in her mind, Lin Yue calmly sat down at the Ravenclaw table to enjoy her lunch.

    "I heard that for tonight''s Halloween feast, Professor Dumbledore has invited the Weird Sisters to perform at the school."

    Qiu Zhang and Marietta sat down beside Lin Yue, one on each side.

    Qiu Zhang was a bit excited as she chatted with Marietta, and it was understandable given that the Weird Sisters were big stars in the British magical world.

    ¡°There is such a rumor,¡± Marietta nodded, while also reaching out to poke Lin Yue. ¡°Lin Yue, don¡¯t rush to leave after dinner tonight.¡±

    ¡°Or you could just eat a bit slower, enjoy the music while you eat. It¡¯s Halloween, after all, so let yourself relax a little.¡±

    Lin Yue looked up expressionlessly, swallowed the chicken in her mouth, and shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t slack off.¡±

    Marietta seemed a bit defeated by this response, shaking her head helplessly, while Qiu Zhang raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to Lin Yue¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Just agree, or I¡¯ll go get Hermione to persuade you. You know you¡¯ll definitely listen to her.¡±

    Lin Yue glanced at Qiu Zhang with indifference, but Qiu Zhang¡¯s face was serious. If Lin Yue didn¡¯t agree, she would really get up right now to find Hermione and have her talk to Lin Yue.

    On Halloween night, who would still be thinking about studying?Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    It¡¯s fine to study hard in life, but life shouldn¡¯t be all about studying.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll eat a bit slower. I¡¯ll finish after they finish singing.¡±

    Lin Yue ultimately listened to the voice coming from deep within her mind, lowered her head, and continued eating her dinner.

    Marietta pouted and couldn''t help but pinch Lin Yue''s cheek, saying, "You prioritize romance over friendship..."

    Lin Yue didn''t stop eating; she automatically retrieved the explanation of "prioritizing romance over friendship" in her mind.

    Then, instinctively judging, she concluded that she didn''t feel affection or love for others, so she had nothing to do with the person described by that term.

    After lunch, Lin Yue shouldered her backpack and headed straight to the Transfiguration classroom.

    For the professors, Lin Yue was still the same in the new academic year.

    Outstanding, obedient, and somewhat dull, apart from Professor Snape and Professor Lockhart, the other professors were just as generous as the previous year in giving Lin Yue extra points.

    This led Ravenclaw to achieve an incredible "large lead."

    The Hufflepuff badgers, who were indifferent and not competitive, applauded and expressed that Lin Yue was truly impressive.

    The mischievous and active Gryffindor lions, whose focus wasn''t on scoring, took advantage of the situation to start a betting pool on whether Ravenclaw could win the House Cup again.

    So far, no one had bet against it...

    Only the Slytherins, who were unwilling to back down and valued honor, were still struggling hard.

    Unfortunately, their scoring speed couldn''t keep up with Lin Yue''s, and they could only grit their teeth and watch the gap between their scores and Ravenclaw''s continue to widen.

    Then they consoled themselves in their hearts, at least this wasn''t Gryffindor.

    After a Transfiguration class, Professor McGonagall awarded Lin Yue ten points because she was the first to complete the transformation required for the lesson.

    The second-year Ravenclaws applauded in celebration, and the Hufflepuffs who were attending class with them joined in the applause.

    Then everyone was urged by Professor McGonagall to continue with their transformations and to stop the commotion.

    Lin Yue continued to explain to the little wizard who asked her how to succeed, using her usual monotone voice. By the end of the Transfiguration class, the entire class had successfully completed the transformation required by Professor McGonagall.

    Seeing Lin Yue, who had almost guided half the class in detail, Professor McGonagall''s satisfaction was almost overflowing. Why not just skip the waiting and let Lin Yue be her assistant directly?

    With her in the classroom, the efficiency really does improve a lot, Professor McGonagall couldn''t help but think to herself. After the afternoon class, it was time for the Halloween feast. The Ravenclaws cheered as they surrounded Lin Yue, crowding around her as they walked out of the classroom towards the great hall.

    Upon entering the great hall, the Weird Sisters were indeed standing on the teachers'' platform; Headmaster Dumbledore had really invited them over.

    To ensure that all the Ravenclaws could see the performance, Penelope directed everyone to arrange themselves by height.

    Once the Ravenclaws were seated, the Weird Sisters'' performance began just in time.

    Accompanied by a series of songs, the young wizards of Hogwarts happily started to enjoy their Halloween feast.

    Lin Yue slowly ate the food at the feast while listening to the songs around her.

    Having hardly ever listened to music before, she didn''t have a clear understanding of whether the Weird Sisters'' music was good or not.

    She could only judge from the perspective of the music theory books she had read in the past that the Weird Sisters'' songs conformed to music theory, and on top of that, everyone around her was praising them.

    It should be pleasant to listen to, Lin Yue said as she lowered her head and took a bite of steak. The duration of the Halloween dinner was shorter than that of the Christmas dinner, so after everyone finished listening to all the songs by the quirky sisters, the Halloween dinner came to an end. Following the crowd out of the great hall, Lin Yue was forced to stop along with the group outside the girls'' restroom on the second floor. Immediately, discussions about "heir," "petrification," and similar topics came from the front of the line.

    Lin Yue slowly raised her head and, through the gaps in the crowd, saw Hermione standing dazedly at the front with Harry and Ron.

    A loud bang echoed in her mind, and Lin Yue once again felt that tightening sensation in her heart.

    Pushing through the crowd, Lin Yue quickly walked up behind Hermione. "What happened?"

    Hermione, who had been somewhat at a loss as she looked at the noisy crowd and the blood writing on the wall, immediately snapped back to reality upon hearing Lin Yue''s voice.

    "We attended Nick''s Deathday party, and after we came back, Harry said he heard that voice again. Then we followed him over here, and it turned into this."

    Hermione quietly explained the situation to Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue nodded, her gaze began to wander around the scene, the water on the ground, and the petrified Madame Loris hanging on the wall.

    Next to her, there was a line of blood written on the wall: "The Chamber of secrets has been opened, enemies of the heirs beware."

    All the conditions combined; Lin Yue was rapidly searching for relevant information in her mind.

    Countless pieces of information were filtered through, and several were combined, but before Lin Yue could fully piece them together, Mrs. Norris¡¯s owner, Mr. Filch, arrived.

    Upon seeing Mrs. Norris on the wall, his expression darkened, and he charged at Harry, grabbing him by the neck.

    " Mrs. Norris? You murdered my cat"

    Harry was grabbed by the neck and struggled to speak, "It wasn''t me, it was like this when I got here."

    "You¡¯re lying! It¡¯s you, it¡¯s you who harmed it!"

    Filch''s eyes swept over Harry, Ron, and Hermione with malice, and Lin Yue instantly broke away from organizing information, darting in front of Hermione.

    "Mr. Filch, I think you should calm down first."

    Lin Yue said in a flat voice, looking into Filch''s eyes without a hint of warmth.

    "Calm down! Mrs. Norris is dead! How can I be calm? I need to see someone take responsibility for this!"

    " she not dead, Argus. She have been petrified" An old and authoritative voice came from the crowd.

    The crowd automatically parted, and Professor Dumbledore walked out slowly.

    "Let him go, Argus. Such a petrification curse is not something a second-year wizard could cast."

    Principal Dumbledore stepped forward to carefully check on Mrs. Loris''s condition and nodded, "Once the Mandrake matures, it can return to its original state."

    Seeing that the professors had all arrived at the scene, Filch reluctantly released his grip.

    "If I might headmaster perhaps Potter and his friends were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time however the circumstances are suspicions, I don¡¯t recall seeing Potter at dinner" Professor Snape''s slow voice rang out, surprisingly speaking up for Harry and the others. Harry, just released, covered his neck and looked at him in disbelief.

    "Of course," Lin Yue suddenly spoke up, and everyone''s gaze turned to her. Just moments ago, all the traces and relevant information from the scene had already been pieced together in her mind.

    Turning to the blood writing on the wall, Lin Yue began her analysis with a stiff tone. "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. From a segment of Hogwarts'' history, we know that the Chamber was built by Slytherin."

    "Beware of the enemies of the heir; the analysis indicates that the Chamber can only be opened by Slytherin''s heir."

    Mechanically turning her head, Lin Yue''s gaze swept over everyone present. Except for Hermione, everyone else felt a silent sense of oppression.

    Hermione pressed her lips together and gently hugged Lin Yue''s arm.

    Principal Dumbledore''s bright eyes were fixed on Lin Yue, and he had a subtle premonition.

    Regardless of what the people present were thinking, Lin Yue''s analysis would not stop.

    "According to the records of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, Salazar Slytherin has no direct descendants, but the Gaunt family is a distant relative of his, roughly equivalent to Slytherin''s heir."

    "The last two known generations of the Gaunt family are the father Marvolo Gaunt, the son Morfin Gaunt, and the daughter Merope Gaunt."

    After a slight pause, she continued, "Based on the available information, it is unknown whether the three of them ever came to Hogwarts. The years they were alive correspond to the age for Hogwarts enrollment, and there is no information regarding the Slytherin''s Chamber of Secrets, so the possibility of the three of them opening the chamber is zero."

    "According to reports from the Daily Prophet, the Chamber of Secrets was confirmed to have been opened fifty years ago."

    "The suspect is Hagrid." A cold statement was made, and the young wizards present were all taken aback, with many exclaiming in disbelief.

    "The informant is Tom Marvolo Riddle, who received the Special Award for Services to the School from Hogwarts."

    "By comparison, Tom Marvolo Riddle''s middle name should come from Marvolo Gaunt."

    Lin Yue said that at this point, Dumbledore''s pupils shook violently twice, and Hermione tightened her grip on her arm a little more.

    No one among the little wizards and professors present dared to speak.

    "Tom Marvolo Riddle is a descendant of the Gaunt family, the heir of Slytherin, and it is highly likely that he is the one who truly opened the Chamber of Secrets."

    "According to reports from the Daily Prophet, Voldemort once claimed to be the heir of Slytherin to win over pure-blood families."

    Upon hearing this name, many people couldn''t help but shudder.

    Drawing her wand, Lin Yue wrote the name Tom Marvolo Riddle in the air, and in the next moment, the letters rearranged to form a sentence: "I am Lord Voldemort."

    The astonishment reached its peak, and there was no sound, just like the current situation at Hogwarts, where everyone was silent, even their breathing had quieted.

    "As another heir of Slytherin, the letters of the name can be rearranged to form Voldemort, making the probability that Tom Marvolo Riddle is Voldemort nearly one hundred percent."

    "Therefore, the opening of the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago should have been done by Voldemort. Based on known information, Voldemort has not fathered any offspring, so this opening of the Chamber should also be his doing, though the specific method is unknown."

    Looking down at the water on the ground and then at the petrified cat on the wall, Lin Yue continued to analyze information rapidly combining in her mind.

    "Slytherin himself had the ability to speak Parseltongue, and the Gaunt family has also been proven to have the ability to speak Parseltongue. The only known families in the magical world of Britain that possess the ability to speak Parseltongue are Slytherin himself and the Gaunt family."

    "We can speculate that the monster in the legendary Slytherin''s Chamber of Secrets should be controlled by Parseltongue, ensuring that only the descendants of Slytherin can control it."

    "The accuracy of this speculation is close to ninety percent. According to the reading materials from the Hogwarts library, the snakes that can cause petrification are the Basilisk and Medusa."

    "There is water on the ground, which can create an indirect eye contact effect. It is known that indirect eye contact with a Basilisk can cause petrification, so the monster in Slytherin''s Chamber of Secrets should be a Basilisk."

    "In summary," Lin Yue''s gaze swept over everyone present again, her voice mechanical, as if a computer was beginning to report a summary, "The heir of Slytherin is Tom Marvolo Riddle, that is, Voldemort."

    "He released the Basilisk fifty years ago, killed one person, and framed Hagrid. Fifty years later, the reason for opening the Chamber is unknown, and the method is unknown."

    "At the same time, the Gaunt family, Morfin Gaunt and Merope Gaunt, did not intermarry with other pure-blood families, and Riddle is not a surname of any pure-blood family; Voldemort is half-blood. End of analysis."

    After Lin Yue finished this long speech, she slowly closed her mouth. The surroundings were silent, even Professor Dumbledore looked stunned, and the expressions of the Slytherins seemed as if the sky had fallen.

 Chapter 77: Confrontation, the sense of security finally found.

    Principal Dumbledore looked at Lin Yue, who was being hugged by Hermione, and felt a shiver run down his spine.

    He had once taught Tom, so he knew that he was Voldemort. However, even he knew almost nothing about the Gaunt family or the Chamber of Secrets.

    Yet Lin Yue was able to deduce that Voldemort was once Hogwarts'' model student, Tom Riddle, based solely on some book content. She could also infer that he was the heir of Slytherin and had opened the Chamber fifty years ago.

    She even figured out that the monster in the Chamber was a basilisk, using information from the books along with some details from the scene.

    With a complex expression, Dumbledore looked at Lin Yue and began to feel grateful that she had Hermione and a group of friends by her side. Otherwise, if this girl were to walk a path similar to Voldemort''s, she would undoubtedly become an even more terrifying existence than Voldemort himself.

    "You... you stupid monster! Mudblood, how dare you!"

    Finally, some of the Slytherins reacted as if the sky had fallen.

    A sixth-year wizard who believed in pure blood superiority drew his wand and pointed it directly at Lin Yue, spouting insults without even considering that the professors were still present.

    Her arguments about Voldemort''s heritage were well-founded, especially the way she transformed the letters, which left no room for rebuttal.

    It was an established fact that Voldemort was half-blood.

    But precisely because of this, the young wizards from pure-blood families were even angrier.

    Did this not mean that their families had been deceived? Did this not mean that the pure-blood ideology they had pursued all along was fundamentally a joke?

    This was something they absolutely could not accept!

    "What¡¯s the matter? Want to fight?"

    Unfortunately, it wasn''t just the Slytherin students present; the Ravenclaw students were also there. Before Lin Yue could draw her wand, a sixth-year Ravenclaw had already pulled out their wand and pointed it directly at the sixth-year Slytherin, with sparks flying from the tip of the wand.

    It was clear that they were ready to attack. The Slytherin was momentarily stunned, gritting his teeth as he looked at the Ravenclaw beside him. If it came to a fight, he wouldn¡¯t be able to beat Ravenclaw of the same year.

    These bookworms read a lot and knew many spells. But it wasn''t like these bookworms were usually immersed in their own world, ignoring everyone else. Why was there suddenly a senior stepping up for that damn Lin Yue?

    "Put down your wand, Carlos."

    Another seventh-year Slytherin raised his wand at Carlos, who was confronting his junior on this side.

    "It¡¯s you who should put down your wands."

    Penelope''s usually gentle voice had an unusual chill to it. As soon as she finished speaking, all the Eagles raised their wands at the Slytherins around them.

    Even the normally mild-mannered Hufflepuffs raised their wands, joining the Ravenclaws to surround the Slytherins.

    The Gryffindors also drew their wands without hesitation; no matter what, if it was a Slytherin they were dealing with, they had to get involved.

    As for Lin Yue, she was firmly shielded behind Hermione, Harry, and Ron.

    All three houses had their wands pointed at the Slytherins, and Professor Snape''s face was ashen.

    Principal Dumbledore looked somewhat uncertainly in the direction of Lin Yue. The Ravenclaws had always been reclusive, focusing solely on their own fields of research. How did Lin Yue manage to unite them all and have such a unified front? More importantly, why were the Hufflepuffs getting involved? Just as he was about to speak and ask everyone to lower their wands, Lin Yue stepped out of Hermione and the others'' "protective circle" ahead of him.

    "I¡¯m just speaking the truth," Lin Yue''s voice remained mechanical and devoid of emotion. "Based on the known information and reasonable analysis, I can ensure that the accuracy of the results I provide is over ninety percent."

    "If you have doubts, you can present evidence or data to refute me, and I would appreciate someone correcting my mistakes."

    Lin Yue''s face was expressionless, but her words were polite. However, the next moment, what she said made people feel uneasy.

    Looking at the Ravenclaw students being threatened by the Slytherin snakes with their wands pointed at them, and even at Hermione and the others, Lin Yue spoke words that Draco Malfoy found incredibly familiar.

    "But now, can I understand that you are threatening Hermione, the Ravenclaw students, and the Hufflepuff students?"

    As soon as she finished speaking, the air around them seemed to freeze, and everyone couldn''t help but look in Lin Yue''s direction. Yet, in the next moment, they couldn''t bear to keep their eyes on her, feeling a piercing heat and intensity emanating from her. Only Professor Dumbledore was able to maintain his gaze on her.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    "We... didn''t mean it like that." Draco Malfoy was the first to lower his wand. He looked completely deflated, like a frostbitten eggplant.

    "Draco!" Pansy shouted in disbelief as she looked at him.

    The honor of the pure-blood family had been tarnished, their pursuits shattered¡ªhow could they just let it go like this?

    "Malfoy!"

    "Draco!"

    Shouts echoed through Slytherin; some were confused, some unwilling to lower their wands, but others, seeing that the situation was not right, wisely put down their wands.

    After all, the incident involving Lin Yue and the Malfoy father and son in Diagon Alley had spread quite a bit.

    "Put down your wands! Have you all forgotten to keep a Self-preservation?"

    Draco gritted his teeth and said fiercely, "Do they think I would be willing to back down?"

    It was not a matter of backing down; that Lin Yue from Ravenclaw might seem calm and indifferent on the surface, but when she got into action, she was actually a madwoman! Completely reckless.

    If they didn''t get these people to put down their wands, he had no doubt that Lin Yue could directly use magic to throw them all off the second floor.

    To protect himself, upon hearing this, the little snakes finally regained their senses and put away their wands. Seeing them put away their wands, the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs followed suit, and the Gryffindors also put away their wands and returned to their positions.

    "You, you really are," Professor McGonagall looked at the little wizards with some exasperation, clutching her chest and speaking angrily, "Slytherin insults a classmate, deduct fifty points. Drawing wands on a classmate, deduct fifty points. Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor will also each lose fifty points for drawing wands on a classmate."

    Principal Dumbledore listened quietly from the side, his eyes showing a hint of helplessness. The conflicts between the four houses of Hogwarts were ultimately growing larger.

    Professor Flitwick slightly raised his head and gave a look of approval to the little eagles.

    It''s good to know that they can unite to protect their own.

    Professor Sprout, on the other hand, was indifferent; in her view, the Hufflepuffs actions were not wrong.

    It was just that this new generation of Hufflepuffs was a bit hot-tempered.

    Ravenclaw lost fifty points, and while Lin Yue listened to Professor McGonagall''s words without any change in her expression, her mind was quickly racing with thoughts.

    Everyone drew their wands and confronted Slytherin because of her; it was because she had analyzed Voldemort''s background, so... was the main reason for the point deduction because of her?

    Reaching the "correct conclusion," Lin Yue lowered her head, walked down a few steps, and joined the group of Ravenclaws.

    Seeing Lin Yue with her head down, the little eagles thought their precious one was scared. Just as they were about to comfort her, they heard her characteristic stiff tone.

    "I''m sorry everyone, it''s because of me that Ravenclaw lost points."

    "What?" The Ravenclaws collectively froze for a moment, then immediately became lively, each speaking up.

    "This has nothing to do with you, Lin Yue."

    "It''s not your fault; that Slytherin pointed their wand at you first."

    Everyone chimed in to comfort Lin Yue, and it was only when Penelope signaled for everyone to stop that they finally quiet down.

    "Lin Yue, we Ravenclaws are a whole," Penelope said, placing her hands on Lin Yue''s shoulders. "You are especially precious to all of us."

    The Ravenclaws around them nodded in agreement, even the first-year little eagles. They all really liked this senior who was serious about teaching and extremely patient when helping them with their homework.

    "So, no matter who bullies you, we will stand together against them, understand? This is not your fault; this is our choice as Ravenclaws."

    The eagle spreads its wings wide, firmly protecting those it wishes to shelter.

    "I understand, thank you all."

    Lin Yue lifted her head, her tone still stiff, but a few crystal tears slipped from the corners of her eyes.

    For some reason, her heart felt like it was burning. Moreover, she felt so warm around her, and her body was so tired; she wanted to sleep...

    But it wasn''t time for her to sleep yet. She shook her head, and a warm embrace supported her from behind.

    "Tired?" Cho Chang gently whispered in her ear.

    Lin Yue hesitated for a moment and slowly nodded.

    Hermione looked at Lin Yue, who was surrounded by the Ravenclaws and being supported by Senior Cho Chang and let out a sigh of relief; at least she was okay.

    Thinking about what Lin Yue had just said, she took a deep breath and turned to Professor McGonagall.

    "Professor McGonagall," Hermione said, swallowing nervously, "Lin Yue pointed out the secret of the Chamber of Secrets and even revealed the secret of the Heir. Shouldn''t she be awarded points?"

    Professor McGonagall was taken aback for a moment, looking at Lin Yue, who was surrounded in the middle of the Ravenclaw group.

    This... why does it feel like she has become the villain? Amused, she shook her head and shifted her gaze to Hermione.

    Not even aware of her own feelings yet, and she¡¯s already protecting her. It seems that Miss Granger from their house is indeed someone who feels deeply.

    Professor McGonagall looked at Hermione with approval, slightly raising her chin and saying seriously,

    "Of course it''s worth it, but let''s have Professor Flitwick award the points to Miss Lin Yue."

    Saying this, she turned to Professor Flitwick, who nodded in agreement.

    "Miss Lin Yue, your reading comprehension and analytical skills are undoubtedly the strongest among the students I have taught. For revealing the truth to us,"

    "And for preventing everyone from wrongly accusing a classmate," he added, glancing at Harry, "Ravenclaw gets one hundred and fifty points."

    Not only did they make up for the fifty points lost earlier, but they also gained an additional one hundred points.

    The members of Ravenclaw couldn''t help but cheer upon hearing this, and Lin Yue was silently pondering in her mind.

    Perhaps just now... she really didn''t do anything wrong?

    It wasn''t until the Ravenclaws calmed down that Professor Dumbledore slowly began to speak.

    "Miss Lin Yue''s statement is not incorrect; Voldemort is indeed Tom Riddle, and some of our professors are aware of this matter."

    Behind him, Professors McGonagall and Snape nodded reluctantly, with the corner of Professor Snape''s mouth twitching slightly.

    "As for the Chamber of Secrets and the possible monster within, I and the other professors will handle it. Now, everyone, please return and rest."

    As soon as Professor Dumbledore''s voice fell, Cho Chang and Marietta each supported Lin Yue from behind and helped her back up to the second floor.

    Hermione looked at the obvious tear stains on Lin Yue''s face, feeling a mix of pain and joy in her heart. She felt pain seeing Lin Yue cry, but joy that Lin Yue finally had emotions that allowed her to cry.

    "Lin Yue, how are you?" Hermione stepped forward, cupping her face in her hands and gently stroking the tear marks on her cheeks.

    Lin Yue blankly allowed Hermione to hold her face, shaking her head. "I''m fine, it''s just that earlier, my heart felt so warm, and suddenly I felt so tired, and then the tears just came out."

    After a two-second silence, Lin Yue continued, "Did I make a mistake... It''s clearly not sleep time, but I''m so tired."

    "No, no, no, how could you think that?" Hermione wrapped her arms around Lin Yue''s neck, while Cho Chang and Marietta tacitly took a step back, giving them enough personal space.

    Gently kissing Lin Yue''s forehead, Hermione pressed her forehead against hers, her right hand soothing her back. "You feel tired because you have a sense of security in your heart, so you relax."

    The members of Ravenclaw genuinely care for Lin Yue and wholeheartedly protect her, which finally gives her a sense of security.

    With this sense of security, Lin Yue naturally dares to let herself relax.

    Holding the soft person tightly in her arms, Hermione comfortingly patted her back.

    "If you''re tired, just rest. Don''t push yourself anymore. Sleep, okay? Just sleep."

    Being held by Hermione, the warmth in Lin Yue''s heart grew stronger, her eyelids becoming heavier and the fatigue in her body increasing.

    Finally, Lin Yue slowly closed her eyes, and Hermione smiled with relief, carefully squatting down to pick her up in a horizontal embrace.

    So fragile... Hermione pursued her lips as she looked at Lin Yue in her arms; her weight was so light that Hermione didn''t feel much effort in carrying her.

    From now on, I need to supervise Lin Yue to make sure she eats well, Hermione silently resolved, carrying Lin Yue as she followed the Ravenclaws toward the Ravenclaw tower.

    Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick watched this scene without saying anything, tacitly accepting the fact that a little lion was carrying a little eagle back to the nest.

    "Miss Marietta," Principal Dumbledore quietly called out to Marietta, who was following behind Hermione.

    Lin Yue had finally managed to rest a bit when he saw her, and he didn''t want to wake the child.

    "Once Miss Lin Yue has rested, could you bring her to my office? Of course, you, Miss Chang, Miss Granger, and Miss Penelope can come along too."

    Worried that they might let Lin Yue go alone and not feel at ease, Principal Dumbledore specifically added, "The password is ''Cockroach Cluster.''"

    "Okay," Marietta politely nodded, and after bidding farewell to him, she quickly followed them.

 Chapter 78: There Injured on Leg?

    "What did Professor Dumbledore want with you just now?" Cho Chang, who was walking slightly ahead, turned his head and asked Marietta in a low voice when he saw her return.

    "He said to wait until Lin Yue wakes up and let her go to the principal''s office. We can all go with her."

    "I, you, Hermione, and Senior Penelope."

    "Okay." Cho Chang nodded, indicating that he understood.

    Holding Lin Yue, who was nestled among the group, Hermione looked down at the girl sleeping soundly in her arms.

    Her face remained expressionless, but it gave off a sense of tranquility and stability.

    Moreover, Lin Yue was sleeping in Hermione''s embrace with her arms naturally hanging down, looking completely defenseless, which made it clear that she felt very safe at that moment.

    There was no whispering among the Ravenclaws along the way, and even when they returned to the Ravenclaw common room, everyone deliberately lowered their voices while answering the riddle of the bronze door. The purpose was to avoid disturbing Lin Yue. Once inside the common room, Hermione, holding Lin Yue, was led into their dormitory by Cho Chang and Marietta.

    Having been here before, Hermione carefully placed Lin Yue on her bed and gently reached out to tidy her hair.

    "Should we change her clothes?" Cho Chang approached and quietly discussed with Hermione. "Isn''t it easy to catch a cold sleeping in a wizard robe?"

    Hermione looked at Lin Yue lying on the bed and pursed her lips. "Yeah, that''s true. Let''s change her into something else."

    Once the decision was made, they got to work. Since everyone present was a girl, there was nothing to be concerned about.

    Carefully help Lin Yue up, Hermione and the others slowly took off her wizard robe. Fortunately, it was already Halloween, and the weather had turned cooler, so Lin Yue was wearing a shirt and thermal pants under her wizard robe and Hogwarts uniform.

    After helping Lin Yue take off her wizard robe and Hogwarts uniform, Hermione and the others sighed in relief when they saw that she was dressed warmly in her shirt and thermal pants. Although they were all girls, if Lin Yue had been wearing nothing underneath, they would have felt a bit shy.

    Therefore, none of them mentioned changing Lin Yue into pajamas; it seemed fine for her to sleep in just her shirt and thermal pants for the night. They neatly folded her clothes and set them aside. Cho Chang pulled back the covers, and Marietta and Hermione helped lift Lin Yue into the bed.

    After covering Lin Yue with the blanket, Cho Chang smiled with relief, finally managing to settle Lin Yue down to sleep without waking her up. Marietta turned to Hermione and quietly said, "Hermione, why don''t you just rest here today?"

    "It''s getting late, and Mrs. Norris has just been petrified. According to Lin Yue, there should be a basilisk in the school, so it''s not safe."

    Hermione hesitated as she looked at Lin Yue, who was lying on the bed. If she stayed, she hadn''t brought anything with her and had no way to sleep on the floor. It wouldn''t be appropriate for her to squeeze into bed with either of the two senior sisters. That would mean... she would have to squeeze in with Lin Yue, right?

    It''s strange to think that when she imagined sharing a bed with either Cho Chang or Marietta, it felt inappropriate. But when she thought about sharing a bed with Lin Yue, she found that, aside from feeling shy, she actually felt a bit of anticipation.

    Following Hermione''s gaze to Lin Yue, who was sleeping soundly on the bed, Cho Chang and Marietta understood everything. Marietta smiled and pushed Hermione to sit by Lin Yue''s bed, while Cho Chang reached out to grab the bed curtains on both sides.

    "Just sleep here peacefully. Given the current situation, if Lin Yue were awake, she would definitely be worried about you going back to Gryffindor. She won''t mind you sleeping here with her."

    "Good night, Hermione."

    After Marietta finished speaking, she didn''t give Hermione a chance to respond and directly stepped back, leaving the range of the bed curtain.

    Cho Chang cheerfully pulled the bed curtain closed and said, "Good night, Hermione, sweet dreams."

    Looking at the bed curtain that had closed in front of her, Hermione opened her mouth and then closed it again.

    Turning to look at Lin Yue, who was lying on the bed, Hermione couldn''t help but smile.

    If she were to sleep here... it seemed she really could have sweet dreams.

    Without sleepwear, Hermione could only, like Lin Yue, slip into the covers wearing a shirt and long johns.

    Lying next to Lin Yue, Hermione cautiously extended her hand under the blanket towards Lin Yue.

    A warm and delicate sensation came, and Hermione gently held onto Lin Yue''s fingers.

    They were slender and long; imagining what Lin Yue''s fingers looked like made Hermione''s eyes curve as she rubbed against the pillow.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Closing her eyes, Hermione soon drifted off to sleep, enveloped in happiness and excitement.

    That night, Lin Yue did not experience the usual hour-long awakenings; she slept soundly for six hours and only woke up at five in the morning.

    After opening her eyes, there was only a moment of drowsiness, which was quickly dispelled, leaving her mind clear.

    Feeling her right index finger gently held, Lin Yue slowly turned her gaze to her side.

    A fluffy little head was peacefully sleeping next to her, with messy brown hair scattered on the pillow, looking extremely cute.

    It was Hermione; Lin Yue''s brain provided the correct answer.

    Memories quickly came rushing back: she had suddenly felt tired in the second-floor corridor, then Senior Cho Chang and Senior Marietta had supported her, followed by Hermione hugging her and telling her she could sleep.

    So, Lin Yue''s index finger, held by Hermione, moved slightly; it must have been Hermione who carried her back while she was asleep.

    As for why she was in her own bed, it was likely because a petrification incident had just occurred outside, and since she mentioned there was a Basilisk in Hogwarts, Senior Cho Chang and Senior Marietta must have been worried about Hermione going back alone.

    A very wise decision; if it were her, she would have let Hermione stay too.

    After all, that was a Basilisk. If encountered one-on-one, Hermione, a second-year witch, would have no more than a five percent chance of winning, even if she knew a few more spells.

    Being petrified would be a stroke of luck.

    With her index finger held by Hermione, Lin Yue instinctively did not want to disturb Hermione''s rest.

    It is basic etiquette not to disturb others while they are resting.

    So, she could only lie quietly in bed, her eyes seriously watching Hermione''s fluffy hair, while her mind quickly recalled the content of the Herbology class she would attend today.

    At 7:50, Hermione, who had slept beautifully through the night, finally woke up.

    She opened her mouth and let out a big yawn. In her groggy state, she felt something in her right hand, so she could only lift her left hand to rub her still-sleepy eyes.

    Once her mind cleared up a bit, Hermione instinctively wondered, what am I holding in my right hand?

    As she thought about it and opened her eyes, she saw a blur of blue curtains, blue blankets, and sheets.

    Wait, blue?

    The motion of rubbing her eyes suddenly stopped, and her previously muddled mind snapped into clarity.

    She wasn''t in her own dorm room on her own bed; she had gone straight to Lin Yue''s place after seeing her home yesterday.

    So... Hermione slowly and stiffly turned her head, and then she clearly saw Lin Yue, who was already awake and looking at her with wide eyes.

    She thought about the not-so-ladylike yawn she had just let out and the action of rubbing her eyes.

    Hermione couldn''t help but feel a wave of despair in her heart. Oh no! Was her image in Lin Yue''s mind not good anymore?

    Lin Yue was completely unaware of Hermione''s thoughts; she just stared blankly at Hermione, who had woken up and sat up.

    Her index finger was still being held by Hermione, and since she had just reviewed the content for the herbology class for the third time today, Hermione didn''t say anything, so she didn''t move either.

    She was just silently reciting the material in her mind for the fourth time.

    After a while of internally screaming in despair, Hermione noticed that Lin Yue had no reaction. Unable to resist, she reached out her right hand and poked Lin Yue''s cheek, tentatively speaking up.

    "Good morning, Lin Yue."

    "Good morning, Hermione," Lin Yue nodded in response.

    Seeing that Lin Yue''s reaction was no different from usual, Hermione silently breathed a sigh of relief. After letting out that breath, she realized that she was still holding Lin Yue''s index finger.

    Her face flushed slightly, and Hermione cleared her throat and released her grip. Lin Yue slowly sat up in bed, sitting right next to Hermione.

    Hermione suppressed the warmth on her face and turned to her, "You... what time did you wake up?"

    "Five o''clock," Lin Yue replied in a flat tone, quickly adding as if to explain, "I went to bed early yesterday, so it should have been around eleven."

    "So I''ve had six hours of sleep."

    "Mm," Hermione smiled gently and reached out to ruffle Lin Yue''s hair, "You''re really great, Lin Yue."

    Lin Yue blinked, not quite understanding why Hermione was praising her.

    She hadn''t achieved very good results, and she hadn''t even participated in an exam yesterday.

    Hermione pulled back the covers and quickly put on her school uniform and wizard robe, glancing back at Lin Yue as she dressed.

    Lin Yue was even faster than her; she had already put on her uniform top and wizard robe.

    It was just that she was slightly slower when putting on her uniform pants, specifically, there was a slight pause when she was putting her left leg into the pants.

    What was going on with Lin Yue? Hermione furrowed her brow in hesitation, was her leg hurting? Growing pains?

    After putting on her uniform pants, Lin Yue pulled back the bed curtain and walked out, and Hermione followed her out after finishing putting on her wizard robe.

    Cho Chang and Marietta had just gotten up and were putting on their shoes by the bed.

    "Good morning, Lin Yue." The two of them looked up and smiled at Lin Yue upon hearing the noise.

    "Good morning, Senior Cho Chang, Senior Marietta." Lin Yue politely nodded in response.

    Hermione also followed suit and greeted the two seniors, and after that, she turned to look at Lin Yue.

    "Lin Yue, I noticed that when you were putting on your pants just now, your left leg seemed to pause a bit. Are you injured?"

    Hermione walked over to Lin Yue with concern, her eyes fixed on Lin Yue''s left leg without blinking.

    Lin Yue looked down at her left leg; the ten-centimeter wound on her thigh didn''t affect her normal walking because she had already gotten used to the pain.

    However, when it came to bending her leg to put on pants, she would indeed pause for a moment due to the physiological response.

    After hearing Hermione''s words, Cho Chang and Marietta quickly tied their shoelaces and looked up at Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue expressionlessly nodded, "I have an injury on my leg."

    "What happened?"

    "How did you get hurt?"

    "Why are you injured?"

    The three of them surrounded Lin Yue directly, and Hermione was so anxious that she wanted to reach out and check, but if it weren''t for the fact that Lin Yue was injured on her leg, she would have done so.

    "Was it done by someone from Slytherin?" Cho Chang''s face was filled with seriousness.

    It was understandable that she suspected Slytherin right away, as the only students at Hogwarts who had a bad relationship with Lin Yue were from Slytherin.

    Marietta also looked at her with a serious expression, her hand even resting on her pocket.

    As long as Lin Yue said the word, she could immediately draw her wand and call upon the entire Ravenclaw eagles to directly attack the snake''s den.

    Even Professor Snape wouldn''t be able to do anything about it.

    Hermione took a deep breath to calm herself down. She understood Lin Yue better and knew that she had punished herself in the past.

    So she didn''t believe that it was someone from Slytherin who had hurt Lin Yue. In her view, unless it was Professor Snape, the head of Slytherin, who acted personally, or if the entire Slytherin house gathered together to deal with Lin Yue, she believed that no one in Slytherin could hurt her.

    Even a few people working together wouldn''t be effective; only the entire house together would have a chance of a successful ambush.

    That left only one possibility. Hermione''s eyes shone brightly as she looked at Lin Yue, her whole demeanor radiating the aura of a mother lion about to become enraged.

    Not caring that there were two older students beside her, Hermione spoke in a low voice to ask, "Lin Yue, you punished yourself again, didn''t you?"

    Cho Chang and Marietta both froze for a moment, then turned their heads in unison to stare at Lin Yue. Lin Yue met the gaze of the two Ravenclaws and a Gryffindor, and with a calm expression, nodded slightly.

    "I made a mistake, so I need to accept the punishment."

    "Merlin made a mistake!" Hermione bit her lip and spat out a few words, her eyes slightly red. She felt both upset and angry upset that Lin Yue had hurt herself again, and angry that she had encountered this situation before but still allowed it to happen again.

    "Didn''t I tell you not to punish yourself anymore?"

    Hermione tried to calm herself down, her voice trembling slightly.

    "I''m not punishing myself for studying anymore," Lin Yue replied seriously, nodding to indicate that she had followed Hermione''s advice.

    In a moment of daze, Hermione recalled what she had previously told Lin Yue¡ªnot to punish herself for studying.

    "So, you not only punish yourself for studying, right?"

    The trembling question reached Lin Yue''s ears, and for some reason, her heart suddenly twitched.

    "Yes," Lin Yue admitted without changing her tone, "as long as I make a mistake, I should accept the punishment."

    "I don''t even need to ask who taught you this," Hermione said as she wiped her eyes, then turned to look firmly at Cho Chang and Marietta. "Cho Chang, Marietta, could you please help me and Lin Yue take a leave? I need to have a good talk with her."

    Cho Chang and Marietta exchanged glances and nodded.

    "Sure, we''ll take a leave too. When we come back, we can all have a good talk."

    They were also very concerned about Lin Yue''s situation.

 Chapter 79: Pursuing the Past

    Cho Chang and Marietta walked out of the dormitory to ask the professor for leave, while Hermione stayed behind to keep an eye on Lin Yue.

    She gently wrapped her arms around Lin Yue and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "When everyone asks you something later, just say whatever comes to mind. Don''t hide anything from us, okay?"

    "I promise you are absolutely safe here. No one will scold you, and no one will punish you. Don''t worry."

    Hermione''s voice was soft and gentle, and her embrace was exceptionally warm and comfortable.

    Lin Yue leaned against Hermione, her expression blank as she nodded, "Okay."

    If they asked her questions, she would definitely not hide anything, speaking freely and openly.

    As soon as Cho Chang and Marietta stepped out of the dormitory and into the common lounge downstairs, their anxious expressions were noticed by Penelope, who was sitting on the sofa in the lounge, drinking tea and reading a book.

    Given that they were in the same dormitory as Lin Yue, Penelope''s heart couldn''t help but race as she saw the anxious expressions on their faces.

    She casually closed her book and tossed it aside, quickly catching up to Cho Chang and Marietta. The two worried girls were just seconds away from running out of the Ravenclaw common room.

    "Cho Chang, Marietta, what''s going on?"

    Cho Chang turned back, her face full of urgency as she spoke rapidly, "It''s Lin Yue, she has an injury on her leg, and she''s punishing herself. Hermione sent us to help her and ask the professor for leave so we can have a good talk with her."

    "We were planning to ask for leave too," Marietta nodded in agreement.

    "She''s punishing herself again?!" Penelope''s pupils shook violently.

    "Senior Penelope, have you seen Lin Yue punish herself?" Cho Chang was taken aback, looking at Penelope.

    Penelope nodded gravely, "Yes, and the situation was very serious at that time. Let''s go, I''ll go with you to ask the professor for leave."

    But if they went to ask the professor for leave... the professor would probably come along too.

    The three girls ran quickly to the hall without daring to stop for a moment, forcefully pushing open the doors of the hall. Breakfast at Hogwarts had just begun not long ago.

    At this time, only half of the students were having breakfast, but all the professors at the staff table were present.

    When Penelope and her friends rushed into the hall during breakfast, they didn''t stand out too much, but when they ran straight towards the staff table, it was enough to draw attention.

    At that moment, the Ravenclaws sitting at the Ravenclaw table couldn''t help but look up at them.

    Penelope, Cho Chang, and Marietta¡ªthis combination easily reminded them of Lin Yue.

    So, did something happen to Lin Yue? Ravenclaws expressions turned serious, their eyes fixed on the staff table.

    "Professor Flitwick!"

    Penelope rushed to the teacher''s desk and stopped in front of Professor Flitwick, catching her breath.

    "Miss Penelope," Professor Flitwick nodded, "what''s the matter? Why are you in such a hurry that you''re out of breath?"

    "Today, I, along with Cho, Marietta, and Hermione, would like to ask you and Professor McGonagall for a leave of absence."

    Once Penelope caught her breath, she quickly explained the reason for her visit, while Cho and Marietta behind her nodded vigorously.

    Seeing that there were students from her own house asking for leave, Professor McGonagall looked over with concern.

    "Why do you all need to take leave? You don''t seem to be sick?"

    After scanning the three children up and down, Professor McGonagall said uncertainly.

    "We''re not sick; it''s Lin Yue." Penelope instinctively lowered her voice, not wanting anyone other than a few people and the professors to know about Lin Yue punishing herself.

    She didn''t want Lin Yue to bear the strange looks of others, and even if there was just a possibility, she couldn''t take that risk.

    "She has punished herself for some reason, and this isn''t the first time she''s done it. We feel that we need to talk to her."

    Penelope bit her lower lip, fearing that the professors might not understand the seriousness of the situation, so she recounted the last time she saw Lin Yue punish herself.

    "Last time, Lin Yue punished herself by slapping her own cheek until it was swollen, and... I saw blood at the corner of her mouth."

    Crash! Rip...Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    The outcome Penelope had anticipated, where the professors failed to grasp the severity of the situation, did not occur.

    As soon as they heard that Lin Yue was punishing herself, their hearts had already lifted.

    However, upon hearing such a statement for the first time, they were momentarily taken aback and needed a moment to respond.

    Then, when they heard Penelope say that Lin Yue slapped herself, causing her cheek to swell and blood to appear at the corner of her mouth, they were completely taken aback, with no time to pause for thought.

    Professor Flitwick''s cup and plate were knocked to the floor, while Professors McGonagall and Sprout abruptly stood up, their chairs scraping against the floor with a harsh sound.

    Principal Dumbledore''s bright eyes were fixed on Penelope and the other two, and for once, his expression revealed an unmasked concern.

    As Professor Snape, sitting on the other side, he quickly reached out to restrain the "restless" Lockhart, giving him a warning look. (PS Snape waking up at middle of night giving himself a slap ¡°shit I have hurt another girl¡±)

    "This matter will be handled by Principal Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick. You should just sit here for a while, Professor Lockhart."

    Lockhart''s expression stiffened for a moment, and he awkwardly nodded, sitting down obediently and no longer trying to get up.

    Professor Snape gazed deeply at the three anxious girls. Is Lin Yue punishing herself? He suddenly recalled a scene where he had made things difficult for Lin Yue in class; a flicker of emotion passed through his eyes before he quickly returned to his usual depth. He lowered his head to look at the sausages on his plate.

    "This time, where is she hurt?" Professor Flitwick had already jumped off his chair and was anxiously heading outside.

    More informed, Marietta quickly replied, "It should be her left leg, Professor Flitwick."

    "Left leg..." Professor Flitwick frowned. Although Lin Yue was still young, she was ultimately a girl, and it wouldn''t be appropriate for him, a male professor, to go over if it was her leg that was injured.

    Professor McGonagall quickly stepped forward and nodded at him, "Since Miss Lin Yue has injured her leg this time, you are not suitable to go, Filius. I''ll go instead; I think my students can manage to attend your Charms class without me."

    "Of course," Professor Flitwick replied solemnly, nodding in agreement. "Thank you, Minerva."

    Professor McGonagall shook her head seriously, "I am the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts; it is my duty. Moreover, Miss Lin Yue is also one of my favorite students."

    For the same reason, Headmaster Dumbledore was also not suitable to go. Professor Sprout, as the Head of Hufflepuff House, held a strong affection for Lin Yue, a model student who also helped Hufflepuffs learn Defense Against the Dark Arts.

    Without any hesitation, she followed along, but in the end, it was Professor McGonagall who persuaded her to go back. If too many professors went, Lin Yue might get nervous; just her going would be enough. To help treat Lin Yue''s injury, they also went to the Hospital Wing to call Madam Pomfrey.

    They rushed back to the Ravenclaw Tower, and Penelope answered the riddle of the bronze door at the fastest speed of her life. Accompanied by Autumn Zhang and Professor McGonagall, they entered the Ravenclaw common room with Madam Pomfrey.

    The Ravenclaws studying in the public lounge were taken aback when they saw Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey Walk in.

    Isn''t Professor McGonagall the head of Gryffindor? Why is she here in Ravenclaw?

    And why is Madam Pomfrey here? Is someone sick? Or injured?

    They noticed Cho Chang and Marietta following Penelope.

    There were some vague guesses in their minds, but they didn''t want to believe in that possibility.

    It wasn''t until they watched the group walk into Lin Yue''s dormitory that they had to accept that possibility.

    "Is Lin Yue injured?"

    "Sick?"

    "How is that possible? Lin Yue was fine yesterday!"

    "How can it be impossible? Don''t forget how many Slytherins were pointing wands at her yesterday."

    "Indeed, who knows if those Slytherins used any dark magic or curses behind her back."

    "Can''t win openly, so they resort to underhanded tactics, huh!"

    The Ravenclaws became increasingly agitated, their emotions rising to the point where they felt like they could strike the snake''s den at any moment.

    In the end, it was a seventh-grade senior named Pratt who stepped in to calm them down.

    "Everyone, please calm down. I know you are all very worried about Lin Yue, and I am too."

    "But since we don''t know the truth right now, we shouldn''t casually suspect others; that''s not right."

    "Since the professor is here, why don''t we wait a bit? Once the professor comes out, we can ask questions then. That way, we can address any issues that arise, rather than acting impulsively."

    With Pratt''s words, the little eagles finally managed to calm down.

    Those who have classes soon started to pack their things to go to class, while those without classes sat on the sofas in the common lounge, intently watching the door of Lin Yue''s dormitory.

    Inside Lin Yue''s dormitory, as soon as Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey entered, they headed straight for Lin Yue, who was being held in Hermione''s arms.

    "Miss Lin Yue, are you alright?" Professor McGonagall asked anxiously, looking at her to confirm that her complexion was rosy and that she showed no signs of distress, which made her breathe a slight sigh of relief.

    "I''m fine, thank you for your concern, Professor McGonagall. I appreciate you coming all this way," Lin Yue replied.

    "Now is not the time for such pleasantries, dear," Madam Pomfrey said, gently rubbing Lin Yue''s head. She had a very deep impression of this child.

    With overly tense nerves and severely damaged digestion, she had never seen a child like this before. Last year, they had finally managed to help her recover, and now she heard that this child was punishing herself and harming herself.

    It truly made her, as a doctor, feel a lump in her throat.

    "Let me see where you''re hurt. It''s alright, everyone here is female."

    After hearing Madam Pomfrey''s words, Lin Yue looked up at Professor McGonagall.

    Professor McGonagall pressed her lips together and nodded, "Miss Lin Yue, you certainly need to show Madam Pomfrey where you''re hurt."

    "Okay, Professor McGonagall."

    Lin Yue mechanically opened her mouth, reached out to unfasten her wizard robe, and removed her school uniform pants and thermal underwear. She felt no shyness or embarrassment; after all, she was just fulfilling the professor''s request.

    As Lin Yue revealed the wound on her left thigh, everyone present couldn''t help but gasp in shock. A gruesome, ten-centimeter-long wound lay on her thigh. The wound was deep enough that, although it wasn''t bleeding, it still hadn''t fully healed.

    Next to this wound, there was another shallow scar that was just as long, looking almost identical to the wound. Madam Pomfrey''s face flushed as she took a deep breath; with her keen eyesight and professional expertise, she immediately recognized that the child''s wound had a blood-stopping spell cast on it. Using a blood-stopping spell to prevent blood loss showed that the child was indeed clever and well-informed.

    However... this usage was quite inappropriate.

    Madam Pomfrey took out her wand and gently tapped Lin Yue''s thigh, saying, "Episkey.¡± The wound on Lin Yue''s thigh slowly closed, ultimately leaving only a faint mark.

    "Miss Lin Yue, do you have any other injuries?" Professor McGonagall looked at Lin Yue with a solemn tone. Just based on that wound alone, this matter was serious enough. No, the fact that students from Hogwarts were harming themselves was serious enough!

    "No," Lin Yue honestly shook her head, but Madam Pomfrey in front of her still threw three detection spells at her, not stopping until she confirmed that there were indeed no injuries at all.

    "Can I pull up my pants now, Professor McGonagall?" Lin Yue asked, her tone completely calm as she sought the instruction of the only professor present.

    Professor McGonagall felt a discomfort in her heart. Such a meticulous child, and she needed to seek her consent for this matter. Why hadn''t she noticed this before?

    "Of course, dear, hurry and get dressed, don''t catch a cold."

    Her voice softened, even trembling slightly, completely different from her usual serious demeanor.

    However, the few young witches present clearly had no mind to notice this surprising change.

    They all looked at Lin Yue with red-rimmed eyes, and Hermione, after Lin Yue had tidied up her own clothes, directly pulled her into a tight embrace.

    "It''s my fault! It''s all my fault! If I had been more careful with my words, if I had observed more closely..."

    Wouldn''t you have had the chance to punish yourself? Wouldn''t I have been able to discover earlier that you were still punishing yourself? Wouldn''t you have... suffered a little less?

    "It was my own mistake." Held tightly in Hermione''s arms, feeling her body tremble, Lin Yue''s vision began to blur.

    But her voice remained unchanged; it was just that her mind throbbed with dull pain, as if she wanted to feel something, yet at the same time, she was stopping herself from feeling it.

    Looking at Lin Yue, who was being held in Hermione''s arms, Professor McGonagall spoke in the gentlest tone.

    "Miss Lin, would you mind sharing a bit about your past with us? Your history."

    She was certain that no student at Hogwarts would teach Lin Yue how to punish herself, nor would any professor impart such knowledge.

    So this could only be something Lin Yue learned in the past, no matter where it came from, whether from a teacher or a parent.

    Faced with such a rigid "good child," who was filled with cruelty towards herself, Professor McGonagall only wished to transform those who taught her to be this way into slimy slugs, and ensure they could never return to their former selves.

 Chapter 80: Pursuing the Past 2

    "No problem, Professor McGonagall," Lin Yue said expressionlessly as she nodded.

    "First, I need to explain that I come from another world."

    Lin Yue mechanically began her explanation in order, and upon hearing this, Professor McGonagall was momentarily stunned. Hermione, who was holding Lin Yue, also turned to look at her in surprise.

    Cho''s mouth fell open, Marietta was dumbfounded, Penelope''s brow twitched violently, and Madam Pomfrey''s face was filled with confusion.

    "What does ''another world'' mean?" Hermione asked the question that everyone present wanted to ask.

    "It means another world, not the one you currently know," Lin Yue explained in a serious tone.

    "Then why did you come to this world?" Hermione tightened her grip on Lin Yue''s arm slightly, her voice trembling. She had a feeling that the answer to this question would be difficult for her to bear.

    "Because I died in that world, I was destroyed."

    Lin Yue''s voice was flat and emotionless, as if she were talking about something completely unrelated to herself, rather than the life-and-death situation she had once faced.

    "But... but you''re alive now, aren''t you? You''re living well, right?"

    Penelope looked at Lin Yue in disbelief. She was so vibrant, so clearly alive¡ªhow could it be?

    "Because the world''s consciousness helped me."

    Lin Yue spoke the truth without any reservations. The little witches were all puzzled by the term "world consciousness" and looked towards Professor McGonagall.

    Professor McGonagall, with a pale face, offered her speculation, "It should refer to the consciousness generated by our world."

    Hearing that her student had once died, her current pale complexion was already a good reaction.

    The little witches nodded, not dwelling on it any further. Normally, they would be filled with curiosity about such a strange existence as world consciousness.

    But now, in their eyes, nothing and no one was more important than Lin Yue.

    As everyone seemed to have no more doubts about her coming from another world, Lin Yue continued to speak.

    "In our world, except for elite families, the quality of life and social status of every family is tied to the academic performance of the children in that family."

    "The resources that a family can access are determined by the children''s academic performance."

    Resources allocated based on children''s academic performance. Hermione furrowed her brow tightly.

    "Does this mean that... your grades determine your parents'' quality of life, and how much money they can earn?"

    Turning to Lin Yue, Hermione posed her question with almost a tone of certainty.

    According to Lin Yue, this is the only reasonable speculation.

    "Yes." Indeed, Lin Yue nodded without hesitation.

    "Damn it!" Hermione cursed fiercely.

    She had previously thought that Lin Yue''s parents were raising her, but it turned out that Lin Yue was the one taking care of her parents!

    "A distorted world!" Professor McGonagall''s chest heaved violently, resembling an angry lioness. "How dare they demand that their children support them at an age when they should be carefree and focused on their studies!" Lin Yue fell silent for a moment, not quite understanding the emotions expressed by Professor McGonagall and Hermione. To her, it seemed very normal; rules were just like that.

    In fact, it wasn''t just Hermione and Professor McGonagall; the faces of the other three young witches present, as well as Madam Pomfrey''s, darkened as well.

    "Go on, Lin Yue," Hermione said, taking a deep breath to calm herself before speaking in a steady voice.

    "According to the regulations, each student''s performance is evaluated at the end of each academic year through a year-end assessment. Based on the results of this assessment, students are ranked, and resource allocation for the next year is determined."

    "And every year, the bottom third of the students will be eliminated."

    "Eliminated means dead?" Cho Chang''s voice was cold, her eyes now glinting with a chilling intensity.

    "Yes," Lin Yue confirmed again.

    Bang! The glass cup on Cho Chang''s bedside table and the glass cup on Marietta''s bedside table shattered simultaneously.

    Madam Pomfrey was equally upset, but she still comforted the four little witches, except for Lin Yue.

    ¡°Girls, calm down, don¡¯t let your magic go out of control.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll do our best, Madam Pomfrey,¡± Marietta nodded in agreement, but there was no sign of her calming down on her face at all.

    ¡°But Lin Yue, why were you destroyed? With your level of effort, your memory, and your logical thinking ability, you shouldn¡¯t be in that last third.¡±

    Penelope clasped her hands under her chin, her gaze heavily fixed on Lin Yue.

    "No," Lin Yue quickly shook her head, "I''m a dumb child, I''m an idiot, I''m a pig brain..."

    "Stop! Stop! You''re not!!" Hermione swiftly covered Lin Yue''s mouth with her hand.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Her eyes were bloodshot, filled with brutality; the usually kind little lion thought for the first time about killing someone.

    She recalled the brain scans Lin Yue had undergone in the hospital, where the doctors concluded that her emotional and sleep centers were like they had just developed.

    And they were being subconsciously restrained by her.

    Slowly releasing her hand, Hermione''s voice was hoarse and low, "They tampered with your brain, didn''t they? They really tampered with your brain!"

    The last part of her sentence was almost a shout.

    Lin Yue blinked, her brain quickly processed the situation, but she couldn''t figure out why Hermione''s voice had suddenly gotten louder.

    "Yes, I underwent brain surgery, and the emotional center and sleep center were removed to ensure that I wouldn''t need excessive sleep and to enhance my rational thinking ability."

    "I want to kill them I must kill them!"

    Hermione shouted angrily, her hair moving as if there were no wind. Next to her, the equally furious Cho Chang listened to Hermione''s words, feeling an overwhelming sense of agreement in their hearts.

    Lin Yue''s parents deserved to die, absolutely deserved to die.

    "How could they even be worthy of being parents?!" Professor McGonagall breathed heavily, struggling to contain herself even in front of her students.

    She had also been in contact with the Muggle world and certainly knew what surgery was. And listening to Hermione, how could they possibly tamper with their own child''s brain? How could they do such a thing?

    "They don''t even deserve to be human! Animals wouldn''t treat their own children like this; they are simply worse than beasts!"

    In the end, she couldn''t help but curse out loud.

    Madam Pomfrey closed her eyes for a moment, exuding an intimidating aura.

    She opened her eyes and looked at Lin Yue, "But Miss Lin Yue''s brain is fine, right? If there were any issues, I would have detected them earlier."

    It was impossible for her to miss two pieces and not notice; Madam Pomfrey considered herself to be quite professional.

    "Yes, Madam Pomfrey," Hermione bit her lip and forcefully uttered a few words, "Lin Yue''s emotional center and memory center have both reappeared, but they are as fragile as a newborn, and she is suppressing them herself."

    When Hermione spoke, everyone''s expressions improved a little bit; at least Lin Yue''s mind was intact now. The rest they could take their time with.

    "So, after completing that damned, unreasonable surgery, your parents set a rule for you to sleep only one hour a day, eat for a few minutes, and spend the rest of the time studying, right?"

    Hermione had now completely connected all of Lin Yue''s previous habits. No wonder Lin Yue only needed to sleep for an hour each day; no wonder she always said she didn''t feel tired and didn''t dream. Without a sleep center, how could she feel tired?

    "Yes," Lin Yue nodded in agreement, "Without a sleep center, I won''t be affected by drowsiness during my studies, so as long as I can maintain my body with one hour of sleep each day, that''s enough."

    "Merlin above..." Professor McGonagall covered her face with her hands and struggled to ask a question. "Miss Lin Yue, at the beginning of last year, did you read the extra materials we professors left you by only sleeping one hour a day?"

    Seeing Professor McGonagall bury her face in her hands, Lin Yue opened her mouth and thought for a moment before speaking. "Yes, but Professor McGonagall, you don''t need to worry about it. Studying is my responsibility as a student, and even without the extra reading assignments from the professors, my study time wouldn''t change."

    "Indeed," Professor McGonagall managed a difficult smile, "Madam Pince has told us about the frequency and quantity of books you borrow; it''s quite astonishing."

    "So, after this surgery, did your grades improve?"

    Cho Chang brought the topic back to the main line and continued to inquire about Lin Yue''s experiences.

    "Well, after that, I became the top student in the whole school."

    "Then how did you end up being in the bottom third? I mean, you were first!"

    Marietta sniffed and looked at Lin Yue, who was in Hermione''s arms across from her.

    "Because in the final year-end assessment I went through, I dropped from first place to the bottom third."

    "Why?" Penelope looked at Lin Yue in confusion. If it was because Lin Yue had become complacent or careless, she wouldn¡¯t believe that.

    Not to mention, after undergoing that kind of surgery, Lin Yue absolutely no longer had the ability to let herself become complacent or careless.

    Lin Yue nodded and explained calmly, "It''s not that I''m being careless or not serious; it''s because I had diarrhea both before and during the exam, so I wasn''t able to complete the paper successfully."

    "Diarrhea?" Madam Pomfrey raised her eyebrows, then recalled the gastrointestinal issues she had previously diagnosed in Lin Yue.

    Given that situation, having diarrhea seemed normal.

    "Based on my observations and analysis, my parents have a new child, and according to their attitude, the probability that this child is a natural genius is about eighty percent."

    "So what?" Cho Chang, having grown up in a happy family, found it hard to grasp the underlying currents hidden behind this analysis.

    "So, according to the calculation, abandoning me to avoid the discovery of my abnormalities and instead raising a new genius child is the better choice."

    Hermione listened to Lin Yue''s words and suddenly had a very bad, extremely bad guess in her heart. She hoped that the truth of the matter was not as she imagined; if it were, everything would be too cruel and unfair for Lin Yue.

    "Through the year-end assessment, they could achieve their goal of getting rid of me. On the morning of the year-end assessment, after I had prepared breakfast, they put three times the normal amount of laxatives into it."

    Lin Yue, who often needed to take painkillers and was quite knowledgeable in various areas, could not possibly fail to notice the abnormality in her breakfast. She had already figured out the truth by the time she took her first bite. However... this was her parents'' choice, and she should listen to her parents; they always had her best interests at heart.

    So she finished her breakfast without any hesitation and went to take part in a year-end assessment that she absolutely could not pass.

    "These two! Beasts!"

    "I really can''t believe that someone could be so shameless. No, they are not even human!"

    Angry curses echoed in the room as Hermione cursed fiercely, tightening her grip on Lin Yue''s arm, ensuring that she was still safe in her embrace.

    Taking off her glasses and wizard hat, Professor McGonagall looked at Lin Yue with red eyes.

    "After that, you were... destroyed?"

    "Yes." Lin Yue nodded indifferently, her expression unchanged.

    "I really don''t understand, why would they force children like you to this extent?"

    Professor McGonagall stared intently at Lin Yue. In her view, every child should be nurtured to grow. As long as they can grow into a person of good character, that is what matters. As for whether their grades are good or their future achievements are high, she believed that these are completely less important than the child themselves.

    "Because we are the future, and we need to be responsible for the future." Lin Yue spoke without hesitation, clearly having memorized these words firmly.

    "There are many problems in the world: severe resource shortages, global warming, and increasing disputes caused by resource scarcity everywhere."

    "If these problems cannot be solved, or if we cannot protect our own place from surviving the resource disputes, we will be the sinners of the future, the useless people of the future."

    "We will be the ones abandoned by the times. If we cannot promote our own progress, then all the disasters that happen in the future and the resulting consequences will be our fault."

    "Because if we strive to improve ourselves, perhaps we can find a way to avoid these consequences. We..."

    Before she could finish her sentence, Lin Yue was gently pulled into Professor McGonagall''s embrace along with Hermione.

    "That''s all nonsense," the witch''s slightly aged yet powerful voice said decisively, "it''s all about shirking responsibility."

    Professor Maige released his hands and squatted down to look Lin Yue in the eye. She cupped Lin Yue''s face, her gaze incredibly gentle.

    "Listen, child, you are still young, not yet adults. No matter what storms may arise in the outside world, we adults are here to face them."

    "As children, your job is to grow up healthy and happy, and then to learn knowledge."

    "Do you understand? Health and happiness come first. You must ensure that you grow up well before you learn knowledge. Otherwise, if you are not well, you may not even be able to live to grow up. What use is knowledge then?"

    "Growing up healthy and happy must come before learning knowledge; neither can be neglected. But if someone tries to reverse this order, using the potential disasters and disputes of the future as an excuse to push you to study at all costs, that is shirking responsibility."

    "Because the problems that exist now should be solved by the adults of today, not passed on as pressure to the next generation."

    Professor McGonagall stood up, her straight back seeming to support a whole sky.

    "When you grow up, it will be the same principle; the problems that arise will be for you to solve."

    "But we are the sun at eight or nine o''clock."

    Lin Yue instinctively responded, thinking they should recklessly soar into the sky, burning themselves to illuminate the world.

    "I like this description, the sun at eight or nine o''clock, full of vitality," Professor McGonagall gently nodded, glancing at the five young wizards present, "just like you, in the prime of your youth."

    "But the sun at eight or nine o''clock is precisely the time to gradually climb higher in the sky. Otherwise, should we abandon the blazing noon sun and demand that the newly risen morning sun illuminate the world?"

    "That would be the incompetence of us adults," Professor McGonagall pointed to herself and then to Madam Pomfrey, "No matter what you have heard or learned before, from now on, Miss Lin Yue, I hope you won''t be in a hurry. Take your time to learn knowledge under the premise of growing up healthily and happily and give us adults a chance to prove that we are not cowards who shirk responsibility."

 Chapter 81: Conversation in the Principals Office

    Lin Yue stared blankly at Professor McGonagall. Her upright posture and the determined expression mixed with anger slowly overlapped with the face of an adult she had seen in another world.

    The two were completely different; one faced the hardships ahead but made no progress, placing the heavy burden on the shoulders of children. The other faced the unknown without fear, firmly telling the child to grow up healthy and happy.

    They were entirely different, and a thought emerged in Lin Yue''s mind.

    It wasn''t just the schools that were different; the adults in the two worlds were also completely different or rather... most adults were completely different.

    Professor McGonagall''s current appearance not only made Lin Yue''s mind momentarily stop, but even Hermione and the other three were captivated by their professor''s charm.

    This is what a true mentor looks like, shouldering the sky and guiding the still immature children forward.

    "But... learning is the top priority."

    Lin Yue''s mind was flashing with mottled patterns as she struggled to speak.

    "No, it isn''t," Professor McGonagall shook her head, "What I''m saying now applies not just to you, Miss Lin Yue."

    "It applies to Miss Granger, Miss Penelope, to all the students at Hogwarts, to all students in the world."

    "Learning should not be the first priority in your lives; you should be."

    "Your joys and sorrows, your lives, should come before it."

    "You are yourselves first, and students second."

    Being yourself first, then a student, was like a thunderclap in Lin Yue''s mind, and the mottled patterns vanished.

    She slowly raised her head to look at Professor McGonagall, "Okay, I understand. Thank you, Professor McGonagall."

    "I will... put myself before my studies from now on."

    Professor McGonagall looked at Lin Yue and nodded with relief, but then her expression immediately turned serious again.

    "Now tell me, why did you hurt yourself?"

    "Because I violated the rules of Hogwarts, which means I broke the regulations."

    "Violated the school rules?" Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised that a "good child" like Lin Yue had broken the rules.

    Could it be that she went out at night? Finally went out at night?

    "Previously, Draco Malfoy insulted Hermione, and before that, he and his father had also threatened Hermione and everyone else in Diagon Alley."

    "So after Draco insulted Hermione again, I took action to eliminate the threat."

    Eliminate the threat¡ªhearing those words made Professor McGonagall''s brow twitch.

    "Eliminate, does that mean what I think it means? You wanted to kill him?"

    "Yes." Lin Yue nodded without changing her expression, her tone devoid of any emotion as she spoke about the matter.

    "I thought that only by completely eliminating the threat could Hermione and the others be safe, and after that, I would accept any punishment, even going to Azkaban."

    "But you didn''t succeed, did you? Why?" Professor McGonagall sat back down across from Lin Yue and looked at her.

    She had no doubt that if this child had acted, Draco Malfoy, that spoiled brat who was used to getting his way thanks to Lucius Malfoy, would have had no chance to fight back.

    He might not even have known who attacked him and would have just died.

    "Yes, I didn''t succeed; Hermione stopped me."

    Lin Yue nodded indifferently and spoke the truth.

    "Miss Granger did very well," Professor McGonagall said with a slight nod.

    Hermione, holding Lin Yue, pressed her lips together. "Sorry, Professor McGonagall, Lin Yue did it for us..."

    "No, no, no, I''m not angry, Miss Granger."

    Professor McGonagall shook her head. "I have a basic understanding of Miss Lin Yue''s situation now. She does not have a good understanding of life, nor does she value it highly."

    Living in a world where one is forced to regard their own life as insignificant, and having lost their emotions.

    Lin Yue certainly does not have a good understanding and appreciation of the importance of life, which is why she can be so harsh on herself.

    She can act without considering the consequences, even if it means sacrificing herself.

    "And" Professor McGonagall raised her head somewhat proudly, "I don''t think there''s anything wrong with being furious for the sake of a friend."

    Madam. Pomfrey listened nearby, her lips twitching slightly. "Minerva, is it really okay to teach children like this?"

    However, the Lion King clearly felt he was in the right and continued to explain, "But even when one is filled with rage, one must be aware of the consequences."

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Professor McGonagall looked at Lin Yue with a kind expression. "It''s fine to teach others a lesson, but you must not use dark magic or take someone else''s life. That''s my bottom line."

    "Okay, I understand. Thank you, Professor McGonagall," Lin Yue nodded earnestly.

    "But since you didn''t succeed in taking Mr. Malfoy''s life, why punish yourself?"

    Facing Professor McGonagall''s puzzled gaze, Lin Yue''s tone was as calm and undisturbed as a still lake.

    "Because while I was acting, I damaged the walls, ceiling, and floor of Hogwarts, and I violated the rules by harming a classmate and using magic in the corridor."

    "Oh, you really are quite familiar with the school rules."

    Professor McGonagall looked at Lin Yue with a hint of admiration, then mischievously winked.

    "However, I think that sometimes violating some harmless school rules, if we don''t catch you in the act..."

    "Then it¡¯s not a big deal. Of course, I won¡¯t admit to this once I leave this room."

    The other four young wizards present, aside from Lin Yue, couldn''t help but laugh.

    The atmosphere, which had been overly tense after hearing about Lin Yue''s past, was greatly relieved.

    Seeing everyone laugh again, Professor McGonagall nodded in satisfaction and stood up to ask Lin Yue for her opinion.

    "Miss Lin Yue, can I share what you said today with Professor Dumbledore and your head of house, Professor Flitwick?"

    If Lin Yue said no, she wouldn''t tell Dumbledore and Flitwick.

    "Of course, Professor McGonagall. As a student, I shouldn''t have any secrets from the professors."

    Lin Yue nodded without hesitation, her voice sounding mechanical as she spoke.

    "You don''t always have to be so serious and obedient, good girl."

    Professor McGonagall put on her wizard hat and said, "Learn more from Miss Granger, who is holding you; be a little mischievous sometimes, be more lively."

    Hearing Professor McGonagall''s words, Hermione''s face instantly turned red. Compared to Lin Yue... it seemed that she had indeed broken school rules a bit more?

    Professor McGonagall nodded at the five little wizards and walked towards the dormitory door with Madam Pomfrey.

    As they reached the door, just before Professor McGonagall was about to close it, she turned back to Lin Yue and the others and reminded them,

    "I think you might need quite a bit of time to chat carefully. Given your good level of magic, I will excuse you from today''s class."

    After saying that, Professor McGonagall gently closed the door.

    As soon as they walked down the stairs from the girls'' dormitory, Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey caught the attention of all the Ravenclaws still in the Ravenclaw common room.

    "Professor McGonagall, may I ask if something happened to Lin Yue?"

    Padma stood up as a representative and politely asked Professor McGonagall a question.

    "There are some minor issues, Miss Patil, but Miss Lin Yue is fine now," Professor McGonagall nodded. "The specific information related to Miss Lin Yue''s situation involves her privacy. If you want to know, you can ask her."

    "But be careful, if Miss Lin Yue doesn''t want to talk about it, don''t press her."

    "Of course, thank you, Professor McGonagall," Padma sincerely thanked her.

    Professor McGonagall waved her hand, "There''s no need to thank me for caring about my students."

    After saying this, she left with Madam Pomfrey. Madam Pomfrey returned to the medical wing, while she went to the headmaster''s office to inform Dumbledore about Lin Yue''s situation.

    In the headmaster''s office, after listening to Professor McGonagall''s account, Headmaster Dumbledore closed his eyes.

    No matter how smart he was or how well he could think, he would never have imagined that Lin Yue was from another world.

    And¡­ that the other world was in such a situation, thinking back to how he had previously doubted her.

    Principal Dumbledore couldn''t help but shake his head in self-mockery, truly feeling paranoid because of Tom alone.

    "To place all hope and pressure on the children, I really don''t understand what those people in that twisted world are thinking."

    With no students around, Professor McGonagall vented her anger without restraint.

    "A bunch of cowards! Incompetent people!"

    Looking at his old colleague, Principal Dumbledore fell silent for a moment. Yes.

    Using the known difficulties of the future as an excuse to force the current children, even sacrificing their health and happiness, to compel them to grow up.

    What does that say about the incompetence of these adults? Upon further reflection... Principal Dumbledore suddenly felt that his previous plans needed to change.

    "Minerva," Dumbledore raised his head, a hint of moisture appearing in his sharp blue eyes, "what if I said we are in a similar situation now?"

    "What?" Professor McGonagall was taken aback, looking at Principal Dumbledore in disbelief.

    Professor Dumbledore took a deep breath and slowly began to recount the prophecy made by Professor Trelawney all those years ago.

    "A child who has just been born will defeat the Dark Lord; he possesses a power that the Dark Lord does not have."

    Professor McGonagall''s lips trembled slightly as she looked at Dumbledore in disbelief.

    "So that child... is Potter?"

    Dumbledore paused for a moment. "It was Voldemort who chose Harry. There were two newborn boys who met the conditions: Harry and Neville, and he chose Harry."

    "Ridiculous!" Professor McGonagall clenched her fists. "There are so many great wizards in the magical world, and Voldemort is so afraid of a child that he wants to kill him!"

    "Why didn''t he dare to come to Hogwarts back then? Why didn''t he dare to confront you?"

    "Headmaster Dumbledore sighed, ''He is too afraid of death.''

    ''I think so too,'' Professor McGonagall scoffed coldly, ''So this is your reason for leaving Sibyl behind, right?''

    ''Yes,'' Headmaster Dumbledore nodded in agreement.

    ''That reason is somewhat reasonable.''

    Professor McGonagall said this and then seemed to remember something, narrowing her eyes at Headmaster Dumbledore.

    ''Wait a minute, Albus, according to that prophecy, you don''t mean to send Potter to defeat Voldemort, do you? A child?''

    After all, Albus had just mentioned that they actually had situations like Lin Yue''s world.

    ''I''m afraid it must be this way, Minerva, it has to be Harry who defeats Voldemort.''

    ''Nonsense,'' Professor McGonagall stepped forward, ''Potter is only in his second year; what he went through at the end of last year was already too much.''

    ''Other, more dangerous things, I absolutely will not allow.''

    ''I am his professor, I am his head of house, and you are his headmaster, Albus.''

    ''We are all still alive; it shouldn''t be up to a child like Potter to face the Dark... Voldemort!''

    Professor McGonagall gritted her teeth as she uttered that name.

    ''He took away two of my excellent students; I will not let him take their child as well.''

    ''Even if it really is only Harry who can kill him, it should be us binding Voldemort and letting Harry kill him when he is an adult, not sending him to face danger now.''

    ''I am, of course, his headmaster, Minerva.'' Headmaster Dumbledore raised his head, and the flames reignited in his blue eyes.

    This made him look as if he had become fifty years younger. ''So, I have changed my mind; most of the rest of the wizarding world has already been scared out of their wits.''

    ''But I am glad you haven''t, and the other professors at Hogwarts certainly haven''t either; Voldemort is a challenge we should face.''

    ''Not something Harry should face. We will capture Voldemort and then find a way for Harry to kill him; I will think of a way as best as I can.''"

    Professor McGonagall smiled slightly, "You know, Albus, the professors at Hogwarts and everyone in the Order of the Phoenix will listen to you."

    "I will do my best, Minerva," said Headmaster Dumbledore, standing up and radiating a brilliant light, "for Harry and the others to grow up healthy and happy, and so that we do not become weak adults."

    Lin Yue and the others were completely unaware of the conversation happening in the headmaster''s office.

    After Professor McGonagall left, Penelope exchanged glances with Cho Chang and Marietta.

    "I guess everyone outside must be quite worried right now," Penelope spoke first. They had rushed in with Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey, and the students outside must have seen them.

    Given the current level of concern for Lin Yue, they were definitely anxious.

    "So it would be better for us to go out and reassure everyone and briefly explain the situation," Cho Chang quickly added.

    Marietta looked uncertainly at Lin Yue, "Lin Yue, do you mind if the Ravenclaw students know about your situation?"

    Lin Yue shook her head expressionlessly, "I don''t mind."

    It''s just my past; it doesn''t matter if everyone knows.

    "Alright, then let''s go out first."

    Penelope nodded and led Cho Chang and Marietta out of the dormitory, discussing Lin Yue''s background from another world.

    It was fine if the members of Ravenclaw knew, and as for others... it didn''t matter if Harry and Ron found out, but there was no need to tell anyone else.

    Penelope prepared to give everyone a gag order after explaining everything. She also planned to ask a seventh-year senior to use a confidentiality spell, just to be safe.

    Once the three left, only Hermione and Lin Yue remained in the dormitory. Lin Yue mechanically turned her head to look at Hermione, who was holding her.

 Chapter 82: More family members. a huge plan.

    Hermione lowered her head, pressing her forehead against Lin Yue''s. "Professor McGonagall just talked to you so much; you should have listened, right?"

    With Hermione''s forehead against hers, Lin Yue''s heart remained as still as a calm lake, and she silently nodded.

    "I listened."

    She always paid close attention to her teachers'' words and tried her best to follow them seriously.

    "From now on, you mustn''t hurt yourself casually anymore, no matter what the reason is."

    Hermione held Lin Yue tightly, closing her eyes and whispering softly.

    "Mm..." Lin Yue also responded gently.

    When she opened her eyes again, Hermione couldn''t help but smile at Lin Yue''s expressionless face.

    Lin Yue looked at her, her mind unable to successfully analyze the reason for Hermione''s smile.

    "Why is Hermione smiling?"

    "Because I''m very happy," Hermione said, gently caressing Lin Yue''s cheek, slowly stroking it to feel the delicacy of her fingertips. "I''m very happy that you came to this world."

    "That you came to be with us, giving us the chance to meet you and save you."

    "Thank you." Lin Yue instinctively said thank you, and upon hearing this, Hermione directly covered her mouth with her hand.

    "We don''t want your thanks; we just want you to be well."

    With her mouth covered, Lin Yue slowly nodded.

    Releasing her hand, Hermione hugged Lin Yue and fell back onto the bed with her.

    Turning over and holding Lin Yue tighter, Hermione suddenly remembered something and looked at her with bright eyes.

    "Is it true that in this world, besides Hogwarts, you don''t have a fixed place to live?"

    After all, Lin Yue''s home is indeed in another world.

    Lin Yue nodded in agreement, "Yes."

    "Then during the holidays, you can come to my house."

    Hermione looked at Lin Yue with anticipation, "What do you think? My mom and dad like you a lot too. You can keep me company, okay?"

    As she spoke, she nuzzled against Lin Yue''s neck, trying hard to get her to agree to the suggestion.

    "Okay."

    Lin Yue nodded without much hesitation, "I hope I won''t be a burden to you." She then politely added another sentence.

    "You won''t be a burden at all," Hermione said, hugging Lin Yue and taking a deep breath, comfortably closing her eyes. "Maybe you don''t even realize how happy it is to have you around."

    Happy to have her around? Lin Yue''s mind paused for a moment. Could that really be the case?

    In the past, when her parents were in front of her, they would always frown.

    Because she was a silly child, not the genius they wanted.

    Even after her grades improved significantly after surgery, she was still just a "fake" genius.

    They were afraid that an examination would reveal something wrong with her, so they didn''t want her to be around them too much.

    As for the teachers, although Lin Yue''s grades were excellent and could bring better resources and treatment to the teachers,

    she lacked emotions, so even though she was polite and obedient to her teachers,

    she couldn''t flatter them or say nice things, not even a single compliment.

    Naturally, the teachers only saw her as a machine that could help them secure more and better resources through exams, so why would they like her hanging around?

    In contrast, the teachers preferred to punish her because she was obedient enough to take any punishment seriously.

    No matter how messy she got, after being punished once, she would reflect on herself and work even harder in her studies.

    For the teachers, this punishment was beneficial; they could have a bit of fun, satisfy their psychological needs, and make Lin Yue study harder to meet their increasing material demands.

    It was a win-win situation.

    As for her classmates, there was no need to say much; everyone was a "life-and-death" competitor, who could like whom?

    Perhaps the real desire was to pull each other down.

    But Hermione and the others, as well as Professor McGonagall, seemed to genuinely want to see her...

    Lin Yue''s brain slowly reached this conclusion, as if this conclusion should not have been generated at all.

    Looking at Hermione, who was resting with her eyes closed beside her, Lin Yue felt calm, but suddenly a thought popped into her mind.

    How wonderful it is to have met Hermione, to have met classmates from Hogwarts, to have met true mentors like Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick.

    Outside the dormitory, in the Ravenclaw common room, Penelope had already told the other Ravenclaws about Lin Yue''s background and past experiences.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    "I ask everyone to keep Lin Yue''s background a secret," she said, her gaze intense as she looked at all the Ravenclaws presents. "Once this matter gets out, we can''t guarantee that no one will develop any inappropriate interest in Lin Yue."

    "None of us want our precious Ravenclaw to be harmed, right?"

    The Ravenclaws shook their heads in unison, and Pratt even pulled over a piece of parchment from a nearby table, drew her wand, and pointed it at the parchment.

    A complex alchemical spell flowed from her mouth, and the originally unremarkable parchment began to sprout intricate alchemical patterns.

    In the end, it transformed into a contract.

    She picked up the contract and handed it to a seventh-grade boy next to her. After receiving it, the boy pointed his wand at the parchment and began to chant ancient magical words.

    As the boy recited the spell, a layer of flame slowly rose from the surface of the contract, yet it did not exhibit any heat.

    After finishing all this, the boy nodded at Pratt, who then placed the flaming contract on the table.

    "I''ve turned this contract into an alchemical product. As long as the person who signs it tries to reveal Lin Yue''s identity to anyone outside of Ravenclaw, they will be detected and will immediately lose their ability to speak temporarily."

    "And they will also have to endure the pain of being burned by fire for a full three days," the boy standing next to Pratt added with a smile.

    Penelope''s lips curled into a smile; it seemed that Senior Pratt was indeed on the same wavelength as her. Truly, they were both Ravenclaw students.

    The Ravenclaws present were also silently thinking that signing the contract was the right thing to do, and they were indeed on the same page. They were truly all Ravenclaw students!

    One by one, the Ravenclaws signed the contract, and once they finished, it was placed on the table in the common room. When the other Ravenclaws returned from class, some who were still in the common room would explain the situation to them and then have them sign their names.

    By the time lunch rolled around, all Ravenclaw was already aware of the situation regarding Lin Yue.

    As a result, students from the other three Hogwarts houses witnessed a remarkable scene.

    The entire long table of Ravenclaws was actively serving Lin Yue food, and even dishes that weren''t in front of her were quickly swapped out. Essentially, she got to try every dish on the long table.

    Harry and Ron, sitting at the Gryffindor table, stared in astonishment at this scene. They knew Lin Yue was very popular within Ravenclaw and that everyone liked her.

    But wasn''t this a bit¡­ exaggerated? It felt like they were just short of personally feeding Lin Yue.

    "What¡¯s going on with them?" Ron curiously looked at Hermione across the table. "And you were over at Ravenclaw yesterday, right? What happened since you didn¡¯t go to class this morning?"

    Harry also looked at Hermione with a face full of curiosity; even boys were intrigued by these matters.

    Hermione looked around and waved her hand at Harry and Ron, who were sitting across from her, signaling them to come a little closer.

    Harry and Ron immediately leaned forward obediently.

    Hermione pressed her lips together and, in a voice only the three of them could hear, recounted Lin Yue''s background and previous experiences.

    "Merlin beard," Ron exclaimed, his eyes wide with fear, "You die if you don''t study well?!"

    "That''s terrifying! I definitely wouldn''t survive two years in that world."

    "Me neither," Harry said, looking pained, "It sounds too oppressive."

    Hermione nodded seriously, "Yeah, it''s extremely oppressive, so I really doubt... the suicide rate in that world."

    Harry and Ron fell silent at the same time, undoubtedly knowing without thinking that the suicide rate in that world could not be low.

    "No wonder Lin Yue studies so hard," Harry sighed, "being harmed like that by her own parents."

    Ron nodded in agreement beside him. He had previously thought that his mom was too strict with him, even neglectful at times, but now that he thought about it, his mom really did love him very much and it was a truly selfless love; what more could he ask for?

    Hermione turned to look at Lin Yue, who was being cared for by the members of Ravenclaw. It didn''t matter that her former family didn''t love her; she didn''t need them anymore. As for now, it was clear that Lin Yue no longer lacked family who loved her.

    At the staff table, Professor Flitwick, as Lin Yue''s head of house, listened to Professor McGonagall recount her story. The former dueling champion felt a surge of blood rush to his face, turning it bright red.

    "How dare her parents! This is their child, Merlin!" Professor Flitwick slammed his knife down on the table in anger.

    Next to him, Professor Sprout looked sadly at Lin Yue, feeling for the suffering the child had endured. Fortunately, Hogwarts was here now; it would be a home for every little witch and wizard who came to study.

    When she saw the Hufflepuffs, she couldn''t help but feel grateful that her badgers were all gentle and kind people. They stood by Lin Yue''s side, and as head of house, she believed they would bring Lin Yue the genuine warmth she needed, just like the Ravenclaws would.

    Because the matter concerning Lin Yue needed to be discussed, Lockhart was discreetly sent away by the professors in advance.

    So now, the professors seated at the staff table are all reliable, including Professor Snape.

    With his deep, bottomless eyes fixed on the Ravenclaw table, Professor Snape seemed to see his own childhood through Lin Yue.

    No... in comparison, perhaps his own childhood was a bit better.

    Just look at the world she lives in and the kind of parents she has; what a bunch of monsters they are.

    However... Professor Snape recalled the moments when he deducted points from Lin Yue and the reasons behind it.

    Am I becoming the kind of person I once hated the most?

    After all, I am a professor, he thought, slowly biting into a sausage.

    His dark eyes swept across the four houses; perhaps he should try to treat Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff equally and gently.

    As for Gryffindor... sorry, he still needed some time to prepare for that.

    As he lowered his head to eat again, Professor Snape''s unusual behavior did not escape the notice of Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall.

    Principal Dumbledore put down his knife and fork, looking at Professor Snape with satisfaction.

    If Severus was willing to step forward, it would truly be a wonderful thing.

    Over the years, Severus had been teaching at Hogwarts. As Severus''s former professor, Dumbledore could sense the changes he had undergone. He had transformed from someone who once sought only power, with no reverence for life and no appreciation for it, into the person he was now.

    It is hard to say that this transformation was not influenced by the generations of students Severus had taught. Watching new students grow and thrive before his eyes would surely change one''s perspective.

    Professor McGonagall looked at him with joy in her eyes; if Severus could truly come to terms with himself and no longer shut himself off, it would make her very happy.

    After lunch, Lin Yue and the five little witches, including Hermione, did not follow McGonagall''s suggestion to skip today''s classes. Even though McGonagall had excused them, they still attended class as usual.

    After all, Lin Yue herself had gone to class without hesitation, so the others would follow suit. They were all eager little witches who didn¡¯t want to fall behind in their studies, even if they had already prepared in advance.

    Lin Yue''s afternoon class was History of Magic, which was often considered a hypnotic course by everyone at Hogwarts.

    Sitting in the History of Magic classroom, listening to Professor Binns'' emotionless, hypnotic voice, Lin Yue was quickly taking notes. The Ravenclaws sitting next to her, who usually doze off during History of Magic, were now forcing themselves to stay awake and were attentively listening to the class.

    Knowing Lin Yue''s past, they clearly didn''t want her to be the only one paying attention, so they decided to accompany her together. This way, if Lin Yue suddenly felt tired while listening, she could take a nap without any worries. Since they were paying attention, they could lend her their notes later for her to copy.

    The Hufflepuffs attending class with the Ravenclaws were momentarily puzzled by the sight of the usually sleepy Ravenclaws being so spirited. What was going on? The Hufflepuffs yawned and couldn''t help but wonder why the Ravenclaws were all awake today.

    Well, whatever... Having more diligent students in class was a good thing, and it would be more convenient to borrow notes after class. As for Hufflepuffs themselves? They couldn''t handle it; they needed to sleep first.

    Abandoning all other thoughts, the Hufflepuffs let their heads droop and sweetly fell asleep on their desks.

    Meanwhile, the indignation and sympathy of everyone at Hogwarts who knew about Lin Yue''s past was completely absorbed by the world consciousness above the sky. Their affection and fondness for Lin Yue became a foundation, and with Hogwarts and Hermione as anchors, a grand plan was slowly taking shape.

 Chapter 83: A better new generation

    For the Ravenclaws, this history of magic class was clearly different from any they had experienced before. They managed to stay awake for the entire class, maintaining their willpower and fully participating throughout.

    As they walked out of the history of magic classroom, many of the Ravenclaws felt a bit dizzy. However, their hearts were undeniably filled with a sense of accomplishment.

    Entering the Great Hall with everyone, Lin Yue sat in her usual spot. The second-year Ravenclaws naturally gathered around her. However, they tacitly avoided sitting in the two spots directly next to her and one more to the side, as everyone agreed that these three spots belonged to Qiu Zhang, Marietta, and Penelope.

    With her head down, Lin Yue leisurely ate her dinner while continuously recalling every word Professor Binns had said in class. She extracted the key points from his words and firmly committed them to memory.

    The Ravenclaws "diligently" helped Lin Yue by bringing her different dishes from various spots on the long table. This made it even easier for Lin Yue to reinforce her knowledge while eating, as she didn¡¯t have to lift her head at all; she just needed to reach out with her knife and fork to grab the dishes closest to her.

    Just as Lin Yue was halfway through her meal, Qiu Zhang and the others finally arrived at the Great Hall.

    Qiu Zhang and Marietta naturally sat down on either side of Lin Yue, while Penelope took a seat next to Qiu Zhang.

    As soon as they sat down, Qiu Zhang couldn''t help but start venting. "Honestly, I don''t know what we were thinking." Qiu Zhang reached for a piece of steak, skipping the cutting steps entirely, and took a fierce bite. "It''s clearly Lockhart''s class, we even took the day off, so why are we still going to this class!"

    Marietta, sitting on the other side of Lin Yue, shared the same frustration. "I think we both got a bit dazed and didn''t realize that the afternoon class was Lockhart''s." She lowered her head and took a big bite of her vegetable salad, trying to suppress the nausea caused by Lockhart being too "greasy."

    "What did he do this time?" Penelope turned to her two younger classmates, unable to help but frown.

    Since Lockhart''s first class went horribly wrong, hasn''t he been making everyone act out the scenes from his book during class?

    What ridiculous idea has popped up now?

    Upon hearing this, Cho Chang shot a fierce glare at Lockhart, who was sitting at the teacher''s desk. "He spent an entire class telling us what wizards should do with their powerful abilities and how to avoid misusing them."

    "Yes, according to him, just like he does."

    Marietta nodded in agreement, her face pale.

    "Merlin''s beard," Penelope exclaimed in disbelief, "how can someone who clearly isn''t a dud act even more like one?"

    "Hah," Marietta scoffed, "what if he has some hidden talent that he just doesn''t show?"

    "Although the likelihood of that is almost zero." She said this while poking the vegetable salad on her plate with her fork.

    Qiu Zhang nodded in agreement, swallowing the steak in his mouth. "The most important thing is that, based on what he said, combined with Lin Yue''s actions yesterday, it''s really hard not to feel like he was targeting Lin Yue."

    "Targeting Lin Yue?" Penelope almost laughed in anger. "What is he targeting her for? For saying she shouldn''t stand up for her own school and her friends?"

    "Targeting her for saying she should be a coward? I think most people in the magical world have lost their backbone like that!"

    "The idols they like are all such useless, spineless people; how tough can they really be?"

    Lin Yue, who was pulled out of her studying state by her full name being called, mechanically chimed in. "According to the analysis, Lockhart''s various behaviors and his fame align extremely well with the packaging and star-making plans in the Muggle world."

    "This method can deceive a lot of people, including those who are different from him."

    "Alright," Penelope pursed her lips and gently brushed Lin Yue''s hair, "I was being hasty."

    Qiu Zhang and Marietta also smiled as they helped Lin Yue tuck the hair that had fallen in front of her face behind her ears, making it easier for her to eat.

    " Idol created like this really aren''t worth chasing," Qiu Zhang said with a smile as he withdrew his hand. "It''s better to chase Lin Yue; at least our Lin Yue''s abilities are real, and her fame has been built up little by little through her own strength."

    Lin Yue sincerely shook her head at Qiu Zhang''s words, her voice showing no fluctuation. "I don''t have any abilities. If you want to chase real Idols, it should be Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and the like; they are the true masters of magic."

    With a helpless sigh, Penelope moved her stew from her side to Lin Yue''s.

    "You really are good at downplaying and belittling yourself."The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    Lin Yue blinked and reached for some stew with her knife and fork, responding in a mechanical and rigid tone.

    "Criticizing myself more, reflecting on myself, and denying myself helps me to avoid arrogance and impatience, accurately understand myself, and promote my continuous progress."

    Marietta chewed on her vegetable salad and quietly spoke up, "I think the person who first expressed this idea probably didn''t intend for others to endlessly belittle and suppress themselves."

    "Give yourself more recognition; you deserve it," Qiu Zhang nodded, reaching over to swap the stew in front of Lin Yue for a fish dish she hadn''t eaten yet.

    "Mm." Lin Yue replied expressionlessly and continued eating.

    After finishing dinner, Qiu Zhang and the others took Lin Yue to wait at the entrance of the auditorium for Hermione.

    Principal Dumbledore mentioned last night that he wanted Lin Yue to come to his office, and they could go along with her.

    So, they planned to gather everyone before taking Lin Yue together.

    After a few minutes, Hermione finally walked out of the auditorium with Harry and Ron.

    At that moment, she was lightly tapping the shoulders of the two boys with the parchment in her hand.

    Harry and Ron shrank their necks, neither daring to voice a protest.

    "I can''t believe that in just one night, you two have pushed the homework due tomorrow to now!"

    Hermione paused for a moment and tapped her fingers, causing Harry and Ron to instinctively lower their heads even further.

    Catching a glimpse of Lin Yue and the others waiting not far away, Hermione cleared her throat to regain her composure and present herself as elegantly as possible.

    "Ahem, I need to step out for a bit. When I return to the common room tonight, if your homework isn''t finished, you two are in big trouble."

    "Do you understand? In big trouble! I absolutely will not lend you my homework to copy."

    After saying these two sentences in a low, fierce voice, Hermione turned and walked towards Lin Yue and the others, her expression instantly transforming into a bright, sunny smile.

    Harry and Ron visibly relaxed as they watched Hermione''s back.

    "Thank Merlin, thank Lin Yue, only she can interrupt Hermione''s anger."

    Ron looked up at the ceiling, seemingly trying to convey his gratitude to Merlin.

    Lowering his head again, he glanced at Harry and made a face, "But I think Hermione will end up letting us copy her work after all."

    "You know, as long as we compliment her a bit and sincerely admit our mistake."

    Harry chuckled, "Yeah, but before that, we¡¯re definitely going to get a good scolding from her."

    Ron fell silent for a moment, and two seconds later he spoke up obediently, "We can finish our homework first and then ask her to check it, right?"

    "Yeah." Harry nodded vigorously, and the two boys immediately turned around and quickly ran towards the Gryffindor Tower.

    They didn''t know how long Hermione would be gone, so it was better to hurry back and finish their homework.

    At the very least, they needed to complete it before Hermione returned.

    Meanwhile, Lin Yue and her group had already walked down several flights of stairs and arrived in front of the stone beast at the entrance to the headmaster''s office.

    Holding Lin Yue''s hand, Hermione looked at the stone beast in front of her, curiously wondering if it could move, and if it could, whether it could serve as a weapon.

    " Cockroach Clusters."

    Marietta spoke the password to the stone beast, and for a moment, Penelope, Cho Chang, and Hermione couldn''t help but turn their gazes toward her.

    "Are you sure you didn''t misremember the password, Marietta?" Cho Chang thought to herself, feeling that the term she had just heard was quite enough.

    Just as Penelope was about to speak, she heard a rumbling sound. Turning her head, she saw that the stone beast had indeed moved aside, revealing a spiral staircase behind it.

    "Uh, it seems Marietta really didn''t misremember," she said somewhat awkwardly.

    "Truly, it''s Dumbledore... his tastes are so, um, unique."

    Cho Chang tried to find the most polite way to express her thoughts.

    As a young witch from a Muggle family, Hermione, while holding Lin Yue''s hand and following Penelope and the others up the spiral staircase, asked with curiosity, "What exactly is a Cockroach Cluster? Why is it called that?"

    The three young witches from wizarding families all looked a bit pale.

    Lin Yue, being led by Hermione, instinctively answered, "It''s a type of magical candy in the wizarding world, chocolate-flavored, and it looks and moves just like real cockroaches. Because they are quite small, wizards usually buy them in bulk, stacking them up, which is why they are called Cockroach Clusters."

    "Oh, that''s really..." Hermione wrinkled her nose, finding it hard to accept.

    "Respect personal preferences," Cho Chang shook her head, expressing her understanding of Dumbledore''s fondness for Cockroach Clusters.

    The spiral staircase slowly came to a stop, and a wooden door appeared before the five young witches.

    Penelope took a deep breath; it was her first time in the principal''s office, and she couldn''t help but feel a bit nervous. She stepped forward and gently knocked on the door.

    "Principal Dumbledore, we brought Lin Yue with us."

    The wooden door creaked open, and Dumbledore''s warm and cheerful voice came from inside.

    "Come in, children."

    Penelope walked in first, with Hermione holding Lin Yue''s hand in the middle, and Autumn and Marietta bringing up the rear. The five of them entered the principal''s office together.

    Dumbledore smiled and gestured for them to sit on the sofa.

    Everyone took their seats, and the next moment, five cups of black tea appeared in front of them.

    Lin Yue looked at the suddenly appeared black tea and politely nodded to Professor Dumbledore to thank him.

    "Thank you, Professor Dumbledore."

    Saying this, she picked up the black tea and took a ceremonial sip, instantly overwhelmed by an unbearable sweetness on her tongue.

    Without showing any change in her expression, she set down the teacup, still maintaining her courteous demeanor.

    "The black tea is very good, thank you, Professor Dumbledore."

    Professor Dumbledore, somewhat pleased, stroked his beard; it was rare, finally someone shared his taste.

    Beside her, Hermione and the others, who also took a polite sip of the black tea, forced themselves to swallow what was in their mouths and looked at Lin Yue with a somewhat speechless expression.

    The fact that she could drink such tea without changing her expression and even compliment it made it clear how deeply Lin Yue had been affected by her damn parents.

    "Professor Dumbledore, may I ask why you called me here?"

    Lin Yue stared at Professor Dumbledore without blinking, waiting for him to speak.

    "Indeed," Professor Dumbledore paused for a moment, "I know that what I am about to say may be quite impolite, but as a headmaster and also as an elder, please forgive me for what I must say."

    Lin Yue nodded, "Professor Dumbledore, please go ahead."

    Professor Dumbledore is a teacher, and whatever he says is for the sake of the students, so there is no distinction between politeness and impoliteness.

    "Lin Yue, you are a smart child, one of the smartest I have ever seen. Just yesterday, you were able to deduce the truth of the matter based solely on the information in the book."

    "Your intelligence is beyond doubt. I know you do not have that intention, but I still want to remind you, and also ask you, not to trust or rely on those dark magic practices that could lead you astray."

    "If it''s just for the sake of knowledge, then that''s another matter."

    Principal Dumbledore smiled as he spoke, his blue eyes filled with the concern of an elder for a younger one, a teacher for a student.

    Lin Yue''s wisdom and abilities were undoubtedly above Tom''s, and even above his own and that of his old friends from back in the day.

    It was precisely for this reason that he wanted to remind Lin Yue, to warn her not to make the mistakes that those before her had made.

    Some things, once done, will leave you with no way to turn back; some things, once done, will leave you regretting for a lifetime.

    Lin Yue nodded stiffly, "I will not trust or rely on dark magic."

    Dark magic is a violation of regulations; she could not rely on these forbidden spells, nor could she use them against anyone.

    Principal Dumbledore looked at Lin Yue''s expressionless face, feeling a mix of bitterness and comfort in his heart.

    This child is stronger than him, than them all... He had heard from Minerva that she had not yet fully regained her emotions, but even when she does, this child will likely still be a gentle one.

    His gaze shifted to Hermione, who was holding Lin Yue''s hand, and Dumbledore lowered his head with a subtle smile.

    It''s good; the new generation of children is better than they were.

    It was also because of them that he changed his perspective and decided to speak openly with Lin Yue, just as he had done earlier.

    Perhaps this way, it would be easier to avoid situations like Tom''s.

    After closing his eyes for a moment, when Dumbledore raised his head again, he had returned to the reliable elder he was known to be.

    "Miss Lin Yue, if you were to analyze it, how do you think the Basilisk is able to move around in Hogwarts?"

 Chapter 84: Unknown Stalking

    Listening to Professor Dumbledore''s words, Lin Yue''s mind began to rapidly integrate information and make inferences.

    "Based on the information available, while the Basilisk is extremely dangerous and is a magical creature, it still belongs to the Serpentes family and has the body structure of a snake."

    Professor Dumbledore nodded, looking at Lin Yue, waiting for her further analysis.

    Hermione and the others stared at Lin Yue with wide eyes; the Basilisk is a dangerous magical creature, and just making eye contact with it could be fatal.

    They were also curious about how the Basilisk moves.

    "The Basilisk has the body structure of a snake, and the most suitable places for snakes to navigate through in a building, which also remains undetected by humans, are the pipes."

    "Therefore, it is highly likely that the Basilisk moves through the pipes of Hogwarts."

    Lin Yue quickly compared the body structure of snakes with various architectural floor plans. Since she did not have the floor plan of Hogwarts, she could only use the architectural plans she was familiar with as a substitute.

    The conclusion she reached was that moving through the pipes is the most compatible with the Basilisk''s body structure and the best way for it to hide.

    "The pipes..." Professor Dumbledore murmured, nodding his head. "Thank you very much for your conclusion, Miss Lin Yue. We will conduct an investigation as soon as possible."

    The basilisk is indeed too dangerous. After realizing that the monster in the chamber might be a basilisk, all the professors at Hogwarts were already prepared to enter the chamber to eliminate it. Lin Yue nodded with a calm expression, but her mind was instinctively continuing to deduce.

    It is known that the last basilisk attack occurred fifty years ago, and during that incident, a student lost their life. According to one of the books in the library that roughly describes the ghosts of Hogwarts, Moaning Myrtle died fifty years ago in the second-floor girls'' bathroom.

    Therefore, Moaning Myrtle should be the victim of the basilisk attack fifty years ago, and the location of her death was indeed the second-floor girls'' bathroom. Furthermore, considering that this current basilisk attack is happening outside the second-floor girls'' bathroom, the place where the basilisk can enter and exit, which is the entrance to the Slytherin chamber, should be in the second-floor girls'' bathroom.

    Lin Yue easily deduced the entrance to the chamber of secret as her thoughts flowed. However, Principal Dumbledore did not press further; he smiled and stroked his beard at the five little witches.

    "Thank you for coming all this way to listen to an old man''s words."

    "It''s getting late, so you should all return to your common rooms. There''s a Quidditch match tomorrow morning, and I imagine you wouldn''t want to miss it."

    As he spoke, he winked at Lin Yue. "Miss Lin Yue, remember to go watch the match tomorrow. It''s the weekend, so take a good rest."

    Although thoughts of not being able to relax still popped up in her mind, the world had changed, and she should follow the instructions of this time professor.

    Lin Yue expressionlessly made her judgment, then instinctively nodded, her voice as calm as a still pond.

    "Okay, I will go. Thank you, Principal Dumbledore."

    "You''re welcome. You all can go back now."

    Principal Dumbledore waved his hand, signaling Lin Yue and the others that they could leave.

    The five little witches turned and walked towards the door of the principal''s office. Halfway there, Principal Dumbledore suddenly seemed to remember something and said, "Oh, by the way, I wonder if Miss Cho Chang and Miss Marietta would mind having an additional roommate in your dormitory?"

    Dumbledore''s unexpected question caught Cho Chang and Marietta off guard, and they turned to look at him in confusion. Following his gaze, they saw... Hermione, who was standing next to Lin Yue, holding her hand.

    Their eyebrows jumped in surprise, and Cho Chang and Marietta smiled and shook their heads. "We don''t mind, Principal Dumbledore."

    "We have no objections, Principal Dumbledore. After all, the Ravenclaw dormitory was originally planned as a four-person room, wasn''t it?"

    The two spoke one after the other, and after expressing their stance, Cho Chang looked at Principal Dumbledore with a hint of uncertainty.

    "However, Principal Dumbledore, you mean to add another bed in our dormitory, right?"

    Cho Chang squinted slightly as she spoke, and it was clear that Hermione and Lin Yue still hadn''t figured things out. Lin Yue was like an emotional center that was just born, and she was even being suppressed. Even Hermione, due to her young age, temporarily didn''t have any thoughts in that regard.

    Occasionally, they would sleep together in special circumstances, but if they were to sleep together all the time... they were still a bit too young for that.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    Dumbledore felt a bit of sweat on his back as he caught the gaze of Cho Chang and Marietta. Unable to help but chuckle and shake his head, he gently replied, "Of course, Miss Cho Chang, Miss Marietta."

    These two kids truly regarded themselves as Lin Yue''s older sisters; they were both good kids.

    "Then we have no problem at all," Cho Chang said with a satisfied smile, and Marietta beside her nodded with a smile as well.

    Hermione, who was holding Lin Yue''s hand behind them, clearly didn''t realize that Dumbledore''s mention of the two older students not minding an extra person in the dormitory referred to her. She cautiously leaned closer to Lin Yue''s ear and quietly asked if there was someone who would be staying in their dormitory, wondering if it was a new student.

    Lin Yue mechanically turned her head to look at Hermione and shook her head, "The freshmen already have their own dormitories."

    Penelope, who was listening to their conversation, couldn''t help but twitch her mouth.

    The two younger students still hadn''t figured things out, and the professors were already paving the way for them... Sigh, Lin Yue is clearly still so young.

    Reaching out to gently rub Lin Yue''s little head, Penelope looked at Hermione with a warm expression.

    "Principal Dumbledore was referring to you when he mentioned whether Cho Chang and Marietta would mind having an extra roommate."

    "Referring to me?" Hermione pointed at herself in a daze, her face instantly turning red.

    "Oh, um... what I mean is, why?"

    Hermione was a bit incoherent; to be honest, she didn''t even know why she felt so shy.

    "Maybe it''s because," Penelope looked at the bashful Hermione and the "naive and ignorant" Lin Yue, and struggled to explain, "you really care about Lin Yue; you''re her best friend, right?"

    Lin Yue is still young, so there''s no rush. Let''s make Hermione work a little harder for now, and also let her recognize her feelings for Lin Yue. Penelope thought to herself, and she had to admit that she was slightly biased towards Lin Yue over Hermione, just a little bit.

    "Okay, fine." Hermione blushed and lowered her head.

    Feeling Cho Chang and Marietta approaching, she quietly muttered a thank you.

    The two senior sisters lovingly reached out to ruffle Hermione''s little head, "You''re welcome. It''s a good thing that you can spend more time with Lin Yue."

    "Yeah, and if there are two junior sisters in the dorm, it will definitely be very interesting and lively."

    "Mm!" Hermione''s shyness was somewhat chased away, and she lifted her head to reveal a big, bright smile.

    Lin Yue stood by, watching the kind-faced Cho Chang, Marietta, and Penelope as they looked at Hermione. For some reason, her brain told her that, based on facial expression analysis, the way the three older students looked at Hermione didn''t seem like the typical expression of seniors looking at a junior.

    Reaching this conclusion, Lin Yue felt no sense of doubt. After confirming that Professor Dumbledore had no further words to say, she politely bid farewell to him and followed Hermione and the others out of the headmaster''s office.

    As they exited the office and came out from behind the stone beast, Penelope turned to Hermione beside Lin Yue and asked, "Hermione, are you going back to Gryffindor or are you coming with us to stay in Ravenclaw?"

    Since Professor Dumbledore had just made it clear that Hermione could stay in their dormitory, she could go there openly.

    The thought of staying in Ravenclaw together made Hermione''s heart flutter. Staying in Ravenclaw together meant sharing a room with Lin Yue, and she was truly tempted. But then she thought of her two good friends, Harry and Ron, who were still waiting for her to help them with their homework...

    Hermione ground her teeth; it seemed she wouldn''t be able to live with Ravenclaw and Lin Yue after all.

    "Not today," Hermione sighed and shook her head. "I still need to go back and supervise Harry and Ron''s homework."

    "Otherwise, who knows what their assignments will end up looking like."

    Penelope couldn''t help but laugh a little, and Cho Chang and Marietta also covered their mouths and snickered.

    Well, it''s understandable for the boys in Gryffindor.

    They''re a bit livelier; you can''t say they''re particularly bad at studying, but you also can''t say they''re exceptionally good or self-disciplined.

    "Alright then, we''ll head back to Ravenclaw first," Penelope waved at Hermione.

    "Goodnight, Hermione."

    Cho Chang and Marietta also waved goodbye to their juniors, while Lin Yue stepped forward without any change in expression.

    "I''ll walk you back."

    "Huh?" Hermione was taken aback, looking at Lin Yue in confusion.

    "The Basilisk is in Hogwarts. According to legend, the things left behind by Slytherin will eliminate those he deems unworthy of learning magic, which means Muggle-born wizards."

    "You are at a certain risk, so I''ll walk you back."

    Lin Yue''s voice was devoid of emotion, and her speech was very formal. However, Hermione felt a warmth in her heart as she listened, but she still raised her hand to pinch Lin Yue''s cheek. "No need, I can go back by myself. Otherwise, I¡¯ll worry about you going back to Ravenclaw alone."

    Lin Yue shook her head calmly. "I''ll take you."

    Hermione wanted to say something else, but Marietta directly interrupted her, cheerfully pushing Lin Yue into her arms. "Let Lin Yue take you; otherwise, it might not be very safe for you to go back alone."

    "We can go back with you; we can drop you off at Gryffindor first, and then we¡¯ll head back to Ravenclaw."

    Lin Yue turned her head from Hermione''s embrace and looked at the three senior sisters, who were all in agreement with the proposal, and flatly rejected it. "The route back for you is shorter and safer, and if we encounter a Basilisk, my chances of survival alone are higher."

    The three senior sisters exchanged glances. Well, they had to admit that if they really encountered a Basilisk, they wouldn''t be able to do much other than hold Lin Yue back. Of course, they could help Lin Yue "take the hit," but knowing Lin Yue''s usual style, she wouldn¡¯t let them do that. In the end, she might even have to help them "take the hit."

    "Alright, then it''s settled. We''ll head back to the dormitory first, and then Lin Yue will take Hermione back."

    Penelope clapped her hands to make a decision, looking at Hermione, "When Lin Yue returns to Ravenclaw, we can have her use the fireplace to let you know she''s safe, how does that sound?"

    Hermione bit her lip and glanced at Lin Yue, whose face still showed no change and gave no indication of wanting to change her mind.

    "Alright," Hermione nodded, allowing Lin Yue to escort her back to Gryffindor.

    Lin Yue was led by Hermione as they walked back to Gryffindor, while Penelope and the others went straight back to Ravenclaw.

    Nothing happened along the way.

    The Hogwarts castle was quiet, with only the sound of their footsteps echoing softly around them.

    After escorting Hermione to the entrance of the Gryffindor common room, Lin Yue looked down at the hand Hermione was holding.

    Releasing her hand, Hermione hugged Lin Yue tightly, "Be careful on your way back."

    "Okay," Lin Yue replied emotionlessly, instinctively returning the hug.

    "Good night, try to have sweet dreams," Hermione couldn''t help but nuzzle Lin Yue''s cheek.

    She really loved that soft, smooth feeling.

    "Good night."

    Lin Yue responded with a sound, but as for the latter half of the sentence, she wouldn''t dream of it.

    Releasing the arm she had wrapped around Lin Yue, Hermione watched her turn and walk away.

    It wasn''t until Lin Yue had turned a corner and disappeared from sight that Hermione let out a breath and turned to the portrait of the Fat Lady to say the password.

    The Fat Lady''s portrait slowly opened, and Hermione used her hand to "cool down" her slightly warm face.

    Then, with a cold expression, she strode into the Gryffindor common room; she needed to check on Harry and Ron''s homework.

    She hoped they had done it seriously; otherwise... Hermione flicked her hair, her eyes sparkling with a Gryffindor-like cunning.

    Walking quickly back to the Ravenclaw common room, Lin Yue maintained an expressionless face as she passed one corridor after another.

    Under the "cover" of her footsteps, there was a faint sound of footsteps behind her.

    Although Hogwarts Castle was indeed large enough to create echoes, her footsteps were not loud enough to produce an echo, and the echo wouldn''t come from just one direction so precisely.

    Someone was following her, and Lin Yue''s mind quickly assessed the situation.

    This person was stalking her, lowering their footsteps, using her own footsteps as cover; they didn''t want her to discover them.

    This person had ill intentions towards her, and after piecing together all the information, Lin Yue reached a conclusion.

    Previously, Hermione had said that if something happened to her, she would worry, and many others, like Senior Cho Chang and Senior Marietta, would worry too.

    Worrying could be very distressing, and with a quick judgment in her mind, Lin Yue swiftly turned into a nearby corridor.

 Chapter 85: Fighting, decisive protection

    With a swift motion, Lin Yue drew her wand and gently tapped the tip against herself. A cool sensation swept over her body, and the silent Disillusionment Charm immediately concealed her. After a whole year of progress, Lin Yue''s Disillusionment Charm no longer had the drawbacks it had when she used it last year. Even when she moved, there were no faint outlines that could be seen by others. Therefore, after successfully casting the charm,

    Lin Yue raised her wand to her chest and calmly looked out into the corridor, listening to the footsteps approaching. Outside the corridor, the figure of the mysterious person who had been following Lin Yue finally became visible.

    Lin Yue''s brain quickly responded and recognized her immediately: Ginny Weasley, the youngest daughter of the Weasley family. She had seen Ginny before when she went to Diagon Alley, and at that time, Ginny looked at her with admiration.

    Although Lin Yue didn''t understand what Ginny admired about her, she clearly remembered Ginny''s state and expression at that moment. Instinctively comparing Ginny from her memory with the Ginny in front of her now, Lin Yue instantly noticed the problem. The Ginny in her memory was on the left, while the current Ginny was on the right, and their walking postures were completely different. The expressions on their faces were also worlds apart; the original Ginny had a bit of sunshine and softness on her face.

    Now, Ginny''s face is filled with shadows and arrogance, a look that seems somewhat familiar.

    The brain draws a conclusion, and Lin Yue automatically begins to search through the images in her memory.

    With the expression combined with micro-expressions, at this moment, Ginny''s face, aside from her appearance, closely resembles Voldemort''s face from last year''s end on Quirrell.

    Based on the various conditions derived, Lin Yue deduces that this Ginny might be a "disguise" by Voldemort.

    Polyjuice Potion? Disillusionment Charm? Or perhaps a Transformation Spell?

    The three most likely outcomes appear in Lin Yue''s mind.

    Last year, the image of Voldemort transforming into black mist and escaping suddenly resurfaced. There is a high probability that Voldemort does not have a physical form, which is why he possessed Quirrell and was ultimately able to turn into black mist to flee. Lin Yue made a judgment, but if he does not have a physical form, then the three situations mentioned above need to be negated. If those three situations are negated, then only one possibility remains: Voldemort has possessed Ginny, just like he did with Quirrell last year. This is why Ginny''s face displayed expressions and micro-expressions that should belong to Voldemort.

    However, Lin Yue''s expression darkened as he shifted his gaze to the back of Ginny''s head. The girl''s red hair looked bright and beautiful, and there was clearly no pale face of Voldemort there. Retracting his gaze, Lin Yue quickly summarized the current situation: Ginny did not exhibit the same state as Quirrell. Therefore, the method by which Voldemort possessed Ginny should be different from that used with Quirrell. As for what that difference entails...

    Lin Yue tried to recall the method of possession from her memory, but she couldn''t find any relevant information at all. There were no books related to this topic in the Hogwarts Library or the Ravenclaw common room library that she had visited.

    Abandoning this unproductive line of thought, Lin Yue began to make connections regarding Ginny being possessed by Voldemort. It is known that only a descendant of Slytherin, namely Voldemort, could open the Chamber of Secrets, and that Ginny was possessed by Voldemort.

    Therefore, it can be inferred that the previous opening of the Chamber of Secrets and the petrification of Moaning Myrtle were likely actions carried out by Voldemort possessing Ginny.

    Tap, tap, tap.

    The crisp sound of small shoes echoed as Ginny walked into the corridor where Lin Yue was. She was looking around, seemingly confused about why Lin Yue, who had just been a short distance in front of her, had suddenly disappeared.

    Ginny is Ron''s sister, and if something happens to her, Ron will be worried. Ron is Hermione''s friend, and if he is worried, Hermione will also be worried about him, right? The feeling of worry is too unpleasant; Hermione shouldn''t be worried. This thought emerged from the depths of her mind, and Lin Yue quickly focused her gaze on Ginny.

    If she saves Ginny and protects herself, then no one will have to worry. Using the Disillusionment Charm to hide herself, Lin Yue quickly stepped forward, waved her wand lightly, and the silent disarming spell sent Ginny''s wand flying away. Ginny herself only stumbled back two steps because Lin Yue had deliberately controlled the force.

    "Damn it!" A fierce male voice sounded, further confirming Lin Yue''s judgment about Ginny; she was possessed by Voldemort.

    Lin Yue quickened her pace to catch up with Ginny, casting silent spells one after another towards her.

    The Binding Curse, Langlock jinx, the Petrifying Curse¡ªalmost all the spells that wouldn''t harm the other person but could still serve to restrict her were used by Lin Yue.

    Just as Lin Yue was about to use a Levitation Charm to take her to the principal''s office, she suddenly heard a rustling sound coming from the corridor not far ahead.

    It sounded like scales scraping against the floor, and without needing to think, the answer popped into her mind.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    A Basilisk.

    Lin Yue quickly turned around and gently waved her wand, causing Ginny to float up and rush towards the stairs in front of them.

    The sound of scales scraping behind them grew louder; the basilisk was getting closer. Based on the sounds of the scales and the rushing air, Lin Yue rapidly constructed a mental model of the basilisk''s movement behind her.

    In the model, the basilisk was represented by blue lines, and it was baring its fangs and twisting its body as it chased after them.

    Whoosh!

    A fierce wind rushed from behind, and Lin Yue''s pupils slightly dilated as she visualized the basilisk''s tail swinging violently towards them.

    Strangely, however, the basilisk''s target seemed to be solely focused on Ginny, not on her.

    Without a doubt, if the basilisk''s tail hit Ginny, she would be turned into mush on the spot.

    In a moment of urgency, Lin Yue didn''t even have time to wave her wand; with a thought, she floated Ginny in front of her.

    Bang!

    The basilisk''s tail struck the ground heavily, shattering the bricks instantly, sending countless dust and debris flying towards Lin Yue and Ginny.

    The high ground was blocked by the splintered stones, and although there were no falling rocks higher up, there were moving stairs.

    If she lifted Ginny up, there was no guarantee that she wouldn''t be in danger.

    The best option was to stay on the ground and avoid the debris.

    In a quick moment of thought, Lin Yue lowered Ginny back to the ground, leaped onto her, and rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the large debris.

    Only four pieces of debris were unavoidable, striking Lin Yue''s right arm, right leg, side, and right shoulder.

    There was simply too little time; to protect Ginny, she had no time left to cast the Shield Charm.

    The debris that was splashed out by the powerful strike of the basilisk carried an extremely terrifying force. Lin Yue''s right arm and right leg were instantly fractured, leaving two bleeding wounds. However, in the next moment, Lin Yue could no longer feel her right arm, as her right shoulder had also been dislocated by the flying debris. As for the piece of debris that hit her waist, it directly sent Lin Yue flying away.

    In the instant she was thrown, Lin Yue tightly hugged Ginny with her remaining left arm, using her right side and the left arm holding Ginny to brace for the impact with the ground. After colliding with the ground several times, Lin Yue''s back slammed heavily against the stairs. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth as she pressed Ginny tightly to her chest with her left hand, ensuring that she wouldn''t accidentally see the basilisk''s eyes. At the same time, she closed her own eyes tightly, relying on her hearing to construct a mental image of the basilisk.

    With her right arm broken and her right shoulder dislocated, Lin Yue had long lost her wand.

    A silent, wandless Ironclad Charm was activated, creating a protective barrier around Lin Yue and Ginny. However, the Ironclad Charm cast without a wand would not withstand many attacks from the basilisk. Lin Yue easily concluded this in her mind, and in the next second, she exerted force with her left arm, using the remaining strength in her left side to turn and shield Ginny with her body.

    A roar from the basilisk echoed, and its pure yellow eyes looked at Lin Yue, who was protecting Ginny beneath her. Reluctantly, it flicked its tail and turned to leave. As the sound of its scales scraping and the rush of air grew fainter, the mental image of the basilisk that Lin Yue had constructed in her mind also continued to recede.

    The basilisk had left, and Lin Yue came to a definite conclusion in her mind. When she opened her eyes again, she looked down at the little girl, Ginny, in her arms.

    At this moment, it was clear that the little girl had regained her senses, her big watery eyes were red as she looked at Lin Yue.

    Seeing Lin Yue, covered in dust, with her right arm hanging limply and bleeding profusely, Ginny was almost on the verge of tears from anxiety.

    She was somewhat aware that something was wrong with her.

    But all of this was far too terrifying for an eleven-year-old girl. She had inexplicably lost a period of her memory, and when she woke up again, there was a lot of blood on her.

    The next day, when she heard from the girls in her dorm about Lin Yue''s analysis from the day before, the clever little witch immediately understood that she was likely being used by Voldemort to reopen the Chamber of Secrets for the second time.

    It was too terrifying, too terrifying... If everyone knew that she had harmed Mrs. Loris, if everyone knew that Voldemort had used her to open the Chamber, what would they say?

    So, she hesitated, retreated, and didn''t dare to seek help from anyone.

    But now... because of her, Lin Yue had been hurt.

    Ginny''s eyes were filled with tears, and Lin Yue swallowed the blood in her mouth with a calm expression, saying in an incredibly steady voice, "It''s okay, don''t be afraid. Voldemort''s possession of you has been temporarily lifted, and the basilisk has left."

    "Mm..." Ginny bit her lip and nodded, unable to hold back her tears as she looked at Lin Yue.

    "Don''t cry," Lin Yue said stiffly, unsure of what else to say. Instinctively wanting to raise her hand to wipe away Ginny''s tears, she realized she couldn''t lift her right arm, which was clearly "out of commission."

    "Lin Yue, I''ll take you to the hospital wing," Ginny said, crying as she tried to get up, not caring about being pointed at or talked about anymore. She just couldn''t let something happen to Sister Lin Yue.

    Seeing Ginny trying to get up, Lin Yue released the binding spell on her. Ginny reached out to help Lin Yue, only to discover that her right leg was also broken, with a gaping wound bleeding profusely.

    "Oh no, oh, Merlin, no..." Ginny held Lin Yue with her right hand while covering her face with her left, unable to stop crying.

    "I''m fine," Lin Yue''s voice was as unchanging as the deep Arctic Ocean. "Let''s not go to the hospital wing yet; we need to go to the headmaster''s office first."

    "We can''t be sure when Voldemort will possess again, so the best choice is to go to the headmaster''s office."

    "Please have Professor Dumbledore watch over us."

    Ginny nodded with a trembling voice, "Okay, okay, I''ll help you over there." Fortunately, Lin Yue was only a year older than Ginny and her weight was relatively light, so it was still quite easy for Ginny to support her while walking.

    Supporting Lin Yue all the way, Ginny helped her up the stairs layer by layer. However, Lin Yue had ultimately broken a leg, and their speed going upstairs was too slow.

    As she watched a trail of blood dripping down the stairs, Lin Yue felt no sense of urgency; her heart remained as calm as a still pond. But as time passed little by little, several thoughts began to rise in Lin Yue''s mind.

    It was too slow; if they continued like this, there was a good chance that Ginny would be possessed before they reached the principal''s office. Thinking of this, Lin Yue turned her head and calmly instructed Ginny, "Hold on tight to me."

    Upon hearing this, Ginny instinctively tightened her grip around Lin Yue''s neck, looking at her with some nervousness. "Don''t be afraid, there won''t be any danger."

    Lin Yue glanced at Ginny, and in the next moment, she silently cast the Levitation Charm. The two of them floated into the air, and Lin Yue looked up at the moving staircases of Hogwarts; all the staircases stopped at the same time, allowing her and Ginny to ascend without any obstacles.

    Ginny watched as the ground below them grew farther away, turning her head to look at Lin Yue with admiration in her eyes. Lin Yue was indeed amazing!

    The Levitation Charm, although basic and learned in the first year, was something she had never seen anyone float themselves before. Not only that, but Lin Yue could even float with her together.

    And why did all the moving staircases stop when Lin Yue took her up? Was it because of Lin Yue?

    The fear and anxiety in Ginny''s heart gradually dissipated, replaced by admiration and longing for Lin Yue.

    If she could be as excellent as Lin Yue, as capable as Lin Yue, would his gaze then linger on her more? Would she be more deserving of him?

    At this moment, the girl''s thoughts were unmistakably revealed, and it was at this time that Ginny firmly resolved to make herself even better.

    Meanwhile, in the Ravenclaw common room, Cho Chang, Marietta, and Penelope were waiting for Lin Yue to return.

    In the Gryffindor common room, Hermione, who was waiting for Lin Yue to report back through the fireplace, also finally sensed that something was off.

    If she had only gone to see Hermione, Lin Yue should have returned to Ravenclaw and reported back to Hermione by now.

    But until now, there has been no news from Lin Yue. Realizing this, the four girls in two different places simultaneously stood up and ran out towards their respective common rooms.

 Chapter 86: Petrified Hermione

    In a hurry, Hermione rushed out of the Gryffindor tower, silently praying that Lin Yue was okay.

    "She just forgot to let me know she''s safe, she just forgot to let me know she''s safe..."

    Hermione kept repeating to herself as she quickly dashed through the corridors into the main part of Hogwarts Castle.

    As soon as she entered the main castle, the immobile moving staircase caught her attention. Unable to resist, she stepped forward, staring in astonishment at the staircase that was completely still.

    She had never heard of the moving staircases in Hogwarts ever stopping.

    Drip. A drop of warm liquid fell onto Hermione''s face. She looked up to wipe it away, and when she looked down, she was shocked to see a smear of blood on her fingertips.

    "No, no, no, it can''t be."

    She looked up and saw Ron''s younger sister, Ginny, supporting another person as they quickly ascended.

    The person she helped was Lin Yue. Hermione''s eyesight was quite good, so she immediately noticed Lin Yue''s abnormal drooping right arm and the blood dripping from her right leg.

    "Damn it." Hermione slapped her forehead hard; it was all her fault. If it weren''t for bringing her back, Lin Yue wouldn¡¯t have been injured!

    There was no time to think about anything else. Hermione took off running upstairs. Just as she was about to reach the corridor where Lin Yue had been fighting the Basilisk, a rustling sound caught her attention.

    It was too close now; there was no time to run away. Suddenly stopping in her tracks, Hermione quickly recalled what Lin Yue had said earlier.

    Indirect eye contact with a Basilisk could cause petrification. After Lin Yue revealed that the monster in the Chamber of Secrets was a Basilisk, Hermione had actually taken some time to research and understand this creature.

    Direct eye contact with a Basilisk would be fatal; on the contrary, indirect eye contact would only result in petrification.

    Hermione took a deep breath, and the image of Lin Yue, who had just been bleeding and slowly rising into the air, flashed before her eyes.

    I have to see her again, Hermione trembled as she took out a small mirror from her pocket.

    Lin Yue, I''m sorry... It seems I can''t come to see you and hug you right after you got hurt.

    Hermione slowly opened the small mirror and turned it to face the corridor in front of her.

    A pair of large yellow eyes instantly came into her view, and her body gradually stiffened, as if her consciousness and body had been severed.

    Hermione''s mind was still clear, but her body had already turned into a statue.

    The basilisk that quickly swam over looked at the petrified Hermione and flicked its tongue, then swam away without a care in the world.

    It showed no intention of causing any further harm.

    At the same time, Harry and Ron walked out of their dormitory with the homework they had just finished and entered the Gryffindor common room.

    The two boys stared at the empty common room for a moment, "Is Hermione still not back?"

    Ron looked at Harry in confusion, "It''s already been past curfew for a little while."

    Harry shook his head, equally puzzled, "I don''t know, but since Hermione said she would come back to check our homework, she will definitely return. How about we just sit here and wait?"

    As he spoke, he pointed to a sofa not far away. Ron nodded in agreement, and the two of them sat down on the sofa together.

    Just as they settled onto the sofa, Harry noticed a piece of clothing beside him and frowned.

    This piece of clothing... it looks so familiar. Out of politeness, Harry didn''t pick it up to look at it directly but examined it carefully from a distance.

    "Ron! Isn''t this the knitted jacket that Hermione was wearing tonight?"

    "What?"

    Hearing Harry''s question, Ron turned to look. He scrutinized the piece of clothing for a moment.

    Hesitating, he nodded, "It seems... it really is that jacket."

    "But if Hermione''s jacket is here, where did she go?"

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Ron glanced at Harry as he spoke, and Hermione was always the most meticulous and comprehensive among the three of them. There was absolutely no way that someone had left and forgotten their clothes here. Unless something had happened that made her so urgent that she couldn''t even think carefully. The only thing that could make Hermione feel that urgent would be...

    "Lin Yue!" ¡Á2

    The two boys exclaimed in unison, and the next moment they jumped up and rushed out of the Gryffindor common room. The curfew didn''t matter anymore; Hermione was their friend, and Lin Yue was also their friend. No one could be in trouble.

    If they were mistaken and neither Hermione nor Lin Yue was in trouble, that would be the best outcome. But if they were right, they wanted to hurry over.

    Meanwhile, the trio of Cho Chang, who also rushed out of the Ravenclaw tower into the main body of Hogwarts Castle, saw Lin Yue being supported by Ginny as she continued to rise. They naturally noticed the injuries on Lin Yue and the blood dripping down. They quickly turned down the corridor, dashed up the moving stairs, and rushed upward.

    Lin Yue was injured like this, and with Ginny supporting her, their obvious destination was the principal''s office.

    So they went straight to the principal''s office.

    Lin Yue was being helped by Ginny, with blood continuously flowing from her right arm and right leg.

    The pain did not cause any change in her expression; in fact, she acted as if the injuries on her body didn''t hurt at all.

    However, her complexion was still difficult to hide, pale from the significant blood loss from her right leg and right arm, a physiological reaction that was unavoidable.

    Moreover, her wand had been knocked away by the basilisk, and she wasn''t very skilled with the blood-replenishing spell, unable to perform it without a wand, so she had no way to stop the bleeding herself.

    As they landed in front of the stone beast at the principal''s office, Ginny helped Lin Yue Walk over.

    Lin Yue looked up at the stone beast with a pale face, her voice slightly weak yet still calm as water, "Cockroach pile."

    The stone beast stepped aside, and Lin Yue was supported by Ginny as she walked up the spiral staircase. When they reached the door of the principal''s office, she raised her hand and knocked.

    "Principal Dumbledore, Ginny and I have something we would like to ask for your help with."

    Dumbledore, who had just changed into his starry robe pajamas, paused for a moment before waving his hand to open the wooden door of the principal''s office.

    "Of course, children, please come in..."

    Halfway through his sentence, Dumbledore choked on his words as he saw Lin Yue, supported by Ginny, whose right side of her clothing was almost soaked in blood.

    This child had just left not long ago, how could she be injured like this?

    Hurrying forward, Dumbledore took Lin Yue from Ginny''s hands.

    "Child, you must go to the hospital wing."

    Without needing to ask what had happened or how Lin Yue was injured, the most important thing now was to get his student, his child, to the hospital wing for treatment.

    Dumbledore was certain about this, without a doubt.

    "Principal Dumbledore, the situation is quite urgent. The time it takes for me to get to the hospital wing could lead to unforeseen accidents."

    Lin Yue turned to look at Ginny and spoke in a completely emotionless voice.

    From the best outcome perspective, it would be quickest to resolve the matter in the principal''s office.

    There is more space outside, with more uncontrollable factors, and discussing the matter there would only prolong things unnecessarily.

    However, it was clear that Principal Dumbledore had no intention of considering Lin Yue''s suggestion.

    "I''m still here, Miss Lin Yue." Principal Dumbledore drew his wand, emanating an aura that made one instinctively want to trust and rely on him.

    He waved his wand, making Lin Yue float comfortably and securely, while also casting a healing spell on her.

    Principal Dumbledore gently took Ginny by the arm and led the two students out of the principal''s office.

    "I''m still here, so you don''t have to worry about the outcome, whether good or bad. No matter what happens, I will be here, right?"

    Principal Dumbledore smiled at Lin Yue and Ginny, "As long as I am the principal, the students of Hogwarts will always be the most important presence in this castle."

    "Your safety is the most important thing, good children."

    Lin Yue paused for a second as she listened to Professor Dumbledore''s words. Dumbledore said that his own safety was the most important thing, and Professor McGonagall also mentioned that her healthy and happy growth was the priority.

    But there are clearly things that are more important than those¡ª the bigger picture, the overall development of the place, the overall development of humanity. Shouldn''t individuals unconditionally consider the bigger picture? Shouldn''t they contribute to reflect their value?

    After just a second of thought, Lin Yue cleared these chaotic ideas from her mind and prepared to quickly recount what had just happened. "Ginny, I¡¯m afraid what I¡¯m about to say cannot hide your presence, is that okay?"

    Ginny, who was being embraced by Dumbledore, spoke without hesitation, "That''s fine, Lin Yue. This is all my fault; I shouldn''t be avoiding it."

    Lin Yue, floating in the air, turned her head and looked at Ginny, seriously saying, "This is not your fault."

    After saying that, she looked at Dumbledore. "Voldemort has found a way to open the Chamber of Secrets. He possessed Ginny and used her to open the Chamber."

    Dumbledore''s pupils constricted sharply as he listened to Lin Yue''s words. Possessing Ginny?

    Thinking back to what he had heard from Harry at the end of last year about Voldemort''s condition... he had a bad suspicion in his heart.

    "Based on my observations, Ginny''s facial expressions and micro-expressions at that time were completely different from her normal state, and they were over ninety percent similar to what I had seen before on Quirrell''s head."

    "Therefore, I can confirm that Ginny was possessed by Voldemort."

    Lin Yue spoke expressionlessly about her analysis process, and now when Dumbledore''s pupils dilated, it did not escape her notice. This reaction could very likely prove that Dumbledore was aware of or had thought about the way Voldemort possessed others. It seemed that the books she had read were still not enough, Lin Yue concluded to herself.

    Ginevra, who was embraced by Dumbledore, struggled to suppress her urge to cry and looked up at him, nodding her head. "Lin Yue is right; at that time, I was completely unaware, as if another person was controlling my body."

    "It was the same on Halloween night, and then Mrs. Norris was petrified."

    "I''m sorry... Dumbledore," Ginevra''s voice carried a hint of tears, "I was too foolish, I was too cowardly, I harmed Mrs. Norris, and I also caused Lin Yue to get hurt. You should expel me; I shouldn''t continue to stay at Hogwarts."

    Principal Dumbledore walked briskly, but his speech remained extremely calm and gentle.

    "You don''t need to speak of yourself that way, Miss Weasley; you will not be punished."

    "Many wizards older and more experienced than you have been deceived by Voldemort."

    "Just like those pure-blood families, their heads are certainly clever enough, yet they were also fooled by Voldemort into believing he was pure-blood."

    Principal Dumbledore smiled and winked at Ginny.

    Lin Yue, floating, turned to Ginny, "My injury is not your fault; it is my own lack of skill that prevented me from protecting you while fighting the basilisk. It is my foolishness..."

    At this point, Lin Yue instinctively wanted to continue blaming herself, but she remembered how Hermione had covered her mouth at this moment earlier.

    She stopped but added, "It is my fault, not yours."

    Be strict with oneself and lenient with others; when problems arise, regardless of the situation, first reflect on oneself and find the cause within.

    Do not look to others to shift the blame; this is a basic principle, Lin Yue was certain in her mind.

    "Alright, you are all good kids; none of you are at fault in this matter."

    "Miss Weasley is undoubtedly a victim, and Miss Lin Yue is undoubtedly someone who bravely helps her classmates. I think after you recover a bit, I will award you some house points."

    Principal Dumbledore looked kindly at Lin Yue and then turned his gaze forward.

    "Ah, it seems your friends are also worried about you."

    Lin Yue struggled to lift her head and look ahead, "Senior Qiu Zhang, Senior Marietta, Senior Penelope, I''m really sorry to have troubled you all to come here."

    "Silly girl, what are you saying?" Qiu Zhang quickly ran forward to check Lin Yue''s injuries, stopping her from being polite.

    "You''re hurt so badly." Marietta also rushed over, frowning in pain as she looked at Lin Yue''s injuries.

    Penelope reached out to help Lin Yue tidy her hair, "It must hurt a lot."

    "It doesn''t hurt," Lin Yue shook her head with a pale expression, "I''m used to it, and it''s my own lack of skill that caused the injury."

    Penelope, concerned, took Lin Yue''s hand and was about to look up and ask Professor Dumbledore what exactly happened to Lin Yue and why she was injured.

    Harry and Ron came running from a distance, shouting as they approached.

    "Professor Dumbledore, Hermione... Hermione has been petrified, she''s in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey said the situation is a bit special and needs you to come over."

    Hermione has been petrified.

    Those four short words exploded in Lin Yue''s mind, one by one, her heart tightening instantly. There was no spark in her eyes, and her face showed no change.

    However, Penelope felt Lin Yue''s grip on her hand suddenly tighten.

 Chapter 87: Intense hatred

    Hermione was petrified, and Lin Yue felt a sharp pain in her head.

    When she thought of petrification, she easily associated it with the Basilisk. The place where she had previously escaped with Ginny was in the corridor outside Gryffindor Tower.

    So, it was very likely that Hermione had encountered the Basilisk that had retreated at that time and was then petrified.

    Hermione was attacked by the Basilisk that had previously attacked her, and this was all because of her lack of skill; she hadn''t eliminated the danger of the Basilisk while ensuring her own and Ginny''s safety.

    Moreover, Hermione had clearly already reached the Gryffindor common room, so why did she come out?

    Lin Yue instinctively thought in a daze that it was because she... because she hadn''t returned to Ravenclaw in time to reassure Hermione, so Hermione was worried about her, went out to look for her, and then encountered the Basilisk.

    Lin Yue''s face showed no change due to her thoughts, but her mind was in turmoil, like stirred cement. It was all her fault... it was her lack of skill that caused Hermione to be petrified by the basilisk.

    She deserved to be punished... because her mistake had harmed Hermione.

    But Hermione wouldn''t let her punish herself, yet Hermione had been petrified because of her mistake.

    The clash of these two opposing ideas made Lin Yue feel as if her brain was about to be torn in half.

    "Child, are you okay?"

    A gentle voice rang in her ears, and Lin Yue came back to her senses. The surroundings had completely changed.

    She was sitting in the hospital wing, and her injuries to her right arm, right shoulder, right leg, and side had all been treated by Madam Pomfrey.

    Now she was sitting on the hospital bed in just her inner shirt, surrounded by Cho Chang, Marietta, and Penelope.

    Harry, Ron, and Professor Dumbledore were kept outside by the curtain.

    "I''m fine, thank you, Madam Pomfrey," Lin Yue said mechanically.

    Her eyes were filled with deadness and indifference. Slowly closing her eyes, Lin Yue couldn''t help but think of Hermione in her mind.

    She should be on a hospital bed nearby, turned into a statue, waiting for the Mandrake to mature to be saved.

    Although she could be rescued, how scared would she be when she encountered the Basilisk?

    How terrified would she feel as she was being petrified bit by bit?

    All of this was because of her... because she didn''t do well. If she could defeat the Basilisk while protecting herself and Ginny, if she could return to the Ravenclaw common room on time to reassure Hermione, if only...

    "Lin Yue, relax," Cho Chang said, gently placing her hand on Lin Yue''s forehead. "Get some good sleep, don''t think about anything else, you''ve done great."

    Looking at Lin Yue''s deep, vacant eyes, the four little witches present, including Madam Pomfrey, felt a pang of discomfort in their hearts.

    Cho Chang and the others, who understood Lin Yue deeply, could guess that this girl, who had etched others and the majority into her bones, was definitely blaming herself in her heart.

    Reflecting on herself, but this clearly wasn''t her fault.

    Reaching out to tuck Lin Yue in, the curtain was opened, and Harry and Ron cautiously approached.

    Just now, they were too eager to explain the situation to Professor Dumbledore and didn''t notice the injured Lin Yue floating nearby.

    Once they realized, their words had already slipped out, and both boys felt a vague sense of unease, wishing they could slap themselves on the mouth.

    Now, looking at Lin Yue lying on the hospital bed with no expression, appearing no different from usual, they felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

    "Lin Yue, don''t think too much," Harry said carefully. "You need to take care of yourself, take good care of your health."

    "Yeah," Ron forced a smile beside him, trying to lighten the mood with a joke. "You need to recover quickly; we still want to see you break your points record from last year."

    Harry pressed his lips together, reached into his robe pocket, and took out a wand, placing it on the bedside table next to Lin Yue''s hospital bed.

    "This is the one we found in the corridor; it¡¯s undamaged."

    Lin Yue''s eyes flickered as she looked at her wand, then nodded at Harry and Ron, "Thank you, you¡¯ve worked hard."

    Penelope and Marietta each held one of Lin Yue''s hands, gently stroking them with the concern of a senior for a junior.

    Ginny carefully wiped the sweat from Lin Yue''s forehead, her feelings of guilt not diminishing in the slightest.

    "Rest well, Miss Lin Yue. Just take a nap; Miss Granger''s petrification can be treated once the mandrakes mature at the end of the school year."This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Principal Dumbledore softened his voice, sounding like a principal, yet also like a kind elder at home.

    "Alright everyone, Lin Yue needs to rest now; please leave all of you."

    Madam Pomfrey waved at the few people gathered around the bed, signaling them to leave the hospital wing.

    It is strictly forbidden for anyone to disturb patients in the hospital wing; this is an ironclad rule that everyone must follow.

    "Good night, sleep well."

    Cho Chang, Marietta, and Penelope, the three senior sisters, each gave Lin Yue a goodnight kiss on her forehead. Lin Yue nodded at the three seniors and said to everyone, "Goodnight."

    One by one, everyone left the vicinity of the hospital bed, and Madam Pomfrey pulled the curtain closed again. Lin Yue closed her eyes, listening to their footsteps. She heard them stop at a bed not far from hers, likely to check on Hermione. After a while, she heard them whispering to each other, followed by the sound of the medical wing door opening and then closing.

    Principal Dumbledore and the senior sisters had left. The last footsteps passed by Lin Yue''s bed and then disappeared deeper into the medical wing. Madam Pomfrey also returned to her office, and Lin Yue propped herself up to sit. Her mind was still occupied with the thought that it was because of her that Hermione had been petrified.

    Curling her legs up, Lin Yue raised her hand to cover her head, closing her eyes as her whole body trembled uncontrollably.

    In a distant memory, six-year-old Lin Yue was curled up in the same position, crying on the ground while her parents stood on either side, relentlessly hitting her with wooden sticks. "It''s all because of you, because you''re not a genius, not a good student, we still have to live in this cramped apartment."

    "Living in such a cramped apartment, do you know how much face we lose?"

    "Ugh... it hurts so much, Mom and Dad, please stop hitting me, I will study harder... ugh ah ah ah."

    Young Lin Yue was overwhelmed with pain, her eyes showing obvious dark circles. She didn''t understand, she didn''t understand why, despite having learned a thing or two and ranking in the top third of her class, she still couldn''t achieve the "good grades" that would satisfy her parents.

    She also didn''t understand why, even though they lived in a nearly 200-square-meter apartment, her parents still called it cramped. The pain from the past seemed to transcend time and space, coming back to Lin Yue. The accusations that once came from her parents'' mouths now echoed in her mind.

    It was all because of herself... all because of herself, Lin Yue thought, unable to help but bite down hard on her teeth.

    Because she bit down too hard, fresh blood seeped from her gums.

    With her right-hand trembling, Lin Yue slowly extended her hand to grasp the wand at the head of the bed, directing the tip of the wand at her own chest.

    Curling her body, Lin Yue''s voice was calm yet trembling,

    " Crucio."

    Every inch of her bones was being worn away, every bit of flesh was melting, her heart was being pierced, and her brain was being torn apart.

    This time, the sensation of heart-piercing and bone-scraping was stronger than the one Voldemort had inflicted on Lin Yue before.

    This curse, fueled by hatred, ultimately unleashed a power within Lin Yue that was stronger than when others used it against her.

    " Crucio."

    Before the pain could subside, Lin Yue recited the incantation again. Her throat was already hoarse, but her mind was surprisingly clear; the pain did not affect its ability to remain alert.

    It was as if it knew its master needed to stay awake right now.

    " Crucio."

    Hermione wouldn''t let herself punish herself anymore; she said that would only make everyone worry about her, and she would worry about herself even more.

    " Crucio."

    But Hermione was petrified now, still because of her own reasons.

    " Crucio."

    So, punishing herself... was probably the right thing to do.

    After reciting the spell for the fifth time, Lin Yue''s wand slipped from her hand and fell onto the hospital bed. Her curled-up body shook violently, even causing the bed to tremble.

    Yet she still did not let out a single cry of pain, and her expression showed no change.

    It was only when she used her twitching, numb right hand to pick up the wand that she softly said, "It hurts so much..."

    Picking up the wand, Lin Yue struggled to move her body, stepping barefoot onto the ground. A sharp pain mixed with a soft, cotton-like sensation came from her feet.

    She stumbled a step before stabilizing her body; the punishment she had just endured should have been enough.

    But she understood that if she wanted to ensure the success of what was to come, she could only bear so much.

    Shivering barefoot, she walked out from behind the curtain, her gaze fixed on another hospital bed concealed by a curtain.

    Hermione...

    Lin Yue withdrew her gaze, feeling guilty as she lowered her head and slowly made her way towards the entrance of the medical wing, step by step.

    The night breeze blew into the medical wing, gently lifting the curtains around Hermione''s bed.

    Her petrified eyes were directly facing Lin Yue, who was struggling to walk towards the entrance of the medical wing.

    Silently opening the door to the medical wing, Lin Yue, dressed in a hospital gown and barefoot, stepped outside.

    To conserve her strength, Lin Yue even omitted the motion of waving her wand, using a silent levitation spell instead.

    She slowly rose into the air, heading towards the girls'' washroom on the second floor of Hogwarts.

    Arriving at the entrance of the girls'' washroom, the heavy wooden door was "cracked" open by Lin Yue''s levitation spell.

    Floating into the girls'' washroom, the ghost that had been "stationed" there, Moaning Myrtle, emerged from the toilet.

    "Hey! Why did you break the door?"

    "Wait, are you wearing a hospital gown?"

    Hearing Myrtle''s words, Lin Yue looked up at her, opening her mouth to answer her question, but no sound came out.

    Closing her mouth again, Lin Yue silently apologized to her in her heart, I''m sorry, even though I should politely answer your question, it seems I can''t speak right now.

    Two streams of bright red blood flowed from Lin Yue''s nostrils, the damage from the five consecutive Cruciatus Curses to her body was evident.

    Lin Yue''s face remained expressionless, ignoring the blood dripping from her nose.

    As her eyes blinked slightly, the entire girls'' restroom emitted a faint sound of breaking.

    Myrtle stared wide-eyed in shock, floating in front of Lin Yue.

    "What are you going to do? Are you going to tear this place apart?! Are you crazy?"

    Crack, crack... Bang!

    Water gushed out from the restroom''s pipes, and everything in the restroom was lifted by Lin Yue.

    The sink in the center, the wooden partitions, and even the floor and walls were not spared.

    Looking at the huge opening revealed after the sink was lifted, Lin Yue released the levitation spell, and the floating objects fell to the ground with a sound of shattering.

    "Meilin, you really are crazy, but... you are really amazing."

    Myrtle blinked at Lin Yue, unable to help but speak when she saw her controlling herself to float above the huge opening.

    "Are you really going to go down there?"

    Lin Yue turned her head to look at the myrtle, her eyes staring at it like an inanimate object.

    The myrtle floated back a bit, "Alright, I hope you can still make it."

    Lin Yue stiffly nodded, then suddenly dove downwards.

    Using the levitation spell, Lin Yue easily passed through the long corridor and arrived deep underground at Hogwarts.

    Looking at the countless small rodent bones below, Lin Yue quickly concluded that she was in the right place; the basilisk was right here.

    A hint of blood oozed from the corner of her mouth, and the tremors in her body intensified.

    She closed her eyes and quickened her floating speed, the sound of howling wind constantly ringing in her ears.

    Her vacant eyes scanned the situation in the corridor, and when she saw a massive coiled object ahead, Lin Yue did not slow down.

    Instead, she charged straight towards it; the object showed no signs of even the slightest breath.

    It was a snake shed.

    Without needing to think, Lin Yue made a quick judgment and rushed past the snake shed, finally stopping in front of a door intricately carved with several lifelike snakes.

    Raising her right arm to hold her wand, it was as if the continuous pain throughout her body had no effect on her.

    A purple beam of magical light shot out fiercely, and a powerful barrier spell directly dented the door inward.

    The door had protective magic, and Lin Yue''s brain quickly reached a conclusion; another purple magical beam shot out.

    Boom!

    With a loud crash, the door flew back into Slytherin¡¯s chamber and then crashed heavily to the ground.

    Lin Yue floated in and quickly scanned the entire secret chamber, conducting a detailed analysis of every corner.

    The pools on both sides were too shallow to hide a basilisk, and the other areas were quite empty, with only the columns supporting the chamber.

    Therefore, the only place where a basilisk could be concealed was the Slytherin statue at the other end of the chamber.

    Building a mental model of the entire statue, Lin Yue finally raised her wand and pointed it at the mouth of the Slytherin statue.

    This was the most likely outcome: the basilisk could enter and exit from here.

 Chapter 88: Orb of Water Traps Basilisk

    The magical beam shot out from the tip of the wand again, and with a loud explosion, the lower half of the Slytherin statue''s face was blown to pieces by Lin Yue''s blasting curse. The passage hidden in the mouth of the Slytherin statue was revealed. A large, dark hole, more than enough for the basilisk to enter and exit.

    Lin Yue held her wand in her trembling right hand, blood continuously flowing from the corners of her mouth and nose after casting five Cruciatus curses on herself, her body was already at its limit.

    In such a situation, most people would faint or even go insane. But she was still able to stay awake and break into the chamber, which was already quite incredible, the sound of rustling scales could be heard, as her own home was destroyed. The deafening explosion and the intense shaking made it hard for the slumbering basilisk to remain asleep.

    Lin Yue closed her eyes as the rustling sound grew louder. At the same time, her brain, which felt like it was about to split from the pain, instinctively began to process information and think. When she encountered the Basilisk before, its attacks were clearly directed at Ginny, or rather, at Voldemort who was possessing Ginny. After all, Ginny didn''t know the Basilisk at all and had never encountered it. Moreover, after she protected Ginny with her body at the last moment, the Basilisk stopped attacking.

    Lin Yue can basically confirm that the monster snake wants to kill Voldemort. However, based on the fact that she was injured by the basilisk and Hermione was petrified by it, it seems that the basilisk only refrains from killing Hogwarts students. Nevertheless, it is a vicious monster and cannot be truly tamed. Therefore, it is highly likely to injure students or even professors.

    Therefore, the Basilisk still poses a great threat to Hermione and everyone at Hogwarts. Especially to Hermione... it has already petrified her.

    Although Lin Yue''s brain was aching, it was incredibly clear. Based on the sound of the Basilisk''s scales scraping against the ground, a mental model of the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets, including the Basilisk, quickly formed in her mind.

    Using the Levitation Charm to lift herself into the air, Lin Yue faced the Basilisk that had just crawled out of the statue with her eyes closed. The Basilisk raised its head to look at Lin Yue and hissed, "Hiss!"

    In the next moment, it opened its massive jaws and let out a deafening roar directed at her. One of its fangs was as large as Lin Yue''s palm, and its enormous body coiled on the ground exuded immense pressure.

    It was originally the last line of defense left by Salazar Slytherin at Hogwarts. It ensured that Hogwarts would not harbor traitors colluding with the outside world and guaranteed that if Hogwarts were to be attacked, the students would still have a final means of resistance.

    But it was ultimately a Basilisk and only Slytherin himself could control it. As for others, the Basilisk would not care about them. If it didn''t kill, it was fine. The reason it was for pursuing Ginny, who was possessed by Voldemort, was simple: fifty years ago, Voldemort had used it to murder Moaning Myrtle.

    It could make sense that Salazar Slytherin was not dead; he was still at Hogwarts. Once Slytherin learned of this, it would surely be killed. That was why it was frantically chasing after Ginny, who was possessed by Voldemort. As for the safety of Ginny, the possessed person? She was possessed, so who could she blame? It might also consider her a traitor to Hogwarts.

    There was also the little girl who had been petrified; it was just petrification, and she could still be restored, so the basilisk didn''t take it seriously. From its simple perspective, it was already quite good that it hadn''t thought about killing the students of Hogwarts, and that was only because it feared Slytherin.

    But now, this little girl had come to its door and even blown up its home, so it couldn''t be blamed for getting angry. At the same time, Lin Yue made her final decision in her mind. The basilisk had already harmed Hermione and posed a serious threat to everyone at Hogwarts, regardless of whether its existence meant what she had guessed.

    It had to die. With a blank expression, Lin Yue raised her wand, pointing the tip directly at the basilisk. The basilisk hissed fiercely, its forked tongue flicking out, and it lunged at Lin Yue with its mouth wide open, ready to bite down hard. Its sharp, thin fangs could tear Lin Yue apart in an instant.

    A purple beam of magical light flashed by, and the basilisk was forcefully knocked back to the ground by the barrier spell. "Hiss!" The basilisk''s hard scales meant that it wasn''t hurt by the fall, but Lin Yue''s barrier spell shattered several of its scales.

    Warily watching Lin Yue, the basilisk tried to silently circle around her feet, subtly surrounding the area directly beneath her with its body. Until its head came behind Lin Yue, in just a moment, it sprang up again, aiming to bite her. Crack, bang!

    Lin Yue''s wand suddenly pointed to the right, and a silent levitation spell directly snapped a pillar in half. The pillar was then controlled by her and slammed hard into the basilisk behind her.

    The basilisk was violently thrown against the left wall, the impact so great that the wall shattered, causing the entire chamber to tremble.

    Turning around, Lin Yue slowly raised her wand, and the water in the pools on both sides of the chamber immediately began to float.

    With the tip of her wand aimed directly at the basilisk, Lin Yue took the initiative to attack, wrapping the basilisk in the floating water she controlled.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    The basilisk''s massive body roared and struggled, each movement sending up huge splashes of water. Its head continuously tried to break free from the water sphere, but Lin Yue always detected its intentions in time, controlling more water to fill the gaps created by its struggles.

    With her eyes tightly closed, Lin Yue''s right arm trembled more and more, the aftereffects of the Cruciatus curse constantly tormenting her. The increasing mass of the water sphere and the basilisk''s enormous body also put considerable pressure on her right arm.

    Without any change in her expression, Lin Yue had no choice but to raise her left hand to support her right arm, while she had to release the levitation spell she was using.

    She fell from mid-air to the ground, and then her legs went weak, causing her to sit down. However, her right arm, which was controlling the water sphere, remained raised and motionless.

    The basilisk was continuously hissing in the water ball, a stream of bubbles emerging from its mouth. It tried to struggle further, but no matter how hard it fought, it could not lift its head out of the water ball again. As the basilisk''s desperate struggles continued, Lin Yue felt the pressure on her increasing. According to her calculations, after enduring the heart-wrenching curse five times, she could defeat the basilisk. This was her absolute limit, and now the situation was just as it was.

    With her left hand supporting her right arm, Lin Yue struggled to hold her wand and slowly began to rotate it. As she spun her wand, the water ball trapping the basilisk also started to spin continuously. The swirling water interrupted the basilisk''s struggles, alleviating some of the pressure on Lin Yue. Gritting her teeth, blood was already pouring from her nose and mouth, staining her hospital gown red. large beads of sweat kept sliding down her forehead. If she could cast one more spell, she would be able to kill the basilisk.

    Quickly... shrink, Lin Yue painfully thought of this spell in her agonizing mind. The rotation of the water ball momentarily paused, then began to slowly contract. As the water ball shrank, the terrifying water pressure inside it increased. Although the basilisk''s scales were incredibly hard, its internal organs were ultimately unprotected by scales.

    If the water pressure reached a certain level, Lin Yue could compress the basilisk''s scales, thereby compressing its flesh and further pressuring its internal organs. Once the internal organs were damaged, even the basilisk would surely die.

    Feeling the pressure on her body continuously increasing, the basilisk''s roar grew louder, and it struggled and twisted incessantly.

    But soon, it could no longer struggle; the overwhelming water pressure had completely immobilized its body, and it couldn''t even move a little.

    Lin Yue''s face turned red, and blood began to seep from the corners of her eyes, but she still felt nothing inside.

    There was no fear about her own condition, nor was there any excitement about the imminent success of killing the basilisk.

    All that remained was indifference and the constant calculation of time in her mind.

    In ten seconds, after ten seconds, the basilisk''s heart would be unable to withstand the immense pressure and would be completely shattered.

    As if sensing that its time was short, the basilisk surprisingly made one last struggle.

    It exerted all its strength to twist its tail, and the massive tail barely broke through the swirling water sphere, inching closer to Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue listened to the sounds around her, and in her mind, she envisioned the scene of the basilisk extending its tail. The massive basilisk tail was right in front of her; with just a slight exertion, the monster could easily pierce or crush her to death.

    Despite this, she had no extra strength to move out of the way or to cast a protective spell on herself. The plan she had meticulously calculated was already pushing her to her absolute limits, leaving no room for error. The worst outcome, death, was naturally within the scope of her calculations.

    Her lack of skill had led to Hermione being petrified, and she believed she should treat herself with a plan that approached her limits absolutely. Just as the basilisk tail was about to touch Lin Yue, there was a soft explosion sound.

    With that, the basilisk''s heart and all its internal organs finally could not withstand the pressure and shattered completely. The basilisk tail, which was about to contact Lin Yue, immediately drooped helplessly, crashing to the ground with a dull thud. The basilisk in the water bubble also went limp, losing its life.

    "Poof..."

    Lin Yue finally couldn''t hold on any longer and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Her wand slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground, and she collapsed backward onto the floor.

    From sitting slumped to lying down, the water sphere that Lin Yue had been maintaining with her magic suddenly burst apart. The water, which had been under pressure, gushed out in a torrent, and Lin Yue was slammed against the corner of the wall.

    The corpse of the serpent monster also crashed to the ground with a thud. The battle was over; the serpent monster was dead, and the body that had been forcibly controlled by Lin Yue instantly ceased to function.

    The clarity in her mind turned to chaos in an instant, and a tearing pain completely robbed her of her ability to think. Every bone in her body felt as if it were being shattered one by one; there was not a single part of her that wasn''t in pain.

    Unable to help but curl up, Lin Yue struggled to lift two fingers of her right hand, and the wand flew over...

    After silently reciting a phrase in her heart, Lin Yue''s wand automatically returned to her fingertips.

    Lin Yue''s fingers were stiffly curled as she "held" the wand, and it took her a lot of effort to point the tip of the wand towards herself. Just completing this made her breathless.

    "Crucio..."

    A faint breath escaped, barely audible unless one was right next to Lin Yue, but it was enough for her to cast the Heart-Piercing Curse.

    A magical red beam struck Lin Yue, and her expression remained unchanged, but her body trembled even more violently.

    Just as Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Professor Snape, and Professor Sprout rushed into the secret chamber, they happened to witness the scene of Lin Yue''s wand tip emitting red light that hit her, causing her to tremble all over.

    The red magical beam and her trembling body made the professors, who had experienced Voldemort''s "reign," almost instantly guess what curse it was.

    Seeing Lin Yue''s mouth begin to tremble again, Professor McGonagall did not hesitate to draw her wand. " Expelliarmus!"

    Lin Yue''s wand was instantly disarmed and securely held by Professor McGonagall. Without her wand, she could not cast one of the three Unforgivable Curses, the Cruciatus Curse.

    "Severus." Headmaster Dumbledore turned to look at Professor Snape with a serious expression.

    Professor Snape nodded, quickly walked over to Lin Yue, and after crouching down, waved his wand to check her condition.

    The more he looked, the darker his already gloomy face became. "Foolish girl."

    Professor Snape directly reached out and picked her up, not caring about politeness or gender differences in this urgent situation.

    First, let''s ensure this child''s soul is safe.

    Holding Lin Yue, Professor Snape strode over to Headmaster Dumbledore, not even glancing at the corpse of the basilisk as he passed.

    "This foolish girl must have inflicted several Cruciatus curses on herself and has also used a large amount of magic; her soul and magic are both very unstable and need to be taken to St. Mungo''s."

    "I''ll go with you," Professors Flitwick and McGonagall said in unison.

    Principal Dumbledore nodded decisively in agreement, "Alright, you all take her to St. Mungo''s, and Pomona and I will handle things at the school."

    After saying that, the three professors didn''t waste any time; they immediately rushed out of the Chamber of Secrets, holding Lin Yue, and then grabbed onto the tail of the flying Fawkes to ascend.

    The closest professor''s office to the girls'' restroom on the second floor that had a Floo Network connection was Lockhart''s office.

    Upon reaching the door, Professor Flitwick unceremoniously waved his wand to force the door open.

    Lockhart, who was sleeping like a log, instantly sprang up from his bed, looking confused at his three "intruding" colleagues.

    "What''s going on?"

    When he saw Lin Yue in Professor Snape''s arms, a flicker of surprise and opportunism flashed in his eyes.

    "Miss Lin Yue, what is this, What¡¯s happening?"

    Professor McGonagall saw the fleeting look in his eyes and furrowed her brow sharply, scolding him.

    "Injured? I think that has nothing to do with you, Lockhart."

    After saying this, she urged Professor Snape to take Lin Yue away first, with Professor Flitwick following closely behind. As she entered the fireplace, she cast a powerful Stunning Spell on Lockhart, ensuring he would sleep for a full day until they could keep an eye on him after dealing with their current matters.

    If he thought he could scheme against her students, he was dreaming. The green flames rose, and the tall witch disappeared into the fireplace.

 Chapter 89: Shocked London

    Green flames rose from the fireplace as Professor Snape strode out holding Lin Yue, followed closely by Professors McGonagall and Flitwick.

    The three professors from Hogwarts appeared at St. Mungo''s in the middle of the night, and they were carrying a student. This was something that had never been seen since the establishment of St. Mungo''s.

    The medical staff, who rushed over quickly, paused in their tracks upon seeing the three professors, and many couldn''t help but swallow hard. After all, how many wizards in Britain haven''t come from Hogwarts?

    There was a sense of returning to school when faced with these three professors. Fortunately, their professional training was rich; they only hesitated for a moment before a female doctor quickly stepped forward to take Lin Yue from Professor Snape''s arms.

    Looking down at Lin Yue, who was trembling all over with blood streaming from her mouth and nose, she couldn''t help but frown. "What happened to this child?"

    She looked up at the three professors in front of her, ready to confirm what exactly was wrong with Lin Yue.

    "Cruciatus Curse, more than once," Professor Snape''s deep voice sounded, as his eyes scanned everyone present. "We hope everyone will keep this confidential."

    Professor McGonagall nodded in agreement, "That''s right, for this child."

    Now the heart-wrenching spell was uttered, all the medical staff''s eyes widened in shock.

    As for the professors'' later comments about hoping they would keep things confidential, they didn''t pay any attention at all.

    Maintaining patient confidentiality was originally their duty; now, all they needed to do was to rescue the patient as quickly as possible.

    The female doctor holding Lin Yue turned and sprinted towards a hospital room, shouting back to the nurse behind her about the magical potions she needed.

    Professor Snape nodded to Professor McGonagall after hearing her shout, "I''ll go back for a bit and be back soon."

    After saying that, he walked back to the fireplace, threw in a handful of Floo Powder, and green flames erupted.

    Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick quickly followed the medical staff, watching as they placed Lin Yue onto the bed in the ward.

    As soon as she was laid on the hospital bed, Lin Yue instinctively curled up tightly.

    Three doctors simultaneously drew their wands and used professional healing magic on Lin Yue, trying to stabilize her condition.

    Three spells connected to Lin Yue, and her body finally relaxed a little.

    "This won''t be enough to stabilize her; where are the potions?! Not here yet?"

    The female doctor shouted towards the door, "Merlin, how many years has it been since St. Mungo''s received a patient injured by the Cruciatus Curse?"

    Not to mention that this girl''s condition is so poor, having suffered not just once but multiple times from the Cruciatus Curse. Which dark wizard is so powerful and insane?

    To be able to use the Cruciatus Curse to harm a young witch right under the noses of so many professors and Headmaster Dumbledore at Hogwarts.

    The medical staff present gritted their teeth, but fortunately, it wasn''t long before a nurse rushed back with many potions.

    "The potions are here; the potions are here."

    "Get the soul stabilizer potion quickly."

    One of the doctors reached out, and the nurse quickly pulled out a bottle from the potions and handed it to him.

    The doctor quickly took it, passing the three doctors who were using magic on Lin Yue, and directly fed the potion to her.

    As soon as the potion was administered, Lin Yue''s body trembled even more, and a small whimper escaped her lips, "Wuu..."

    The doctor frowned; this child had suffered too much damage to her soul, which was why she reacted this way to the soul stabilizer.

    "Continue, get me another bottle."

    The nurse did not delay at all, continuously handing him bottle after bottle of soul stabilizer.

    After five full bottles, Lin Yue''s trembling finally lessened a bit, and the blood oozing from her mouth, nose, and the corners of her eyes had stopped.

    At that moment, the pillow Lin Yue was resting on had already been stained red by her blood.

    "Merlin, five bottles and it''s still not enough."Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The doctor was just about to turn and ask the nurse to continue providing the potion when he saw the nurse looking at him with a worried expression, speaking so quickly it was almost frantic.

    "We''re out of soul stabilizer!"

    The range of the soul stabilizer''s effect is very limited, and very few people actually need it.

    Moreover, its ingredients are precious and difficult to produce; there are only a few potion masters in the entire country who can make it.

    So, St. Mungo''s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries only had five bottles in stock, and they originally thought that would be enough. Who would have known...

    "We are out!"

    The doctor''s mind went blank, and the three doctors who were continuously using magic to stabilize Lin Yue''s condition also turned pale.

    Their magical output was too high, and they couldn''t sustain it for long.

    "Please hold on, everyone," Professor McGonagall said, removing her wizard hat and pressing her lips together as she looked at the three doctors. "Severus has gone back to get more potions."

    If it weren''t for her and Flitwick not being skilled in specialized healing magic, they would have already gone to help stabilize Lin Yue''s condition.

    Her gaze shifted to Lin Yue on the hospital bed, and Professor McGonagall''s eyes became moist. What a foolish child, punishing herself with the Cruciatus Curse.

    Once she wakes up, she will receive a good dose of criticism.

    Of course, a gentle kind.

    "I think this should be enough." Professor Snape strode into the ward, controlling a dozen bottles of soul stabilizer to fly in front of the doctors, along with five bottles of blood replenisher.

    This time, he had used up all the soul stabilizers he had stored.

    The doctor responsible for administering the potions to Lin Yue''s mouth brightened up and quickly continued his work.

    As the bottles of soul stabilizer were poured in, Lin Yue''s trembling gradually stopped, and the doctor wiped the sweat from his forehead.

    The most critical situation has passed; at least the child''s soul should be safe now.

    Next, they needed to replenish her blood, as the prolonged bleeding had already made Lin Yue''s face pale.

    Everyone knows to choose the blood replenishing potion from St. Mungo''s over the one from the Master of Magic. After taking two bottles, Lin Yue''s complexion returned to a healthy flush. The doctor who fed Lin Yue the potion couldn''t help but click his tongue, noting that Professor Snape''s abilities had indeed improved.

    Seeing that Lin Yue''s condition had stabilized, everyone''s mood relaxed a bit. The three doctors who had been maintaining the magic retracted their wands and staggered back a couple of steps. Professor McGonagall quickly conjured a chair for each of them to sit down.

    "Thank you, Professor McGonagall," the three said somewhat shyly, feeling a bit embarrassed to still be taken care of by a professor after graduation.

    "You''re welcome. Even if you''ve graduated, you''re still my students," Professor McGonagall replied, shaking her head. She walked to Lin Yue''s bedside and lightly tapped her wand, causing a clean hospital gown to appear in the bedside cabinet.

    The gentlemen present turned their heads away out of respect, only turning back when the sound of changing clothes had stopped. At this point, Lin Yue had already changed into the hospital gown, and her pillow had also been replaced by Professor McGonagall.

    Professor Flitwick sighed and stepped forward to look at Lin Yue, whose face had regained its rosy color, calm and serene.

    "We still have areas where we haven''t done well, especially me."

    "This will be a long process of change, Filius," Professor McGonagall gently stroked Lin Yue''s forehead, "You know, we can''t rush it."

    "Alright..." Professor Flitwick nodded, trying to pull himself together, "I think I should go find Miss Cho Chang and the others; maybe Lin Yue will feel better seeing her friends when she wakes up."

    "Mm." Professor McGonagall smiled in agreement.

    The medical staff were quite puzzled about why this girl named Lin Yue was tortured so severely by the Cruciatus Curse.

    However, seeing that the three professors had no intention of explaining, they didn''t dare to ask.

    Professor Snape waved his wand, causing the remaining three vials of blood replenishing potion to land on the small cart in front of the nurse.

    "Now, the potion makers at St. Mungo''s are Mr. Trento and Miss Fina, right?"

    The nurse shivered violently and nodded tremulously, "Y-yes..."

    Merlin knew that as a Hufflepuff who graduated years ago, she was most afraid of Professor Snape.

    During her school days, she was scolded in almost every potion class, and it wasn''t uncommon for her to cry from the reprimands.

    "Hmph," Professor Snape snorted coldly, "Tell them to come to Hogwarts every Sunday night. If the blood replenishing potion is brewed like this, the soul stabilizer won''t be."

    "After working for several years, that troll''s brain still hasn''t changed; is it growing reeds inside?"

    Hearing this familiar "scolding," everyone in the ward, except for Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and Lin Yue lying in the hospital bed, couldn''t help but shudder.

    Professor McGonagall glanced helplessly at Professor Snape, who clearly wanted to help but insisted on saying it like that. This child, Severus...

    Sensing Professor McGonagall''s gaze, Professor Snape remained unmoved, tightly pursing his lips as he looked at Lin Yue on the hospital bed.

    Lin Yue''s condition had stabilized. Aside from one doctor who needed to stay for care, the other medical staff had rested for a bit and were preparing to rush out to continue their work.

    Although it was the middle of the night and there weren''t many people around, they still needed to be on duty!

    However, before they could reach the door, Lin Yue on the hospital bed suddenly convulsed violently, causing the bed to rattle loudly.

    Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick both took a step back, their wands drawn.

    Professor Snape quickly stepped forward to stand beside the two of them, turning to look at the medical staff, "Get out! Quickly!"

    The medical staff reacted swiftly, turning to leave, but...

    Bang!

    With a loud noise, the door to the ward slammed shut, and no matter how hard they pulled, it wouldn''t budge.

    "The door won''t open..." a nurse said tremulously, her eyes darting nervously to Lin Yue on the hospital bed.

    The little girl had just appeared to be in a critical state, and now what was happening?

    "Everyone stay back, don''t come closer," Professor McGonagall instructed as she turned back, then slowly moved forward with Professors Flitwick and Snape, positioning themselves in front of the medical staff to shield them.

    What was happening to Lin Yue was beyond the expertise of these medical personnel, and they didn''t have the ability to handle it.

    In the eyes of the three professors, they could clearly sense that the magical power within Lin Yue was surging uncontrollably, and the amount of magic, which was already frightening compared to her peers and even adult wizards, was increasing at a geometric rate.

    "Uh..."

    Lin Yue lay on the hospital bed, her body slightly arched upwards.

    In her mind, a series of blurry images flashed by, accompanied by several indistinct voices.

    In a brightly lit underground laboratory, more than a dozen children, their faces unclear and no older than fifteen or sixteen, moved around continuously, operating various instruments.

    ¡°How long until¡­ it¡¯s completely finished?¡± a boy''s voice asked.

    ¡°At least five more minutes¡­ we still need¡­ to¡­¡± a girl¡¯s voice replied with remarkable calmness.

    ¡°They¡¯re already¡­ outside, we need to¡­ time.¡±

    The voices of the children were intermittent, like a radio with a poor connection.

    Then the scene flashed again, showing several children exiting the underground laboratory and closing the heavy door behind them.

    The image reappeared, revealing only their bodies on the ground and the blown-open door of the laboratory.

    Other indistinct children stood in a row, holding each other''s hands, their faces showing no fear, even smiling.

    ¡°We will¡­ you must¡­¡±

    ¡°Deformed¡­ blinded by profit¡­ will not understand¡­ childhood¡­ power.¡±

    A series of gunshots rang out, and large-caliber bullets rushed straight towards them, hand in hand.

    Lin Yue''s face revealed the most genuine and terrifying hatred for the first time.

    "Ah!!!"

    She screamed, thrashing and convulsing on the hospital bed, her hoarse voice and aching body showing no signs of hindrance under the exponentially increasing magical power.

    All the objects in the ward began to shake violently, and the three professors exchanged glances before simultaneously casting protective spells in front of them.

    Sure enough, the next moment, everything in the room except for the bed Lin Yue was lying on lifted off the ground, spinning in the air.

    The furious, angry roars continued to erupt from Lin Yue''s mouth. It was as if she was trying to shout her own ribs apart, her chest heaving with force.

    Within seconds, the entire ward began to tremble, followed by the whole St. Mungo''s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.

    Everyone still in the hospital instinctively grabbed onto nearby fixed objects, bewildered by what was happening.

    "AHHH!"

    With a beast-like roar, Lin Yue raised her hands and slammed them down hard on the bed.

    The entire St. Mungo''s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries shook heavily for a second.

    The magical power within Lin Yue surged in an instant, and to the eyes of the wizards, she now resembled the sun.

    With Professor McGonagall and the others present, everyone in the ward closed their eyes and turned their heads away, but the intense light continued to pierce into their eyes.

    It stung their eyes painfully, and a rumbling sound echoed... rumbling...

    A tremendous earthquake sound erupted, waking the quiet night of London.

    People who were startled rushed out of their homes, shouting that there was an earthquake as they looked at everything around them shaking and ran towards open areas.

    As Lin Yue screamed and vented, the entire London trembled in the darkness of the night.

    At the same time, in different places, in the massive oak tree library, the gentle sister''s sudden anger blurred the entire sky...

    In the deep forest, a girl who was intent on dying stopped her steps towards the lake, turned around, and walked towards the small cabin outside the forest, her eyes darkening even further...

 Chapter 90: Seeking knowledge in Animagus

    In the panic of everyone in London, the city''s tremors came to a halt. People were slowly beginning to relax, but before they could catch their breath, a violent explosion erupted from deep underground throughout London.

    Boom!

    Beneath the ancient city, the soil and rock crumbled inch by inch, as Lin Yue''s explosively growing magical power was unleashed in the form of a levitation spell. Under her influence, London was on the verge of being uprooted.

    In the hospital room, the items surrounding Lin Yue were spinning at such speed that they created a suction force. The three professors had to use their Shield Charm with all their might just to barely hold on, preventing that suction from pulling them or the medical staff behind them away.

    Lying on the hospital bed, Lin Yue''s face bore an unprecedented anger and ferocity, which added a touch of vitality to her. Just as the sounds from underground London grew louder, waves of warm and peaceful magical energy came from the distant sky.

    Ultimately, they enveloped Lin Yue, with gentle magical waves continuously flowing over her body.

    Lin Yue''s frenzied growth of magical power finally began to stabilize, and the speed of the objects spinning in the ward also decreased.

    London, which had almost been uprooted, sank back into the ground once again.

    The images in her mind were deeply etched into her memory, and those sounds were instinctively imprinted in Lin Yue''s brain.

    A few drops of clear tears slid down from the corners of her eyes, and her tightly clenched hands relaxed. Lin Yue''s body, which had been struggling and twisting, returned to calm.

    The blinding light finally disappeared, and Professor McGonagall and the others opened their eyes again, only to be greeted by the sight of the nearly destroyed ward.

    Only Lin Yue lay peacefully on the hospital bed, spotless, her face still expressionless as always.

    It was as if nothing had happened just moments ago.

    "Is it... over?" the nurse asked tremulously, her gaze filled with awe as she looked at Lin Yue on the bed.

    This intensity of magic... could she really be a little witch?

    "It¡¯s over," Professor McGonagall nodded, putting her wand back into the pocket of her robe.

    She walked to the bedside and pressed her hand on Lin Yue''s forehead. She had just seen the child frowning tightly, but now there was no need for her to smooth it out.

    "Her body is fine; to be precise," a doctor used a professional detection spell on Lin Yue, looking at her with a complex expression, "the recent explosive growth of her magical power has significantly reduced the effects of the Cruciatus Curse she was under."

    "As long as she rests well for a week, she should be fine."

    "That''s good," Professor Flitwick sighed in relief, smiling at the doctor. "Please calculate the hospital''s losses; I will compensate you accordingly."

    Just now, under the support of Lin Yue''s explosive growth in magical power, the items in the ward endured a magical force far beyond their limits. Therefore, at the very moment Lin Yue''s magical power stabilized, those items turned to dust and scattered on the floor. Not even a repair spell could save them.

    Upon hearing Professor Flitwick''s words, the doctor quickly raised his hand and waved it vigorously, "No need to trouble you, Professor Flitwick, this is all normal medical loss."

    Normal medical loss? Professor Snape''s brow twitched sharply; even if they weren''t professional healers from St. Mungo''s, they knew that this explanation was a bit far-fetched. However, the three professors exchanged glances and chose not to say anything further. Since the other party said there was no need for compensation, they felt there was no need to elaborate.

    The wizarding world has a small population, and young witches and wizards are recognized as treasures that need to be collectively cared for by the wizarding community. Most people would show goodwill, so let Lin Yue enjoy the kindness from everyone in the wizarding world this time.

    Having experienced six Cruciatus curses and one explosive surge of magical power, Lin Yue undoubtedly needed a good rest. The nurse quickly left the ward and returned with a bottle of Dreamless Sleep Potion amidst the curious and uncertain gazes of her colleagues outside. As for what had happened in the ward, she wouldn''t say, and her colleagues wouldn''t ask, no matter how curious they were.

    Gently administering the Dreamless Sleep Potion to Lin Yue, the nurse kindly tucked her in with the blanket. "She can sleep well for eight hours now; when she wakes up, she will feel much better."

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    "Maybe not," Professor McGonagall shook her head, looking at Lin Yue in the hospital bed with concern. She clearly recalled the time in the Hogwarts infirmary when Pomona had given Lin Yue the Dreamless Sleep Potion, and Lin Yue had woken and slept repeatedly. At that time, they didn''t know the reason, but now they understood.

    It was likely due to the sleep habits instilled in her by her parents that were now causing trouble. One could imagine how strong her will must be to resist the effects of the potion.

    Although they didn''t understand what Professor McGonagall meant by "maybe not," the doctors and nurses still left the ward. One reason was that they had indeed done all they could, and the other was that they needed to go out for their shifts.

    After the doctors and nurses left, Professor McGonagall sat by Lin Yue''s bedside, while Professor Flitwick took a seat next to her.

    Professor McGonagall turned to Professor Snape and said, "Severus, you should head back now; you can still deal with the Basilisk."

    "Yes," Professor Flitwick nodded in agreement, "isn''t that a rare potion ingredient?"

    Professor Snape silently nodded, then turned and left.

    Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick continued to stay in the ward, watching over Lin Yue.

    An hour later, the nurse returned on time. She needed to confirm whether the girl named Lin Yue was truly in a dreamless sleep or if she would wake up.

    If she was awake, they would need to try to find a treatment for her.

    As the hour passed, Lin Yue''s brain involuntarily began to function again. Her eyelids trembled slightly, and then she struggled to open her eyes.

    In her blurred vision, Lin Yue recognized Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick. She wanted to greet them, but the fatigue combined with the effects of the dreamless sleep potion made it so she couldn''t even open her mouth.

    All she wanted was to close her eyes and sleep.

    "It''s okay, you don''t need to speak, just keep sleeping," Professor McGonagall comforted her as she gently stroked Lin Yue''s forehead. Lin Yue gave a barely noticeable nod and then closed her eyes again.

    The nurse beside them looked on in disbelief, astonished that someone could actually wake up after taking the Dreamless Sleep Potion without having slept a full eight hours.

    This is... this is just too hard to believe.

    Noticing the nurse''s expression, Professor Flitwick gently explained, "Lin Yue''s previous sleep schedule wasn''t very healthy; it''s a habit she''s developed, which is why she can wake up even after taking the Dreamless Sleep Potion."

    The nurse nodded in understanding, but her expression remained serious. "I understand, Professor Flitwick. However, you must also be aware that if this child, Lin Yue, can wake up after taking the Dreamless Sleep Potion, her sleep quality must be very poor."

    "This could seriously affect the development and growth of the young witch."

    "Thank you, we will do our best to find a solution," Professor Flitwick replied. After confirming that there were no further issues, the nurse left the ward.

    Professor McGonagall sighed as she looked at Lin Yue, gently holding her hand. "Filius, once Miss Granger wakes up, let her stay in Ravenclaw dormitory."

    With Hermione nearby, Lin Yue might be able to sleep more soundly and peacefully.

    "Alright." Professor Flitwick agreed without hesitation; Lin Yue''s situation was worth making an exception for.

    The two professors sat by Lin Yue''s side, keeping watch over her until the next morning.

    When the sun rose, Lin Yue, who had woken up seven times in a cycle, finally completed the eight-hour duration of the Dreamless Sleep Potion and slowly opened her eyes.

    As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw the two professors by her bedside.

    "Good morning, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick. Thank you for staying with me all night. I''m sorry for causing you trouble and making you worry."

    Lin Yue mechanically opened her mouth, her hoarse voice speaking in a programmed manner.

    Professor McGonagall had a serious expression as she reached out to adjust Lin Yue''s pillow, allowing her to lean back in bed. "You don''t need to be so polite to your professor, Miss Lin Yue. Also, you haven''t troubled us; taking care of your students and worrying about them is our duty, it''s what we should do."

    Professor Flitwick, standing nearby, also wore a serious expression. "Minerva is right, Miss Lin Yue. What you need to reflect on is that you really shouldn''t have used... the Cruciatus Curse on yourself."

    "Merlin, the Cruciatus Curse, and not just once. Child, what were you thinking?"

    The serious expressions didn''t last long, as Professor Flitwick couldn''t help but show his concern for Lin Yue.

    "I lack skill; I failed to protect myself and Ginny while also killing the Basilisk, which led to Hermione being petrified. This is my fault, and I should be punished," Lin Yue replied matter-of-factly.

    "How could you think that?" Professor McGonagall crossed her arms and looked at Lin Yue. "Don''t say you''re just a second-year wizard."

    "Even we can''t guarantee that we can kill a Basilisk alone, especially while trying to protect someone else."

    "You were able to protect your classmates under the Basilisk''s threat; you should be proud of yourself. Don''t set your standards so high."

    Lin Yue nodded vacantly, while deep inside, a belief was thoroughly shaken.

    When you could stop or improve a situation but lack the corresponding ability, then any negative consequences that follow are due to your previous lack of effort.

    Regardless of whether others can improve the situation or should improve it, you shouldn''t consider that; you only need to reflect on yourself.

    Why can''t others'' responsibilities also be your responsibilities?

    To bravely take on responsibility... but is this really being brave enough to take on responsibility?

    Lin Yue began to think rapidly in her mind. After breaking away from her established thought process, she quickly discovered the flaws in the principles she had previously adhered to.

    As Professor McGonagall said, this was shirking responsibility. It was about imposing high standards and strict requirements on others, thereby alleviating her own pressure.

    "This matter," Professor McGonagall said, pursing her lips as she looked at Lin Yue, "I will tell Miss Granger everything in detail once she wakes up. I believe she, as a peer, will be better able to guide you."

    Lin Yue''s expression did not change at all, but her eyes slightly lowered. "Okay, thank you, Professor McGonagall."

    Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow at Lin Yue, who seemed to be in a "wilted" state. It looked like Miss Lin would be thoroughly dominated by Miss Granger in the future.

    Thinking of this, she glanced at Professor Flitwick beside her, who sighed with a look of regret.

    The "wilted" state did not last two seconds before Lin Yue lifted her head to look at Professor McGonagall, her voice showing no change in tone.

    "Professor McGonagall, I want to learn to become an Animagus. Please teach me."

    The images that had flashed through her mind like fragments were still etched in her brain. When she was calmed by that gentle wave of magic, a voice had told her, "Relax, relax, child. None of this has happened yet; there is still hope."

    Moreover, with the increasingly dangerous situations that Hermione and everyone at Hogwarts faced year after year, she could hardly calculate what they would encounter next.

    Thus, the only thought in her mind now was power. Regardless of whether it was dark magic or any other aspect of magic, she wanted to master the cutting-edge parts and gain enough strength.

    Professor McGonagall paused for a moment, hesitating as she looked at Lin Yue. "Miss Lin Yue, I have no doubt about your abilities, but becoming an Animagus is not only very difficult, but also extremely dangerous. You are still a bit too young for this."

    "Please teach me, Professor McGonagall," Lin Yue continued in a flat tone.

    "I beg you, Professor McGonagall."

    Seeing that Lin Yue would continue to speak if she didn''t respond, Professor McGonagall felt a wave of discomfort in her heart. This child always spoke to her in such a¡­ such a humble manner, it really made her feel uneasy.

    Professors should be respected, but she was also just as much a part of the student body and was not superior to them.

    "Alright, alright, no need to say more. I will teach you."

    Professor McGonagall nodded helplessly, while also giving Professor Flitwick a reassuring look.

    "I will ensure Miss Lin Yue''s safety."

    Professor Flitwick glanced at the second-best Transfiguration expert of the time, then looked at Lin Yue, and ultimately agreed.

    "Okay, if you want to learn, then learn, Miss Lin Yue. But you must promise to ensure your own safety."

    "Of course, Professor Flitwick. Thank you, thank you, Professor McGonagall."

    Lin Yue made a stiff promise, just as she always did, with a very formal tone.

    "Besides this, you also need to promise me," Professor McGonagall said, looking down at Lin Yue, "not to try it on your own when I''m not around, and not to be impatient. You must listen to my instructions during practice."

    "This magic is really dangerous; there are quite a few wizards who have encountered danger because of it."

    "I won''t practice on my own, and I will absolutely follow your instructions. Please rest assured, Professor McGonagall."

    Lin Yue''s expression showed no change as she obediently nodded.

 Chapter 91: Heart-stirring Animagus

    After it was basically confirmed that Lin Yue''s condition was not serious, Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick returned to Hogwarts. Although they were still somewhat worried about Lin Yue, they had to go back to teaching classes. Moreover, Lin Yue was being looked after by doctors and nurses at St. Mungo''s, so there shouldn''t be any problems.

    Thus, Lin Yue began her time alone at St. Mungo''s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Leaning against the hospital bed, Lin Yue subconsciously started to think about today''s class schedule in her mind. The morning class should be Charms, and the afternoon class should be Potions. The charm that was supposed to be learned in Charms class today was...

    Her brain started to function, gradually "reviewing" the content that was supposed to be covered in today''s Charms class. She kept replaying the memories of the material from the textbook until the door to the ward was knocked on, and Lin Yue realized that two hours had already passed.

    "Come in." A cold and indifferent voice sounded, and the ward door opened under Lin Yue''s gaze.

    Principal Dumbledore appeared at the door with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

    "Good morning, Miss Lin Yue."

    Principal Dumbledore smiled at Lin Yue, who was lying in bed. "You look like you''re recovering quite well."

    Lin Yue nodded calmly, "Good morning, Principal Dumbledore. Thank you for your concern; I''m fine."

    After saying that, her gaze shifted to the two adults behind Principal Dumbledore.

    Lin Yue politely greeted them, "Good morning, Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley."

    "Good morning, dear." Mrs. Weasley was filled with gratitude, and she almost approached Lin Yue with tears in her eyes, wanting to hug her.

    However, considering Lin Yue''s condition, she restrained herself and simply took her hand.

    "We really... we really should thank you properly. You saved Ginny. Merlin, we can''t even imagine what would have happened to her without you."

    "But that was... that was the Dark Lord..."

    Seeing Mrs. Weasley, who spoke with a slight sob, Lin Yue opened her mouth stiffly.

    "Ginny is very smart; even without my help, she would have eventually figured it out and sought help."

    "You''re being too modest, dear." Mrs. Weasley lovingly kissed Lin Yue''s forehead.

    Lin Yue blinked and stared at her with a deadpan expression.

    "Thank you so much, Lin Yue," Mr. Weasley stepped forward and smiled at Lin Yue, "Our whole family is grateful to you. Ron and the others are still in class, so they couldn''t come. Ginny was taken to the hospital wing by Madam Pomfrey to recuperate."

    "Yes," Professor Dumbledore also entered the ward and nodded in agreement, "Ron and the others wanted to come, but Filius stopped them. He said..."

    Lin Yue spoke up first, voicing the words that had subconsciously popped into her mind, "Studying is the first... second priority; they shouldn''t delay their studies because of me."

    "Ah," Professor Dumbledore clapped his hands, "That''s exactly what he said, but he mentioned that in your view, studying should be the first priority."

    "He also said that this might make you feel like you were delaying your friends'' studies."

    "Yes." Lin Yue answered without hesitation. If Ron and the others really skipped class to come and thank her, she would indeed feel that way, because studying is the second priority.

    "The first priority should be ourselves, Hermione told me that."

    Lin Yue mechanically said, and Principal Dumbledore showed a pleased smile as he stroked his beard.

    "Wonderful understanding Miss Lin Yue. I think I should give Miss Granger some extra points after she wakes up."

    Lin Yue nodded stiffly; her gaze blankly fixed on Principal Dumbledore.

    "Principal Dumbledore, have you found the object that influenced Ginny?"

    "You really asked that question," Principal Dumbledore sat down beside the hospital bed, "After all, you are a child who seeks knowledge and cares for your friends."

    Dumbledore clasped his hands together, his thumbs circling each other, "I did find the object that influenced Ginny; it is a black diary, which comes from Voldemort."

    Voldemort''s diary, and it was delivered into Ginny Weasley''s hands.

    Lin Yue''s mind quickly began to deduce; a diary that could possess someone, although she didn''t know what kind of magic was used in it.

    Even so, she could tell that this diary was not ordinary, and quite rare.

    Even among dark magical objects, it should belong to the kind that is seldom seen.

    Considering that Voldemort currently has no physical form, such a dark magical object could not have come directly from him to Ginny.

    So it must be that he once gave this dark magical object to someone, and that person then gave it to Ginny.

    Who would he give such a rare dark magical object to? This is an obvious question that doesn''t require much reasoning.

    The person he gave it to must be one of his trusted confidants, his capable subordinates.

    Most of these people are in Azkaban, except for those from pure-blood families.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Lin Yue''s thoughts flowed, and she quickly locked onto the pure-blood family that had once supported Voldemort as her target. Among these pure-blood families, the one that Voldemort relied on the most and held the highest prestige was undoubtedly the Malfoy family.

    Memories replayed rapidly in her mind, bringing up the scene of Lucius Malfoy confronting the Weasley couple in Diagon Alley. Coupled with their dialogue at the time, it became clear that the Weasley family and the Malfoy family were practically sworn enemies. With sufficient capital and reason to act, the likelihood of the Malfoy family being involved exceeded eighty percent.

    Thinking of this, Lin Yue looked up at Principal Dumbledore and the Weasley couple, who were all watching her with concern. They did not seem to be inquiring about who the culprit might be, and Lin Yue''s mind paused slightly before she pushed this reasoning to the back of her mind. Since no one had asked her, it was best not to say anything; otherwise, it might give others the impression that she was showing off.

    The Weasley couple thanked Lin Yue once again, and then they left with Principal Dumbledore. They still had something to do: to go to the Ministry of Magic and rectify the case that wrongfully accused Hagrid fifty years ago. An innocent person should not continue to be wronged.

    After the three left, Lin Yue received her lunch from St. Mungo''s. The hospital lunch had no flavor and was devoid of oil. However, for Lin Yue, it was all the same; she sat on the hospital bed, finishing the lunch while "previewing" the content of the afternoon''s charms class in her mind.

    Her cooperative attitude made the nurse who came to collect the lunch box smile brightly. She reached out and ruffled Lin Yue''s hair, as if comforting a child¡ªor rather, she was indeed comforting a child. "Great job! You need to eat a bit more so you can recover quickly, and you really are too thin."

    Lin Yue responded expressionlessly and, after thanking the nurse, watched her walk out of the ward.

    The entire afternoon, Lin Yue was in the ward, repeatedly going over the content of the spell lesson, reviewing what she was supposed to learn that afternoon. Aside from the nurse who came to check on her at regular intervals, no one else had visited.

    It wasn''t until evening that her ward door was knocked on again. Lin Yue raised her left hand to glance at her watch; it was just the right time for Hogwarts classes to end.

    So she didn''t need to think about who was outside the door; it must be Professor McGonagall and the others, and perhaps senior students like Qiu Zhang had come as well.

    "Come in."

    She said in a voice as calm as water, and the door to the ward was immediately opened.

    Two red-haired twins who looked almost identical walked in, their usually playful faces now filled with seriousness. Behind them was a taller red-haired boy who was clearly their older brother.

    Fred, George, and Percy¡ªLin Yue quickly recognized them, even distinguishing the twins through their subtle facial expressions and various small movements.

    Following the three of them were Harry, Ron, and the senior students Qiu Zhang, Marietta, and Penelope.

    When the three senior students saw Lin Yue lying in the hospital bed, they all pursed their lips and flared their nostrils in unison.

    They looked both heartbroken and angry, and for some reason, Lin Yue suddenly swallowed hard.

    Fred, George, Percy, and Ron, the four Weasley siblings, approached Lin Yue''s bedside to express their gratitude. The twins did not engage in their usual playful banter, but instead, they both sincerely thanked Lin Yue together.

    "Thank you, Lin Yue, for helping Ginny."

    "Thank you, you saved my sister," Ron also sincerely thanked Lin Yue.

    Percy nodded at Lin Yue, saying, "Thank you, Lin Yue, for saving Ginny and for making us, as her brothers, realize that we haven''t been caring enough for her."

    If they had cared enough about Ginny, enough for her to rely on them, how could she have entrusted her feelings to a diary?

    The four "Weasley brothers" still at Hogwarts had been feeling guilty all day long.

    "You''re welcome. It''s only right to help classmates when you can."

    "And you don''t need to feel too guilty; everyone makes mistakes. What''s important is to recognize them and make amends."

    Lin Yue finished speaking these two sentences in a flat tone, and her gaze shifted past them to look at Qiu Zhang and the others.

    Qiu Zhang, Marietta, and Penelope walked up to Lin Yue''s hospital bed, while the Weasley boys instinctively stepped aside. Harry, standing behind everyone, gave Lin Yue a concerned look.

    Before coming here, Professor McGonagall had called him, Ron, and the senior students Qiu Zhang aside to talk about how Lin Yue had to face the Basilisk alone and how she had punished herself with the Cruciatus Curse.

    At that time, the expressions on Qiu Zhang and the other two''s faces darkened, resembling the look Hermione would have whenever they procrastinated on their homework.

    So now, he could only hope that Lin Yue would take care of herself; it was just that he and Ron had been scolded severely because of Hermione.

    As for Lin Yue this time... Harry shrank his neck, contemplating how harshly she might be reprimanded.

    Receiving Harry''s glance, Lin Yue did not understand his hint. The emotions contained in Harry''s eyes were beyond her analytical range.

    Her gaze shifted to the three senior students, and Qiu Zhang, gritting her teeth, reached out to pinch Lin Yue''s cheek.

    She clearly wanted to give it a hard tug, but looking at the dazed expression on Lin Yue''s face and feeling the soft texture in her hand, her anger towards Lin Yue for hurting herself instantly dissipated.

    This girl... was truly hard to stay mad at, and she released her grip on Lin Yue''s cheek.

    Qiu Zhang reached out and tapped her forehead, softly saying a couple of words to her, "The Cruciatus Curse, how dare you use it on yourself? You really have some nerve."

    Penelope followed closely behind and also tapped Lin Yue''s forehead, "Exactly, you really are... not in pain? That''s the most torturous curse!"

    Marietta watched Lin Yue''s little head wobble as the two tapped her, first supporting Lin Yue''s head with one hand, then gently tapping with the other.

    "What Qiu Zhang and Senior Penelope said is right, you really scared us this time."

    "Just wait for Hermione to wake up," Qiu Zhang said, crossing her arms and looking down at Lin Yue, not holding back in scaring her junior, "She will definitely deal with you."

    Lin Yue nodded stiffly, "Okay."

    She did not follow through on her promise to Hermione; Hermione should have dealt with her.

    Seeing Lin Yue''s reaction, the three senior students sighed in unison.

    They all understood that while they said that, none of them really wanted to discipline Lin Yue.

    Could Hermione really bring herself to teach her a lesson? Impossible. They could only... pamper her and be more careful in the future.

    Professor McGonagall, standing outside the door, looked at the children in the ward with a loving smile.

    She enjoyed seeing these children happy and cheerful; this should be something every qualified professor likes to see.

    After chatting with Lin Yue for a while, Qiu Zhang and the others returned to Hogwarts, as they still needed to go back for dinner.

    After dinner, they had to do their homework, which Lin Yue specifically reminded them about.

    Lin Yue would never let her friends fall behind in their studies because of her.

    After sending the children back to Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall returned to the ward.

    She took out a leaf of mandrake and handed it to Lin Yue, "From now on, you need to keep this leaf in your mouth for a month, until the full moon next month, and during this time, remember not to swallow the leaf, and definitely do not spit it out early."

    "In other words, no matter what, you cannot let this leaf leave your mouth."

    Lin Yue nodded seriously, "I understand, thank you, Professor McGonagall."

    After saying that, she took the Mandrake leaf that Professor McGonagall handed her and placed it under her tongue.

    Professor McGonagall nodded in satisfaction and handed Lin Yue a notebook.

    "This is my notebook from when I practiced becoming an Animagus. You can take a look but remember not to try it yourself too easily; don''t rush into it."

    "Okay, thank you, Professor McGonagall." Lin Yue accepted the notebook and nodded obediently; her voice slightly muffled because of the leaf in her mouth.

    With the leaf in her mouth, Lin Yue''s mind began to ponder what kind of animal her Animagus form might be.

    Fragments of yesterday''s memories flashed through her mind, and an uncontrollable heat gathered in her chest.

    She wanted to be able to protect Hermione and everyone else... to be strong enough, to be dangerous enough...

    In her hazy imagination, a ghostly figure quickly flashed through the woods.

 Chapter 92: Heart-stirring Animagus 2

    Lin Yue stayed at St. Mungo''s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries for a whole week. Although she expressed on the morning of the third day that she had mostly recovered and could return to Hogwarts for classes immediately, this suggestion was unanimously rejected by the doctors and nurses at St. Mungo''s.

    "You were hit by a Cruciatus Curse; at the very least, you need to rest for a week. Don''t worry about your studies during this week; the coursework at Hogwarts isn''t too heavy. Just stay here and relax," said the nurse, firmly pushing Lin Yue back onto the hospital bed. She also reported to Professor McGonagall, who came in the evening to explain about Animagi.

    "This child is too eager to learn. Today she said she wanted to be discharged to return to Hogwarts for classes, and I had to force her back onto the bed. Professor McGonagall, you need to have a good talk with her; she really needs to rest after being hit by the Cruciatus Curse."

    "Alright, thank you. I will talk to her properly. You can go back to your duties now."

    Professor McGonagall smiled and thanked her before opening the door and entering the hospital room.

    As she walked into the room, Professor McGonagall took off her wizard hat. "Good evening, Miss Lin Yue."

    "Good evening, Professor McGonagall," Lin Yue said, looking directly at her and politely nodding in greeting.

    "I heard from the nurse that you mentioned wanting to be discharged today?" Professor McGonagall sat down in the chair next to the bed, looking at her gently.

    "Yes, I have recovered. My priority is myself, and studying comes second. I should return to school to continue my studies," Lin Yue said in a monotonous, mechanical voice.

    Professor McGonagall lovingly reached out to smooth Lin Yue''s hair. "You still don''t care enough about yourself. The effects of the Cruciatus Curse don''t just go away because the pain has subsided."

    "You need to rest to eliminate the negative effects brought on by the Cruciatus Curse. It''s not just physical; it''s also mental."

    Lin Yue blinked, her voice showing no emotion. "I haven''t suffered any mental harm; I have no feelings about that."

    "That doesn''t mean there isn''t any, good child. You just don''t realize it yet."

    Professor McGonagall shook her head. "You should stay here for a while. I don''t want to wait until you''ve regained your emotions only to be entangled again by the negative effects of the Cruciatus Curse."

    "As for your studies at Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow and looked at Lin Yue, "I think it should be fine even if you don''t attend classes."

    "Of course, I won''t say that at school, lest some classmates decide they don''t want to attend class because of it."

    Lin Yue instinctively had a thought flash through her mind: not wanting to attend class? How could that be possible?

    Studying and attending classes are the duties of a student; the idea of not wanting to go to class simply cannot exist among students, no matter the circumstances.

    However, she should still listen to what the professor said, so she nodded without any hesitation.

    "Alright, Professor McGonagall, I will cooperate with the recovery and stay at St. Mungo''s until you and the doctors there think I can be discharged."

    "Sigh..." Professor McGonagall rubbed Lin Yue''s head; the child''s rigid demeanor was truly uncomfortable to look at.

    I hope Granger can recover soon; only she, along with everyone at Hogwarts, can truly change this child.

    "Alright, Miss Lin Yue, do you have any questions about my Animagus notes?"

    After hearing Professor McGonagall''s "instructions," Lin Yue obediently stayed at St. Mungo''s to recuperate.

    It wasn''t until a week later that the doctors at St. Mungo''s and the professors from Hogwarts allowed her to be discharged and return to Hogwarts to continue her studies.

    A week was enough time for many things to happen, including Harry''s arm turning into "rubber" and then returning to normal.

    Lin Yue patiently explained the homework questions to Harry and Ron, who had come to ask for help. Perhaps it was because they felt they couldn''t waste Linyue''s hard work, or maybe it was because three older Ravenclaw students were sitting nearby. This time, the two boys didn''t resort to their usual shortcuts of not listening and just waiting for Linyue to give them the answers. Instead, they diligently learned the relevant knowledge bit by bit and then wrote it down on parchment to complete their homework.

    After watching them finish their assignments and confirming there were no issues, Linyue lowered her head to continue reading Professor McGonagall''s notes on Animagi. However, it was clear that her friends, whom she hadn''t seen for a week, had plenty of topics they wanted to discuss with her.

    ¡°Lin Yue¡­¡± Harry hesitated as he looked at her, ¡°Do you think it''s possible for someone to accidentally use the bone-repairing spell as a bone-extraction spell?¡±

    In fact, he had wanted to ask this question for a long time. He knew that Lockhart was a complete fraud. So, when Lockhart wanted to perform the bone-repairing spell on him, he firmly refused. Unfortunately, he still ended up being ¡°victimized¡± by Lockhart.

    With one spell, all the bones in his arm were gone. The painless extraction of all the bones from his arm¡ªhonestly, Harry thought that this was probably harder than just repairing his bones. So, he had some doubts; was Lockhart really trying to harm him rather than just making a simple mistake? The bone-repairing spell, mistakenly used as a bone-extraction spell?

    Lin Yue quickly recalled the magic for setting bones in her mind; indeed, there was such a healing magic. However, the magic for extracting bones... Lin Yue reviewed all the books she had read again, but found no trace of this magic.

    Her gaze swept over Harry''s entire body. "Your bones seem to be fine?"

    Lin Yue spoke with absolute certainty; she was completely sure that all of Harry''s bones were normal.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "Right now... that''s indeed the case," Harry nodded with a complex expression.

    He then began to recount to Lin Yue, along with Ron, the incident of how Lockhart had extracted his bones.

    As Lin Yue listened, she thought and analyzed in her mind. After Harry finished his story, she looked up at him.

    "What spell did Professor Lockhart use?"

    "Uh..." Harry scratched his cheek, feeling a headache; at that time, he was too focused on the pain to pay attention to what spell Lockhart had recited.

    "I remember... it seemed to be '' Brackium Emendo''?" Cho Chang, sitting next to Lin Yue, furrowed her brows, trying hard to recall that phrase Lockhart had said, which wasn''t really a spell.

    Lin Yue nodded, her brain began to simulate the application of this spell and the resulting scenarios.

    She quickly reached a conclusion, "The wizard''s magic is quite idealistic, so the ''Brackium Emendo'' spell, although not an accurate or formal incantation, can indeed fix Harry''s arm if there is sufficient magical power and professional knowledge."

    "Very good," Marietta muttered softly, "Gilderoy Lockhart happens to have neither."

    "But if there isn''t enough magical power and no matching professional knowledge, the ''Brackium Emendo'' spell can easily lead to the opposite result."

    Lin Yue quickly stated her conclusion, "Since the problem lies with the bones in Harry''s arm, without professional knowledge, using such an informal spell like ''Brackium Emendo'' could very likely result in the problematic bones disappearing instead of fixing the arm."

    "After all, if the problematic bones disappear, then the arm has no issues left, which could be considered as '' Brachio Emendum.''"

    "Oh Merlin..." Ron exclaimed, turning to look at Harry, "Thank goodness you didn''t break a rib."

    Harry''s mouth twitched violently twice, and he suppressed the urge to slap Ron.

    Taking a deep breath, Harry waved his hand, "It was just a misunderstanding; at least Lockhart didn''t intend to harm me..."

    It wasn''t that he was overly sensitive; it was just that so many things had happened over the past two years, just like this time when his arm was broken, which was caused by that house-elf he had seen before, Dobby.

    Yes, this time Harry had heard its name; it was called Dobby.

    Thinking of this, Harry decided to share this incident with his five friends as well.

    After listening to Harry, Penelope squinted her eyes, "No wonder, house-elves can Apparate within Hogwarts and can remain undetected by wizards. If it was a house-elf, it could indeed tamper with the Bludgers without being discovered."

    "But why would it go to such lengths just to get Harry to leave Hogwarts to protect him? Why?" Marietta spread her hands, expressing her confusion about Dobby''s actions. This is Hogwarts, with Professor Dumbledore here; generally, it should be quite... safe, right?

    Lin Yue''s mind raced with thoughts: the early warning during the summer vacation, the identity of the house-elf, the diary that inexplicably appeared in Ginny''s hands, Voldemort''s relationship with the Malfoy family...

    Looking up, Lin Yue blurted out all her deductions. "It is known that the one warning Harry is a house-elf named Dobby. Generally, non-pureblood families do not have house-elves, so the target is narrowed down to pureblood families."

    "At the same time, Dobby''s purpose is to warn Harry of the danger at Hogwarts, which suggests that he knows in advance that danger will occur at Hogwarts, combined with the fact that house-elves can access their master''s secrets."

    "It is reasonable to conclude that this danger is brought to Hogwarts by the house-elf''s master."

    "The danger that has already appeared at Hogwarts this year is the Basilisk, which was released by Ginny Weasley after being possessed by Voldemort''s diary."

    "However, the possessed diary is likely to be a rare item among dark magical objects, and Voldemort would only give it to a trusted family."

    "The scope of pureblood families is further narrowed. Considering that the victim is Ginny Weasley, the range of pureblood families that are also Voldemort''s confidants is further reduced, with a ninety percent probability that it is the Malfoy family, meaning the house-elf''s master should be the Malfoy family."

    "From this comprehensive analysis, I conclude," Lin Yue''s gaze turned cold as she looked at Harry, "Lucius Malfoy is plotting to secretly give Voldemort''s diary to Ginny, intending to strike at the Weasley family and Hogwarts, and his plan was discovered by the house-elf Dobby."

    "Given Harry''s adversarial relationship with Voldemort, Dobby believes Harry will be in danger, so he is doing everything possible to prevent Harry from coming to Hogwarts and staying at Hogwarts, in order to protect Harry''s safety."

    With the entire situation analyzed, Lin Yue closed her mouth again. The other five people present exchanged glances, wondering... did they really find out the mastermind so easily?

    How did they come to these deductions and associations?

    Shaking her head, Cho Chang was the first to come back to her senses, "If that''s the case, Dobby is in great danger now. Lucius Malfoy''s plan has failed, and if he finds out that Dobby has betrayed him..."

    Before she could finish, Harry suddenly stood up, "I¡¯m going to find Professor Dumbledore for help."

    With that, he rushed out of the library. No matter what, Dobby was trying to save him, and he couldn''t just stand by and watch Dobby be in danger.

    Ron quickly got up and followed, while Cho Chang, and Marietta exchanged glances, thinking that it was just a matter of informing Professor Dumbledore, and that they didn''t need so many people, so they remained seated like Lin Yue, calm and steady.

    Lin Yue was seriously looking at Professor McGonagall''s Animagus notes, while Cho Chang, and Marietta were quietly chatting on the other side.

    "Speaking of which, wasn''t the Basilisk already dead in the last match? Why did Dobby still want to force Harry to leave Hogwarts?" Cho Chang turned to her momentarily confused friend and lowered her voice to explain, "Don''t forget, the last match started the day after the Basilisk died."

    "Oh! The news is wrong!" Marietta suddenly realized.

    Penelope, sitting next to Lin Yue, noticed that the book she was reading seemed to be handwritten and couldn''t help but lean over to look.

    She then saw the entire content about Animagus and thought about Lin Yue''s pronunciation just now...

    Her pronunciation used to be standard, but today it seemed a bit unclear, so was she chewing on Mandrake leaves?

    "Lin Yue, are you practicing Animagus?" Penelope asked, and Cho Chang and Marietta immediately shifted their gaze to Lin Yue.

    Animagus?! Is Lin Yue practicing such a difficult and dangerous transformation?

    "Yeah," Lin Yue honestly nodded, "Professor McGonagall is teaching me."

    "Oh." The three older girls simultaneously felt relieved; with Professor McGonagall watching, it would be fine.

    In the following month, Harry and Ron occasionally ran to the headmaster''s office, listening to Professor Dumbledore say that he was ready to rescue Dobby.

    None of them wanted anything bad to happen to such a kind and brave house-elf.

    In this month, Lin Yue completed the first step of becoming an Animagus. On the full moon, exactly one month later, she mixed the leaves of mandrake in her mouth with a mouthful of saliva and spat it all into a crystal vial. That night, she let it fully absorb the moonlight and added a series of ingredients before burying the crystal vial underground, ensuring it wouldn¡¯t be exposed to any sunlight.

    Immediately after, she pointed her wand at her heart at every sunrise and sunset, reciting the incantation. As the days passed, she gradually felt a second heartbeat. This heartbeat was powerful and vigorous; Lin Yue could sense the strength contained within it, which made her mind feel incredibly at ease.

    Finally, two days before Christmas, Lin Yue was met with a storm. Professor McGonagall stood at the spot where Lin Yue had buried the crystal vial, feeling the surrounding storm and couldn¡¯t help but reflect on it. In a short period, Lin Yue had almost mastered the Animagus transformation, and she encountered a full moon with ample moonlight when she first completed the first step.

    Just as she was nearly ready and had comprehended the Animagus transformation, the storm arrived immediately. With such talent and luck¡­ Professor McGonagall felt a bit envious of her student. Perhaps the hardships she had endured in the past had turned into the sweetness of the present.

    Accompanied by Cho Chang, Marietta, and Penelope, Lin Yue walked out of the castle and politely greeted Professor McGonagall. As the first lightning bolt streaked across the sky, Lin Yue dug up the crystal vial, which contained just the right amount of red potion.

    Lin Yue drew her wand and pointed it at her chest, reciting the spell.

    " Amato Animo Animato Animagus."

    After finishing the incantation, she unhesitatingly opened the crystal vial and swallowed its contents in one gulp.

    A strong sensation of pain and a distinctly different heartbeat surged within her.

    The pain did not seem to affect her much; her expression remained unchanged.

    "Don''t resist it, accept it," Professor McGonagall instructed as she and the others stepped back, cautioning them as they retreated, "but at the same time, maintain your own consciousness, don''t let the animal instincts consume you."

    Listening to Professor McGonagall''s words, Lin Yue felt a surge of various instincts in her mind, such as brutality and bloodlust.

    The animal form she was about to transform into became increasingly clear in her mind.

    What I need is an Animagus that is dangerous enough, powerful enough, and capable of protecting Hermione and everyone else, rather than being consumed by animal instincts.

    Lin Yue''s consciousness was firm and clear, her eyes shining brightly in the stormy night.

    In the next moment, her gaze suddenly shot up, and the four people watching not far away simultaneously gasped in shock. If they didn''t know it was Lin Yue, Professor McGonagall might have acted on the spot.

    Cho Chang and the others were about to turn and run immediately.

    A massive claw stomped on the ground, with the second toe claw raised high, its sharp, thirteen-centimeter-long talon glinting coldly.

    There was no doubt it could pierce directly into a person''s chest and heart in one strike.

    A powerful tail swung violently, sending countless raindrops flying, while the agile front claws clenched and relaxed in front of its chest, the sharpness of which was chilling.

    Huff... Two streams of hot air burst from its nostrils, and within its gaping maw were around sixty sharp teeth.

    Lin Yue slowly walked towards Professor McGonagall and the three senior students. Professor McGonagall raised her wand cautiously, looking at the prehistoric creature in front of her, which stood two meters tall and was over three meters long.

    "Miss Lin Yue... do you still have consciousness?"

    Stopping in her tracks, Lin Yue slowly nodded her head, indicating that she was still herself.

    Professor McGonagall breathed a sigh of relief and lowered her wand.

    Lin Yue tilted her head, following the thoughts in her mind, and let out a roar amidst the storm.

    "Roar!"

    It was powerful enough, dangerous enough.

    This was the best choice her subconscious could make in conjunction with her magic. Her own meticulous brain, combined with the claws, speed, and strength of a Velociraptor, posed a significant threat to the wizards who primarily threatened Hermione and everyone at Hogwarts.

    There was a high chance that the wizards would miss Lin Yue, transformed into a Velociraptor, but if they gave Lin Yue an opportunity to attack, even a swipe from her front claws would be enough to kill a wizard.

    After all, they were not prehistoric creatures, and did not have thick enough skin to withstand such claws.

    Incredibly fast speed and extreme threats was the choice Lin Yue made for Hermione and for her friends.

 Chapter 93: Sudden gratitude

    Once it was confirmed that Lin Yue''s Animagus form was fine, Professor McGonagall allowed Cho Chang and the others to step out from behind her.

    "Merlin... Lin Yue, the feathers on you."

    Looking up at Lin Yue, who was a bit taller than her, Marietta exclaimed with sparkling eyes.

    At that moment, Lin Yue was covered in a layer of shiny black feathers, the same color as the wizarding robe she wore before transforming. A long tail trailed behind her, adorned with some tail feathers, and raindrops continuously dripped from above. On either side of her front paws, there were also feathers that formed a wing-like appearance.

    However, what was most astonishing was not just these features, but the way Lin Yue breathed. The shiny black feathers on her body reflected the moonlight from the outside, creating a subtle blend of red mixed with black. An air of elegance and nobility was faintly highlighted.

    But... Penelope looked at Professor McGonagall with some confusion, "Professor, shouldn''t the appearance of an Animagus be related to the animal it transforms into and the clothes it was wearing the first time it transformed?"

    "Lin Yue didn''t wear red clothes today, so why do her feathers..." change to red in the light?

    Penelope''s question was not finished, but Professor McGonagall completely understood her meaning.

    Professor McGonagall looked at Lin Yue with a cheerful expression, feeling an overwhelming sense of pride and satisfaction in her heart.

    Her student had become the youngest Animagus master, and while she felt joy for Lin Yue, she was also proud that such a young Animagus master had learned transformation from her.

    As for Penelope''s question, Professor McGonagall looked at Lin Yue with a somewhat teasing gaze.

    Then her attention shifted back to Penelope and the other two Ravenclaw seniors. "The magic of us wizards has a subtle relationship with our own state of mind and emotions, and Animagus is no exception."

    "So I personally lean towards," Professor McGonagall''s smile widened a bit more, "Miss Lin Yue''s feathers reflecting red under the light is because of her inner self."

    Because of her inner self...

    The three Ravenclaw seniors present, aside from Lin Yue herself, understood what Professor McGonagall meant.

    Hmm, who else could it be? It could only possibly be related to Hermione, right? There was no one else around Lin Yue that had anything to do with the color red.

    It couldn''t possibly be Harry or Ron, could it...?

    Cho Chang turned around and, standing on tiptoe and stretching her arms, barely managed to reach Lin Yue''s big head.

    "You... you are really deeply in love with her."

    As she spoke, she gently shook Lin Yue''s head, clearly reluctant to use any force.

    Although Lin Yue didn''t fully understand what Professor McGonagall had just said, seeing Cho Chang struggling to reach her, she cooperatively bent down, bringing her feather-covered head closer to Cho Chang.

    Cho Chang cleared her throat, stood up straight again, and wrapped her hands around Lin Yue''s feather-covered head.

    "Not bad... at least you know to let your senior pat your head."

    The feathers felt cool and smooth to touch, and Cho Chang instantly liked it. Marietta and Penelope watched her happily patting Lin Yue and couldn''t help but step forward to join in, "rubbing" Lin Yue as well. Lin Yue just kept her head down, allowing the three seniors to do as they pleased.

    The dangerous dinosaur lowered her head and let the three girls pet her; such a scene would be shocking no matter where it was placed.

    After the four kids had "played" for a while, Professor McGonagall finally spoke to Lin Yue.

    "Now, try to transform back, Miss Lin Yue. If you don''t succeed the first time, that''s okay; just try a few more times, no need to panic."

    As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Yue instantly transformed back into her human form, and even her wizard robe looked perfectly neat.

    However, her hair was a bit messy, and Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow at Lin Yue''s successful transformation.

    "Great talent, Miss Lin Yue."

    "Thank you, Professor McGonagall," Lin Yue politely nodded in appreciation of the compliment.

    "I just did what I was supposed to do."

    "You''ve already surpassed many, good child," Professor McGonagall said, reaching out to tidy Lin Yue''s hair. "Be proud of yourself."

    "I''m proud of you too."

    Hearing Professor McGonagall''s praise for Lin Yue, Cho Chang and the other two exchanged glances and made playful faces at each other.

    Cho Chang stepped forward and hugged Lin Yue''s arm, "Come on, come on, be proud of yourself! It''s not often that Professor McGonagall praises someone so openly."

    Penelope and Marietta nodded in agreement from the side.

    "That''s right, that''s right! From the first year until now, there have been hardly any students who have received such praise from Professor McGonagall!"Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    Professor McGonagall felt a slight warmth on her face, "Ahem..."

    She cleared her throat a couple of times, her expression returning to seriousness as she looked at the three girls who were holding onto Lin Yue''s arms and shoulders.

    "I''m just worried that you might become complacent because of the praise," she paused for two seconds, slightly raising her head, "But I must say, as long as you are students of Hogwarts..."

    "As long as you are students who will walk the right path in the future, you are all my pride."

    Professor McGonagall finished speaking and turned around, striding towards the entrance of the castle.

    This left Cho Chang and the others, who were still processing her earlier words, as well as Lin Yue, who was completely unable to move because she was being hugged by three people at the same time.

    ¡°Professor McGonagall... is this feeling embarrassed?¡± Penelope murmured softly.

    ¡°She must be shy,¡± Cho Chang affirmed quietly.

    ¡°She shouldn¡¯t be able to hear what we¡¯re saying, right?¡± Marietta also lowered her voice to join in.

    ¡°Miss Penelope, Miss Cho Chang, Miss Marietta, be careful of catching a cold if you stay outside too long.¡±

    Professor McGonagall turned back to glance at the four girls at the castle door, and only then did the three women react, quickly pulling Lin Yue back into the castle.

    Once inside, Lin Yue pulled her wand out from her wizarding robe; she had hidden it in her feathers when she transformed into an Animagus. Now that she was back in her original form, it was conveniently in her pocket.

    ¡°Scourgify.¡±

    She cast a cleaning charm on her shoes and on Cho Chang and the others'' shoes, always remembering the Hogwarts motto about not damaging the corridors and keeping them clean.

    Professor McGonagall cast a drying charm and a warming charm on each of the four girls, then turned her attention to Lin Yue.

    ¡°Miss Lin Yue, I will take you to the Ministry of Magic tomorrow to register your Animagus form.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Yue nodded calmly, showing no sign of pride about becoming the youngest registered Animagus in the Britain and even the world.

    ¡°Additionally,¡± Professor McGonagall softened her tone as much as possible, ¡°I have already informed Miss Granger¡¯s parents about her situation.¡±

    ¡°They hope to come and spend Christmas with her, and we have agreed, so they will be coming over in a few days for the holiday.¡±

    Aunt and Uncle are coming over, and Lin Yue quickly reacted to this in her mind.

    Then she instinctively began to think; she hadn''t been able to eliminate the threat of the snake monster in time, so Hermione was petrified...

    What would Aunt and Uncle say? Lin Yue had no doubts, just instinctively continuing to push her thoughts forward.

    They would probably scold her, tell her she is useless, or maybe even beat her up or use other methods to punish her.

    But this was what she deserved, Lin Yue thought firmly, her eyes as devoid of expression as ever.

    "In addition, they are also very concerned about how you are doing at Hogwarts, and they said that when they see you at Christmas, they want to thank you in person."

    Lin Yue automatically skipped the first half of the sentence after extracting the key points, while the second half was "marked" in her mind.

    "Thank me in person, why?"

    Lin Yue''s voice showed no change, still as deep and calm as the tranquil underground cave. Professor McGonagall pressed her lips together and looked at Lin Yue seriously, saying, "Because you pointed out in advance that the monster in the secret room was a basilisk, Miss Granger was able to think of using a mirror to look around the corner."

    "Because of that, she was only petrified and did not lose her life. I think for this alone, you truly deserve to be thanked."

    Lin Yue fell silent for a moment, saying nothing. Was it really that simple to meet her expectations? She held herself to high standards and strict requirements.

    As Lin Yue continued to ponder silently, Professor McGonagall smiled and bid farewell to the four students. "Alright, everyone, go back and rest well. Miss Lin Yue, I will come to pick you up tomorrow morning."

    "Okay, thank you, Professor McGonagall. You''ve worked hard, Professor."

    Lin Yue responded mechanically with polite agreement. After Cho Chang and the others said goodbye to Professor McGonagall, they all returned to the Ravenclaw tower together.

    Upon returning to the Ravenclaw tower, almost all the Ravenclaws had gathered in the common room. As soon as they saw Lin Yue and the others come back, their eyes lit up, and they rushed over in a swarm.

    "Lin Yue, how was it? What animal did you turn into?"

    "It must be very elegant!"

    "It must look great!"

    The Ravenclaws chattered excitedly, as they had long known that Lin Yue was practicing becoming an Animagus. After all, it was obvious to see her walking around with a piece of mandrake leaf in her mouth.

    Moreover, they all assumed that Lin Yue would succeed. Come on, this is Lin Yue we''re talking about. She is recognized as the most Ravenclaw of all Ravenclaws among the students. Her excellence is known throughout the school, so in the eyes of the little eagles, Lin Yue failing or making a mistake? Impossible.

    "I turned into a Velociraptor."

    Lin Yue answered calmly, "Elegant and beautiful are two adjectives that perhaps shouldn''t be used to describe me."

    These two adjectives had always been unrelated to her; foolish and clumsy were the ones she was familiar with, the adjectives she would use to describe herself. As for elegant and beautiful... she believed she did not fit the clear definitions of these two words in the dictionary. Or rather, others had clearly told her that she did not fit.

    A long time ago, when she first started losing her baby teeth, little Lin Yue stood in front of the mirror, looking at the empty space where one of her teeth had been. When her mother saw this scene, she casually raised the TV remote control in her hand and slapped it against Lin Yue''s head with a "smack."

    She scolded, "What are you looking at? What''s so interesting about losing a tooth? Truly a foolish child."

    "You''d be better off spending this time studying a bit more. You''ve loved looking in the mirror since you were little; when you grow up, won''t you just be vain?"

    "Don''t you see you don''t have the looks for it? Not pretty at all, no grace whatsoever. Go back to your room and study."

    Little Lin Yue rubbed her eyes with her chubby little hands, covering her head, and slowly made her way into her room along the wall.

    As she passed by her mother, her mother had just finished applying a facial mask and was happily putting on another one with a different effect...

    Casting aside the emerging memories, Lin Yue continued to answer her classmates'' curious questions.

    All of them were from Ravenclaw, and after the initial gossip faded, their thirst for knowledge took over.

    The Ravenclaws, skilled in Transfiguration, eagerly asked Lin Yue about the details of her Animagus transformation, the precautions during the transformation, and various sensations, among other things.

    Lin Yue answered all of them in detail, with not a single question she couldn''t respond to. Thanks to her memory, she remembered every detail from the beginning of her Animagus practice to her success today.

    Once everyone''s curiosity was satisfied, the little eagles went off to do their own things.

    Some of the little eagles approached Qiu and Zhang, wanting them to tell the detailed story of Lin Yue''s transformation that evening.

    Seeing that Lin Yue had no intention of stopping them, Cho Chang and Zhang complied with the little eagles'' curiosity and began to tell them the "story."

    Not surrounded by the little eagles, Lin Yue blinked and turned back to her dormitory.

    "Senior Lin Yue."

    A distant, ethereal voice called out from behind her. Lin Yue turned around and saw Luna standing behind her, smiling faintly.

    "Luna, good evening." Lin Yue nodded and greeted her in a flat tone.

    "The thing you''re dragging behind you... has gotten much smaller."

    Luna, in a daze, reached out her hand and pointed behind Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue turned around and shook her head, just like she did at the beginning of the school year. "I''m not dragging anything."

    With her big hazy eyes looking at Lin Yue, Luna chuckled softly, "Thank you."

    "Why are you thanking me?"

    Luna didn''t feel that she had anything to thank Lin Yue for; she had indeed asked her some questions about her studies in the past. However, she had already expressed her gratitude at that time, so there was no need to do so again.

    "A Thestral should have been excluded among the unicorns, but now it isn''t, so I want to thank Senior Lin Yue," Luna said, still using words that were not easy to understand. However, Lin Yue was able to infer from the context that she was using a metaphor. The unicorns referred to the members of Ravenclaw or Hogwarts, while the Thestral referred to Luna herself, which is the most reasonable and likely explanation.

    Lin Yue quickly reached a conclusion, but a Thestral was comfortably at ease among the unicorns... She couldn''t find an answer to why she should thank herself.

    Luna gently smiled and stepped forward to give her a hug. "Maybe Senior Lin Yue can try to let go of the burdens she''s carrying. Senior Granger, Senior Cho Chang, everyone in Ravenclaw, including me, would be willing to help you."

    "I really hope you can get rid of them soon."

    Releasing Lin Yue, Luna wandered off in a daze, just as she had come.

    Lin Yue looked at her retreating figure with a blank expression, and her mind once again concluded that she was not carrying anything at all.

 Chapter 94: Ministry of Magic 3D modeling, registering Animagi.

    The next morning, Lin Yue, who had just finished breakfast in the great hall, was pulled into Professor McGonagall''s office. They were about to use the Floo Network to go to the Ministry of Magic and register Lin Yue''s Animagus according to the laws of the Ministry.

    Professor McGonagall handed Lin Yue a handful of Floo powder. "With your reading volume, you must have read about how to use Floo powder. Step into the fireplace, sprinkle it at your feet, and then clearly say ''Ministry of Magic.'' Remember to speak clearly."

    Lin Yue nodded with a neutral expression. "Okay, Professor McGonagall, I understand."

    Stepping into the fireplace, Lin Yue sprinkled the Floo powder and said, "Ministry of Magic." Green flames erupted, and Lin Yue instantly disappeared from the fireplace.

    The next moment, she appeared in one of the fireplaces in the Ministry of Magic''s atrium. As she stepped out of the fireplace, her gaze instinctively fell on the fountain statue that attracted the most attention in the atrium.

    The scene depicted in the statue looked quite interesting, the large golden statues were located in the middle of the pool, and the tallest of them all was a wizard with a wand pointing straight into the air. Around this statue were statues of a witch, a centaur, a goblin, and a house-elf.

    "People always think they are greater than other beings, but in reality, whether it¡¯s centaurs, fairies, or house-elves, they all possess unique talents that humans cannot compare to."

    Green flames erupted again, and Professor McGonagall stepped out of the fireplace, joining Lin Yue as they looked at the fountain statue not far away. She placed a hand on Lin Yue''s shoulder and raised an eyebrow. "I dare say that if a house-elf rebellion were to happen now, most wizards would not stand a chance against them."

    Lin Yue''s voice was flat and unchanging, "Yes, the book mentioned that the magic of house-elves is a complete system and very powerful."

    "A well-educated child," Professor McGonagall said with a smile of approval as she led Lin Yue towards the Ministry of Magic''s elevator.

    The sight of a Hogwarts professor bringing what appeared to be a first or second-year young witch to the Ministry of Magic puzzled many Ministry employees.

    They couldn''t help but cast curious glances at Professor McGonagall and Lin Yue.

    After glancing down at Lin Yue and confirming that she was not uncomfortable with the attention, Professor McGonagall felt relieved.

    She merely shot a look at the surrounding people, subtly reminding them to tone it down a bit so as not to scare her student.

    Upon receiving Professor McGonagall''s glance, nearly all the Ministry employees shuddered, recalling their own days at Hogwarts.

    After a quick curious glance, they hurriedly turned their eyes away; they were quite busy with work, really.

    As she followed Professor McGonagall into the elevator, Lin Yue looked up at her and calmly said, "Thank you, Professor McGonagall."

    She had certainly noticed Professor McGonagall''s subtle protection earlier, and according to the rules of politeness, she should express her gratitude after receiving help from the professor.

    "You''re welcome, Miss Lin Yue." Professor McGonagall pressed the button for the third floor and stood quietly with Lin Yue in the elevator, waiting for the doors to close.

    As she watched the elevator doors slowly close, Lin Yue, for some reason, instinctively began to construct a mental model of the Ministry of Magic''s hall based on her recent observations.

    She started to reverse-engineer the entire structure of the Ministry of Magic based on the internal layout and the area of the hall that she could infer.

    A voice deep in her mind told her that she should continuously refine this model.

    Her gaze shifted to the elevator buttons, which numbered ten in total.

    The mental model in her mind began to stack up, layer by layer, as the buildings were reverse-engineered according to Lin Yue''s calculations of the hall.

    The overall structure of the Ministry of Magic was becoming quite clear, with only the specific internal conditions of each floor remaining somewhat vague.

    However, based on the overall structure she had deduced, Lin Yue could make a judgment.

    There was no such large building in the Muggle world of London; its size was too great to exist on the streets.

    Thus, the Ministry of Magic must be located underground, and certainly not at a shallow depth.

    Reflecting on the books she had read, there was no clear description of the Ministry''s exact location.

    This led Lin Yue to conclude that the Ministry likely wished to keep its location hidden.

    However, the employees of the Ministry must know where it is, and according to relevant Ministry laws, there was no clause prohibiting the disclosure of its location.

    Therefore, starting from the Ministry employees and spreading outward, it was likely that many people knew where the Ministry of Magic was located.

    So... it was a semi-public secret.

    As her thoughts raced, the elevator doors opened with a "ding," and Lin Yue followed Professor McGonagall out of the elevator.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    What greeted her was a scene of bustling activity, with a group of staff members hurriedly eating breakfast and tidying up their desks.

    They were preparing for the workday ahead, and as her gaze swept across everything in sight, Lin Yue immediately made deductions based on the overall model of the Ministry she had constructed earlier.

    The architectural style of the Ministry of Magic is very orderly, with load-bearing walls, load-bearing columns, and so on, all being used normally.

    There is no doubt that the internal structure of each floor of the Ministry of Magic can be easily deduced.

    Based on the interior decoration style and room layout she is currently observing, Lin Yue''s mental model of the Ministry of Magic is rapidly being refined.

    Each floor is divided into office areas and small rooms. By the time she followed Professor McGonagall to a registration desk located in a corner, Lin Yue''s mental model of the Ministry of Magic had been completely formed.

    If she were to draw this model now, it would likely astonish many Ministry of Magic employees.

    Because her understanding of the internal situation of the Ministry is even more familiar than theirs, the accuracy of this model has reached about eighty-five percent.

    Aside from a few minor miscalculations regarding the size of certain rooms.

    In Lin Yue''s mind, the registration office resembled a small magical department. The Animagus registration office had been the most relaxed place in the Ministry of Magic for a century. After all, there were only seven wizards registered as Animagi; there were certainly others who had mastered the skill, but they simply didn''t come to register, and the Ministry had no way to compel them. With no new registrants coming in, the staff at this position spent almost every day sitting idly and waiting for the end of their shift. This made the position quite "famous" within the Ministry.

    However, today the staff member at this position finally had some work to do. Lin Yue followed Professor McGonagall to the registration office, and Professor McGonagall cleared her throat as she looked at the clerk who was organizing her things.

    ¡°Ahem, Miss Wister, good morning.¡±

    ¡°Good morning.¡± Wister looked up dully, momentarily stunned when she saw it was Professor McGonagall, but she quickly perked up.

    ¡°Professor McGonagall! What brings you here? Is there a change regarding Animagi that needs to be registered?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Professor McGonagall replied with a smile, gently pushing Lin Yue to the registration desk, ¡°I¡¯m here to help a student with her registration.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Wister looked down at the small Lin Yue, her mind not quite processing what Professor McGonagall meant.

    ¡°Hello, Miss Wister,¡± Lin Yue politely nodded and greeted her.

    ¡°Hello, hello¡­¡±

    Wister stared blankly, instinctively opening his mouth, and it took him five seconds to regain his senses.

    "Wait, registration! Come here," Wister looked at Professor McGonagall in disbelief, "Professor McGonagall, do you mean this, this child is going to register as an Animagus?!"

    "Of course," Professor McGonagall said with a smile, ruffling Lin Yue''s hair.

    "How old is she, uh, what grade is she in?"

    Wister looked down at Lin Yue again, completely unable to guess her age now.

    She has become an Animagus, but she looks so small... this is too contradictory.

    "I am a second-year student at Hogwarts Ravenclaw."

    Lin Yue answered Wister''s question in detail.

    "Second-year... twelve years old."

    Wister looked dazed, reaching under the registration desk to take out the registration book, writing down the year and today''s date.

    Then he shook his head, forcing herself to wake up.

    This is the youngest Animagus ever registered, and it''s being done by her.

    Wister thought for a moment and felt a bit proud, "What is your name?"

    "Lin Yue."

    A very nice-sounding Eastern name, Wister thought to herself, nodding as he wrote it down in the registration book.

    "Now please demonstrate your Animagus."

    "Okay." Lin Yue nodded, and just when Wister thought she would at least need to take out her wand to assist with the transformation, she saw her appearance change in an instant.

    Her body quickly grew to over two meters tall, covered in glossy black feathers that reflected some red under the light.

    With sharp teeth and claws, Wister stared at the strong, noble, and elegant creature before her, taking a sharp breath.

    For some reason, she felt a deep-seated fear rising within her.

    This fear told her that if the creature in front of her wanted her life, she wouldn''t even have the chance to draw her wand.

    Swallowing a few times, Wister recalled that she had read quite a few books written by Muggles about animals to prepare for this job.

    The goal was to recognize whatever animal everyone¡¯s Animagus might be.

    Now, looking at the creature Lin Yue had transformed into, Wister felt a wave of relief that she had read enough books about animals.

    One of them happened to be about prehistoric creatures, which mentioned a type of creature called dinosaurs.

    And the dinosaur that this little girl named Lin Yue had transformed into seemed to be called... Velociraptor.

    Wister hurriedly wrote down the name that was in her memory.

    Fortunately, she still remembered it, but just to be safe, she decided to ask.

    "Take a look, is the animal you''ve turned into this name?"

    Wister raised the registration book in her hand for Lin Yue to see the name on it.

    Lin Yue lowered her head, looked at the name of the Velociraptor on the registration book, and nodded her head.

    Wister breathed a sigh of relief, took the registration book back, and continued to write down the characteristics of Lin Yue''s Animagus.

    "Characteristics: the feathers are glossy black all over, and they can reflect red under light."

    "That¡¯s enough."

    Wister nodded at Lin Yue, and the next moment, Lin Yue transformed back into her human form.

    "Sigh... At twelve years old, mastering Animagus and being able to transform without a wand, I really feel like a failure."

    Wister lamented, shaking her head, and finally stamped the registration book.

    Professor McGonagall, watching her from the side, spoke with a mix of teasing and seriousness.

    "I don''t think you should say that, Miss Wister. Everyone has different talents."

    "Just like you, I remember your Disillusionment Charm was quite good."

    Professor McGonagall''s teasing tone was even stronger, "Until graduation, Mr. Trennor never knew who had been putting salt in his pumpkin juice every day for four years."

    ¡°Cough cough cough¡­¡± Seeing the professor mention the previous incident, Wister''s face turned slightly red as she coughed a few times.

    ¡°This, this is our mutual behavior; it¡¯s not me bullying him unilaterally. He was the one who first put sugar in my steak.¡±

    As Wister spoke, she gritted her teeth. Merlin knew how devastated she felt when she took a bite of that steak, which was sweeter than honey, back then.

    Damn Trennor was laughing super loudly!

    But it was undeniable that they were very good friends.

    After completing the registration and politely bidding farewell to Wister, Professor McGonagall hurriedly left with Lin Yue.

    She didn¡¯t want to wait for Lin Yue to register her Animagus news and then have her emotionally battered student be pestered by those "old foxes" from the Ministry of Magic.

    Back at Hogwarts, Lin Yue slightly bowed to Professor McGonagall, ¡°Thank you, Professor McGonagall, for accompanying me to the Ministry of Magic for the registration today.¡±

    ¡°You''re welcome, Miss Lin Yue.¡± Professor McGonagall helplessly helped Lin Yue up; when would she stop being so polite?

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take my leave now. Goodbye, Professor McGonagall.¡±

    ¡°Alright, goodbye, Miss Lin Yue.¡±

    Lin Yue turned to walk towards Professor McGonagall''s office door, and halfway there, Professor McGonagall suddenly remembered something and quickly added,

    ¡°By the way, Miss Granger''s parents will be coming to Hogwarts in two days and will spend Christmas here. If you want to pick them up, you can wait in the corridor at the entrance of Hogwarts Castle.¡±

    Lin Yue''s footsteps suddenly paused, and she turned around to bow her head to Professor McGonagall again. "Okay, Professor McGonagall, I understand. Thank you for the reminder."

    After saying that, she turned and left the office, gently closing the door behind her.

    As she walked back to the Ravenclaw tower, Lin Yue''s mind was unusually blank, not immediately filled with thoughts of studying.

    Uncle and aunt were coming, and they said they wanted to thank her, but how should she face their gratitude? It was clearly her fault.

    Shaking her head, Lin Yue pushed this unanswered question to the back of her mind. As thoughts of her Christmas holiday assignments surfaced, she made a simple decision.

    When she saw aunt and uncle, no matter what, she would first apologize for her mistakes.

 Chapter 95: Snowman Hermione

    When the snow-covered Hogwarts, Lin Yue had to finish her Christmas holiday homework early. To prevent her from spending all her time on the extra reading assignments, Qiu Zhang, Marietta, and Penelope dragged her outside the castle to build a snowman.

    Next to them, Harry, Ron, and the Weasley twins were divided into two teams, having a snowball fight. Recently, Harry and Ron had been focused on Dobby''s situation, so they hadn''t had much time to relax. It wasn''t until yesterday that Dobby''s matter was finally settled; he would be brought to Hogwarts tomorrow, the day before Christmas, by Lucius Malfoy. In front of Professor Dumbledore, he would be given clothes and set free. As for why Mr. Malfoy agreed to this... Harry and Ron weren''t quite sure.

    After spending the whole afternoon building snowmen with the three older girls, Lin Yue stared at the snowman in front of her for a moment. The snowman was holding a wand, with a serious yet gentle expression, and had a somewhat messy head of snow hair cascading down its back. It looked just like Hermione, who was currently lying in the hospital wing.

    "Merlin''s snowman... Can snowmen really be built with such exquisite detail?" Marietta, who had just finished her own snowman, walked over to Lin Yue and stared in amazement at the snowman in front of her.

    "Is this Hermione?" Qiu Zhang also came over and asked in a tone that was more of a statement than a question.

    "Without a doubt."

    Penelope walked up behind the three younger students and spoke softly, her gaze at Lin Yue tinged with jealousy.

    Building a snowman that resembled Hermione so seriously, she understood that Hermione likely meant something different to Lin Yue. However... as a senior, she still felt quite uncomfortable about it.

    Qiu Zhang and Marietta displayed almost the same reaction; if Lin Yue weren''t nearby, their lips would probably be pouting enough to hang an oil bottle.

    Lin Yue looked calmly at the snowman in front of her, not really knowing why she had built a snowman that looked like Hermione. In her memory, she was just building a snowman while mentally reviewing her Christmas holiday assignments. The act of building the snowman and the concept behind it were entirely driven by her instincts.

    Her body automatically shaped the snowman according to the model in her mind, and besides this snowman, there was also...

    "How beautiful!" Qiu Zhang exclaimed as she picked up a small snowman that Lin Yue had carefully crafted from a less noticeable spot. Its facial features and physique clearly resembled her own.

    "I love it," Marietta said as she took the second small snowman that Lin Yue handed over, her face beaming with joy.

    Penelope cautiously accepted the last snowman that belonged to her, which Lin Yue had brought over. She lowered her head and gave Lin Yue''s forehead a polite kiss, saying, "Thank you, I really like it. It was worth the trouble to have you as a junior."

    Lin Yue blinked with a blank expression, not quite understanding why the three seniors were so happy. She could only infer from their micro-expressions that they also wanted snowmen. Coincidentally, when she instinctively built snowmen earlier, she had subconsciously made three smaller ones that resembled the three seniors. Since they wanted them now, she decided to give them away.

    At the same time, Lin Yue''s gaze slowly shifted to the snowmen built by the three seniors. They were just ordinary snowmen made by stacking one snowball on top of another, but it was clear that they had put a lot of effort into them. The snowmen even wore blue scarves, exclusive to Ravenclaw.

    The three seniors happily held the snowmen that Lin Yue had given them and soon noticed some differences between these and other snowmen. The snowmen in their hands were not only lifelike but also showed no signs of melting. Although the weather was indeed very cold, they were still holding these three snowmen. Typically, snowmen would melt to some extent, but these three... showed no changes at all.

    The three girls exchanged glances, silently accepting the fact that the snowmen Lin Yue had made were magical. What an enviable magical talent! This thought only flashed through their minds. What they were really thinking was, this is so convenient! They could keep these snowmen forever!

    After playing in the snow, Lin Yue returned to the dormitory with Qiu Zhang and Marietta. The two seniors urged her in unison to take a hot shower first.

    "We''re seniors, so we can definitely handle the cold better."

    "That''s right, you''re younger, so you need to be careful not to catch a cold."

    Pushed into the bathroom, Lin Yue expressionlessly closed the door and swallowed the words she had just wanted to say.

    What she wanted to say was... according to the rules of etiquette, she should yield to the seniors.

    Moreover, they had all used warming spells before going out to play in the snow, so it was impossible for them to catch a cold.

    She reached out to turn on the shower, and hot water cascaded down from her hair, flowing over her body.

    As she slowly washed herself, Lin Yue kept recalling the content of her potions class in her mind.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    After Christmas, there would be only a few months until the final exams, so starting her review now wasn''t too early.

    The bathroom was filled with steam, while the cold wind howled outside the Hogwarts castle.

    The snowman that Lin Yue built, resembling "Hermione," stood motionless in a spot outside Hogwarts Castle, allowing the cold wind to blow past it without budging an inch. Not even the branches blown over by the wind left a mark on it.

    Fred, still immersed in the snowball fight, threw a snowball with all his might, which hit the snowman Lin Yue had made. Fred instantly gasped, "Oh no!"

    Without a moment to spare for the ongoing snowball fight, he dashed towards the snowman as quickly as he could, taking several snowballs to the face in the process.

    Ron and George, realizing what was happening, stopped throwing snowballs and walked over with Harry, looking at him curiously.

    "Fred, what''s wrong with you?" Ron asked, confused.

    " Fred, have you completely lost it?" George was teased, looking at him.

    Only Harry, who had witnessed everything, shakily raised his hand to point at the snowman in front of Fred.

    "The snowman... Lin Yue made it, Hermione..."

    "What?" Ron and George both exclaimed in confusion, then turned to look closely at the snowman.

    "Merlin, it really does look like her..."

    As Ron gasped, his voice grew quieter.

    Wait, Lin Yue built a snowman, and it¡¯s modeled after Hermione, so this snowman must be... Thinking about Lin Yue and then about Hermione, Ron silently took two steps back.

    ¡°Fred,¡± George, looking pale, turned to his brother, ¡°you didn¡¯t just hit it with a snowball, did you?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Fred nodded reluctantly.

    ¡°Merlin¡­¡± Ron covered his mouth to stifle a gasp, and after looking around to make sure no one was watching, he whispered, ¡°Lin Yue¡¯s snowman was hit by you, and it looks like Hermione. Just Hermione, and the Ravenclaws, plus how their mom dotes on her. If they find out about this, they¡¯ll definitely come after you.¡±

    Saying this, he even started to feel a bit gleeful.

    Their mom, Mrs. Weasley, liked Lin Yue a lot because Lin Yue saved Ginny.

    From what they knew, their mom had prepared an extremely lavish Christmas gift for Lin Yue.

    Thinking about their mom, Fred held his breath and leaned in to take a closer look at the snowman, then let out a sigh of relief, ¡°Fortunately, the snowman is fine.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s quite sturdy.¡±

    The four boys fell silent for a moment, then left as if nothing had happened.

    If there were no bad consequences, they slipped away.

    After taking a shower, Lin Yue walked out of the bathroom, drying her hair.

    Now she had learned to thoroughly dry her hair after showering; she could recite the knowledge she had learned while drying her hair.

    But she couldn¡¯t skip drying it, because if she didn¡¯t, she would have to trouble Senior Qiu Zhang and Senior Marietta.

    Lin Yue had just taken a shower, and Qiu Zhang came in with a change of clothes. Only after confirming that Lin Yue had dried her hair did Marietta feel at ease to sit back on her bed.

    Sitting at her desk, Lin Yue looked out at the vast white sky and suddenly stood up, walking to the window to open it.

    From the window of their dormitory, she could just see the snowman she had built earlier, Hermione.

    ¡°Wingardium Leviosa.¡±

    She took out her wand and waved it gently, causing the snowman outside Hogwarts Castle to float steadily up, slowly drifting towards the window.

    With a flick of her wand, Lin Yue easily maneuvered it to "lie down" and brought it inside, placing it beside her bed.

    The snowman Hermione stood beside Lin Yue''s bed like a decorative piece of art, its eyes made of snow staring unblinkingly at Lin Yue''s bed.

    Marietta was not very surprised to see Lin Yue calling up the snowman from downstairs. After all, they had also brought back the snowman that Lin Yue made for them. To be honest, just a moment ago, she and Qiu Zhang were still wondering why Lin Yue would leave her own snowman, Hermione, outside. But now it was brought up, so Lin Yue was just a bit slow to react.

    Looking at the snowman Hermione quietly standing by her bed, Lin Yue felt her heart, which had just been tightly wound, suddenly relax. The voice that had echoed in her mind just moments ago also stopped. Returning to her desk, Lin Yue opened her book and began to read carefully.

    After a while, Qiu Zhang came out of the bathroom and was slightly taken aback when she saw the snowman by Lin Yue''s bed, but she quickly regained her composure. Acting as if she hadn¡¯t seen anything, she walked back to her own bed and slowly dried her hair.

    For the rest of the day, Lin Yue remained immersed in her books until a letter from Professor McGonagall interrupted her studying after dinner.

    Called out of her study mode by Qiu Zhang, Lin Yue opened the window, and an owl dropped off a letter before flying away.

    Upon opening the letter, she was surprised to see Professor McGonagall''s handwriting.

    "Miss Lin Yue, the Granger couple, will arrive at Hogwarts tomorrow at noon. You may go to the entrance of Hogwarts Castle to meet them."

    Aunt and uncle are coming tomorrow. Lin Yue neatly put away the letter, and Qiu Zhang and Marietta exchanged glances, neither daring to ask Lin Yue what the letter said.

    What if it involved Lin Yue''s privacy?

    Not only were the Granger couple arriving at Hogwarts the day before Christmas, but Lucius Malfoy had also already sent Dobby to the headmaster''s office that morning.

    Having lost his house-elf, learned of his failed plans, and received a quiet warning from Headmaster Dumbledore.

    Lucius Malfoy felt the anger in his heart growing heavier.

    Storming out of the headmaster''s office, he ran into Harry, who was rushing over to check on Dobby.

    Seeing Harry hurrying towards the headmaster''s office at this time, Lucius had no doubt left. The person who lost Dobby and failed the plan, even if it wasn''t Potter himself, was definitely related to him.

    Glaring at him fiercely, Lucius slowly spoke with an air of superiority.

    "Mr. Potter, I think it''s quite uncouth to run around the school."

    Having heard Lin Yue''s analysis and knowing that Ginny likely got Voldemort''s diary because of him, Harry was not about to indulge him.

    "That''s still more civilized than scheming against an eleven-year-old girl, Mr. Malfoy."

    Lucius''s eyes instantly narrowed, and he gripped his cane tightly.

    "Indeed, it is you, Potter."

    "You are just like your parents, utterly oblivious to danger."

    Harry''s expression instantly turned colder, and he sneered, "Well, that''s still better than you, Mr. Malfoy. You talk about pureblood supremacy while kissing the hem of a half-blood like Voldemort. Is that the kind of behavior the Malfoy family has?"

    Hearing Harry directly reveal Voldemort''s true heritage while belittling the Malfoy family, Lucius didn''t hesitate to draw his wand.

    "You need to learn to keep a low profile, Potter, Ava..."

    " Protego."

    Before his spell could finish, a calm, emotionless voice rang out.

    A powerful Shield Charm appeared, directly blocking the space between Lucius and Harry, shaking the ground beneath them.

    Lin Yue stepped forward slowly, her eyes devoid of any expression. She had originally intended to go to the castle entrance to meet the Granger couple.

    But on the way, she saw Harry and Lucius Malfoy, and more importantly, Lucius was trying to cast a spell on Harry.

    "Are you trying to endanger Harry''s safety, Mr. Malfoy?"

    Lin Yue''s voice was calm and unperturbed, yet it inexplicably made Lucius feel uneasy. The last time he had a conflict with this little girl was still fresh in his memory, and now they were facing each other again...

    Lucius tightened his grip on his wand and gave Lin Yue and Harry a deep look. "Remember, Hogwarts and Dumbledore can''t protect you forever."

    After saying that, he turned and left. Lin Yue watched his retreating figure and silently crossed out the thought that had popped into her mind about directly killing him to eliminate the threat. Hermione had said that one should not kill unless necessary.

    The Shield Charm suddenly dissipated, and Lin Yue turned around. Harry looked at her and sincerely thanked her. "Thank you, Lin Yue. You''ve saved me once again."

    "You could have done it without me," she replied.

    Lin Yue''s expression remained unchanged as her eyes turned to Harry''s right hand, where he had subtly gripped his wand.

    "No," Harry said with a wry smile, shaking his head. "I definitely can''t do it without you; I don''t even know any spells yet."

    "Your disarming spell is enough to knock Lucius Malfoy''s wand away."

    Lin Yue quickly calculated in her mind and stated her conclusion.

    "Maybe," Harry scratched his head. "I''m going to Dumbledore''s office first."

    "Okay."

    Lin Yue nodded and continued to walk down, as it was almost noon and aunt and uncle should be arriving soon.

 Chapter 96: Unique Christmas gifts

    Walking down the stairs of Hogwarts, Lin Yue quickly arrived at the corridor leading to the entrance of the castle.

    Looking up with a neutral expression at the castle doors in front of her, Lin Yue quietly waited for them to open.

    At twelve noon, the castle doors opened on time, and Lin Yue took two steps forward.

    In front of her appeared Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who had come to Hogwarts accompanied by Professor Dumbledore.

    The couple seemed relatively stable in their emotions, but the anxiety in their eyes and the worry reflected in their subtle expressions did not escape Lin Yue''s notice.

    Aunt and Uncle were worried, worried about Hermione, who had been petrified.

    Lin Yue reached this conclusion without even thinking. It was her own lack of skill that led to the failure to completely eliminate the basilisk, which resulted in Hermione being petrified by it. Although Professor McGonagall and others had previously advised Lin Yue, telling her it wasn''t her fault, how could Lin Yue, who had been taught since childhood to immediately reflect on her own reasons when problems arose and to take responsibility for her mistakes, be so easily swayed? Her mind was still telling her, "This is your fault, this is your fault. You cannot escape; you cannot escape your mistakes."

    The doors of Hogwarts Castle slowly opened, and the expressions of the Granger couple did not appear any more relaxed; instead, their subtle expressions were magnified into clear emotions. Worry was written all over their faces. As Lin Yue observed their suddenly changed expressions, her mind raced, and in the next moment, she reached a conclusion. To ensure safety, Hogwarts Castle appeared completely different in the eyes of Muggles. To them, Hogwarts Castle was a dangerous ruin marked with "Danger, Do Not Enter."

    So, the sudden magnification of Aunt and Uncle''s subtle expressions must have been due to seeing Hogwarts as a ruin and worrying about Hermione. However, in the next moment, her thoughts were instantly shattered; the Granger couple was not just worried about Hermione.

    "Oh my God," Mr. Granger snapped back to reality and rushed towards Lin Yue, "Lin Yue, don''t stand there, it''s dangerous."

    Mrs. Granger also raised her hand to cover her mouth, turning her head to look at Professor Dumbledore with a terrified expression.

    "Professor Dumbledore, aren''t we supposed to be going to Hogwarts? Why is this place a ruin, and why is Lin Yue still in the ruins?"

    Upon hearing this, Professor Dumbledore was momentarily taken aback, but he quickly regained his composure.

    "I''m sorry, Mr. Granger, Mrs. Granger, I overlooked that."

    Forgive him, an old man over a hundred years old; since Hogwarts was established, this was the first time a Muggle student''s parents had come to Hogwarts.

    So, he hadn''t thought ahead that, in the eyes of Muggles, Hogwarts would appear as a ruin.

    After all, not everyone is like Lin Yue, who can remember every detail of every book and automatically recall it when needed.

    Principal Dumbledore waved his hand, and the Hogwarts in front of the Granger couple instantly transformed.

    From a dilapidated and dangerous building, it turned into a magnificent castle.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    Mr. Granger stopped in his tracks, awkwardly looking at Lin Yue, who was walking out of the castle towards them.

    ¡°I forgot, this is a magical academy,¡± Mr. Granger said, running his hand through his hair and then smiling at Lin Yue, ¡°But I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay.¡±

    Lin Yue blinked, feeling a strange warmth in her chest. After Principal Dumbledore and Mrs. Granger also approached, she politely nodded to the three adults.

    ¡°Principal Dumbledore, Auntie, Uncle, good afternoon.¡±

    ¡°Good afternoon,¡± the three adults responded with smiles.

    Principal Dumbledore turned to the Granger couple and said, "Please forgive me; my memory is indeed getting worse as I grow older. Hogwarts presents itself as a ruin in front of Muggles to protect its existence here. I should have remembered to inform you in advance, and I apologize for that."

    The Granger couple quickly waved their hands, smiling to indicate that it was no problem.

    Lin Yue waited until the conversation between Principal Dumbledore and the Granger couple ended before deeply bowing to them. "I''m sorry, Auntie, Uncle. It was my failure to completely eliminate the threat of the Basilisk that led to Hermione being petrified. This is all my fault."

    The Granger couple stared at Lin Yue, who suddenly apologized, in shock for two seconds. Then Mrs. Granger quickly reacted and stepped forward to help her up. "Silly child, what are you saying? You don''t need to apologize."

    "That''s right, we should be thanking you," Mr. Granger also stepped forward, squatting down to meet Lin Yue''s gaze. "Just like we told Professor McGonagall before, if you hadn''t pointed out that the monster in the Chamber of Secrets was a Basilisk, Hermione would never have gone to use the mirror to look around the corner."Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    "She might not have even had the chance to be petrified at all."

    "But based on the situation that day, if it weren''t for worrying about me, Hermione wouldn''t have left the Gryffindor common room."

    Lin Yue''s tone was flat, and as soon as she finished speaking, Mrs. Granger gently hugged her, stroking her back.

    "You''re such a good child; it''s definitely not your fault. Isn''t it normal to worry about your friends? Hermione should be the one coming out to look for you."

    "As long as you have the right sense of right and wrong, you won''t feel like this is your fault."

    Mrs. Granger released Lin Yue, wrapping her arm around her shoulders and following her husband as they walked into Hogwarts with Professor Dumbledore.

    "And we also heard that you went to face the Basilisk alone after Hermione was petrified, a giant snake that could kill with just a glance. How could you dare to do that, my child..."

    Mrs. Granger''s voice trembled as she spoke; what a wonderful child she was.

    She couldn''t even imagine what it would have been like if something had gone wrong for Lin Yue when facing the Basilisk.

    "Hermione was petrified... by the Basilisk..."

    Lin Yue looked straight ahead and spoke in a flat, mechanical tone. Mrs. Granger''s eyes flashed sharply, and the hand she had around Lin Yue''s shoulder tightened. "Meeting you is truly Hermione''s greatest luck."

    Lin Yue''s brain was quickly processing, but she couldn''t figure out why meeting her would be considered Hermione''s luck. After all, just like this time, if it weren''t for her, Hermione wouldn''t have been petrified since she wouldn''t have left the Gryffindor common room. However, since Mrs. Granger said so, she could only respond politely. "Thank you, Auntie."

    Following Professor Dumbledore to the hospital wing, Mrs. Granger looked down at Lin Yue and reached out to pinch her cheek. "We''ve prepared two Christmas gifts for you, one from us and the other on behalf of Hermione. You''ll be able to receive them tomorrow."

    "Thank you, Auntie, Uncle."

    Lin Yue allowed Mrs. Granger to pinch her face, responding with a calm tone despite the situation.

    When they reached Hermione''s hospital bed, the Granger couple gathered around.

    Seeing their daughter petrified before their eyes, Mrs. Granger could no longer hold back her tears.

    "Oh my God..."

    Mrs. Granger reached out to touch Hermione''s hand that was holding the mirror, but instead of the warmth she was used to, she felt the coldness of stone.

    "Hermione..." Mrs. Granger lowered her head, gently resting her forehead on her daughter''s icy hand, tears slowly dripping down and "shattering" on Hermione''s petrified abdomen.

    Mr. Granger''s eyes also turned red; he tried to grasp a strand of Hermione''s hair.

    "My dear... when have you ever been as gloomy as you are now? You''ve always been so cheerful."

    Lin Yue lowered her gaze, realizing that, out of politeness, she should leave now.

    So, she quietly left the infirmary with Professor Dumbledore.

    As they stepped out and gently closed the door, Professor Dumbledore stroked his beard and looked at Lin Yue.

    "Perhaps you can accept now that this is not your fault, Miss Lin Yue?"

    Lin Yue stiffly raised her head to look at Professor Dumbledore, her eyes, as still as the depths of a pond, gazing at him without any reaction.

    "Well..." Professor Dumbledore smiled helplessly, "It seems we''ll have to wait for Miss Granger to wake up and speak to you herself."

    "You''ll be waiting here for them too, right?"

    Professor Dumbledore tilted his head to look at Lin Yue, who expressionlessly nodded.

    "Yes."

    "Then why don''t we sit for a while? I think the Grangers will have quite a bit to say to their daughter."

    Professor Dumbledore pulled out his wand and waved it, and two chairs that looked very comfortable appeared out of thin air in front of them.

    As he sat down, Professor Dumbledore noticed that Lin Yue had not taken a seat. The light on his glasses flickered as he was about to ask her why she wasn''t sitting down.

    Suddenly, he saw Lin Yue''s body transform right before his eyes, turning into a dinosaur that looked strong and sleek.

    Lin Yue slightly tilted her head and picked through the feathers in her right front paw. She selected the most beautiful one, which was also the perfect size for making a quill pen. Lin Yue bit down on it and pulled it out with force.

    Principal Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at this scene and only spoke when Lin Yue transformed back into her human form, standing still with the feather in her hand.

    "Miss Lin Yue, what are you doing?"

    Lin Yue turned around and tucked the feather away. "I''m making a Christmas gift for Hermione, a quill pen."

    As soon as she heard the Granger couple mention that they had prepared two Christmas gifts for her, she instinctively began to think about what kind of Christmas gift to prepare for Hermione.

    For everyone else, including the professors and the Granger couple, she had already ordered their Christmas gifts through the owl post. After all, thanks to the world''s consciousness, she wasn''t short on money, and under such circumstances, preparing gifts for everyone was quite easy.

    The Honey Duke''s Christmas gift package was very suitable, enough candy to last half a year, which would definitely show her thoughtfulness.

    However, when it came to Hermione''s gift, Lin Yue instinctively saved it for last. She had a vague feeling that Hermione''s gift should be different from the others, just like last year; she couldn''t give her the same thing as everyone else.

    From that moment on, her mind had automatically set aside part of her thoughts to consider what gift to give Hermione. It wasn''t until just now that she concluded to give Hermione a quill pen made from her own Animagus feather.

    She just wondered if Hermione would be satisfied with this gift.

    After listening to Lin Yue''s explanation, Professor Dumbledore nodded to himself, even though he had not regained his emotions. Lin Yue''s seriousness and dedication towards Hermione were instinctive and impeccable.

    Once he regains his emotions... Professor Dumbledore shook his head with a smile, thinking that it would probably be the kind of sweet and passionate love typical of young people.

    When the Granger couple walked out of the hospital wing, it was already half past twelve. They had spent thirty minutes with their daughter.

    Seeing them come out, Lin Yue quickly stood up, and Professor Dumbledore waved his wand to make two chairs disappear.

    "We can go to the Great Hall now; lunch at Hogwarts is not over yet."

    "Okay, thank you, Professor Dumbledore," Mrs. Granger said with red-rimmed eyes and a smile, "Sorry to keep you waiting."

    "Parents watching their child, no matter how long, is never considered waiting too long."

    Professor Dumbledore shook his head while looking seriously at the Granger couple.

    "And if we are talking about apologies, I should be the one to apologize here."

    "As the headmaster of Hogwarts, I failed to ensure the safety of the students, and that is my mistake."

    "I owe you and Miss Granger an apology, and of course," Professor Dumbledore turned to look at Lin Yue, "I also need to apologize to Miss Lin Yue."

    Lin Yue shook her head and said earnestly, "No one can ensure that everything is under control and that nothing will go wrong. It''s not your fault, Professor Dumbledore."

    "That''s true, Professor Dumbledore, you don''t need to apologize," the Granger couple also waved their hands, acknowledging that accidents could happen at any time.

    Although they were heartbroken for their daughter, they were not unreasonable parents. Anyone would feel pain when an accident happens to their child, but Hogwarts, as a school, had done what it was supposed to do.

    Immediately after Hermione was petrified, Professor McGonagall arrived at their home with a thick letter detailing the incident. She explained the situation to them in detail and apologized, without a hint of concealment. She assured them that Hogwarts would definitely treat Hermione and that she would return home healthy and lively during the summer vacation.

    Furthermore, she and Professor Dumbledore fought for their right to visit Hermione at Hogwarts with the Ministry of Magic and the Wizengamot. This allowed them to learn the truth of the situation and even have the opportunity to visit their daughter at Hogwarts, rather than staying at home completely in the dark.

    Given that Hogwarts and Professor Dumbledore had gone to such lengths, how could they feel comfortable accepting another apology? Ultimately, this incident was not the school''s fault; all the blame lay with the dark wizard who deceived an eleven-year-old girl and continued to commit evil acts, as well as the basilisk that truly harmed Hermione.

    "Thank you for your understanding, but the fact is that I, this old bone, should still be more vigilant," Dumbledore said.

    Principal Dumbledore smiled slightly, his eyes glinting, "Alright, let''s hurry to the Great Hall. The food at Hogwarts is quite abundant and should satisfy you."

    The four of them walked through the corridors into the Great Hall, where the floating candles and the ceiling that resembled the outside sky made Mr. and Mrs. Granger unable to help but marvel.

    At the same time, many young wizards in the hall also turned their attention to these two adults who were clearly not wearing wizard robes.

 Chapter 97: Photos album, the smile that finally appeared.

    Many Slytherin wizards changed their expressions; the fact that Hogwarts was admitting Muggle-born students had already made them feel quite uncomfortable. Now they were actually allowing Muggles to enter the school. Was Dumbledore getting senile?

    However, despite their dissatisfaction, they only dared to cast a furtive glare at the Granger couple. After all, Dumbledore and Lin Yue were right next to them. None of them wanted to lose house points, let alone face repercussions. They still remembered the last time when Lin Yue single-handedly raised her wand and threatened the entire Slytherin house, causing Malfoy to back down voluntarily.

    Therefore, they absolutely did not want to provoke this "madwoman" who was very likely to act without hesitation. They had to be cautious and protect themselves to some extent.

    Hermione is a student of Gryffindor, so it was only natural for Mr. and Mrs. Granger to be brought by Professor Dumbledore to sit at the very front of the Gryffindor long table.

    Lin Yue watched as the Grangers sat down and nodded at them, "Auntie, Uncle, I''m going back to the Ravenclaw long table now."

    "Alright, eat more, you look so thin," Mrs. Granger replied with a smile, reaching out to pinch Lin Yue''s slender arm.

    "I''ll try my best," Lin Yue responded in a flat tone, turning around to sit back down at the Ravenclaw long table.

    Professor Dumbledore walked up to the staff table, extending his hands to get everyone''s attention.

    "Today, Hogwarts welcomes two guests, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who will be spending Christmas here at Hogwarts with their daughter, Miss Granger."

    As soon as Dumbledore finished speaking, the hall erupted into warm applause.

    The Gryffindors welcomed Hermione''s parents with enthusiasm because she was one of their own.

    The Ravenclaws, upon realizing that these two adults were Hermione''s parents, instinctively turned their gaze to Lin Yue. When they saw her clapping and realized what was happening, they immediately joined in the applause.

    In fact, the intensity of their applause seemed to slightly surpass that of the Gryffindors.

    As for the Hufflepuffs, they followed suit and clapped as well, since the Ravenclaws were applauding.

    Hufflepuffs usually have no problem following the Ravenclaws and the top students.

    The Slytherins had gloomy expressions, and it was already quite something that they weren''t saying anything. Applause was absolutely out of the question. When the clapping stopped, Professor Dumbledore smiled and said, "Please continue eating."

    The little wizards in the hall continued their lunch, and the Slytherins even deliberately quickened their pace, finishing their meals as quickly as possible to grab their luggage and prepare to catch the Hogwarts Express.

    Merlin above, how could Dumbledore think of letting two Muggles into Hogwarts? They definitely had to discuss this news with their families when they got home.

    Lin Yue, who was focused on her lunch, was completely unaware of the Slytherins'' disdain and early departure. Just a moment ago, Mrs. Granger had said she hoped Lin Yue would eat a bit more. After she finished her third steak, Cho Chang, who was sitting next to her, could no longer hold back and pressed down on her right hand, which was reaching for more steak.

    "Aren''t you full yet? Don''t overeat." Cho Chang said with a frown, using her other hand to touch Lin Yue''s belly. The once flat stomach was now noticeably bulging, clearly a sign of overeating.

    "You must be full by now."

    Cho Chang sighed helplessly and gave Marietta, who was sitting next to Lin Yue, a glance.

    Marietta understood immediately and quickly removed the plate and cutlery in front of Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue watched as Marietta took away her plate and cutlery and said in a flat voice,

    "Mrs. Granger advised me to eat more, saying that I am too thin."

    "That''s Mrs. Granger caring about you," Cho Chang said, gently rubbing Lin Yue''s belly with his hand while patiently explaining.

    "Mrs. Granger means that you are too thin, and you should eat a bit more within your capacity."

    "But you can''t overeat," Marietta chimed in from the side, also reaching out to gently rub Lin Yue''s belly, working in tandem with Cho Chang.

    Cho Chang glanced at Marietta, and Marietta blinked.

    The two of them lowered their heads at the same time, alright... they both wanted to pursue the junior.

    Lin Yue sat quietly in her chair, repeatedly thinking about Mrs. Granger''s words and the explanations given by Senior Cho Chang and Senior Marietta just now.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    So it turns out... this one sentence can have so many meanings?

    Lin Yue firmly remembered this point in her mind: when analyzing what others say, it needs to be more specific and more in line with the context.

    When Hermione was petrified, Cho Chang and Marietta unhesitatingly chose to stay at school to accompany Lin Yue.

    Penelope also wanted to stay but had to go home due to an urgent matter.

    In the afternoon, Hogwarts felt even more spacious and grand with more than half of the students absent.

    After the Grangers finished lunch, they went to the hospital wing to be with Hermione, while Lin Yue went to the library to read.

    Even though it was clear that this was a completely different world from before, studying had already become an instinct ingrained in her genes.

    Cho Chang and Marietta, the two senior students, were also sitting in the library accompanying Lin Yue as she studied. However, they had agreed with Lin Yue that on Christmas Day tomorrow, she wouldn¡¯t be able to study, not even to review knowledge points in her mind. Christmas Day should be a time to relax; if one were still thinking about studying, what would that mean?

    After an entire afternoon and evening of studying, Lin Yue remained focused and serious in her studies. But Cho Chang and Marietta could no longer hold on. Even though they were from Ravenclaw and indeed enjoyed studying, they couldn¡¯t withstand several hours of continuous concentration in the afternoon and evening. The two seniors felt dizzy until they returned to their dormitory and took a hot shower, which slowly alleviated that feeling.

    At eleven o''clock, after drying her hair, Lin Yue sat down at her desk right on time, taking out the feather she had plucked. Drawing her wand, Lin Yue didn¡¯t directly use the Transfiguration spell to make her feather into a quill. Instead, she carefully and attentively used her wand to design and adjust the feather, ultimately creating a quill that she deemed satisfactory.

    The quill appeared shiny and black, but when you held it and began to write, it would subtly switch between a faint red and black as your hand trembled while writing, giving off a strong sense of mystery. After finishing the quill, Lin Yue raised her left hand to check her watch; it was exactly midnight, not a second off. She stood up, expressionless, lay down on her bed, and fell into a deep sleep the moment she closed her eyes.

    In a sleep cycle of waking up every hour, six hours quickly passed. When she opened her eyes again, there were already quite a few Christmas gifts placed by her bedside. The last time she woke up, there was nothing there, so the gifts must have been delivered by the owls between five and six o''clock.

    Instinctively beginning her first thoughts of the day, Lin Yue got out of bed barefoot and subconsciously picked up the gift box labeled "From Hermione." Gently unwrapping it, Lin Yue was momentarily stunned as she looked at the album inside the gift box, then took it out.

    Opening the album, the first thing she saw was a picture of Hermione being held by the Granger couple. She was just a tiny baby, having been born not long ago, but even then, she was already very fair and beautiful. Following systematic deductions, one could see the shadow of the current Hermione in her features.

    Flipping through the pages, one-year-old Hermione was seen sitting at the dining table, eating breakfast heartily, while four or five-year-old Hermione was sitting on the sofa reading. Page by page, the first half of Hermione''s childhood was completely presented before Lin Yue''s eyes.

    She clearly witnessed Hermione''s growth from a young age, witnessing the joy and happiness of her early childhood. An indescribable warmth filled her heart, and her mind was no longer dull and painful as before, but instead flowed with waves of warmth. Looking at Hermione''s smile in the album, it felt as if she herself had experienced those moments.

    Tears slowly welled up in the corners of her eyes, and her lips instinctively curled upwards. Childhood... was it supposed to be like this?

    Hermione... truly is a wonderful person.

    For the first time, Lin Yue connected the definition of "wonderful" in her mind with a person.

    Flipping through the photo album over and over, Lin Yue''s strong memory allowed her to remember every detail of each photo.

    By the time Cho Chang and Marietta got up at eight o''clock, Lin Yue had already been looking at the album for two hours.

    Cho Chang was the first to pull back the bed curtain, opening her bleary eyes to look at Lin Yue''s spot.

    Sure enough, Lin Yue was already up, smiling at a book she didn¡¯t even know the title of.

    Wait a minute, Cho Chang raised her hand and rubbed her blurry eyes vigorously. Was Lin Yue really smiling?

    She couldn''t be mistaken!

    As her vision gradually cleared, Cho Chang looked at Lin Yue''s face again, and without a doubt, it was definitely a smile!

    Cho Chang took a deep breath, not daring to make a sound, afraid of interrupting the smile on Lin Yue''s face.

    In fact, to avoid making noise, she didn¡¯t even put on her slippers, running barefoot to Marietta''s bedside.

    Marietta, just waking up, instinctively opened her mouth to shout when she saw someone rushing towards her.

    But before the sound could escape, Cho Chang pressed her hand over Marietta''s mouth.

    "Don''t make a sound!"

    "Wake up and look at Lin Yue."

    Swallowing hard, Marietta obediently nodded and slowly turned her head to look at Lin Yue, then couldn''t help but widen her eyes in surprise.

    Even her mouth slightly opened, her warm breath escaping into Cho Chang''s palm.

    Cho Chang felt the warmth and moisture in her palm, her face flushed slightly, and she immediately withdrew her hand. Then, as if to cover it up, she made a disgusting expression and rubbed her palm on Marietta''s nightgown.

    Marietta turned her head, looked at Cho Chang, and twitched her mouth, then immediately formed her lips to ask her, "Why is Lin Yue smiling?"

    Cho Chang shook her head and replied with her lips, "I don''t know. I just got up, and she was already smiling."

    Marietta pretended to think, slowly stroking her chin with her right hand. "I think it must be because of what she has in her hand."

    She stood up and leaned close to Cho Chang''s ear, whispering softly.

    Cho Chang pressed her lips together, subtly shifted a step to the side, and nodded, "I think so too."

    "What are you doing? Are you disgusted with me?"

    Although Cho Chang''s movement was subtle, after being friends for three years, Marietta could easily understand her. She leaned closer to Cho Chang, squinting her eyes at her. If Cho Chang dared to say yes, she would make this girl smile for a good half hour.

    "Ahem... No, what are you thinking?" Cho Chang waved her hand, "I just... I''m a bit hot!"

    "Hot?" Marietta frowned. It was Christmas, in the middle of winter, and Cho Chang said she was hot?

    But thinking about it carefully... Hogwarts was indeed warm, and since she had just been very close, maybe Cho Chang really was hot.

    Realizing this, Marietta raised her hand to make an "OK" gesture and continued to excitedly observe the smile on Lin Yue''s face.

    Cho Chang secretly glanced at her. Some things might not feel significant when done before... but at a certain moment, the feeling can suddenly change.

    Just as Marietta opened her mouth in surprise, exhaling towards her hands, Cho Chang clearly felt her heart go into disarray. She was certain that this was that moment.

    However, it seemed that her dear friend... was still far from realizing that aspect.

    Forget it... Let it be, she would guide her slowly; Marietta would eventually come to understand. Just like Hermione, who gradually influenced Lin Yue over time.

    As for now, it was better to continue enjoying the rare smile of her junior.

    As Lin Yue turned the page of the album, both sharp-eyed seniors clearly saw the face of the little girl on the previous page.

    Although she was much younger than now, there was no doubt that it was...

    "Hermione!"

    Cho Chang and Marietta exchanged glances and said in unison.

    "So, Lin Yue was looking at Hermione''s childhood album while smiling, that makes sense," Marietta murmured softly, and Cho Chang nodded in agreement.

    An album of Hermione''s childhood... No wonder it could make Lin Yue smile.

    Since Hermione was petrified, the only possible person who could have given this album was the Granger couple.

    Thinking of the wise-looking mother she had seen before, Cho Chang silently nodded.

    She really is wise... By giving the childhood album, she indirectly allowed Lin Yue to participate in Hermione''s childhood and understand her better.

    Isn''t that equivalent to nurturing a relationship? It seems the Granger couple is truly satisfied with Lin Yue.

    Speaking of which... should she give this person a gift next Christmas? Cho Chang glanced at Marietta, and a plan slowly formed in her mind.

    After looking through the entire album no less than ten times, Lin Yue finally closed it.

    The smile at the corner of her mouth gradually faded, and her mind returned to a calm state.

    She became "silent" again, but if one looked closely, beneath her originally lifeless eyes, which were as still as the Dead Sea, there were now signs of life beginning to sprout. With more sunlight shining in, it would grow and thrive completely.

 Chapter 98: An open smile, past, present, and future.

    As Lin Yue put down the album in her hands, Cho Chang and Marietta exchanged a cautious glance and stepped forward carefully.

    "Good morning, Lin Yue."

    Cho Chang spoke with a hint of anxiety in her heart, filled with anticipation, hoping that when Lin Yue turned around, her tone and expression would be somewhat different from usual.

    Unfortunately, reality was destined to disappoint her. When Lin Yue turned around, her face still wore the same indifferent expression as always.

    Her greeting was as emotionless as they were familiar with, "Good morning, senior Cho Chang, senior Marietta."

    "Good morning."

    Marietta reached out and rubbed Lin Yue''s little head, letting out a sigh.

    "You look so good when you smile. It would be great if you could smile more."

    "Yeah," Cho Chang nodded in agreement from the side, unable to suppress a sigh himself.

    "Smile? I can''t... Did I just smile?"

    Lin Yue stared blankly at Cho Chang and Marietta, clearly remembering that she had looked at the photo album for a full two hours.

    She had recorded every moment of Hermione''s life that had been documented, clearly remembering each one.

    But... she had no impression of her own reaction while looking at it.

    A smile is the kind of expression Hermione showed in the album, the kind that everyone at Hogwarts often displays.

    Would she have that kind of expression? Lin Yue''s brain quickly worked to try to move that expression to her own face.

    Just as she was halfway through, a sharp pain shot through her mind again, and waves of dizziness and confusion filled her head.

    She couldn''t imagine, or rather, she couldn''t picture what that expression would look like on her face.

    If she couldn''t even imagine it, how could she possibly show that kind of expression?

    Lin Yue shook her head at the two senior sisters, "I''m sorry, Senior Cho Chang, Senior Marietta, I''ve disappointed you. I can''t make that kind of expression."

    Taking a deep breath, she pressed her lips together and smiled. Cho Chang and Marietta reached out and hugged her.

    "It''s okay, one day you''ll be able to smile freely."

    "That day will come soon."

    The two senior sisters held Lin Yue tightly, gently stroking her back.

    Lin Yue''s mind, which had been racing, gradually began to slow down.

    After a while, Cho Chang and Marietta finally released her and stood up.

    Cho Chang smiled and linked her arm with Lin Yue''s, pulling her up. "Let''s go, it''s time for breakfast."

    "Okay." Lin Yue nodded mechanically, complying with Cho Chang''s pull as she got up from the bed.

    Marietta immediately stepped forward, linking her other arm with Lin Yue''s, and the three of them walked out of the Ravenclaw tower, heading straight for the Great Hall.

    Upon entering the Great Hall, Lin Yue immediately spotted the Granger couple sitting at the Gryffindor long table.

    She turned to look at the two senior sisters, and Cho Chang and Marietta simultaneously released her and nodded.

    "Go ahead, we''ll wait for you at the long table."

    "Mm." Lin Yue nodded and walked towards the Gryffindor long table.

    Marietta watched Lin Yue''s back as she walked towards the Gryffindor long table, her eyes darting around before she suddenly hugged Cho Chang''s arm.

    The sudden warmth of the body pressed against her made Cho Chang stiffen for a moment, forcing herself to suppress the heat that was about to spread to her face.

    Cho Chang turned her head to look at Marietta, trying to steady her tone.

    "What are you doing?"

    Marietta raised an eyebrow, "What am I doing? Is it not okay for me to hug my best friend?"

    Cho Chang smiled gently and lightly twisted the right hand that Marietta was not hugging.

    "Sure, go ahead and hug."

    "Mm-hmm, that''s more like it."

    Marietta nodded in satisfaction and took Cho Chang''s arm as they walked towards the Ravenclaw long table.

    Cho Chang smiled warmly, allowing her to hold onto her. Well, she''s so determined and happy to hug me like this.

    I hope that in the future... you can hold onto me just as firmly.

    When they reached Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Lin Yue lowered her head politely and spoke.

    "Auntie, Uncle, good morning. Thank you for your gift; I really like it."Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The Granger couple turned around, and Mrs. Granger smiled as she took her hand, inviting her to sit beside them.

    Lin Yue glanced at the classmates next to her; after all, it was the Gryffindor long table, and if she sat down without permission... wouldn¡¯t that be a bit impolite?

    The Gryffindors beside her certainly recognized this "prominent figure" of the school, not to mention that she was clearly someone cherished by the Grangers.

    Given these two points, there was no way anyone would stop her from sitting down.

    Not only did they not stop her, but a whole bunch of Gryffindors squeezed together, making a large space for Lin Yue.

    "Thank you, everyone."

    After Lin Yue thanked them earnestly, she sat down next to the Granger couple.

    "Good morning, Lin Yue," Mrs. Granger said kindly as she held Lin Yue''s hand. "The gift you gave us was also very exquisite, thank you."

    "You''re welcome."

    Lin Yue shook her head calmly. The gift she prepared for the Granger couple was different from others.

    She clearly remembered that the Granger couple were both dentists, so it was obviously inappropriate to give them honey duke candies.

    Another very important point... they were Hermione''s parents, and a voice deep in her mind told her that she should give them something different.

    So she gave Mrs. Granger a silk scarf and Mr. Granger a suit.

    Neither was particularly expensive, but both were exquisite and practical.

    Mr. Granger reached over his wife and handed a small box to Lin Yue.

    "The gift we sent over this morning was on behalf of Hermione, and this is our personal gift to you. Open it and take a look."

    Lin Yue blinked and took the gift box. "Thank you, Auntie, Uncle."

    As she spoke, she opened the gift box, and inside was surprisingly an album.

    Taking out the album, Lin Yue flipped it open, and the first page was a photo taken during her first dinner at the Granger''s home.

    In the picture, she and Hermione were both looking down at their dinner, and Hermione was leaning over from the side, seemingly reminding her to eat slowly.

    But... when was this taken? Lin Yue had no memory of this moment.

    She was quite focused while eating, so it was normal not to notice these things.

    Flipping through the pages one by one, every photo recorded moment of her time at the Granger''s with Hermione.

    As she browsed through the album, Lin Yue''s original expressionless face softened, and she unexpectedly smiled again.

    This time, it wasn''t just Cho Chang and Marietta who saw it.

    The Ravenclaws, who had been watching her since she entered the hall, all noticed.

    With a rustle... clatter... the sound of chairs moving echoed, and the students at the Ravenclaw table excitedly stood up, their eyes fixed on Lin Yue, who was smiling at the album in her hands.

    Not going home for Christmas, and yet witnessing such a wonderful moment!

    The Ravenclaws clenched their fists in excitement, silently cheering in place. For the first time, Lin Yue showed an expression other than her usual blank face in front of them.

    And it was a smile! They would soon go back to write letters to others, and they would definitely envy them for being able to see this smile.

    The professors at the teachers¡¯ table were also startled by the sight of all the Ravenclaw students standing up.

    When they followed their gaze and saw Lin Yue smiling at the album at the Gryffindor table, Professor Flitwick dropped his knife and fork, and Professor McGonagall clutched her collar, unable to contain her excitement.

    "Merlin bless, finally... Merlin, this child''s smile is truly beautiful."

    "Without a doubt, a youthful and vibrant smile, how wonderful."

    Principal Dumbledore chuckled as he stroked his beard. Based on his guess, the album should have been taken with Miss Granger.

    What a wonderful pair of girls they are; they would make great companions, good enough to face the obstacles and temptations of life together.

    Professor Snape snorted coldly but quickly interrupted when Lockhart seemed about to say something.

    ¡°Professor Lockhart, you should hurry and have your breakfast. I remember you wanted to use the Christmas holiday to prepare your lesson plans for the next semester.¡±

    Lockhart''s expression stiffened for a moment, and he awkwardly nodded, ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯d better hurry; after all, time waits for no one.¡±

    ¡°The sooner you teach the children more knowledge, the better.¡± After saying this, he lowered his head to continue eating breakfast, secretly resenting that little wizard who had reported him to Principal Dumbledore for making them perform a "stage play" in class.

    If it weren''t for that, he wouldn''t need to be supervised while preparing lesson plans. No matter what he taught, no one would care, but now he had to make lesson plans.

    He didn¡¯t even know those spells; how could he prepare lesson plans... he didn¡¯t know how long he could keep this up.

    Damn it, he came to Hogwarts for greater fame, not to expose himself.

    Meanwhile, Lin Yue was still immersed in the album, her mind rapidly recalling every detail within it.

    At that moment, as she was remembering the album, a thought suddenly popped into her mind that she absolutely could not have come up with on her own.

    ¡°I watched your past through the photos, I participated in your present by stepping into the photos, and for your future, I will find more ways to participate.¡±

    Her mind suddenly went blank for a moment, and Lin Yue didn¡¯t understand why she had suddenly thought of such a sentence.

    However, she remembered that it was breakfast time, and she couldn¡¯t delay too long, affecting the Granger couple''s breakfast.

    Closing the album, Lin Yue stood up and nodded at Mr. and Mrs. Granger, ¡°Thank you, Auntie, thank you, Uncle. I really like the gift.¡±

    Seeing Lin Yue return to her expressionless face, Mrs. Granger lovingly patted the back of her hand.

    ¡°You''re welcome, go have your breakfast.¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    Lin Yue nodded and quickly walked back to the Ravenclaw long table, lowering her head and eating breakfast at a leisurely pace.

    The Ravenclaws at the Ravenclaw long table exchanged glances but ultimately decided not to disturb Lin Yue while she was eating. They carefully suppressed their excitement at seeing Lin Yue smile.

    After breakfast, Lin Yue parted ways with Cho Chang and Marietta and made her way to the hospital wing alone. The Granger couple was still having breakfast in the Great Hall, so at that moment, the hospital wing was occupied only by her and Hermione.

    Even Madam Pomfrey found an excuse to leave after seeing Lin Yue come in. After all, there were no other students in the hospital wing, just a petrified Hermione, so her presence wasn''t really needed.

    Sitting by Hermione''s bedside, Lin Yue took out the Christmas gift she had prepared for Hermione from the inside of her robe and placed it next to Hermione''s pillow.

    "Christmas gift, for Hermione," Lin Yue said in a mechanical voice, unsure if the petrified Hermione could hear her.

    The books she had read did not elaborate on whether those petrified by the basilisk retained any consciousness. But even if Hermione couldn''t hear her... there was still a voice deep in her mind urging her to speak.

    "It''s a quill made from the feathers of my Animagus. I''ve tried it; it''s very useful."

    Lin Yue fell silent for a moment, reaching out to tentatively grasp Hermione''s somewhat cold hand, which had turned to stone. She didn''t know why she was doing this, but she did it anyway, just as she couldn''t stop herself from saying the words that followed.

    "Aunt and Uncle give me your childhood photo album. It''s very beautiful."

    "They also sent me a new album from last summer, representing themselves. It''s very... you look very good."

    Lin Yue started to say something but changed her words halfway, excluding herself from the list of those who looked good.

    "I... I looked at the photos and participated in your past. I entered the photos and participated in your present. I... I..."

    The words that had formed in her mind could only come out halfway, the last part stuck in her throat, unable to be spoken.

    Withdrawing her hand, Lin Yue lowered her head and sat in the chair, her face still expressionless, but her slightly trembling hand revealed her unusual emotional turmoil.

    "I... I will wait for you to wake up."

    It felt like that sentence was forced out of her. After saying it, Lin Yue suddenly realized that her back was already soaked with sweat.

    Standing up, her legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead. After glancing at Hermione a couple of times, Lin Yue turned and walked toward the door of the infirmary.

    With each step she took, the sweat on her body gradually faded, and her leaden legs slowly felt lighter.

    Her mind felt as if a huge stone had been lifted, and as she walked out of the infirmary, Lin Yue quickened her pace toward the outside of Hogwarts Castle.

    Today was Christmas, and she had promised senior students Cho Chang and Marietta that she wouldn''t read, wouldn''t study, and wouldn''t even think about it.

    So, she decided to step outside the castle and sit for a while.

    Waving her wand to clear the snow on the ground, Lin Yue sat down and looked at the frozen Black Lake not far away.

    Before long, a figure with long golden hair floated down to sit beside Lin Yue.

    Lin Yue turned her head and politely greeted her, "Luna, good morning."

    "Good morning, Senior Lin Yue. It''s a beautiful piece of black gemstone, isn''t it?"

    Luna spoke with a voice as ethereal as herself, pointing her right hand towards the direction of the Black Lake.

    "Yes, very beautiful." Lin Yue turned back to look at the Black Lake not far away, nodding her head with a calm expression.

 Chapter 99: Awakening

    "Just like Senior Lin Yue''s smile."

    Luna turned her head and gave Lin Yue a hazy and dreamy smile.

    "Thank you, but I don''t think I''m good-looking," Lin Yue politely replied, adding what she believed to be the truth.

    Luna elegantly shook her head, her silver eyes fixed on the distant black lake.

    "I think Senior Lin Yue is beautiful, and in the aesthetic of most normal people, you should be considered good-looking."

    Seeing the genuine expression on Luna''s face, Lin Yue, who was familiar with micro-expressions, knew that she was speaking the truth, that it was what she truly thought.

    However... was she really good-looking? She wasn''t sure.

    But one thing she was certain of was that she stood up and reached out her hand to Luna.

    Luna tilted her head as she looked at Lin Yue''s outstretched hand, and after placing her hand on it, she stood up with Lin Yue''s strength.

    Lin Yue used her other hand to hold the wand and cleared the snow from the spot where Luna was sitting.

    "The snow is too cold; sitting on it isn''t good for your body."

    After saying this in a calm voice, Lin Yue finally let go of Luna''s hand and sat back down in the place she had just vacated.

    No one should be more familiar with the feeling of being in the snow than she was.

    That coldness that seeps into the bones, that icy sensation that tears at the skin.

    In the past, her hands, feet, and knees suffered from frostbite due to prolonged contact with the snow, leading to serious skeletal issues.

    That''s why, upon seeing Luna sitting directly on the snow, she had pulled her up to clear the snow from where she was sitting.

    "Thank you, Senior Lin Yue."

    Luna''s dreamlike voice echoed, and the two of them sat quietly, gazing at the Black Lake not far in front of them. One was absolutely rational, the other unusual; they seemed like two completely different people, yet at this moment, they appeared to be on the same wavelength.

    The Christmas dinner was extremely lavish, especially the turkeys piled high in the hall, which left the Granger couple quite astonished. Everyone enjoyed the feast immensely, and Lin Yue was no exception; her mind was no longer occupied with those knowledge points, and she simply savored the meal.

    After Christmas, the Granger couple left Hogwarts Castle, but not before confirming a few things. Hermione would wake up the day before summer vacation, and due to her consistently excellent academic performance, all the professors agreed to exempt her from the second-year final exams, allowing her to advance directly to the third year. Even Professor Snape had no objections to this, though¡­ it¡¯s possible he just didn¡¯t want to see any Gryffindors in his class for even one more year.

    As time transitioned from the cold winter to the warm summer, the final exams at Hogwarts were completely over. All the second-year students had no doubts about who would be the top of their year.

    Hermione is still petrified and in the hospital wing, so it''s even less likely that anyone else could surpass Lin Yue. Therefore, it''s no doubt that the first place is definitely Lin Yue. As it turns out, Lin Yue did not disappoint their "trust" and achieved full marks in all subjects, securing the top spot in the second year. Of course, the professors only announced this one ranking, revealing who the top student is, but not disclosing the rankings beyond that. This is a tradition at Hogwarts. Just a day before the students head home for summer vacation, the Mandrakes have fully matured. This means that Hermione will soon be able to recover from her petrified state.

    After Lin Yue learned the news, she stayed in the medical wing, holding a book and reading while waiting for Professor Snape to bring the potion over.

    Harry, Ron, and their mutual close friend "understood" and waited at the door of the medical wing, ensuring that the first person Hermione would see upon waking up was Lin Yue.

    "After Hermione wakes up... will she scold Lin Yue? After all, that was... the Cruciatus Curse."

    Marietta gently elbowed the nearby Cho Chang, who looked at her with a mix of helplessness and indulgence.

    "Would you be willing to scold Lin Yue?"

    "I wouldn''t." Marietta shook her head without hesitation; after all, Lin Yue was her dear junior.

    Even if Lin Yue had not harmed her, Marietta would defend her no matter what she did.

    Even if she wanted to storm the Ministry of Magic and overthrow Fudge to become the Minister of Magic herself, she would still cheer for her junior, proving that she was more suitable for the position than Fudge.

    "Then that''s settled," Cho Chang shrugged. "If you can''t bear to scold her, do you think Hermione would be able to?"

    "Probably just a few words to scare her, all thunder and no rain."

    "True."Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    Marietta nodded and continued to crouch with Cho Chang and Penelope at the door, peering into the medical wing. As for Harry and Ron, they consciously decided that as two boys, they should refrain from spying on Hermione and Lin Yue.

    Hermione was still in a petrified state, so Lin Yue was just sitting beside her, carefully reading the book in her hands, without making any movements. Or rather... she didn''t even know she would come to the medical wing today. She was supposed to go to the library to study as usual, but after hearing that the Mandrakes had matured and that Hermione would recover today, her feet automatically led her to the medical wing, even skipping breakfast.

    It wasn''t until eleven in the morning that Professor Snape strode into the medical wing with a bottle of potion.

    "I think you should know that if you block the door, I can''t deliver the potion inside."

    His deep, slow voice rang out, causing Cho Chang and the others to freeze, and they immediately turned around and moved aside.

    "Sorry, Professor, please come in."

    Penelope smiled awkwardly as she helped Professor Snape open the door to the hospital wing. Professor Snape glanced at her, Autumn Zhang, and Marietta, but ultimately said nothing. However, he did let out a cold snort when he saw Harry and Ron at the end. Harry and Ron had no reaction to this; they understood Snape and Gryffindor, and they were used to it.

    As they strode into the hospital wing, Lin Yue, who usually immersed herself in her studies while reading, quickly turned to look at Professor Snape. Snape stopped in his tracks and handed over the potion he was holding, saying, "I think you should know how to use this, Miss Lin Yue."

    "I know, Professor. Thank you, Professor, for your hard work," Lin Yue replied, standing up to take the potion with both hands and bowing her head in gratitude to Professor Snape.

    "You''d be better off feeding it to Miss Granger quickly rather than taking the time to thank me," Snape couldn''t help but say before turning to leave. However, before he completely exited the hospital wing, he called out, "If there are any problems, come find me in my office."

    Lin Yue looked up at his retreating figure, her voice flat, "Okay, thank you, Professor Snape."

    Turning back, Lin Yue looked at the petrified Hermione, opened the potion''s lid, and slowly poured the potion into Hermione''s open mouth. Fortunately, Hermione had her mouth open when she was petrified; otherwise, it would have taken a long time to use magic to force the potion in.

    Lin Yue''s mind flashed with this thought, taking a long time to prove that Hermione''s petrification time needed to be extended. This was not good; her brain made a judgment on this. The potion entered Hermione''s mouth and slowly merged into her body without the need to swallow. Lin Yue watched as the petrified parts of her body gradually decreased. The first to be freed from petrification were her feet, the pale color replacing the stone gray. Then it was her calves, thighs, hands, and head. After seeing Hermione completely free from petrification, Lin Yue reached out and slowly helped her up. "Hermione, how do you feel? Are you okay?"

    Hermione blinked in a daze, and it took her a few seconds to fully regain her composure.

    The first thing she did after regaining her composure was to reach out and tug on Lin Yue''s ear.

    "You really are something, aren''t you? You actually dared to use the Cruciatus Curse on yourself!"

    "You didn''t let me punish myself, but look at you, not only did you punish yourself, but you also upgraded the punishment for me!"

    Hermione, both anxious and angry, wanted to give Lin Yue''s ear a good pinch, but once she held it, she realized she couldn''t bring herself to do it.

    She could only pinch her ear and glare at her in frustration.

    "Hermione was petrified... because I wasn''t skilled enough and didn''t completely defeat the Basilisk. Hermione wouldn''t let me punish myself, but she got petrified because of me, I..."

    Before Lin Yue could finish, Hermione released her grip on her ear and pulled her tightly into an embrace.

    "Fool! You''re really a fool in everything except for studying!"

    "How could I blame you?" Hermione''s voice softened as she gently stroked Lin Yue''s back with her right hand. "It''s because of your reminder that I had the chance to be petrified; otherwise, I might have died. You gave me the chance to survive, Lin Yue. You saved me. Thank you."

    Lin Yue''s mind came to a halt, as Hermione''s words overlapped with those of Professor McGonagall and the Granger couple; they were all saying that she had done very well, and that it wasn''t her fault that Hermione was petrified.

    "Um..."

    Gently closing her eyes, Lin Yue relaxed her body.

    "And," Hermione released Lin Yue and supported her shoulders, "did you go looking for the Basilisk to get revenge for me?"

    Lin Yue looked into Hermione''s eyes and honestly nodded, "Mm."

    "I knew it," Hermione''s eyes turned slightly red, filled with both emotion and heartache, "You really... really did five Cruciatus Curses and then went to find the Basilisk. Do you know, I listened to you recite the Cruciatus Curse over and over, and I wished your wand was pointing at me. When I saw you weakly walk out as the curtain was blown up, I hated myself so much, hated myself for being too weak and not being able to protect myself."

    Two lines of clear tears slowly slid down, and Hermione looked at Lin Yue with tearful eyes, "If something happened to you because of me, what would my safety mean?"

    Lin Yue opened her mouth, wanting to say that Hermione''s life was more important than her own, that it took priority over her own.

    But she remembered what Hermione had once told her: life cannot be measured this way.

    "I was wrong."

    Lin Yue lowered her head and obediently admitted her mistake. Hermione, dragging her still somewhat stiff body, knelt up and hugged her, gently pressing her cheek against Lin Yue''s cheek.

    "No, I was the one who was wrong. I shouldn''t have left you alone; I should have always been with you."

    Lin Yue''s lifeless gaze flickered slightly, and it took a few seconds for her to return to her usual dullness.

    "Also..."

    Hermione pulled back her head and wiped the tears from her face. "I heard what you said to me during Christmas."

    Lin Yue looked up at Hermione, her face still expressionless, yet somehow exuding an unspoken cuteness.

    "I really liked your gift; it was truly beautiful."

    Hermione glanced at the feather pen on the bedside table. "It''s really impressive that you managed to become an Animagus."

    "Also..."

    Hermione raised an eyebrow, breaking into a smile despite her tears. "About that sentence you didn''t finish, I''ve figured out how to complete it for you."

    "You witnessed my past through photos, you participated in my present through photos, and my future..."

    Hermione paused here, then spoke the next words one by one.

    "You must also participate and walk through the entirety of life with me."

    Lin Yue''s mind quickly resumed its operation, contemplating the meaning of Hermione''s words.

    It meant that she had to be involved in Hermione''s future, to walk through life together with her.

    The implication was that she should always stay by Hermione''s side, and there was no doubt about that. After all, she wanted to ensure Hermione''s safety, and... they were friends.

    "Okay." Lin Yue mechanically nodded, her voice as calm as a gentle breeze.

    Hermione watched her mechanical movements and listened to her unbothered tone, letting out a helpless sigh. She reached out and ruffled Lin Yue''s hair, "We''re not on the same wavelength..."

    Gazing steadily at Lin Yue, Hermione felt a growing affection and possessiveness in her heart. During the days she was petrified, she had ample time to reflect on the little moments spent with Lin Yue.

    She also had plenty of time to think about what Lin Yue had said to her during Christmas. After a semester of contemplation, now that the petrification had lifted, she finally understood.

    She liked Lin Yue, liked her kindness that remained intact despite having experienced so much. She liked the unique protection Lin Yue offered her, liked her seriousness in life and studies, and liked every aspect of her.

    As for Lin Yue... just based on what she had said to her, Hermione, who had already gained some insight, could confirm that Lin Yue was also interested in her.

    It was just that her feelings hadn''t fully "blossomed" yet, so she couldn''t understand or express them well.

    But that was okay; she could wait patiently and teach slowly. They were both still young, and there was plenty of time ahead.

    Hermione''s words made Cho Chang outside the door widen their eyes in surprise. Lin Yue couldn''t understand, but could they not grasp what Hermione meant?

    "Hiss... Has Hermione finally figured it out?"

    Marietta gasped and looked at Cho Chang beside her.

    "It seems so," Cho Chang nodded seriously.

    "So early," Penelope frowned slightly. Although they were very reassured and fond of Hermione, it didn''t mean they wanted their junior to be taken away so quickly.

    However, Lin Yue hadn''t fully "developed" her feelings yet, let alone figured things out.

    It seems that Hermione still has a long way to go.

    The three seniors, who had just been discussing how early it was for Hermione to figure things out, now began to think about how Hermione should navigate this path to reach Lin Yue and bring her out.

 Chapter 100: Affirm yourself

    Until Lin Yue and Hermione''s conversation ended, Qiu Zhang, Marietta, Penelope, Harry, and Ron had been waiting cautiously outside the door before they finally pushed open the door to the hospital wing and walked in.

    The three girls politely hugged Hermione and congratulated her on her recovery.

    Harry and Ron stood by the bedside, keeping a certain distance while smiling and greeting Hermione.

    "Hermione, you finally woke up," Harry said with a sincere smile, looking at his close friend whom he had made last year.

    "Congratulations on your recovery, Hermione," Ron added with a smile from the side.

    Hermione raised an eyebrow and waved at Harry and Ron.

    Seeing that expression on Hermione''s face, Harry and Ron''s smiles slightly stiffened, and they reluctantly walked over.

    Their past experiences told them... when Hermione showed such an expression, it was not a good sign for them.

    Sure enough...

    Hermione glanced at the two boys in front of her, leaning against the headboard with a smile as she asked, "How did you both do on your final exams? I was counting the time while I was petrified, so the results must be out by now."

    Hearing Hermione''s question, Harry and Ron felt a wave of relief, grateful that they had studied hard. They silently thanked themselves for choosing to study instead of going out to play. Fortunately, they had chosen to study diligently; otherwise, facing Hermione''s questions now... they would definitely be in for a scolding.

    Despite Hermione''s reluctance to be harsh on Lin Yue, she would not hesitate to reprimand the two of them.

    "We did pretty well," Harry and Ron said proudly, sitting up straight, feeling quite pleased with their results. Although they couldn''t compare to Lin Yue, who was the top of their year, or Hermione, who truly loved studying and worked hard, their scores had indeed improved significantly compared to last year, placing them in the upper-middle range at Hogwarts.

    Seeing the small pride on her two friends'' faces, Hermione was happy to praise them. Covering her mouth with a light laugh, she nodded, "You did really well. It seems you two can learn well on your own."

    "Then in the future, I..." Before she could finish her sentence, Harry and Ron each grabbed a corner of Hermione''s blanket.

    "In the future, you''ll help us study, as our good friend."

    "Help us check our homework and highlight the key points for finals, as our reliable support."

    "Hermione, we can''t do without you!"

    "Puhahaha..." ¡Á4

    The two boys played off each other, making the four girls present, excluding Lin Yue, burst into laughter. The atmosphere in the infirmary was relaxed and cheerful, showcasing the vibrant energy of youth.

    Lin Yue''s eyes wandered over the faces of Hermione and the others, and this was the smile...

    So, is this the expression I showed during Christmas?

    As her gaze lingered on Hermione''s face, Lin Yue calmly made a judgment in her mind.

    Hmm, Hermione''s smile is very beautiful.

    Since she woke up early enough, Hermione was just in time for this year''s end-of-year banquet.

    When Lin Yue and Hermione walked into the hall together before the banquet started, the Gryffindors spontaneously broke into applause upon seeing their "own person" return.

    Because it was Hermione, the Ravenclaws also generously applauded, clapping loudly to welcome her back.

    The Hufflepuffs were also enthusiastically clapping, as they had learned quite a bit about Defense Against the Dark Arts in Lin Yue''s study group over the past year.

    They had learned much more than in Lockhart''s class, so seeing Lin Yue and Hermione, they naturally gave their applause.

    "I¡¯m riding on your coattails."

    Hermione leaned in with a smile and whispered something in Lin Yue''s ear.

    Lin Yue turned her head and shook it, "Everyone is welcoming you back; it has nothing to do with me."

    "It is a welcome for me, but it''s also because of you that so many people are welcoming me back."

    Pinching Lin Yue''s cheek, Hermione looked at the three houses that were applauding enthusiastically and for the first time had a deeper understanding of Lin Yue''s charisma.

    Not to mention, Hermione glanced at the Ravenclaw long table; no matter what Lin Yue wanted to do, at least the students of Ravenclaw would support her.

    The students of Hufflepuff would surely have at least half of them supporting her without hesitation.

    She could only say, "Fortunately, you are a gentle and kind person," Hermione muttered softly.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "What?"

    Lin Yue turned her head, asking in a calm voice, as if she hadn''t heard Hermione''s words because they were too quiet.

    "Nothing," Hermione shook her head and pushed Lin Yue toward the Ravenclaw long table, "Hurry and sit down; it''s time for dinner."

    "Okay." Lin Yue nodded and walked to her seat at the Ravenclaw long table.

    All the Ravenclaws'' gazes only shifted away from her after she sat down, looking towards Professor Dumbledore at the staff table.

    Hermione quickly walked back to the Gryffindor long table and sat down opposite Harry and Ron, also directing her gaze towards Professor Dumbledore.

    Under the watchful eyes of the students, Dumbledore stood up gracefully and walked to the front of the staff table, raising his hands to signal for silence.

    The chatter among the students in the hall instantly ceased, and everyone, including the professors, focused their attention on him.

    They gazed at this respected headmaster, the pillar of support for everyone at Hogwarts.

    "Another year has passed, and I¡¯m sure your little minds have absorbed quite a bit of knowledge."

    Dumbledore said cheerfully as he looked at the students below, who were in their youth, vibrant and full of life¡ªwhat a wonderful age it was.

    "Before you enjoy your dinner, I must first announce the winner of the House Cup, as is customary."

    As soon as he finished speaking, students from the other three houses turned their attention to the Ravenclaws.

    With Lin Yue''s daily points surpassing everyone else, no one would dispute the final outcome of the House Cup.

    Moreover, in their view, unless something particularly significant happened in the future, the House Cup would likely belong to Ravenclaw for the next five years until Lin Yue graduated.

    "This year''s House Cup goes to Ravenclaw!"

    Dumbledore said loudly while applauding, "Congratulations to Ravenclaw."

    All the houses in the hall applauded, even the Slytherins clapped symbolically to congratulate Ravenclaw on winning the House Cup.

    Although they had developed a rather negative impression of Lin Yue and the Ravenclaws due to the earlier wand-pulling incident, they still acknowledged their victory in the House Cup.

    "Additionally," Dumbledore waited for a good ten seconds before signaling for everyone to stop the prolonged applause.

    "Miss Lin Yue from Ravenclaw," he looked at Lin Yue with a warm and affectionate gaze, "provided clues about the Chamber of Secrets and protected her fellow students."

    Ginny was at the Gryffindor long table, her face full of admiration as she recounted to her friends how reliable and strong Lin Yue had been when she saved her.

    "I killed the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets, so I am awarding Miss Lin Yue an additional five hundred points and announcing that she has received the Hogwarts Special Contribution Award."

    The announcement of the five hundred points left everyone in the hall stunned for two seconds, and two seconds later, the Ravenclaws collectively stood up and cheered.

    The Hufflepuffs clapped friendly and joined in the celebration.

    At the Gryffindor long table, Hermione clapped with mixed feelings of joy and heartache, her eyes slightly red as she looked at Lin Yue at the Ravenclaw table.

    Everyone had heard about the points she had just received and the award she had won.

    But what she thought about more was the injuries Lin Yue had endured behind those points and that award.

    "Lin Yue! You are now the only person in nearly fifty years to receive the Hogwarts Special Contribution Award!"

    Cho Chang pulled Lin Yue, who was still seated, up and looked at her with excitement.

    Lin Yue blinked, showing no signs of happiness, "I just did what I was supposed to do, protecting my classmates within my capabilities and helping those I could help."

    "Be proud of yourself, Lin Yue," Marietta said, putting her arm around Lin Yue''s shoulder, "let''s say together, ''I am proud of myself.''"

    Lin Yue was taken aback; she shouldn''t have said such a thing, as it didn''t align with the principles of humility.

    "I... I can''t say that; it doesn''t conform to the etiquette of modesty, and I should hold myself to a higher standard."

    "You really, really deserve to be proud of yourself, Lin Yue."

    Penelope walked over from beside Marietta, bent down, and looked Lin Yue in the eye.

    "Say it out loud, take the first step towards being proud of yourself."

    "It''s not just others'' praise that matters; your own praise for yourself is equally important."

    "Come on, affirm yourself!"

    Penelope straightened up, rubbed Lin Yue''s hair, and the Ravenclaws seemed to sense something, stopping their cheers and turning their attention to Lin Yue.

    With their silence, the Hufflepuffs, Gryffindors, and Slytherins also quieted down, and all eyes in the hall were now focused on Lin Yue.

    "Go ahead, Lin Yue," Qiu said with a gentle smile.

    "Go on, you deserve it," Marietta nodded in agreement.

    Lin Yue lifted her head and caught a glimpse of Hermione at the Gryffindor table, who unabashedly gave her a thumbs up.

    Maybe¡­ she really did deserve to praise herself.

    "I¡­ I am¡­ I am proud of myself."

    The Ravenclaw, who knew the truth about Lin Yue''s past, couldn''t hide their excitement and were enthusiastically nudging each other.

    Penelope tried to suppress the smile at the corner of her mouth and steadied her voice, "Say it again, Lin Yue, say it loudly, say it confidently."

    "I am proud of myself."

    Lin Yue raised her voice, and a calm, steady sound spread throughout the entire auditorium.

    In the next moment, Hermione, Harry, and Ron jumped up, cheering and clapping loudly.

    The Ravenclaws tossed their hats aside, and several seniors from the seventh year also shouted out loud.

    "I have no regrets after hearing Lin Yue say this before graduation!"

    "Lin Yue, don¡¯t push yourself too hard; the seniors are paving the way for you!"

    Luna wore a dreamy smile, clapping her hands vigorously. "You''ve let go of a big burden."

    Her roommate, standing next to her, suddenly turned to look at her with a jolt in her heart.

    "Luna... I think I suddenly understood what you said."

    "Really? That''s wonderful." Luna smiled gently; her eyes still filled with a misty look.

    The other three houses, although unsure why Lin Yue''s words elicited such a strong reaction from the Ravenclaws, still joined in the applause, and the professors at the teacher''s table also clapped in unison.

    Professor McGonagall looked at Lin Yue, who stood still with a blank expression but was already certain of herself, and couldn''t hide the smile of relief on her face.

    Professor Flitwick laughed heartily, momentarily forgetting his usual elegance; he was genuinely happy for his student.

    Professor Sprout looked at Lin Yue with kindness, applauding for this wonderful child, while Professor Snape remained impassive, though his applause was sincere and not perfunctory in the slightest.

    Watching the cheering Ravenclaws and listening to the graduates firmly telling Lin Yue not to push herself too hard, assuring her that they would help her carve out her own path, Headmaster Dumbledore''s eyes glistened with moisture. "You hold everyone in your heart, and they will surely lift you high."

    Even if Lin Yue had not learned about emotions, she maintained true kindness and friendship towards others. She did her utmost to help her companions, and because of this, her companions would spontaneously and tirelessly pull her out of the mire and pave the way ahead for her.

    This was something Tom would probably never understand.

    An alliance maintained by fear and power would crumble in the face of such unity.

    Turning back to sit down, Headmaster Dumbledore stroked his long white beard, a peaceful smile on his lips. "These children are better than us..."

    Professor McGonagall glanced at him. "You''ve done well too, Albus. Don''t always blame yourself for everything."

    "Miss Lin Yue has learned to affirm herself, and you need to affirm yourself as well."

    "Headmaster Dumbledore blinked, ''I am sure of myself; I never doubt my own wisdom, but... wrong is wrong.'' He waved his hand, not wanting to continue on that topic. ''In them, I can see the future of the magical world. Minerva, what about you?''

    Professor McGonagall also let go of that topic and shifted her gaze to Lin Yue, who was expressionless and surrounded by cheering Ravenclaws.

    ''Yes, the future of the magical world,'' she said, glancing at Hermione, Harry, and Ron at the Gryffindor table. ''I see it too, Albus. They will do better than we did, I am sure of it.''

    ''On that point, I have no doubt,'' Headmaster Dumbledore nodded with a smile.

    The cheers lasted a full five minutes, and it was only after that that the students of Ravenclaw slowly sat down.

    Mainly because it was time for dinner, and they were worried Lin Yue would get hungry.

    Sitting at the Ravenclaw table, Lin Yue, as usual, enjoyed the care of all the Ravenclaws.

    As she lowered her head to eat the various foods that had been placed on her plate, Lin Yue instinctively looked up at the Gryffindor table.

    At the same time, Hermione, who was also eating, seemed to sense it and looked up to meet her gaze, breaking into a big smile."

 Chapter 101: Help predict, Lockhart arrested.

    The day after the end-of-year banquet, the young wizards of Hogwarts boarded the Express train home after breakfast.

    Lin Yue dragged her large suitcase, her expression as indifferent as water, following Cho Chang, Marietta, and Penelope into an empty compartment.

    As soon as they entered the compartment, the three older girls tacitly worked together to lift Lin Yue''s luggage onto the luggage rack before starting to move their own.

    Lin Yue was taken aback for a moment, then stepped forward to help Cho Chang and Marietta push their luggage onto the rack, one hand for each.

    "Thank you, seniors."

    "You''re welcome." The three seniors simultaneously reached out, each giving Lin Yue''s head a gentle rub.

    Once seated, Lin Yue took out a notebook, a quill, and a bottle of ink from her wizarding robe, lowering her head to write furiously. She was almost done, just a little more to complete the last section.

    When Hermione walked into the compartment, she saw Cho Chang and the other two quietly chatting together, and Lin Yue sitting across from them, head down, writing diligently with her hair tousled from the earlier rubs.

    Seeing Lin Yue''s messy hair, Hermione couldn''t help but smile, glancing amusingly at Cho Chang and the others. She placed her luggage down and gently sat next to Lin Yue, not wanting to disturb her writing.

    Until a commotion outside the train window caught her attention, Hermione leaned over Lin Yue to look out the window, unable to suppress a raised eyebrow.

    She gently tapped Lin Yue''s arm and softly said, "Lin Yue, look outside."

    Hearing her full name, Lin Yue snapped out of her studying state, raised her head, and nodded at Hermione.

    "Good morning, Hermione."

    "Good morning, look over there." Hermione giggled, pointing at a scene outside the window, looking very pleased.

    Lin Yue mechanically turned his head. Outside the car window, two black-clad Aurors were bringing someone down from the Hogwarts Express. The person being brought down was none other than this year''s Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts, Gilderoy Lockhart.

    At that moment, Lockhart was still trying to struggle, but he had long been immobilized by the Aurors'' magic and could only keep talking in an attempt to persuade them to let him go.

    "Let go of me, let go! Do you know who I am? I am Gilderoy Lockhart, you can''t treat me like this."

    "I am a celebrity, a celebrity! Do you know how much I have accomplished?"

    "Shut up."

    One of the Aurors waved his wand and directly sealed Lockhart''s mouth, so now no matter how much he wanted to shout, he could only make muffled sounds.

    "A celebrity, huh? Accomplished so much by taking credit for others'' good deeds and then using the Memory charm on them. You won''t be getting any flowers or applause waiting for you, Mr. Celebrity."

    "Only Azkaban awaits you!" the other Auror shouted, as if he intended to make those two statements heard.

    "Tsk tsk tsk, we knew he was a fool... but we really didn''t know he was a criminal."

    Marietta looked out the car window with a face full of disdain as she heard the Auror''s words, and instantly, Lockhart seemed to lose all his spirit.

    Cho Chang also looked at him coldly and said softly, "This does prove that he has two strengths."

    Meeting the gazes of the other three girls, Cho Chang completed her thought. "The thickness of his skin, and the use of the Memory Charm."

    Marietta, Penelope, and Hermione couldn''t help but laugh out loud.

    Lin Yue, however, expressionless, withdrew her gaze and continued to write in her notebook.

    Lockhart was of no concern to her; based on her understanding of the Ministry of Magic''s laws, the things Lockhart had done were enough to keep him in Azkaban for a lifetime.

    Seeing Lin Yue bow her head and study seriously, the other four little witches sighed helplessly and instinctively lowered the volume of their conversation.

    "The Auror who just shouted," Penelope pointed to one of the Aurors taking Lockhart away outside, "was a senior from Ravenclaw."

    "He shouted that just now to let all the students know Lockhart''s true colors, right?"If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Hermione glanced at the person Penelope was pointing at and then withdrew her gaze.

    "It should be," Penelope nodded, "after all, it''s very likely that there are still students who are fans of Lockhart."

    "We need to make them see Lockhart''s true colors."

    Marietta snorted, "What¡¯s there to admire about someone who can¡¯t even teach a class properly?"

    "If he had real skills to learn from, that would be fine, but unfortunately he doesn¡¯t. We can¡¯t just follow him to learn how to make up stories and use the Memory charm."

    "To apply for a teaching position at Hogwarts without the ability to teach, his character is really terrible."

    Hermione added, her disdain for Lockhart reaching its peak.

    In her view, Lockhart''s behavior was undoubtedly wasting the time of young wizards, jeopardizing the future of the magical world, and damaging the image of Hogwarts professors.

    "Our Lin Yue is much better; the students who attend her classes all give her high praise."

    Hermione couldn''t help but reach out and ruffle Lin Yue''s hair as she spoke. It was fluffy and felt really good to the touch.

    Being called by her full name and having her head patted, Lin Yue looked up again, just as she finished writing whatever she had in her hands.

    Closing her notebook, Lin Yue''s gaze drifted silently over Hermione and the other three girls.

    The four girls had already gotten used to Lin Yue''s gaze. At first, her almost lifeless stare might have frightened people. However, once they understood the gentle and scarred heart beneath Lin Yue''s "calm" exterior, no one cared about her expression anymore.

    In the face of her gaze, her friends only felt heartache and reassurance.

    "I hope the school can find a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for next year," Cho Chang said, glancing at Hermione, who was subtly holding Lin Yue''s waist, and propped her chin up with her hand.

    "One professor every year... I hope the school can find someone," she added.

    Marietta shook her head, secretly admiring the boldness of her junior, Hermione, as she watched her actions.

    Penelope cleared her throat a couple of times and slightly averted her gaze. "I hope they can not only find someone to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, but that the person they find also has some real skills."

    "I have to take my O.W.L.s next year..."

    Letting out a sigh, Penelope seemed to already envision her busy schedule for the coming year.

    However, to her surprise, that busyness was about to be abruptly cut short before it even began.

    Lin Yue was embraced by Hermione, and when she looked down at Hermione''s hand, her heart skipped a beat. Without any reaction, she raised her head and tucked her quill and ink bottle back into the pocket of her wizarding robe.

    At the same time, Lin Yue reached out and handed the notebook she had just finished writing to Penelope.

    " Senior Penelope, this is for you."

    Lin Yue''s voice had no fluctuations, yet it made everyone present feel very close to her.

    Penelope was taken aback for a moment, took the notebook, and curiously looked at its cover. "Is this for me? What¡¯s written inside? Can I open it and take a look?"

    "Of course," Lin Yue nodded. "This is a gift for Senior Penelope. It contains all the key points for the O.W.L. exams."

    "Since I''m not sure about Senior Penelope''s course selections, I''ve included the content for all the elective courses in it."

    Penelope swallowed hard and carefully opened the notebook in her hands.

    The knowledge points and important notes were listed one by one in the notebook, written concisely and clearly. No wonder it could summarize several subjects in one notebook.

    "The first half contains knowledge points and notes related to practical exams," Lin Yue explained in a serious manner. "The second half is about question reasoning and predictions."

    After a two-second silence, Lin Yue continued to elaborate, "Based on my analysis of past O.W.L. exam written and practical content."

    "The O.W.L. exam has not updated its written or practical content for a long time; the questions are basically composed by selecting a few fixed topics."

    "It''s just that each time, the content is shuffled and rearranged."

    "Through probability calculations and human psychology analysis, I have written down the most likely question directions and methods for the next O.W.L. exam in the second half."

    "The estimated accuracy rate can reach about eighty-five percent."

    As she fluently narrated her analysis and summarization process, Lin Yue''s gaze was fixed on Penelope.

    "However, considering that studying should be taken seriously and done to the best of one''s ability, and since there is still a long time before the O.W.L. exam."

    "I suggest that Senior Penelope memorize all the knowledge points in the first half of the notebook, just to be prepared, and then focus on memorizing the question predictions in the second half before the exam for a last-minute boost."

    "Merlin''s predictions..."

    Cho Chang murmured, staring blankly at the notebook in Penelope''s hand.

    "The exam content... can it really be predicted in advance?"

    Marietta also struggled to regain her ability to speak, feeling somewhat incredulous.

    Lin Yue nodded affirmatively, her voice still devoid of any fluctuations, "Yes, the exams in the magical world are too predictable. Based on fixed knowledge points, combined with probability and psychological calculations, one can deduce the exam content."

    The same method wouldn''t work in Lin Yue''s original world.

    Because every year they would have a new question setter, and you would never know.

    The exam you encounter could be several years beyond the syllabus; it could be one year, two years, or even five years.

    Usually, it is two years beyond the syllabus, and occasionally it could be five years.

    As for not being beyond the syllabus, or only one year beyond... if you encounter that, it would truly be a stroke of luck.

    Hermione took a deep breath, removed her hands from Lin Yue''s waist, and placed both hands on her shoulders.

    "You can do this, please, please don''t let Harry and Ron know. Also, you can give them the summary of the knowledge points, but you absolutely must not give them the predicted exam questions."

    Hermione had no doubt that as soon as Harry and Ron found out about this, they would definitely ask Lin Yue to predict the exam questions, hoping to ease their study pressure a bit.

    Moreover, given Lin Yue''s "personality," it was unlikely that she would refuse them.

    Studying shouldn''t just be for exams, so for the sake of her two close friends'' learning outcomes, Hermione still told Lin Yue in advance not to give them the predicted exam questions.

    Hermione wanted Harry and Ron to study well, and Lin Yue instinctively concluded, nodding with a cold expression.

    "Okay, I won''t tell them."

    Their conversation ended, and Penelope finally came back to her senses.

    "Lin Yue! Thank you so much, you''ve really helped me a lot!"

    Penelope cheerfully stood up and tightly hugged Lin Yue''s little head in her arms.

    "You''re welcome," Lin Yue replied in a muffled voice.

    After being held for a good ten seconds, Lin Yue was finally released by Penelope.

    The first thing Lin Yue did after being let go was to take a deep breath.

    The Hogwarts train slowly started moving, and after a while, Harry and Ron finally opened the compartment door and walked in.

    "Where have you two been sitting?" Hermione turned to glance at the empty hands of the two.

    "We were in Fred and George''s compartment," Harry explained as he and Ron sat down next to Hermione.

    Hermione leaned her head on Lin Yue''s shoulder, comfortably squinting her eyes.

    "I told you last year and you agreed to travel with us to France. Is that okay?"

    Turning her head slightly and resting her chin on Lin Yue''s shoulder, Hermione looked at her with bright eyes.

    "Of course, no problem."

    Lin Yue responded in a flat tone, acknowledging that since she had previously promised Hermione to go with her, she would definitely go if she could. Moreover, now that she knew this world was not destroyed and there were no executioners, she no longer needed to worry about the safety of those around her.

    Listening to Hermione and Lin Yue discuss their holiday plans, the others couldn''t help but chat among themselves. Cho Chang planned to return to her hometown during the summer vacation, as her grandmother missed home and wanted to return to her roots in her old age. Marietta was going to accompany her mother, who worked at the Ministry of Magic, on a business trip to the United States; her mother would be working while she would be sightseeing.

    "Ah... you all get to go out and have fun," Penelope said, her hands supporting her face in distress. "I just have to stay home and study; I need to prepare well for the O.W.L. exams."

    Lin Yue blinked and said slowly, "As long as Senior Penelope remembers all the knowledge points in her notes, she can get an O in the O.W.L. exams no matter what they test on."

    "Considering Senior Penelope''s own knowledge base and level, it shouldn''t take more than two weeks. You have time to relax."

    Penelope nodded thoughtfully, "What Lin Yue said must be right... Maybe I can plan a short trip for myself."

    Harry looked at everyone sharing their summer plans and couldn''t help but feel a bit envious. Ron, sitting next to him, patted his shoulder.

    "Don''t look so glum, Harry. If you''re not happy at the Dursleys, just come over to my place."

    "You already knew last summer that my family welcomes you."

    "Thanks, Ron." Harry smiled gratefully, but silently added to himself, but I can''t always trouble your family.

    Summer vacation is a time when families finally get to reunite as long as I can endure it... I should just bear it and try not to disturb them.

    On the other side, Hermione was satisfied to confirm that Lin Yue would go with her to France. She directly wrapped her arms around Lin Yue''s waist and rested her head on her shoulder, thinking that since there was still a long time until lunch, she could take a good nap first.

 Chapter 102: The Cartoon Cage

    The Hogwarts Express slowly came to a stop at King''s Cross Station, amidst the different moods of various people.

    The jolt from the train stopping pulled Lin Yue out of her thoughts about potion-making simulations, and it also woke up Hermione, who had been sleeping soundly on her shoulder.

    "Ah... we¡¯ve arrived," Hermione said, covering her mouth as she yawned. Still a bit dazed, she lifted her head from Lin Yue''s shoulder, sat up straight, and rubbed her eyes.

    It wasn''t until Hermione raised her head that Lin Yue got up, reached up to take down their luggage from the overhead rack. She also helped the three older girls sitting across from them with their bags. Once Hermione was fully awake, she took her luggage and gave Lin Yue a sweet smile.

    "Thank you."

    "You''re welcome," Lin Yue replied with a neutral expression, nodding slightly as she pulled her suitcase out of the compartment, with Hermione and Cho Chang following behind her.

    Just as they reached the door of the compartment, Harry and Ron exchanged glances. Ron''s expression was complicated as he looked at Harry and said with some difficulty, "Mate... have you ever seen Hermione so gentle, so... so whatever?"

    Harry hesitated for a moment, "What you mean is, that sweet look?"

    "Ah, yes, yes, yes!" Ron suddenly realized, nodding vigorously, "I was just thinking about how to describe it, that''s the description!"

    "Well... I haven''t seen it," Harry shook his head firmly, "and I don''t think Hermione would show that kind of expression to anyone other than Lin Yue."

    "Tsk tsk tsk... Who would have thought, the famous Miss Granger of Gryffindor, prioritizing romance over friendship."

    Ron teased, and Harry immediately waved his hand, "I didn''t say that, you did."

    "Hey! Don''t sell me out like that!"

    The two boys playfully shoved each other as they got off the Hogwarts Express.

    On the platform, Lin Yue was already waiting in line to exit with her suitcase alongside Hermione.

    When it was their turn to leave the platform, she turned back and said goodbye to the three senior girls and Harry and Ron.

    "Goodbye, Senior Cho Chang, Senior Marietta, Senior Penelope, goodbye Harry, goodbye Ron."

    "Bye, see you after the summer break."

    The five of them smiled and waved at Lin Yue, while also saying goodbye to Hermione beside her.

    "Don''t forget to write to us, we will be waiting for your letters."

    Penelope bent down and rubbed Lin Yue''s little head, giving her a reminder.

    "Okay, I will write to you."

    Lin Yue replied mechanically, her attitude extremely serious as she promised Penelope.

    "Mm-hmm, go on."

    Penelope hummed in satisfaction and gently pushed Lin Yue out, letting her pass through the wall with Hermione at Platform 9?.

    Once they exited the platform, Hermione immediately spotted her parents not far away and ran joyfully towards them.

    "Dad! Mom! I missed you so much!"

    Mrs. Granger opened her arms to catch the rushing Hermione, happily laughing as she lifted her up.

    "Mom and Dad missed you too."

    Mr. Granger smiled and reached out to pat Hermione on the top of her head, "Welcome home, Hermione."

    Lin Yue watched from a distance, politely standing aside without interrupting as Hermione reunited with her parents.

    It was only after they had finished their conversation that she slowly approached, pulling her suitcase along.

    "Auntie, Uncle, good afternoon."

    "Good afternoon, Lin Yue." Mrs. Granger set Hermione down, wrapping one arm around her while pinching Lin Yue''s cheek with the other.

    "We missed you too."

    Lin Yue''s eyes showed no emotion as she blinked, "Thank you."

    "Welcome home," Mr. Granger said to Lin Yue the same way he had to Hermione, "Let''s go, we¡¯re going back for a big meal."

    After leaving the train station, Hermione and Lin Yue took the initiative to load their suitcases into the trunk of the car.

    Once they were seated in the back and buckled up, Lin Yue''s gaze was fixed on the scenery outside the window that was rapidly receding.

    "What are you looking at?"

    Hermione leaned forward, curiously looking out the car window. A faint fragrance lingered at the tip of Lin Yue''s nose; it wasn''t the scent of shampoo or body wash. It was a more natural, fresh, and sweet smell, and as Lin Yue inhaled it, she felt as if her whole body had lightened.

    "I''m looking at the shops outside," Lin Yue replied expressionlessly.

    "The shops outside?" Hermione paused for a moment, glancing at the passing street-side stores. "What''s so interesting about them?"

    Lin Yue stiffly nodded, "I can compare them to my memories from the last time I saw them to see which shops have closed and which ones are new."

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    Pointing out the car window, Hermione exclaimed, "You remembered all the shops outside? Just from a quick glance?"

    It''s worth noting that there was no traffic jam, and the car was moving at a decent speed. The shops outside basically flashed by in an instant¡ªhow could Lin Yue actually see them clearly? She could even compare them to the memories she had from the last time she was in the car.

    Hermione settled back down, took Lin Yue''s hand, and gently squeezed it twice. "I''m starting to suspect you have hyperthymesia."

    Lin Yue turned back, looking intently at Hermione. "Hyperthymesia is an extremely rare medical phenomenon, a branch of non-selective memory. People with hyperthymesia have no ability to forget; they can remember their personal experiences in vivid detail, down to any specific detail."

    Hearing this cold and clear definition, Hermione couldn''t help but tighten her grip on Lin Yue''s hand.

    "I don''t lack the ability to forget, so I don''t have hyperthymesia."

    "I just have a highly focused attention, and with fewer distractions for my brain, my memory is strong."

    "Mm..."

    Hermione pressed her lips together, leaning into Lin Yue''s embrace, her hands seemingly enchanted as they played with Lin Yue''s left hand. Lin Yue sat there with a dazed expression, allowing Hermione to play with her hand.

    The Granger couple, sitting in the front row, sighed helplessly in their hearts. This child, Lin Yue, was truly impressive in every aspect, especially her memory, which was incredibly strong. In the eyes of the two dentists, if it weren''t for the fact that Lin Yue''s emotions hadn''t fully recovered yet, she would indeed be quite suitable for studying medicine.

    Glancing at her parents in the front row, Hermione tilted her head and quietly asked Lin Yue, "Can I tell my dad and mom about you coming from another world? I can promise they won''t go around spreading it."

    Lin Yue listened to Hermione''s words and nodded without hesitation, "Okay."

    "Mm." Hermione softly responded, leaning against Lin Yue''s soft chest, listening to her powerful heartbeat.

    The journey was smooth, and the four of them returned home in less than an hour. Upon entering the Granger home, Lin Yue looked down and saw her own pair of slippers. They were clean and showed no signs of having been unused for a long time, indicating that the Granger couple had prepared in advance. Her slippers were placed right next to Hermione''s, giving the impression that, as the Granger couple had said, they had two daughters in their home.

    After putting on her slippers, Lin Yue instinctively walked into the kitchen to pour a glass of water for Hermione and the Granger couple. When she mechanically reached for the fourth cup, she paused. This was the cup she had used last summer, also prepared in advance by the Granger couple.

    Coming back to her senses, she poured water into her own cup and directly carried the four cups out on a tray. Just as Hermione was about to go into the kitchen to see what Lin Yue was doing, she quickly took the tray from Lin Yue''s hands.

    "Thank you, but you don''t have to do this. We can pour our own water," Hermione said.

    Lin Yue shook her head lightly with a calm expression, "It''s fine, if I can help, I will help."

    "Alright..."

    Hermione sighed helplessly and picked up her cup from the tray, "Thank you."

    "You''re welcome, it''s the least I can do."

    Lin Yue nodded without any change in her tone, and the Granger couple also came forward, thanked her, and took a big sip from their cups.

    Mrs. Granger put down her cup and pushed the two girls towards the living room.

    "Okay, you two, go watch TV, your dad and I will go make dinner."

    "You¡¯re not allowed to come help, just enjoy watching TV."

    As she said this, Mrs. Granger even gave Lin Yue''s shoulder a gentle pat.

    Lin Yue turned around and looked at the gentle smile on Mrs. Granger''s face, feeling a warmth in her heart. "Okay, thank you, Auntie, Uncle, Sorry to trouble you."

    "It¡¯s no trouble, go on and watch," Mrs. Granger nodded in satisfaction and took her husband into the kitchen, where they began to prepare dinner together.

    Lin Yue sat in front of the television with Hermione. Hermione turned on the TV and quickly found the cartoon channel. When she saw that "Tom and Jerry" was playing, she reached out and hugged Lin Yue''s arm, watching it with great interest.

    At Hermione''s current age and with her preferences, "Tom and Jerry" was the cartoon that could attract her the most.

    As Lin Yue watched the antics of Tom and Jerry on the screen, her thoughts shifted with each change of scene. It didn¡¯t conform to the laws of physics, nor to the laws of biology... After just five minutes, a bunch of related "reminders" popped up in her mind.

    The previous "Thomas the Tank Engine" was fine; the train had a face, and Lin Yue directly defined them as a new species, so she didn¡¯t apply the normal definitions of physics, biology, etc., to them. Instead, she constructed a set of definitions unique to this "species" based on the content of the animation.

    But with "Tom and Jerry"... the cat was just a cat, and the mouse was just a mouse, right? Even the scenes were all very normal home settings. How could it be...

    Lin Yue felt that her brain had somewhat stalled, and she turned to look at the amused Hermione beside her.

    "Hermione..."

    "Uh? What''s wrong?"

    Hearing Lin Yue call her name, the laughing Hermione immediately stopped and turned to her.

    "This animation doesn''t conform to the definitions of physics and biology, or is it that the main characters here are a different type of cat and mouse?"

    Hermione was taken aback for a moment. She opened her mouth to try to explain but found herself unsure of how to organize her thoughts.

    After several seconds, Hermione finally managed to figure out how to respond, "This is just, just an animated show. We don''t need it to conform to physics, biology, or any of that stuff."

    "We just need it to make the viewers happy, to help them relax, or to make them feel warmth or something like that. Do you understand what I''m saying?"

    "It''s just that in the animation, it doesn''t have to conform to common sense."

    Lin Yue quickly thought about the definition of cartoons that Hermione mentioned and soon found the most basic contradiction.

    "I understand now, it''s that my previous world''s requirements and definitions of cartoons are different from here."

    "Different?" Hermione looked puzzled for a moment, "Then when we watched Thomas the Tank Engine last time... why didn''t you ask me?"

    Lin Yue lowered her head and looked at Hermione seriously as she replied, "I thought they were a special species, and that the cartoon was about their lives."

    After all, with magic existing, having a special species... doesn''t seem impossible, right?

    "Uh, okay."

    Hermione pressed her lips together, tightened her grip on Lin Yue''s arm, and leaned back on her shoulder again, playfully blowing on Lin Yue''s hair.

    "Whoosh... Whoosh... What are the requirements and definitions of animation in your world?"

    Lin Yue turned her head to look at Hermione, who was blowing on her hair, and skillfully recited the definition of animation from her original world.

    "Animation is a type of film and television work that simulates characters and designs plots through animation to achieve the purpose of educating children."

    Hermione nodded silently, waiting for Lin Yue to continue with the rest of the definition, but instead, she directly heard her talk about the requirements for animation.

    "Wait," Hermione suddenly raised her head, looking at Lin Yue with her big eyes wide open, "Is that it? Is that your definition of animation?"

    "Yes," Lin Yue nodded seriously.

    Hermione swallowed hard, feeling a cold sweat trickling down her back, "Uh... then, what about the requirements?"

    "The requirements are that animation production should have educational significance, should assist students in learning, and to ensure the healthy growth and personal safety of students, animation should fully reflect real life and reject any elements of fantasy. It should consciously eliminate content related to emotions, play, and so on from appearing in animation, helping students with better enlightenment and learning."

    "This... this..."

    Hermione opened her mouth in vain, unsure of what she should say.

    What kind of animation would be produced under such requirements?

    She was completely unaware that she had voiced this question while lost in thought.

    Lin Yue blinked, her voice calm as water, "The approved animations are all records of students'' learning lives."

    "Generally, there are four templates: the school life episode, which is forty-five minutes long and fully replicates classroom teaching; the after-school episode, which is six hours long and fully replicates doing homework, reviewing, and previewing."

    "The year-end exam episode is two hours long, fully replicating the exam process and answering questions, and the post-exam episode fully replicates the process of capturing and destroying students who fail the exam."

    Hermione was breathing heavily, cold sweat continuously pouring from her forehead. She even felt her tongue uncontrollably retreating, and a sudden wave of nausea hit her.

    Looking at Hermione''s pale face, Lin Yue showed no expression. "I''m sorry, did my words make you uncomfortable?"

    "No, no," Hermione forced a smile, not wanting Lin Yue to feel guilty. "I''m just... just a bit hot, I''ll be fine in a moment."

    "Mm..." Lin Yue nodded stiffly. Hermione was lying; she easily concluded this from Hermione''s micro-expressions.

    However, Hermione didn''t want to continue the conversation. According to the rules of politeness, she shouldn''t press further.

    With a pale face, Hermione looked at the cat and mouse happily running on the television, imagining two iron cages descending from the sky to trap them. Those animated definitions and requirements seemed to restrict the cartoons, but in reality... what was truly imprisoned was the child themselves.

 Chapter 103: Step by step, embark on the journey.

    Being held by Hermione while watching the cartoon, Lin Yue completely gave up on trying to think about this cartoon called "Tom and Jerry" with her original mindset. Instead, she adopted a whole new way of thinking about it, as Hermione said, anything that makes people look happy and relaxed is good.

    Although she didn''t know what happiness was, after watching several episodes in a row, Lin Yue indeed felt as if something within her had been loosened. Watching the cat and mouse jumping around in the cartoon felt like they were her, free and carefree.

    Was she not free? Did she have worries?

    Lin Yue proposed a new way of thinking about the subconscious thoughts that appeared deep in her mind.

    As a student, all she needed to do was study; but what was freedom? Why did she think of freedom? This shouldn''t be the case, as it would affect her studies.

    Students should just accept the management of schools and parents. The increasingly high walls of schools, the surveillance of how many times students lift their heads, the prohibition of students leaving the classroom during breaks, the electronic shackles that limit students'' range of activities...

    Everything seems to have a trace to follow, gradually and bit by bit shattering the students'' spines, shaping them into the desired form.

    As for worries, she couldn''t even understand what worry was, could she? So how could she possibly have worries?

    Lin Yue tilted her head and cast these two thoughts aside.

    Don''t think about what shouldn''t be thought about, otherwise it would take up time meant for studying.

    "Time to eat!"

    Mrs. Granger brought a large pot of stew to the dining table and cheerfully called out to Lin Yue and Hermione, who were sitting on the sofa.

    "Here it comes."

    The two girls responded in unison, stood up, and walked to the kitchen to help set the table.

    Sitting next to the dining table, Mrs. Granger served Lin Yue a heaping plate of stew.

    "Eat more, you''re really too thin."

    Lin Yue stood up, took the plate with both hands, and politely nodded in response, "Okay, thank you, Mrs. Granger."

    Sitting back down, Lin Yue lowered her head and ate the stew slowly.

    Hermione, sitting next to her, tried to maintain an elegant demeanor while devouring her food. After all, she had been petrified before Christmas.

    She didn''t even get to go home for the Christmas holiday.

    It had been a whole year since she had eaten her mother''s cooking, and she was really craving it now.

    "Hermione, don''t eat so fast," Mr. Granger said, handing Hermione a napkin with a smile.

    "Mm-hmm, okay."

    Hermione nodded in agreement, but her action of devouring her food showed no signs of stopping. The Granger couple shook their heads indulgently and didn¡¯t say anything more.

    After finishing the meal, Hermione leaned back in her chair, her little belly noticeably swollen. Lin Yue turned to take a look and quickly assessed Hermione''s current situation.

    "Hermione, you seem a bit stuffed. Why don¡¯t you stand up and walk around the house for a bit?"

    Hermione coughed awkwardly twice, supporting herself on the table as she stood up. "I''ll wash the dishes with you first."

    Lin Yue shook her head, stood up, and quickly gathered the dishes, holding them steadily in her hands. "No need, I can wash them myself. You should walk around a bit; otherwise, you might feel uncomfortable with a bloated stomach later."

    Lin Yue said this in a flat tone and then carried the dishes into the kitchen, quickly starting to wash them.

    Hermione pressed her lips together and began to walk around the house as Lin Yue suggested. One lap, two laps... After walking for a while, Hermione clearly felt her stomach ease up a lot.

    Feeling that it was about time, Hermione quickly walked into the kitchen. "Alright, I feel much better now. Let me help you."

    Lin Yue reached out to pick up the rag and finally wiped the table dry, then turned around and said expressionlessly, "It''s all cleaned up. Hermione, go chat with Aunt and Uncle."

    Hermione tilted her body to the side and looked at the stack of dishes that had indeed been washed. "Alright, then I''ll wash the dishes for the next meal. You can''t help, okay?"

    After saying that, Hermione turned around and walked towards the living room where her parents were watching TV. She really needed to explain some things about Lin Yue''s past to her mom and dad.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    Moreover, she had to tell them... that she liked Lin Yue. She couldn''t just wait until she had "captured" Lin Yue before telling them, right?

    Although after discovering that the Christmas gift her parents had given Lin Yue on her behalf was actually her childhood photo album, Hermione began to suspect that they had sensed her feelings for Lin Yue long before she did.

    However, sensing something was one thing; personally, admitting it was another.

    Thus, the Granger couple, who were watching TV, welcomed their daughter, who sat down between them with a slight blush on her face as she looked at them.

    "Oh my," Mrs. Granger said, noticing the faint blush on her daughter''s face, unable to resist pinching it, "Is our Hermione shy? What are you shy about?"

    Hermione''s face flushed a little deeper, "Ahem, Mom, stop it."

    She reached up to remove her mother''s "unrestrained" hand from her face and looked at her seriously, "Mom, Dad... I, I like Lin Yue, in a romantic way."

    Hermione''s eyes nervously darted between her parents'' faces; she wasn''t quite sure how they would react to her feelings.

    "That''s great," Mrs. Granger nodded affirmatively without hesitation. "Lin Yue is indeed a good kid. If you can really win her over, your dad and I will definitely be happy for you."

    "Yeah," Mr. Granger said with a smile as he gently ruffled Hermione''s hair, "As long as it''s someone you like and they''re a good person, your mom and I will support you."

    "Mm!"

    A radiant smile appeared on Hermione''s face as she nestled back into Mrs. Granger''s embrace.

    "Earlier, Lin Yue mentioned her past while we were at Hogwarts."

    The Grangers both lowered their heads to look at Hermione; they had always been concerned about Lin Yue''s situation. Her unusual circumstances made them pay attention, and now that they heard Hermione mention learning about Lin Yue''s past, they immediately took it seriously.

    Hermione pressed her lips together and tried to briefly explain to her parents that Lin Yue came from another world. She also mentioned the situation in that other world and what she had experienced there.

    ¡°How could they treat children like that, forcing them so much! It¡¯s just, it¡¯s just insane.¡± Mrs. Granger frowned deeply, her face clearly filled with anger.

    ¡°It¡¯s utterly outrageous to treat children this way, whether it¡¯s that world that places all burdens on children or Lin Yue¡¯s parents, it¡¯s the same.¡± Mr. Granger took a deep breath and turned to look at Lin Yue, who had sat down at the dining table after seeing Hermione chatting with the Granger couple, showing no intention of coming over to listen or participate in the conversation. Hermione needed some time alone to reunite with her parents, Lin Yue thought without a doubt.

    ¡°Take good care of her; Lin Yue deserves your love.¡± Mrs. Granger gently stroked Hermione¡¯s back and said softly.

    ¡°I will, Mom.¡± After finishing the conversation with her parents, Hermione got up from her mother¡¯s embrace, knelt on the sofa, and waved to Lin Yue. ¡°Lin Yue, come sit with us.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Yue stood up and walked over, pausing for a moment as she looked at the seat next to Hermione.

    Hermione and the Granger couple were sitting on the same sofa, and here I was sitting too... isn''t that a bit inappropriate?

    Lin Yue thought to herself without any emotions, just trying to analyze the situation through the lens of polite rules.

    However, it was clear that Hermione didn''t want Lin Yue to think too much about it; she leaned back on the sofa. Without even giving Lin Yue a chance to sit beside her, she directly reached out and pulled her onto her lap.

    Lin Yue instinctively stiffened for a moment as she was pulled onto Hermione''s lap.

    "Hermione, if I sit on your lap for too long, it might restrict your blood flow and cause your legs to go numb. I shouldn''t be sitting on you."

    Lin Yue calmly stated her conclusion, but Hermione tightened her embrace around Lin Yue, making her lean back into her arms.

    "Not at all, you''re so light. Even if your legs do go numb, it''s just that¡ªlegs going numb. I don''t mind letting you sit here."

    "Or," Hermione leaned closer to Lin Yue''s ear, "do you not want to sit on my lap?"

    The warm breath brushed against her ear, and Lin Yue felt her brain suddenly heat up; it was visibly clear that her ears were turning red.

    "I didn''t think that."

    Lin Yue''s tone and pitch remained unchanged, but her instinctively reddening cheeks and ears revealed her true reaction to Hermione.

    With a slight smile, Hermione tightened her grip on Lin Yue''s arm in a somewhat domineering manner, "Then let''s just sit here."

    Lin Yue nodded with a calm expression and quietly settled into Hermione''s embrace.

    When it was time to sleep at night, Hermione became even more "free-spirited" after Lin Yue dried her own hair.

    Having already lain down in bed, Hermione reached out and pulled Lin Yue into her arms, burying her face in the crook of Lin Yue''s neck and gently inhaling her scent.

    This time, Lin yue said nothing, as it wouldn''t affect Hermione''s body. As for what else Hermione wanted to do, she was ready for it.

    Although she didn''t quite understand why her brain, cheeks, and heart felt a wave of heat.

    "Good night, Lin Yue." Hermione nuzzled into Lin Yue''s neck and whispered softly.

    "Good night, Hermione." Lin Yue replied in a flat tone, closing her eyes at the same time.

    Lin Yue spent the first three days of summer vacation in Hermione''s frequent "closeness."

    Every time the Granger couple saw this, they would show a look of contentment.

    On the fourth day of the vacation, Lin Yue followed Hermione and the Granger couple on their journey to France.

    On the plane, Lin Yue sat by the window, with Hermione next to her.

    As soon as she sat down and fastened her seatbelt, Hermione took Linyue''s hand.

    Turning to look at Hermione with a blank expression, Hermione smiled and poked Linyue''s cheek.

    "This is my first time on a plane, and my first time flying is with you."

    Lin Yue allowed Hermione to poke her cheek, and with a dazed expression, she nodded, "Yeah, it''s my first time on a plane too."

    Hermione nodded and tightened her grip on Lin Yue''s hand.

    "Since it''s your first time flying, do you feel nervous? Like... do you think about what would happen if the plane were to crash, something like that?"

    "No," Lin Yue answered honestly, quickly recalling information about airplanes in her mind. "The probability of an accident is actually very low."

    Her brain swiftly calculated the maximum weight for casting the Levitation Charm, comparing it to a fully loaded commercial airliner, and Lin Yue said with a calm expression, "Even in the extremely unlikely event of an emergency, there''s no need to worry. According to the Ministry of Magic''s regulations, young wizards can use magic to save themselves in life-threatening situations."

    "My Levitation Charm is enough to safely land a fully loaded commercial airliner."

    "With me around, Hermione doesn''t need to worry."

    The last sentence slipped out of Lin Yue''s mouth instinctively, without any thought, almost as if it were ingrained in her DNA, as if she was born to say it.

    Just like how humans are born with the ability to love others.

    Hearing the words she wanted to hear, Hermione''s eyes sparkled as she hugged Lin Yue''s right arm.

    "Yeah, even though I know you don''t mean it that way, just hearing that makes me very satisfied."

    Seeing Hermione''s eyes crinkle with a smile, Lin Yue thought that she must be pleased to hear that she could ensure the plane''s safety. As for the part about knowing that she didn''t mean it that way, Lin Yue couldn''t quite grasp the specific meaning.

    Mechanically, she looked out the window; the plane had begun to taxi slowly.

    At the same time, the plane''s speed, acceleration, and the upward thrust about to be generated all started to form calculations in Lin Yue''s mind.

    As the plane slowly took off, Lin Yue kept calculating various data while watching the ground recede further away.

    It wasn''t until the plane was flying steadily that she stopped her calculations.

    This would make a great physics or math problem, Lin Yue thought in a formatted manner.

    "Excuse me, little one? What would you like to drink?"

    The flight attendant, pushing a cart, leaned in gently to ask Lin Yue, while Hermione lightly patted her hand.

    Lin Yue turned around and apologized to the flight attendant, "Sorry, I was just doing some calculations and didn''t respond in time."

    The flight attendant was taken aback, clearly not expecting a passenger to apologize for that.

    "It''s okay," her smile became even more genuine and gentle, "What would you like to drink? Alcoholic drinks are not allowed, though."

    It seemed like she was teasing Lin Yue, deliberately adding the last sentence.

    "If you have cola, I would like a cola, thank you."

    Recalling the experience of going to the amusement park with Hermione, Lin Yue unhesitatingly ordered the cola she had enjoyed before.

    That unique taste was something Lin Yue really liked, more than any other beverage.

    Of course, a significant part of the reason was likely because that joyful memory was associated with Hermione being by her side.

    Even though Lin Yue herself wasn''t aware of it yet, her body instinctively recognized the difference between cola and other drinks.

 Chapter 104: A kiss waiting for a response.

    It was a kind of sweetness that penetrated deep into the heart, a sweetness so strong and passionate that even Lin Yue, whose inner world had been calm and uneventful for years, could feel it.

    When the plane landed, Lin Yue followed Hermione off the aircraft and saw for the first time the country she had once read about in books.

    In France, a country known for its romance, walking down the street did not evoke any extra feelings in Lin Yue. People lived ordinary lives, walked in an ordinary manner, immersed in their own routines.

    What connection does the cultural atmosphere created have with the countless individuals hustling for their daily necessities?

    The Granger couple was indeed well-off; as dentists, their income was already high, and with both of them having considerable savings, they unhesitatingly booked the best hotel in Paris for their trip.

    They shared one room, while Hermione and Lin Yue had another. Standing by the window at night, Lin Yue silently gazed at the twinkling lights outside.

    After finishing her shower and drying her hair, Hermione walked out of the bathroom and came to Lin Yue''s side, tilting her head to look at her.

    "What are you thinking about?"

    Lin Yue blinked and lightly pursed her lips, "I was thinking about how long it will take for this world to become like us."

    Her voice was calm and unruffled, yet it made Hermione''s heart ache uncontrollably.

    "To become like us, do you mean to become like your world?"

    "Yes."

    Lin Yue answered indifferently. Just moments ago, she was standing by the window, watching the bustling traffic and the dazzling lights outside. For some reason, she began to calculate the total amount of resources the Earth could produce, as well as the approximate number of resources consumed by the global population.

    She analyzed through calculations how long it would take for this world to fall into the same old path they once experienced.

    Hermione thought about what Lin Yue had said about her original world and reached out to hold her hand, "Will such a thing happen?"

    "It will."

    Lin Yue said without hesitation, "According to the data, the total resources of this world will also face extreme scarcity in nearly a thousand years."

    "Nearly a thousand years, huh," Hermione suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, "Then we still have a lot of time."

    Nearly a thousand years, considering the pace of human development, resources should not be a problem by then, right?

    Lin Yue lowered her gaze, a sharp pain surged through her mind, and the calculations she had long been deliberately avoiding returned to her thoughts.

    After a long period of overexploitation and living in a constant state of life and death, didn''t her original world produce any geniuses? Didn''t anyone achieve anything in her original world?

    It couldn''t be that way.

    "It¡¯s useless."

    Her calm response made Hermione unable to help but glance over. "Useless? What does that mean? Why is it useless?"

    Lin Yue raised her head and turned to face Hermione; her eyes filled with a dead silence.

    "According to the analysis, the number of geniuses produced in my original world and the speed of technological advancement indicate that the resource shortage problem could have been solved fifty years ago."

    "And it could have raised the living standards of all humanity by more than double."

    "But the facts prove that the analysis was wrong, and there are significant errors in the data; the technological advancement did not manage to solve the resource problem."

    "Resources are still scarce, so we can conclude that even with technological progress, the issue of resource scarcity will still arise, and the situation in our world will still occur."

    "I cannot calculate what the huge variables causing this problem are; I can''t deduce it."

    "Technological progress can''t solve it?"

    Hermione frowned. According to Lin Yue, the technological development in their world should have already solved the problem of resource shortages.

    So why were they still forcing children to adhere to such rules?

    Or rather, where had the geniuses, technology, and the resources that should have emerged to solve these problems gone?If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Filled with confusion, Hermione turned to look out the window of the hotel.

    From the high-rise hotel window, she could overlook everything below.

    Her heart shook violently as Hermione realized what the variable was that Lin Yue couldn''t deduce or calculate.

    The only thing that could elude Lin Yue''s understanding was human emotion, the human heart.

    In Lin Yue''s world, it was the children who were being forced, the diligent children, while the adults who had grown up through it all were the ones who were weak.

    So, who held those achievements and those children?

    What did they want to do?

    Why was such a rule implemented first place?

    These were questioning that Lin Yue would not think about or calculate, but for Hermione, the answers were simple and obvious.

    "It can''t be like this."

    Hermione let out a long sigh. She walked up behind Lin Yue and gently hugged her, resting her chin on her shoulder.

    "I promise you; such a situation won''t happen here. I will do my best to prevent it."

    "For you, for the future children, so that many years from now, we won''t be scolded by future generations for being cowardly."

    A predetermined outcome is irreversible, Lin Yue thought to say, but feeling the soft warmth behind her, her mouth just wouldn''t open.

    "Okay, I believe in Hermione."

    In the end, that was all she could say, her heart calm and still.

    "Let''s sleep." Hermione said, nuzzling Lin Yue''s cheek.

    "Mm."

    Lin Yue nodded, turned, walked to the bedside, took off her slippers, and lay down under the covers.

    "Good night."

    Hermione sat on the edge of the bed and gently brushed Lin Yue''s forehead.

    "Good night, Hermione."

    Lin Yue closed her eyes and instantly fell into a deep sleep.

    Slowly leaning against the headboard, Hermione looked down at Lin Yue''s expressionless face in her dreams, which showed no signs of comfort or relaxation. It was as if she was born with a sense of numbness and silence.

    "Greed."

    Hermione whispered softly, recognizing that the endless greed of humanity was the root cause of the tragedies in Lin Yue''s world.

    "It won''t happen, it won''t happen."

    Gently stroking Lin Yue''s forehead, Hermione seemed to be speaking to her, as well as to herself.

    "I''m here; I won''t let your new home, your forever home, become that unbearable."

    "I promise."

    It was unclear whether it was Hermione''s words that had an effect, but Lin Yue''s expression softened slightly, revealing a hint of peace.

    The next morning, Lin Yue opened her eyes to see Hermione lying beside her, soundly asleep with her eyes closed.

    Quickly calculating the time needed for departure and the time Hermione would need to wash up and use the bathroom, Lin Yue determined the latest time she could let Hermione sleep.

    Carefully climbing out of bed, Lin Yue quietly went to the bathroom to wash up.

    After finishing, she walked out of the bathroom and sat at the table across from the bed, calmly watching Hermione.

    Her mind was filled with memories of the various books she had read, and Lin Yue began a comprehensive review of all the books.

    She should regularly review every book she had read to ensure she could remember every detail.

    This way, when she needed to recall something, she would never forget.

    As soon as the latest time to wake Hermione arrived, Lin Yue quickly broke away from her review, stood up, and walked to the bedside.

    Crouching down, she gently shook Hermione, "Hermione, it''s time to get up. We need to have breakfast and then go to the attractions."

    After being shaken twice by Lin Yue, Hermione finally groggily rubbed her eyes and sat up.

    "Ah... okay, I''m getting up."

    After getting out of bed and washing up, she followed Lin Yue out of the room, where the Granger couple was also coming out of their room.

    The timing was perfectly calculated, almost to the second.

    After having breakfast at the hotel, the group headed directly to the first stop of their journey, the Eiffel Tower.

    It wasn''t until she looked up at the actual structure that Lin Yue felt a sense of reality about the tower, which had appeared in physics, mathematics, chemistry, and language exams.

    So this is what the Eiffel Tower looks like; so it is this tall.

    Looking at the rust on the tower, Lin Yue instinctively began to calculate, based on questions from past chemistry exams, how long it would take for the Eiffel Tower to be completely corroded without maintenance.

    All influencing factors were considered, and countless equations surged in her mind.

    Hermione happily captured the image of the Eiffel Tower with her camera. When she turned to see Lin Yue muttering to herself in front of the Eiffel Tower, she immediately knew what Lin Yue was doing.

    Her lips twitched slightly, and without hesitation, she reached out to interrupt Lin Yue''s mumbling. "Stop solving mathematical questions; we''re here to have fun today."

    Lin Yue''s calculations were interrupted, and after staring blankly at Hermione for two seconds, she finally nodded. "Okay, I just instinctively thought of a mathematical questions and started working on it."

    "The Eiffel Tower can even be a mathematical questions, just like the amusement park mathematical questions before¡ªit''s really bizarre." Hermione muttered quietly, pointing to a great photo spot not far away. "Quick, stand over there, and I''ll take a picture of you."

    Lin Yue nodded without any change in expression and walked to the spot Hermione indicated.

    Hermione patiently adjusted the angle until she found the one that suited Lin Yue best, then pressed the shutter.

    Click...

    With two synchronized soft sounds, two photos were taken at the same moment.

    One was of Lin Yue standing in front of the Eiffel Tower, and the other included Hermione, who was taking the picture of her.

    Looking at the photos in the camera, the Granger couple showed satisfied expressions.

    They turned out really well; they could be added to the new album when they got back.

    Taking the elevator, Lin Yue, Hermione, and the Granger couple ascended to the highest point of the tower together.

    Stepping out of the elevator, Lin Yue gazed into the distance, as if the whole of Paris was within her sight.

    "Just like what was written in the language exam."

    Hearing Lin Yue''s emotionless statement, Hermione pouted and hugged her arm.

    "Put the exam questions aside and just enjoy the view; it''s so beautiful!"

    Lin Yue mechanically nodded, "Okay."

    With Hermione hugging her arm, Lin Yue''s gaze wandered continuously in all directions of the city.

    Every scene was captured in her eyes, and every layout was stored in her mind.

    Because she was both observing and memorizing Lin Yue, who was extremely focused, didn''t even notice the passage of time.

    It wasn''t until a warm, moist sensation touched her cheek that she came back to her senses, stiffly turning her head to look beside her.

    Hermione was beside her, pressing her own lips against Lin Yue''s face.

    After Lin Yue turned her head to look, Hermione pulled back, brushed her hair, and looked at her with a slightly flushed face but a confident demeanor.

    "What''s wrong?"

    "Nothing." Lin Yue shook her head and shifted her gaze back to the layout of the entire city of Paris.

    However, this time, no matter how seriously she looked, her mind was filled only with the soft and warm sensation on her cheek from just now.

    The layout of the city, the possible data, couldn''t even enter her mind, not even a little bit.

    Hermione licked her lips, as if she could still taste a hint of fresh sweetness from it. Although she was only kissing his cheek now, it was enough to make her feel satisfied. As for more, she would have to wait, wait for Lin Yue to respond to her. It was a wait for a kiss that had a response.

    Hermione''s kiss on Lin Yue''s cheek was boldly displayed in front of everyone at the Eiffel Tower. The Granger couple exchanged pleased glances and quickly captured the moment with their camera. Nearby, some tourists filled with romance applauded for the two, there a kindly old man and lady applaud nearby even though they were still just kids. But who can say that at this age, healthy love isn''t sweet and doesn''t deserve blessings?

    Hermione felt her cheeks flush as she listened to the applause from the crowd, while Lin Yue beside her showed no reaction at all, still staring intently at the city beneath the Eiffel Tower. She had no idea that the applause behind her was for her and Hermione.

    After leaving the Eiffel Tower, the four of them got into a taxi. As soon as Hermione sat down, she unceremoniously leaned into Lin Yue''s arms. Mrs. Granger, who was sitting in the back seat with Lin Yue, looked at her daughter with amusement and teased her with a smile, "You really aren''t shy at all, are you? First kissing Lin Yue''s cheek at the tower, and now leaning into her arms in the taxi."

    Hearing this, Hermione wrinkled her little nose and made a funny face. "What do I have to be shy about? If it weren''t for... if it weren''t for Lin Yue not being able to respond yet."

    "As long as it doesn''t bother anyone, I can hug her and kiss her right in front of others. My love is just that generous."

    Because they were outside, Hermione instinctively glossed over the part about Lin Yue not having any feelings yet.

    Mrs. Granger chuckled and reached out to poke her daughter''s little nose.

    "Be careful, Lin Yue might get shy and then deal with you."

    Hermione huffed, snuggling in Lin Yue''s arms and looking up at her, "Will you be shy in the future? If you get shy, will you deal with me?"

    Lin Yue quickly found the definitions of shy and deal with in her mind.

    "I won''t be shy."

    She stated her conclusion with a serious tone.

    "And I won''t deal with Hermione, no matter what context it is."

    "That''s what Lin Yue said herself, you know."

    Hermione glanced at her mother with a hint of pride, then hugged Lin Yue and nuzzled against her.

    "But I really want you to get shy sooner..."

    Mrs. Granger looked at the two girls with a kind expression and shook her head with a smile.

    "You''re just relying on Lin Yue always indulging you."

    Lin Yue blinked and said in a tone that showed no change, "I didn''t indulge Hermione; I just did what my brain thought I should do."

 Chapter 104: A kiss waiting for a response.

    It was a kind of sweetness that penetrated deep into the heart, a sweetness so strong and passionate that even Lin Yue, whose inner world had been calm and uneventful for years, could feel it.

    When the plane landed, Lin Yue followed Hermione off the aircraft and saw for the first time the country she had once read about in books.

    In France, a country known for its romance, walking down the street did not evoke any extra feelings in Lin Yue. People lived ordinary lives, walked in an ordinary manner, immersed in their own routines.

    What connection does the cultural atmosphere created have with the countless individuals hustling for their daily necessities?

    The Granger couple was indeed well-off; as dentists, their income was already high, and with both of them having considerable savings, they unhesitatingly booked the best hotel in Paris for their trip.

    They shared one room, while Hermione and Lin Yue had another. Standing by the window at night, Lin Yue silently gazed at the twinkling lights outside.

    After finishing her shower and drying her hair, Hermione walked out of the bathroom and came to Lin Yue''s side, tilting her head to look at her.

    "What are you thinking about?"

    Lin Yue blinked and lightly pursed her lips, "I was thinking about how long it will take for this world to become like us."

    Her voice was calm and unruffled, yet it made Hermione''s heart ache uncontrollably.

    "To become like us, do you mean to become like your world?"

    "Yes."

    Lin Yue answered indifferently. Just moments ago, she was standing by the window, watching the bustling traffic and the dazzling lights outside. For some reason, she began to calculate the total amount of resources the Earth could produce, as well as the approximate number of resources consumed by the global population.

    She analyzed through calculations how long it would take for this world to fall into the same old path they once experienced.

    Hermione thought about what Lin Yue had said about her original world and reached out to hold her hand, "Will such a thing happen?"

    "It will."

    Lin Yue said without hesitation, "According to the data, the total resources of this world will also face extreme scarcity in nearly a thousand years."

    "Nearly a thousand years, huh," Hermione suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, "Then we still have a lot of time."

    Nearly a thousand years, considering the pace of human development, resources should not be a problem by then, right?

    Lin Yue lowered her gaze, a sharp pain surged through her mind, and the calculations she had long been deliberately avoiding returned to her thoughts.

    After a long period of overexploitation and living in a constant state of life and death, didn''t her original world produce any geniuses? Didn''t anyone achieve anything in her original world?

    It couldn''t be that way.

    "It¡¯s useless."

    Her calm response made Hermione unable to help but glance over. "Useless? What does that mean? Why is it useless?"

    Lin Yue raised her head and turned to face Hermione; her eyes filled with a dead silence.

    "According to the analysis, the number of geniuses produced in my original world and the speed of technological advancement indicate that the resource shortage problem could have been solved fifty years ago."

    "And it could have raised the living standards of all humanity by more than double."

    "But the facts prove that the analysis was wrong, and there are significant errors in the data; the technological advancement did not manage to solve the resource problem."

    "Resources are still scarce, so we can conclude that even with technological progress, the issue of resource scarcity will still arise, and the situation in our world will still occur."

    "I cannot calculate what the huge variables causing this problem are; I can''t deduce it."

    "Technological progress can''t solve it?"

    Hermione frowned. According to Lin Yue, the technological development in their world should have already solved the problem of resource shortages.

    So why were they still forcing children to adhere to such rules?

    Or rather, where had the geniuses, technology, and the resources that should have emerged to solve these problems gone?The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Filled with confusion, Hermione turned to look out the window of the hotel.

    From the high-rise hotel window, she could overlook everything below.

    Her heart shook violently as Hermione realized what the variable was that Lin Yue couldn''t deduce or calculate.

    The only thing that could elude Lin Yue''s understanding was human emotion, the human heart.

    In Lin Yue''s world, it was the children who were being forced, the diligent children, while the adults who had grown up through it all were the ones who were weak.

    So, who held those achievements and those children?

    What did they want to do?

    Why was such a rule implemented first place?

    These were questioning that Lin Yue would not think about or calculate, but for Hermione, the answers were simple and obvious.

    "It can''t be like this."

    Hermione let out a long sigh. She walked up behind Lin Yue and gently hugged her, resting her chin on her shoulder.

    "I promise you; such a situation won''t happen here. I will do my best to prevent it."

    "For you, for the future children, so that many years from now, we won''t be scolded by future generations for being cowardly."

    A predetermined outcome is irreversible, Lin Yue thought to say, but feeling the soft warmth behind her, her mouth just wouldn''t open.

    "Okay, I believe in Hermione."

    In the end, that was all she could say, her heart calm and still.

    "Let''s sleep." Hermione said, nuzzling Lin Yue''s cheek.

    "Mm."

    Lin Yue nodded, turned, walked to the bedside, took off her slippers, and lay down under the covers.

    "Good night."

    Hermione sat on the edge of the bed and gently brushed Lin Yue''s forehead.

    "Good night, Hermione."

    Lin Yue closed her eyes and instantly fell into a deep sleep.

    Slowly leaning against the headboard, Hermione looked down at Lin Yue''s expressionless face in her dreams, which showed no signs of comfort or relaxation. It was as if she was born with a sense of numbness and silence.

    "Greed."

    Hermione whispered softly, recognizing that the endless greed of humanity was the root cause of the tragedies in Lin Yue''s world.

    "It won''t happen, it won''t happen."

    Gently stroking Lin Yue''s forehead, Hermione seemed to be speaking to her, as well as to herself.

    "I''m here; I won''t let your new home, your forever home, become that unbearable."

    "I promise."

    It was unclear whether it was Hermione''s words that had an effect, but Lin Yue''s expression softened slightly, revealing a hint of peace.

    The next morning, Lin Yue opened her eyes to see Hermione lying beside her, soundly asleep with her eyes closed.

    Quickly calculating the time needed for departure and the time Hermione would need to wash up and use the bathroom, Lin Yue determined the latest time she could let Hermione sleep.

    Carefully climbing out of bed, Lin Yue quietly went to the bathroom to wash up.

    After finishing, she walked out of the bathroom and sat at the table across from the bed, calmly watching Hermione.

    Her mind was filled with memories of the various books she had read, and Lin Yue began a comprehensive review of all the books.

    She should regularly review every book she had read to ensure she could remember every detail.

    This way, when she needed to recall something, she would never forget.

    As soon as the latest time to wake Hermione arrived, Lin Yue quickly broke away from her review, stood up, and walked to the bedside.

    Crouching down, she gently shook Hermione, "Hermione, it''s time to get up. We need to have breakfast and then go to the attractions."

    After being shaken twice by Lin Yue, Hermione finally groggily rubbed her eyes and sat up.

    "Ah... okay, I''m getting up."

    After getting out of bed and washing up, she followed Lin Yue out of the room, where the Granger couple was also coming out of their room.

    The timing was perfectly calculated, almost to the second.

    After having breakfast at the hotel, the group headed directly to the first stop of their journey, the Eiffel Tower.

    It wasn''t until she looked up at the actual structure that Lin Yue felt a sense of reality about the tower, which had appeared in physics, mathematics, chemistry, and language exams.

    So this is what the Eiffel Tower looks like; so it is this tall.

    Looking at the rust on the tower, Lin Yue instinctively began to calculate, based on questions from past chemistry exams, how long it would take for the Eiffel Tower to be completely corroded without maintenance.

    All influencing factors were considered, and countless equations surged in her mind.

    Hermione happily captured the image of the Eiffel Tower with her camera. When she turned to see Lin Yue muttering to herself in front of the Eiffel Tower, she immediately knew what Lin Yue was doing.

    Her lips twitched slightly, and without hesitation, she reached out to interrupt Lin Yue''s mumbling. "Stop solving mathematical questions; we''re here to have fun today."

    Lin Yue''s calculations were interrupted, and after staring blankly at Hermione for two seconds, she finally nodded. "Okay, I just instinctively thought of a mathematical questions and started working on it."

    "The Eiffel Tower can even be a mathematical questions, just like the amusement park mathematical questions before¡ªit''s really bizarre." Hermione muttered quietly, pointing to a great photo spot not far away. "Quick, stand over there, and I''ll take a picture of you."

    Lin Yue nodded without any change in expression and walked to the spot Hermione indicated.

    Hermione patiently adjusted the angle until she found the one that suited Lin Yue best, then pressed the shutter.

    Click...

    With two synchronized soft sounds, two photos were taken at the same moment.

    One was of Lin Yue standing in front of the Eiffel Tower, and the other included Hermione, who was taking the picture of her.

    Looking at the photos in the camera, the Granger couple showed satisfied expressions.

    They turned out really well; they could be added to the new album when they got back.

    Taking the elevator, Lin Yue, Hermione, and the Granger couple ascended to the highest point of the tower together.

    Stepping out of the elevator, Lin Yue gazed into the distance, as if the whole of Paris was within her sight.

    "Just like what was written in the language exam."

    Hearing Lin Yue''s emotionless statement, Hermione pouted and hugged her arm.

    "Put the exam questions aside and just enjoy the view; it''s so beautiful!"

    Lin Yue mechanically nodded, "Okay."

    With Hermione hugging her arm, Lin Yue''s gaze wandered continuously in all directions of the city.

    Every scene was captured in her eyes, and every layout was stored in her mind.

    Because she was both observing and memorizing Lin Yue, who was extremely focused, didn''t even notice the passage of time.

    It wasn''t until a warm, moist sensation touched her cheek that she came back to her senses, stiffly turning her head to look beside her.

    Hermione was beside her, pressing her own lips against Lin Yue''s face.

    After Lin Yue turned her head to look, Hermione pulled back, brushed her hair, and looked at her with a slightly flushed face but a confident demeanor.

    "What''s wrong?"

    "Nothing." Lin Yue shook her head and shifted her gaze back to the layout of the entire city of Paris.

    However, this time, no matter how seriously she looked, her mind was filled only with the soft and warm sensation on her cheek from just now.

    The layout of the city, the possible data, couldn''t even enter her mind, not even a little bit.

    Hermione licked her lips, as if she could still taste a hint of fresh sweetness from it. Although she was only kissing his cheek now, it was enough to make her feel satisfied. As for more, she would have to wait, wait for Lin Yue to respond to her. It was a wait for a kiss that had a response.

    Hermione''s kiss on Lin Yue''s cheek was boldly displayed in front of everyone at the Eiffel Tower. The Granger couple exchanged pleased glances and quickly captured the moment with their camera. Nearby, some tourists filled with romance applauded for the two, there a kindly old man and lady applaud nearby even though they were still just kids. But who can say that at this age, healthy love isn''t sweet and doesn''t deserve blessings?

    Hermione felt her cheeks flush as she listened to the applause from the crowd, while Lin Yue beside her showed no reaction at all, still staring intently at the city beneath the Eiffel Tower. She had no idea that the applause behind her was for her and Hermione.

    After leaving the Eiffel Tower, the four of them got into a taxi. As soon as Hermione sat down, she unceremoniously leaned into Lin Yue''s arms. Mrs. Granger, who was sitting in the back seat with Lin Yue, looked at her daughter with amusement and teased her with a smile, "You really aren''t shy at all, are you? First kissing Lin Yue''s cheek at the tower, and now leaning into her arms in the taxi."

    Hearing this, Hermione wrinkled her little nose and made a funny face. "What do I have to be shy about? If it weren''t for... if it weren''t for Lin Yue not being able to respond yet."

    "As long as it doesn''t bother anyone, I can hug her and kiss her right in front of others. My love is just that generous."

    Because they were outside, Hermione instinctively glossed over the part about Lin Yue not having any feelings yet.

    Mrs. Granger chuckled and reached out to poke her daughter''s little nose.

    "Be careful, Lin Yue might get shy and then deal with you."

    Hermione huffed, snuggling in Lin Yue''s arms and looking up at her, "Will you be shy in the future? If you get shy, will you deal with me?"

    Lin Yue quickly found the definitions of shy and deal with in her mind.

    "I won''t be shy."

    She stated her conclusion with a serious tone.

    "And I won''t deal with Hermione, no matter what context it is."

    "That''s what Lin Yue said herself, you know."

    Hermione glanced at her mother with a hint of pride, then hugged Lin Yue and nuzzled against her.

    "But I really want you to get shy sooner..."

    Mrs. Granger looked at the two girls with a kind expression and shook her head with a smile.

    "You''re just relying on Lin Yue always indulging you."

    Lin Yue blinked and said in a tone that showed no change, "I didn''t indulge Hermione; I just did what my brain thought I should do."