"Her expectations of herself are different from ours—"
Hearing Ron's words, Harry speculated.
"These elective courses can be dropped as long as you pass at least two subjects. But knowing Hermione's personality, she definitely won't give up. Not only that, but when final exams come, she'll definitely want to get an 'O' in every single course to be satisfied."
"She's really hard on herself," Ron said, clicking his tongue in amazement.
Sherlock smiled faintly. "Not necessarily."
"What do you mean?"
Harry and Ron immediately became interested.
"Wait a little longer, and you'll find out then."
Harry and Ron looked at each other.
Here we go again—whenever Sherlock didn't want to say something, no amount of asking would help.
The celebration continued until one in the morning, when Professor McGonagall, who could no longer bear it, finally appeared.
She had been patient for a long time.
If it were any other day, she would have intervened earlier.
But precisely because she too deeply loved Quidditch and no longer wanted to be crushed under Slytherin's heel, she had tolerated the students' emotional outpouring over this crucial victory.
However, seeing that if she didn't step in, the little lions might well party all night, she simply came to the common room wearing her Scottish plaid morning robe and hair net, telling everyone to go to bed.
"Professor, let us play a bit longer!" said Fred.
"Just one hour—no, half an hour would do!" said George.
"Absolutely not!"
Professor McGonagall was firm, and the Gryffindor celebration had to end. The little lions dispersed.
Sherlock, Harry, and Ron went upstairs to their dormitory.
Harry and Ron continued discussing the match all the way.
With this term's two matches now complete, it was time for the classic score calculation.
Gryffindor's current record was one win and one loss, with one match remaining.
Hufflepuff was also one win and one loss, also with one match left, and both teams' next opponents were Slytherin.
Ravenclaw was one win and two losses, with all three matches completed.
Slytherin was one win, with two matches still to play.
So the following scenarios emerged.
First was next term's opening match: Slytherin vs. Hufflepuff.
If Slytherin won.
Gryffindor would only have a chance at the cup if they defeated Slytherin in the final match, then competed with Slytherin, both teams having two wins and one loss—based on points to determine the cup champion.
If Gryffindor lost to Slytherin in the final match, then Slytherin with three straight wins would be the undisputed cup champion.
Second was if Slytherin lost to Hufflepuff—though everyone thought this unlikely.
But if this scenario did occur, then Gryffindor would need to defeat Slytherin in the final match and compete with Hufflepuff—both teams having two wins and one loss—based on points for the cup championship.
Similarly, if Gryffindor lost to Slytherin in the final match, then Hufflepuff and Slytherin, both with two wins and one loss, would compete based on points for the cup championship.
In summary, no matter what, Gryffindor had to win the final match against Slytherin.
Not only that, but merely winning the match wouldn't be enough—they'd also need to calculate points based on the result of the previous match.
After hearing Sherlock's analysis, Harry said. "This feeling of having to watch others' faces is really uncomfortable."
"Especially having to watch Slytherin's face," Ron added.
They hadn't felt it during the celebration in the common room, but when they climbed into bed and lay down after pulling the four-poster bed curtains together to block the moonlight, both Harry and Ron felt exhaustion wash over them like a tide.
Soon, they drifted into dreams.
Sherlock listened to his two friends' long, steady breathing and smiled slightly.
Today's conversation with Sirius had yielded him some more information. Good.
With this crucial match over, Harry finally had free time and rejoined Sherlock and Neville's morning training group.
Before they knew it, time had reached the end of February.
That evening, Sherlock, who hadn't attended Astronomy class in a long time, rarely went to listen to a lecture.
Mainly because Astronomy Professor Aurora Sinistra had expressed dissatisfaction that Sherlock hadn't attended a single class this term.
Although after seeing the astronomy model that Sherlock and Hermione had purchased together, she acknowledged they could indeed skip classes, Hermione attended every single class without fail. Couldn't Sherlock at least show his face once a month?
So, when Sherlock went to see her to gather intelligence on Professor Slughorn, she directly expressed this view.
Having obtained the intelligence, Sherlock indicated he would give her face.
After class ended, Sherlock returned to the common room with his companions and saw a large crowd gathered around the notice board.
"Hogsmeade, next weekend!"
Ron, taking advantage of his height, craned his neck to read the newly posted notice and announced its contents to his companions beside him.
After sitting down, he looked excitedly at Sherlock, Harry, and Hermione. "So, are you guys going?"
Sherlock shook his head.
After visiting once, he had lost interest in this only all-wizarding village in all of Britain.
Of course, if a case occurred there, that would be another matter.
Hermione was even more direct. "I don't have time."
Where did the time go?
This was obvious and needed no further explanation.
Harry looked at Sherlock, then at Ron, appearing somewhat hesitant.
"Come on, Harry," Ron said, nudging Harry with his elbow. "Last term you couldn't go because of Sirius—wait!"
At this point, Ron suddenly had a realization. "You can write to Sirius and have him go to Hogsmeade too! Although he can't come to Hogwarts, there's no problem with him going to Hogsmeade! Then you can tell him all about the match properly."
"That's right!"
Harry's eyes lit up at these words.
He had been feeling somewhat regretful about not being able to see Sirius after the Quidditch match.
He hadn't expected the opportunity to come so quickly.
"Ron, thanks for reminding me. I'm going to Hogsmeade!"
The half month Harry had spent living with Sirius during the winter holiday had made him completely fond of this tall, handsome, witty, and humorous godfather.
He had found in him a paternal love he had never experienced before.
A godfather was like a father.
"That's more like it!"
Ron said cheerfully. "This time we absolutely must visit Zonko's joke shop! They have George and Fred's favorite prank materials there. Like Dungbombs, Hiccough Sweets, Frog Spawn Soap, and Nose-Biting Teacups—"
By Friday evening, Hedwig brought Sirius's reply.
"He agreed!"
Harry said excitedly to Sherlock beside him. "Sirius also said he hopes to see you and Hermione. Are you really not going?"
Sherlock smiled and shook his head. "There's nothing there that interests me anymore."
Hermione said even more sullenly, "Sorry, Harry. Actually, I personally would love to go, but I must finish reading this book before Monday."
Harry: "..."
Why did this conversation feel so familiar?
He looked at the thick tome in Hermione's hands—this time it was a reference work on Ancient Runes research.
Just seeing those densely packed pictographic symbols made Harry feel a headache, and he quickly looked away.
"Hermione—"
"No need to say more, I still have three hundred and thirty-one pages left to read!"
Seeming to notice her tone was a bit rude, she quickly added.
"However, if you could bring me back some stationery and sweets, I would be very grateful. You know, my parents really like the things there, and I've been going through pens and ink rather quickly lately."
"Of course, no problem!"
Harry and Ron both nodded repeatedly.
"Um—"
"What's wrong, Harry?"
Noticing Harry's expression had suddenly become somewhat strange, Ron asked curiously.
"Sirius wants me to bring Cho along too," Harry said, blushing.
"Oh my!"
Ron cried out excitedly. "Worthy of being your godfather, really clever! Mate, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and write to Cho!"
"No—I mean, wouldn't that be inappropriate?"
"What's inappropriate about it? Didn't you say last time she wasn't too happy because you didn't invite her to visit your new home during the winter holiday? This time it's your godfather actively inviting her, that's sincere enough, right?"
Harry thought about it and realized it really was like that.
So, with a try-it-and-see attitude, he had Hedwig take another letter to Cho Chang.
Regarding having to deliver another letter for her master right after just returning from a long journey, Hedwig was obviously somewhat displeased.
She affectionately nipped Harry twice.
"Forget it, since Hedwig doesn't want to go, let Pig make the trip," Ron said with a laugh upon seeing this. "I think he'd be willing—"
"Ouch, what are you doing!"
Ron's words were cut off mid-sentence.
Because Hedwig had viciously pecked his index finger.
If the two nips to Harry had been complaints, these attacks on Ron were pure revenge.
Harry hurriedly took Hedwig away, but she was still making threatening gestures at Ron.
"She seems jealous," Hermione said, laughing at the sight.
"You can remove 'seems,'" Sherlock said, watching Hedwig, whose beak was making clicking sounds, proudly displaying her displeasure.
"You don't want to go, but you won't let Pig go either—ouch, I won't say it, I won't say it, okay?"
Watching Ron being chased around by Hedwig, Sherlock, Harry, and Hermione couldn't help but laugh.
"Harry, stop laughing and control your bird!"
"Alright, Hedwig, spare him, spare him this once!"
Harry coaxed Hedwig to let Ron off, then had her take his invitation to Cho Chang, after which he waited anxiously.
Ron couldn't help but laugh at the sight. "You weren't this nervous before your last match, mate."
"This time is different!" Harry retorted.
"I get it, I get it, meeting the parents, hehe—"
Harry: "..."
Cho Chang's reply came quickly.
She indicated she had already planned to go to Hogsmeade, so she was completely willing to go with Harry to meet Sirius.
"Great, we need to get up early tomorrow. Let's head back to the dormitory!"
After Harry and Ron left, Hermione's smile faded, and she turned to Sherlock.
She hesitated for a moment before finally asking. "Sherlock, am I—should I not be doing this?"
Hermione's question was somewhat vague, but Sherlock understood clearly what she was asking about.
"Harry once asked me the same question. My answer was. this is your own choice."
Hermione looked at the thick tome on her desk and said somewhat troubled.
"Actually, I don't really know what I should do anymore, Sherlock. I'm genuinely starting to doubt whether persisting like this has any meaning."
Apart from Professor McGonagall, only Sherlock knew the secret of the Time-Turner.
So Hermione could only confide her thoughts to him.
Or rather, thanks to Sherlock knowing about this, Hermione could occasionally share her feelings with him, otherwise the situation would be even worse than it was now.
"Dear Hermione, persisting in doing something isn't because doing it will be effective, but because you firmly believe that doing it is right."
Hearing Sherlock's words, Hermione lowered her head.
Her fingers unconsciously traced the embossed gilded title on the thick Elementary Deconstruction of Ancient Runes on the desk.
The flames in the common room fireplace leaped, casting warm orange-red light on her furrowed brow and on the open pages covered with densely packed pictographic symbols.
Hermione was silent for a moment, then raised her head.
She looked deeply at Sherlock. "I understand—I'll persist for a while longer. If—"
Hermione didn't finish the rest of her sentence.
But even if she didn't say it, it didn't matter.
After all, Sherlock understood everything.
On Saturday morning, Sherlock brought Harry and Neville back to the dormitory after their morning training, then went together to the Great Hall for breakfast.
After the meal, Harry and Ron headed toward the doors, where Cho Chang was already waiting for them at Filch's station.
This was because Ron had accidentally told Ginny about Sirius wanting to meet Cho Chang.
This made Ginny look at Harry and Ron with resentful eyes at that moment, making Harry feel somewhat embarrassed.
Ron, however, acted completely unconcerned.
"Don't be like that, Ginny. Next year, you'll be able to go to Hogsmeade with us too."
Do I care about Hogsmeade?
Ginny was speechless at Ron's obliviousness.
She had finally managed to get closer to Harry over the summer, and now Cho Chang was meeting the parents too.
At this rate of development, by next year, fifth-year Cho Chang and fourth-year Harry might even be kissing!
When that time came, would she still have a chance?
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