After the large group heading to Hogsmeade left the castle laughing and chatting, Hermione, carrying several thick tomes, hurried straight to the library.
Since her conversation with Sherlock, she had made up her mind to continue using the Time-Turner and persist for a while longer, absolutely not falling behind in her studies.
She did this not only out of dedication to her grades, but for another reason as well.
However, this reason couldn't be stated plainly to Sherlock.
After parting with Hermione, Sherlock headed up the marble staircase toward the upper levels of the castle.
Sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting colorful spots of light on the stairs.
Just as Sherlock stepped onto the final stair, a dark shadow carelessly rushed out from around the staircase corner.
Sherlock shifted slightly to the side, avoiding a collision.
"Oh, Sherlock, you're not going to Hogsmeade either?"
Neville didn't even realize he'd almost run into someone.
Only after running past and seeing a person did he turn back, and upon seeing it was Sherlock, his eyes immediately lit up, his face was instantly breaking into a smile.
Because he couldn't remember Sir Cadogan's daily changing passwords, he had written a week's worth of passwords on a slip of paper.
Unexpectedly, it was taken by Crookshanks, who was determined to help Sirius.
Later, the mischievous Sirius had told Professor McGonagall about this incident.
This had infuriated Professor McGonagall.
Even after school resumed, she hadn't forgotten about it.
Besides giving him detention, she also forbade anyone from telling him the password to enter Gryffindor Tower.
In addition, another punishment was banning him from going to Hogsmeade.
Today was when that punishment took effect.
Poor Neville was now delighted to see Sherlock was also at Hogwarts.
Finally, finally someone was to keep him company!
"Sherlock, how about we play Exploding Snap together?"
Sherlock just quietly looked at Neville without saying anything.
The smile on Neville's face quickly fell, his head drooping, his voice carrying a note of grievance.
"I know, you must think I'm too childish, right?"
"Yes," Sherlock answered crisply and decisively.
Neville: "..."
'Did you have to be so honest?'
Looking at the aggrieved Neville, Sherlock suddenly changed the subject. "Neville, have you finished the essay on vampires that Professor Lupin assigned?"
"I haven't written it yet!"
Sherlock's not mentioning it would have been fine, but once he brought it up, Neville immediately said with a mournful face.
"I didn't understand the garlic section at all. Does it mean people must eat garlic, or does it mean—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Not only that, but Neville suddenly gasped, his face instantly turning deathly pale, his eyes going wide as saucers.
He stared fearfully past Sherlock, as if he'd seen something extremely terrifying.
Even without turning around, Sherlock knew in his heart that the only person who could make Neville show such an expression was probably unmatched in all of Hogwarts.
Only the Head of Slytherin House, Potions Professor, privately called the old bat by students, the contemporary Snake Head, and given the nickname Snivellus by the Marauders—Severus Snape.
Also, the person Neville Longbottom feared most in his entire life.
Although last year's embarrassing incident of Professor Snape being forcibly turned into a cross-dressing figure had long passed, Neville, caught completely unprepared encountering Snape, still shuddered all over and reflexively hid behind Sherlock.
He clutched tightly at the hem of Sherlock's robes, not even daring to raise his head to face the man directly.
Sherlock, however, calmly turned around, his gaze gently examining Professor Snape, who had Neville trembling in fear.
He still wore that signature black robe, the collar tight as if strangling his neck.
His face was pale as if he never saw sunlight, greasy black hair plastered to his forehead.
Sherlock slowly greeted him. "Hello, Professor Snape."
"What are you two doing here?"
Snape stopped, his black eyes deep as a snake's coldly sweeping over the two of them, his tone was carrying unconcealed suspicion.
"Meeting here is rather strange..."
No wonder Snape would say this.
As it happened, the two were currently on the fourth floor of Hogwarts Castle.
Right at the door of that empty classroom where Sherlock used to discuss matters before learning about the Room of Requirement from Gemma.
The scene looked exactly like they were sneaking into the empty classroom to do something.
"We're not meeting here, sir," Sherlock met Snape's gaze. "We just happened to run into each other."
"Is—that—so?"
Snape drew out his words, scrutinizing Sherlock up and down with assessing eyes, his black robes swaying slightly with his movements.
"Holmes, like Potter, you always have a habit of appearing in places people least expect. And rarely with legitimate reasons..."
Even with Harry not present, Snape couldn't help but diss him while speaking.
One could only say his devotion was unmatched.
"Professor, you also have a habit of appearing in places people least expect."
Sherlock still responded unhurriedly, with clear logic and solid reasoning.
"Moreover, no one has ever stipulated that students must stay in their house towers on weekends. Apart from the Forbidden Forest, students appearing anywhere at this time don't need any 'legitimate reason.'"
Hearing this, Snape's brow furrowed, and he said without hesitation.
"Five points from Gryffindor—for questioning a professor to his face, Mr. Holmes."
Hearing Snape seize the opportunity to deduct points, Neville, hiding behind Sherlock, shrank his neck in fright.
He gripped Sherlock's arm tightly with one hand while covering his own mouth firmly with the other.
Mainly to prevent making any sound that might give Snape an excuse to deduct more points from Gryffindor.
However, while afraid, he couldn't help but feel strong admiration for Sherlock.
Sherlock was so brave!
He actually dared to talk to Professor Snape like this?
How did he dare?
Yet even braver was what came next.
"Questioning a professor?"
Sherlock's gray eyes calmly looked at Snape, his tone thoughtful. "That's a decent reason. So, what if I stop questioning and switch to directly asking questions instead?"
Snape's brow furrowed even tighter, his sinister gaze staring at Sherlock as if it were tangible.
"Holmes, what do you mean by that?"
"If I'm not mistaken, Lily Potter should have been Professor Slughorn's most favored student, shouldn't she, Professor Snape?"
When Sherlock spoke the name Lily Potter, Snape's body stiffened subtly, the expression on his face was instantly becoming complex and indecipherable.
And when Sherlock mentioned Professor Slughorn's name again, the muscles at the corners of Snape's tightly pressed lips visibly twitched, his fingers beginning to unconsciously flex and extend, as if forcibly suppressing some emotion.
Seeing this, Neville's legs had already gone weak with fear.
He felt Snape's gesture seemed like he might lunge forward the next second to throttle Sherlock.
Not only that, but he could even hear his own heart pounding wildly.
"Sherlock Holmes, are you challenging me?"
Snape's voice was as low as if it came from the dungeons, carrying suppressed fury.
Even someone as slow as Neville, just hearing Snape call out Sherlock's full name, could sense the dangerous aura contained in that sentence.
"How can a student asking a teacher a question be considered a challenge?"
However, Sherlock tilted his head, his face showing just the right amount of confusion, as if completely unable to sense the low pressure emanating from Snape.
"Oh, I understand now. Thank you for answering, sir."
"Ten points from Gryffindor—for attempting to provoke a professor."
This time Snape directly deducted ten points. In Neville's view, this reason was even more far-fetched than the previous one.
But Sherlock knew in his heart that Snape's point deduction this time was genuine—he truly believed Sherlock was provoking him.
Of course, to some extent, this behavior indeed was provoking him.
"You two had better immediately return to Gryffindor Tower—that's where you should be."
Seeing that Sherlock seemed about to speak again, Snape immediately warned viciously.
"Holmes, if you dare ask me one more question, it'll be fifty points, plus detention."
Just then, Neville tremblingly tugged at Sherlock's sleeve, pleading in an almost inaudible voice.
"Sherlock..."
His legs had gone so soft he could barely stand.
If they continued confronting Professor Snape, he feared he might actually wet himself.
"Very well, sir."
Sherlock smiled slightly, pulling Neville along as he turned and left with impeccable politeness and grace.
Yet it was precisely this composure that made the fury in Snape's heart burn even more fiercely, his gaze nearly boring through Sherlock's retreating back.
"Sher-Sherlock, how can you be so bold?"
Not until he had stumbled back to the Gryffindor dormitory with Sherlock did Neville finally breathe a long sigh of relief, collapsing onto his bed, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
Actually, there was something he'd been too embarrassed to mention—he had wanted to return to Gryffindor Tower ages ago.
Unfortunately, after breakfast today, almost everyone had gone to Hogsmeade.
Not knowing the password, he simply couldn't enter the tower.
He couldn't even find any first or second-year students, so he had no choice but to wander around the castle with a try-it-and-see attitude.
He hadn't expected to be lucky enough to encounter Sherlock.
But unlucky enough to run into Snape.
"If you're referring to why I'm not afraid of Professor Snape, then I can only tell you he's never had anything worth fearing."
The corners of Sherlock's mouth curved slightly up, a gleam of amusement flashing through his gray eyes.
"On the contrary, there are many interesting things about him. Unfortunately, he's already realized this and won't give me opportunities."
Since the matter with Peter Pettigrew was resolved, Snape had become even more wary of Sherlock.
In Potions class, he almost never communicated with Sherlock and absolutely refused to give Sherlock opportunities for private conversation.
Last time when Sherlock had inquired about Professor Slughorn, he had used Dumbledore's name as leverage.
But even so, after the initial surprise, Snape had directly refused and sent him away.
However, for Sherlock, that had been enough.
Just from exchanging a few words with Snape, Sherlock had obtained the information he wanted through his unique analytical and deductive abilities.
A situation like today was an unexpected bonus—a small test had once again confirmed his deductions.
He would see just how long Snape could keep hiding!
"You're really amazing, Sherlock."
Neville looked admiringly at his roommate. "My Gran said that if you'd been born a few decades ago, you would definitely have been an outstanding Auror."
"The old lady has good judgment."
Sherlock chuckled softly. "However, if I really had been born a few decades ago, I might have preferred to be a consulting detective, helping those truly just Aurors solve problems."
"Oh... I don't really understand what you're saying," Neville scratched his head.
"That's fine, you don't need to understand."
"But why was Professor Snape angry just now?" Neville pressed; his head was full of questions.
"He was angry mainly because I said 'Lily Potter' rather than 'Lily Evans.' Secondly, because he sensed my probing of him."
"Sherlock, I still don't really understand."
"That's fine, you still don't need to understand."
Neville: (;Д` )
Even after the students returned from Hogsmeade, Neville still hadn't figured out what Sherlock had been talking about.
However, he hadn't come away empty-handed—at least he'd learned from Sherlock how to write the vampire essay.
Vampires are a humanoid magical creature that are essentially still human, yet also living dead.
They typically have pale faces and appear haggard.
They have fangs in their mouths for biting through people's throats.
As the name hints, they drink blood but can also eat ordinary food.
Additionally, vampires have the following characteristics.
First, they greatly dislike sunlight, silver, garlic, and crosses, and will actively keep their distance from these things.
Second, they have numerical obsessive-compulsive disorder—if they encounter rice grains or mustard seeds on a roof, they'll count them all one by one until finished.
Third, they have strange etiquette, they won't enter someone else's room without the room owner's permission.
This last characteristic immediately put Neville's mind at ease.
"But Neville, you can't get into the tower because you've forgotten the password!"
The roommates who had just returned saw Neville's state and couldn't help teasing him. "So, you'd just be locked outside together with the vampire—ahhh!"
"Ah?"
Seeing Ron deliberately open his mouth wide in a blood-sucking gesture, Neville's round face immediately fell.
"Alright Ron, stop teasing him."
Dean said, "Let's talk about today instead. I heard Harry went on a date with Cho Chang? And met the parents? How was it, Harry? Your godfather Mr. Black must have been very satisfied with Cho Chang, right?
Once seventh-years Gemma Farley and Penelope Clearwater graduate, Cho Chang will be the undisputed most beautiful girl in Hogwarts. Even the prettiest girls in the year, the Patil twins, will have to take a back seat... But speaking of which, I actually think Ron's sister Ginny is quite nice too. If she grows another year or two..."
"What did you say?"
Hearing Dean mention Ginny, Ron's expression immediately changed.
"She's still a child!"
"Who isn't?"
Dean wasn't buying Ron's act. "We're only one year older than Ginny. She's already thirteen this year. In another two years, she might be even prettier than Cho Chang—speaking of which, I really think Ginny is more pleasing to the eye than Cho Chang. Cho Chang is indeed very beautiful, but I somehow can't get used to that type. Farley, Clearwater, Ginny—they're more in line with my aesthetic..."
"How dare you! I'll fight you!"
The more Dean talked, the more excited he became, but Ron could no longer bear it.
With a roar, he lunged at Dean.
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