Douglas applied the same motivational tactics to every House.
To Gryffindor, he declared that Slytherin had outperformed them in certain areas. "You're always boasting about dueling with Slytherin, but when it comes to academics, where's that competitive spirit? Are you missing something they've got?"
To Slytherin, he announced that Gryffindor had bested them in some subjects. "You look down on Gryffindor, but they've proven themselves with real results. Tell me, is it courage that Slytherin lacks—the courage to reach the very top in learning?"
As for Hufflepuff, Douglas found himself truly at a loss. Many of their students had become immune to his "motivational potions"—his words no longer stirred them. Faced with the reality that the other three Houses were outperforming them, most Hufflepuffs simply accepted it with a resigned shrug.
With no other choice, Douglas made a special announcement to Hufflepuff: At the end of term, the student with the highest grades and the one who shows the greatest improvement would be treated to a dinner personally prepared by him. That finally sparked some enthusiasm.
"Your talents are no less than anyone else's. Don't act like you don't care… Bringing glory to your House should be the goal of every Hufflepuff, not just a handful doing all the work. Of course, I know everyone's talents lie in different areas, but I still hope you'll work harder at Defence Against the Dark Arts. The magical world is more dangerous than you think—don't wait for danger to come knocking before you start learning defensive spells…"
—
At 4:45 p.m., after Defence Against the Dark Arts, Douglas left the classroom for Hermione, who had arrived first.
Seeing the exhaustion etched on her face, Douglas frowned and handed her a piece of chocolate.
Hermione gratefully accepted it. "Thank you."
Glancing around to make sure they were alone, Douglas said quietly, "That's not how you're supposed to use a Time-Turner. You're usually so clever—how can you be so inflexible about this?"
Hermione stared at him in shock, chocolate-stained teeth visible. When Professor McGonagall had entrusted her with the Time-Turner, she'd warned her again and again never to let anyone else know—not even some professors. Only the applicant, the guarantor, and the Headmaster were supposed to know about its existence.
How could Douglas possibly know? Then it hit her—he must have used one himself as a student.
She smacked her forehead, muttering, "I've been so busy lately, my brain's gone fuzzy!"
Douglas seemed to read her mind. Smiling, he scribbled something on a slip of parchment, tapped it with his wand, and murmured a spell before passing it to Hermione.
"You're overthinking it. I was never as diligent as you in school—never took all the electives. But I did see others use it. Here's a tip: every two uses, set the Time-Turner back an extra hour. Use that hour to go to this place and rest, so you'll have enough energy for every class."
Hermione unfolded the note and read it silently:
[On the eighth floor of Hogwarts Castle, opposite the tapestry of 'Barnabas the Barmy being clubbed by trolls', think of needing a place to rest, then walk back and forth three times in front of the wall.]
As soon as she finished reading, the words seemed to brand themselves deep in her memory. At the same moment, a small flame flickered from her hand, consuming the parchment and leaving no trace.
Douglas smiled again. "Well? Did you remember it?"
Hermione tried to repeat the instructions aloud, but found she couldn't utter a single word. She looked at Douglas in astonishment.
Douglas winked. "It's a little spell I've been working on—seems to work well. It hides a secret directly in someone's soul—a branch I developed from the Fidelius Charm. Back in the war, it would've been perfect for hiding safehouses… Since you've started a detective society, you can make finding and using this place a research project. Who you share it with is up to you."
With that, Douglas slipped out the side door.
—
Moments later, Ron and Harry hurried in.
Seeing Hermione already there, Ron complained, "Why didn't you call us? Harry and I waited in the common room forever—Parvati said you weren't even in the dorm…"
Hermione, not wanting to explain about the Time-Turner, quickly changed the subject. "Did you bring everything?"
Harry produced a registration form and a stack of test papers from his bag.
Soon, more students filed in—mostly familiar faces from their year.
When Ron spotted Luna Lovegood entering, he nudged Harry. Harry frowned, remembering the strange things Luna's father had published about his family in The Quibbler at the start of term. He tugged at Hermione, who was explaining the activity to Hannah Abbott. Hermione followed his gaze.
Luna drifted into the classroom, accidentally bumping into a desk. The odd trinkets hanging from her clothes jingled with every step.
Hermione whispered, "Don't forget our principles!"
Then she went back to chatting with Hannah.
Harry shrugged and said to Ron, "You're neighbors, aren't you? She's yours to handle, Vice President Weasley!"
Ron arched an eyebrow at the title, cleared his throat, and pulled out a test paper. "Good afternoon, Miss Luna Lovegood. I'm Ron Weasley, and I—"
But Luna's gaze slid right past him and landed on Harry. "You're Harry Potter."
Harry, caught off guard, replied coolly, "I know. We actually met last term, though you said our heads were full of… bugs."
Luna corrected him at once. "Not ordinary bugs—Wrackspurts. I heard—"
Ron coughed loudly, trying to regain control. "Ahem, I'm the one handling your application…"
Luna turned to study him, head tilted. "I heard you can help me find a Crumple-Horned Snorkack?"
Ron froze. That was a bit advanced for him. He glanced helplessly at Hermione.
Hermione, having overheard, frowned slightly. "Sorry, Miss Lovegood, I haven't heard of such a creature. If you really want to find one, you can post a request after joining the society—provided you pass the test, of course."
Luna didn't seem to hear Hermione at all. She simply looked displeased that Hermione had called the Crumple-Horned Snorkack "such a creature." She insisted, "It's a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. They're shy, gentle creatures. They hate light and heat, and love cold, damp places—like swamps, dense forests, and caves. They might even use magic to move as quickly as Apparition, which is why no one ever finds them."
The other students exchanged bewildered looks. The Ravenclaws who knew Luna just shook their heads and whispered, "Don't mind what the loony girl says…"
Ron knew he was out of his depth and quickly handed Luna a test paper. "This is the test for joining the society. Fill it out—Professor Holmes will decide if you're a good fit. If he thinks you are, you can join and post your task…"
Luna took the parchment, then asked curiously, "You mean Professor Holmes?"
Ron shrugged and smiled. "Of course! The society was founded on Professor Holmes's suggestion…"
Before he could finish, Luna was already engrossed in the test paper and turning to leave the classroom.
Ron stared after her, mouth open, but said nothing.
No sooner had Luna left than a commotion broke out at the door.
Students who'd been discussing the test questions all turned to look.
In strode Draco Malfoy of Slytherin.
As the saying goes:
The Room of Requirement appears for the first time, the Crumple-Horned Snorkack puzzles the crowd; Potter founds a club on campus, and young Malfoy comes to stir up trouble.
What happens next? Stay tuned for the next chapter.
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