Chapter 38: The Girl's Thoughts [Keep Reading~]
Hermione pursed her lips, glanced at the professor comforting her, and whispered, "Professor, I've seen your photo in the Trophy Room. I know you were the captain of the Quidditch team and led Gryffindor to many championships."
"Heh…"
Melvin closed his mouth, but a faint laugh escaped his nose. Under the gaze of the two Gryffindor witches, he turned his eyes aside as if nothing had happened. "Ahem… I saw a first-year student run straight into a tree."
Professor McGonagall felt a little embarrassed. She had tried to use a small white lie to cheer her students up, but hadn't expected to be caught so directly.
She gently patted the young witch's hair. "Everyone has their own strengths in different subjects. Don't feel disheartened, Granger."
"I know, Professor."
"And happy birthday."
Granger froze. "Professor, how did you…?"
"I signed and sent your acceptance letters. Your date of birth is recorded in the admission book."
"…"
Hermione took a deep breath, sniffled, and felt a lump in her throat.
Eight hundred kilometers away from the London she knew, she was now in a strange school in the Scottish Highlands, unable to visit her parents on weekends. Her dormmates were distant, and she couldn't make friends. She could endure all that.
But hearing her professor wish her a happy birthday suddenly brought a bit of warmth to her eyes.
"Thank you, Professor McGonagall."
She couldn't help but hug the professor, resting her head on her shoulder.
"So it's your birthday today…" Melvin thought for a moment, then reached into his pocket, pulled out a handful of candies, and handed them to her. "Happy birthday, little witch."
Hermione stared, eyes wide, at the pocket. How could such a small decorative pocket hold that many sweets?
"What are you looking at? Take them."
Instinctively, Hermione reached out and took the handful of candies, each wrapped in a shiny label that read Honeydukes.
Melvin ruffled her hair. "Best-sellers from Honeydukes! Go find your friends they'll be jealous. If they like them, give them two; if not, tell them to get lost."
"…"
Both Professor McGonagall and Hermione fell silent. Professor Lewyn was as unpredictable as ever.
McGonagall smoothed the hair he had mussed. "Don't mind him. Go share your candies with your friends and tell them it's your birthday."
"Thank you, Professor McGonagall and Professor Lewyn."
After saying goodbye to the professors and returning to her classmates, Hermione still looked dazed.
"Look! Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and the rare flavors too!"
"And Chocolate Frogs!"
"And Fizzy Honeydukes!"
The chatter of nearby classmates reached Hermione's ears, and she gradually came back to herself. She'd heard that Honeydukes was a famous sweets shop in Hogsmeade, only accessible to third-years and above…
And just as Professor Lewyn had said, these sweets were irresistible to first-years.
Her roommates, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, stood nearby, their eyes fixed on the candies in her hand, but quickly looked away when Hermione noticed.
Hermione pressed her lips together. "Lavender, Parvati would you like to try some?"
Lavender and Parvati exchanged a quick glance.
"Can we…?"
"Well, it's… my birthday. I'm treating you."
"Hermione, you're so sweet! Happy birthday!" Lavender cheered immediately, reaching for a handful. Parvati tugged her sleeve, then smiled politely and took just a few.
Coming from a high-caste Indian family, Parvati thanked her courteously before pulling Lavender aside to whisper about a birthday gift for that night.
Hermione also handed out sweets to Harry, Neville, and the others. The boys burst into cheers and thank-yous, as if Miss Granger had suddenly become the most popular witch in the room.
"Thanks, Hermione!"
"Happy birthday, Hermione!"
"Happy birthday!"
"…"
Hermione tried to appear calm and composed, but couldn't help a small, awkward smile.
Watching the noisy group of children, Professor McGonagall, with a faint smile in her eyes, turned to the young professor beside her. "And what if other children want sweets for their birthdays, too?"
"What do you mean?" Melvin asked, confused. "I'm not a Head of House or the Deputy Headmaster. What does it have to do with me, an elective professor?"
"…"
McGonagall pressed her lips together, choosing not to scold the young professor. "I'll speak with the Headmaster tonight. A few sweets won't cost many Galleons."
"Dumbledore will surely agree."
"Let's hope the sweets help the children get along better."
"…"
Melvin watched the students from afar. He didn't believe this small incident would make Miss Granger truly popular. The sweets might shorten the distance between them for now, but unless the patterns of their relationships changed, they'd soon drift back to how things were before.
Some people just aren't naturally sociable and they don't need many friends.
Friday, September 20th
Charms Class
"Today we'll learn the Reparo Charm. This spell can repair most broken objects, but there are certain situations where it cannot first, objects destroyed by powerful magic, and second, items that have naturally aged and deteriorated."
"The Reparo Charm can only be used on inanimate objects. The Ministry of Magic strictly forbids using it on humans or animals the consequences can be severe."
"In the seventeenth century, a witch from Merseyside used Reparo on her son's broken knee. The magic tore out his kneecap and fused the bones of his leg into one solid piece. From that day on, his left leg could no longer bend…"
Standing on two stacked wooden stools, Professor Flitwick told the story in a deliberately spooky tone. When he saw Longbottom's face turn pale, a satisfied smile crept across his face. "Now, let's learn the spell and wand movements. Reparo. From the Latin root meaning 'to make new again'…"
After explaining the theory, Professor Flitwick allowed the students to practice by mending shredded paper.
The first-years from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff began waving their wands, murmuring at the paper scraps in various tones:
"Reparo!"
"Reparo!"
"…"
"Harry, you need to move your wand in a wider arc. Seamus, don't jab at the target keep your distance and let the magic flow." Hermione looked around, eagerly offering guidance. "Neville, you're making the same mistake I made during summer training. Don't worry about it the paper isn't your knee. Cast it with confidence. You'll be fine."
"Thanks," said Neville.
Harry and Seamus exchanged looks, shrugging helplessly.
Ron, whose spell had failed, waited a while but the guidance he'd hoped for never came. He wanted to ask, but didn't.
Looking down at his wand cracked, with its unicorn hair core peeking out he sighed irritably and kept casting the spell again and again at the shredded paper.
(End of Chapter)