The most offensive for me was that after the incident at Care, Hagrid clearly lost self-confidence, or maybe someone from above expressed an urgent request, like: "Cool your ardor, uncle." In general, lessons became as dull as possible; care for Flobberworms. Would be okay if these were some "larvae" of Shai-Hulud... Wonder from what backstreet of memory this name and association with a worm crawled out? And what is "Bene Gesserit"? In general, sad. But, I didn't lose heart, conducting experiments with life energy on them. So far everything went well, and specifically, nothing bad happened. And generally nothing happened; so dull these worms are.
At the beginning of October autumn finally began to show its gloomy and slimy character; fogs became frequent even in daytime, eternally overcast sky from which rain poured now and then. Precisely at the beginning of October, before another Quidditch training, Cedric asked us all to stay in the changing room and told that in the first match of this year, we will perform against Gryffindors.
"We will have to strain hard," spoke Cedric, gathering us all in a circle. "Oliver Wood will surely squeeze all juices out of his team. This is his last year, and it must end triumphantly."
"Why does he care about this Quidditch so much..." Herbert shook his head.
"He cares, buddy, he cares. He dedicated almost all studies at Hogwarts to Quidditch. This is his last chance to be noticed by island teams. Which means they will be tough and play one hundred percent."
"Mm-yeah... Means our game will be at the beginning of November, and not at the end, and not with thoughtful Ravens, but with crazy Griffs."
"Precisely. Which means we will train no worse than them. Maybe we don't play for victory at any cost, but don't intend to lose either. Right?"
"Yes!"
"Excellent!"
In general, after this conversation training was not postponed due to weather, mood, insomnia, and other troubles, but wasn't excessive either. It wasn't particularly hard for me, for I added endurance exercises to my training complex. At first I even planned to turn off the bracelet to make it easier to practice, but weighing all "pros" and "cons," abandoned this idea. Will turn off at matches.
Days dragged on even faster one after another, and school bustle and everyday life sucked me in. Won't say that it was particularly interesting, or too unusual, but human is a social creature. It is easily drawn into any bustle around if has no obvious antipathy to such. I didn't have.
Amazing how fast time can fly. Elf memory claimed that sometimes years can fly by like just a couple of weeks, but my own memory stubbornly protested against such worldview. But, be that as it may, almost a month flew by in studies and training.
Daily routine became even more stable. Wake up, physical exercises, shower, Quidditch training or immediately breakfast, studies with lunch and dinner and here comes personal time, which I spend either with guys from House, doing homework, or with guys, again, from House, working out charms, or visiting library and creating notes in notebooks on various magical disciplines. In the end, from local magic, potions captivated me; this is the only science that looks like science. Everything else I cognized mainly for the purpose of broadening horizons.
"What horizons?" someone listening to my thoughts would ask. But the answer to this simple question lies in trifles. Even if there are incomplete shards of knowledge in my head, even their imagination didn't reach some things. Take, for example, a spell tying shoelaces. What wildest nonsense; spending magic on what you can do with your own hands?! But this is nonsense only in conditions of magic deficit, and in conditions of its boundlessness; ordinary matter. And there are many such trifles. Take the same Patronus Charm; consumes simply a wild abyss of neutral energy to create a simulation of completely unstructured stream of energy of light, order, life and a number of others unknown to me. At that you create this whole stream yourself. Why, an elf or any other wizard whose memories I have would strangle the hell out of someone who uses energy so unreasonably!
In general, absence of restrictions allows locals to realize fantasies with much greater freedom. Studying local magic, I just stimulate this very fantasy to work, concurrently hoping to find some truly interesting knowledge and formulas working in local realities. So far without special success, but I don't give up.
Morning of October thirtieth began for us with Madam Sprout visiting the common room. There is nothing surprising in this, but not on Tuesday?
"Guys," she spoke when we all gathered to go to breakfast already. "Guys, ask for a minute of attention!"
Smiling and kind plump lady with funny curls of graying hair under a neat hat looked at us with a smile, and when we finally were ready to listen, continued:
"Tomorrow the first visit to Hogsmeade this year will take place. I ask everyone who has permissions signed by parents or guardians to hand them to me now."
Of course many immediately scattered to rooms, and only some climbed into their backpacks and bags. Among the latter was I; parents prepared everything needed, and this permission was included.
In a couple of minutes all organizational issues were resolved, and Madam Sprout continued.
"Tomorrow, on Wednesday October thirty-first, is officially a day off. From morning after breakfast everyone entitled to visit Hogsmeade is requested to gather in the inner courtyard of Hogwarts, which is before the exit from the castle. Have a good day. Kiddies, study well."
Naturally, after such an obvious reminder that two months of study passed, and over there, outside castle walls, small but only entertainments, variety, shopping, and all that stuff await us, the school day went down the drain entirely and completely. Everyone only discussed where one can go in Hogsmeade, where one should go in Hogsmeade, and where one shouldn't go in Hogsmeade.
Well, and on morning of thirty-first, we all stood in "civvies" in the middle of the inner courtyard at the very exit, literally sticking around the fountain in the center, as well as other surfaces on which one can sit, on which one can lean and so on. And when I say "we," I mean practically all students of the school with small exception; almost no free space remained around. Fog around, humidity and slight coolness. Precisely now such weather pleased me, but at the beginning of autumn it created only suffocation.
"And remember," Professor McGonagall instructed us in her black hat and robe. "Visits to Hogsmeade are a privilege. If this affects your academic performance, you will be deprived of this privilege."
One of few who remained in the castle, but the only one who saw us off with a sad gaze, was Potter. Unlucky guy, what can you say.
We left the school, walking in a cheerful crowd after Professor McGonagall. My sharp gaze spotted as many as ten wizards in red robes who hid quite well in the area, seeing us off. It seems we were given a sort of guard; threat of Sirius Black didn't go anywhere, but we didn't have any information about him either. Unknown, as known, only aggravates the situation.