When Hermione came out of the office, her mind remained dizzy.
Although the professor hadn't said it explicitly, the implication had been pretty clear that Sirius Black is innocent, or, at least to Harry, he's harmless.
She didn't know whether to tell Harry or not. But she didn't know the truth, and it would be pointless to say it, and she already had enough to worry about right now. As the Easter holidays approached, the professors of all subjects uncharacteristically increased their assignments, and Hermione felt like a spinning top.
The Time-Turner is used to the extreme. Even so, she inevitably skips some classes.
Hermione felt a little glad that the dueling study group had been temporarily cancelled. Harry's full attention is focused on his daily Quidditch training. So he has to discuss various tactics with Wood in between daily sessions, and homework can only be completed in odd hours.
This caused the quality of Harry's essays to drop all the way down, and he wasn't the only one who was scolded.
Harry and Draco Malfoy were called into the Transfiguration class professor's office, "Gentlemen, I know you're preparing for the Quidditch finals, but that's not a reason to make a mess of your homework." Professor McGonagall said with a stony face.
Yeah, the Quidditch finals. Harry wondered in a trance, tomorrow is the first day of Easter break, and the first Saturday after the break is a Gryffindor vs. Slytherin game.
He looked back up and stared at Draco Malfoy. He had a visible dark circle under his eyes on his pale face, and he is giving him a provocative glance. This is only a glimpse of the tension between the two Houses and the two teams, where the conflict between the Lion and the Snake has almost been laid out in plain sight in recent times.
A haze flashed in Draco's eyes; he got a lot of pressure from the team, and he is going to be used as a distraction to delay Potter's offence, which made him indignant for a while. But when he thought about the speed of the firebolt, he lost his temper.
He wrote to his family about the Firebolt, but his father refused him on a rare occasion; the thing cost more than his entire team's Nimbus 2001 combined, he wondered with disbelief, who on earth had given it to Potter?
It couldn't be one of Potter's stupid admirers.
"... never did their assignment. There are two students who are still in the hospital wing, and seven people detained..." Professor McGonagall's voice seemed to be used by both of them as a background sound for their glaring match, and it is obvious that Professor McGonagall found this too.
She said angrily, "Go ahead, I'm only going to say this once, but if you don't pull back ..." as she suffocated with anger, and after several moments of hesitation, she persisted, "I'll detain you up, yes! Before the final! I'll talk to Severus about it."
Harry hurriedly promised Professor McGonagall, and Draco's expression also softened, he squeezed a smile at Harry, and Harry also held himself back from saying something sarcastic as he shook hands with him.
After exiting the Transfiguration office, the two separated from each other, Draco grunted contemptuously and turned to leave. Harry returned to the common room just in time to hear Seamus yelling, "You call this a holiday? It's awfully close to exams!"
He went over to see what they were doing and found that they were counting the assignments left for each subject.
Dean Thomas counted on his fingers, he had been counting them for a long time: "... History of Magic, three two-foot papers; Potions class, three, one of which is three foot. Snape must be out of his mind! The title is - let's see - an appreciation and analysis of improved formulas of wolfsbane potion ..."
Dean cursed under his breath and barked, "It's not like we're taking a final exam. Why do we have to write this stuff?!" He muttered, " Something about knowing the latest developments in the field of potions ... He just wants to show off his research!"
Harry couldn't help but agree with him, as Dean continued to read, "... Transfiguration class, two essays, and dead to living transfiguration practice; Astronomy class, twelve astrological charts ..."
He heard a dry heaving next to him and turned his head to see that it is Neville, who said with a pale face, "Sorry, I'm feeling a little sick in my... stomach."
The twins came over and asked, "Would you like some Pepperup?"
Harry asked with a puzzled look on his face, "Isn't that for cold?"
Pepperup Potion is Madam Pomfrey's speciality, has an immediate effect on colds and flu. The only drawback is that after drinking this potion, smoke will keep coming out of your ears for the next few hours.
"We've made some improvements to make it live up to its name," Fred said with a smile, "and let me try it out for you." He pulled out a piece of candy and popped it into his mouth in one go, "We made it solid and easy to carry around, so you can take it in class. Well, it's a little nasty. George! Make a note that it can be changed to a fruit flavour ..."
"Roger that! Mate," George grinned as he took over the job of narration and said to a small group of little wizards, "You'll be hyperactive for the next few hours, except for the little after-effects ..."
"Whoops!"
Fred looked like he had been hit by something, a puff of white smoke came out of his ears, a loud whistle came out of his mouth, and he said in a refreshed voice: "See, it immediately relieves fatigue, a worry-free, sincere benefit for seven sickles."
Dean got interested in this, and Harry looked at the homework stacked up on the table and felt somewhat tempted. By now, many young wizards had gathered around them. They squeezed him out of the way, and after five minutes in line, he noticed that every two minutes Fred would make a whistling sound as if he is imitating a train.
He reconsidered and retreated. Then he found Ron and Hermione whose eyes were a little red, and she yawned in small gaps, he thought, Hermione needed some Pepperup candy.
She scribbled on a piece of parchment, Harry looked down twice and found it is a final revision plan.
After a while, Hermione finally finished the task at hand, and she chewed on her quill: "I should make the most out of Easter break, I've finished my assignments for History of Magic and Astronomy class-"
Ron asked in surprise: "Don't you always finish your ancient runes' homework first?"
"The professor waived my homework, saying there is no point in wasting time." Hermione said.
Ron let out a wail, "How can you do that ... I am hoping to refer your paper!"
"As a matter of fact," Hermione said with a stern face, "the top ten on the answer space list were all exempted from the assignment."
Ron's gaze turned to Harry with an expectant look in his eyes, and Harry shrank his shoulders, "I had to train for most of the holiday, and we had the advantage, but the possibility of being overturned. It's the worst possible situation - Wood went crazy at last."
"Okay, I'll write it and lend it to you when I'm done." Ron sighed.
Hermione grunted, but she didn't say anything else, she just stood up and walked out of the common room, and not long after, she came back yawning and looking even more exhausted.
Harry continued where he left off, "Speaking of which, it's a bit strange that Professor McGonagall no longer forbids me from going out ..."
Hermione jolted, and her whole body came to its senses.
"What's wrong with you, Hermione?" Harry looked at her strangely, "Do you know why?"
"No, it's something else, I can't be sure yet." Hermione said hesitantly, "When the Quidditch match is over, I have something to say to you."
...
The next morning.
Felix dressed up and went for the awarding ceremony.
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