"Professor McGonagall is taking this too seriously? She's actually planning to deduct negative points…" Ivan said as he came out of the dean's office with a headache.
He knew Professor McGonagall's personality very well. She was a woman of her word. If she said she would deduct points in the future, she would definitely do it!
"That's not serious! Professor McGonagall was right…after all, we broke something so precious!" Hermione retorted, then turned to Yvonne worriedly.
"By the way… Ivan! Is it really okay for us to say that?"
"Of course. I'm sure even Professor Dumbledore wouldn't want that to get out to too many people." Ivan nodded.
The fewer people who knew about his use of the Time-Turner, the better, so Ivan was able to fool the professors with the excuse that he was too busy studying and working on a modified Polyjuice Potion.
Because of this, the other professors, with the exception of Professor McGonagall, understood and easily let them pass.
Along the way, he cancelled Arithmancy and Muggle Studies so that they wouldn't have conflicting classes every day…
On the way to the Great Hall, Ivan couldn't help but ask Hermione about her choice.
"I thought you hated Professor Trelawney and thought she talked nonsense all the time? Why don't you just cancel the Divination class again?"
"That was before! Now I don't think so!" Hermione rolled her eyes at Ivan. "Have you forgotten? Professor Trelawney did a great job predicting our experiences!"
Excited, the little witch then offered her analysis in a riddles-solving tone, filling in the pieces of the prophecy that Professor Trelawney had given them.
[You will (create) witness a massacre! Blood will be shed like hell!]
"According to this, our fates were linked the moment you picked up my teacup! So Professor Trelawney must have seen both of our fates when she interpreted it!"
Hermione opened the copy of Unfogging the Future that she had been carrying and pointed to a certain page as she analyzed it, flicking through it as she went.
She felt that if she studied hard, she would one day be able to foretell the future and avoid risks as Professor Trelawney did.
Ivan agreed perfunctorily, understanding that Trelawney's ability to foretell the future was entirely a gift, and that reading alone would not make her a Seer.
And he and Hermione did not have the gift of being prophets.
Yvonne felt that Luna's temperament and superior intuition were the only people she knew who might be suitable for this.
The two of them chatted as they walked and soon arrived at the Great Hall.
As it happened to be dinnertime, the place was very lively, with several young wizards sitting close to each other, discussing the Quidditch game that would be held in a few days' time, as well as some interesting lessons.
This relaxed atmosphere made Ivan, who had just returned from Knockturn Alley, somewhat uncomfortable. Occasionally, he would glance at the empty Gryffindor scoring pool, and he would feel an inexplicable sense of guilt.
After all, he had deducted all of Gryffindor's points at once…
The little witch kept her head down throughout the journey.
However, when the two of them sat down at the Gryffindor House table, they found that no one was discussing the clearing of the Academic Pool.
Ivan was surprised; he had expected the Gryffindor pups to be so eager to discuss who was responsible for the incident that they isolated him and Hermione.
The little witch couldn't help but whisper.
"Harry, Ron, didn't you notice that all of our Gryffindor house points have been deducted?"
"I did! I heard Professor McGonagall yelling your names when someone walked past the Head of House's office… so you really did it?" Harry said casually, guessing the truth from Hermione's reaction.
Ron also looked at the two of them strangely. What did they do? How did they lose over a hundred points?
"It was just a bit of an accident…" Ivan didn't explain further, but continued curiously. "Why don't you guys seem to care?"
"Come on… we're used to it, and it's not the first time we've had our credits emptied…" George, who was nibbling on his steak, came over and complained.
"And you always find a way to add it back at the end of term…right?" Fred joked, grinning.
During the first two years of school, Gryffindor relied on Ivan and the others to win the House Cup. Usually, Ivan and Hermione scored the most points, but this time, they only lost a hundred points.
Ivan glanced around and saw that, as George and Fred had predicted, the Gryffindor pups were quite calm.
No one else could get used to having points deducted…
Ivan shook his head to himself, amused at the Weasleys' teasing. "If you say so, then I certainly can't disappoint you, can I?"
George and Fred looked at each other. They had only been joking, but Ivan seemed so confident.
Ivan refused to talk about it and acted like it was a secret. Naturally, he would have to rely on Peter for his points!
Finding this traitor, whom the Ministry of Magic considered a hero, and conveniently allowing Sirius Blight, a core member of the Order of the Phoenix, to be vindicated, would give Dumbledore an easy few hundred points…
Even as Ivan thought this, a familiar voice sounded from up ahead.
"Hales, I heard you did something stupid and got a dressing-down from your Head of House, is that right? I thought you were always a good boy to the professors!"
Ivan frowned at the noise and turned to see Malfoy approaching with his two dorky henchmen.
"Malfoy, haven't you been crying your eyes out under your blanket for the past few days? Why are you bothering with my affairs?" Ivan asked.
Malfoy had previously feared him like a tiger and avoided him every time they met. Today, however, Malfoy took the unusual initiative to approach him.
You're suddenly very brave… Boy!
Ivan gave Malfoy a surprised look. "If I remember correctly, you owe me a thank you. How about saying it out loud? Malfoy?"