For quite some time now, Bryan had always arrived at the training grounds with unwavering punctuality, precisely two minutes before six o'clock. Today was no different, and as he approached the field, his gaze fell upon the young wizards who had already assembled into orderly lines according to their respective houses, patiently awaiting his arrival.
The morning air was crisp, carrying a discernible chill. Yet, mingled with this crispness, Bryan detected a heavy, pungent scent of gunpowder wafting through the air. He raised an inquisitive eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over the somber lines of students with a scrutinizing glance. In that moment, he caught a fleeting glimpse of schadenfreude flickering in Draco's eyes. Instinctively, Bryan's attention turned toward the back rows of the Gryffindors, where Harry and his companions were deliberately avoiding his gaze. Upon noticing Ron's absence from the lines, he began to understand the source of the conflict.
Truth be told, Bryan felt a twinge of disappointment. Among the young wizards attending Hogwarts, the Weasley children were generally regarded as above average in terms of their innate talent and magical abilities. Even the relatively mediocre Ron possessed skills that were above the baseline, at least on par with his housemate Neville Longbottom's capabilities. However, what Ron lacked was Neville's steadfast perseverance and unwavering determination.
Still, as the saying goes, everyone has their own path in life, and you cannot force what is not meant to be.
This was, in fact, a cruel reality. The young wizards standing before him were likely unaware that a single uncaring decision, could ultimately cause those friends as close as siblings to drift apart in the future.
Take Harry, Hermione, and Ron, for instance. Whether it was Hermione or Harry burdened with the fate of 'savior' were exceptional children with outstanding personal strengths, while Ron was comparatively ordinary. If no new bonds formed among the three of them, they would almost inevitably grow apart as the years passed, pursuing their own unique destinies.
Just like Sirius's group, their friendship was deep and admirable, but ultimately, after their graduation, only Sirius and Harry's father James, had managed to maintain a close relationship. The others had settled into their own lives, pursuing different paths that slowly but inevitably led them further and further away from one another, until they became mere acquaintances.
Had it not been for the tragic incident involving Peter, the betrayal that had torn their brotherhood apart, they might have drifted even further apart, their bonds gradually eroding until nothing remained but faded memories of their shared youth.
Professor Watson had clearly noticed Ron's absence, and Harry looked at him worriedly, feeling uneasy in his heart.
It took Bryan only a few fleeting seconds to ponder these matters. Then, facing the still-youthful faces before him, he flashed a nonchalant smile.
"What are you all waiting for? Let's begin!"
At the start of Professor Watson's early training sessions, not a single student could complete the rigorous routine smoothly. In fact, even those who managed to persevere halfway through the grueling schedule were a rare few. Most had their stamina completely drained after just a few laps, forced to stumble their way through the remainder.
However, after half a month of unwavering perseverance, of gritting their teeth and pushing through the pain and fatigue, although their performance was still lacking in comparison to the lofty standards set by their professor, they could at least support one another as they walked back to the castle after completing the arduous twenty laps around the vast expanse of the training grounds.
Perhaps in an effort to accommodate their weary bodies and provide much-needed nourishment after such strenuous exertion, the school had graciously moved up the start time for the morning meal. As they passed through the grand entrance hall, the enticing scent of food already wafted from the Great Hall.
However, for Harry, the allure of the morning feast held no sway, as his appetite had been thoroughly dampened by the events of the morning. Without pause or hesitation, he ascended the stairs directly, with Hermione following suit, her own hunger seemingly forgotten in the wake of her turbulent emotions.
Harry stole a glance at Hermione's frosty expression and tentatively probed, "Erm, Hermione--"
But his attempt was like poking a hornet's nest. Hermione let out a loud huff, her stern gaze making it difficult for Harry to meet her eyes.
"Tell Weasley!" Hermione's voice rang out, loud and clear, causing a few still-slumbering portraits on the walls to grumble in displeasure at the disturbance. "Don't expect me to forgive him. He can forget about copying my homework from now on!"
To this, Harry could only respond with a wry smile.
The scene that greeted them in the dormitory was much the same as when they had left, still gloomy and dim, with the curtains drawn tight against the warm rays of the morning sun. Ron, Seamus, and Dean were still huddled under their covers, having apparently fallen back asleep after waking up briefly earlier.
In Harry's eyes, Ron's decision to give up on Professor Watson's class was not worth getting overly worked up over. It was similar to the time when Hermione had been dissatisfied with their choices to drop several seemingly important elective courses – a situation that had caused no small amount of friction between them. The only difference was that Ron should have given them a heads-up.
It was foreseeable that Hermione and Ron would once again enter a cold war for some time, just like after the incident with Scabbers.
The only question that lingered in Harry's mind was: how long would this particular conflict last?
With no motivation to tidy up, Harry simply flopped onto his bed, the question of how long Hermione and Ron's latest rift would endure playing on his mind like a broken record. Soon, the fatigue that had been weighing heavily upon his body and spirit won out, and he drifted off into deep sleep, his consciousness slipping away from the troubles of the waking world.
It was not until the blazing sun had reached its zenith, its radiant rays bathing the Hogwarts grounds in a warm, golden glow, and the echoes of laughter reverberated throughout the ancient castle, that Harry finally crawled out of bed. By then, he was the only one left in the dormitory, as those who had slept in had already gotten up.
Glancing at the clock on his desk, Harry sprang up with a jolt. After a frantic scramble, he tidied up his unkempt appearance, smoothing out the wrinkles in his robes and ensuring that his unruly mop of hair was at least somewhat presentable. Then, without a moment's delay, he rushed down the stairs and into the Gryffindor common room, where he found Ron engaged in a familiar sight – a game of wizard's chess with Seamus.
The two hurriedly left the room and raced down to the entrance hall, where they spotted Sirius waving to them from the bottom of the castle steps.
"Let's talk as we walk--"
On this particular day off from their studies, Sirius had changed into a casual leather jacket, tying his hair back into a ponytail that made him look like the lead singer of a Muggle band.
Sirius could tell that both Harry and Ron had something to say. He wrapped his arms around the shoulders of the two young lads, smiling cheerfully.
"Hermione's waiting for us in Hogsmeade!"
Ron's expression immediately became unnatural, clearly having already run into Hermione while Harry was catching up on sleep.
Harry wasted no time in voicing the question on his mind. "What do you think, Sirius?"
Harry's question was vague, but he was certain Sirius understood, as there was no trace of surprise or bewilderment on his face. Instead of answering right away, Sirius raised an eyebrow and looked at Ron with regret.
"Undoubtedly, Ron, you made a rash decision,"
Harry knew, in that moment, that Sirius was trying to spare Ron's pride. The word that his godfather truly wished to use, was that Ron had made a 'wrong' decision, not merely a 'rash' one.
"That being said!"
Harry had to take large strides to keep up with Sirius's pace as he curiously asked, "Do you think Professor Watson's Muggle physical education class has any meaning? But I don't understand – we're all wizards, aren't we? What use is there for a wizard to be able to run a little faster or longer?"
Harry's query struck a chord within Ron, whose face immediately brightened. Nodding his head insistently, he eagerly jumped into the conversation,
"Exactly!" Ron nodded in agreement. "We're wizards, aren't we? Quidditch is the sport we should be playing. Seamus and I discussed this – Professor Watson might want to train our physical skills, but he should be teaching us some impressive magic instead, like how he took down Greyback's pack of werewolves, or defensive magic spells against dark creatures like in Defence Against the Dark Arts."
As they passed through the gates that marked the boundaries of Hogwarts, guarded by the ever-vigilant caretaker, Filch, their progress was momentarily impeded by the need to navigate the narrow passage. It was not until they had stepped onto the tree-lined path leading to Hogsmeade, that Sirius spoke again.
"I haven't known Bryan as long as you two have, Harry and Ron, but I think, I understand him a bit better than you do. First of all, I want to tell you that he is definitely not a wizard who would waste time on meaningless endeavors--"
Sirius stated this with an air of certainty, his conviction evident in the firmness of his words and the steady gaze that met theirs. "And in my over thirty years of life, I've encountered many formidable wizards, but none of them could hold a candle to Dumbledore or Voldemort--"
Here, Sirius paused, his expression growing pensive as he turned his gaze towards Harry and Ron, ensuring that they were truly listening,
"At one point, I thought this world might never see anyone on par with Dumbledore and Voldemort again. Voldemort may have been evil, but his power was undeniable. However, after witnessing Bryan's prowess firsthand, I am convinced that his abilities are on the same level as those two."
"So, do you understand what I mean?" Sirius continued, his voice taking on a tone of gentle insistence, as if urging them to truly grasp the significance of his words. "A wise and powerful wizard like him has a perspective far beyond that of an ordinary witch or wizard. Perhaps only Dumbledore could see through his actions, while we cannot. But one thing is certain – Bryan is definitely not depleting your energy for no reason."
Sirius didn't tell Harry and Ron why Professor Watson had set such a dull Muggle Physical Education course, but his view was clear - to encourage Harry to persevere. As for Ron, he had already lost his eligibility, so there was no point in talking about persisting.
Ron seemed a bit displeased, obviously hoping to get some evidence from Sirius to prove that his giving up was wise, but the result was quite the opposite.
The atmosphere became somewhat heavy for a while until Sirius mentioned to them about the upcoming Quidditch World Cup that summer, which cheered Ron up.
"You can't imagine the grandeur of the World Cup, Harry--" Ron said excitedly.
"Tickets are hard to come by, but Dad usually gets some. How about it, Harry? Come stay with us early so we can go and watch it together."
Harry was, of course, familiar with the Quidditch World Cup, having read descriptions of it in many Quidditch-related materials. However, he was unaware that this year's World Cup would be held in England. The unpleasant topic related to Professor Watson was immediately set aside as Harry excitedly looked towards Sirius, whose smiling response made Harry's hair stand on end with excitement.
"My plan is, after the summer holiday begins, I'll go and talk to your aunt and uncle first. We'll get your luggage out of those Muggles's house and take it to No.12 Grimmauld Place, the Black Manor. You can live there with me from now on, that is, if you're willing."
"You have your own house!" Harry said excitedly. "Do you mean I can leave the Dursleys and live with you?"
"Well," Sirius had apparently misunderstood Harry's meaning, his expression becoming unnatural, "Of course, you've lived with Muggles for twelve years, so perhaps you're more used to that."
"Are you mental?" Harry immediately interrupted Sirius, his voice hoarse. "Of course I want to leave the Dursleys. If Professor McGonagall allows it, can I take a couple of days off now to go back to the Dursleys and move my stuff?"
"Oh!" A smile bloomed on Sirius's face again.
"No need to be in such a hurry. I need to discuss this plan with Bryan first. Cough-Ahem, due to certain circumstances, he now owns that house, though I do have the right to use it, and Bryan certainly wouldn't mind you moving in. Ahem-Alright, let's get back to the previous topic—"
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