Harry ultimately decided to forgo seeking revenge on Malfoy. After all, Malfoy had shielded Harry from a life-threatening curse in the Forbidden Forest, making retaliation seem inhumane.
Following a meal, the two left the dining table, aiming to distance themselves from the conspicuous couples, Hermione and Luke. As the first semester neared its end, all the young wizards, including Hermione, prepared for their upcoming exams.
In the preceding days, they avoided the Black Lake entirely. Instead, Luke took Hermione to the library, where they delved into various subjects, with Luke providing hands-on teaching. His expertise in spells, potions, and metamorphosis had gained recognition from all the professors.
Even Professor Flitwick expressed a desire to advance Luke through a pre-assessment after witnessing his spellcasting prowess. Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall's final transformation assignment involved turning a small mouse into a teapot, with perfection earning a full score. Unfortunately, Hermione's transfiguration spell faced some issues, resulting in the teapot often having an ear or tail, causing irritation.
"You're so foolish..."
Luke looked at the teapot scurrying about on four legs, rendered speechless. Why was Hermione's animagus transformation becoming worse?
"Sorry!" Hermione rested her head on Luke's chest, who held her.
Hogwarts supposedly housed a Room of Requirement, where the room could transform based on the needs of the person seeking it. Luke contemplated checking it out tonight. He vaguely recalled that the room was situated across from a portrait of a troll, but the memory had faded over time.
Upon sharing this information with Hermione, she immediately abandoned her attempts at turning a mouse into a teapot.
"Is there a place like that in Hogwarts?"
Surprised that, after living there for several months, they hadn't explored the entire castle, Hermione learned about the Room of Requirement.
"I heard it from Peeves," Luke casually tossed the teapot at Peeves, "What do you say we check it out tonight?"
Peeves, having lived in Hogwarts for nearly a millennium, might know secrets unknown to ordinary folks. Moreover, Peeves could potentially be a Hogwarts elf, and maybe even Dumbledore wasn't as familiar with the castle as Peeves.
"I'm in!"
Hermione agreed without hesitation.
As for whether to deduct points or not, it didn't matter to her anymore, as long as she didn't get dismissed, anything would do.
After Harry didn't use the Fountain, Snape deducted Gryffindor's points even more severely, surprising even Professor McGonagall.
There was no way—after seeing the face that looked like Lily suddenly change back to James' face, Snape didn't hold back his anger.
.....
Night fell.
Inside the Slytherin common room.
Since Malfoy's injury had not yet healed, Crabbe went to take care of him. In other words, the entire dormitory was empty, leaving only Luke.
At twelve o'clock, as agreed with Hermione, Luke put on his robes and walked from the basement to the third floor.
The meeting point was the restricted area on the third floor.
Upon arrival, Luke saw Hermione crouching behind a pillar as if watching something.
He walked over slowly, reaching out to touch the top of Hermione's head.
Hermione was taken aback and turned around immediately.
"Are you trying to scare me to death?" After realizing it was Luke, Hermione patted her chest and complained, still a little angry as she lightly tapped her chest with her small fist. "Remember to call me by my name next time you come over!"
"What were you looking at so seriously?"
Luke held Hermione's hand with a smile and clasped their hands together. Hermione's preoccupied look just now indicated she was observing something. Otherwise, it would be impossible not to hear his footsteps. After all, Hermione was quite alert.
"It's Harry, Ron, and Neville..." Hermione extended her finger to an area ahead. Luke looked over curiously at a closed door.
The Gryffindor trio seemed hesitant to enter.
"Behind that door is a three-headed dog," Luke recalled. "I wanted to come here to watch, but then there was something to be done, so I didn't make it."
"I'm wondering what they're doing here in the middle of the night?" Hermione said, staring at the trio, then turned to Luke.
"Look, the three of them entered the room." Luke quickly changed the subject.
"Really..."
Hermione pursed her lips, then turned to survey the room. The entrance to the room was open, and the three figures of Harry had vanished.
"Let's go, let's watch too," Luke suggested, taking Hermione's little hand as they walked over together.
Hermione, wearing Gryffindor's robes that evening, hid their hands in their sleeves in the moonlight.
"Is this Fluffy?" Luke asked as they entered the room, observing a massive three-headed dog peacefully asleep, accompanied by a harp enchanted with an automatic spell.
"There's an open secret door there!" Hermione whispered, pointing to the wooden door that had just been opened by the trio of Harry.
"Wait a moment!" Luke reached out to stop her just as Hermione was about to enter. Under her suspicious brown eyes, he pulled out a packet of rice balls from a different space.
Hermione recognized the delicious rice balls they had shared on the first train ride. But what was he planning to do with them?
She watched as Luke tossed the rice ball into Fluffy's huge mouth, then used his wand to make it disappear.
After that, he stopped the harp's enchanting music.
"Without the music, it'll wake up—" Hermione began, but Luke quickly pulled her into the secret door.
"Don't worry, just watch me perform!" Luke grinned, grabbing Hermione.
Without the music, Fluffy shook its heads, quickly awakening.
"Roar!"
Seeing the two little wizards in its territory, Fluffy let out a fierce roar.
"Stop calling!" Luke ordered tentatively, and as he expected, the three-headed dog that had eaten the rice ball immediately stopped howling.
"Turn around!" Hermione watched in astonishment as Fluffy obeyed the command and began to circle around them.
"How is this possible?" she asked.
"My rice balls can make any animal obey," Luke explained, raising the rice ball in his hand.
....
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