Slytherin Common Room
The Slytherin first-years who joined this year were all obediently standing in the common room hall.
Perhaps it was because the previous prefect, Montague, had graduated. The one standing before the first-years now was another prefect.
The routine was the same as always, and the scene felt familiar. Setting rules for the first-years was something that seemed indispensable in Slytherin.
Unlike the others who were watching the show, Ino had quietly returned to his dormitory.
He pushed open the dormitory door.
"Sorry! I completely forgot about you..."
Ino looked at the wilted, extremely withered potted plant on the table and regretted his previous carelessness.
He had taken everything with him before the summer holiday except for this potted plant, which he had forgotten to take. He had watched it grow from a seedling to its current state. It would be a lie to say he had no emotional attachment to it.
"Aguamenti!"
A gentle stream of water flowed from the tip of his wand and was quickly absorbed, slowly seeping into the dry, compacted soil.
Long-awaited nourishment—perhaps this was the perfect description of the moment.
However, the magical part was that this berry plant from Narnia, under the nourishment of the water, visibly revived.
The previously withered leaves had already fallen off, replaced by tender, fresh green leaves.
Ino was somewhat astonished as he looked at the potted plant before him. He couldn't understand how the few berries he had casually taken as souvenirs could surprise him so much.
The ice flowers planted in the Undetectable Extension Charm box were a given, but just the potted plant before him was now exuding such vibrant life that it left an unforgettable impression.
"If only I had grabbed a handful more..."
Ino muttered unconsciously, but then immediately dismissed this absurd idea. If he had known all this earlier, he probably wouldn't have been able to take those berries out at all.
The magical world was truly amazing. It didn't care about the outcome; it only reflected the truest desires of the heart.
When he believed it to be an ordinary berry, he could take it away without any cost, even if it was Adam's golden apple. Likewise, if he believed he didn't have money, he could carry a whole bag full of Galleons without any trouble.
While he was pondering this, the potted plant gradually returned to normal. Although it was still growing vigorously, it no longer exuded that exaggerated vitality.
"I'll find a chance to investigate it later."
Seeing the potted plant return to normal, Ino decided not to dwell on the reason. Everything had to be prioritized.
After all, what he had to do tomorrow was the most important thing this school year.
...
The night passed without incident.
In the morning, Ino quietly opened the bed curtains. Confirming that he had no classes in the morning, he didn't disturb the still-sleeping Draco.
After washing up, he opened the door and headed to the Transfiguration office.
Sixth Floor of the Castle
Professor McGonagall was reviewing the students' holiday assignments with some frustration, silently cursing Harry and Ron.
On the first day of school, not even a whole day had passed, and Gryffindor had already lost a hundred points, points that she herself had deducted.
"Knock, knock!"
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Professor McGonagall seemed relieved to have an excuse to push aside the diverse holiday assignments and waved her wand to open the office door.
"Ino?" She smiled slightly upon seeing who it was.
This was her ideal student—excellent in academics, well-behaved, and most importantly, never caused trouble, certainly not the kind that would cost dozens or hundreds of points at once.
"Good morning, Professor McGonagall!" Ino greeted with a smile.
"Sit down! All I can offer you is a chair." In a rare moment, Professor McGonagall made a small joke to this ideal student.
"You're early. The Transfiguration review process is quite thorough. If you want to know the result, the earliest will be in a week."
"Professor, I'm not here for that."
Realizing that Professor McGonagall had misunderstood, he didn't waste time on pleasantries and got straight to the point: "During the summer holiday, I experienced something that I think I should tell you about..."
After a brief explanation, Ino recounted everything about Ginny and the notebook, including his feelings and his suspicions about the dark artifact.
"Wait here for a moment!" Professor McGonagall said as she stood up and quickly left the office.
There was no doubt in her mind that this was no prank or misunderstanding. It seemed that in her heart, even if it was a false alarm, she couldn't ignore the safety of her students.
"Bang!" The door closed behind her.
As Professor McGonagall left, Ino sat idly in the chair, playing with his wand, or more precisely, caressing it.
He ran his fingers over the Magic Wood, feeling each bump and knot. Over time, he had grown increasingly fond of this wand.
It felt more than just handy; it had reached a mystical connection akin to a blood bond. Holding the wand felt like an extension of his arm, truly magical.
...
Time ticked by.
After about half an hour, the office door opened again.
Professor McGonagall entered, leading Ginny, and notably, she was holding an old notebook.
She placed the notebook on the wide desk.
"Is this what you were talking about?" Professor McGonagall asked, pointing to the notebook with her wand.
"Yes! That's the one. It has a faint, invasive aura."
Imo answered calmly, then glanced apologetically at the frightened Ginny.
He could somewhat understand Ginny's feelings. Being suddenly taken away by her Head of House on the second day of school would make even a seventh-year nervous, let alone a first-year like Ginny.
While Professor McGonagall examined the notebook, Ino quietly spoke to Ginny:
"I'm very sorry! I noticed something wrong with it that day, but I had no evidence. That's why I tried to exchange it with you using stationery, but your brother stopped me."
Talking seemed to soothe the nerves. Compared to the stern Professor McGonagall, Ginny gradually relaxed upon seeing the kind expression of the senior student in front of her.
"It's okay, actually I should thank you." Ginny weakly said:
"Actually, I noticed something odd about it too. Every time I wrote in it, a person named Tom Marvolo Riddle would appear..."
"What did you just say!" Professor McGonagall's stern voice filled the office.
Though she was examining the notebook, she heard every word of the conversation between the two students. Perhaps others wouldn't understand the significance of that name, but she knew it all too well.
On the other side, facing the fully imposing Professor McGonagall, it felt like facing some terrifying magic. Not just Ginny, even Ino felt as if he were facing the White Witch.
"Sorry! Children, did I scare you?" Realizing her lapse, Professor McGonagall quickly softened her tone:
"Miss Weasley, please recount everything in detail, all the details."
Seemingly remembering something, Professor McGonagall turned to Ino:
"Ino, you may leave now. This matter is closed, do not mention it again! If the situation is confirmed, I will award Slytherin 100 points, you can be assured of that."