Regardless of others' opinions, Zhao Lun still found himself in agreement with his own thoughts.
Although the classes were strict, his teachings were far beyond Lockhart, who only knew the Forgetfulness Charm and was otherwise a mediocre wizard.
Faced with such a professor, Zhao Lun certainly wouldn't miss the opportunity to learn from him. Even if it meant dealing with difficulties, he would approach him for advice on various spells, such as the techniques for the Memory Charm or the Patronus Charm.
Aware of Zhao Lun's learning capability, Snape, despite maintaining his cold demeanor every day, still provided the utmost convenience when Zhao Lun sought his guidance, occasionally sharing insights as well.
By this semester, Zhao Lun had gained a degree of initial trust from Snape.
Compared to Gryffindor, students from other houses fared little better; Snape's classes were stringent, and the assignments he left had to be completed, or else severe punishments awaited.
Students were so focused on avoiding punishment that they hardly had any time for leisure.
For them, the remaining time felt bland yet fulfilling. Each person immersed themselves in their studies, and time seemed to fly by, quickly leading to the final exams.
While others felt pressed for time, Zhao Lun still found himself with plenty of free time. Many could spot him in the library reading "leisure books" or in some corner, dating a girl—rumor had it that these girls were not just one.
Among them was Hermione from Gryffindor and three students from Ravenclaw: one was a prefect, another was the exchange student Zhang Qiu from China, and the last was the somewhat eccentric new student Luna.
Zhao Lun's actions left his friends enviously drooling.
The Weasley twins, when they found time between their antics, would come over to tease him and ask for advice.
Facing the questions from his friends, Zhao Lun didn't hold back: "Get real! What are you guys imagining? I'm just engaging in normal interactions, casual conversations—nothing inappropriate is happening!"
His friends gave him a dismissive middle finger, clearly not believing him.
Zhao Lun earnestly explained, "Why is it that telling the truth doesn't get believed?"
"Shh!" A collective shushing, accompanied by more middle fingers, was sent his way.
The more he tried to explain, the worse it got, so Zhao Lun finally decided to stop.
The exam results, just like last year, posed no problems, and everything proceeded as usual.
As Zhao Lun had expected, Gryffindor ultimately won the House Cup. Nearly all the students celebrated, except for Slytherin.
The Slytherin students, believing themselves superior, looked down on everyone else, making them hard to like. Although the Gryffindor students were mischievous, compared to the arrogant Slytherins, they were more than happy to see Gryffindor achieve victory.
After the celebrations, students began to pack their things, exchanging farewells before boarding the train.
Zhao Lun distanced himself from the ordinary crowd, sitting with those girls, making his friends envious, further solidifying their suspicions that there was something real going on.
"Alan, why do you always have pretty girls around you?"
Midway through the journey, his friends curiously questioned him about the reason behind his success.
"It's about aura, charm, and strength. When your aura can attract the opposite sex, you won't have to worry about finding a partner. When your charm combines with that effect, the opposite sex will be drawn to you irresistibly. If you have strong capabilities that provide a sense of security, you can achieve anything!"
Zhao Lun thought for a moment and answered like this.
"Pfft!"
Everyone nodded, then returned a middle finger, deriding him for flaunting his strength.
Zhao Lun shrugged; his golden words were something they'd have to rely on themselves to achieve.
While the explanation was simple, it was nonetheless true.
Animals emit their own auras to attract mates, and humans do the same. The most common example is women's perfumes, which can attract men, while men's scents can also attract women—Zhao Lun was that kind of person.
Charm is a peculiar state; it's something invisible yet palpable.
It comes in many forms, divided into innate and acquired. Personal charm can easily endear others to you, making one successful in various matters.
There are also charms developed through practice.
Regardless of the type of charm, its effects cannot be ignored.
Strength isn't limited to physical power; it can also be wealth or other resources. When these factors are leveraged, the outcome can be even more favorable.
Summer days were bright, with clear blue skies and white clouds, the vegetation covering the earth.
*Rumble!*
A train reminiscent of the olden days, puffing black smoke, traveled along its established tracks across the wilderness.
This was the wizarding world, where students were returning home; the train was nearing its destination.
The train was lively, with students constantly moving between carriages, saying their goodbyes. The corridors were filled with people, and at this moment, no one came to enforce order.
With home just around the corner, as long as there were no fights, no one would come to maintain order among the students.
In Zhao Lun's carriage, it was already filled with familiar friends, all squeezed together, chatting about their preparations for the holiday.
Everyone, except for Potter, wore smiles.
"Hey! Potter, don't worry; I'll keep an eye on you during the holidays."
"We'll be watching you too, and we'll write to you!"
"Yeah, Harry, with all of us around, you don't need to worry about anything."
Hearing their comforting words, Potter smiled, albeit somewhat strained.
The concern from his classmates touched him deeply, but they couldn't truly help him. Wizards were not allowed to interfere with Muggles, and Potter was the focal point of the wizarding world, the standard-bearer everyone was watching. This rule couldn't be broken, so even if Potter faced great grievances, he had to endure.
The families of his classmates were all wizards and faced restrictions, so their help during the holidays was limited; there wasn't much they could do.
"Harry, are you worried about being bored?"
"You can rest easy; I can help you with that."
"In fact, I could have helped you last summer, but some things got in the way."
Zhao Lun spoke confidently, lifting Harry's spirits as he looked at him.
"I know about last year."
Speaking of last year, while staying at the Weasley's, he had heard the twins express sympathy and admiration for Zhao Lun, who had rarely faced an attack. After encountering danger without the help of an adult wizard and without using magic, he had managed to turn the situation around—this was no small feat.
"Alan, how did you help him?"
"The Ministry of Magic doesn't allow wizards to use magic on Muggles," Ron asked.
"The Ministry prohibits wizards from using magic in front of Muggles, but we can use Muggle means to deal with Muggles."
"For instance, hiring a lawyer; if you spend some money to hire a lawyer, you can solve some problems."
"Ordinary Muggles fear this the most."
Zhao Lun shared his experience.