Chapter 210
As Felix exited the Headmaster’s office, he still mulled over Dumbledore’s final advice to him: never try to play with people’s hearts.
He shook his head, ready to go check on Hagrid’s big dog, the guy should be restored to five or six feet tall, right?
The other side.
A lot of people in the Gryffindor common room were still discussing what had just happened when, right before their eyes, Professor McGonagall had dragged Neville Longbottom away with a scary-looking old woman.
From the helpless expression on his small, round face, it appeared that he is about to head towards the torture chamber.
“That’s Neville’s grandmother, I met her on my holiday.” Harry introduced, “She was very strict with Neville.”
Hermione said softly, “I think Professor Hap convinced her, so she came to take Neville to buy a new wand.”
All three of them knew about Professor Hap’s suggestion for Neville to replace his wand, and they had accompanied Neville to send the professor’s letter together.
Ron hit the nail on the head: “He should have changed it a long time ago, and you don’t even know how great it’s been since I got a new wand! But speaking of which, Neville’s grandmother seems pretty tough, but why haven’t we seen his mom and dad?”
Harry said, “Probably killed by the Death Eaters, at the time, Neville’s grandmother mentioned a word, saying that Neville’s parents were tortured by the Death Eaters and never leaked the information.”
“The Death Eaters …,” Ron said in disgust, “what a criminal bunch.”
“Yeah,” Harry said disgustedly, “just like that Sirius Black.”
Ron and Hermione looked at each other; Harry had been acting out of character since Thursday night.
Ron said, “Harry, my letter was mailed out, except my dad hasn’t replied yet.”
“Well, thanks,” Harry replied breathlessly.
Hermione looked at the time, “Excuse me, I’m going out for a moment.” She left hurriedly and returned again about seven or eight minutes later, yawning and looking around, walking past their seats a couple of times.
Ron said unhappily, “Hermione, I thought you turned into Neville, your memory is much worse all of a sudden.”
“What? Oh, I was just thinking about something, we talked about Thursday night’s episode, Harry, let’s sort it out again, and frankly, I don’t know what you have to be so depressed about.”
Harry said dejectedly, “I used to wonder why Snape hated me so much … ten days ago I thought it was because he and my father were mortal enemies at school, and then in the blink of an eye I found out it also involved my mother.”
Hermione opened her mouth, not knowing what to say, Ron said: “It’s you who took the bull by the horns, Harry. It’s understandable when you think about it, Snape and your mother is a neighbour, there is a certain friendship, he may even have a crush on your mother. But the two separated from each other further and further apart. As for your father and Snape is another matter.”
He concluded, “It’s really just two people Snape knew, one was a neighbour and one was a nemesis, only they happened to be your parents respectively.”
Harry said, “I always feel weird, I never thought I could be related to Snape.”
“It’s just a previous generation’s friendship and hatred, think outside the box, Harry.” Ron said, “I can climb into kinship with any Death Eater if I want to, I mean the purebloods … I’m afraid I’m going to die of anger if I dwell on this all day.” He made a vomiting expression.
“But, according to you, if Snape liked my mother,” Harry couldn’t help but shiver as if he had slimy Flobberworm crawling all over him, “why were the two not together afterward?”
Ron said suspiciously, “What’s the connection? Are you looking forward to Snape becoming–”
Harry covered his mouth in exasperation, and Ron said playfully, “Still mopey? Makes you wonder.”
Harry said in a bad mood, “If you say that again, I’ll stuff Aunt Petunia’s smelly socks in your mouth while you sleep at night.” Then, he mumbled something half-heartedly, thinking of how to explain the twisted emotions in his heart, and finally gave up completely, “I’m just not feeling well!”
Hermione pondered, “Harry, I think your concern is purely superfluous, the two of them simply can not come together.”
“Why?” Harry asked urgently, he had been plagued by this strange feeling for the past few days, even more than his hatred for Sirius Black, and he couldn’t wait to seek more proof.
“It’s because of the war.” Hermione said, “Don’t forget the time period, it was the time when the Death Eaters were most rampant, and Slytherin House was the equivalent of a boot camp for Death Eaters at the time.”
“So?” Ron asked with interest as he pulled out a packet of fruit juice and handed it to Harry and Hermione.
Hermione gave him a blank look, “You didn’t think of the camp issue? Do you really think it’s a personal affair? According to the Pureblooder’s philosophy, Harry’s mother is a Muggle-born, the lowest of the low, naturally standing on the opposite side of them. And Snape … is he a pureblood or a half-blood?” She asked, looking at Ron uncertainly.
Ron carefully recalled, “I do not remember the family of Snape, maybe he inherited his father’s surname?”
“Then it would be a half-blood,” Hermione said, “but in any case, he took the side of the Purebloods-”
Harry said sensibly, “He didn’t, and if he was a Death Eater, there’s no way he could have escaped Dumbledore’s sight.”
“Well,” Hermione amended her words, “according to Professor Lupin, Snape at least partially shares the Pureblooder’s philosophy, doesn’t he? Think about it, Harry, how could they possibly be together? Their circles are completely two opposing camps!”
Harry enlightened and the problem that was bothering him is solved. They soon began to discuss how Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban with great enthusiasm.
“The only thing that can fight the Dementors at the moment is the Patronus Charm, but he can’t possibly be holding a wand,” Hermione said.
Ron guessed, “Maybe it’s some kind of high-level dark magic that was taught to him by the You-Know-Who?”
Hermione thought of the pile of dark magic books in Professor Hap’s thinking room and decided to ask Professor Hap privately if he knew. “By the way, Harry, do you always have that Sneakoscope with you?”
“Yeah,” Harry pulled a walnut-sized golden Sneakoscope out of his pocket, “it looks like it’s broken, never changed.”
Ron rushed to say, “Don’t you dare, if it really changes, then we’ll be in trouble.”
A few guys in the common room worked on their homework, in between Wood came to Harry once to tell him about the latest Quidditch training program. Wood mysteriously pulled Harry aside and talked about something with a raised eyebrow.
When Harry returned, Ron couldn’t help but ask, “He looks happy?”
“That’s right,” Harry said as he carefully slipped the parchment filled with training plans into his book, “According to him, there’s a good chance that that troll captain from Slytherin will get a detention with the professor, and he’s going to keep an eye on that.”
After almost an hour, Neville returned, his face unreadable.
“Neville, this way!” Harry waved at him, “How’s the new wand?”
Neville muttered, “Fine.” He pulled two wands, one old and one new, out of his pocket, but they look surprisingly alike.
Hermione carefully distinguished, “Cherry wood, needless to say, the core of the wand is unicorn hair, as for the size …” she compared the measurements, “thirteen inches. That’s right, right?”
Neville looked at her with amazement.
Hermione said cheerfully: “I spent a lot of time studying wands during my last school year.”
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