章 55: 055 Testing
If possible, Harry would rather never discover the correct way to read the notebook in his school bag, so that he would not have to face the headaches that lay before him.
"Riddle may have found the wrong person."
Many times, Hermione's expression is surprisingly similar to that of Professor McGonagall, or it can be said that the two of them are also the same type of Gryffindor. For example, now, Hermione pursed her lips tightly, forming a thin line on her face. It looked very much like Professor McGonagall's expression in Transfiguration class when she saw Seamus blow up his feather for the umpteenth time, or Neville injure himself with his own wand in a clumsy attempt to cast a spell.
"Or maybe it was some other monster that attacked the students," Hermione continued, clinging to her last shred of doubt. "How many monsters do you reckon this place can hold, Hermione?" Ron asked sarcastically, sounding exhausted and frustrated. He slumped on the couch in the Gryffindor common room, his red hair sticking out in all directions. He had no patience for Hermione's feeble excuses for Hagrid, even though he understood her loyalty to their friend.
Hermione's feeling of trying to defend Hagrid was completely understandable, but perhaps even she herself couldn't believe the flimsy excuses she came up with. She looked at Harry and Ron with a pleading expression, hoping they would agree with her.
"I should have thought that this would have something to do with Hagrid," Harry said, staring at the crackling fireplace, with a melancholy look on his face. He remembered the warm and friendly half-giant who had brought him to Hogwarts and taught him about the wizarding world. "Remember, Ron, during the Christmas holidays, when Hagrid knew that Professor Watson was returning to school as the investigator of the Chamber of Secrets, I felt something was wrong… but I thought Hagrid just knew some secrets about the Chamber of Secrets."
All three fell silent, and after a long silence, Hermione still asked the most difficult question. "Do you think we can ask about these things? Ask Hagrid?"
"That must be a pleasant visit," said Ron, curling his lips in a mock smile. "What should we ask, Hermione? Should we say to Hagrid - hello, Hagrid, tell us, did you release some big, savage, hairy monster from the castle last semester?" He imitated Hagrid's booming voice and accent, making Harry and Hermione wince.
There was another oppressive silence, but this time, it was Harry who broke the silence. "At noon today, Professor Watson said he went to visit Hagrid, but as far as I know, there is no good friendship between the two of them." He recalled how Professor Watson had looked at Hagrid with suspicion and scrutiny during their brief encounter.
"But the fact is that Professor Watson didn't arrest Hagrid, did he?" Hermione said, frowning and analyzing. "He kept Hagrid at Hogwarts. If Hagrid really–"
"Dumbledore is a great and kind man, Hermione. We all know that!" Ron interrupted her impatiently. Facing the iron truth, Hermione's feeble insistence distressed Ron. He said emphatically. "No one thinks that fifty years ago, Hagrid murdered that hapless girl on purpose. But the problem is, sometimes he just can't figure out those big, hairy things are dangerous monsters!"
They argued back and forth for a while longer, The discussion on this issue did not reach a clear conclusion.
Hermione thought that since Professor Watson may have known that Hagrid was related to the Chamber of Secrets case fifty years ago, he might as well give the notebook to Professor Watson. Maybe he could confront Riddle with the contents of the notebook.
But this proposal was undoubtedly strongly opposed by Harry. And Hermione couldn't refute the reason he said.
"I would never give the notebook to Professor Watson, Hermione," Harry said with an annoyed look on his face. "Think about it. If Professor Watson didn't know about it, it would be like us handing Hagrid over to the wizard prison that Malfoy talked about. Do you want me to spend the rest of my life repenting for this matter, Hermione?"
The issue of last week's letter was still unresolved, so Bryan had to go to Professor Lockhart's office again on Sunday afternoon. He arrived there at one o'clock, an hour earlier than the others, hoping to finish the tedious task as soon as possible. He unlocked the door with his wand and pushed it open, only to be greeted by a flood of white paper that poured out from the inside like a waterfall. He barely managed to dodge the avalanche, but he still got buried under a pile of letters that covered his entire body. He struggled to get out, coughing and sneezing from the dust that filled the air. He looked around and saw that the whole office was a mess, with no space to walk or sit. The letters were everywhere, on the floor, on the desk, on the shelves, even on the ceiling.
"This is impossible, I have to find another place, everyone!"
Bryan shouted in frustration, looking at Hermione who had just arrived and was staring at him in disbelief. Behind her, he saw Harry and Ron, who had curious and amused expressions on their faces.
In the end, Bryan had no choice but to offer his own office as a temporary workspace.
Hermione and Harry had been to Professor Watson's office before, but this was Ron's first time. He was fascinated by everything he saw there, especially the wall that was hidden behind a curtain. He knew that it was a magical device that could monitor the whole school, and he wanted to see it for himself.
"This is it, right?"
Ron whispered to Harry, pointing at the curtain with awe and excitement. He waited for Harry to confirm, but before he could say anything, Hermione gave him a stern look and stopped him from talking.
Bryan noticed their interest and smiled. He decided to show them his secret invention, since they already knew about it anyway. He waved his wand and pulled back the curtain, revealing the wall that displayed a live view of Hogwarts from different angles.
"I don't need to hide it from you three, you have already figured out what I do here, haven't you?"
He said with a friendly tone, making them feel more comfortable. The three of Harry laughed shyly, and then, with the permission of Professor Brian, the three of them looked up at 'Hogwarts on the Wall'. He told them that he used a complex transfiguration spell to create miniature mirrors that could reflect around the school and capture images. He then used another spell to project them onto the wall in real time.
The three of them were amazed by his skill and creativity. They watched the scenes on the wall with great interest, trying to spot familiar faces or places. Harry and Ron were just enjoying the show, but Hermione was more attentive and observant. She noticed some details that revealed how advanced and difficult the spell was.
"Such a profound transfiguration spell, I don't think I will ever be able to learn it or use it in my life."
She said with a sigh of admiration and disappointment at the end of their visit.
"Don't underestimate yourself, Miss Granger, you have a high talent in transfiguration magic. As long as you keep this humble learning attitude, one day you will master this spell without any trouble!"
Bryan encouraged her with sincere praise. He saw her blush from his words, even her ears turned red.
He then closed the curtain again and turned his attention to the task at hand. He had to help Lockhart write letters to his fans, which was boring and painful enough for one person, let alone four. He used his wand to control several pieces of paper at once, making them float in front of him. He let a quill pen write his signature and some generic compliments on each letter, while he read a manuscript of his new book with relish.
Harry and Ron watched him with envy and resentment. They wished they could do the same thing, but they didn't dare to copy him.
Time passed slowly as they worked on the letters. The sun set behind the horizon, casting long shadows on the ground.
When it was time for dinner, Bryan made an excuse of going downstairs to get some food for them and slipped out for a while. But when he came back, he found that there were still many letters left on his desk. He looked at Hermione who was sitting there with an annoyed expression on her face. She glared at Harry and Ron who were pretending to be busy with their letters. Bryan smiled knowingly, guessing what had happened.
"Take a break, ladies and gentlemen, there is no need to rush."
He said with a gentle voice, trying to ease the tension. He then started a casual conversation with them, hoping to make them feel more relaxed and comfortable. He didn't act like a professor or an investigator, but more like a senior student who was friendly and helpful. He made them laugh with some jokes and stories, and listened to their opinions and questions. He also gave them some advice and guidance on their studies and future plans.
Harry felt more at ease with him, and found the courage to ask him something that had been bothering him for a long time.
"Professor Watson, did you visit Hagrid yesterday morning?"
He asked casually, as if it was just a random topic in their chat. But he clenched his fists under the table and kept a stiff expression on his face. He hoped that Bryan wouldn't notice his nervousness or curiosity. He also hoped that Hermione and Ron, who were silent and attentive, wouldn't give him away.
But Bryan was not fooled by his act. He saw through his intention and realized that this was not a simple question, but a carefully prepared one.
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章 56: 056 Differences
"A little personal matter–" As soon as Bryan uttered these words, he noticed the three young faces in front of him tense up instantly. Hermione, who was sitting on the edge of her seat, desperately winked at Harry, trying to signal him to be careful. Ron, who was slouching on the couch, shifted uneasily and stared at his toes, avoiding eye contact. And Harry, who had been determined to find out the truth about this matter, felt a surge of doubt and hesitation.
Interesting, what do these three little guys want to find out from me. Bryan wondered with amusement, as he observed their reactions with a keen eye.
"You three seem to be very curious about the purpose of my visit to Hagrid," he said casually, breaking the silence.
"That's right, Professor Watson–"
Harry tried to sound calm and casual, but his voice betrayed a hint of nervousness. He carefully controlled his tone and expression, hoping not to look too suspicious. "Hagrid is our best friend, and you are an investigator ," he said slowly, searching for the right words.
Bryan nodded sagely, as if he understood everything.
"You are worried that the matter of the Chamber of Secrets has something to do with Hagrid, so you are worried that I am going to investigate him?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.
Harry's face turned pale, and Ron's cheeks flushed red. As for Hermione, she was silent for a moment, biting her lip. Then she cleared her throat and spoke up with a confident tone,
"Sorry, Professor Watson, I have already told them that this is purely guesswork , He is Headmaster Dumbledore's most trusted gamekeeper, he is unlikely to have anything to do with the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets, right?" she said firmly, looking at Bryan with her brown eyes.
Bryan lowered his eyes and smiled faintly. Miss Granger, you are very clever, but you can't fool me so easily. You think you can play hard to get in front of me? You need at least thirty more years of experience for that!
He thought to himself, but he didn't say anything. He just looked at the three of them with a friendly smile and said lightly,
"It's actually like this. Pure theory and practice can't make you skillful enough to deal with the dangers that may come at any time. So, in the tradition of Defense Against the Dark Arts, I thought it's necessary to expose you to some truly dangerous creatures."
He saw that the three of Hermione were listening attentively, their eyes wide and curious. He paused for a moment and shrugged his shoulders casually.
"There are many interesting magical creatures living in the Forbidden Forest of Hogwarts, and Hagrid is one of the people here who knows the Forbidden Forest best. So I asked him to be my guide–"
Phew!
The three little guys let out a sigh of relief in unison, and their faces relaxed visibly.
Under Bryan's playful gaze, Harry twisted his body with a shy smile, feeling a cold sweat on his back. He realized that he had been sweating profusely in just a short period of time.
"By the way, have you prepared anything for us?" Ron asked eagerly, his eyes sparkling. "I know there are hippogriffs and centaurs living there, but Fred and George told me that there are far more interesting things in the woods than that!"
"Ha!"
Bryan leaned back on the chair and raised his head slightly. His voice sounded very mysterious and intriguing.
"This belongs to the category of secrecy, Mr. Weasley. You know, facing the unknown and reacting immediately in times of danger is also very important. I didn't intend to give you time to prepare in advance. By the way, don't even think about going back to Hagrid to inquire. I have already told him that he will not reveal even a single word to anyone. In short, you three, wait for the surprise!"
Professor Watson's words made their eyes overflow with excitement and curiosity. They couldn't help but wonder what kind of dark creatures he had prepared for them. Even Hermione couldn't resist asking him for a hint or a clue. But Bryan ruthlessly refused.
"I can only tell you that I have prepared three kinds of dark creatures with different levels of danger. And each grade level must deal with one of them. For the rest, you don't even bother thinking about it!" He said firmly.
For a long time, Harry and Ron kept asking Bryan various questions, hoping to get some clues or hints about his visit to Hagrid and the dark creatures he had prepared for them. But Bryan smiled and kept silent, enjoying their curiosity and frustration. He let them guess and speculate, but he never confirmed or denied anything. In the end, even Hermione gave up on reading Lockhart's letters and joined the lively discussion.
The pleasant atmosphere of the conversation made Ron forget about Bryan's status as a professor and his house affiliation. He looked at Bryan with admiration and wonder, and blurted out,
"It's incredible, Professor, how could such a great wizard like you come from Slytherin?"
The question hung in the air, and Ron immediately regretted asking it. He saw Hermione's warning eyes and realized that discussing house affiliations could be a sensitive topic, especially in light of recent events. He quickly backtracked, trying to correct himself.
"I, I mean, we have never seen a Slytherin as friendly and helpful as you, Professor," he stammered, trying to salvage the situation. "We only know those little Slytherin wizards who always talk about pure blood and glory and look down on Muggle-born wizards. But you never mentioned these things. In my opinion, you are more like a Gryffindor!"
Ron's awkward attempt at complimenting Bryan made Harry and Hermione nod in agreement, echoing his sentiments. They had also been puzzled by this question since they met him. How could someone like Bryan, who was compassionate and caring, belong to Slytherin, a house associated with cunning and ambition?
"In fact, sometimes, Slytherin and Gryffindor are very similar."
Bryan's flat tone made the three of Harry look at each other in dismay. Slytherin and Gryffindor are very similar? What kind of novel theory was that?
In the eyes of everyone, among the four Hogwarts houses, Slytherin and Gryffindor were the most incompatible ones. This huge difference in values and ideals had already begun when the Four Founders created this magical school thousands of years ago. And even now, the current Chamber of Secrets incident was a trouble derived from this ancient conflict.
Should I add some trouble to Dumbledore?
Looking at Harry who was most resistant to what he said in his eyes, Bryan smirked and cleared his throat,
"According to Headmaster Dumbledore's philosophy, the most powerful and irresistible force in this world is love, because love can give people courage, and courage can give people the strength to face all misfortunes. This idea itself is very much in line with the idea of Godric Gryffindor, the founder of Gryffindor House."
"Isn't that correct, Professor Watson?"
When it came to Dumbledore, Harry immediately became alert and defensive. He wondered if Bryan was going to say something like 'pure blood is noble, mixed blood is despicable' or 'Dumbledore is a senile old fool'.
"I can't say that Gryffindor or Dumbledore's ideas are problematic or even wrong, but I personally have my own opinion,"
Bryan shook his head and chuckled,
"My opinion is that no matter how strong love or hatred is, it cannot make an ordinary person lift a rock that weighs five hundred pounds without using magic.
Potter, I think power is power, and it's something so simple that neither love nor hate can make you surpass it. Of course , these two extreme emotions can indeed ignite a person's determination to pursue power."
He looked at the three little guys who were lost in thought, trying to understand his words. He turned his head to look out the window, where the starry sky was still shining brightly. The boundless darkness was dotted with countless points of light, creating a mysterious and beautiful scene. From ancient times to the present, that mysterious universe was the shore that countless wizards and Muggles dreamed of conquering.
He felt a pang of longing in his heart, but he quickly suppressed it. He looked back at them with a light smile,
"If you have to associate strength and courage with love, I agree that strength can bring people infinite courage to pursue love and freedom."
"Which one do you think is right, Ron?"
On the four-poster bed in the dormitory, Harry asked in a low voice. He remembered the loneliness and longing that emanated from Professor Watson's body as he gazed at the stars.
"I don't know, Harry," Ron muttered, turning over,
"But I think I'm more lacking in power than love."
He yawned and closed his eyes, feeling sleepy after a long day.
Harry lay on his bed too, staring at the ceiling. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of power Bryan was talking about. Was it magical power? Political power? Personal power? And what did he want to do with it?
He thought about Dumbledore's words about love and courage, and how they had inspired him to face many dangers and challenges. He felt a warm feeling in his chest, thinking about his friends who loved him and supported him.
He didn't know which one was right, either. Maybe they both had some truth in them. Maybe it depended on the situation and the person.
He sighed and closed his eyes, hoping to get some rest before the next day. He had a feeling that Bryan's surprise was going to be something he would never forget.
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