บท 193: Chapter 193: The Enchanted Pumpkin Carriage
Inside the Great Hall, within the confines of a large pumpkin carriage, floated candles cast a warm, flickering light. The gentle glow danced along the interior walls of the pumpkin, creating a play of shadows.
In this secluded setting, the pumpkin carriage seemed to fulfill its intended purpose—a quiet and cozy space that exuded a somewhat romantic atmosphere.
Hermione sat on one side of the pumpkin carriage, resting her chin on her hands, staring dreamily across at Ino. Even without conversation, just sitting together brought her a long-forgotten sense of happiness and contentment.
While Hermione was caught up in her emotions, Ino was more focused on the task at hand. Under the light of the old oil lamp, he examined what looked like a masterpiece of alchemical engravings, a complex and precise design.
The Time-Turner, illuminated by the lamp, revealed an intricate alchemical circuit inside. The circuit formed a perfect circle, divided into twelve sections on the outer rim, resembling the face of a clock. At the center was a smaller, more intricate hexagonal circuit.
Upon seeing the hexagonal circuit, Ino had a strong feeling that this was the core of the entire Time-Turner. The twelve divided circuits seemed akin to coordinates.
Ino's mind flashed back to an adventure with the Grimm brothers, where they had seen a towering forest structure with twelve black coffins at its base—also related to time. It was there that they had discovered time-reversal magic.
"If only I had this oil lamp earlier," Ino thought, feeling a tinge of regret.
The oil lamp, though it came too late, was incredibly useful. It had a single rule: to reveal the truth and dispel illusions. No matter how complex an object was, if it held secrets, the lamp would uncover its hidden aspects.
Despite his regret, Ino understood that some things couldn't be forced by human effort alone. Even as the fantastical world had evolved over the years, the essence of miracles remained unchanged—pure, selfless kindness always had its rewards.
The more sincere the intention, the greater the reward. The oil lamp was the best example. Otherwise, how could an ordinary farm woman like Aunt Julia possess such a valuable item?
Ino speculated about the shift in story types, thinking it might be due to growing older, making it less appropriate to delve into fairy tales. A classic example was the Narnia stories, where Peter and Susan were excluded from later adventures simply because they had grown up.
Of course, this was just a hypothesis.
Inside the pumpkin carriage, Ino's thoughts were interrupted by his current task. To quickly document the valuable information, he turned and instructed the empty space beside him, "Fide, bring me my camera."
"Fide? Faded withering?" Hermione's curiosity was piqued.
"Yes, that's what I named the phoenix," Ino nodded, then looked apologetically at Hermione. "I'm sorry, I can't let you see it. A phoenix born out of despair isn't suitable for public appearances. Even Professor Dumbledore advised against it."
"That's alright. Not every Gryffindor is driven by curiosity," Hermione said, shifting slightly in her seat.
Ino's gaze caught an unexpected curve as Hermione moved, but he quickly looked away. He hadn't anticipated the changes in Hermione since the last summer when she wore casual clothes.
Seeing Ino's instinctive avoidance, Hermione felt a surge of happiness. She had chosen the knitted wool sweater for this very reason—like answering questions in class, her qualities needed to be shown proactively.
Despite her usually quiet demeanor in the dormitory, she understood certain things well enough, especially regarding the thoughts of boys, thanks to the frequent discussions among her roommates.
While Hermione had her inner musings, Ino's thoughts were simpler. He admired the nutrition at Hogwarts and the genetics of European girls.
The atmosphere was saved from potential awkwardness by Fide's timely arrival.
A streak of blue light passed through the air, and a small Polaroid camera appeared inside the pumpkin carriage.
Taking the opportunity, Ino picked up the camera and began taking a series of photos of the Time-Turner.
Watching the pictures develop on the table, Hermione voiced her confusion, "Why take so many pictures of the same angle?"
"You can't see it?" Ino asked, suddenly looking up.
"See what?" Hermione was puzzled. To her, the photos were just close-ups of the Time-Turner, all looking identical.
"It really is unreasonable," Ino remarked, glancing at the old oil lamp. He realized that some things seemed exclusive to certain individuals, like Luna's description of Wrackspurts, which only she could see.
"Unreasonable?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, utterly unreasonable, with no logic at all," Ino continued, following the thread of the conversation.
However, he quickly realized Hermione's tone was off and looked up at her. Her bright brown eyes seemed clouded with an unexpected shadow, and she bit her lip, appearing both hurt and stubborn.
In truth, Hermione felt a pang of sadness. If anyone else had called her unreasonable, she would have ignored it with pride. But hearing it from Ino made her feel a deep ache.
"Oh, sorry! I didn't mean you!" Ino quickly clarified. "Remember Flourish and Blotts? You and Harry couldn't see that book, 'The Invisible Book of Invisibility,' either."
Hermione's expression brightened as she recalled the meaning behind the word 'unreasonable.'
"You mean, you still can see it? Even if you take photos, what you see and what I see are completely different? That's so... unreasonable?" She struggled to find the right words and continued using 'unreasonable.'
"Afraid so!" Ino shrugged, feeling relieved. Despite the ideals of equality, everyone hoped to be the most special.
"Then you really are unreasonable!" Hermione teased, a playful glint in her eye.
"It's not me; it's... oh, never mind. Let's just say I'm unreasonable," Ino sighed, leaning casually against the pumpkin wall with a hint of resignation.
His expression seemed to say: Do as you please; I don't mind.
"Now I believe you're truly unreasonable!" Hermione laughed softly, feeling her fatigue from overusing the Time-Turner lift away.
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