It's just a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

Chapter 144 Sad Hermione

After the end of the Christmas holiday, Hogwarts has maintained a stable daily life.

While Black's danger remains, this year is far less troubling than last.

At least everyone knows that he is a murderer wizard, and more than half of the students know that his biggest goal has always been Harry Potter.

The clear murderer is obviously much more reassuring than the unknown basilisk in the secret room before.

Harry's study of the Patronus Charm at Sherlock's place is also proceeding in an orderly manner.

His defensive magic talent is indeed very high. Sherlock was right about this before, after experiencing the high pressure of the dementors and releasing the prototype of the patron saint.

Almost every subsequent spell of Harry can reach this level, but a major breakthrough is still needed to truly summon the Patronus.

This is not something that can solve the problem in a hurry, and the dementor is completely useless afterwards.

After Sherlock used it to experiment with the application of the Oblivion Curse in the incorporeal body, he finally kept his promise and released it to nature, returning to the queue of dementors outside.

Its simple and weak thoughts were tormented enough by Sherlock, and after returning, it could only be a carefree dementor who only wanted to suck emotions, and could no longer recall the almost hellish life of the past few months.

At the end of February, Harry asked Sherlock for two weeks' leave.

The Quidditch match between them and Ravenclaw was about to come, which was related to this year's House Cup. He had to focus most of his energy on practicing on the field to win the game for Gryffindor.

It's good for young people to have some hobbies. Sherlock didn't want him to devote all his energy to magic learning, and granted him a two-week vacation.

Sherlock didn't have time to watch the subsequent Quidditch match. The closer the end of the period was, not only were the students burdened with homework, but Sherlock's workload was also increasing day by day.

He has to correct more than [-] test papers every week, and he also has to prepare the teaching plans for the test questions on these test papers, as well as the preparation of the content of the actual combat class, etc.

Even if Lupine helped him with the first to fourth grades, Sherlock was still busy, and he had no interest in Quidditch, so he didn't go to watch the game.

But after the game, he still knew the result.

Harry rode his flying broom "Firebolt", which had been checked by Professor McGonagall, and led the Gryffindor team to victory.

During the match, Malfoy's Slytherin team members pretended to be dementors in order to disturb Harry and tried to scare him, but instead of scaring Harry, they were guarded incompletely by Harry. The curse was frightened.

For this reason, Professor McGonagall was as angry as a raging lioness.

She took fifty points from Slytherin in Snape's presence, and was about to report it to Dumbledore.

The entire Gryffindor house was filled with joy on the winning day.

Although Sherlock didn't like Quidditch very much, the youthful vigor among the students still put him in a good mood.

On the afternoon when the game ended, Sherlock had just returned from the library. He was carrying a pile of written materials and was about to go back to the office to put them down. When he was going to eat in the cafeteria, he accidentally heard a small noise in an empty classroom. crying.

He stopped in his tracks and listened carefully to the movement coming from the classroom. He could tell that it was a girl's voice.

Sherlock hesitated for a moment, and finally pushed open the door of that classroom gently, and walked in.

Inside, a girl was sobbing softly, while holding a quill pen and writing homework quickly on the parchment. There were books stacked two feet high beside her, as if there were many books that had not been finished.

When Hermione heard the movement, she wiped her tears and looked towards the door in a panic. Sherlock also saw Hermione with red eyes.

"Professor Forrest," Hermione called, sniffling.

After Sherlock saw that the person crying secretly here was actually Hermione, he was very surprised.

However, he did not express his doubts immediately, but took out a chair and sat down beside Hermione.

"Hiding in a classroom and crying secretly is not something the Miss Granger I know would do."

Hermione put down the quill in her hand, she seemed to be aggrieved, and she suppressed it and didn't want to show it in front of Sherlock.

Sherlock took out his pocket, took out a box of Bibi's multi-flavored beans and put it on the desk.

"How about some candy? I stole these from Dumbledore's office. Before I left, I asked the portraits on the wall to help me not to tell the truth. Unfortunately, Dumbledore just came back from outside and caught me. Okay. He still asked me to bring out these candies."

Hermione was so amused by Sherlock's embarrassing stories about herself, she took out a tissue and blew her nose.

"You must be lying to me, professor."

Shrugging his shoulders, Sherlock was noncommittal, and he squeezed a multi-flavored bean and put it in his mouth.

"So can you tell me how you want to hide here alone and grieve? Why don't you go back to the break room and celebrate with them?"

Hermione's face became aggrieved again, but this time she didn't pretend anymore, but said sadly.

"They won't talk to me anymore, our friendship is over."

With someone to confide in, Hermione told Sherlock all her grievances these days.

"Harry received the Firebolt at Christmas, an unsigned gift, but both Ron and he were blinded by the broom's surface. At a time like this, it's likely that it was sent by Black to kill Ha Good! I spoke out my worries, but they accused me of being crazy, and I had no choice but to tell Professor McGonagall about it myself."

"Professor McGonagall took Harry's broom and was going to take it apart for a complete inspection. They broke up with me because of this. Ron said I was a troublemaker, and Harry was mad at me."

"Until the day before yesterday, after Professor McGonagall made sure the broom was fine, he gave it back to Harry, and he was very happy when he got it. I was happy for them too, but Ron was still angry, and Harry wanted to take this opportunity Let me get on with him, but, but"

When talking about this, Hermione couldn't help crying sadly again, Sherlock didn't interrupt her, but passed a tissue in time.

Hermione took the tissue and continued while wiping her tears.

"But Ron's pet Scabbers is missing again! There's a puddle of blood on his bed, and Crookshanks' cat fur. He said Crookshanks ate Scabbers!"

"It's all my fault! They piled it all on me. I know there's been something wrong with Crookshanks since he came to school. He doesn't listen to me, he's still trying to catch Scabbers. It can't be all blame me for everything"

Hermione's voice became choked up.

"I don't have time to explain to them. I still have a lot of homework to do and they just ignore me, and I don't have time to talk to them."

After listening to Hermione's narration, Sherlock also understood that there were some common conflicts between the three children.

But he didn't take these little contradictions for granted.

Sherlock is a teacher at Hogwarts, and the responsibility of a teacher is not only to teach, but he is naturally obliged to help students face the confusion and troubles in their life and friendship. these questions.

"Escape won't solve the problem, Miss Granger."

Hermione said stubbornly: "I didn't run away. I really have a lot of things to do and no time to worry about those things with them!"

"But you know that you are not at fault, or even if you are at fault, Crookshanks really ate Banban, and they shouldn't just treat you like that?"

Hermione pulled her face. Although she didn't answer Sherlock's question, she obviously felt that was the case.

Seeing her performance, Sherlock laughed.

"Actually, I also think you are right based on what you said. A stranger sent a broom to Harry, and it was really risky when Black was at large. Tell the professor about it and let the professor solve it. It is the safest way, and you are absolutely right about it. Even if it turns out that the broom is fine, there is no reason for Harry and Ron to be angry with you."

Hermione grumbled.

"It was."

"But you shouldn't run away from the disappearance of Ron's pet, Hermione."

"They all depend on me." Hermione tried to explain.

"Crookshanks is your pet, and of course you, as the owner, are responsible for what it does." Sherlock said seriously, "If you think that Scabbers' disappearance has nothing to do with Crookshanks, then explain to them Be clear, and go find Scabbers with Harry Ron instead of hiding here and grieving."

"Don't let the grievance of the last incident affect you, Hermione, Harry and the others should apologize to you for the broom incident. If the disappearance of Scabbers is related to Crookshanks, you should also apologize to Ron."

Hermione fell silent.

Sherlock gave her time to think, then pushed the box of multi-flavored beans in front of her, blinked and said.

"Life is like this box of Bibi multi-flavored beans. Everyone has different experiences and stories of different flavors. The one we eat now may be a bad pepper flavor, but when you eat strawberry flavor in the next one, you I don’t think it’s not sweet because of the peppery taste of the previous one, just like after you experienced a misunderstanding, you can’t cover up your subsequent mistakes because of the previous misunderstandings.”

Sherlock squeezed out a pink multi-flavored bean for her. Hermione took it silently and stuffed it into her mouth. It happened to be a sweet strawberry flavor.

Seeing her, Sherlock stood up from his seat.

"So find a chance to explain clearly to Harry Ron and the others, and don't make yourself so tired, knowledge is endless."

Hermione seemed to feel better than before.

"I'll go find them when I'm done."

"To Come."

"Thank you, Professor."

After being comforted by Sherlock, Hermione felt a little better. She looked at the homework that seemed to never be finished, and temporarily put them away.

Back in the Gryffindor common room, and sure enough all the Gryffindor students were celebrating, Fred and George somehow bought a bunch of candies from the Honeydukes candy store.

Hermione was holding a thick stack of books, avoiding the crowd, and Harry just noticed her at this moment.

"Have you not been to the game?" Harry asked her, taking the initiative.

"Of course I did," said Hermione, her voice muffled and hesitant. "I'm glad we won, I think you've done a good job, but I've got to finish reading this by Monday." Book."

"Come on, Hermione, have something to eat," said Harry, looking over at Ron, wondering if Ron was in a good enough mood to make peace with Hermione.

"I can't, Harry, I've got page 420 to read!" said Hermione, her voice sounding a little low.

"Besides," she looked over at Ron, "he won't want me to participate."

This was obvious, as Ron picked the moment on purpose and exclaimed, "If Scabbers hadn't been eaten, he could have eaten a few of these Fudge flies, which he always likes to eat"

Hermione cried again, and the mood to apologize actively after listening to Sherlock's words was gone.

Before Harry could say or do anything, she ran with the books in her arms, sobbing, and disappeared up the stairs to the girls' dormitory.

Harry sighed, there was nothing he could do to mediate the conflict between his two friends.

Ron valued Scabbers very much, and Hermione didn't seem to be willing to apologize, and he had no idea now.

However, tonight's events did not end here.

The entire Gryffindor students experienced a happy day, but in the middle of the night, Harry was suddenly awakened by Ron's loud cry.

Ron woke up in the middle of the night and saw Black standing beside his bed!

When Harry was awakened, he heard the door slam loudly, and they rushed out of the dormitory hall yelling, and ran downstairs at full speed, waking up the whole lounge.

Just as the Gryffindor students were gathering in the common room, Professor McGonagall also heard the movement and walked in with a face of rage.

"Gryffindor won the game, I am very happy, but you are so ridiculous now!"

Harry and Ron explained what happened to her, but Professor McGonagall didn't believe it, because the portrait of Sir Cadogan at the entrance showed no signs of destruction.

It wasn't until they questioned Sir Cadogan that they learned that Black had read the correct password for the Gryffindor lounge for a whole week from a note, and he let him in.

And recently Neville just lost the password note he wrote down.

That night, the entire castle was searched again, and Sherlock was also called up by Professor Flitwick in the middle of the night to search the area near the library.

This is still a fruitless search, and no one has found Black. He seems to know the castle well and knows where he can escape.

After tonight, the management in the castle became stricter.

Temporarily responsible for guarding the portrait of the entrance to the Gryffindor lounge—Sir Cadogan was dismissed, and after the fat lady was restored, she returned to her post, and this time there were several more pictures in her frame Dwarves with sticks, on patrol to protect her.

Neville was also punished. Professor McGonagall punished him not to go to Hogsmeade village after this semester, and not to allow anyone to give him the password to enter the tower.

Poor Neville had to wait in the common room every night to see who would take him in.

Apart from improving the security in the castle again, Black's attack did not affect the other lives of the students.

In the middle, Hagrid also specifically looked for Harry and Ron, telling them that Hermione was very sad recently, but Ron was still angry about Scabbers, saying that he would only be willing if Hermione threw away her crazy cat. Re-admit her.

Hagrid wanted to try his best to reconcile the conflict between them, but he was obviously unable to do so.

Sherlock didn't pay any further attention to this, and even didn't ask much about Harry's Patronus Charm teaching. He believed that Harry and the three of them would handle it by themselves in the end.

Another half month passed, and during the days of the full moon in March, Sherlock found Lupine in the office.

"How is it? Have you decided on a good day?" he asked, sitting opposite Lupine.

Lupine said with a wry smile.

"are you serious?"

Sherlock shrugged.

"Of course I'm serious, otherwise do you think I'm joking with you?"

"But even if there is Wolf's Poison, there is no way to ensure that I am safe."

Sherlock waved his hand and said.

"In the werewolf state, how many stun spells can you resist at most?"

said Lupine thoughtfully.

"I haven't experimented, but according to previous records, there are cases where more than a dozen Aurors used the stun spell to subdue a werewolf."

"Just a dozen rounds is enough?" Sherlock said, "Then don't worry, even if you really go crazy, you won't hurt me."

There was no more reason for Lupine to refuse his insistence.

A few days ago, when Sherlock had lunch with him in the auditorium, he proposed to take a closer look at some characteristics of werewolves when he transformed on the next full moon night.

Lupine thought he was just talking casually before, but he didn't expect Sherlock to be serious.

"If you really want to see it, then come with me tonight." He said calmly, "Today is the day when I transform."

While Sherlock was waiting bored in Lupine's office, he suddenly found a familiar old parchment on his desk.

He asked in surprise, "You took this from the two Weasley twins?"

Lupine was also surprised by Sherlock's reaction.

"No, I got it from Harry, you know this thing?"

Sherlock's face was strange, he did not hide anything, and said the name of this piece of parchment.

"The Marauder's Map, when I first started school last year, I took this map from George and Fred, and finally gave it back to them because of their good performance. I didn't expect it to fall into your hands now inside."

(End of this chapter)