Became good friends with the Boy Who Lived

Professor Dumbledore looked at Lockhart and said gently, "Girod, why haven't you said anything for so long?"

Lockhart pointed at himself curiously and asked doubtfully: "Is my name Girod? This name is really bad. Your beard is really beautiful, old man. I really hope that I can grow such a beautiful beard in the future."

Harry said somewhat unnaturally: "Professor Lockhart snatched Ron's wand and wanted to use... the Oblivion Charm on us, but Ron's wand exploded, and then he became like this..." Harry's voice became smaller and smaller.

"Good swimmers die from drowning?" Professor Dumbledore said with emotion, "You are hurt by your only talent, Gerald."

Lockhart grinned and said, "Why do you talk so strangely, old man? What talent do I have? I can't even swim."

"He even forgot that he is a wizard," Aeris said with a wry smile. "When we were dragged up by Fawkes, Professor Lockhart kept screaming and saying: It's amazing, this is simply magic..."

There was a knock on the office door. Professor Dumbledore waved his hand, and the door opened automatically. Lucius Malfoy walked in with a smile on his face, followed by Dobby, the house-elf who was wrapped in bandages.

Seeing so many people in the room, Lucius said tactfully: "Albus, am I disturbing you? I can come back later."

"No, Lucius," said Professor Dumbledore, "We have just finished our business. Are you coming to Hogwarts to catch up with an old man like me?"

"I'm just a little confused," Lucius said sarcastically, "Did you come back without permission?"

"That's not the case," said Professor Dumbledore. "After hearing that Arthur Weasley's daughter was abducted by a monster into the Chamber of Secrets, the other directors except you all felt that I should come back. They also told me that it was not their will to remove me from the position of headmaster. It was you who had been bribing and threatening them with Galleons..."

"This is an absolute false accusation," Lucius said with a smirk, "You should know that no one supports you becoming the headmaster of Hogwarts more than I do."

Harry couldn't help but sneer. Lucius looked at Harry and said cunningly, "Mr. Potter seems to have some complaints about my sincere words?"

Harry looked at Lucius fearlessly, asked Aries for the diary, waved it in front of Lucius, and said slowly: "Mr. Malfoy, you know what you have done. It was you who secretly mixed this thing into the cauldron where Ginny put the books..."

"Mr. Potter..." Lucius's face turned serious and he said unkindly, "Before you accuse others, do you have solid evidence? I am the current head of the sacred Malfoy family. I will never accept any form of false accusation."

"The Weasley family has an equally distinguished heritage," said Professor Dumbledore. "Lucius, if Arthur knew who almost killed his daughter, he would do whatever it takes to give his daughter justice."

"Of course," Lucius said with a wry smile, "Arthur and I have been friends for many years, so of course I know what kind of person he is."

Professor Dumbledore said gently, "Then I don't want Tom Riddle's belongings to appear in anyone's hands in any form again."

"Who is Tom Riddle?" Lucius pretended to be stupid.

Professor Dumbledore smiled but said nothing. Lucius said with a wry smile, "I think I've disturbed you long enough. I'll take my leave now, Albus." After saying that, he bowed slightly and then looked at Dobby, the house-elf who had been exchanging eye contact with Harry.

Lucius said with a forced smile and gritted teeth, "Let's go home, Dobby. I will thank you when we get home." Then he strode out.

The house-elf Dobby looked at Harry for help and followed Lucius resignedly. As he walked, he looked back every few steps, and when he looked at Harry, his eyes were pitiful.

Harry looked at the diary in his hand, thinking about something, and then he said as if he had thought of something: "Can I borrow this diary, Professor?" After that, he looked at Professor Dumbledore and glanced at Aris.

Professor Dumbledore and Aries nodded at the same time, and Harry ran out of the office excitedly.

"Please sit anywhere, Aeris." Professor Dumbledore said. Aeris sat in an armchair, while Professor Dumbledore sat in the main seat in the office, looking at Aeris's memories hovering in the crystal bottle, thoughtfully.

"This is very advanced Dark Magic, Aeris," Professor Dumbledore said gently, "but using Dark Magic is not without cost. I hope you will not lose yourself in the world of Dark Magic."

Aeris chuckled, took out his wand and waved it gently, muttering: "Expecto Patronus~"

Suddenly, the empty office was bustling with activity. Rats, bulls, tigers, rabbits, sea dragons, pythons, humpers, goats, monkeys, pheasants, hounds, and pigs, twelve different kinds of patronuses formed to guard Aesop. This scene made Professor Dumbledore a little dazed.

"It seems that I worried too much." Professor Dumbledore said with a wry smile after coming to his senses.

With Aeris's flick of his wand, the Patronuses disappeared, and Harry returned to his office and placed the diary on his desk.

"Eris," said Professor Dumbledore, "and Harry, do you know that in the past period of time, you have violated every school rule without fail?"

"At least we succeeded in preventing the school from closing down," Aris said with a grin. "Can't you be flexible? Professor, can we offset our merits?"

Harry also looked at Professor Dumbledore nervously. Professor Dumbledore ignored Aris and stared at Harry and continued, "Aris's merits and demerits can indeed be offset. What about you and Ron, Harry?"

Harry lowered his head in shame. Professor Dumbledore said gently, "It turns out that even the oldest among us can break our promises. Harry, Aries, Hermione, Ron, each of you has received a special contribution award from the school, and each of you has won a 200-point reward for Gryffindor."

Harry looked at Aries with joy, and Professor Dumbledore said, "Aries, could you please send Gerald to the school hospital? Miss Granger is almost recovered, and I think she will feel relieved to see a friend when she wakes up."

Aries dragged the silly Lockhart towards the school hospital. After entering the school hospital, Aries was dragged over by the anxious Madam Pomfrey and began a full-body examination. Aries said helplessly, "I'm fine, Madam Pomfrey. It's Professor Lockhart who needs medical treatment."

"I noticed it as soon as he came in," Madam Pomfrey said irritably. "There's nothing I can do to help him. He'll have to spend the rest of his life at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries."

After confirming that Aries was really fine, Madam Pomfrey stuffed a cup of spirit-boosting potion into Aries' hand. Aries drank the potion in small sips while walking to Hermione's bedside. Professor Snape was pouring a cup of dangerous potion into Hermione's mouth little by little.

"Good evening, Professor Snape..." Aris greeted somewhat awkwardly.

"If I were in my own bed at this hour," said Professor Snape impatiently, "I would be much better off."

Professor Snape glanced at Aris with a sinister look and said slowly, "The powerful recovery potion will take some time to take effect. Miss Know-It-All will wake up in a while. You have to wait a while, Mr. Grindelwald."

"Thank you!" said Aeris. "Please accept this." Aeris took out the handbag containing the basilisk skeleton and handed it to Professor Snape.

Professor Snape took it subconsciously, glanced into the bag, and seemed to want to smile, but failed, and the corners of his mouth just twitched.

"Are you sure you want to give me these things?" Professor Snape said, "You don't seem to understand the value of these things."

"You don't seem to understand your position in the hearts of your students," said Aeris. "However, if you really feel bad, just consider it as a favor you owe me."

"Okay," Professor Snape said, "Would you consider transferring to another house? Mr. Grindelwald, Slytherin House would be a better fit for you."

"No need," said Aris, "Professor Dumbledore will not be at ease..."

Seeing that Hermione showed signs of waking up, Professor Snape put away his handbag, turned around proudly, and went to give powerful recovery potions to the other petrified students.

Hermione's eyes were open, and light gradually appeared. Her pupils contracted, her eyeballs moved left and right, and her fingers moved. Aeris helped Hermione up, let her sit on the bed, and poured the cup of unpalatable mental recovery potion into Hermione's mouth.

Hermione had a bitter face and glared at Aerys fiercely. She said intermittently: "You want to...die...Aerys..."

"Welcome back, Miss Know-It-All..." Aeris said with a smile.

"Well... I'm back... It's good to be back..." Hermione murmured to herself.

When Hermione's stiff body regained movement, she threw herself into Aires' arms regardless of anything else. Aires patted Hermione's back awkwardly, trying his best to soothe her emotions in a clumsy way.

As if realizing that she was still in the hospital, Hermione loosened her arms around Aeris. Her face flushed. She leaned back on the bed and whispered, "Can you tell me what happened after I was petrified?"

Aries sat down beside the bed and told Hermione the whole story in a low voice and in a concise manner. Hermione listened silently, but she didn't know when she had tightly grasped Aries' hand with both hands.

After Aerys finished his story, they were both silent for a while. Aerys said quietly, "Miss Know-it-all, you have quite a lot of strength in your hands..."

Hermione then noticed that the knuckles of her hands that were holding Aris had turned white. She quickly let go and whispered sheepishly, "I'm sorry..."

"Professor Dumbledore is planning to host a party all night," said Aerys. "Come along, Hermione!"

Aeris, Hermione and the few students who had recovered their mobility walked together to the Great Hall.