Chapter 156: Britain's Letter
Chapter 156: Britain's Letter
Hearing the sound, Liam stood up and saw a Great Horned Owl tapping on the window of the compartment, carrying several letters.
"Oh, my Hermes is back." Hermione opened the window to let her owl in. She took the letters one by one, glanced through them, and then handed two of them to Liam.
"This is your letter."
Liam took the two letters from Hermione. One was a letter from his parents, where they told him they had received his letter and hoped he was taking good care of himself in Brazil. Liam felt a warm sense of family in the letter.
The other letter was from the Weasley Twins, who had written several pages of parchment with about seven or eight questions. Liam smiled wryly; it seemed he would have to work overtime this weekend. But since he had made the decision to get involved in the twins' business, he would have to see it through, no matter how hard it was.
Just as Liam finished reading the two letters, Hermione waved another one in front of him. "This is a letter from Ginny to both of us. I think you should read it too."
Tearing open the envelope, Liam and Hermione found that, apart from a brief greeting and an update on the school's current state, the rest of the letter was mostly about Harry. It was clear that she was Harry's number one fan.
The reason Ginny wrote this letter was that last year, everyone would gather every evening to do their homework. Sometimes, Ginny would seek emotional support from Liam or Hermione. Even though they were not at the school this year, she still wrote to them from afar to ask about certain things and to update them on the school's status.
"Why do I feel like everyone we know is having bad luck this week?" Hermione said after reading the letter. "On the train, Harry fainted when a Dementor appeared. In Divination class, the Divination Professor said Harry had encountered an Omen of Misfortune and would not live long. Ginny is very worried, so she specifically asked us about Harry's condition."
"For others, Hagrid becoming a professor is good news, but in his first class, the Hippogriff he brought injured Malfoy. That's a big problem. As a Noble Family, the Malfoys won't let it go easily. I hope Hagrid doesn't lose his job over this. And Neville was also mistreated by Professor Snape during the Defense Against the Dark Arts class because of a Boggart."
"The worst part is that now hundreds of Dementors are surrounding Hogwarts. They say it's for protection, but the school has probably become as bad as Azkaban. I don't know what the Ministry of Magic is thinking."
Seeing Hermione's slightly angry expression, Liam quickly changed the subject. "Your handwriting is better than mine, so you should write the reply to Ginny."
"Okay, but I don't know why Harry reacts more strongly to Dementors than others. I also don't understand what the Omen of Misfortune in Divination class means. How should I reply to Ginny? I can't just make something up", Hermione said, looking a bit troubled.
"I actually know the answer to that." Liam had intended to keep her in suspense, but seeing Hermione's look, he quickly explained. "You know I went to learn the Guardian Charm yesterday. The professor told us about the characteristics of Dementors. One important feature is that they absorb the happiness around them and make people relive their worst moments."
"The worst possible moment, you think?" Hermione's eyes widened as if she had just realized something, and her mouth opened slightly.
"Yes, Harry would recall the day his parents were killed. That's why he fainted, I think most people haven't had such a terrible experience", Liam said with a serious expression.
"Although that sounds bad, it's better than the rumor going around School that he's a coward", Hermione nodded and then asked, "What about the Omen of Misfortune? Ginny said her brother Ron told her that Harry did encounter a huge black dog when he left his aunt's house."
"Tell Ginny not to worry. The Divination Class professor is notoriously unreliable. I once heard a senior say that the professor predicts someone's death every year, but it has never come true. Other professors will likely debunk it. As for the big black dog, Harry said he saw it in the Muggle World. You know, there are many people who keep dogs in Britain, so encountering a large black stray isn't unusual, Hermione. I'm sure you and I have seen one before."
"True", Hermione thought for a moment. "I saw a black stray dog run past my house last year. There are so many omens of misfortune. I'm glad I didn't enroll in the Divination Class last year on your advice; otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to handle it this year. By the way, why didn't Harry write to us about such a big event? Should we write him a letter to check on him?"
"How could he write about it? Would Harry want to tell us that he fainted in a humiliating way after encountering a Dementor? With his stubborn personality, he wouldn't want to show his vulnerable side to his friends. So let's not write to him; he might feel uncomfortable", Liam thought for a moment and shook his head at Hermione.
"Alright, now you should write back to Ginny. I'll go write to Hagrid and ask him to get Ron's help. Since Ron was born in the Wizarding World, he knows a lot of people and can definitely introduce Hagrid to a more reliable legal aid. I'll also write to Neville to comfort him."
"Alright, since we're so far away, we can't do much to help. Sending a letter to check on them is the least we can do", Hermione nodded and then added, "By the way, can you teach me the Patronus Charm? With so many Dementors at Hogwarts, I'm worried they might still be there when we return, and it could be dangerous."
"I don't think Dumbledore would allow them into the castle, so it shouldn't be that dangerous. But if you want to learn the charm, I can teach you. The professor hasn't said it can't be shared."
After saying this, the two of them said goodbye and returned to their respective dormitories to write their letters. However, Liam spent a long time on the letter to the twins. To ensure it could be sent out over the weekend, Liam even asked Hermione to help analyze some things.
"Where did you learn all this?" Hermione asked curiously as she helped Liam organize and categorize the data.
"From books, of course. You only read things related to your studies. I read a lot more varied material, which is why I don't do as well on exams. But if you want to live well in the Wizarding World in the future, just studying the textbooks won't be enough."
"Alright, you might have a point. I just haven't found other areas of knowledge to focus on besides my studies", Hermione said as she placed the organized materials on top of a stack of books.
With their combined efforts, they managed to finish all the letters they needed to send before the weekend. Watching Hermes fly off with a large bundle of letters, Liam smiled contentedly.
(End of Chapter)
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