Chapter 215: Dementor and Firebolt
Chapter 215: Dementor and Firebolt
At Hogsmeade Station, the students returning to school climbed into carriages heading for Hogwarts Castle. Since the return dates weren't very concentrated after Christmas, there weren't many people taking the carriages. Liam and Hermione easily found an empty one and climbed in.
"Liam, what exactly pulls these carriages, and why have I never seen them before?" Hermione asked, looking at the front of the carriage with some surprise.
"Thestrals", Liam replied succinctly. He knew Hermione had probably already read the entire Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and just needed a nudge.
"Because we saw a human death in the Pyramid Temple?" Hermione said, suddenly understanding.
The carriage fell into an awkward silence as it rolled forward. After rounding the Black Lake, they approached a pair of grand iron gates flanked by stone pillars topped with winged boars. Two tall, hooded Dementors stood guard on either side of the gates, and the temperature dropped noticeably.
"Here, take this", Liam said, noticing Hermione's pale face. He handed her a Soul Guard rune stone. When Hermione took the stone, a warm current flowed from it through her arms and spread throughout her body, dispelling the Dementor's oppressive cold and gloom.
"I can't believe they sent these things to the school", Liam said, shaking his head as they passed through the gates. However, the rune stone had just proven that besides the Guardian Charm, there were other means to combat Dementors.
They arrived back at the school just in time for dinner. Many students were looking over at Liam, clearly aware that he had received the Order of Merlin, Second Class.
As he was eating a piece of roasted chicken breast, someone tapped him on the shoulder. Liam looked up to see a shock of bright red hair. "Ron, it's been a while."
"Wow, I never thought your trip would be so exciting and dangerous. Unlike us, who were stuck in the school and had to endure Dementors flying around", Ron said, a hint of envy in his voice.
"Exciting and dangerous? I'd rather stay in the school with the Dementors. We almost lost our lives this time. If it weren't for Liam, I might not have made it back", Hermione said, sounding a bit annoyed.
"Alright, let's not discuss that", Ron said, then turned to Liam. "Did you know Harry received a Firebolt for Christmas? Our chances of winning the House Cup Quidditch match are looking pretty good now."
"Firebolt? I saw one during the summer, and it's not cheap", Liam said, a hint of envy in his voice. Harry's godfather, Sirius, must be quite wealthy. The Firebolt was like a top-of-the-line sports car in the Muggle world. While wizards' true treasures, like Harry's Invisibility Cloak, couldn't be bought with Galleons, the Firebolt was certainly one of the best brooms money could buy.
"By the way, who spent so much money to send Harry such an expensive broom?" Hermione suddenly asked, as if a thought had just struck her.
It was a reasonable question. If someone you knew received a top-of-the-line sports car, you'd naturally want to know who gave it to them.
"I have no idea", Harry said, joining them from the front. "There was no card, no sender's name. It was a completely anonymous package."
"Hmm... Who would send Harry such an expensive gift and not tell him who it's from?" Hermione asked.
Harry didn't have a chance to say anything before Professor Mcgonagall walked over and said, "I heard someone gave you a broomstick, Potter."
After confirming that no one had mentioned who had given it to him, Professor Mcgonagall took Harry upstairs. By the time Liam and Hermione returned to the Common Room after getting their schedules from Professor Sprout, they saw a group of people gathered around. In the middle, Harry was sitting at a table, dejectedly holding his head, while Ron was trying to comfort him.
"What happened?" Liam asked curiously.
"Harry's Firebolt was confiscated by Professor Mcgonagall. She's worried it might be a trap set by Sirius Black", Percy said, pushing his way through the crowd to Liam. "But to be honest, I think Professor Mcgonagall did the right thing. Harry always seems to get into trouble on the Quidditch pitch. What if this broom causes another accident?"
"Who told Professor Mcgonagall?" Ron, still holding Harry's shoulder, stood up and looked around at the gathered students.
Seeing the tension, Liam quickly pushed his way to the front and said to Ron, "Don't suspect your classmates. You've had the broom since Christmas break. Did you really keep it hidden all this time without telling anyone?"
Harry then pulled on Ron's sleeve to make him sit down and said to the surrounding students, "I'm sorry, Ron just got upset when the Firebolt was taken away. I don't think this is anyone's fault. During the holidays, I brought the Firebolt to the Common Room every day to polish it and even flew it a couple of times outside. Professor Mcgonagall must have known I had a Firebolt."
"Exactly", Percy added. "When Harry received such an expensive gift, Professor Mcgonagall had to ask who gave it to him. It's only natural for the broom to be taken for inspection. Professor Mcgonagall is a very serious and responsible person. She wouldn't overlook anything that could potentially harm Harry."
With the matter clarified, the crowd quickly dispersed. Only the Quidditch Captain, Wood, and a few team members stayed to discuss possible solutions.
The last match was lost when Harry fell from his broom due to the Dementors, so the next game was crucial. The Firebolt was their best hope for a comeback, and the entire Quidditch team was gathered around Harry, trying to find a way to get Professor Mcgonagall to return the broom sooner.
"I can't understand why Ron got so emotional. He almost made a bunch of enemies for Harry there. Luckily, Harry reacted quickly", Hermione said as she and Liam sat down on a couch by the fireplace.
It seemed that after years of participating in the after-class study group, Hermione's emotional intelligence had grown faster than when she was with Harry and Ron in the original story. Liam smiled, almost like a proud father, and said, "But at least people like that are straightforward. You don't have to guess what they're thinking when you're friends with them. After all, no one is perfect. As long as it's not a matter of principle, we should learn to tolerate others' flaws."
"You're right", Hermione replied, looking at Liam. "I think my pride in the past must have caused you a lot of trouble. Now, thinking back, you helped me a lot when we did homework together and when I had trouble communicating with others. So—thank you."
"It's nothing", Liam smiled and started looking at the notes Percy had lent him, while Hermione continued writing. The last night of the holidays passed in a quiet and warm atmosphere.
(End of Chapter)
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