Chapter 376: One Person
Chapter 376: One Person
"Where did you guys get the midnight snacks from?"
Albert, freshly showered and clad in gray pajamas, stepped into the dormitory to find his roommates gathered around a table, playing a game of Wizarding Chess while indulging in freshly baked pies.
"Our house-elves brought them," George mumbled through a mouthful of food.
Albert's eyes darted towards the plate, noticing a hand reaching for the last pie. In an instant, he leaped forward and swatted the offending hand away.
A crisp slap echoed through the room.
"Ouch!" Lee Jordan whined, rubbing his stinging hand with a hurt expression on his face.
"You didn't even leave the last one for me!" Albert exclaimed as he promptly picked up the remaining pie and took a bite. The warm meat filling tasted delightful.
"You didn't have to be so harsh!" Fred exclaimed.
"My apologies, it was a reflex. And if you don't leave any for me, who else should I smack?" Albert took another bite of his pie and turned to the Weasley brothers, who were snickering beside him. "How many sets of Wizard Chess have you managed to get your hands on?"
"We're still working on it, one piece at a time. It's a slow process. We've spent ages just to get one set for ourselves," George shrugged helplessly, indicating that he had done his best.
"How did you manage to get the house-elves to deliver snacks to you?" Fred inquired, intrigued by another topic.
"Charisma," Albert replied casually as he finished the last bite of his pie and reached for his handkerchief to wipe his mouth.
The three roommates exchanged glances, clearly unconvinced by Albert's far-fetched explanation.
Unconcerned by their skepticism, Albert scanned the room for his cat and asked, "Where's Tom?"
"Tom? Oh, you mean your cat!" Fred pointed towards the door. "He ran out earlier. He's probably still roaming around the Gryffindor common room."
"Really? He's still running around at this hour," Albert muttered.
"You can't keep a cat cooped up," Fred replied.
"I never said I wanted to lock him up," Albert clarified.
He pulled out his compass and checked the direction before heading down the stairs towards the common room.
The common room was dimly lit, with only a few flickering embers remaining in the fireplace.
"Tom," Albert called out softly, searching for his cat. When he received no response, he glanced at the compass in his hand and turned towards the indicated direction. As he prepared to summon his cat with his wand, a fluffy black shadow suddenly pounced on him from the corner.
"It's time to go to sleep!" Albert bent down and scooped up the chubby cat. As the tip of his wand inadvertently cast a faint light across the common room, his eyes landed on a figure sitting in the chair closest to the entrance.
Noticing someone there, Albert approached with the cat in his arms. It was a young girl wearing a pink bathrobe.
"Don't sleep here, Miss Granger. You might catch a cold," Albert said gently.
Hermione stirred at the sound, lifting her head with a confused expression. Her eyes met Albert's, and she looked slightly flustered.
Albert studied the girl before him. This was his first time observing the legendary Hermione Granger up close. She seemed rather ordinary, not much different from any other girl next door.
"Did you have a fight with your roommates?" Albert inquired.
"No!" Hermione replied bluntly.
"Then go back to rest. Don't hide here and scare people. Unless you're planning a midnight stroll?" Albert suggested, glancing at the oil lamp beside her.
"No," Hermione replied.
Hermione caught a hint of bath soap on Albert, and she felt a bit embarrassed. Fortunately, the darkness concealed the flush on her face. After a moment's hesitation, she decided to share with Albert what she had overheard—Harry and Ron's plan to confront Malfoy.
"That's typical Gryffindor behavior," Albert remarked as he pulled a chair next to Hermione and sat down, placing Tom on his lap. He casually began stroking the cat's fur. "So, you want to stop them."
"Yes, if they get caught wandering around at night, Gryffindor will lose a lot of points. And I think they'll definitely be caught by Filch. I heard that the caretaker knows all the secret passages in the school," Hermione explained.
"I'm sure they would tell you that it's none of your business," Albert remarked, nodding as he observed the emotions flitting across Hermione's face. "Don't take it to heart. Gryffindor students have always had this attitude. They've never taken school rules seriously."
Hermione opened her mouth, her eyes fixed on the boy before her, who wore a faint smile. Finally, she asked in confusion, "Shouldn't we try to stop them?"
"Stop them? It will be difficult for you to do so unless you're Professor McGonagall, but obviously, you're not," Albert shook his head. "Don't expect to persuade anyone with words. That's incredibly challenging, especially when they're determined to do something."
Hermione was about to say something more, but Albert raised his hand to stop her.
"I know what you want to say," Albert continued, "This so-called duel is likely a trap. Following Slytherin's usual style, they'll probably inform Filch in advance and let him catch them, resulting in Gryffindor losing points. Harry and Ron will also end up in detention."
"However, acting impulsively without thinking is the Gryffindor way. Sometimes, they need to learn their lessons the hard way," Albert said calmly. "Don't worry too much about the rules and regulations. No one in Gryffindor truly cares about the points. Otherwise, they would consciously work to gain points for the house. But most students don't think that way."
"Is this really the style of Gryffindor House?" Hermione looked up at Albert, her eyes serious. "What about you? I heard that you've been consistently earning points for Gryffindor!"
"That's just a byproduct. It's great if we can gain points, but it's not a big deal if we don't," Albert replied nonchalantly.
"I don't think you're like the typical Gryffindor at all," Hermione whispered. "The Sorting Hat must have asked if you wanted to go to Ravenclaw!"
"Everyone says that. Many people believe I should be in Ravenclaw," Albert said, unbothered by the suggestion. "But for me, Gryffindor is a better fit. I have friends here that I'm familiar with."
"So, what do you think I should do?" Hermione asked hesitantly.
"Go back to sleep, or stay here and try to stop Harry and Ron if you wish," Albert stood up and addressed Hermione. "To be honest, you might not be the best fit for Gryffindor House. If you have time, consider joining the Wizard Chess Club. It might help you make some friends. The main purpose of games is to create joyful moments."
Hermione opened her mouth, watching Albert's retreating back, but ultimately said nothing.
Friends? She didn't have a single one.
Albert had obviously noticed, which was why he said that.
(End of Chapter)
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