Chapter 42: Snape's Misunderstanding
Chapter 42: Snape's Misunderstanding
The next morning,
Jerry and Hermione, who had a prior arrangement, rushed to the second-floor library after finishing their breakfast in the Great Hall.
"So many books!"
As soon as they entered the library, Hermione couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.
Jerry glanced around and nodded in agreement.
In the movies, the library's vast collection of books wasn't emphasized much, making it seem as though the Hogwarts library wasn't very large and didn't contain many magical books. However, in reality, the library housed thousands of bookshelves, with over ten thousand magical books.
After all, the history of wizards was incredibly long and covered a wide range of fields, with many classifications. It was only natural that there would be a vast number of related books.
"Let's get our library cards first!"
Regaining her composure, Hermione led Jerry to the desk where the librarian, Irma Pince, was stationed.
On the way, Hermione informed him that to read or borrow books from the library, they needed to get library cards first.
Librarian Irma Pince was a thin and elderly witch. When she heard that Jerry and Hermione wanted to get library cards, she warned them sternly:
"If you tear, rip, fold, dirty, damage, throw, drop, or in any other way damage, mistreat, or desecrate the books in the library, I will ensure you face the most terrible consequences within my power.
Also, no snacks are allowed in the library, and you must have a teacher's signed approval to access the Restricted Section!"
Seeing that Jerry and Hermione nodded obediently, she tapped their new library cards with her wand, registered their information, and handed them over.
"The Restricted Section, huh?"
Jerry reluctantly shifted his gaze from the shelves marked "Restricted Section" and followed Hermione to the general book area to find the magical books they needed.
The Restricted Section undoubtedly contained many powerful magical and potion books, but without a teacher's signed permission slip, they wouldn't be able to access them easily.
He had considered sneaking into the library at night, much like he had done to steal the Half-Blood Prince's notes. However, after some thought, he dismissed this idea.
In the Potions classroom, aside from the basic herbs used for student practice, there wasn't much of value. Even if he were caught, it wouldn't be a big deal. Moreover, the Half-Blood Prince's notes had been in the storage cabinet for a long time, and Snape didn't check them often. Jerry could quickly memorize the notes and return them without Snape noticing.
However, the library, especially the Restricted Section, was different. It contained many dangerous magical books, and the security measures were likely much more stringent. He wasn't Harry, with Dumbledore to pull strings for him.
So, for now, he decided not to take the risk and wait until he was more powerful before considering such a move.
The library had an overwhelming number of books, and it took Jerry a while to find one that seemed useful for his current needs.
"A Study of Recent Magical Developments"
After a quick browse, he found that the book contained a lot of useful information on the theory of magic, which would greatly aid his spellcasting studies. He took the magical book to the reading area and activated the "Brain Booster" function to start reading.
Not long after, Hermione also took a seat next to Jerry, holding a copy of A Guide to Medieval Magic.
The two of them quietly sat on the bench, engrossed in their respective magic books. Whenever they encountered something difficult to understand, they would try to discuss and exchange ideas with each other.
By the end of the day, both felt they had gained a lot.
Sometimes, it was indeed more efficient to discuss things with someone rather than toiling alone in silence.
Jerry thought that if he were to share the advanced spells he had learned from Snape with Hermione, it might help him master them faster.
However, after some consideration, he decided against it.
It was best to keep his secret spell learning under wraps for now. If it were to leak out, the good impression he had been building would be ruined.
The Hogwarts library closes at eight in the evening.
After agreeing to continue reading together the next day, Jerry and Hermione each borrowed a few magic books with their library cards and left the library.
However, a small incident occurred as they were leaving.
They happened to run into the sullen Professor Snape.
At first, Snape was taken aback when he saw Jerry and Hermione chatting and laughing as they left the library. Then, for some reason, he unexpectedly asked them a few questions in a surprisingly gentle tone.
One of the questions was whether they had known each other and become friends before entering Hogwarts.
Jerry thought about it and realized that since he and Hermione had met in Diagon Alley, they could indeed be considered friends before entering Hogwarts. So he nodded.
To his surprise, Snape was taken aback by the answer. He sighed deeply, patted Jerry on the shoulder, and earnestly told him not to let the fact that they were in different houses affect their friendship.
He also advised Jerry not to get too engrossed in magic and not to let Harry get the better of him.
Jerry was thoroughly confused. Given Snape's usual character, shouldn't he have told him to avoid the foolish Gryffindors, focus more on his studies, and earn house points for Slytherin?
Could it be that Snape had misunderstood something?
Since he couldn't figure it out, Jerry decided not to dwell on it and continued to focus on his magical studies.
Over the next few days, he attended classes diligently, studied hard, and actively answered questions to earn house points and boost his reputation.
During his free time and evenings, he would take out the magic books he had borrowed from the library and delve deeper into his studies.
If he encountered something he didn't understand, he would seek Hermione's help.
He had considered asking a teacher for guidance.
However, there weren't many teachers at Hogwarts, and most of them had to teach all seven years, making their schedules very tight. It wasn't easy to find them, and they didn't have much time to provide detailed guidance.
Time quickly passed, and it was now Wednesday of the second week.
That day, he saw a notice on the Slytherin common room bulletin board announcing that they would have a flying lesson with Gryffindor the next day.
Many young wizards were excited about the upcoming flying lesson, especially those like Draco Malfoy who were passionate about Quidditch.
On Wednesday evening at ten o'clock,
Jerry got up and left the dormitory as usual.
However, this time he didn't go to the common room to read. Instead, he violated Hogwarts' curfew and stealthily made his way upstairs.
He now had only about thirty Little Red Stars left, which wouldn't last until the next day.
So, he needed to get a flying broom before midnight when he returned to the Main World.
This would allow him to earn Little Red Stars more efficiently upon his return.
(End of Chapter)
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