Hogwarts in the shadows

That night Snape rushed into Hephesus's dormitory.

Hephis had just returned from the Forbidden Forest and was enjoying the Chinese meal prepared by An An in his room.

"Didn't I tell you not to cause trouble for Lupin?" Snape looked at Hephes with a complicated expression.

Hephis wiped the corner of his mouth and said, "Professor, I can't just watch him humiliate you like that."

Snape pursed his lips, a hint of tenderness flashed in his eyes, "You are really..."

Hephis showed a row of white teeth, "Professor, there is a sentence I have always kept in mind, 'You protect me when I am weak, and I will protect you for life.'"

"From now on, no one can hurt you anymore, I say." He said seriously.

"You've grown wings, little brat! Don't think you're so great just because you beat me a few times."

Snape slapped Hephesus lightly on the head.

"But you really can't beat me." Hephis shrugged.

Snape was at a loss for words for a moment, "You... Okay, are you full?"

"Not bad, why don't you eat something with us?" Hephis invited.

"If you're not full, eat quickly. You eat as much as a troll." Snape turned and was about to leave.

"Dumbledore isn't looking for me?" Hephis asked with some confusion.

Snape stopped and looked at him, "I've already stopped it for you."

"Don't worry, Professor. I'm evenly matched with him now." A hint of confidence appeared on Hephis's lips.

"You..." Snape looked at Hephes in disbelief.

Hephis smiled slightly, "Gellert Grindelwald's shadow is on me now."

"You...when..." A hint of surprise flashed in Snape's eyes, and then he waved his hand.

"If you have his shadow, just learn from him. He is a legend."

Hephis nodded, “I will, Professor.

"Don't forget your plan and hurry up to prepare." Snape turned and left. Before leaving, he looked back at Hephes.

"Don't let it get out that Lupin is a werewolf."

"Professor, you should go to bed early." Hephis waved his hand.

The next morning.

"Knock, knock, knock." There was a series of rapid knocks on the door.

Draco, still in his pajamas, knocked on Hephis's dormitory door anxiously.

Hephis rubbed his eyes and opened the door puzzledly, "What's wrong, Draco."

Draco said breathlessly, as if he had run all the way, "It's... Hermione, she..."

Herphis' heart tightened, he grabbed Draco's shoulders, and asked anxiously, "What happened to Hermione?"

Draco was pinched so hard that it hurt, and he quickly explained: "No...no, she is waiting...waiting for you at the door of the lounge."

"You..." Hephis turned around and ran towards the door of the lounge.

As soon as Hephis walked out of the common room door, he saw Hermione.

Her hair was even more messy, her face was full of fatigue, and her eyes were a little red and swollen.

As soon as Hermione saw Hephes, she threw herself into his arms, with a hint of crying in her voice.

"Hephis, am I really useless?"

Hephis' heart sank immediately, and his anger soared to the peak.

The magic power in his body unconsciously dissipated, and the air around him became somewhat distorted.

He hugged Hermione gently and asked softly, "Hermione, who bullied you?"

Hermione shook her head in his arms, "No one bullies me."

Hephis was stunned, "Then...what's wrong with you?"

Hermione looked up, "I just feel so useless and I can't help you at all."

Hephis breathed a sigh of relief. He whispered to comfort her, "How could that be? Hermione, you are the smartest little witch in the world."

Hermione's red eyes were full of mist. "Do you want the entire Slytherin? Or do you want to rule the wizarding world?"

"Uh..." Hephis was a little confused.

He was very restrained in his speech yesterday. How did you guess this?

Is this little girl so smart?

There was a tremor in Hermione's voice: "You didn't tell me anything because I couldn't help you, right?"

At this time, some little snakes had already gone out to have breakfast, and they were all looking at the two people hugging at the door in surprise.

However, they did not dare to stay for long. After taking a few looks, they left quickly.

"Hermione, I'll take you to another place." Hephis knew that he had to explain clearly at this time.

"Yeah." Hermione responded softly.

Hephis Apparated directly with Hermione to a huge rock by the Black Lake where they often went.

"Hermione, actually your existence is the greatest help to me." Hephis looked down at Hermione in his arms.

Hermione shook her head in confusion: "I don't understand."

Hephis explained slowly: "I just wanted to have a wife and children, a warm bed, money to spend, and happiness to enjoy, and live a life of mediocrity."

"But when I learned about the existence of wizards, especially after I got to know more about this world, my thoughts changed."

"You don't know, wizards nowadays are like rats in the sewers, hiding in the corners of this world."

"Even though he has great power, like Dumbledore, he doesn't dare to lead wizards out of this turtle shell."

"I can't imagine that one day you or our children will be harmed by Muggles, or even imprisoned in a laboratory and tortured."

Hermione couldn't understand what Hephis said at all and tried to refute: "That's impossible! Wizards can..."

Hephis interrupted her, "Hermione, you know so little about this world."

He paused and continued, "Do you think the Statute of Wizarding Secrecy is to protect Muggles? Then tell me why wizards need to hide?"

"This..." Hermione was speechless for a moment.

"Only the weak need to hide, only the weak need to be protected."

"The reason why Muggles cannot detect the existence of wizards is simply because they have not yet mastered the method of identifying and tracking magic."

"But with the current speed of technological development of Muggles, do you think this day is far away?"

Hermione was silent for a moment, "But...but why can't we coexist peacefully?"

"Maybe you will be unhappy with what I said, Hermione, you are too naive." Hephis stared at Hermione.

"The average life expectancy of wizards is 150 years, while the average life expectancy of Muggles is less than 70. Do you know what this means?"

"Wizards are like aliens in the eyes of Muggles, just like how wizards view centaurs. Wizards will never be able to treat them equally."

"Because the centaurs do not have the strength to match the wizards."

"Whether in Muggle or wizard history, war has always been the only way to solve problems."

"That's different!" Hermione argued unconvinced, "We are all human beings. We can just sit down and negotiate!"