Hogwarts in the shadows

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

"What's wrong, Draco?" Hephis opened the door and asked in confusion.

"Quidditch practice!" Draco said excitedly.

Hephis suddenly remembered what happened with Lockhart before.

He had promised Draco that he would go to his first Quidditch practice.

"Congratulations, Draco." Hephis put on his robe and walked out of the common room with Draco.

The members of the Slytherin Quidditch team were already waiting for Draco in the Great Hall.

They saw Hephis and Draco coming together, but didn't say much.

But Flint shrank his neck slightly.

The group soon arrived at the Quidditch training ground.

There were already people training on the field at this time, and judging from their clothes, they should be Gryffindor.

Wood was jumping off his broom in anger and he was yelling at Flint.

"Flint! It's our training time! We got up so early! Please get out!"

Marcus Flint said with a hint of provocation: "It's a big place here, Wood."

"But I booked the court!" Wood snapped. "I booked it!"

Flint, however, took out a note without any concern and read it proudly: "I, Professor Severus Snape, allow the Slytherin team to practice on the Quidditch field today to train their new seeker."

"You got a new seeker?" Wood's attention was diverted. He quickly asked, "Where is he?"

Draco stepped forward, twisting his body.

"Draco, you're a Seeker?" Harry exclaimed.

Before Draco could act pretentious, Ron and Hermione came over from the other end of the lawn.

"What's going on?" Ron asked Harry. "Why aren't you guys continuing your training? What is he doing here?"

Ron stared at Malfoy, who was wearing the Slytherin Quidditch team uniform.

"I'm the new Seeker for the Slytherin team, Weasley," Malfoy said smugly.

"Since you are here, let's admire the broom my father bought for our team."

As he finished his words, the seven members of the Slytherin team raised their brooms forward in unison.

There were seven brand new flying brooms, and each broom handle had beautiful golden letters engraved on it - "Nimbus 2001".

"This is the latest model, which was just launched last month." Flint brushed off the non-existent dirt on his broom.

"I believe it is much faster than the old Nimbus 2000 series. As for those old-fashioned Sweep Seven Stars, they should just sweep the floor."

Ron stared at the seven brand new Nimbus 2001s in amazement.

"At least none of the Gryffindor team members have to pay to join," Hermione snorted.

As soon as she said this, she realized something was wrong.

She didn't mean to target Draco, but she was still angry about his performance in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, so she just said that.

"You..." Malfoy's face darkened, he gritted his teeth and suppressed the anger in his heart.

"No one is asking you, you stinking mudblood." Flint pointed at Hermione and said harshly.

As soon as these words were spoken, they caused an explosive reaction.

"Fuck." The twins were about to rush forward, but someone was faster than them.

Flint suddenly felt as if his throat was strangled. He fell to the ground and covered his neck with his hands in pain.

"Woo...Woo..."

Everyone present was startled, as if the pause button had been pressed, and they all stared at the scene in a daze.

Hephis walked out of the crowd slowly, staring at Flint who was lying on the ground with a cold expression.

"Please...please...let me...go."

Flint's face had begun to turn purple and his body involuntarily curled up into a ball.

"Ah! Hephes, stop it!" Hermione reacted and rushed to Hephes.

"Hephis, please, you can't kill him, you will go to Azkaban." She grabbed Hephis's hand tightly, tears coming out.

Hephis waved his hand, and the black shadow slowly retreated from Flint's neck.

Flint was breathing heavily and coughing.

Hephis reached out and gently wiped away Hermione's tears, "Your tears are precious, not worth shedding for such a person."

"Yeah." Hermione hugged Hephis tightly.

"Flint, this is the last time, right?" Hephis didn't even look at Flint.

"Understand...I understand." Flint nodded desperately in fear.

"Okay, you guys continue your training. Draco, I'll be waiting for you at Hagrid's."

Hephis then took Hermione's hand and left.

Although Hermione was indeed a little impulsive just now, who is Hermione?

That's his girlfriend, so even if it's wrong for him, it's right.

"Hephis, you..." Hermione's voice was still trembling.

Hephis's cold expression just now made her a little scared.

"Hermione, don't worry! I'm just trying to scare him."

Hephis thought Hermione was still worried about him, so he comforted her softly.

"Hephis, don't do this again next time." Hermione held Hephis's hand tightly.

"Okay." Hephis nodded.

"Just now you...just said the word 'Mudblood', is that serious?" Hermione asked in a low voice.

"Well, there are actually two interpretations of this word, but most pure-blood wizards today only remember one of them."

Hephaestus paused and continued, "To them, this is the most insulting name for Muggle-born wizards."

"No wonder you are so angry." Hermione was touched, "Thank you, Hephis."

"Okay! Hermione, I'll take you to ride a dragon today." Hephis smiled.

As for another explanation, "Mudblood" originally means someone struggling in the mud.

In fact, it was first used to praise Salazar Slytherin.

When they were still more than twenty meters away from Hagrid's house.

The door suddenly opened and Lockhart, dressed in purple, walked out.

He called out to Hagrid, "If you need any help, just come to me. You know where I am! I'll give you a signed copy of my book tonight."

Hermione screamed in surprise, "Professor Lockhart!"

"Oh, you're Miss Granger. I remember you got full marks in the class."

Lockhart smiled his trademark smile.

Hermione nodded excitedly, her face full of admiration.

"I'm a little busy, you know, I have to prepare teaching content. Goodbye, beautiful little wizard."

He strode towards the castle.

"Goodbye, Professor." Hermione waved.

She watched Professor Lockhart's back until he completely disappeared, then she reluctantly withdrew her waving hand.

Hermione came back to her senses and looked at Hephis who was standing aside with an expressionless face.