the Gambler

Harry and Hermione had a heated discussion with their heads leaning together. A book occupying half the size of the table was spread out in front of them. Hermione was still writing madly on the parchment with her right hand, and Ron had already fallen asleep lying on the edge. unconscious.Harry's fingers ran across the dense runes, his eyes quickly scanned the entire page, grabbed Hermione's quill, and made strange marks in some places.They'd been hiding in the Room of Requirement all afternoon, avoiding Tom, and Harry could feel him pacing on the other side of the wall, anger and annoyance coming through the link into his mind.Harry dropped the quill into the inkwell and collapsed on the wool blanket in relief.

"You didn't look like you could concentrate just now," said Hermione.

Harry pointed to the carved wooden door set into the wall, which was obviously locked.He buried his head in his arms and answered, "Tom is outside the door."

Hermione showed a clear expression, and she followed Harry's example and lay down on the carpet: "Then we need to solve the problem more quickly. I don't want to be cursed by him as soon as I go out."

"What do you think of this?" Harry turned over and raised his chin, carefully examining the runes on the parchment, "Will it work?"

"80.00% success rate." Hermione said uncertainly. "After all, not everyone has two soul mates. Selective control is a bit difficult. But it is also an opportunity for testing. If you succeed, you can easily catch Voldemort. "

"If it doesn't work, it proves my theory that Tom and Voldemort are magically identified as one person." Harry reached into his pocket and stroked the uneven surface of his wand.

"It's still dangerous," said Hermione, "and if you don't succeed in bringing Voldemort back—"

"I don't have this plan, I just went to get something."

"What do you mean? Tell me you don't intend to go alone." Hermione frowned, seeing Harry's expression suddenly sank, and the surprised cry woke Ron from his sleep. He opened his heavy eyelids curiously looked at the two of them.Hermione grabbed Harry's arm: "You can't be so reckless! Harry Potter! We can't let you face Voldemort alone!"

This time, Ron was completely awake.

"No!" Ron protested loudly, "Absolutely not!"

"I knew he would say that." Hermione patted Ron's arm triumphantly, her tone proud.

"But I have to do it! Ron, even if I hate to admit it, I am the Son of Prophecy!" Harry's voice was so loud that it hurts his ears. "I need to face Voldemort alone! This is the quickest way with the least casualties!"

"If you were left alone, you might not even have a chance to see him!" said Ron. "We'll be with you."

"Impossible, I can't let you risk your life for me, and Voldemort knows who the closest person to me is—" Harry paused, "You don't want to be used by him as a tool to threaten me, don't you?" Is it? Let me go alone."

"Marvolo is right, your heroism is disgusting." Ron glared at Harry, "Why can't you be more selfish, we haven't experienced the situation together for so many years, I can't imagine you want to We stay here."

"There was Dumbledore then," said Harry.

Ron fell silent.

"Voldemort is very possessive, and he would not let others kill me," Harry explained. "The ring has been unilaterally ineffective, which shows that Voldemort and Tom's soul quality is almost the same. I suspect that Tom has played a role in it. He's hiding so much, I can't keep pretending."

"But this connects your life and Marvolo's life, he will definitely protect you?" Hermione frowned and thought, "I can see how much he cherishes you—"

"Tom masterminded Parkinson and Knott's attack."

"What?!" Ron and Hermione widened their eyes.

"During Umbridge's rule, the Dark Arts and related objects could not enter Hogwarts without review, but only Tom had the ability to keep the books recording the Dark Arts under their noses, and I doubt it was taken from the Chamber of Secrets Yes. You know, during that time I lay in bed all day with nothing to do, thinking a lot," Harry raised his hand to prevent the two from erupting, "I need Tom to stand here, even if I have to pretend that I don't know We can't trust each other, and that goes to the grave. Maybe I'm a little crazy, too."

"Harry—"

"Use everything available, and the same goes for feelings." Harry smiled bitterly, "That's the right mode for us to get along with. Back to the topic of the ring, I have a bold idea." Harry was a little uncertain how to respond, " I will also engrave the rune just now on it."

"You're playing with fire!" Hermione yelled.

After Harry explained her plan in detail, Hermione pulled him into her arms, and Ron leaned over and patted him on the shoulder.Neither of them spoke. This was the first time Harry saw them speechless. If the situation wasn't serious, he would have laughed out loud.Hermione obviously read the other's mind from Harry's distorted expression, she quickly kissed Harry on the cheek, and held the boy's hand so hard that it hurt.

"Be careful," said Ron.

Because he stayed in Hogwarts for too long, although Harry liked the castle very much and regarded it as his real home, the situation that he could not receive outside information all the year round made the boy very dissatisfied, so he borrowed the opportunity of starting school to Opportunities, like Professor McGonagall's application to go to King's Cross, and take the train back to school like other students.Of course, this is the high-sounding explanation given by Harry.As the party who was raptured, McGonagall has a complicated expression. On the one hand, she understands Harry’s feelings of being locked up in Hogwarts for a long time. On the other hand, she is very worried about the boy’s comfort, especially now that the number of Death Eaters The more daring.The Hogwarts Express has already been attacked once, and there is no guarantee that there will be a second attack.

Of course, there are unspeakable good things happening these days.After Scrimgeour died, the Ministry of Magic underwent a major shake-up.What the outside world doesn't know is that half of the top executives of the Ministry of Magic are Voldemort's people, and the banner of magic is power has also been hung on the Ministry of Magic's banner.As the most powerful eyeliner for Voldemort's death, the new Minister of Magic, Pierce Thicknesse, is his spokesperson.When he was interviewed by Rita Skeeter, he said that during the recent contacts with the Dark Lord, they had reached a mutual agreement that they would try their best to pardon the casualties of students during the war.

In the end, Professor McGonagall reluctantly agreed to Harry's request with a long face, on the condition that he would bring Hermione Ron and Tom with him. The young members of the Order of the Phoenix followed, not to mention the Aurors who surrounded the platform.

Harry couldn't help sniffing at the platform where people were coming and going. Occasionally, he wondered where the wizards' trust came from, and their behavior was simply thoughtless.Indeed, everyone seemed to have believed Voldemort's promise, and more people came to the school than expected, and he saw the slim figures of the Parvati sisters in the steam.

Everyone was chatting on twitter. When Harry and the others appeared on the platform through the port key, there was a brief silence. Then, students from different directions greeted them warmly, and some even leaned out from the car window Talk about them excitedly with your family.The three Gryffindors were not used to suddenly being the focus of everyone, but Tom looked like an old god who was extremely bored.Hedwig buried her head in Harry's neck and dawdled. The boy snorted a few of her feathers. The owl spread its wings happily and rushed to the sky, gathering with other owls.

Harry trotted a few steps, squeezed his way through the crowd, and stopped outside the crimson body of the train.He stretched out his hand to open the car door, rushed into the locomotive in three steps at a time, and sat down in the space near the rear of the car. Not long after, Tom and Ron also appeared at the door.Hermione bent down and gasped several times, and looked at Harry slightly complaining: "You're so excited, I can't keep up!"

"Sorry, Hermione," Harry said awkwardly, ruffling his hair.

The siren blew loudly, and Hedwig got in through the open window, and went into the birdcage very obediently, closed her eyes and fell into a light sleep.

Hermione and Ron sat down opposite Harry, holding hands. Tom was the last to come in, and he closed the compartment door behind him.Sitting down on the only vacant seat, Tom took out a heavy book from his pocket and looked at it with relish. His right hand held Harry's tightly, and his fingertips slowly slid across the boy's knuckles, ambiguously between the fingers. in circles.Harry shivered irresistibly, turning Hermione's curious gaze out of the window.The platform has become farther and farther away, and those tall wizards are now like little dots.

There was the sound of wheels turning outside the door, and Harry saw the salesman behind him opening the compartment door and standing outside dragging a small trolley full of snacks.She looked older than last year, which may have a lot to do with the changes that happened this year. Harry noticed that many familiar people seemed much tired.He jumped up from his seat, but Tom didn't have time to let go of his hand. The two fell into a ball because of the tugging, and the loud noise stopped the students passing the corridor.For a while, everyone stared dumbfounded at the entangled bodies of the two. Harry raised his head with difficulty, blushed and said something apologetic, and just as he wanted to get up, Tom pressed him back and kissed his lips.Harry's mouth opened in surprise just gave Tom a chance to attack, and his slick tongue penetrated in. The ambiguous scene made everyone blush.

Hermione was the first to react, she quickly pulled out her wand, the car door slammed shut with a clang, and the curtains fell, blocking the stunned onlookers out.She glanced at the two who were still kissing inseparably, looked away in embarrassment, and curled up in the corner like Ron, trying to make her presence weaker. Three minutes later, Tom finally let go of Harry, who was panting, and smiled triumphantly. The latter quickly took out his hand//into Harry's hair like an electric shock, coughed a few times at Tom's messy hairstyle, and lifted himself from the ground. Get up quickly.

"Maybe next time, you should consider the location." Hermione said with a blushing face, she never dared to stop her eyes on anyone, Merlin, this is really hot and hot, it seems that what Lavender and the others said Yes, this pair is really eye-catching.

"It's all his fault!" Harry yelled disapprovingly. "Who would have guessed he was like a teenager?"

"Actually, I'm a teenager?" Tom sat up and pulled Harry into his arms. "I like your shy expression, it's cute."

"I'm not cute at all," said Harry sullenly. "Use those nasty words about girls!"

"It's cuter to complain." Tom ruffled Harry's hair, and his doting tone made it harder for the blood on Harry's face to fade away.Harry slapped away the mischievous claws that had suddenly penetrated his clothes, and gave the perpetrator a savage look.Tom smiled more cheerfully, and he took advantage of Harry's unresponsiveness again, pushing the boy down on the seat and continuing to kiss.

"Boys! Take it easy!" screamed Hermione. "There are people here!"

Harry quickly broke free from Tom's arms, and his ashamed appearance caused Tom to laugh happily.Hermione smiled understandingly, and Ron, as Ron, didn't express anything this time, instead he looked like he had seen through the world long ago.Harry even wondered if the other party fell asleep with his eyes open, er, it didn't mean that he wanted to see Ron yelling and then rolling his eyes and passing out, it's just that it was so un-Ron!

"Hey, I know what your expression means!" Ron said flatly, "I have to allow me to get used to it after seeing it so many times."

Harry turned his head and glanced at the closed car door, and said uncertainly, "I want to change my school uniform first, take your time?"