Can HP Diary Help Me Pass NEWTs?

-37-

Virginia came to the Icarus Institute in a daze and panic, which made her not even in the mood to appreciate the academic sanctuary of her dreams, even though it was dreamy and beautiful.

"Hey, newcomer, what are you still doing there? Are you waiting for me to invite you?" A middle-aged wizard with messy hair stood impatiently at her from a distance, "It's so troublesome, why is it my turn this time?" Is it my turn?"

Virginia guessed that this was the senior who would take her to get acquainted with life in the Icarus Institute in the next week, but the irritable and impatient attitude of the other party made her feel a little timid.

"Oh, okay." She said uncomfortably, and walked over, a little scared.

However, to her surprise, although the senior had a bad attitude at the beginning, he was not a difficult person to get along with. For Virginia, who had come to Icarus to study academically, it was just right for her. Along the way, Seniors are talking about the project he is working on.

Virginia's seven years at Hogwarts were not wasted. Although there were some stumbles, she quickly caught up with her train of thought and got a glimpse of approval. "It seems that the education system of Hogwarts is not bad."

"Aren't you a Hogwarts student?" Virginia asked.

"Of course I am a graduate of Durmstrang." The senior proudly straightened his unstraight back, and under his messy hair was unparalleled pride, "On this subject, we, Durmstrang, are the most suitable Research."

Virginia's pride in her alma mater was untimely triggered, and she looked like she wanted to refute, but for some reason, the scene in the tavern suddenly flashed in her mind.She had a flash of inspiration, "I heard that Durmstrang will teach black arts, is it?"

The senior responded with a "hum" in his nasal cavity.

"So," Virginia tried to look natural, "you must have been taken seriously at the Magical Dawn?"

The senior suddenly turned his head and stared at her blankly, Virginia was taken aback.

"Listen, newcomer, I know what you're asking, but I want to tell you that none of the things you've imagined are true!" The middle-aged wizard with messy hair looked at her coldly and impatiently, "Maybe You can always hear slander about Icarus outside, and they will tell you swearingly that Icarus is the stronghold of the Magical Civilization Leap Research Association, everyone here is a fanatic of Pauline Sweet, everyone It's the radicals of the Dawn of Magic—I'm telling you, these are all lies!"

Virginia looked at him in bewilderment.

"I don't deny that the vast majority of people in Icarus are members of the society, and some radicals even joined Dawn of Magic, but the Icarus Institute is a research institute, and the society is a society. This is different. You Do you understand?" The middle-aged wizard said, "Here, we only talk about academics, and we only talk about the academy when we get to the academy seminar, do you understand the newcomers?" He suddenly turned up the volume.

Virginia nodded subconsciously.

"You'd better be." The middle-aged wizard snorted through his nose, "Don't be confused like a layman, newcomer."

Virginia nodded desperately. After she came out of the tavern, the huge shadow that had always been on her heart seemed to have been dispelled a lot, which made her feel a little comforted.

After all, she was still young, and if she didn't pay attention, she asked another inappropriate question, "So senior, are you a member of the society?"

The middle-aged wizard seemed to have already planned to end this topic in the last sentence, and she was very unhappy to hear her questioning, "I sincerely hope that after you officially start working, you will not focus on anything other than academics like today— —I am, basically all Icarus members, but I am not from the Dawn of Magic, and most of my colleagues and I hate that damned Riddle, are you satisfied with that, Miss Selwyn?"

Virginia finally nodded and shut up knowingly.

The middle-aged wizard snorted dissatisfiedly, and talked about his project again.

But this time Virginia really didn't have the mood to listen carefully. She couldn't help noticing that when the middle-aged wizard mentioned Ms. Sweet, she had too much admiration for normal people—Virginia didn't know that she Is it the same when talking about this topic?

She didn't think about it before, but now she looked at it with a different mood, and it was so... uncomfortable.

Virginia felt ashamed and disgusted by her own hesitation, as if she was sorry for Ms. Sweet, and it was malicious speculation to look at Ms. Sweet who had brought new prosperity to the magic world from the perspective of the Dark Lord.

But she couldn't help the scrutiny.

"Is Ms. Sweet nice?" She pretended to be worried about Boss's temper as a newcomer.

"There's nothing to worry about. I dare say you won't find anyone better than Pauline." The middle-aged wizard softened his temper a little, and said briefly, "Listen, rookie, I read your resume , you came to Icarus directly through the campus pass-through program and never worked anywhere else, you probably don't know how hard it is to do what we do."

Virginia looked at him suspiciously.

"New people always think that the research institute is a sacred and pure place for academic research. In fact, there is no ivory tower in this world. Don't think that if the people here are more educated, there will be less intrigue - funding, projects, titles, papers , the discord here is much more than you think." The middle-aged wizard seemed to recall some unpleasant experience, "The most important thing is, it is a shame to find a boss who is knowledgeable, reliable, able to take the lead, and has a good personality. Can’t ask for it.”

It sounds like Ms. Sweet is the epitome of this kind of elusiveness.

"You couldn't have a better boss than Pauline, she was our colleague, our friend, our companion, even Icarus had many, many nasties, but there wasn't a single one he didn't like She, do you understand me?" said the middle-aged wizard, "Anyone, anyone would like her."

Of course, this was exactly as Virginia expected, but when she really heard the words of the middle-aged wizard, a huge shadow crawled out from the bottom of her heart and overwhelmed her——There is really a person in this world who can Do any of them like it?

She, the middle-aged wizard, are they really not what those people in the tavern said...bewitched and irrational fanatics?

"So, when will I have a chance to see Ms. Sweet?"

The middle-aged wizard gave her an odd look.

"What—did I say something wrong?" Virginia was at a loss.

"I have to make sure you are not the kind of pretentious and stupid newcomer." The middle-aged wizard gave her a scrutiny. "There are always newcomers who can't recognize their own abilities. They want to challenge the authority as soon as they enter the research institute. Give the master a challenge, but this is often asking for trouble, I hope you are not such a person."

Then Virginia has the confidence to refute, "Of course I am not this kind of person, sir." She said, "I just admire Ms. Sweet, and I have respected her since I was in the third grade."

She eschewed the word "worship" that was most accurate.

"I'm not afraid that you don't respect or like her," the middle-aged wizard looked at her from behind the messy hair, "I'm afraid that you admire her so much that you will always do something out of your power to get her attention, the kind we see several times a year—nobody doesn't like or respect Pauline, nobody."

Virginia felt as if her stomach had been grabbed by a troll.

She said with difficulty, "Oh... I don't think my mother likes her very much, and some... wizards I don't know much, they don't seem to like Ms. Swaite very much, they think she is ambitious and will be the first Second Dark Lord."

"That's because they never saw her!" said the middle-aged wizard decisively. "If they had seen her and talked to her, they would never think so again." He said, "You don't understand, newcomer , when a person is just a scholar, she can be anyone's friend, but if she has her own opinions and supporters, there will always be people who don't know her and become her enemies."

Virginia felt as if she had been split in two.

Half said, what's there to hesitate about, why should you doubt, isn't the good transformation Ms. Sweet has brought to the wizarding world over the years not enough to explain everything?

The other half said, but what you heard in the tavern...isn't it true?

There was a sudden commotion in the distance, Virginia and the middle-aged wizard looked back together, and the latter said annoyedly, "Dawn of Magic, can't these people calm down a little? They really don't remember coming to Ica Is Ross for academic research?"

Virginia's heart sank, "Do you dislike Magic Dawn?"

"Ghosts will like them." The middle-aged wizard rolled his eyes, "Maybe you think that we in Durmstrang know black magic, so everyone is a dark wizard, but I want to tell you that we are different from those guys. Only Very cruel people become dark wizards."

"Riddle—Tom Riddle seems to be..."

"So we have never understood why Pauline was with that person." The middle-aged wizard's face was heavy, as if seeing his sister blind, "Yes, I admit that Riddle has two brushes—magic power Powerful, extremely talented, yes, I don't deny it. But he is not a good person, even if someone says that he is the mysterious man himself, I will not doubt it."

"But Ms. Sweet just trusted him," said Virginia, tentatively, "and he did defend her—a lot of the things he did were brutal, but they did defend her, I've heard Something about Brother Abbott or something."

The middle-aged wizard said impatiently, "If you are talking about Alfonso Abbott and his stupid brother, then I have a lot to say against you. In order to prevent the popularity of the magic network, these two idiots, Nearly blowing up the McMillan Company, even if they were not retaliated, they would be thrown into Azkaban sooner or later, and I think they deserved it all."

Virginia had never heard of such a thing, and she could not understand such behavior—even Mrs. Selwyn, who insisted that she stay away from Ms. Sweet, would not refuse the convenience brought by the Magical Civilization Leap Movement.

"But if you say that this is Riddle defending Pauline, you will laugh my ass off." The middle-aged wizard said, "He just wants to satisfy his selfish desires-you don't know him, Riddle is that The kind of person who doesn't 'love' at all."

Virginia was a little confused by him.

"You must think that they are in love with each other, but that's not the case at all." The middle-aged wizard said disdainfully, "It's true that Pauline likes him, but she's not the kind of silly girl who would get carried away by infatuation. She's always been smart and calm. As for Riddle—he must be infatuated with Pauline, too, or he wouldn't be around her all the time, but only if Pauline can bring him benefits."

The middle-aged wizard nuzzled and pointed at the members of the Magic Dawn who hurried past—Virginia was surprised to find that they were almost the same as ordinary wizards except that they looked more gloomy, "It's not so much that they are Pauline's maintenance Or, rather, they are Riddle's servants. I wouldn't be surprised if one day they kiss Riddle's wizard robes in front of everyone."

Deeper shadows surrounded Virginia, which reminded her of the Dark Lord who had made the Selwyn family lose their reason to follow.

"Then he, then he wants..." She didn't understand, "What exactly does he want?"

"I personally think he wants to be a symbol," said the middle-aged wizard, "a symbol of fear—like You-Know-Who once did. But he doesn't have You-Know-Who's advantage, and Pauline will stop him." , she has been restraining him. And Riddle has a relationship with the mysterious person, which has made his reputation not very good, and it is not so easy to attract followers."

"But he is still doing it, and it has already achieved results, hasn't it?" Virginia suddenly understood those opponents' repulsion and fear of the Magical Civilization Transition Research Society and the Dawn of Magic.

Maybe... maybe they haven't done anything yet, but they've got the energy to do something terrible.

The middle-aged wizard shrugged and frowned as he watched the members of Dawn of Magic pass by, "It's so strange, what are they trying to do...... Ah!" He suddenly turned his head and looked at Virginia, "You are so lucky , newcomer, you can see Pauline on the first day you come to work."

Virginia turned her head abruptly, following the eyes of the middle-aged wizard just now.

Surrounded by the crowd, Pauline Sweet, who had appeared countless times in newspapers and TV programs, walked through the corridor with a smile on her face.

Virginia heard her brisk joking voice, "There's no need for this, Angel, I don't come to the institute only once in ten years, why am I so excited, it always makes me wonder if I'm too incompetent."

The wizard walking beside her looked at her reproachfully, but no one could see that he was angry at all, "But we haven't seen you for two weeks—oh, Pauline, you always So busy, whenever we want to ask you for advice, we can't find you."

"I believe that you are all the best elites in the magic world, and everyone can answer the questions I can answer." Pauline smiled. "You always praise me too much. To be honest, I don't think it is necessary."

"You're just too modest."

Pauline laughed again - and, honestly, Virginia, she didn't think Ms. Sweet was a serious politician or eccentric scholar at all, because Pauline was so bright and beautiful. , the kind of dazzling from inside to outside, as long as she stands there, she is the center of the crowd.

"I seem to see a new face." Suddenly, Pauline looked over the people around her and landed on Virginia, and she said briskly, "Ah, is this year's new partner?"

The eyes of the crowd followed Pauline to Virginia, who pulled the hem of her clothes awkwardly.

This is the person Virginia has been crazy about since the third grade. She is being watched by the other party now. Will she be too embarrassed and not worthy of the other party's scrutiny? What if she leaves a bad impression on Ms. Sweet Well... Virginia instinctively tried to back away, but Pauline was already walking towards her.

"I remember you, let me think about it—Miss Selwyn, right?" Just as he had dreamed countless times, the master of the wizarding world stood in front of her and called her out precisely. name, and then smiled, "Of course I remember, Professor Snape recommended you to me."

Virginia couldn't restrain her trembling from excitement. At this moment, the shadows that had enveloped her were all left behind by her, and she said with a trembling voice, "It's my honor, ma'am—Merlin , I can't believe it, I mean, you remember me..."

"I remember every seeker with extraordinary talent and strong enthusiasm." Pauline smiled at her. "So, Virginia—if I can call you that, what do you think of Icarus? Still like it here ?"

It was difficult for Virginia to recall exactly what she had said incoherently in agitation, except that Ms. Sweet had been smiling very patiently as she finished the excited nonsense.

They chatted briefly but broadly about many things, potions, transfiguration, academia, Icarus, society, magic civilization leap...

"When Muggle civilization and magic civilization meet and collide completely, when technology and magic combine, all the academic achievements and unsolved problems we know now will have new answers. This will be an unprecedented explosion of ideas ’” Pauline Sweet explained to her, “I won’t talk about this much in public, because people who don’t respect knowledge may hardly realize the greatness of it-but I think you will understand, Virginie Ya, is it?"

Virginia nodded desperately.

"We're on the right track." Pauline gave her a peaceful, convincing smile.

Virginia felt that the shadow that hung over her heart was almost completely lifted-there was no doubt, they were on the right path, and this was a great historical process that benefited both Muggle and wizarding worlds, Sweet Women are strong enough and great enough to take the direction of this process.

But there was still the last shadow left in her heart.

Virginia glanced at her watch subconsciously, it was seven forty-five in the afternoon.

Perhaps that gesture alerted Pauline, because she too looked at the time and said, "Almost forgot, I have a TV interview at 08:30."

Someone asked what this was for, and Pauline also smiled and replied, "Recently, people have always attacked the behavior of the society, saying that our methods are cruel--it is very troublesome to clarify, but this is all expected. We have scruples and they don't."

It can be seen that when everyone heard this, they were quite indignant at those opponents.

Virginia anxiously glanced at her watch again, 7:47p.m

"But we don't do this for self-interest, and we all know it." Pauline said, looking calm and determined, touching people's hearts. "We will never use our abilities to destroy the peace of the wizarding world. We are on the right path." On the road—”

She paused, then smiled subtly, "We all know."

7:48p.m

"But are we just being slandered by them? What if they come to attack us?" someone asked.

7:49p.m

"I don't think there is such a deep hatred between us, it's just a dispute of ideas, which can be resolved peacefully."

7:50p.m——

"Something happened! Something happened!" The sharp shout cut through the din and made everything stand still, "48:[-], Bucharest, big explosion, many people died—"

Virginia's heart sank suddenly.

A flood of fear and regret overwhelmed her.

"Pauline, Pauline! Oh, you're here, thanks to Merlin—" the burnt and disfigured wizard rushed up to them, crying in deathly silence, "those naysayers, they're crazy , the bomb was detonated at our small party, many of our partners were injured, and a few died directly there..."

and many more.

Virginia's heart suddenly rose again—the opponent detonated the bomb?At a small society gathering?

So, the person in the tavern simply misunderstood the mastermind of the plan. It wasn't Dawn of Magic sanctioning the opponents, but members of the society being persecuted by crazy and extreme opponents?

It was difficult for her to refute, and she was even ashamed of it-she was actually relieved to hear the terrible news, and the last doubts in her heart were completely put away by her.

It was all nonsense, all slander, she firmly believed.

Pauline's face finally darkened.

With a wave of her wand, the wizard's embarrassing burns were healed, and he looked a lot more respectable.

But Virginia has never seen Ms. Sweet show such a serious and angry expression on any occasion—like a leering eagle about to tear its unwitting prey into pieces, "I really don't want to believe This is real."

Pauline said sadly, "Over the years, we have been upholding peaceful means and treating everyone like family members. Whether they oppose or support us, we firmly believe that one day they will understand our path. We don't have to For this reason, I resist all acts of violence, I always think this is the most extreme act, but... I am afraid that after tonight, we will have to re-examine our relationship."

"If the opponents believe that we can only resort to violence and cannot solve the problem, then we will also return the same violence to them."

She looked at the angry crowd with heavy eyes, "But I beg everyone - although we are all angry, don't let anger cloud our clarity of mind. Hatred and anger can't change the past, and they can't improve the future. In this case Please remain calm until the investigation is clear."

"After all, although the opponent has no bottom line, we will always be on the right path, and time will prove everything."

Her persuasion aroused a flood of approval and support. Everyone looked at her eagerly and excitedly, and everyone's expressions were so similar.

But this time, Virginia didn't notice it.

She watched Pauline's every move as passionately and excitedly as anyone else around her, without the slightest qualm.

The author has something to say:

Pauline is probably in the mix

I hope I can feel a little like Rashomon (not that I deserve to be compared with famous books (heshi)

After much deliberation, at least I wrote it for several days, and it deserves to be taken out for everyone to take a look.