HP Nocturne and Evening Bell

Chapter 23

"Really? Hermione, so you're going to Hogwarts too?" Tom could barely lower the tone of his voice.

"I think so." Hermione nodded.

"Tom, if you don't want to make your relationship with Miss Granger public, we can keep it a secret." Dumbledore suggested.

"Please keep it secret, thank you, Professor Dumbledore." Tom looked serious.

"Yes, please keep it a secret, and I don't want to bring any questions or speculations, please trouble you." Hermione nodded in agreement.

"Okay. I respect your wishes. If you have any questions, you can send me an owl letter later. Goodbye, see you at Hogwarts." Dumbledore put down his teacup and stood up, "The tea you made is good Great, Miss Granger, I hope we will have the opportunity to drink tea together in the future."

"It will." Hermione was overjoyed at Dumbledore's compliment.

Tom watched Dumbledore leave, thoughtful, his black eyes showed no emotion, and after a long silence, he finally spoke, looking up at Hermione's brown eyes: "Hermione, you won't tell other people's situation, right?"

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I will pretend that we don't know each other. If there is no special situation, I won't take the initiative to find you. Of course, don't think about your grades. I will release the water, and the homework is not in place. I know it all."

"I'm not, well, thank you, Hermione."

"Never mind." Hermione turned her back on Tom.

The room was quiet again, only Silaite dexterously jumped onto the cabinet and continued to rest with her eyes closed.Hermione needed to organize her emotions and thoughts. She put down the teapot and walked up the stairs without saying a word.

Hearing the sound of the door closing, Tom sighed deeply.He wanted to re-read the books spread out on the table, but he couldn't read a single word. He pulled off his collar irritably, his clenched hands showed white muscles, and the robin's chirping outside the window seemed extremely noisy. The air was oppressively hot.He slapped himself on the head hard, feeling even more annoyed that he had fallen into this weakness.It was a useless, ridiculous, and weak thing, and at this moment he was so troubled that he couldn't get out of it.Suppressing the restless magic all over his body, he simply opened the door and called Nagini, who was still swimming in the grass, and stroked its cold body to calm his anxiety.

There's nothing wrong with this, he told himself repeatedly, the decision he made was a rational decision out of practical considerations, there was no need for him to be upset, why should he be upset?Why is Hermione so angry?She just hasn't figured out why he said that, has she?Tom gradually calmed down, and he couldn't help being excited about going to Hogwarts.This day has finally come, all his ambitions and dreams, his pursuit and expectations, he finally has the qualifications to pursue them openly.But would Hermione be angry?No, she would agree with him, his point of view was correct, bold and prescient, everything he pursued was worthwhile, he was helping her, and she would understand herself.Tom is fascinated by the future he imagines.

When it was time for dinner, Hermione had a lot planned.She had written the letter to the mysterious employer and the resignation letter for the translation job, and the excuse she had to tell the Watsons had already formed in her mind.In Hogwarts in [-], there may be something lost to later generations.The mysterious Forbidden Forest and the Room of Response still hide many unknown secrets.Perhaps she could also try to find intelligent and sensitive centaurs, and see if they could get any clues by virtue of their abilities.

She no longer cared about what Tom said in the afternoon, she could understand Tom's consideration and scruples.As a half-blood orphan, his life in Slytherin would never be very comfortable.Her meager financial resources could not support him with a prominent background.And as a Muggle-born witch, she must bear the obstacles and contempt brought about by her birth.The connection of these two humble identities will not bring any care and understanding, but will instead become a source of rumors and slander.She doubted whether Dumbledore knew her true bloodline and identity. He hired himself so easily. There must be other considerations, but this shrewd wizard would never show it.

If she hadn't been with Dumbledore for a long time in the past, with his amiable face and witty words, she would not have considered Dumbledore's intentions too much.But with the death of this venerable professor, she and Harry discovered how much deep meaning was hidden in Dumbledore's blue eyes.

I hope this deep meaning doesn't come from hostility, Hermione secretly panicked.

"Oh, Hermione, so you're leaving us?" Mrs. Watson nearly wiped away her tears.

"No, I just went to a boarding school to be a teacher, and I will come back during the holidays. I have left the rent for a year, and I have nothing to do on weekdays. Just let Jill and Penny take care of it once in a while."

"You're going to the boarding school Tom went to, aren't you?" said Mrs. Watson suddenly.

"Yes, the school also sent me an invitation letter when it sent out the admission notice a few days ago." Hermione nodded.

"Hermione, good boy, you are just like my daughter. I know that Jill and I might face more insults and threats if it wasn't for your secret arrangements. You don't actually have to pay a year's rent to stay House, now who would rent a Jew’s house? I know you are kind-hearted and always try your best to help people around you. But I have to remind you, you have to pay attention to Tom, he is an excellent boy, Even the smartest and most beautiful child I have ever seen. But his behavior is too perfect, not at all what a child of his age should be. His mind is very deep, and he must not be a simple character in the future. You need Just be careful." Mrs. Watson looked around and continued, "I shouldn't talk about other people's right and wrong behind their backs, please don't get me wrong. He is a good boy, but I just feel this way... ..."

"I understand your worries, thank you for your reminder, I will keep it in mind." Hermione held Mrs. Watson's hand reassuringly, "Take care, and ask Jill to write to me if you have anything to do. An address has been left for you. Penny is a good girl, she and Jill have a very strong bond, and honestly, I am very much looking forward to seeing their wedding one day."

"Well, but Penny is a Catholic. If they hold a wedding, I don't know what custom to follow."

"That's their business, leave this problem to them. Ma'am, please take care." Hermione suppressed the choking in her voice.

"Okay, I don't know how Jill will react when he comes back? Go ahead, I know you still have something to do today."

"Goodbye, ma'am."

"Goodbye, Hermione."

After bidding farewell to Mrs. Watson, Hermione returned home and found Tom who was ready to go: "Are you ready?"

Tom nodded, then looked puzzled: "Are you crying?"

"No, let's go, we have a lot of shopping today."

Seeing that Hermione didn't want to go into details, Tom didn't ask any more questions. This trip to Diagon Alley was not the same as before. Today, he can finally have his own wand and a legal identity in the wizarding world, and officially enter the Diagon Alley. This long-awaited world.

Around the time when school was about to start, many little wizards with their parents appeared in Diagon Alley. They gathered in groups of three and four, looking curiously in front of the store.Hermione stared at their excited faces, in a trance, back to her 11-year-old.She carefully walked through the crowd, and finally stood at the door of Ollivander's wand shop. She turned her head and introduced to Tom, "This is the place where wizards usually buy their wands."

Tom nodded and walked into the store first.

This is a narrow and dilapidated storefront, with countless small boxes piled up on two walls, which looks like a small library. A thin wizard walked out of the stacked boxes: "Hello, I am Ollivander , is there anything I can do for you?"

"Hello, I need a wand." Tom nodded.The boxes on the shelves vibrated.

"Oh, you impatient people, if you don't fit, you have no chance. Be quiet." Mr. Ollivander turned his head and shouted at the boxes.He approached Tom, carefully staring at the little wizard in front of him, "Now, please extend your arm, I need to measure it."

Tom raised his arm, and the boxes on the shelves shook even more.

"Okay." Ollivander quickly walked up to the high platform and began to rummage through the shelves. He pulled out a box that was shaking badly, opened it and handed Tom a wand: "Try this."

Tom moved lightly, and a white light shattered the ceiling lamp.

"Try this, then." Ollivander offered another wand.

The moment he just touched the wand, countless screams and ear-piercing sounds suddenly came to mind, and the huge volume almost made people collapse.

"Merlin! I just said it's not appropriate." Ollivander took back his wand, he walked back and forth a few steps, seemed to be struggling, and muttered, "The powerful wizard finally appeared, should it be, or not?" Should it, oh dear, it has been sleeping for 200 years, my masterpiece, my heart, it shouldn't be buried."

He fetched the ladder, rummaged back and forth on the top of the shelf that reached the roof, and finally took out a dusty box, blowing off the floating ash on it, Ollivander took out a slender wand: "Try this. "

Tom waved his arm, and a bright light lit up the whole room. The shelves were dusted off, and even the purple cushions in front of the windows looked new.

Ollivander laughed with satisfaction: "Very good, very suitable, you are indeed a little thing that only succumbs to powerful wizards." He picked up the box and checked the label, "This little thing is made of yew wood and phoenix tail feathers. Made, thirteen and a half inches long, just right for you. Now it's yours."

Tom held the wand tightly, feeling the pulsating energy in the wand merge with his own magic power, echoing each other, and his heart was filled with joy.It is convenient to use wandless magic, but the feeling of a wizard holding a wand can never be replaced by anything. This may be the wizard's instinct.