Chapter 23: Jokes and Secrets

With their official name, what was originally just a casual group of people suddenly became more formal. 

They discussed additional details, such as needing everyone's consent to add new members, not damaging each other's belongings, and supporting each other when interacting with professors or other students, among other rules.

Wade originally thought this had a bit of a game-like quality—just a small group of people, coming together when they agree and scattering when they don't. Why establish rules? 

But since everyone else was participating seriously, Wade started to feel a bit strange.

It was as if he had truly joined some kind of secret organization.

...

[Wormwood was used as an antidote in ancient Greece, and it was discovered in the 16th century.

Up to now, its medicinal values include: 

The extract from stems and leaves can remove toxins and pollen has a counteracting effect on the venomous gases of Basilisks.

Wormwood is widely cultivated, and its cultivation method is—care should be taken during cultivation—]

Wade finished the last letter on the parchment, completing his Herbology homework from yesterday. As for other subjects, he had completed all assignments on the same day he finished the classes. 

Wade reviewed his grammar and rolled up the parchment once the ink had dried.

"Wade, are you done with your homework?" Hermione came over and asked.

"Yes."

"I need to tell you something," Hermione said in a low voice.

They moved to the other side of the classroom, and Wade waved his wand. 

"Muffliato."

—This spell ensured that no matter how loudly they spoke, others would only hear a faint buzzing sound.

Seeing Hermione's worried expression, Wade asked: "What's the matter?"

"It's like this. The day before yesterday afternoon, Malfoy challenged Harry to a duel at midnight in the Trophy Room. I immediately knew he had malicious intentions because he doesn't have the guts to go through with it!" Hermione said angrily. 

"But Harry and Ron completely ignored my warnings, all for what—male ego—it's so selfish! They didn't even think about how many points they could lose if they got caught! They didn't care at all about the honour of our house!"

Hermione took a few deep breaths, calming her anger before continuing, "Of course, that's not the main point—because fortunately, we weren't caught, though it was a close call—"

"—we?" Wade caught the key word.

"Yes. When I was trying to stop them from doing something foolish, I accidentally got locked outside the common room and had to go along with them." Hermione said, frowning in disgust. 

"As it turned out, Malfoy didn't go to the Trophy Room. He even tipped off Filch—what a sneaky guy! Then, while we were escaping, we ended up in a locked room—"

Hermione suddenly lowered her voice and asked, "Wade, do you remember what Professor Dumbledore said at the beginning of the school year?"

Wade thought for a moment. Dumbledore didn't say much, but what he remembered most clearly was—

"Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!?"

"Oh, not that!" Hermione rolled her eyes and reminded him, "He said—those who do not wish to die a very painful death.—"

"—should avoid the corridor on the third floor?" Wade remembered, "You went to the third floor? What did you see?"

"Yes. We accidentally ended up on the third floor and saw a—" Hermione swallowed hard, with a bit of lingering fear on her face, "—a three-headed dog as tall as a house!"

"—How did you survive?" Wade was speechless. He had long forgotten these details and didn't expect Hermione and the others to encounter such dangers so early. 

He said: "I remember reading about such a creature in a book. Although today's three-headed dog isn't the mythical hellhound, its teeth can easily crush skulls, and it has corrosive venom. Wounds from its bite are very hard to heal."

"It did not react at first, but then it roared and lunged at us. We almost got eaten!" Hermione clenched her fists and her body trembled slightly: 

"I can't believe the school—actually keeps such a dangerous creature in the castle! It's unbelievable! 

Even if they want to use it to guard something, what if other reckless students break in?! Doesn't the school care about the safety of ordinary students at all?"

Wade made a joke on the spot:

"Maybe magical schools have a death quota or something? Losing a few students each year doesn't matter, and it could serve as a warning to others! Make them realise they shouldn't ignore what the professors say!"

"—There is such a thing!!" Hermione exclaimed, covering her face with her hands in horror. 

"But I didn't see anything like that in 'Hogwarts: A History'—oh, right, they wouldn't put something like that in a book—it's terrifying! How can the Ministry of Magic allow—"

Wade hadn't expected her to take his words so seriously and quickly raised his hands in apology. "Sorry! Hermione, I was just joking. Don't take it seriously—"

Hermione stared at him blankly, and even a layer of tears appeared in her brown eyes.

Wade felt a pang of guilt. He spoke sincerely again, "Sorry, I just saw that you seemed scared, so I made a joke. But it turned out to be a horrible joke— Please don't be angry—"

Hermione kept a stern face and didn't respond to Wade's apologies for a long time, clearly upset.

After practice ended and everyone else had left, Wade stopped Hermione and apologized again until she finally relented.

Hermione lowered her head and said dejectedly, "Actually, I know—everyone doesn't like me—but I considered you a friend. Please don't treat me like everyone else and make fun of me—"

Wade felt a profound sense of guilt, almost drowning in it, to the extent that he would slap himself awake in the middle of the night—because he knew Hermione had been struggling in Gryffindor recently, making her sensitive and fragile. 

He raised his fingers in a solemn oath and said, "I'm sorry. I promise it won't happen again."

Hermione looked into his eyes for a long time before softly saying, "A joke should make both sides happy to be called a joke."

"I understand," Wade said, feeling ashamed. It was a simple principle, yet he needed an eleven-year-old girl to remind him of it. Am I really becoming a thoughtless little boy in my second life?

Seeing the whirlpool above his head, Hermione gave a small smile.

"Alright, I'm not angry anymore." She cleared her throat and continued, "About the three-headed dog—actually, I wanted to discuss with you whether I should go to Professor McGonagall."

"You want to talk to Professor McGonagall about the safety issue of the three-headed dog?" Wade immediately understood her intention.

"Yes," Hermione said, tugging at her already messy hair in frustration. "Even though they've locked that room, it can be opened with a simple unlocking spell. What if a curious student gets in—

Sigh, I was thinking of suggesting to Professor McGonagall that that room should be concealed with strong magic, but that would expose us for breaking the school rules—"

"Why not look at it from another angle, Hermione?" Wade suggested after a moment of thought. "Maybe that door is deliberately locked in a simple way, just to be opened by someone."

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