**Chapter 205: Did Hermione and Ron Have a Falling Out? Such Adorable Kids**

*Morning. Herbology Class.*

Dylan, Neville, and Seamus sat together near a Bubble Tree.

Dylan crouched in the dappled shade of the tree, his fingertips brushing a pigeon-egg-sized pink pod. He overheard Seamus muttering beside him.

"This thing looks just like the tassels on Professor Flitwick's hat from the other day."

Neville chuckled, his gloved hands rustling through the leaves.

"Professor Sprout said to pick the ones with white streaks on the stem. Don't mess it up. I heard last week a Slytherin third-year grabbed a fully pink one—"

"And ended up with a face full of boils, like they'd smeared a strawberry cake on it," Seamus finished, nodding enthusiastically.

"Oh… that's quite the image," Neville said, pausing.

"I think I've picked up Dylan's knack for vivid descriptions, eh?" Seamus winked with his left eye.

Dylan shot him a look, his eyelid twitching.

Why was he suddenly annoyed?

Dylan's gloved fingernail dug into the pod's seam, and a gel-like sap oozed out, forming pale green bubbles in his palm.

With a flick of his wrist, he scraped the sap into a copper basin.

The bubbles sparkled in the sunlight, mixing with the fresh scent of earth and grass, slowly spreading around them.

Just then, Seamus let out a yelp.

A pod exploded into fluffy wisps in his hand, sticking to his eyelashes.

"Merlin's beard! This pod's worse than Peeves! How does it—"

Before he could finish, another pod went *pop* in his hand.

Sticky sap splattered his sleeve.

Neville quickly handed him a wooden spoon.

"Scrape it off with this."

Dylan watched Neville and Seamus fumble, shaking his head with a sigh.

"*Scourgify*."

Dylan, still holding two pods, didn't use his wand. With just a word, magic rippled out.

The sticky mess on Seamus's sleeve vanished.

"Thanks!" Seamus exhaled. "Dylan, feels like your magic's gotten even sharper."

Neville blinked. "Has it? I think Dylan's always been this good."

Seamus nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right."

Dylan smirked. "Just remember: cut from the bottom third, not the top. Don't touch or squeeze the pod's tip."

Seamus nodded but eyed Dylan's bare-handed technique. "But…"

Dylan raised a hand. "Don't copy me. I'm wrapping my hands in magic. It looks bare, but the magic acts like a blade."

"Fair enough…" Seamus muttered.

Then Seamus glanced at Ron and Harry nearby.

"Anyone else notice Ron and Hermione seem off today?"

"Why do you say that?" Dylan looked up.

He hadn't noticed anything odd between Hermione and Ron.

Then again, he hadn't been paying attention to them at all.

Neville cupped a handful of shimmering beans, their gold-green skins dotted with dew, and slid them into a wooden bucket.

If they rolled onto the ground, they'd sprout instantly—useless for Professor Sprout's assignment.

"I might know something," Neville said cautiously, glancing at Ron. "Last night, I don't know what was up with Ron's pet—y'know, that rat of his."

"He was talking to it, late into the night. Kept his voice low, but it was still loud enough to bother me."

"Why didn't you just use a Silencing Charm?" Dylan raised an eyebrow.

He hadn't noticed anything last night.

Every evening, Dylan cast a charm to mute the area around his bed—not just for a good night's sleep but to avoid disturbing others if he sneaked off to the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the night.

Neville looked sheepish, spreading his gloved hands, still glistening with sap.

"Well, I thought about it, but I'd need my wand and to say the spell out loud."

He glanced at Dylan, a bit embarrassed. "I can't do wandless or silent casting like you. I was worried Ron would hear me."

Dylan frowned. "So?"

"So…" Neville hesitated. "If he heard me cast a Silencing Charm, he'd think I was annoyed with him. That'd be awkward…"

Dylan: *…*

Seamus burst out laughing. "I get it! I feel the same when I'm hanging out with Dean sometimes."

Dylan clicked his tongue.

He couldn't quite wrap his head around these kids' thought processes.

But they were so innocent, always thinking of others.

Kind of adorable.

Dylan pondered.

If someone kept him up all night, he'd probably march over and hit them with a Cruciatus Curse to teach them a lesson about sleepless nights—especially if they were keeping others awake too.

"Anyway, Ron and Hermione don't seem to be speaking," Seamus said, glancing over.

Neville and Dylan followed his gaze.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were grouped around another Bubble Tree.

The vibe was… off.

Ron and Hermione both had stony faces.

Ron poked at the pod sap in their copper basin.

Hermione twirled her wand, looking elsewhere.

Harry glanced between them, opening his mouth as if to say something, but it was like cotton was stuffed in his throat—no words came out.

Yeah, they were definitely having a spat.

Dylan chuckled softly. "Poor Harry's stuck in the middle. Look at him, working alone while Ron and Hermione sulk."

Neville pressed his lips together, barely holding back a laugh—laughing outright wouldn't be nice.

"No kidding," Seamus said with a shrug.

Class finally ended.

Everyone used quick charms to clean off dirt and sap.

The Gryffindors hurried to their next class.

Dylan walked with Neville, chatting idly.

Seamus had gone off with Dean after class.

At the Transfiguration classroom, Dylan noticed a commotion ahead.

He raised an eyebrow and approached.

"What's going on now?"

Neville followed, trying to push through the crowd but getting stuck.

Dylan didn't bother shoving to the front.

He spotted Hermione nearby.

She'd probably stormed off after class, leaving Harry and Ron behind, upset from their tiff.

She might know something.

Sure enough, when Dylan asked, Hermione's gaze flicked to Lavender, who was sobbing uncontrollably nearby.

"Her rabbit got killed by a fox. She's claiming it fulfills Professor Trelawney's prediction."

"Prediction?" Dylan asked.

"Yeah—'On October sixteenth, your greatest fear will come true.'"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "But the rabbit died *yesterday*."

"Besides, her Boggart was—" Hermione traced a circle in the air, "a room full of bloodied fangs, not a rabbit! How's that her greatest fear?"

Hermione was close to the front.

Dylan followed her gaze and saw Lavender clutching an empty cage, trembling with sobs.

Hermione continued, "Honestly, that Divination professor's just playing a numbers game! If someone spills a teapot, gets hit by a Bludger, or even loses a hair tie that day, she'll call it a 'fulfilled prophecy.'"

"It makes her look like some all-knowing seer, doesn't it?"

"Hermione, can't you have a bit of sympathy?" Ron suddenly appeared behind her, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Her rabbit's gone! Stop going on about Boggarts. It's like you don't care about her pet—it was a living thing!"

Hermione choked on her words, stunned by Ron's outburst.

Taking two deep breaths, she turned to Dylan. "Why can't people just let their brains' logic gears turn for a second before jumping to conclusions?"

Lavender's renewed sobs echoed from a distance.

Ron pushed through the crowd, awkwardly trying to comfort her.

Dylan blinked, looking away.

"Hermione, not everyone thinks as logically as you do. It's best not to meddle too much in others' business. If you change someone's path, you might have to deal with the consequences."

He paused, then added, "But if it's someone you care about, forget I said anything."

Hermione froze, processing his words.

Dylan didn't elaborate but suddenly remembered something.

He recalled Hermione would later start a movement for house-elf rights.

House-elves—creatures enslaved in wizarding homes.

Who really cared about them?

Hermione's campaign would face backlash and exclusion.

Yet, knowing the resistance she'd face, she'd still take that step.

That was Hermione.

"What are you all doing blocking the doorway? Get inside," Professor McGonagall said, striding down the corridor.

Seeing the crowd lingering, she frowned.

Lavender, still clutching her cage, stopped crying and shuffled into the classroom.

Today's Transfiguration lesson was uneventful.

McGonagall had them review the previous class and reinforce the material.

The entire lesson, the silence between Hermione and Ron made the air thick with tension. Harry, stuck between them, squirmed, feeling like he'd fallen into an icy pit.

*Why's it so cold?*

Class ended.

The bell rang.

McGonagall stopped their spells.

"Hold on, don't rush off."

Everyone paused and looked at her.

"As your Head of House, I need your permission slips for the Hogsmeade trip before Halloween."

McGonagall adjusted her glasses, tapping the desk's edge, her jaw set.

"No slip, no trip."

Some students, like Dylan, pulled their slips from their bags and lined up to hand them over.

Hermione had hers ready too.

Others hadn't brought theirs.

McGonagall told them to bring them by the next Transfiguration class.

Neville, however, froze when she mentioned the slips, his face crumpling.

As others submitted their forms, he shuffled nervously to McGonagall, head bowed.

"Sorry, Professor… I think I…"

McGonagall's sharp gaze landed on him.

Neville faltered.

But she shook her head. "Your slip's already with me, Mr. Longbottom."

"What?" Neville blinked, then looked up, stunned. "How?"

He was sure he'd left it at home.

"Your grandmother sent it at the start of term," McGonagall said calmly. "She thought it'd be safer this way."

Neville: *…Uh…*

"Alright, everyone, don't forget your slips for next class."

McGonagall left the room.

Neville exhaled, following Dylan out.

"Dylan, got any plans for Hogsmeade? Like where to go?"

Dylan knew he meant Hogsmeade village.

He'd already thought it through.

"The Weasley twins said their friend saw some new sweets at Honeydukes. Sounded good, so I'll check it out."

Neville nodded, his face lighting up. "Getting out sounds nice. I'll come with you to Honeydukes."

"Whatever you want," Dylan said casually.

Hogsmeade was just a wizarding village—nothing too exciting.

No real entertainment.

Not many places to visit.

There was Honeydukes, Zonko's Joke Shop, maybe some clothing stores.

Nothing for young wizards to do.

Kids looked forward to Hogsmeade because Hogwarts was so stifling.

Hogsmeade might be dull, but Hogwarts was worse.

Wake up, study. Sleep, study.

A trip out felt like a primary school field trip.

Even a short outing was thrilling.

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