bacchusnovels Chapter 293 Uncle Hack, I won't let you leave me again.
Chapter 293 Uncle Hack, I won't let you leave me again.
Chapter 293 Uncle Hack, I won't let you leave me again.
"First-year students, this way!" a familiar voice called out.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned around and saw a beautiful figure at the other end of the platform, beckoning to the slightly flustered first-year students to prepare for the traditional boat trip across the lake.
"Are you three alright?" Tonks asked loudly, looking over the crowd at the three young wizards who were standing there dumbfounded.
Harry and his friends waved to Professor Tonks, whom they hadn't seen in a long time, but before they could say anything, the crowd around them pushed them to the other side of the platform.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the other students to a rough, muddy path where at least a hundred carriages were parked, but no horses were in sight.
Harry guessed that the carriage might be pulled by some invisible force, because once they got into the carriage and closed the door,
It then began to move forward on its own, bumping along.
The carriage was filled with a faint smell of mildew and hay.
Harry felt a little better after eating the chocolate, but he was still exhausted.
Ron and Hermione looked at him from time to time, as if worried that he would collapse from weakness again.
The carriage slowly drove toward two imposing wrought-iron gates, with winged boar statues standing atop the gateposts.
Then Harry saw two Dementors standing in the doorway, their hoods pulled low and their expressions sinister.
A chill ran through him again, and Harry instinctively shrank back into his seat, closing his eyes tightly until they passed through the doorway.
The carriage sped up the uphill road leading to the castle.
Sean sat in the carriage with his eyes closed, feeling a chill creep up his spine.
Not only that, he could also hear the sound of the carriage wheels rolling over the gravel road outside, and the carriage swaying slightly with the undulations of the terrain.
He frowned subconsciously.
However, the next second, Sean suddenly felt a pair of warm arms hug him from the front.
He was stunned. The chill seemed to be instantly dispelled by the gentle touch, and his heart began to beat faster.
He opened his eyes and looked at the person in front of him with a hint of surprise.
He saw a familiar blond figure standing in front of him, with a gentle smile on his face.
"Luna?" Sean asked in surprise in a low voice.
Her appearance always caught him off guard, because he never heard her get into the car.
"Don't be nervous," Luna whispered, still in that dreamy tone, as if everything were perfectly natural. "The Dementors won't keep you cold forever. I just think you need a hug."
"How did you get up here?" Sean asked in a low voice, his mind filled with doubt.
Luna maintained her innocent smile, as if nothing had happened. "Oh, the carriage wasn't locked," she replied softly, her voice gentle and serene, like an evening breeze rippling across a lake, instantly putting one at ease.
"I saw you sitting in the carriage, looking a little uncomfortable, so I thought I'd check on you to see if you were alright," Luna continued, her tone light as if discussing something trivial. "The Dementors' chill must be unbearable, right? They make you feel like there's no joy or hope left in the world."
Sean nodded and remained silent for a moment.
He hadn't fully recovered from the chill, but Luna's embrace did dispel the coldness in his heart. He said softly, "Yes, it was indeed a bit—? oppressive just now."
"You know what? My dad says that if you imagine something really nice, the Dementors' cold won't affect you for long." Luna blinked, as if imparting a secret. "I do that all the time. Imagine something nice, and warmth always comes back."
Luna's eyes shone brightly in the dimly lit carriage. She suddenly moved closer, her gaze focused and carrying a mysterious determination. Her lips curved slightly, as if she were deep in thought, and the air seemed to freeze for a moment.
"Do you know what I'm thinking?" Her voice was soft, yet carried an unexpected depth of affection. "Uncle Huck."
Sean's heart suddenly raced, and his mind went blank.
He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
Luna's gaze was impossible for him to avoid; her approach made him feel a strange mix of tension and anticipation.
Her "Uncle Huck" sounded more like an unconscious whisper, echoing in his mind.
Just as Sean was still processing her sudden words, Luna leaned forward slightly and, almost unexpectedly, kissed him.
At that moment, the world seemed to stop, and the jolting of the carriage seemed to be erased.
He could feel her gentleness; her breath brushed lightly across his face, carrying a hint of coolness, yet seemingly bringing him warmth.
This is completely different from his past experiences.
He couldn't help but think of Hermione's kiss—it was passionate and eager, full of intense emotion, like a freshly peeled orange on a summer afternoon, sweet and sour yet fiery, with a direct impact.
Hermione's kiss is an undeniable presence; it ignites a flame in your heart, and you cannot help but respond.
But Luna's kiss was completely different; it was quiet, even somewhat dreamlike. Like a gentle rain...
It landed silently in Sean's heart.
It lacked the heat of flames, but offered a warm comfort, as if telling him that everything would be alright.
Her lips were soft and light, like a magical touch that slowly melted away the coldness and unease in his heart.
Sean stared blankly at Luna, a surge of complex emotions welling up inside him, a mix of unexpected shock and a feeling of being undefined.
When Luna's lips left, it seemed as if her scent lingered in the air, as gentle as a distant ballad.
She looked at him quietly, her gaze as calm and gentle as ever, as if the kiss just now was merely a fleeting moment in the wind, not worthy of any further explanation.
"You know, Uncle Huck, sometimes the warmth the wind brings is only truly felt after it's gone," she whispered, her voice as gentle as her kiss. "Hold me tight, this time I won't let you leave me again."
Hermione leaned out of the small car window, gazing at the castle that was getting closer and closer. Its countless spires and corner towers looked particularly magnificent in the night.
Finally, the carriage came to a stop, swaying slightly, and Hermione and Ron were the first to get off.
As soon as Harry stepped off the carriage, he heard a drawn-out, sarcastic voice.
"You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You really fainted?"
Malfoy pushed past Hermione and stood in front of the stone steps leading to the castle, a gloating smile on his face, his gray eyes flashing with malice.
"Get out of the way, Malfoy," Ron said through gritted teeth.
"You fainted too, Weasley?" Malfoy raised his voice, feigning alarm. "Did the Dementors frighten you too, Weasley?"
"Is there a problem?" a gentle voice interrupted them.
Professor Lu Ping had just stepped down from a carriage.
Malfoy gave Lupin a haughty look, his gaze lingering for a moment on his tattered robes and worn trunk.
He said with a hint of disdain, "Oh, no—Professor." Then he gave Crabbe and Goyle a fake smile and led them up the stone steps into the castle.
Hermione nudged Ron with her elbow, signaling him to hurry up and leave.
The three of them followed the crowd up the stone steps, through the magnificent oak gate, and into the spacious foyer.
Torches flickered all around, making the marble staircase leading upstairs in the foyer appear particularly magnificent.
The door to the Great Hall opened with a knock on the right. Harry followed the crowd toward it, looking up at the night sky filled with dark clouds. Suddenly, he heard someone shout, "Potter! Granger! I need to see you!"
Harry and Hermione turned around in surprise.
Magellan, the head of Gryffindor and professor of Transfiguration, was waving at them across the crowd.
She looked serious, her hair was tightly coiled into a bun, she wore square-framed glasses, and her sharp gaze remained unchanged.
Harry's heart tightened, and he followed Hermione through the crowd toward her, sensing that something bad was about to happen.
Professor McGonagall's aura always made him feel nervous.
"Don't be nervous—I just wanted to talk to you guys in the office," she said, then added, "Weasley,
You can go to the auditorium first.
Ron stared wide-eyed as Professor McGonagall led Harry and Hermione through the bustling crowd and down the marble staircase into the depths of the corridor.
He thought for a moment, then stood there forlornly, watching Harry and Hermione's figures gradually disappear under Professor McGonagall's guidance. Suddenly, he felt a sense of loneliness, an emotion he often felt but was unwilling to admit.
He shrugged, trying to shake off those emotions, and turned to walk toward the auditorium.