bacchusnovels Chapter 305 The Strange Hermione
Chapter 305 The Strange Hermione
Chapter 305 The Strange Hermione (Part 2)
"Is everyone ready?" Professor Lupin asked, his tone still calm and gentle.
Hermione nodded instinctively.
"Neville, let's all step back," Professor Lupin said softly, with an encouraging smile. "We'll make room for you, okay? Then, I'll call everyone forward one by one—alright, everyone step back."
Make room for Neville.
The students all retreated to the wall, leaving Neville standing alone by the wardrobe.
His face was deathly pale, and he looked extremely nervous, but he still mustered his courage, rolled up the sleeves of his robe, raised his wand, and got ready.
"I'll count to three, Neville," Professor Lupin said, pointing his wand at the wardrobe doorknob, his voice gentle yet firm. "One—"
"Starting at 2131!"
Professor Lupin's wand sparked as it struck the wardrobe doorknob. With a loud bang, the wardrobe door flew open, and Professor Snape's menacing figure appeared in the doorway, his eyes beneath his hooked nose glaring menacingly at Neville.
Neville retreated, clutching his wand tightly, too flustered to utter a single word. Snape approached him step by step, reaching into his robes for his wand, his manner menacing.
"Slide, slide, funny, funny!" Neville finally screamed.
With a loud, crisp sound, Snape's appearance suddenly changed. He knelt down, suddenly wearing a green dress with lace trim, a tall hat on his head with a tattered vulture perched on it, and carrying a large red handbag in his hand.
The students in the classroom burst into laughter, the sounds rising and falling. Even Neville couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, a slightly embarrassed smile appearing on his face. Boggart seemed a little confused by the scene and stopped in his tracks.
"Pavati, go!" Professor Lupin shouted.
Parvati's expression was decisive as she swiftly stepped forward. Snape vanished instantly, replaced by a bloodstained, bandaged mummy. It dragged its stiff steps, slowly and terrifyingly approaching Parvati.
"Hilarious! Hilarious!" Parvati exclaimed without thinking.
Instantly, the bandages on the mummy's feet began to come undone, causing it to trip and fall to the ground, its head even rolling to the side. Laughter erupted in the classroom once again.
"Seimor!" Professor Lupin shouted.
Simo rushed forward. The mummy vanished, replaced by a deathly pale female ghost with floor-length black hair. She opened her mouth wide and let out a piercing scream that sent chills down everyone's spines.
"Hilarious! Hilarious!" Simon shouted.
The female ghost's voice abruptly stopped, she clutched her throat, uttering strange, hoarse sounds, and finally collapsed to the ground.
"Dean!" Professor Lupin continued to give instructions.
Dean leaped onto the ghost, who vanished instantly, replaced by a severed hand that crawled swiftly across the ground like a crab. Without hesitation, Dean shouted the incantation: "Hilarious! Hilarious!"
The severed hand was caught in a mousetrap, and laughter erupted throughout the classroom.
"Great job! Ron, it's your turn!"
Ron rushed forward, only to be met by a massive spider, easily six feet tall, covered in hair, its enormous pincers outstretched as it lunged at him. Harry initially thought Ron was frightened, but Ron suddenly shouted, "Hilarious! Hilarious!"
The spider's legs vanished instantly, and it rolled into a ball on the ground. Lavender screamed and dodged, while the spider rolled to Harry's feet.
Just as Harry was about to wave his wand, Professor Lupin suddenly spoke first, whispering, "Look here!"
Snapped!
The legless spider vanished, replaced by a silvery-white sphere hovering in front of Professor Lupin. He almost lazily waved his wand and exclaimed again, "Hilarious! Hilarious!"
Boggart transformed again, becoming a cockroach crawling on the floor. Professor Lupin gestured for Neville to come forward: "Neville, kill it!"
Neville, brimming with confidence, charged forward. With a loud "Hilarious! Hilarious!", Boggart transformed back into Snape, dressed in a comical lace dress. Neville laughed heartily, and the entire classroom erupted in laughter. With that burst of laughter, Boggart exploded, turning into wisps of smoke that dissipated into the air.
The students burst into enthusiastic applause, and Neville finally showed a genuine smile.
"Fantastic!" Professor Lupin exclaimed, and the whole class applauded enthusiastically. "You all performed exceptionally well, especially you, Neville. Everyone else defeated the Boggart, Gryffindor gets five points! And Neville, you defeated him twice, ten points!"
"Now, homework—" Professor Lupin continued, "please read the chapter about Boggarts in your textbook and summarize the main points in your own words. Hand it in on Monday. Okay, that's all."
The students chatted excitedly as they left the faculty lounge, but Hermione didn't follow. She stood before Professor Lupin, seemingly hesitant, before finally mustering her courage and softly asking, "Professor, may I... also experience being a Boggart?"
Professor Lupin raised an eyebrow slightly, clearly surprised by her request, but then he smiled. "Of course, Hermione. You've done very well, but if you feel it's necessary to confront your own Boggart, I'm certainly willing to let you try."
Hermione nodded, her expression becoming somewhat tense.
Professor Lupin reopened the wardrobe door, and the Boggart inside trembled violently once more, as if sensing a new adversary about to appear.
"Are you ready?" Professor Lupin asked gently.
Hermione took a deep breath, stood still, gripped her wand tightly in her hand, and nodded firmly.
Then, as if remembering something, she looked at Professor Lu Ping somewhat embarrassedly.
Hermione hesitated, her face flushing slightly, and said softly, "Professor, could you please leave here for a while? I don't want anyone to see my Boggart."
Professor Lupin paused slightly, but quickly understood her concerns, revealing a gentle smile. "Of course, Hermione, I completely understand," he said, a look of understanding flashing in his eyes.
Then he stood up, tucked his wand back into his robes, and patted Hermione on the shoulder. "You'll do very well, I believe in you."
After saying that, Professor Lupin turned and walked to the classroom door, gently closing it and leaving Hermione with a quiet space.
With the door closed, only Hermione and the Boggart, who was eagerly searching in the closet, remained in the classroom.
The air seemed to grow even heavier.
Hermione took a deep breath and gripped her wand tightly.
The wardrobe shook even more violently.
"Okay," she muttered to herself, trying to cheer herself up.
As she spoke, the wardrobe door finally swung open with a bang—and out stepped a girl.
The girl looked to be about fourteen or fifteen years old. She was wearing a Hogwarts robe, with dark brown curly hair draped over her shoulders. Her face had some of Hermione's features, but also a hint of a cynical and unfamiliar air about her.
She is very pretty.
She's absolutely gorgeous, like a female version of Sean.
This is already a great compliment for a witch.
Indeed, if you look closely at this girl, you can find a trace of Sean in her eyes or expression.
The girl stood there quietly, her hands hanging at her sides, her gaze calm and profound.
Her gaze was complex, carrying a hint of doubt and curiosity, as if she were scrutinizing Hermione.
Hermione showed no curiosity about the sudden appearance of the girl. She quickly raised her wand, took a deep breath, and shouted, "Hilarious! Hilarious!"
In an instant, the girl's figure began to change; her long robe turned into a suit, and she now carried a black leather backpack.
Then, she took the book out of her bag and started reading it.
After a while, the girl turned into smoke again and dissipated into the air.
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the girl disappear.
She went outside and saw Professor Lu Ping, who had been waiting for her there.
"Well done, Hermione!" Professor Lupin praised with a smile. "You succeeded. Five points for Gryffindor."
Hermione smiled with relief, thanked Professor Lupin, and walked confidently out of the faculty lounge, feeling a sense of accomplishment as if she had overcome a long-held fear.