Chapter 276: A Solution

Just as he passed through the entrance hall, Albert found himself surrounded by Fred, George, and Lee Jordan who had suddenly appeared.

"What's going on?" Albert looked at the three of them, puzzled.

"George saw you and Hagrid coming out of the Forbidden Forest," Fred confirmed after making sure no one was around. Lowering his voice, he asked, "Did you guys go into the forest to hunt that monster?"

"And you didn't even invite us to join in on the fun," George protested, nodding in agreement.

"You guys didn't want to go when I asked you this morning," Albert retorted, exasperated at their sudden interest.

"Cough, that's not important!" George coughed awkwardly.

"By the way, have you guys finished your homework?" Albert changed the subject.

"That's not important. Let's put that aside for now," Fred said.

"Not important?" Albert emphasized, "Really not important?"

The three of them suddenly looked guilty.

They had just recently been released from detention and had no desire to be confined again so soon.

"Alright, Hagrid and I wandered around the Forbidden Forest, but we didn't find anything," Albert said, unenthusiastically. "My feet got sore from walking for too long. So, do you guys want to give me a massage?"

All three shook their heads.

"I know what you guys are thinking, but this isn't a game. The Forbidden Forest is dangerous. Fred and George should understand that. And, not doing your homework will definitely get you in trouble again."

All three of them looked embarrassed, but they still leaned in to hear Albert recount what had happened in the forest.

...

"Is that it?" Lee Jordan sighed disappointedly a few minutes later. He had expected something exciting to have happened, but it seemed that Albert and Hagrid had simply taken a leisurely stroll through the Forbidden Forest, much to their disappointment.

"Well, what did you expect? A duel between Hagrid and that monster?" Albert's tone became more irritated, effectively silencing the trio's complaints.

Novel stories tend to be thrilling because the storyteller often chooses the most exciting parts to recount. However, reality was different; most of the time, things were rather mundane.

"Did you guys finish making your Skiving Snackboxes? You can't run a joke shop without your own products," Albert asked the twins.

Fred and George slipped away as if they were flying, probably off to the library to look for information.

"What about the Wizarding Card Club preparations? Hosting the event is a great opportunity for you, Lee. Don't you need to think about how to handle it properly?" Albert turned his attention to Lee Jordan, who was also about to leave.

Lee Jordan hurriedly left as well.

"Come at me, huh? Still a bit green!" Albert unwrapped a chocolate hard candy, tossing it into his mouth, feeling more cheerful.

Upon returning to the common room, Albert picked up a book and sat down in a comfortable armchair by the fireplace to relax.

After eleven o'clock, Albert went to the library to work on his homework.

Fred and the others had already gathered information, which made things easier for Albert. He didn't spend much time searching for references; he quickly finished his paper.

Second-year homework was no longer a challenge for Albert, but he still didn't mind engaging his brain a little.

"Could you take a look at my Transfiguration Club paper?" Katrina approached him, pushing a piece of parchment towards Albert.

"Just a moment." Albert tidied up his things and took the parchment, reading through it quickly.

How should he put this?

This was a paper, but it couldn't really be called an academic paper.

The reason was attributed to Katrina's insufficient knowledge, making it difficult for her to explain her ideas clearly.

However, the fact that a second-year wizard could write such a paper indicated that Katrina had put in a lot of effort. But "Today's Transfiguration" was an academic journal that reached the entire British magical community, so...

"At your current level, this paper is already quite good. I suggest you finish studying the Transfiguration textbooks and broaden your knowledge base. Also, academic papers require some of your own insights and understanding of Transfiguration, not just someone else's," Albert offered his advice. While he could help her revise the paper, Albert believed it wouldn't benefit Katrina, and she might not appreciate it either.

"Oh!" Katrina seemed a bit disappointed, but she understood Albert's advice.

"You're really talented," Katrina sincerely exclaimed. "Professor McGonagall told me that 'Today's Transfiguration' is going to award you the Most Promising Newcomer Prize."

"Is there a cash prize?" Albert suddenly asked.

"Well... I don't know," Katrina hesitated for a moment before shaking her head.

"Here, have this. You should have confidence in yourself." Albert smiled and took out a few candies, handing them to Katrina. "Candies can help brighten your mood. Think of it as my way of sharing the joy you bring."

"Sharing joy?" Katrina unwrapped the candy package and ate one, stealing a glance at Albert. She felt that he didn't seem to care much about the so-called Most Promising Newcomer Prize.

Of course, if the prize came with a cash reward, it might be a different story.

What a strange fellow who seems to be after money.

As for the Most Promising Newcomer Prize, Albert indeed didn't pay much attention to it. Since he had a bunch of old friends now, writing letters to them felt almost like writing academic papers.

Fortunately, he had knowledge from the panel, which allowed them to have enjoyable correspondence. Over the past few months of exchanging letters, Albert's skills and experience had grown, and that was why he maintained these pen-pal relationships.

Experience, ah! Experience provided motivation.

It might be very pragmatic, but that's just how it was.

Alternative networking, and he became more familiar with magic.

Of course, letters weren't always about academic papers; occasionally, they would discuss some gossip from the wizarding world or share some inside information.

During lunch, Fred and George were engaged in hushed whispers, and Albert didn't bother with whatever they were discussing.

After finishing his meal, he headed back to the dormitory, retrieved the concealed Felix Felicis, measured out a small sip, and closed his eyes to savor the effects of the potion.

"Mmm, this feeling is amazing." Albert's mood became even more pleasant. He put the Felix Felicis back into his pocket and left the common room with brisk steps, intending to find Hagrid. He felt confident that this time, they would be able to solve the problem.

While on the moving staircase, Albert spotted Professor Smith's figure. An idea struck him, and he changed his course, hastening to catch up and greet the professor.

"Professor Smith."

"Albert, is there something you need?"

"Well, it's about Hagrid. He's run into some trouble. Could you help keep it confidential?" Albert pretended to hesitate.

"Hagrid?" Professor Smith looked at Albert, puzzled. "I'm not very familiar with Hagrid. What happened to him? Oh, of course, I'll keep it confidential."

"A while ago, Hagrid acquired a three-headed dog for the Forbidden Forest. Later, the dog escaped on its own," Albert looked around and lowered his voice.

"No wonder there were rumors going around recently." Professor Smith looked at Albert and smiled. "Do you want me to help you find that three-headed dog?"

"No, actually, I want to tell Professor Dumbledore about this," Albert shook his head. "To enter the headmaster's office, you need a password."

"I see!" Professor Smith understood why Albert sought him out. "You're in luck. The headmaster should still be in the school. Follow me!"

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(End of this chapter)