25 Third Floor
"Is that notebook yours?" Hermione asked, her eyes widening with surprise.
"May I take a look?" Her curiosity was piqued by the significance of Professor Snape's notes, given his reputation as a brilliant wizard.
"Of course!"
Luke, being a friend, readily agreed to Hermione's request.
Hermione eagerly took the notebook and sat down to examine it, occasionally letting out exclamations of excitement. It was a moment of scholarly delight, a meeting of kindred spirits.
Meanwhile, Harry and Ron watched in bemusement, unable to comprehend the joy they found in Professor Snape's notes.
"Hey, Luke, do you know what's in the forbidden area on the third floor?" Ron suddenly lowered his voice and asked Luke, his tone filled with intrigue.
Harry, standing nearby, leaned in to listen as well.
"You have no idea what's in there, Luke!"
Harry shuddered at the memory of that night. Had it not been for the books Luke had given him to learn how to unlock the lock, he might still be trapped by Fluffy, the three-headed dog.
"Have you seen what's in there?" Luke asked, puzzled by their cryptic conversation.
He was reasonably confident in his memory, and as far as he remembered, it was a three-headed dog.
"There's actually a massive three-headed dog in there!" Ron exclaimed, making sure Hermione, who was engrossed in her book, could hear him.
Seems like my memory is accurate, Luke thought. He also recalled that the three-headed dog had a peculiar quirk of falling asleep when it heard music, though he kept that part to himself. However, the two in front of him were unaware of this.
"So, Professor Dumbledore has designated it as a restricted area for a reason. You two are clearly breaking school rules." Luke remembered that the three-headed dog was a dangerous magical creature and might not be a straightforward opponent.
Except for himself, of course. With his increased physical capabilities, Luke hadn't yet assessed his true strength, but he assumed it would be more than enough to handle a dog.
"You're really different from the Slytherin jerks!" Ron took a few steps back as if expecting Luke to report them to Professor Dumbledore.
Slytherin students tended to play dirty tricks and were not known for their adherence to rules like Luke.
"Are you serious, Luke?" Harry asked, studying Luke with a questioning look. He didn't know much about Luke and couldn't predict his actions.
"What's going on?" Hermione asked curiously after returning the notebook to Luke. She couldn't make sense of their previous conversation.
"You and Miss Know-it-all are truly a perfect match!" Ron muttered, his face turning pale.
"...." Hermione, looking puzzled, greeted them with a slow "Hello."
Was this their idea of a joke?
"Of course, it's just a joke," Luke clarified, much to the relief of Harry and Ron.
Miss Hermione, standing on the sidelines, tilted her head, trying to make sense of the situation. She couldn't fathom what had transpired. The two of them had ventured out at night without her, and Luke's actions could have been a cause for concern.
After all, without Hermione's intelligence, it was like a body without a head. These two impulsive Gryffindor boys could end up in trouble.
"Let's go, we don't have class this afternoon, and I need to practice flying."
At Luke's words, the eyes of the other three lit up instantly.
"You're going to Quidditch practice too?" Hermione astutely deduced Luke's intentions.
Harry also shifted his attention to Luke. If he was also participating, it meant they would be competing against each other. After all, he represented Gryffindor, and Luke could only represent Slytherin.
"I have to fill in for the team because they're short one player," Luke explained, clarifying the situation.
"I should be the server or something, and Malfoy for the seeker," Luke suggested, looking at Harry. In a Quidditch game, the Seekers were the most noticeable players.
"Malfoy?" Harry clenched his teeth, remembering how he had been fooled by Malfoy just last night. He had nearly been caught by Filch.
Unexpectedly, Malfoy would be Slytherin's Seeker in the upcoming match. Harry's frustration ignited.
"I'm going to train too!" Harry declared.
In the end, they divided into two groups. Harry and Ron went to the Quidditch pitch to practice, while Luke and Hermione headed to another open area to train. Each group represented their respective houses.
Hermione had joined them because Luke trusted her completely and believed she wouldn't inform anyone about their secret practice.
After hours of training, they sat by the edge of the Black Lake to catch their breath.
"Have you seen the notes of the Half-Blood Prince? They're incredible. He's simplified all kinds of potions and has a unique understanding of them!" Hermione enthusiastically explained the notes she had found in the textbook, clearly inspired by them.
"What's even more impressive is that he's created his own curse!"
"Can a student really come up with something like that?" Luke wondered aloud. Such a talented wizard would have surely been famous for Gryffindor's house pride. If he hadn't understood this, he wouldn't have believed it.
"Luke, are you even listening to me?" Hermione frowned, pushing his shoulder as he lay on the grass.
There was no response. Instead, she heard a steady, rhythmic breathing.
"Is he asleep?" Hermione wondered as she looked at Luke's peaceful face. She stayed there for a while, contemplating the situation.
I hope I haven't been caught doing something I shouldn't have done at this time, Miss Hermione thought to herself.
When Luke finally woke up, the sky had turned a deep red from the setting sun, and the Black Lake shimmered in the gentle breeze. Upon looking around, he noticed Hermione sitting beside him, engrossed in Snape's notes, her quill dancing across the pristine parchment.
"You're awake," Hermione remarked when she saw Luke sit up.
Luke looked at Hermione and asked, "You haven't had dinner yet?"
"I just happened to find the house-elf kitchen while exploring the castle the other day, so I went there to eat!" Hermione replied.
Luke remembered that he had noted the location of the kitchen near Hufflepuff while exploring the castle. The house-elves at Hogwarts were quite friendly, and they promptly prepared some butter and bread for them.
"These house-elves are so kind!"
Hermione inquired, "How much do they get paid here per month?"
The house-elves panicked at the question. "No, no, it's generous enough that Headmaster Dumbledore provides us with a place to work. We dare not ask for extra wages!"
Luke shrugged, and they headed back toward the castle.
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