Chapter 575: The Tree in the Dream (Edited)

"What nonsense!" Professor McGonagall smacked Fish upside the head with a grimace. "Dumbledore hired Umbridge because he didn't want to go to war with the Ministry, and there's no way we're going to go to war with the Ministry to avoid an internal conflict and give the Dark Lord a chance to take advantage of it."

"Albus is such a coward nya..."

(〃｀3〃)

A disappointed Fish pouted and grumbled, "And what's there to be afraid of Voldemort?! He can't even beat Fish! Those Dementors are no big deal, Mr. Paws and the others can handle them."

Professor McGonagall was not bothered by Fish's mutterings and turned to Hermione, asking quietly, "Is there anything else you want to know, Hermione?"

Hermione was silent for a moment, the ridiculous news she had just received had left her a little shocked, but more angry... she couldn't believe that Minister Fudge would have such a ridiculous idea, and targeting ordinary students to boot.

But this high-stakes game between the headmaster of Hogwarts and the Minister of Magic was not something she could get involved in as a Muggle-born witch, and she was more concerned with her own schoolwork and this year's O.W.L. exams.

So now she would have to wait for Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore to discuss it and see what they were going to do.

So Hermione shook her head and said, "No more. Then we'll go ahead and..."

"By the way nya! Minerva, Fish has something to tell you too!". Just as he was about to leave, Fish, who had been muttering, suddenly remembered something and shouted.

∑(ΦДΦ)

"Oh? What's wrong with you again?" Professor McGonagall asked nonchalantly.

Unconsciously she thought that Fish was probably getting some weird idea on a whim, and that she could just deal with it.

With that in mind, Professor McGonagall picked up the folder she had left behind.

"Fish probably... knows what Fish's Patronus form is." Fish cocked his head, not quite sure of himself.

"Hmm?" Professor McGonagall's hand went up with the information, and Hermione looked at him in surprise.

"What is it? Tell me exactly." Professor McGonagall urged as she tossed the folder aside again.

"Actually, Fish doesn't know exactly what the tree is called, but Fish thinks it's the."

Fish twitched his cat ears, wondering why Professor McGonagall was suddenly interested again, but answered truthfully, "In today's Divination class, Sybil wants us to learn about dream interpretation...."

He gave a general description of the cause, and then described his own peculiar dream.

"The giant tree...is it as big as your Patronus?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Bigger than that nya," Fish said after a moment's thought, "Bigger even than Hogwarts..." and then, after another moment's thought, added, "It felt like being in the Forbidden Forest...".

"Trees as big as the Forbidden Forest, maybe even bigger ..."

Professor McGonagall and Hermione were taken aback by Fish's description, they didn't believe that the dream Fish was talking about was a normal dream, not to mention the fact that it was the only one he had been having, but the fact that Fish's Patronus was also a tree was proof that this was no normal dream.

Professor McGonagall reassured herself and asked, "How do you know that the tree is the prototype for your Patronus?"

After all, Fish's Patronus was only an approximate shape, or perhaps Fish thought it was a large tree and related the two.

"Fish can't say for sure, it just feels that way nya..." Fish hesitated for a moment and then added, "Actually it also looks a bit like Minerva, Fish feels very comfortable near it nya."

(?ω?)

"Weird, Minerva doesn't look like her at all nya…" Fish said, scratching his head in confusion.

It was because of this strange affinity that Fish kept referring to the tree in his dream as "she".

"Sounds a bit like the mythical world tree..." guessed Hermione, after a moment of surprise, "Although the mythical world tree was probably even bigger."

Professor McGonagall shook her head, not immediately jumping to conclusions; there were more legends associated with giant trees than Muggle myths in the magical world, but she wasn't sure what was going on with Fish.

So she continued, "Did you dream of anything else besides the tree?"

"No."

(`ω´≡`ω´)

Fish shook his head and replied, "In dreams, Fish usually climbs up on a branch and then just lies there...sleeping...".

When Fish said this, he also felt something was wrong, sleeping in his sleep sounded so strange, but he continued, "Staying next to you is so comfortable! It's like being in your arms, Minerva."

Then he cocked his head thoughtfully and added, "Fish hadn't noticed this before, so the next time he has a dream, Fish will try to wander around."

"Don't do that yet!" Professor McGonagall paused.

God only knew what would happen if Fish wandered into that mysterious dream, and although it seemed, for the moment, that the dream was not a threat to Fish, but rather a benefit, Professor McGonagall did not want Fish to take any chances.

"That is a matter I must discuss with Dumbledore."

Having no idea what was going on, Professor McGonagall intended to consult Dumbledore, an old man who liked to keep his hands to himself, but who had seen enough to know what was going on.

It was a pity that Nicolas Flamel had chosen to embrace death, otherwise she could have written to him and asked.

Fish deflated and reluctantly agreed: "Very well, then... Minerva, you must ask quickly or Fish won't know if he can take it."

(?ω?)

Fish was still very much aware of his patience and curiosity.

Professor McGonagall patted her on the head and said, "That's it! Is there anything else?"

Fish and Hermione looked at each other and shook their heads in unison.

"We're off then, you get some rest too." Hermione took Fish's arm and headed for the door.

"Minerva~ Goodnight nya~"

(ΦωΦ)ヅ

The two had just left Professor McGonagall's office when Hermione let out a huge yawn and tears escaped from the corners of her eyes.

"Hermione, are you sleepy nya?". Fish came over, concerned, "Why doesn't Fish take you back to bed, and then Fish can wander around on his own?"

"Yes."

Hermione wiped tears from the corners of her eyes, then nodded, unapologetically.

She had a full schedule today, and was mentally exhausted from worrying about the Ministry of Magic and Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"I'm going in, so don't be too long." Back on the seventh floor, Hermione returned to her human form and said to Fish, "And don't go exploring that dream world by yourself, you'd better sleep in your cat form for the time being."

"Nya~"

(=`=)

Fish stuck his tongue out mischievously at him and then jumped up in a jiffy, turning the corner and disappearing in the blink of an eye.