Chapter 178: Pansy's Confusion

Hogwarts Great Hall.

From eleven in the morning, students began to trickle in.

Although lunch had not yet started, this did not prevent the young wizards from gathering to chat and boast, especially about the recent tumultuous events at the Ministry of Magic, which had become the hottest topic.

At twelve noon.

Ino arrived at the Great Hall right on time. After finding a random seat at the Slytherin table, he lightly tapped the table.

A standard lunch appeared on the table.

Seeing such an efficient and convenient method, he sometimes considered buying a house-elf. But for some reason, the thought of Dobby, the rebellious one, always made him reconsider.

Because it was terrifying. Once the idea of rebellion took root, the elf would start thinking and finding loopholes within the rules, such as accidentally dropping in a bit of potion.

Of course, Dobby might just be an exception, but once trust is broken, it's hard to regain. After all, Dobby didn't just represent himself; he represented the entire house-elf community.

As for the rebellious Dobby, last year he had written to Lucius Malfoy, suggesting he find a new owner and sell him quickly.

...

While he was lost in thought, Ino noticed an additional lunch appear across from him.

"Seeing you daydreaming alone, I thought I'd join you!" Pansy smiled and sat naturally across the table.

"I'm not exactly daydreaming, sometimes my thoughts just drift habitually." Ino said, picking up the sandwich on the table and taking a light bite.

"During the summer break, I re-read the entire history of magic, from start to finish." Pansy said calmly.

Ino put down his food, curious about what Pansy would say next, as the course of events had already changed.

"From ancient times to the Middle Ages, from modern history to the present, the entire history of magic describes the wizards' convoluted fate."

Pansy spoke softly, her tone as calm as if discussing the weather.

But Ino didn't rush to speak, knowing that Pansy wasn't finished yet.

Sure enough, after a brief pause, Pansy suddenly raised her head, a hint of confusion in her eyes, and said somewhat uncertainly:

"We're always busy solving problems after they arise, but no one ever considers why they occur in the first place. We're always passive."

Listening to Pansy's words, Ino finally understood. This girl had read history and delved into philosophy, specifically existentialist philosophy.

"Pansy, I can't answer your confusion, or rather, this kind of question can only be answered by yourself."

Ino picked up his glass of lemonade, organizing his thoughts while he drank. Philosophical pondering is indeed hard to answer, as everyone's thoughts differ.

Once an answer conflicts with one's inner thoughts, it leads to a mental dead end. For wizards, such mental traps can be even more troublesome than for Muggles.

If Pansy had indeed fallen into such a trap, he would have to take the blame. After all, it all started with his impulsive decision to organize a history of magic study group last year.

Looking at the confused girl before him, Ino pondered for a moment and then said seriously:

"Although I can't answer your question, I can give you some advice. Perhaps you could read some Muggle books; their thoughts are quite valuable."

As he spoke, Ino tapped his wand on the tableware, transforming the cup and plate into a piece of parchment and a quill dipped in ink.

After careful consideration, he wrote a list of book titles: Sartre on Freedom, Beauvoir on the Hidden Mechanisms of Oppression, Kierkegaard on Anxiety, Camus on Rebellion, Heidegger on Technology...

He didn't perfunctorily write down names like Socrates, Plato, or Aristotle.

Clearly, Pansy's problem stemmed from history, or more precisely, from sociology and humanism. Only by addressing the root cause could she quickly get out of her mental maze.

Handing over the parchment, Ino was relieved he had stopped the study group early and resolved never to make such random suggestions again. Wizards and Muggles indeed have different ways of thinking.

Pansy glanced at the parchment, folded it, and put it in her pocket.

Since the tableware had been turned into writing materials, Ino had to tap the table again for a fresh hot lunch to be served.

This time, neither of them spoke.

...

The schedule at Hogwarts was quite standard.

After lunch, classes would start at three in the afternoon, giving the young wizards ample time to rest.

However, this time was mostly unnecessary, as in most cases, especially for first- and second-year students, they generally had just one class a day.

In the Slytherin common room.

At 2:30 PM.

After a brief quiet period following lunch, the common room gradually became lively again, and those with afternoon classes began to leave the common room one by one.

On the fourth floor of the castle, Lupin arrived punctually at the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

This class was for third-year Ravenclaw and Slytherin students.

Looking at the chandeliers on the ceiling, he felt a familiar sense of nostalgia.

The young wizards below were also scrutinizing their professor, noting that although he still dressed very plainly, he looked much healthier than he had on the train.

"Good afternoon!" Lupin stood at the podium, speaking gently, "Please put away your textbooks and form rows. Today's class is practical; you only need to bring your wands."

This move indeed surprised the students, but due to Lupin's performance on the train, everyone complied, putting away their books and forming rows.

"Very good! Now please wait a moment!" Lupin said, waving his wand to stack the desks and chairs against the wall.

Then, an old single wardrobe floated in from outside the door. This impressive display of the levitation charm dispelled any remaining doubts, as the previous two years' professors had made them wary.

The wardrobe landed steadily on the floor, but as Lupin approached it, a 'thump thump' sound came from inside.

This unexpected noise made the students in the front rows instinctively step back a few paces.

"There's no need to worry! It's just a Boggart." Lupin explained with a smile, then continued:

"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces. Wardrobes, the gaps under beds, cupboards under sinks. I even found one living in a grandfather clock once."

"Now, the first question we must ask ourselves is: What is a Boggart?" Professor Lupin looked around the room.

Ino calmly watched the wardrobe, not intending to draw attention. At this moment, he was pondering what his subconscious fears might be. Although he had experienced many stories, nothing seemed to have truly terrified him.

But if it was about things that had startled him, there were plenty: an old witch who ate people, Quirrell possessed by Voldemort in his first year, Dementors in the sky, and even Father Christmas from Narnia...