Chapter 667 - 668: Niffler and Worries' ; Krum and Troublies.

"Look, they're quite useful little treasure hunters!" Hagrid exclaimed joyfully, displaying satisfaction with the Niffer's performance. In his view, cute magical creatures were meant to flaunt their sharp teeth to display ferocity. The more menacing their demeanor, with sharper teeth and claws, the more Hagrid recognized them. As for appearing cute or docile, it never caught Hagrid's attention.

"Will these Niffers bite?" Colin asked anxiously. "Shouldn't we stay a bit further away?"

"Don't be silly; they're only interested in shiny, valuable objects," Evan reassured him as he approached.

"Well, we can have a lot of fun with them today. See over there?" Hagrid pointed to the freshly turned land, gathering the group around him. "I buried a few gold coins there. I'll give a prize to whoever can find and dig up the most gold coins. Everyone, stash away your belongings and pick a Niffer; get ready to release them."

Evan walked over and selected a Niffer; it extended its long nose into Evan's ear and sniffed vigorously. This little creature was surprisingly affectionate with people. Controlling a Niffer to find gold coins was straightforward. As long as Evan stood still, the Niffer he chose would burrow in and out of the ground, akin to swimming in water. In a short time, it hurried back to Evan, spat out the gold coin into his hand, and licked his hand as if taking credit.

Meanwhile, everyone else had gathered around Hagrid, eager to ask questions. This was probably the most enjoyable lesson they'd ever had on magical creature care, and they were all delighted with the Niffers.

"Your family wouldn't approve of having a Niffer," Hagrid smiled and said, "Niffers are harmless; they won't wreck a house in search of valuables. Well, you guys go hunt for the gold coins; I just buried $100."

Evan stayed behind, chatting with Hagrid, hoping to cheer him up. "Don't worry, Evan, I've got it all figured out!" Hagrid glanced towards the Busbarton carriage, his expression somewhat melancholic. "That woman isn't worth my grief; she doesn't even dare to admit her identity."

"Mrs. Maxim has many responsibilities; she's the headmistress of Beauxbatons, after all. She needs to consider other people's opinions," Evan suggested. "If you can, try talking to her and give her a chance."

"That's what Harry and Hermione told me this morning. You're both good kids!" Hagrid said, forcing a smile, though his eyes appeared moist again. "I'm glad to be friends with a few of you, and as for... By the way, Friday afternoon isn't a class; you can join Harry and the others at my place as guests. I've prepared some new pies; you'll love them."

"Okay, I'll come," Evan replied, despite his doubts about Hagrid's culinary skills. Given Hagrid's current state, it was best not to tease him further.

"Evan, aren't you going to hunt for gold coins? There are rewards," Hagrid continued. "Ron had the best harvest in the morning session; the Niffer he controlled dug up nearly half of the gold coins."

"Yeah, he's always been good at that sort of thing. I'll stick around with you for a while," Evan said. He knew these gold coins were from the Dwarf Demon and would disappear after a few hours. Besides, he had little interest in competing for gold coins; it didn't matter much to him.

Evan watched as the Niffer placed a gold coin from the Dwarf Demon into his hand. There was no discernible difference between this gold coin and a real one; only the magical reaction revealed its authenticity. Magic was indeed extraordinary, especially when it came to magical creatures like the Dwarf Demon.

It suddenly dawned on Evan why Ron had been so despondent during lunch, muttering about gold and expressing disdain for poverty. At the Quidditch World Cup, he had used those gold coins to replace the Omnioculars that Harry had gifted him. Ron had promised that the Omnioculars would be Harry's Christmas present.

However, on Christmas Day, Harry had surprised Ron with an expensive Chaddery Artillery hat. In return, Ron had given everyone a bag of joke products. While it didn't compare to a Chaddery's Artillery hat, at least it was entertaining. Harry hadn't even noticed that the gold coins had disappeared. Or if he had, he didn't care, as true friends didn't keep track of such things.

Over the years, Evan had come to realize that Ron placed great importance on wealth, power, and influence, a trait that concerned him. These vulnerabilities made Ron susceptible to Voldemort's manipulation. However, Ron had consistently shown that he could resist the allure of evil at critical moments, indicating that he wasn't inherently evil.

Nonetheless, Evan couldn't help but draw parallels between Ron and Peter Pettigrew, which troubled him. He quickly shook off the thought, but the image of Peter Pettigrew became more vivid in his mind. Peter was still imprisoned in Azkaban, and without his assistance, Voldemort might seek another victim to complete his dark magic.

Evan contemplated the rise and fall of Durmstrang's ship on the lake, recognizing his growing anxiety. In the face of Voldemort's imminent return, everyone felt a deep sense of unease. Voldemort's connection to a malevolent dark deity only intensified their concerns.

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In this eerie silence, time continued to march forward. Following dinner on Friday night, Evan, Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the castle to visit Hagrid. Originally, Hagrid had intended to invite them for dinner at his place, but given the uncertainty of his cooking skills, they decided to opt for tea and dessert after dinner instead.

Since Hagrid's true identity as a half-giant had been exposed, he no longer joined the group in the Great Hall for meals. The constant stares and rude comments from students had made it an uncomfortable experience for him. To make matters worse, Professor Maxime occasionally dined there as well. Hagrid had no desire to encounter her, let alone sit down for a meal.

However, despite the strained relationship, Hagrid continued to take excellent care of Beauxbatons Pegasus. He ensured they had the finest forage and their preferred single malt whisky, which resulted in the feed trough in their makeshift stables emanating a boozy scent that left any student who ventured too close feeling slightly lightheaded.

"I hope Hagrid doesn't make us eat his pies," Harry remarked. "I saw him handling a piece of purple meat the other day."

"Purple meat? What kind of creature could that come from?" Ron inquired.

"I'm not sure, but we should ask Hagrid about niffy; maybe we can use it for a treasure hunt," Ron said excitedly. "Many people buried treasure underground in the past. Oh, by the way, what's Professor Moody doing by the lake?"

Following Ron's gaze, Evan noticed Moody standing near the lake, seemingly observing something. It wasn't surprising; Moody's magical eye could penetrate the water, making it a useful tool for underwater surveillance.

"The second task is next week, and little Barty Crouch must be hatching his own plan," Evan speculated.

"Probably just taking a walk," Hermione suggested hesitantly.

"Going for a walk without dinner? He's quite the odd one!" Ron commented.

The four of them briefly glanced at Moody by the lake before continuing toward Hagrid's cabin. They had barely taken a few steps when Viktor Krum called out to them and signaled for them to stop.

"Evan Mason, may I have a word with you?" Krum asked, his expression serious.

"Of course, no problem," Evan replied, feeling a bit puzzled.

Hermione tugged at Evan's sleeve, silently urging caution. From her worried expression, Evan could tell that whatever Krum wanted to discuss likely concerned Hermione.

Evan reassured her with a comforting pat on her shoulder, indicating that he would handle the matter. As Hermione's boyfriend, he believed it was his responsibility to resolve any issues and prevent Krum from bothering her. This way, Hermione wouldn't have to avoid going to the library alone at night to read.

Following Krum, Evan walked toward the Forbidden Forest, passing by Hagrid's cottage and the brightly lit Busbarton carriage. Krum made sure to maintain distance from Harry, Ron, and Hermione to ensure their conversation wouldn't be overheard.

"I wonder what Krum wants to talk to Evan about," Harry pondered, watching the two figures until they disappeared behind the bushes. "He didn't seem too happy."

"He invited me to visit his home during the summer," Hermione explained. "I'm not sure if that's related."

"What?" Ron exclaimed, surprised. "Krum invited you to his house? And you turned him down?"

"Yes, I declined the invitation," Hermione replied, slightly blushing. She paused before adding, "But to be honest, it caught me off guard when he mentioned it during our library session."

"Hermione, Krum invited you as a guest?!" Ron was incredulous. "And you turned him down?!"

"That's right. What else could I do?" Hermione frowned at Ron. "I just see him as a regular friend, nothing more. Besides, Evan doesn't seem to like me spending too much time with him. It's almost like he blames Evan for me rejecting him."

"Krum must be really upset!" Ron interjected. "It was just an invitation, and you've been to my house before!"

"That's different, Ron!" Harry chimed in, understanding the underlying issue. "Hermione made the right choice by declining Krum. She's Evan's girlfriend, after all. It wouldn't be appropriate for her to visit someone else's home during the summer."

Ron still looked puzzled, prompting Harry to find a way to make him comprehend the situation. "Ron, Krum is Evan's competition, and he's interested in Hermione."

Harry's direct explanation left Hermione blushing intensely, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

Ron finally grasped the situation. Hermione was now Evan's girlfriend, and he couldn't ignore that fact. He remembered the night when Evan had officially announced their relationship after the Christmas dance. Despite the familiarity, he had overlooked this crucial detail.

Meanwhile, Harry's thoughts were similarly muddled as Krum's actions struck a chord within him. He couldn't help but ponder how he would react if Cho were his girlfriend. Unfortunately, Cho was currently dating Cedric Diggory, and their relationship was well-established.

Harry wasn't like Krum; he wouldn't approach Cedric in such a way. Just as he was about to discuss the matter further, a rustling sound in the bushes behind Hermione caught his attention. Harry, experienced in dealing with hidden threats, instinctively grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled her aside, preparing for what was to come.