Chapter 704: Isn't the Letter From...? (Edited)

After Defense Against the Dark Arts, Fish didn't have any more classes today, and Hermione had a short break before she had to go to her Arithmancy Divination class. After lunch, she had to attend her two afternoon Potions classes with Harry and Ron.

"I don't know why Hermione has to work so hard..."

(Φ~Φ)

While Hermione and the others hurried to Potions class, Fish entered Hagrid's cabin, munching on a rock cake, and said.

Hagrid grumbled in response. He had received the list of names for this year's N.E.W.T. classes, and the number of applicants was lower than he expected, especially since Harry and Ron hadn't shown up, which saddened Hagrid greatly.

"It's normal," Fish added nonchalantly. "Many people say they prefer Wilhelmina's class. They don't like the animals you introduce to everyone..." Fish tilted his head and pondered for a moment. "Actually, Fish thinks the same, nya."

"Why?" Hagrid was perplexed.

"Fish doesn't like Blast-Ended Skrewts. They don't communicate at all," Fish wagged his cat tail. "And Hermione doesn't like them either. They think they and some of the other animals are too dangerous... although Fish doesn't think the same, nya. It's just that the other animals Fish had already encountered in the Forbidden Forest weren't very fun, nya."

"Then why did you take my class!" Hagrid snorted.

"Because your class is easy," Fish casually replied. "And it's one of the few outdoor classes where Fish enjoys playing outside, nya!"

(`´)

And then Hagrid became even more depressed.

After successfully devouring a rock cake and further depressing Hagrid in the process, Fish patted his back and ran off to the Forbidden Forest to play with Fluffy and the others, taking Fang along and leaving Hagrid alone at home with his doubts.

Fish stayed in the Forbidden Forest until dinner time when he returned to the castle.

"Hermione, what's wrong?"

?ω?

Upon entering the Great Hall, Fish noticed that Hermione wasn't in the best mood, as if she wasn't very happy.

"Because our know-it-all miss lost against Harry in Potions class today," Ron gloated, before receiving a sharp look from Hermione.

"It's actually like this..." Harry looked around and quietly explained to Fish, "The book that Professor Slughorn gave me, Advanced Potion-Making, has notes from the previous owner of that book. I tried it, and the effect is excellent!"

Hermione's face turned even more sullen upon hearing his account. She felt that Harry had simply won the battle!

"Surely you thought I was cheating, didn't you?" Harry asked, annoyed by the expression on her face when he finished speaking.

"...No!" Hermione was about to accuse Harry but abruptly changed her tone after glancing rigidly at Fish by her side, who had lost interest and grabbed a knife and fork to start eating dinner.

And as she calmed down, she didn't look so upset.

"You warned me before, right? Seven times counterclockwise, and then one clockwise..." Hermione sighed softly and said, "It was my decision to trust the textbook."

"He took a risk, so he was rewarded for it." Ron chimed in and sighed with regret, "Slughorn could have given me that book, but unfortunately, no one writes in my textbook. Judging by the look of page fifty-two, it seems like someone spat on it, but..."

"Wait." Ginny's voice sounded from the left as she joined them in the conversation. "Did I hear you correctly, Harry? Have you been following instructions written in a book?"

She seemed scared and angry. Harry immediately guessed what was going through her mind.

"It's nothing," he said, lowering his voice to reassure her. "You know, it's not like Riddle's diary. It's just an old textbook with scribbles."

"But did you do what it says?"

"I only tried a few tips written in the margins of the book, and honestly, Ginny, there's nothing suspicious about it."

Except Ginny obviously didn't think the same. When she had been controlled by Voldemort's diary, there hadn't been terrible consequences, but that was because Fish had taken the basilisk under his protection. If it hadn't been for Fish, or if Voldemort hadn't gone after Fish so quickly, it could have petrified and killed not only Mrs. Norris but also other students and professors.

And alert Hermione suggested, "Ginny is right, we should check if there's anything wrong. That way, we'll feel much safer when brewing potions using the notes in it."

"Us?"

"What's wrong with that?" Hermione said casually, "If the notes are better, why wouldn't we study them? I even think we could share it with the rest of the Order of the Cat once we've made sure it's fine."

Hermione, who had set aside her pride and prejudices, wouldn't refuse a better way of learning.

"Alright..." Harry was convinced by Hermione and took out the worn copy of Advanced Potion-Making from his bag.

Hermione raised her wand, cleanly tapped the cover, and read, "Revelio!"

Nothing happened. The textbook remained a textbook, worn, dirty, and with folded corners.

Nevertheless, Hermione wasn't convinced. As she flipped through the pages, she found a small, dense line at the bottom of the back cover that read:

This book belongs to the Half-Blood Prince.

"The Half-Blood Prince?" Hermione carefully identified the line and guessed, "It seems that the original owner of this book was a half-blood wizard."

"And most likely a cheeky male wizard," Harry said. "I don't think any girl would call herself a prince... Besides, the book should be fine, right?"

"Wait, just to be sure," Hermione said and handed the book she had in her hand to Fish, who was having dinner. "Fish, can you help check if there's anything wrong with the book?"

"Yes, nya!"

Ψ(??~??)

Fish lifted his head from his plate, set aside the knife and fork, and grabbed the worn copy of Advanced Potion-Making.

Although Fish had just been focused on his food, his ears had been attentive, listening to the conversation Hermione had with the others.

Fish took the book and placed it under his nose to sniff it...

The smell of the book was a mixture, a blend of people and herbs, with a slight hint of moisture that made Fish sneeze.

[Beast Intuition] didn't detect any danger, so it was probably fine.

But considering that Riddle's diary hadn't triggered his [Beast Instinct], Fish cautiously opened the book.

Then...

"Isn't this Snape's handwriting, nya?"

(?ω?)

Fish continued flipping through the book a few more times, confirming, "No mistake! This dense, ant-like handwriting is definitely Snape's, nya!"

Harry: !!!