The next day after lunch, Ryan and Hermione went to find Professor Sprout to register a new club. At Hogwarts, clubs weren't exactly common. While Ravenclaw and Slytherin had a few research-focused societies, the only official club Ryan knew of in Gryffindor was the Quidditch team.
This rarity of clubs was largely due to Hogwarts' strict administrative oversight. Considering that Hogwarts educated about 80% of all British magical youth, the school had a significant influence on the future of the entire British wizarding world. Any organization established here had the potential to affect broader society, and the school took that responsibility seriously.
A strong example of this was the situation involving Harry in his fifth year. When he was caught forming an unauthorized club, Dumbledore went so far as to leave the school to protect Harry's freedom. Although the conflict with the Ministry of Magic played a role, the situation underscored the seriousness with which Hogwarts treated unauthorized student organizations.
Ryan suspected this strictness stemmed from an incident decades earlier. More than half a century ago, a young wizard raised in an orphanage had secretly gathered a group of followers while at Hogwarts. That group evolved into the Death Eaters, one of the most feared organizations in magical history. That orphaned boy grew up to become Voldemort—the second Dark Lord.
The formation of the Death Eaters left a deep scar on the British magical community. Some even argued that it cost an entire generation of witches and wizards. Naturally, Hogwarts tightened its rules on student groups following such a harrowing chapter in its history.
Because of this, Ryan and Hermione felt somewhat uneasy about their club proposal. They weren't just trying to start a reading club; beneath the surface, their group would engage in smuggling magical goods. While their intentions were vastly different from the Death Eaters', they couldn't help but feel the historical echoes.
After a brief walk, they arrived at Professor Sprout's office and knocked. Dressed in a comfortable home robe, Professor Sprout opened the door and looked at them curiously.
"Why aren't you two resting after lunch? What brings you here?" she asked.
"Professor, we'd like to request your support in forming a club," Hermione stepped forward and said clearly.
"A club?" Professor Sprout's demeanor shifted to something more serious. "What kind of club? And why do you want to start it?"
"We're hoping to create a reading club, where students can exchange academic insights," Ryan explained, sticking to the plan they had rehearsed.
"During our recent visit to Castro Brussels, we encountered a great deal of new knowledge, and it was difficult to process alone," Hermione added. "But by discussing and working through it together, we found that learning became more efficient and rewarding. That's why we thought—why not create a space where like-minded students can gather to share ideas and support each other's studies?"
Professor Sprout nodded thoughtfully. "That's actually a very sound idea. If I recall correctly, Ravenclaw has something similar, though they tend to exclude students from other houses. An inter-house academic exchange group would be a welcome addition to Hogwarts."
She smiled, then added, "I'll write a recommendation for you now. After that, prepare a formal proposal detailing your club's purpose and send it to Headmistress McGonagall. If all goes smoothly, I expect you'll receive approval within the week."
Grateful, Ryan and Hermione left her office and quickly drafted their proposal. After submitting it to Professor McGonagall, they began the anxious wait.
To their surprise, approval came just a few days later. Professor McGonagall had written back with full support.
"I really didn't think this would go through so easily," Hermione remarked in the library, holding the letter.
"I thought the same," Ryan replied. "Especially after asking older students who told us how difficult it is to get these things approved."
"We might've been overthinking it," Ryan said. "At the end of the day, a club is just a group of people with shared interests. Given our academic records—top two in final exams for the past two years—it's perfectly reasonable for us to form a study group. Plus, the club's focus is entirely harmless. And since Professor McGonagall is also our Head of House, she was probably inclined to support us."
"Well, since we've got approval, we need to start organizing quickly," Hermione reminded him. "You don't want to be scrambling at the last minute."
"I'm already on it," Ryan assured her. "Nothing's going to fall through."
In the days that followed, Ryan indeed found himself much busier. Besides his normal studies and his activities in the Emerald Dream, he had to compile a set of study materials for the club. Fortunately, his time in the Emerald Dream allowed him to recover from fatigue quickly, which helped him manage the extra workload.
Within the Emerald Dream, Ryan often sat with his peers around a totem pole, exchanging insights and experiences. The professor of herbalism—nicknamed Old Bark—had only appeared once recently. A fellow student told Ryan the professor was currently preoccupied with a major research project and couldn't afford time to teach.
Ryan understood. Their last knowledge exchange had been invaluable to Old Bark. While the professor already had the theoretical knowledge, he lacked the extensive observational data that Ryan had brought. That kind of data required years of fieldwork, manpower, and resources. What Ryan offered likely saved the professor an enormous amount of effort.
Ryan remembered that when Principal Fernande had witnessed the knowledge exchange, he had promised Ryan a reward—something beyond just knowledge. But so far, no compensation had arrived. Ryan didn't mind. The information he'd gained was priceless, and he believed the principal wouldn't break his word. Still, the principal seemed somewhat embarrassed and had renewed his promise at their last gathering.
As Ryan entered the Emerald Dream again, his thoughts drifted to these past events. Soon, the group of six students gathered around the totem pole and began discussing a new topic: Nature's Favor.
Out of the blue, a girl wearing a hollow mask turned to Ryan and asked, "Hey, do you have Nature's Favor?"
"Nature's Favor?" Ryan blinked in confusion. "Sorry, I don't quite understand the term. I'm from the UK, and I'm still learning your terminology."
"Oh!" the girl said, surprised. "I forgot you're not local. Your Spanish is so fluent that I didn't even notice."
She then made a complex gesture with her hand. In response, a small green vortex appeared in the air. From it emerged a small tree, about waist-high, which landed beside her.
"See? This is a nature pet," she explained proudly. "It's a companion that can enter the Emerald Dream with you and has unique abilities. For instance, my tree companion normally lives as a decorative plant in the real world. But here, it transforms into a towering treant that can fight alongside me in battles and adventures. Other students have animal-based nature pets, which are more interactive in the real world but aren't as compatible with the Emerald Dream environment as plants."
"Oh, I see now," Ryan said with a nod, finally understanding. "Yes, I have one too."
He didn't elaborate, but now that he understood what Nature's Favor referred to, he was confident in saying that he possessed one. He realized that this affinity with nature wasn't just a token of power or status in the Emerald Dream; it was a deep connection—something that could grow and evolve as he progressed.
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