"I would..." Harry started to say, instinctively intending to declare that he would personally find Sirius Black and avenge his parents. But for some reason, the words caught in his throat.
"Harry, with your current strength, it's not a problem for you to use your Fire Dragon Slayer Magic to defeat a wandless and extremely weak wizard," Victor said, his face still unreadable. "But have you ever thought about this? Is killing something you should do so casually?"
"I've told you before, power can control people. I teach you the power of magic circles, but if you don't have a strong mind to control it, you'll become more and more accustomed to killing people. The next time you face a suspicious criminal, like with Sirius Black, you'll feel completely justified in ending their life."
"I'm sorry, Master," Harry said, lowering his head.
"What are you sorry for?" Victor asked seriously.
"I'm sorry that... if I had investigated Sirius Black and found nothing, I would have still sought revenge for my parents while having doubts. I might have ended up killing an innocent person. But if I hadn't chosen to hide it from everyone and sought help from others from the start, I might have gotten a reasonable answer or the truth in the end."
"That's not enough," Victor said coldly. "You're still not getting to the point!"
"I... I shouldn't be so reckless with a person's life."
Hearing Harry's stammered answer, which was what he wanted to hear, Victor's grim expression finally softened. He walked forward and patted Harry on the shoulder, saying earnestly, "I'm glad you understand. Two years ago, because of your impulsiveness, you ignored the lives of your friends and yourself. Now, you should also understand the value of a life."
"If you have doubts, then find the truth. Don't wrongly accuse a good person, and don't let a bad person get away with it," he said, tapping the diary in Harry's hand with his finger.
"I'll leave you with this: A Gryffindor can be a rat in the gutter, and a Slytherin can be the bravest person."
Watching Victor walk away, Harry's heavy heart finally felt lighter. He remembered what Victor had just done and immediately opened the diary. The old ink that had deliberately blacked out a section of the page was gone. In its place was a name that shocked Harry...
Time flew by, and it was a weekend in late October. It was nearing Halloween, and perhaps because of the Dementors, the Hogwarts sky had been gray and cloudy for two months. It had hailed that morning, so the ground was wet.
However, the cold and gloomy weather couldn't stop the students from going to Hogsmeade. According to the rules, third-year students could freely visit the village on weekends as long as they had permission from their parents or guardians.
Victor had been to this small wizarding village many times. It was a place where you could see from one end to the other, with a handful of shops and pubs on either side of the street. It got boring after a few visits. But even so, Victor couldn't resist Hermione's persistent pleading and reluctantly came to this "boring" place.
"Hermione, why did you suddenly drag me here from the guild?" Victor asked, looking helpless.
"Can't I just ask you to come out and relax with me?!" Hermione glared at Victor. "For the past two months, you've either been missing or holed up in the guild, studying Dementors. If you keep this up, you'll be just as creepy as those gloomy monsters!"
"I was just doing research," Victor said, scratching his head and defending himself.
"Are you going to be with me, or are you going back to your Dementors?" Hermione suddenly put on a serious face, staring into Victor's eyes.
"..." A few spiral symbols appeared above Victor's head. Why did she make it sound like Dementors were his wives?
To be honest, back in Earth Land, the thing he feared most was going shopping with girls. Every time Mira dragged him to a clothing store, it was pure mental torture! She would try on a dozen or so outfits and ask him if she looked good in each one. And every time he said "you look great," Mira would get upset and say, "I think it's just okay."
If you think it's just okay, why do you even ask me?!
In his eyes, as long as it wasn't Luna's bizarre fashion sense, it was all the same! But he couldn't help it. Facing the little witch who was pouting, Victor could only shake his head helplessly, sigh, and then take her warm little hand. "Shall we go, my lady?" he said with a smile.
Feeling the warmth on her hand, Hermione's face broke out into a bright smile, and a blush appeared on her cheeks.
Their first stop was Honeydukes Sweetshop. It was the only candy shop in Hogsmeade, selling chocolate and all kinds of other magical sweets. Victor and Dumbledore were regulars here.
Victor and Hermione walked hand in hand to the front of the shop. There was a notice from the Ministry of Magic on the door, reminding customers that Dementors were patrolling Hogsmeade after sunset and advising them to leave before then.
Victor pushed open the shop door, and a wave of warmth washed over them. The shop was crowded, and the Dementors' presence hadn't dampened the students' enthusiasm for sweets.
"Oh my, there are so many people here!" Hermione said, holding her nose. The strong smell of sweets in the air was a bit overwhelming for her.
"Let's just buy some snacks and go," Victor said, also disliking the smell in the shop. The air was filled not only with the smell of sweets but also with the stench of the sticky, dirty floor and the students' body odor. It was not a pleasant smell at all!
So, Victor and Hermione quickly bought a bunch of snacks and left Honeydukes.
"Hermione, where do you want to go next?" Victor asked, standing in front of the candy shop, a bit lost. He had been dragged here without a plan, so his mind was blank as he watched the people coming and going on the street.
"Let's go there, to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop!" Hermione said with a smile, pointing in the distance. "I heard the tea and pastries there are delicious!"
So, the two of them walked to the front of Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. But something about the atmosphere felt off. Everything in the tea shop was decorated with gaudy lace. Even the small round tables were. The owner had decorated the shop with strange ornaments that were meant to be romantic—golden cherubs would occasionally throw candy at people. The whole place had a girly feel.
The couples sitting in the tea shop made it clear that this was a love-themed shop. Victor squinted and looked at the blushing little witch beside him. "Hermione, don't tell me you have an improper crush on your Guild Master?"
"Shut up! I do not!" Hermione shouted, her face red. She immediately grabbed Victor's arm and pulled him forward. "Stop thinking so much! We're just going in for some tea and then leaving..."
Once inside, the two of them found a spot and ordered some tea and snacks. The foggy, cramped, and pink-filled atmosphere made Hermione feel very awkward and embarrassed.
Victor, on the other hand, was completely calm. He put his slightly cold hand on Hermione's warm face, making her shiver.
"Ah! Victor, what are you doing?!" Hermione's face was red, and she glared at him angrily.
"Nothing, I just wanted to see," Victor said with a smile. "You look so cute when you're shy that I just couldn't help but tease you!"
"You! You're lying! I'm not shy!" Hermione immediately retorted proudly, her face flushing even more. But her reaction only encouraged Victor to tease her more. A mischievous grin slowly formed on his face.
He suddenly got up from his seat and sat next to Hermione.
"What are you doing?" Hermione asked, her face red as she tried to lean away from him.
"Nothing, just looking," Victor said with a smile, propping one hand on the table and staring at the girl in front of him. In less than ten seconds, Hermione felt weak all over. She immediately turned her head, trying not to look at Victor's face, but even with her eyes closed, his smiling face was stuck in her mind.
Finally, unable to contain her embarrassment any longer, Hermione angrily turned and grabbed Victor's arm, baring her teeth as if she wanted to bite him...
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