About ten minutes later, Hermione finally dragged her backpack and a bucket of water staggered into the house from outside, just entered the door, she saw sitting at the edge of Hagrid's bed Harry and Ron look strange at her.
"Oh, why are you all looking at me like that?"
Hermione's heart was pounding in her chest, she tried hard to maintain a natural expression, she quietly put down her backpack by the table foot, and slowly approached them with the bucket of water.
"Are you lost in the water tank, Hermione?"
Ron looked on in surprise, his brow furrowed, watching Hermione whose cheeks were damp with sweat, as she struggled to control her breathing.
"We called you several times just now, Hermione, and...your hair..."
Harry also raised his eyebrows, pointing to the several glittering things stuck in Hermione's messy hair.
"Don't worry about that, Harry, it's just some beans from the Bubblebush." Hermione quickly fumbled with her hair.
"Bubblebush beans?" Ron and Harry looked at each other in confusion.
Realizing that the more she talked, the more holes would appear in her story, Hermione cut off the conversation. She took Hagrid's dirty handkerchief from Harry's hand and put it in the bucket to wash it. With one hand, she parted Hagrid's beard and with the other hand holding the handkerchief, she wiped Hagrid's drool. This might have made Hagrid a little itchy. After several deep breaths like a spasm, Hagrid sneezed abruptly.
"Oh, that's... I mean, kind of gross."
Ron rubbed his robe and face, looking as if he was about to vomit, covered in the glittering slime.
It took a little longer for Ron to clean himself up as well, but the small interlude had completely dashed any hope of catching up with Professor Sprout's Herbology class. When Harry and the others returned to the greenhouse, there were no more students left in the large space, and even Professor Sprout had returned to her office in the castle.
This morning, there were only two classes for Gryffindor third years, in addition to Professor Sprout's Herbology class, they also had to attend a spell class with Hufflepuff taught by Professor Flitwick. In order to avoid getting detention from two professors consecutively on the first Friday of the new term, they had no choice but to put off the apology for later.
It wasn't until lunchtime that they saw Professor Sprout in the professor's seats in the auditorium, but they never found an opportunity to explain themselves. Because, including the four heads of house, Lupin Professor, all the professors were stretching their necks towards Dumbledore and they seemed to be discussing something very serious. They didn't seem to notice that almost all little wizards were attracted by what they were discussing.
"Didn't hear much --"
The professors had not finished their discussion even as the Great Hall began to empty. Harry and Ron, having no choice, left the Great Hall in search of another opportunity. On their way back to the common room, their roommate, Neville, told them,
"I only heard a few words from Professor Dumbledore: wizards, safety, and something about negotiating with the Board of Governors --"
Neville looked as if he was scared,
"Maybe the Prophet Daily this morning scared Professor Dumbledore into thinking that Sirius Black might come in and kill us all at Hogwarts!"
"Don't talk nonsense, Neville!"
Hermione glanced quickly at Harry, whose expression was solemn, and said hurriedly,
"Sirius Black can't get into Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore said that on the night of the opening, any disguise can't fool Dementors, as long as we stay in school, no one can hurt us!"
Neville blinked his round eyes, and from his expression, it seemed that he thought Hermione was the one who didn't understand the situation.
It wasn't until evening, after the end of the day's classes, did Harry and Ron finally find time to go to Professor Sprout's office. Because Professor Lupin had warned them beforehand, Harry and Ron dared not make up any excuse to deceive the Hufflepuff headmaster. They truthfully explained why they missed the Herbology class, and their honesty also earned them a bit of luck. Professor Sprout didn't impose detention on them, but she asked Harry and Ron to come up with a paper on how to cultivate Bubbleweed and how to safely extract the fruit from inside the pink pods.
"Bubbleweed and fruit --"
Exiting Professor Sprout's office, Ron looked at Harry in confusion.
"If my brain wasn't confused by the smell of alcohol that Hagrid sprayed, Harry, didn't Hermione and we visit Hagrid this morning? How did she end up with beans in her hair?"
"And she went straight to the library after dinner,"
Harry's confusion was no less than Ron's, he added,
"As if she doesn't care at all that Professor Sprout will punish us three, which isn't like her."
Having discussed for quite some time in front of the office, they didn't come up with a reasonable explanation. Now it was still early, after a brief discussion, Harry and Ron decided to go to the library to find Hermione and ask her some questions.
To take care of the plants and flowers, Professor Sprout had her office arranged on the first floor of the castle, which was quite a distance from the library. Harry and Ron were running down the corridor on the first floor, when Harry, sensing something, instinctively glanced at the courtyard bathed in the full moonlight. With just one glance, his pace slowed and his expression turned suspicious.
"Oh, be careful, Harry!"
Following Harry, Ron wasn't careful enough and his freckled nose came into close contact with Harry's back. Rubbing the sore nose, he grumbled.
"Look, Ron!"
Harry didn't pay attention to Ron's constant chatter, and he pulled Ron quickly to the side of the door, pointing at the two figures chatting under a large tree in the courtyard.
"Snape and Malfoy?" Ron was surprised but not surprised, "What are they plotting to harm this time?"
"We can clear this up," Harry said quickly, pulling out his family heirloom, the Invisibility Cloak.
As usual, Harry would hide his Invisibility Cloak under the bed in his dormitory. However, the failed experience of following Professor Brainard in the summer and Professor Brainard's warning before the term began made Harry change this habit.
The rustling of the wind in the courtyard made the sound of Harry and Ron stepping through the grass less piercing. Crouching low and moving softly, they approached quickly. As they got closer and Snape's figure became clear, Harry's face turned an uncontrolled shade of iron gray.
"See, Ron, Malfoy is just pretending!" Harry growled, biting his teeth.
Under the moonlight, Malfoy's injured hand bound with a bandage under Buckbeak's attack was still hanging from his neck with a rope, but now it hung naturally without any abnormality.
Ron poked Harry's ribs, signaling him to be quiet.
The conversation in the courtyard was nearing its end, Harry and Ron held their breath, only hearing Snape's final question from the murmurs of the wind.
"If you still refuse to say who is threatening your parents, Draco"
Although Snape's tone was slightly impatient, it was still much more humane than when he spoke to other young wizards.
"Then what can I do to help you?"
