The joyful Christmas holiday has passed, but the students clearly have not yet recovered from its influence. Throughout the week, most of the students were lackluster and lacked vitality, and experienced professors had anticipated this situation early on.
Therefore, in the first week of class, besides the two professors from Slytherin who left homework assignments after class, no other professors left any heavy homework, allowing students to enjoy a relaxed weekend.
For the senior students, this weekend was even more eagerly anticipated, as it was the Open Day at Hogsmeade, and the children who had earned some pocket money at home were eager to spend it.
By late afternoon, the atmosphere inside the castle had become much more lively.
The fourth-year students of Gryffindor only had two classes in the afternoon. After the Herbology class with Hufflepuff, Harry and his friends went to see Hagrid and Wintermote by the Forbidden Forest.
They shared with Hagrid the happy few days they spent at Grimmauld Place, but did not tell him that they had also made a trip to Professor Brakebone along with Sirius and Remus.
But when they asked Hagrid how he spent his holiday, he suddenly turned red and stammered, unable to say anything. This aroused Harry's interest, but Hagrid would not say any more and instead deliberately changed the subject to Hermione's attitude towards saving the house-elf.
"I notice you're not as keen lately on persuading Drom to fight for holiday and pay, Hermione?"
Hagrid smiled.
Although he knew Hagrid was changing the subject, Harry and Ron were successfully diverted by him. They immediately looked at Hermione, who was busy reading a book, to see what she had to say.
"Uh..."
Hermione raised her head, glanced at the three of them who were teasing her, and instead of getting angry, she proudly raised her head,
"That's because I have other plans..."
"You've founded a new organization, Hermione?"
Harry asked, licking his lips and looking speechless.
"Actually, you just gave it up, didn't you?"
But Hermione played the game of secrecy again and refused to say more no matter how they asked. Even when they left Hagrid's hut, Ron teased her happily, she just glanced at him sideways.
The grassy ground, covered in snow, was howling with cold winds. After the bitter chill of the Christmas holiday, the soft snow had turned into ice under the low temperatures. With every step, the icy surface crackled and creaked.
Harry, standing in the Quidditch pitch, looked up at the towering poles and suddenly felt a desire to fly.
This school year has been a real grind for Harry and other small wizards who love Quidditch. While the Triwizard Tournament is fun, the absence of Quidditch games leaves a soulless void.
"Sigh, it's so cold..."
Ron gasped, his voice shaking.
"Hurry up, Harry, stop dawdling. Once we finish running and have dinner, you'll have to tell me what the lesson was about in today's PE class!"
Harry had no choice but to lower his head, wrap up his scarf, and start walking with determination.
Ron at least warned him, "If you fly in this weather, you might freeze into an ice cube."
In fact, Hermione was much better suited to giving Ron's lesson than Harry was. However, the problem was that after Christmas, the second competition in February was now just around the corner.
Although she had now figured out the hints hidden in the golden egg, that did not solve the actual problem.
How to spend an hour in water? She would encounter obstacles such as mermaids, the Green Slime, and the Kraken. Of course, if that giant squid was also an obstacle, then Hermione believed it would be very difficult to pass the competition.
Also, what would the line "We will take away what you love" mean?
These questions had been troubling her during the holiday, and she still didn't have clear answers.
Anxiety drove Hermione to read even more frenziedly than usual. By the time the three returned to the common room, Harry began telling Ron about today's PE class, she had accumulated so many books around her that their height compared to that of a first-year student.
People passing by gawked at Hermione, who was almost simultaneously reading two books out loud.
"Hermione, Hermione?!"
Harry called out several times before he managed to wake Hermione from the world of books she was immersed in.
"What?"
Hermione impatiently said, her gaze still unwilling to leave the two thick books that were lying on her knees.
"Do you think Lee Jordan's guess today - "
Harry was somewhat frustrated, but he really did want an answer.
"That's what the question was after Professor Brakebone's class. He was hinting that we should ask for the quid."
"Actually--"
It was a question with an obvious answer, but Hermione was unwilling to respond because it seemed to imply that Professor Brakebone was inciting them to break the law. However, Harry and Ron kept pestering her with questions. Hermione sighed, closing the book in front of her with a heavy thud, her eyes showing a mix of confusion and concern.
She didn't answer Harry's question but furrowed her eyebrows, speaking softly,
"I'm more curious about Professor Brakebone's dueling training. Don't you ever feel strange about it, Harry?"
"What?"
Harry and Ron both looked confused, exchanged a glance, and then Harry eagerly asked.
"I'll say Professor Brakebone's designed training again. Don't you guys have, uh, okay--" Hermione didn't beat around the bush anymore. She looked at Harry and Ron, "Do you think Professor Brakebone wants to start a sports class?"
Um--
"Professor Brakebone has said that it was to teach us systematic dueling techniques and give us the ability to protect ourselves."
Harry furrowed his brow, recalling.
"But the problem is here, Harry!"
The question seemed to have been lurking in Hermione's mind for a long time. After Harry's answer, Hermione leaned forward, lowering her voice and speaking quickly,
"The ability to protect ourselves, yes, that's what he said. But, Harry, look at the training he's designed. I mean, since the beginning of the second half of the term, after he officially started teaching us dueling skills."
Hermione's brown eyes flashed with seriousness,
"He requires all training to be done in teams. Understand, Harry? Dueling is an action between two wizards, not a team effort. Assume, assume that after we graduate and encounter danger outside the school, can we not always be together?"
Looking at Harry, whose facial features had become determined, and Ron, who still didn't quite understand but was intimidated by her tone, Hermione continued,
"You may not have noticed, Harry, today's new training method from Professor Brakebone. Yes, he told us that it was to train us how to escape when we're in a disadvantageous situation. But the plans he designed... one team escaping, three teams attacking, this is also training for..."
Hermione slowed her pace of speech, but her tone grew more serious.
"How to coordinate an attack between different teams, which has nothing to do with self-defense or dueling!"
"What are you trying to say, Hermione?"
Harry couldn't contain himself any longer. He asked directly.
"I'm thinking"
Hermione stammered, avoiding the eyes of Harry and Ron.
"Maybe... maybe, he's training us how to conduct... war!"
(Chapter ends)
