156: Chapter 156 Hermione is acting strangely

Nott sat in the chair by the fireplace, fingertips pressing against the spine of an old book, a pencil tucked between the pages. He didn't look at Draco, only flipped over the note he had just received: "She even cast a Cheering Charm on two lower-year students nearby. The spell wasn't stable, but it was effective."

Zabini pushed the candy box aside and chuckled: "That's much better than just raising her hand to answer questions. Granger is looking less and less like a bookworm now."

Draco's expression immediately turned ugly: "Are you complimenting her?"

"I'm reminding you not to treat someone who can memorize books as someone who can only memorize books." Zabini picked up a piece of candy, then put it back, "Last year in the Chamber of Secrets, the person who first pieced together the clues about the Basilisk lay in the Hospital Wing. After she woke up, she even dared to chase the silver light."

Allen leaned against the corner of the sofa, The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 3 spread across his knees. The pages were open to defensive spells, and he hadn't turned them in a long time. Only when he heard the words "Cheering Charm" did his fingers move.

"Tell me in detail," Allen said.

Nott handed over the note, his voice lowered: "The news is from a second-year Ravenclaw. After the Dementors entered the train, two first-years in the compartment where Granger was sitting cried until they lost control. When news of Potter's fainting arrived, she first steadied Weasley, then cast the Cheering Charm. The spell was significantly off, and the effect lasted less than a minute, but it was enough to stop the lower-years from crying."

Draco was unconvinced: "The Cheering Charm isn't even hard."

"Would you use it when a Dementor is approaching?" Nott looked up.

Draco was stumped, tapping his fingers on the rim of his cup: "I would close the door first."

Zabini looked at him: "So you're responsible for closing the door, and she's responsible for saving people. That's fair."

"Shut up, Zabini."

Allen took the note, his gaze lingering on the three lines: "Did not faint," "Actively cast spells," and "Calmed lower-years." Hermione used to be like a precise ruler, measuring everything against books first, then rules. After the Chamber of Secrets, she began to measure risks first, then answers.

That was the problem.

People who can research are useful; people who can fight are dangerous. Someone who can research and dares to take action—the risk level needs to be adjusted.

"Did she see Lupin?" Allen asked.

Nott nodded: "She did. Lupin handed out chocolate in her compartment. She even asked about the characteristics of Dementors, and Lupin answered a couple of things."

Draco immediately stared at Allen: "Do you think she'll suspect Lupin too?"

"She will investigate the Dementors first," Allen folded the note, "then investigate those who can deal with Dementors. Lupin will be written into her notes sooner or later."

Zabini looked at Allen's hand: "Do you intend to stop her?"

"You can't stop her," Allen tucked the note into the pages, "If Granger is blocked once, she'll find three other routes."

Nott tapped his pencil on the cover of his old book: "If she continues to chase the silver light, she will put the Dementors, Lupin, Black, and you into the same picture."

Draco felt a headache coming on: "Is she sick? There's so much trouble in the school, why is she always staring at you?"

Allen looked up: "Because I left traces behind."

After these words, it was quiet by the fireplace for a moment. Draco opened his mouth, then swallowed his words back. He had seen Allen's state after clearing the Chamber of Secrets, and he had seen Snape conduct surprise inspections of the dormitory in the middle of the night. Being too clean in itself invites investigation.

Pansy walked over from the girls' dormitory corridor, holding several class schedules. She placed the schedules on the table and looked at Draco: "Everyone outside is saying Potter embarrassed himself on the train. Flint's group is laughing quite nastily."

"Let them laugh," Draco answered quickly this time, "Whoever gets noticed by a Professor first, is the first to be unlucky."

Pansy gave him a strange look: "You actually sound like a normal person today."

Zabini lowered his head and coughed.

Draco's face turned blue: "What do you all mean by that?"

Allen picked up the schedule, his gaze resting on the first Defense Against the Dark Arts Class. Lupin's name was printed in the middle of the parchment, the ink still fresh. The third-year Defense Against the Dark Arts Class would start with Boggarts; in the original timeline, Harry would be overwhelmed by the Dementor form, and Lupin would intervene on the spot.

Boggarts read fear.

Allen's fingertips paused.

Nott noticed his movement: "Is there a problem?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts Class," Allen put down the schedule, "Lupin will quickly probe the students' bottom lines."

Draco scoffed: "By relying on tattered robes and chocolate?"

"By relying on the questions," Allen closed his eyes, "By relying on who loses control in front of what."

Pansy realized something was wrong: "You mean, he'll use the class to test us?"

Nott tucked the schedule into his old book: "A Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, related to old cases, personally invited by Dumbledore. The classroom is naturally a place for legal probing."

Draco cursed: "Can't one class be normal this year?"

"History of Magic," Zabini reminded him.

"Professor Binns might have been normal when he was alive, but he's even more normal after death," Draco pushed the cup away, "I'd rather listen to him talk about Goblin rebellions."

Allen didn't respond. He opened a slit in his Portable Space; the parchment disappeared from under the page and landed beside the ebony box. The Void raised its silver eyes, its tail tip pressing down on a new page of the third-year archives.

Allen wrote on the archive: Granger, practical combat ability adjusted upward. Did not faint during the Dementor incident, used Cheering Charm to stabilize students. Continues to infer the helper in the Chamber of Secrets, risk level upgraded.

The tip of the pen paused beside the name.

He drew a circle.

Peter saw the name "Granger" in the cage and squeezed a stifled sound from his throat. The Void's tail tip tapped on the outer wall of the cage, the sound light, and Peter immediately shrank back.

Allen said in his consciousness: "She won't find you first. She will find the blanks I left behind first."

Peter couldn't hear the answer, but he understood the meaning. He feared Black, he feared Lupin, and now he feared a little Gryffindor Witch even more. Last year he still dared to use a Death Eater list for a trade, now he didn't even dare to look at a name for too long.

Laughter from several upper-year students came from outside the Common Room. Someone was mimicking Harry fainting, someone else was saying the Dementors should guard Gryffindor Tower every day. Draco frowned, but didn't join in the laughter.

Pansy looked toward the door: "Aren't you going out?"

Draco replied stiffly: "Why would I want to embarrass myself with Flint?"

Zabini closed the candy box: "I'll record this sentence in today's miracles."

Draco glared at him, but didn't retort.

Nott opened the old book and added a line with his pencil in the blank space: "Harry, strong reaction to Dementors. Granger, stable reaction. Allen, Dementors ineffective but manifested as drowsiness. Lupin has noticed."

Allen looked at him: "Cross out the last sentence."

Nott looked up: "Archives need to be accurate."

"Accurate doesn't mean writing it for others to see," Allen pressed a knut to the corner of the page, "From now on, when you record me, only write 'sleeping'."

Nott looked at the knut, and after a moment, changed the line to: Allen, slept during the journey. Lupin observed.

Draco leaned over to look, and his expression improved slightly: "That's better. Sleeping sounds at least less scary."

"You're wrong," Zabini propped his elbows on the back of the chair, "Being able to sleep next to a Dementor is scary in itself."

Draco was just about to curse when a gust of cold wind suddenly came from the Dungeon entrance. Someone opened the stone door outside, and lower-year students squeezed in, their faces pale, still talking about Dementors guarding the Castle gates.

"They are outside the door," a first-year girl said with a sobbing tone, "I saw Black cloaks, floating by the lake."

Pansy immediately walked over and pressed the person onto the sofa: "Don't scream. Drink some water. Slytherin is not Gryffindor, don't go shouting in the Common Room."

Draco looked over there, his voice lowered: "Will they really guard the school?"

"The Ministry of Magic will say it's for safety," Nott closed the book, "Dumbledore will object, but he won't drive them away immediately."

Zabini added: "Parents will argue, newspapers will curse Black, and Fudge will put on a face that says he's very busy."

Allen leaned back into the chair, drowsiness crawling up his spine. The chill brought by the Dementors was ineffective against him, but it touched the outer layer of his Portable Space. Peter's cage could block it once, and it could block it a second time, but if the Dementors were to be stationed at Hogwarts, the number of tests would increase.

"There are Dementors outside the door, Lupin in the Castle, and Granger has started combat," Allen compressed the three lines together in his mind, "Black hasn't even entered the field, and the game is already in chaos."

Draco was still looking at him: "You're going to sleep again?"

"Mm."

"At least tell me, what should we do tomorrow?"

Allen closed his eyes, his voice dropping low: "Go to class. Eat. Don't go near the shadows outside the door. Watch your mouth."

Zabini sighed: "Sounds like a very Malfoy survival guide."

Draco picked up a cushion and threw it at him.

Allen didn't open his eyes. Inside the Portable Space, the Void's tail tip pressed down on the circle next to Hermione's name, its silver eyes facing the darkness to the north.

Outside the Castle, the chill settled on the surface of the lake.

Inside the Castle, the one who infers had already picked up her wand.