The Summer of 1992 Begins

Harry and Ron hugged and cheered.

The sudden bonus swept away all his worries, and even the inability to use magic and the thought of returning to Privet Drive for the holidays became less upsetting.

"Hermione Granger! Queen of Gryffindor!" George and Fred shouted, making the shy little Witch even more hesitant to look up.

The lion cubs were jumping up and down around the dining table, making a racket that nearly lifted the Great Hall upside down.

"I hereby declare Gryffindor House the winner of the House Cup!"

Dumbledore had to shout to drown out the thunderous cheers, "This means we need to make some minor changes to the decor here."

He clapped his hands, and the blue and bronze hanging ribbons turned into bright red and gold, and the Ravenclaw eagle on the banner became a majestic Gryffindor lion.

The banner's message was changed to "Heroic and fearless, risking one's life."

The banquet began amidst cheers, and the Great Hall erupted in another round of deafening applause as the young Gryffindor wizards tossed their pointed wizard hats into the starry dome.

At the High Table, Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall clinked glasses, and Professor McGonagall downed the wine in her glass in one gulp; everyone knew she was overjoyed.

Hagrid raised his oversized beer mug and joined the students in a wide grin and cheers.

Hermione had barely raised her head when Loren leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Hermione Granger, Queen of Gryffindor ~"

"Ah~" Hermione let out a soft, shy moan, her voice gentle and tender, and then buried her head in her arms.

Loren happily munched on the pig's head he had been craving, and seeing Hermione's shy expression, he thought he could keep calling her that until next year.

Ron started telling Seamus stories again, this time reviewing the entire school year, from the trolls of Halloween Night to Professor Quirrell at the end of the semester.

"Every time, I played a crucial role." A smug expression beamed on his face as he vividly depicted various perilous scenes with his hands: the troll's flying kick, Quirrell's Dark Arts.

The Twins, unusually, didn't make a fuss. While eating, they carefully memorized the dangerous parts of Ron's story.

Guess which story Mom will like?

"Guess how many days Ronnie will be in bed?"

George and Fred exchanged a glance, then chuckled. Clearly, Ron had no idea he was once again in danger.

Hermione finally calmed down, and she looked up as she smelled the aroma of the food.

"Hermione Granger, Queen of Gryffindor ~" Loren leaned closer again, testing the limits of danger.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him and snatched all the food from his plate, except for the pig's head.

Colorful ornaments reflected starlight in the golden candlelight, a festive atmosphere filled the air, and laughter filled the clinking of glasses.

The magic candles on the table and candlesticks burned longer and longer, and the sweetness of the pudding and cream seemed to reach into one's dreams, so sweet that even the moon smiled crescent-shaped.

After the Year-End Feast, time seems to have sprouted wings and flies by.

On a leisurely morning, Loren and Hermione were huddled together in a corner of the common room, heads close together, bangs brushing against each other. They were exchanging tips on Counter-charms.

The two people's bangs touched, giving each other a fluffy feeling.

Loren smelled the scent emanating from Hermione; it was a refreshing minty fragrance, and he couldn't tell if it was Wizarding World shampoo or Muggle.

Hermione, on the other hand, smelled a fresh orange scent on Loren, which was from the fruit he ate for breakfast.

The story begins in the morning. They were all leaning against the window to watch the sunrise, and even after the sunrise, they were still chatting. Before they knew it, they had gone from leaning against the window to huddling together in a corner.

The two talked about everything from camping to skiing on ranches, from Andersen Poet Beedle, then about investing and what small businesses would be suitable for the Wizarding World, and finally it turned into a learning exchange.

No one knows how long they talked, but the sun is high in the sky outside.

"There are two types of Counter-charms spells: one is the basic Finite Incantatem, and the other is Finite. This is a rare spell that reduces the difficulty of casting by adding qualifiers." Hermione's voice was soft, and her breath brushed against Loren's face as she spoke.

They seemed like spies exchanging coded messages, and Loren's voice was low as he said, "I understand, but I have a question."

"You say."

"Why do we have to speak in hushed tones like thieves?" Loren's breath tickled Hermione's face.

"Have no idea."

Hermione looked up at Loren, and Loren looked back at Hermione. Their calm gazes crumbled the moment they met, and then they burst into laughter, laughing so hard they were doubled over.

Hermione didn't want to laugh, but she couldn't help it when she saw Loren laugh.

It seemed that huddled up there whispering was some incredible joke, and they laughed until tears welled up in their eyes before they stopped.

"Hermione! Loren!" Neville's voice came from the doorway of the lounge, shattering the tender moment between the two.

They scrambled to their feet and ran in a panic to Neville, as if fleeing from something.

"Why are you blushing?" Neville asked the two men, holding a stack of parchment in his hand.

Hermione didn't say anything, just kept smoothing her hair behind her ear. She thought to herself, "That's just how curly hair is; it's just hard to manage, there's no doubt about that."

"Nothing," Loren said with a serious expression. "Did you call us for something?"

Neville was still somewhat suspicious, but he didn't press the matter. He handed them the first two sheets of parchment, saying, "The final exam results are in. You're first, and second—"

Before he could finish speaking, Hermione screamed and snatched the Grade Report, eagerly checking it out.

The commotion was quickly noticed by the other young wizards, who screamed and rushed over to surround Neville, scrambling to grab their Grade Report.

"Don't grab! One at a time..." Neville's voice was drowned out by the crowd.

Hermione happily checked her Grade Report, and unsurprisingly, she was number one, with a perfect score of 0 in every subject.

Hermione was overwhelmed by this sudden surprise, her face flushed with excitement. Even her most dreaded Charms, Charms, was an O; Professor Flitwick hadn't deducted points for the pineapple's incorrect dance.

Loren glanced at the Grade Report; every subject was an O, but his actual score was probably a bit lower than Hermione's, so he was ranked second.

Hermione was still engrossed in looking at her Grade Report, a smile playing on her lips. "Transfiguration, O. Charms, O..."

"Are you relieved now, Your Majesty the Queen of Gryffindor?" Loren whispered as he leaned closer.

Then he got an elbow from Hermione.

During lunch, everyone was talking about grades.

Harry and Ron passed their exams with high marks, getting O's in all subjects except Potions Master and Herbology. Neville also passed easily, achieving an excellent grade in Herbology.

"I don't understand why even the troll Goyle could pass the test." Harry asked this question seriously; he wasn't joking, he was genuinely puzzled.

Goyle, a notorious idiot from Slytherin, had previously been the subject of Harry's belief that he would fail his exams and be expelled. He had been eagerly anticipating this, as Goyle was also one of Malfoy's sidekicks.

"Oh, Harry, you should know," Ron said, like a wise philosopher, "That life isn't always smooth sailing."

Harry recalled the past few days of winning the House Cup and passing the exams with high marks, and finally nodded seriously, agreeing with this statement.

Loren listened intently for a while, and from Hufflepuff to Slytherin, not a single one was unqualified.

He began to ponder: Did Hogwarts really have any screening measures?

It seems like anyone who takes the exam can graduate; I've never even heard of repeating a year.

No wonder each generation is worse than the last; the "happy education" approach is harmful. The Wizarding World is doomed.

The Grade Report was the last thing left at school, and it seemed like suddenly, all the young wizards had packed their bags. Notices were sent to each young wizard, telling them when school would start, what to prepare for the next school year, and warning them not to use magic during the holidays.

That morning, after breakfast, the young wizards walked out of the Castle gates one after another to the platform across the Black Lake to board the Hogwarts Express.

Hogwarts Castle is surrounded by Mountainous Area and lakes, and summer mornings are always filled with a thin mist and water vapor, making them very cool.

Loren and Hermione lagged behind the group, walking slowly forward.

Hermione repacked her luggage, putting everything into a small purple linen handbag, leaving only a few clothes in her only suitcase as a formality.

"For some reasons I can't disclose right now, I have to stay at the school for a few more days before taking the Dumbledore Express Train back," Loren said.

He wanted to try using the Sorcerer's Stone to heal Nagini.

Hermione ignored the lame joke. She knew that Loren was always mysterious, Dumbledore must have kept many secrets if he gave him the Sorcerer's Stone.

"I really don't know why, even though you're a little wizard from Muggle family," Hermione complained. She thought the two of them could still eat snacks together in the carriage like they did when school started.

"Don't worry, I might visit your house soon." Loren said with a hint of helplessness. Grandpa Bates' return date was uncertain, and he might have to seek refuge with Hermione at that time.

Summer vacation is a longer holiday than Christmas, and the sadness of parting is even stronger than before.

Perhaps it was the moist, fresh air, or perhaps it was the thought that they would see each other soon, but Hermione sniffed and felt much better.

Seeing the platform ahead in the distance, Loren stopped. "I'll leave you here. Well then, Miss Granger, have a pleasant holiday."

Hermione's voice was muffled. "Goodbye."

But soon, all her frustration and dissatisfaction were pushed out by a hug. Hermione smelled an orange scent and inexplicably thought that Loren must really like oranges.

Hermione couldn't remember how she boarded the train or how she explained to Harry and Ron that Loren would be staying for a few more days.

In a daze, the countryside outside the train window became increasingly lush and tidy. They saw Muggle towns rushing past, and the train soon came to a stop at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters at King's Cross Station.

Hermione, Harry, and Ron walked out of the wall together and said goodbye at the exit back to the Muggle world.

"Remember to come over to our house during summer vacation." Ron was still chewing on Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, his face full of excitement for the upcoming holidays. "I'll send an owl to invite you, and Loren too."

"I'm really looking forward to it. I need something to look forward to during this long holiday," Harry said listlessly.

"Goodbye! Have a great holiday!" Hermione had already seen her parents, and she quickly ran over, pulling her empty suitcase and carrying her small purple bag.

Harry and Ron were jostled by the crowd, anxiously searching for their family.

"He's there, Mom! Look, he's there!" a clear voice rang out. "Harry Potter! I see him!"

Mrs. Weasley appeared before them, leading another little girl with pink hair.

"Oh, so my sister didn't see her brother first," Ron said sourly.

But no one paid him any attention; Mrs. Weasley was chatting with Harry, the two of them like a close mother and son.

"You've had a busy year, haven't you?"

"Yes, thank you for the fudge and sweater."

"Honey, that's nothing."

"This is Ginny, she'll be starting school next year," Mrs. Weasley introduced, pulling the little girl beside her.

"Hello, Harry, very... very..." The little girl's face was almost as red as her hair.

Harry didn't hear what came next and assumed it was an extremely shy girl. "Ginny, it's nice to meet you."

Ginny blushed even more and moved to hide behind Mrs. Weasley.

Ron watched this scene expressionlessly, as if he were the outsider.

Soon the Twins and Percy arrived, and Harry watched as the lively, red-haired group slowly walked away.

"Ready? Harry, we're going to ride the motorcycles back to Privet Drive." A lively voice rang out.

Harry whirled around, staring incredulously at the man in black before him. "Sirius Black! What are you doing here?!"

"Ha! You didn't expect that, did you? I bought a house on Privet Drive..."

The first school year, filled with magic and miracles, came to an end, and the summer vacation of 1992 began.

The Hogwarts Headmaster's office.

Dumbledore and Loren sat facing each other across the desk, which, unlike its usual state of being piled high with documents, was now empty except for two cups of tea and an upside-down hat.

Loren looked at the mud on the outside of the hat and the shrunken snake coiled inside. "So, she's been using the hat as her nest?"

Dumbledore took a sip of tea and smiled. "It seems she appreciates my taste, even though I haven't worn this hat much since I turned 70."

"What are your thoughts on how to turn back?" Loren asked. "This is the answer I received from someone who can't speak."

Loren pointed to the red dot between his eyebrows.

Flamel only said that he was qualified to use the Sorcerer's Stone, and perhaps could use Nicol's Sorcerer's Stone to heal Werewolf and Blood Cursed Beastman, but he didn't know about the ritual.

A more long-term solution would be to pursue biotransformation, allowing the Sorcerer's Stone belonging to Loren to perform biotransformation and create Bates and Nagini. But no one knows how far that will take.

In the vision in the Book of Abraham, Loren sought answers from the mysterious being, Mary in the mirror, and received a blood mole between his eyebrows, but he didn't know how to use it.