The Next Day

Loren felt a pang of unease upon hearing this.

Because of the ceremony, he had originally planned to happily learn from Flamel, perhaps only refining the Sorcerer's Stone when he was middle-aged.

In the end, we came full circle and ended up back where we started, still having to follow the old path of crafting Sorcerer's Stone.

Flamel stacked the books beside him into a pile. "You haven't been studying very hard lately. I thought you were really planning to take a summer vacation and were studying the basics of bel canto. It turns out you've found another way to treat Werewolf Disease."

He looked very regretful.

Loren watched Flamel's actions and asked with a puzzled look, "At school, there was a time when I neglected my studies because of Professor Snape, and you seemed very anxious."

That was the first time he squeezed out snake venom. He was so exhausted that he couldn't concentrate on his studies. Flamel's expression was contorted and his voice was Transfiguration with anger.

Loren said, "Why is it that now you seem to want a vacation?"

After the books were neatly stacked, Flamel gave them a gentle push, and they floated up to the bookshelf.

Flamel explained slowly, "I originally hoped you would forge the Sorcerer's Stone as soon as possible, but then I realized that you are just an underage wizard and there are many things you can't do. Rushing will not help you decipher the book or forge the Sorcerer's Stone."

Loren scrutinized Flamel; his situation was quite unusual.

Loren often joked that Flamel was an artificial intelligence that could be reset to factory settings. This was because while regular Magical portrait possessed the memories and personality of their creators, they would not change once the settings were completed.

While the experience of having one's portrait drawn later may become a unique memory associated with that portrait, it will not affect one's personality or beliefs.

Just like the portraits of past headmasters in Dumbledore's office, they were always arguing. Headmasters from Gryffindor House always harbored resentment towards headmasters from Slytherin House. This never changed.

Flamel seems to genuinely possess independent thinking abilities, and his memory influences his viewpoints and personality.

"So you're planning on 'happy education'?" Loren asked, his eyes wide.

Flamel said calmly, "I just realized I shouldn't pressure you. Life is long, but the good times are always short. You should do the right thing at the right age."

He tapped Loren's head. "Especially since your lifespan might be very long, extremely long, long enough that you'll spend more time remembering than being remembered, just like Nicol. You gain treasure, but you lose other things in the process."

Loren found it strange that his lifespan was so long. He couldn't use Nicol's Sorcerer's Stone to concoct Elixir of Life, and the Sorcerer's Stone that was meant for him in the future was nowhere to be seen. Even if he did manage to concoct it, its properties wouldn't be related to immortality.

Thinking this, he asked it directly.

Flamel wore a gentle smile, "Even with an average lifespan, one should do the right thing at the right age, so that there will be no regrets when looking back."

Loren seemed to understand but not quite. He wasn't old enough to reminisce about the past yet, and said, "But I still want to get the Sorcerer's Stone as soon as possible."

"Let's start learning tomorrow," Flamel said, offering no advice but reassuringly. "Don't rush. Hebrew, Alchemy, and Human Transmutation —these things take time to learn."

After talking with Flamel for a while, Loren felt more at ease, and the two of them jointly developed a study plan.

Hebrew is for understanding the contents of the Book of Abraham. Over the past year, Loren has learned a general understanding, and after reviewing and consolidating for a period of time, he will be able to try translating the contents of the book.

Alchemy is a preparation for crafting the Sorcerer's Stone. Loren is now an apprentice, and he can learn it slowly.

Human Transmutation was an area Nicol hadn't explored either. The Library's information was outdated for Loren; he needed to find his own way.

"I have other plans regarding knowledge about the human body," Loren said casually.

Anatomy in the 16th century was considered introductory material; human medical knowledge today is far more advanced.

Loren waved and disappeared from the spot.

Flamel gazed at the spot where Loren's consciousness had dissipated and murmured, "The future? Who can say for sure?"

"Ah!" Loren was startled when he opened his eyes and saw Hermione's face.

Hermione was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking down at him with great interest as he slept. The girl's warm breath brushed against his face, along with the scent of shampoo and shower gel.

"What are you doing? When did you come in?" Loren propped himself up and sat up.

Hermione, dressed in a cream-colored nightgown, had a fleeting look of panic at being caught red-handed, but she quickly suppressed it. She blinked and said seriously, "I knocked on the door for a long time, but you didn't respond. I was worried, so I came in to check on you."

Loren tilted his head slightly, looking at her red ear tips with suspicion.

Hermione glanced at the book beside him and the crumpled letter in his other hand, and said, "I heard a knocking on the window, and then I saw an owl fly away. Is something wrong?"

"Who wrote the letter, Headmaster Dumbledore? But he only brought you here today. Grandpa Bates? No, he doesn't have an owl. Then who was it..."

When it came to serious matters, Hermione regained her composure and rattled off a string of words.

Loren felt a warm current flow through his heart as he listened to the girl's chattering voice.

The two slid off the bed and plopped down on the carpet, back to back and shoulder to shoulder.

Loren unfolded the crumpled letter. "A letter from Headmaster Dumbledore. We previously found a cure for Werewolf Disease, but Dumbledore discovered that it seems to only last for a few years."

Loren sighed heavily. "That's why I'm not very happy."

"A few years?" Hermione leaned closer to look at Dumbledore's letter, but it didn't specify a timeframe.

Hermione patted Loren on the shoulder, comforting him, "A few years is a good time, Grandpa Bates is only a few years old..."

At this point, Hermione paused, realizing that it wasn't a good idea to say it like that.

Loren understood what she meant. Grandpa Bates was in his seventies or eighties this year. Even if he could live to be a centenarian like Dumbledore, he would only need treatment every few years. If it was once every five years, he would only need four or five treatments. If it was once every ten years, he would only need one or two treatments.

Loren knew that this idea was correct, and even Grandpa Bates himself would accept it.

This kind Werewolf chronic illness only requires treatment once every few years, which is much better than the cardiovascular problems, diabetes, and joint diseases that are common among elderly people of this age.

Moreover, the materials and process of the ceremony are not complicated, and the treatment process is not painful, even easier than some hospital physical examinations.

Loren, however, harbored a deep-seated desire to permanently cure Grandpa Bates ' Werewolf Disease in one fell swoop.

After being comforted by Dumbledore's letter and having a conversation with Flamel, Loren was much less fixated on his problems and felt much better.

Hermione discreetly observed Loren's expression and whispered, "I... I didn't mean that."

Feeling Hermione's concern, Loren laughed and nudged her with his shoulder, "That's what you meant."

"Ouch!" Hermione clutched her shoulder, saying in a cute yet fierce tone, "I was comforting you, and you bumped into me!"

Loren bumped into him again, grinning, "So what if I bumped into you?"

And they repeat this action.

Snap!

Hermione reached out, wrapped her arms around Loren's neck, and twisted her body to press him onto her lap.

"Are you still going to crash?" Hermione asked smugly.

Loren struggled for a moment, but couldn't break free. He struggled again, but was still held down firmly.

"Is this how you use Gryffindor's Gift? It's meant for fighting evil dark wizards, how can you use it on your own people?" Loren shouted, trying to get Hermione to let go.

But he misjudged the situation.

"Will you still bully me in the future?" Hermione asked.

"Just wait until I learn to Apparition, and I'll make you pay for what you've done to me tenfold!" Loren threatened, but his threat, which was being held down, was clearly ineffective.

Hermione simply repeated, "Will you still bully me in the future?"

There's an old saying in the East: "It's never too late to take revenge, even after ten years."

Will you still bully me in the future?

"Thirty years..."

Hermione didn't understand, but that didn't stop her from simply repeating, "Will you still bully me in the future?"

She didn't even really want Loren to admit defeat; it felt pretty good to bully Loren like this.

Loren struggled in every way he could, but to no avail. He finally said, "Hermione Granger, this is my last warning, let go!"

Hermione's voice was filled with excitement. She rarely had the chance to tease Loren Loren, who had played many tricks on him. "Loren Morgan, I can do this all night long—ah!"

Hermione suddenly screamed.

It turned out that Loren had bitten Hermione's leg.

The humid heat seeped through her pajama bottoms onto Hermione's skin. It didn't hurt at all, but the itchy sensation traveled down the road and into her heart, making her feel uneasy.

"Let go!" Hermione said sweetly, her tone a mix of scolding and pleading. She was both ashamed and angry, her fair face flushed red, from her neck all the way to the tips of her ears.

"Hmm! (You let go first)"

Hermione felt weak and powerless from the heat of his breath as he spoke, and she released her grip.

Loren's face and ears were red; it was truly shameful for a grown man to fight a girl using such despicable tactics. However, despite how despicable it was, it was impossible for him to promise not to tease Hermione again.

"Yes, I'm sorry," Loren stammered in his apology.

Hermione panicked, not daring to look Loren in the eye, and hurriedly ran out of the room.

Outside the window, the pale yellow moon moved shyly, hiding behind the treetops and into the clouds.

Loren lay in bed covered with a small blanket. The room was quiet, and his eyes were wide open.

Despite his young age, he suffered from insomnia; not only could he not sleep, but he was also wide awake. He stared at the ceiling for what seemed like an eternity, but Loren still couldn't fall asleep.

He got up, and using the Lumos, wrote a letter to Grandpa Bates in the dark.

[Not-so-dear Grandpa Bates:]

I hope your trip wasn't very pleasant.

Grandpa Bates, you're not the same Grandpa Bates you used to be. You don't love me anymore. I'm on holiday, and you're still engrossed in your travels, not caring at all whether I have a place to stay. I'm currently staying at a classmate's house in London, suffering all kinds of mistreatment but unable to fight back. I hope you can speed up your trip and come home soon.

If you come back soon, I'll change your treatment method so you won't have to drink that awful Wolfsbane Potion anymore.

Loren

Loren sealed the letter and was about to mail it when he remembered that Hānhan was still locked in the box and hadn't eaten all day.

He quickly took the owl cage out of his suitcase.

The Hānhan Spectacled Owl leaned weakly against the edge of its cage, its feathers ruffled, emitting pitiful "woof woof" sounds.

Loren opened the cage, carefully lifted Hānhan out, and placed it on the desk. He then took out all his food and laid it out in front of the Spectacled Owl as an apology.

"Sorry, Hānhan, this is the first time I've put you in a cage, and I just forgot." Loren broke off a biscuit and fed it to the Spectacled Owl.

It would have been better if I hadn't mentioned it, because once I did, Hānhan got even angrier, feeling both angry and aggrieved.

Hānhan: "Coo coo! Coo coo!"

"I was visiting Hermione's house and accidentally forgot about you." Loren broke the cookie into appropriately sized pieces so that Hānhan could swallow them directly, which calmed it down a lot.

Hānhan: "Coo coo! Coo coo coo!"

"No, no, I'll never put you in the box again, not even in the cage," Loren pleaded sweetly, having done something wrong.

He gently combed the owl's feathers, running his fingers from the top of its head over its neck, down to the tip of its tail, and then back down to the feathers under its chin, scratching them lightly with a soft, fluid motion.

Hānhan ate, each of its feathers was massaged with professional techniques, restoring its disheveled feathers to neatness. The owl closed its eyes in comfort.

Seeing that the time was right, Loren said, "Hānhan boy, I have a letter here that you need to deliver to Grandpa Bates."

"Goo!" Hānhan slapped his wing against that ugly face.

So you only think of me when you have something to do.

Monica came out of the Kitchen carrying slices of bread and fried luncheon meat, placed the food on the table, and flicked her finger at the Daily Mail that Wendell had held up in front of his face, blocking his entire view. "Breakfast is ready."

She gave Loren, who was sitting upright beside her, a warm smile, "I wonder if you're used to our family's breakfast."

Loren nodded obediently, "Mrs. Granger's cooking is always to my liking, and breakfast will always be the same."

After Hermione finished washing up, she came out of the bathroom and let out a cold laugh as she passed Loren: "Hmph!"

"Oh! It's strawberry jam today." Wendell spread jam on a slice of bread. "How about we go buy camping gear today? Let's go camping in Dean Forest in the summer."

Monica chimed in, "We need a bigger tent, and we need to get new Flashlight too..."

"You guys go ahead, I didn't sleep well last night, I want to sleep at home." Hermione's voice was weak, and her eye bags were slightly swollen. She didn't fall asleep until almost dawn last night, all because of that wretched Loren.

Loren paused for a moment, then said, "Me too."

The Mr. and Mrs. Granger didn't think much of it; it was an unprecedented experience for Hermione to have a classmate visit, so it was normal for her to be excited.

Hermione is doing better at Hogwarts than at her old school; she's made friends, and both of them are quite happy.

It's even more normal for Loren not to sleep well at someone else's house.

Monica said gently, "Then you two stay home, but don't sleep too long, you might have trouble sleeping again tonight."

Both of them nodded obediently.