Brook's Mysterious Origins

"How did you know? Are you a wizard too?" Brook asked.

"I went to Eton College to look for you, but there was no record of you. I believe you wouldn't lie to me, so there was only one possibility: that school was somewhere you couldn't mention."

A trace of melancholy flashed through Oliver's eyes. "Neither your mother nor I am. Our branch actually came from the Bones family, one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. Your grandfather was a Squib, which was why he came to the Muggle world to make a living."

He grabbed Brook by the shoulders. "Brook, I'm truly happy right now."

Brook felt uncomfortable under Oliver's burning gaze.

Perhaps this was his uncle's obsession.

He suddenly remembered what Dumbledore had said: he had a distant relative who was a wizard.

At the time, he had thought Dumbledore simply didn't want to investigate further and was giving him an out.

So he really did have such a distant relative!

"Brook, do you want to return to the family?" Oliver asked expectantly.

Brook fell silent for a moment. "Uncle, how many people are left in the Bones family now?"

"The Bones family has declined. Aside from our branch, there are probably only four or five people left. But I haven't been in contact with them for a long time, so I don't know the specifics."

"Then let me learn more about it first."

Brook didn't feel much resistance toward returning to the family.

The Bones family had few members.

If he could inherit some property or something, of course he wouldn't refuse.

But if there were too many troubles and no money to speak of, he'd have to be sick to go back.

"Think it over carefully. There's no rush, no rush." Oliver misunderstood him.

He thought Brook resented the family for abandoning them, which was why he was unwilling to return.

However, it wasn't a good time for him to persuade Brook either.

He needed to give Brook some time to process things and take it slowly.

"By the way, you want these fruit trees to put in equipment enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm, right?"

"Yes. Hogwarts has too little variety in vegetables and fruit. I want to grow some so I can eat them whenever I want," Brook explained.

"Good. I don't have much else here, but I have plenty of vegetables and fruit. Take whatever catches your eye. Do you need me to call someone over to help?"

"No need. I can handle it, and it's best if no one sees."

"All right. I'll send word immediately and give everyone the day off. The entire farm is yours to do with as you please."

Once everyone at the farm had left, Brook got to work.

Strawberries, cherries, plums, currants, mulberries, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, dahlias, raspberries, and more.

He transplanted every variety from the farm into the ring.

By the time he finished, it was deep into the night.

He also asked Oliver for many books on planting and caring for these plants.

He didn't want the farm he had worked so hard to build to become neglected after only a few days.

He looked over the vast farm he had created with his own hands.

It would be even more perfect with a few of those... things.

By the time Brook returned to his Hogwarts dormitory, the antique clock on the wall was already pointing to one in the morning.

The others in the dormitory were already deep in dreams.

Ron's snores and Neville's teeth grinding rose and fell in turn.

Brook couldn't even be bothered to take off his clothes before collapsing headfirst onto the bed.

He was truly exhausted.

Originally, he had thought that taking a little of each kind of fruit and vegetable would be enough.

After all, including Hermione, Hagrid, and the Weasley twins, preparing enough for ten people would be more than sufficient.

But Oliver seemed afraid he wouldn't have enough to eat. He gave him a hundred cherry trees alone.

The vegetables in his ring were even more staggering in number. He had created two hundred greenhouses just for them.

Well, that settled it. Forget ten people—even all of Hogwarts wouldn't be able to finish them.

Now he was even more worried.

These vegetables and fruit trees weren't something he could just leave alone and call it done.

Fertilizing, watering, harvesting, pruning... none of it could be neglected.

It seemed he had to speak with Dumbledore.

"Forget it. Sleep first."

If you can't find it by searching the book title, try searching for the author. It may have simply been renamed!

Brook muttered to himself.

He had just closed his eyes when he suddenly sat up again.

He seemed to have forgotten something very important.

Brook hurriedly got up, left the dormitory, and rushed to the Gryffindor common room.

The fire in the common room was nearly out by then, with only faint sparks flickering.

In a corner, one lamp was still lit.

A little girl in pink pajamas was sprawled over the table, sleeping soundly.

Brook: ε=(´ο｀*))) Sigh~

Hermione knew he had gone out today.

He had guessed that the little girl would wait for him.

But he hadn't expected that, even this late, she would still be holding out just to wait for him to return.

He walked over and gently nudged Hermione. "Hermione, wake up. Go back to bed and sleep."

Hermione opened her eyes groggily. When she saw Brook, she instantly became a little more alert.

"Brook, you're back!"

"If you're sleepy, go back and sleep. Why did you have to wait? What if I didn't come back at all tonight?" Brook said with slight reproach.

Hermione: (ꈍᴗꈍ)

She lifted her little chin, exposing her fair neck, and stubbornly said, "Who was waiting for you? I was just reading too late and wanted to rest for a while. I only fell asleep by accident."

Brook: ╮(╯▽╰)╭

"Then Lady Hermione, please hurry back to sleep. Don't catch a chill."

The weather had already turned cooler, and the common room wasn't very warm.

It wouldn't be good if Hermione got sick from the cold.

"I'm not stupid."

Hermione smiled smugly and pulled a small tin can from her robes.

Inside, a cluster of bluebell-like flames burned, constantly providing her with warmth.

Brook rubbed her little head. "You're very smart."

"Was Hogsmeade fun? You came back so late," Hermione asked, looking suspicious.

The shops should have closed long ago at this hour.

What bad thing had Brook been up to, coming back so late?

"It was all right. I mainly went back to London to see my uncle."

Brook chose to tell the truth.

This little girl was clever. She wasn't easy to fool.

More importantly, there was no need to hide it. Sooner or later, she would find out.

"Oliver? You went to get vegetables, didn't you?"

Hermione had seen Oliver several times when she used to visit Brook, and she knew he was a farm owner.

"Yes. From now on, we'll have more fruit and vegetables than we can eat."

Hermione: (✧◡✧)

What girl didn't like fruit?

They didn't eat it at Hogwarts only because there wasn't any.

Brook took out a large bag of sweets and handed it to Hermione.

"A gift for you. I bought it at Honeydukes."

Hermione looked at the bag of sweets, which was bigger than her head. "Why did you buy so much? I can't finish it."

"Who said you had to eat it alone? Share some with your roommates," Brook explained. "Gifts soften people's hands, and food softens their mouths. Snacks can quickly help you get closer to them."

Hermione nodded.

Her relationship with her roommates wasn't bad, exactly, but they truly had little in common to talk about, so she was subtly excluded by them.

Instead, she got along very well with Cho, the Ravenclaw senior she had recently met.

Though she didn't care—or perhaps she had already grown used to it.

Still, the fact that Brook had noticed made her heart feel sweet.

"Brook, you've been busy all day. You must be tired too, so hurry and get some rest," Hermione said with a yawn.

"Mm. You should sleep early too," Brook replied.

Hugging the huge bag of sweets, Hermione walked contentedly toward the girls' dormitory.