The Owl's Shadow and the Starlight of the Orange Cake

The apple tree's shadow quietly shifted on the picnic blanket, covering the two figures sitting side-by-side. Linley's palm rested on Hermione's slightly cool hand, his fingertips conveying the warmth of the sun. Hermione didn't pull her hand away; a blush spread from her cheeks to her earlobes, like a ripe strawberry. The leaves rustled, as if humming a gentle prelude to the tranquil afternoon.

Aunt Monica appeared at the kitchen doorway, holding a fruit salad. Her smile paused for a moment upon seeing the two figures nestled under the tree, then transformed into a deeper one. "Fruit's here! If I don't bring it soon, the birds will be drawn by my singing!" she teased, walking closer and breaking the gossamer-thin ambiguity.

Hermione snatched her hand back as if scalded, her cheeks burning so red they could almost bleed. She fumbled to take the fruit bowl. "Thanks, Mom!" Linley naturally withdrew his hand, the lingering softness on his fingertips like tiny electric currents spreading to the depths of his heart. He silently took the fork Hermione offered, speared a piece of melon coated in glistening syrup, and the sweet juice melted on his tongue, washing away the momentary flutter and the subsequent hint of awkwardness.

The afternoon hours flowed slowly under the shade of the tree. Hermione tried to refocus her attention on her "Magic Nourishment Plan," excitedly discussing the synergistic effects of a potion with a trace amount of unicorn hair (legal, of course). Linley listened quietly, nodding occasionally, but his gaze kept drifting to her slightly flushed cheeks from excitement and her curly hair that swayed as she explained. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dancing in her hair like flecks of gold.

It wasn't until the sunset painted the sky orange-pink and the shadows stretched long that they packed up and returned inside. The enticing aroma of stew wafted from the kitchen, and Uncle Wendell was sitting on the sofa watching the evening news.

The dinner atmosphere remained warm and harmonious. Linley even proactively took a second helping of the beef stew Aunt Monica had made. After the meal, he offered to help clear the dishes, his movements a bit clumsy but exceptionally earnest. Hermione stood beside him, drying plates, their arms occasionally brushing, sending a subtle, unspoken current through the air.

"Linley, could you help me take this to the attic storage room? It's right above your room," Uncle Wendell said, handing him a cardboard box filled with old photo albums.

"Sure," Linley replied, taking the box.

The narrow stairs to the attic were at the end of the hallway. Linley, carrying the box, stepped onto the creaking wooden steps. The attic was dimly lit, filled with dusty old furniture, suitcases, and some holiday decorations. He found the spot Uncle Wendell mentioned and carefully placed the box down. Just as he was about to leave, an inconspicuous old wooden chest in the corner caught his eye. The lid was half-open, revealing some yellowed papers and... a book with a dark purple hardcover, a raven holding a scroll emblem embossed on the bottom right corner.

Snape's private potion notes?!

Linley's heart leaped. How could it be here? Was it something Dumbledore missed when he had Quirrell's office cleared out after that incident? Or... did someone deliberately put it here?

He held his breath and gently pulled the book out. The familiar, sharp scent of potion ingredients mixed with the smell of old paper wafted towards him. He quickly flipped through the pages, his eyes sharply scanning the dense notes. Soon, he found several key pages marked by Quirrell's trembling pencil – passages about suppressing parasites, Devil's Snare, and Fluffy's weaknesses. But beyond that, in the last few pages, Snape had recorded something entirely different in a more hurried, more secretive script:

＞...Star Power, originating from bloodline, connecting with the cosmos. Its source damage cannot be healed by external potions; it requires resonating with starlight, guided by pure intent, to reshape the pathways...

＞...Moonpetal Stone, a companion artifact, resonating with Star Stone, could possibly serve as a medium to induce starlight resonance...

＞...Forced activation will inevitably lead to backlash, like draining a pond to catch fish...

Linley's pupils contracted sharply! Snape had actually researched Star Power! And his conclusions aligned perfectly with what Dumbledore had said and what Hermione was doing! He even mentioned the possibility of the Moon White Stone (Moonpetal Stone) as a medium!

The value of this book far exceeded his imagination! It not only validated part of Hermione's potion direction but might also hold the key to accelerating recovery! Linley's heart pounded as he quickly tucked the book under the hem of his loose t-shirt, closed the wooden chest, and walked downstairs as if nothing had happened.

Back in his room, Linley locked the door and sat down at his desk, studying the book carefully under the desk lamp. Snape's notes were profound and obscure, filled with bold speculations about the nature of Star Power and dangerous experimental deductions. Some of the extreme methods for "inducing starlight resonance" made Linley frown deeply. But the core idea was clear: the self-healing of the Star Origin required a combination of internal and external factors. Pure intent (protection? desire?) and the resonance of the Moon White Stone were the key catalysts. External forces could only aid in gentle nourishment; they could never interfere forcefully.

He was engrossed in his reading when a soft knock came at the door. "Linley? Are you asleep?"

It was Hermione. Linley quickly closed the book, shoved it to the bottom of his desk drawer, and got up to open the door.

Hermione stood at the doorway, holding her pillow and wearing pajamas with a cat pattern. Hesitation and worry flickered across her face. "I... I can't sleep very well. I heard you come upstairs just now... Are you okay?" Her gaze unconsciously swept over Linley's slightly somber expression.

"I'm fine," Linley said, stepping aside to let her in. "Just looking at something."

Hermione entered the room and naturally sat cross-legged on his deep blue star-and-moon bedspread, hugging her pillow. "Is it about magic recovery?" she asked softly, her eyes filled with concern. "Was I... too hasty this afternoon? The unicorn hair idea might have been a bit risky..."

Linley sat down beside her, the mattress dipping slightly. "Your direction is correct," he said calmly, relaying the core conclusions from Snape's notes about Moon White Stone resonance and intent guidance in the simplest terms. "Snape's notes mentioned similar points. External nourishment is the foundation; the core lies in the source's self-healing and... intent guidance." He omitted the book's origin and the dangerous methods.

Hermione's eyes lit up instantly, like stars igniting in the night sky. "Really? Professor Snape said so too?!" Immense joy dispelled her previous anxiety. "Then my potion idea isn't wrong! It just needs to be gentler, focusing more on guidance..." She excitedly grabbed Linley's arm. "Intent guidance! The will to protect... or a strong desire? Like Headmaster Dumbledore hinted?" Her brown eyes sparkled with pure light under the lamp, full of eager inquiry.

Linley looked at her face, flushed red from excitement, felt the warmth of her fingertips and her unreserved concern and trust. A strong impulse surged within him; he wanted to tell her the book was in the drawer, to study those profound theories together. But reason immediately suppressed the thought. The origin of Snape's notes was inexplicable, and she couldn't know about the dangerous deductions involved.

He could only nod, avoiding her overly bright, inquisitive gaze. "Mm. It will take time."

"That's okay!" Hermione immediately declared, her tone exceptionally firm. "We have plenty of time! I'll be with you! Starting tomorrow, we'll adjust the potion formula, remove the unicorn hair, and add more calming ingredients like lavender and chamomile! For intent guidance..." She bit her lower lip, thinking. "Maybe we can try meditation? Or... hmm... thinking about particularly happy things?"

"Like what?" Linley's voice held a subtle hint of guidance.

"Like..." Hermione's cheeks flushed again, and her voice grew quieter. "Like... orange cake?" She quickly glanced up at Linley, then lowered her head, unconsciously twisting the corner of her pillow. "Or... or swans in the park? Or... sunshine under the apple tree?" Her voice grew softer with each "like," each word a small pebble dropped into Linley's still heart, creating warm ripples.

Linley remained silent, simply watching her. The warm yellow lamplight outlined her soft features, her fluffy curls falling onto her shoulders, and a sliver of her fair neck visible at the collar of her pajamas. The air was filled with her faint, fresh scent, like freshly cut grass warmed by the sun. An unprecedented sense of peace and contentment, like a warm tide, slowly enveloped him.

"Mm," he finally responded softly after a long pause. This "Mm" contained so much—acknowledgment of her suggestion, cherishing of her companionship, and a hint of deep tenderness he hadn't even realized himself.

Hermione secretly breathed a sigh of relief at his response, the corners of her mouth involuntarily turning up. She hugged her pillow, leaning back against the headboard, feeling drowsy as the comforting atmosphere washed over her. She let out a small yawn, her eyelids beginning to droop.

"You should go back to sleep," Linley reminded her.

"Just a little longer..." Hermione's voice was thick with sleepiness, like a spoiled kitten. "Just a little while... after you drink your bedtime potion for today..." She forced herself to stay awake, pointing to the blue vial labeled "Calming" on the desk.

Linley picked up the vial, removed the stopper, and drank it in one gulp. The cool, slightly sweet liquid slid down his throat, bringing a soothing sense of relaxation. He put down the vial and turned, only to find Hermione already asleep, hugging her pillow and leaning against the headboard, her breathing even and deep.

Under the warm yellow light, her sleeping face was unguarded, her long eyelashes casting dense shadows beneath her eyes. Her cheeks still held a faint blush, and her lips were slightly upturned, as if dreaming sweet dreams. A few strands of brown curly hair playfully clung to her smooth forehead.

Linley's heart skipped a beat. He didn't wake her, but gently got up, carefully pulling his own quilt over her. His fingertips brushed against the strands of hair scattered by her pillow, their touch as soft as the finest silk. He gazed at her sleeping face, his chest filling with an unprecedented, overwhelming warmth. The Star Stone beneath his pajamas pulsed with a clear, warm throb, as if touched by the quiet warmth.

He turned off the glaring desk lamp, leaving only a very dim nightlight by the bedside. Then, he pulled the chair from the desk and sat by the bed, picking up "Advanced Algebra Explained" that Hermione had left open on the table that afternoon, and began to read quietly in the dim light.

Only the faint sound of occasionally turning pages and their synchronized, steady breaths filled the room. Outside the window, a bright moon had risen to its zenith, its silvery light spilling through the sheer curtains, casting hazy patches of light on the floor. The Moon White Stone around Hermione's neck and the Star Stone on Linley's chest pulsed with synchronized, warm light in the quiet night, like breathing.

The night deepened, peaceful and serene. Until—

Knock, knock, knock!

A rapid, loud knocking sound suddenly shattered the tranquility! The sound came from Linley's room window!

Linley instantly became alert, put down his book, and silently got up and walked to the window. Hermione was also woken by the sound, groggily rubbing her eyes and sitting up. "...What was that sound?"

Linley pulled back a corner of the curtain. Outside the window, a sturdy, sharp-eyed barn owl was urgently tapping the glass with its beak, firmly gripping a thick, dark purple envelope bearing the official crest of the Ministry of Magic in its claws! The envelope was inscribed in elegant, cold lettering:

＞For Mr. Linley Evans

＞(Address: London, Residence of Wendell and Monica Granger)

＞(Urgent Special Delivery by Ministry Owl)

The Ministry! It's finally here!

Linley's eyes instantly sharpened like knives, and a frosty expression settled on his calm face. The Star Stone on his chest seemed to sense the fluctuation in his master's emotions, suddenly emitting a cold, stinging sensation that served as a warning.

He took a deep breath, and under Hermione's bewildered gaze, he abruptly pushed open the window.