The next morning, Hermione nibbled slowly on her bread, with Bing Huan beside her, fresh from his morning workout. "I think you've spoiled my taste buds," Hermione whispered in his ear.
"Then... how about I ask your mom and make dinner tonight?"
Hermione glanced at Mrs. Granger and saw that she wasn't paying attention. She nodded excitedly. That afternoon, just as the two adults were about to head out to buy ingredients, the kids stopped them.
Hermione stood before them with Bing Huan. "Mom, Dad, you've worked hard all year. Let us handle the Christmas dinner tonight!"
"Since when did you learn to cook, Hermione?" Mrs. Granger marveled at how much her daughter had grown. Hermione rubbed her nose. "I... I'll be helping out."
"Bing Huan is our guest. How can we let him cook?"
"It's fine, Auntie. I really enjoy cooking." After half an hour of persuading them, Bing Huan finally got the chef's spot.
"Are you sure you don't need any help, dear?" Mrs. Granger asked from the kitchen doorway. She seemed a little uncomfortable now that she suddenly had nothing to do. "Actually, there is something. Could you wait a moment?" Bing Huan had been about to politely decline, but then he remembered he hadn't decided on the evening's main dish. This was a good way to get everyone involved.
A little while later, Bing Huan brought a large lump of dough and a bowl of filling to the dining table and called everyone over. He demonstrated how to divide the dough into small pieces, roll them into dumpling wrappers, and fold them in a few common ways. "These are called dumplings. They're a staple food in China. When a family gets together, they make dumplings as a family.
"Of course, if you have ideas of your own, feel free to make them however you like. They don't have to look like mine."
After that, Bing Huan went back to the kitchen to prepare the goose. He caramelized some sugar, added the chopped, blanched goose, then tossed in scallions, garlic, and dried chilies. Next came doubanjiang and light soy sauce, and finally, a splash of the liquor he'd swiped from Martial Uncle Seven. Then he added water and seasonings and left it to stew. Nearby were chopped potatoes and red and green bell peppers, as well as cornmeal dough, ready to be rolled into cakes and stuck to the pot once the stew was nearly done.
Back at the counter, Bing Huan took out a chicken that had almost formed a demon core while alive. After preparing it, he selected some herbs that could balance the spiritual energy in the meat without affecting its flavor, stuffed them inside the chicken, and added just a touch of seasoning before setting it to cook in a clay pot.
Once all that was done, Bing Huan found himself at a loss in the kitchen. There was definitely enough food—the goose wasn't an ordinary goose, after all, but a full twenty-pound one—but two dishes didn't seem like quite enough.
"I've got it." Bing Huan took a few pears and some red dates, removed the cores, and chopped them up. He added chopped white fungus and rock sugar to make a sweet dessert soup, then cut up a watermelon for a fruit platter.
As the cooking went on, delicious aromas gradually wafted out of the kitchen. "No wonder you wouldn't let me cook. My darling must think Mommy's food tastes bad."
Hermione's face turned scarlet at that. She hugged her mother and began to act spoiled. "No way! Mommy's food is the best!"
Meanwhile, Harry had received the Invisibility Cloak his father had left him. After overhearing Snape and Quirrell talking, he had accidentally wandered into the room where the Mirror of Erised was kept and seen his parents for the first time. The next day, Ron had been called over too, but what he saw was himself holding the Quidditch Cup and becoming Gryffindor's Prefect.
Once he learned that the mirror couldn't predict the future, Ron had sensed something was wrong with it. Especially when Harry started neglecting his meals and thinking of nothing but the mirror, Ron bluntly warned him that he should stop dwelling on it. But Harry was still lost in his longing for his parents. He wasn't about to listen.
Finally, tonight brought Dumbledore's first lesson for him. "I see you came back, Harry." Harry turned stiffly and saw Dumbledore standing behind him with a smile. "The Mirror of Erised shows us the deepest, most desperate desires of our hearts. But it doesn't teach us anything, nor does it help us face reality. Many people waste their lives before it, losing themselves in the fantasies it shows them. Some even go mad."
Dumbledore hoped Harry could move on. Harry still didn't fully understand, but he was sure the old man meant well. Obediently, he put on the Invisibility Cloak and went back to bed. He kept the cloak safely under his bed until the end of the holiday.
The day before term started, Hermione returned with Bing Huan. Hermione immediately told Harry about Nicolas Flamel and the Philosopher's Stone. That evening, the four of them went to Hagrid's Hut. Hagrid was about to turn them away when Harry blurted out, "We know about the Philosopher's Stone."
Hagrid let them in and said helplessly, "Are you still suspicious of Snape? I can tell you that Snape is one of the teachers guarding the Philosopher's Stone, so he wouldn't steal it."
"One of them? So there are other teachers too," Hermione asked from the sofa.
"Of course." Hagrid raised his eyebrows. "Though I don't think there's much point. Apart from Dumbledore and me, no one knows how to get past Fluffy."
Suddenly, there was a noise from the fireplace. The four of them leaned over and saw Hagrid coming toward them with a charred black egg in his arms. "Hagrid, isn't that a dragon egg? Where did you get it?"
"I won it, Little Huan. Do you like dragons too?" The egg was making louder and louder noises. Hagrid seemed delighted, completely forgetting that this was illegal.
Bing Huan furrowed his brow. Dragon trading was prohibited. How could a smuggler be gambling with contraband, especially at a legitimate venue Hagrid would visit?
Before long, a deep crack appeared in the eggshell. Then came a shrill scraping sound, and the egg split open completely, revealing a baby dragon inside—though Bing Huan thought it looked more like a lizard. Hagrid was playing with the dragon when he suddenly spotted a figure outside. "Who's there?"
The door swung open, revealing a familiar blond head.
"Draco? What are you doing here?"
"Obviously, I'm checking whether you lot are up to anything bad," Draco said with mock seriousness, hands on his hips.
"Hmph." The Chosen One rolled his eyes.
"Damn Potter!"
Draco had loved dragons since he was little, but Lucius had never let him get close to one. He'd only come by to see what fun thing Potter and the others were doing, but when he saw the baby dragon hatch through the window, he couldn't tear himself away.
For the next few minutes, Draco and Hagrid played with Norbert, the name Hagrid had just given the dragon. "Hagrid, I know you're happy, but how are you going to raise it? I read in a book that Norwegian Ridgebacks grow quickly. It won't be long before your hut can't contain it," Hermione said with a frown.
"I'll keep it hidden."
Hagrid started to explain, but Bing Huan interrupted him. "How are you going to hide it? It won't even take until adulthood. In less than a month, he'll be able to take a few bites out of you. Don't tell me you're planning to dump a dragon in the Forbidden Forest and let him grow up there. Besides, the Forbidden Forest is only off-limits to students under school rules. Adult wizards still go in, and even Fred and George sneak in. Do you expect everyone to be able to kill a dragon?"
"I..."
"If he's discovered, having Norbert killed would be the best-case scenario. In a worse situation, he could be sold to Gringotts and raised as a guard dog for their vaults, with no freedom for the rest of his life. You don't want that either, do you?"
"But... he's still so small. I mean, we have to find somewhere suitable for him." No matter how reluctant he was, Hagrid understood that he had no choice.
"Doesn't Weasley's brother work at a dragon reserve?" Draco spoke up.
"Oh, right, Charlie!" After discussing it, Ron wrote to his brother in Romania that night, asking him to look after Norbert.
The reply didn't arrive until a week later. Charlie said it wasn't practical to send Norbert straight to him, but his friend could pick him up first and then take him to Romania. They arranged to meet at midnight on Saturday on top of the tallest tower.
Saturday night was unusually dark, perfect for sneaking around. Bing Huan took the four students, who had insisted on coming along, and Norbert, and teleported them to the tower roof. As they said goodbye, Draco tried to hug Norbert, but nearly got bitten.
Since Draco had to return to the Slytherin dormitory, Bing Huan could only teleport them to the stairway. Bing Huan went to the Headmaster's Office alone. "Old Dumbledore, what do you need me for in the middle of the night?"
Dumbledore poured Bing Huan a glass of milk and gestured for him to sit. "I have a small favor to ask. You know we've set up several obstacles to protect the Philosopher's Stone. You could even say the first few were meant for Harry and the others. I'd like you to hold back a little when the time comes, so they can get some practice."
"Then why not just leave me out of it?" Bing Huan asked, puzzled. Dumbledore shook his head. "Their opponent is Voldemort, after all. Even if he's only a wandering spirit right now, I expect I'll be distracted when the time comes, and Grindelwald won't be able to intervene either. Besides, you wouldn't want anyone to find out about what happened with the dragon you sent away today."
"...All right. But I shouldn't have to do all the work for nothing. Harry's been given the title of the Chosen One, but my Hermione hasn't."
"Your Hermione?"
"Forget it!"
Dumbledore gave Bing Huan a teasing look. "Ah, to be young. Very well, I promise that any student who makes an outstanding contribution to Hogwarts will receive the House Cup."
"But we're in first place right now."
"Not necessarily." Dumbledore handed him a written note. "Mr. Filch, please hand over the four students to Mr. Bing Huan, who will lead them into the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid."
"Wasn't this something you calculated in advance?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "I don't have the ability to predict that you'd leave your mark there and then arrange for a professor to lie in wait. Earlier, a Gryffindor student fell and got hurt. Professor McGonagall was taking her back just as you were leading them back, and she caught you. I don't need to remind you what would've happened."
Bing Huan gave a rueful smile. "How many points did she take from us?"
"Gryffindor lost 150 points, and Slytherin lost 50."
Bing Huan was about to have a brain hemorrhage.
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