Little Tail

"Good evening, the three of you."

Emerging from the shadows at a leisurely pace, Klein spoke with a smile, his expression as relaxed and casual as if he were strolling through his own backyard.

Bathed in moonlight, he seemed to be draped in a silver cloak.

Misty, mysterious.

"Uh."

Meeting those sapphire-like eyes, Harry and the other two were momentarily lost.

Staring blankly at the youth who greeted them and then calmly walked past them, the trio couldn't manage to utter a complete sentence.

It wasn't until his figure disappeared around the corner of the stairs that Ron, with his mouth half-open, stiffly turned his head and looked at his friend with a puzzled expression.

"Did Klein Grindelwald, did he speak to us?"

"I think so?"

Harry wasn't too sure either; those few seconds felt like a dream.

"Hiss~ It's real, we're not hallucinating!"

Ron pinched his thigh hard and whispered in a startled voice.

Harry and Hermione jolted at the sound.

Instantly, countless questions flooded their minds.

This late at night...

Why was Klein Grindelwald not in the dormitory but here?

"How could this be? This is a violation of school rules. How could Klein..."

Hermione muttered softly, her large eyes filled with disbelief.

In her mind, Klein was a role model for all students, an outstanding student among outstanding students!

How could he possibly do something that violated school rules?

"Clearly, Klein, like us, has his own business to attend to~"

Having figured things out, Ron chuckled, feeling a lot more kinship with Klein.

Before, Klein had been like a clay statue to students like them—perfect, but always lacking a touch of reality.

Now...

Thank God, he was finally like a normal person~

"Ron, we're going to be late."

Although very curious about why Klein was in the castle in the middle of the night, Harry didn't have time to think about anything else now.

The appointed time was approaching, and he had to hurry to the Prizing Room!

"Okay, let's go."

Hearing this, Ron didn't dawdle and immediately started walking.

Harry jogged to catch up.

After only a few steps, he seemed to remember something and turned back with a troubled expression.

"Um, Hermione, do you want to come with us?"

Hermione was taken aback, a flicker of interest in her eyes, but in the end, she shook her head firmly.

"Thank you, Harry, but I..."

After a pause of a few seconds, the expression on her face gradually firmed.

"I have to go persuade Klein and tell him the terrible consequences of violating school rules."

"Uh, okay."

Harry was speechless and could only nod blankly.

"Hurry up, Harry!"

From a distance, Ron's low call could be heard.

"Be careful not to get caught by Filch, and good luck."

After much thought, Harry gave up on the idea of bringing Hermione to the Prizing Room.

Leaving behind a sentence, he grabbed the hem of his robe and ran towards his friend in the distance.

"Isn't this much better?"

After reuniting with Harry, Ron looked at Hermione running in the direction Klein had disappeared and showed a relieved smile.

"Now, it's Klein's turn to experience the terrible nagging."

Klein was very helpless.

Because a "little tail" had appeared behind him.

"Hm?"

Klein couldn't understand why Hermione wasn't hanging out with Harry and Ron, but instead was following him, a Slytherin.

He didn't know that the little girl secretly trailing him actually wanted to persuade him to turn back from his misguided path.

"Alright, let me see."

Sighing softly, Klein turned around, a strange glint flashing in his eyes.

Legilimency!

Instantly seeing through the other party's mind, his expression froze, and he made up his mind.

"Come out."

He beckoned to Hermione, who thought she was hiding well, and Klein chuckled.

He remembered his past self.

High IQ, low EQ.

He was the same when he was studying at Durmstrang.

"Mmm."

Knowing she had been discovered, Hermione's eyes showed a hint of panic. But she still controlled her expression well, braced herself, and stepped forward, looking up directly into Klein's smiling eyes.

"This is wrong."

She said in a low voice, her eyelashes fluttering.

"I know."

Klein smiled and took off his robe, tossing it to her.

"Thank you for your kindness, but you should go back obediently. Wandering around the castle in your sleepwear late at night is very dangerous."

The little girl was wearing a pink nightgown and rabbit slippers. The temperature was low on this late autumn night; he felt cold just looking at her.

"Uh."

She had imagined a thousand reactions from Klein, but this one was missing.

Hermione dazedly clutched the green-trimmed robe, still warm with his residual heat, and was speechless for a moment.

"Goodbye."

Waving gently, Klein turned and continued forward.

"Wait!"

He had walked seven or eight steps when Hermione finally reacted and subconsciously called out. But she immediately realized her voice might have been too loud and quickly covered her mouth.

"Wait a moment!"

She jogged to catch up with Klein, her big eyes wide, and blocked his path without yielding.

"You, this is wrong, Klein. How can you violate school rules?"

"Which school rule?"

Klein asked calmly.

"The Curfew Regulations, wandering around the castle in the middle of the night!"

Hermione replied sternly.

"Then what about you, Hermione? Why are you here too?"

Klein looked at the little girl blocking his way, his eyes full of amusement.

"Me?"

Hermione froze, her face instantly losing color.

She, she had forgotten about herself?

If Klein had violated school rules, then she had violated them too.

In that case, what right did she have to admonish others?

"I'll take you back."

Klein looked at the little girl who was overwhelmed with shame and took the robe she was clutching, draping it over her.

Hermione didn't react, tears falling down like raindrops.

"Old Snake is much easier to deal with than this little girl."

He sighed inwardly and scratched his temple with his pinky finger.

"Since you don't want to go back, do you want to come with me?"

It seemed he couldn't go "there" tonight, but it didn't matter. Hogwarts Castle held countless secrets, and exploring elsewhere would be good too.

Looking at the little girl with her head down, Klein tentatively spoke, pulling a handkerchief from his trouser pocket and offering it to her.

"Mm."

Hermione actually wanted to run away, but for some reason, when Klein extended the handkerchief to her, she subconsciously took it and nodded as if possessed.

As soon as she spoke, she was stunned herself.

Shame and nervousness welled up, accompanied by an indescribable sense of anticipation.

"Alright, let's go."

Klein was not surprised at all to receive her answer.

Although the Sorting Hat was fragile, its ability to see through people's hearts was not lacking at all.

Since it could sort a clever girl like Hermione into Gryffindor instead of Ravenclaw, it meant that deep down, she was also a "reckless person."

How could such a person say no to an adventure?