Hermione's Worries

The moment the midterm results were announced, the classroom erupted in a cacophony of sighs, a mixture of envy and relief.

As everyone had expected, Hermione Granger, with her near-perfect theoretical scores and flawless practical performance, had firmly secured the top spot for the second years.

When Lin Du solemnly handed the alchemical handgun to Hermione during the next Defense Against the Dark Arts class, countless eager eyes focused on the unique weapon.

"It's yours now, Miss Granger," Lin Du said calmly. "I hope you can wield its power wisely, and more importantly, understand the meaning of 'preparation' and 'efficiency' it represents."

Hermione's fingertips trembled slightly as she carefully took the heavy metal creation, a flush of excitement coloring her cheeks.

"Thank you, Professor! I will definitely study its principles carefully and only use it when absolutely necessary!"

However, after receiving such a precious gift, the flush of excitement on Hermione's face faded, replaced by a hint of hesitation and concern.

After class, she toyed with the cool gun handle, hesitating to speak several times.

"Is there something else, Miss Granger?" Lin Du noticed her unusual behavior.

Hermione seemed to make up her mind, lowered her voice, and asked nervously, "Professor... do you think it's true that some exceptionally gifted wizards can hear things others can't?"

Lin Du froze, nearly dropping the book in his hand—

Had the pressure of his extensive assignments driven Hermione mad?

But he quickly dismissed the unlikely thought.

"Can you be more specific? Your conditions are too broad."

Hermione considered carefully, as if organizing her thoughts. "It was a short story about a young wizard who... in an old castle, suddenly heard strange words, while the people around him were completely unaware."

Lin Du put down his book and pondered for a moment before replying, "Many short stories are fabricated, so what you heard might not be real. However, we can discuss it hypothetically."

Hermione nodded eagerly.

"The first possibility," Lin Du said, holding up a finger, "is that the young wizard was experiencing auditory hallucinations due to excessive stress. You know, overwhelming coursework and intense inter-house competition can lead to such situations."

He glanced meaningfully at Hermione as he said this.

"No, Professor!" Hermione immediately retorted, but then realized she had overreacted and lowered her voice.

"I mean... my friend... he was quite sure it wasn't a hallucination. And..."

She hesitated, thinking of Harry's pained expression when dealing with homework, and added, "While there are indeed many assignments, it's not enough to cause such specific auditory hallucinations..."

Seeing Hermione's serious expression, Lin Du interjected at the right moment, "Alright, let's discuss the second possibility."

He held up a second finger. "It involves certain special magical creatures. You know, Hogwarts, this ancient castle, is home to various magical beings, some of which can indeed emit sounds that only specific individuals can hear."

"What were the characteristics of the sounds?" Lin Du pressed.

If you think this book is good, remember to add it to your bookshelf so you don't lose it next time.

"It seemed to include words like 'tear' and 'kill'," Hermione said softly.

"So, first, we can rule out ghosts," Lin Du analyzed. "Their whispers are usually more vague and not so specific."

He continued to list: "The calls of Thestrals, though frightening, don't contain clear words. Banshee curses are often more repetitive and chaotic."

"So..." Hermione eagerly pressed.

"There aren't many magical creatures that fit the description," Lin Du mused. "For example, the Basilisk—this ancient magical creature is said to be able to kill with its gaze, and its whispers might indeed carry clear malice."

As if remembering something, he added casually, "When I was an exchange student here, I heard some Slytherin freshmen boasting in the Great Hall that their house had a secret passed down for a thousand years—Salazar Slytherin left a chamber in the castle, housing a monster specifically to eliminate 'those unworthy of learning magic.' It's said to be a Basilisk."

"Eliminate?" Hermione questioned.

"Meaning Muggle-borns and half-bloods," Lin Du replied calmly.

Hermione involuntarily flinched, her face turning a little pale.

As a Muggle-born witch, this news clearly unsettled her.

Lin Du noticed her reaction and maintained a calm tone, "However, these are just unreliable legends."

Hermione whispered in shock, "But... if this is true, how could Slytherin..."

"Miss Granger," Lin Du interrupted her, "remember, Slytherin is remembered first for his outstanding magical achievements, not his character. History is always like this—when someone is exceptionally brilliant in a certain field, future generations often embellish other aspects of them or selectively forget the less glorious parts."

He watched Hermione's thoughtful expression and steered the conversation toward a lighter possibility. "However, compared to these vague legends, there's a third, more plausible explanation."

"What explanation?" Hermione's attention was indeed diverted.

"Perhaps the young wizard in your story simply awakened a special magical talent by accident," Lin Du said in a light tone, putting the last book back in place.

"You know, some young wizards have special talents, like affinity with animals or exceptional skill in wandless magic. And a rarer one is the gift of prophecy; Professor Trelawney's ancestors seem to have had this talent... Oh, Trelawney is the Divination professor; you might take her class next year."

"As for linguistic talent,"

He continued to explain, his tone growing more casual, "it's often related to their ancestors. If their ancestors knew the language of a certain magical creature, this talent might be passed down to the next generation, or suddenly appear in their bloodline centuries later."

As if struck by something amusing, the corners of his lips curved upward. "For example, perhaps one of his ancestors had a peculiar ability to communicate with rats. And that day, he just happened to overhear a 'Mr. Rat's' angry complaint about stolen breadcrumbs in the kitchen, or a lengthy discourse on the castle's drainage system."

This absurd analogy relaxed Hermione's expression, and she couldn't help but curl her lips slightly.

"I suggest your friend see Madam Pomfrey for a check-up first," Lin Du advised in the end. "If the voice reappears, be sure to tell a professor, but don't overthink it yourself."

Even when Professor Lin Du signaled that she could leave, Hermione was still lost in thought.

Could it be that Harry's ancestor was a peculiar wizard who could speak rat?

By the time she snapped out of her chaotic thoughts, the office door had quietly closed.