The Temperature Under the Covers Is Worlds Apart for Boys and Girls in Winter / The Grangers Need to Be Sent Out of Europe ...

"If that's the case... Will, go see Greengrass again and tell her we've found a lead on her father." After considering the information Will provided, Harry finally made his decision.

"Once she arrives, we'll take her to the Forbidden Forest!"

Chapter 367 The temperature in men's and women's beds is vastly different in winter.

After deciding to capture Greengrass in the Forbidden Forest, Harry chose the nearest night and sneaked off with Hermione to the treehouse in the Forbidden Forest.

The reason for choosing nighttime was simply because Greengrass's ghost was usually preoccupied with his youngest daughter at that time and wouldn't come over to lewdly spy on Harry and the others who were going to bed.

In short, this has absolutely nothing to do with stories of getting things done late at night or having fun in the wilderness.

The treehouse in the Forbidden Forest was built by Centaur Acromantula on Harry's orders after he conquered the entire forest last year.

The treehouse is suspended in mid-to-lower section of two towering trees. It is made up of a bedroom and a living room that have been enchanted with Undetectable Extension Charm, and it also has a suspended terrace that extends beyond the main body of the house. It looks dangerous but is actually incredibly stable.

How sturdy is it? The terrace is actually covered with various supporting structures, and it's further reinforced with a protective web woven from the silk of giant Acromantula. Even doing vigorous exercise on it is perfectly fine...

For example, a big jump.

In addition to having all the basic living facilities, the treehouse is also equipped with a magically powered cleaning and drainage system, making one marvel at how convenient magic can be sometimes.

Unfortunately, after the cabin was built, Harry and Hermione visited it only a handful of times.

There was no other way; their time was simply too tight.

Whether it's during school or holidays, they always have a lot to do during the day; as for the night... Hermione, after all, lives in a dormitory, and it's impossible for her to stay out all night.

Compared to regular universities, Hogwarts, a full-time boarding school, is undoubtedly much stricter in some aspects of its management.

Therefore, for a considerable period of time before that, Harry and Hermione had to go through the Time-Turner just to find a moment to whisper a secret...

"Hmm... the terrace has a pretty good location. We just need to temporarily add a wall and a roof to disguise it as a closed room."

After thinking it over for a moment, Harry felt that he could use the treehouse terrace to catch Greengrass's ghost in one fell swoop.

The reason Greengrass's ghost was able to remain hidden in Hogwarts without being discovered by anyone was not because he possessed any mysterious and undetectable invisibility ability, but simply because he could utilize the characteristics of ghosts to hide in the walls and floors.

Therefore, the best way to successfully catch this guy is to lure him to a high place, then climb up the roof and remove the ladder, and capture him directly in mid-air when he has no support!

And by taking advantage of his attention to Astoria Greengrass, Harry could easily use Astoria Greengrass as bait to lure the ghost to the treehouse terrace.

As for modifying the terrace, that's no problem at all.

Having gained experience in building treehouses, the Centaur and the Acromantula are now quite skilled builders. With their full effort, a small project like temporarily covering a terrace with a room cover would probably take less than a day.

"Hey, I didn't expect to come up with a solution so easily. It seems my terrace is indeed a brilliant idea; not only can it be used to enjoy the view, but it can also be used to catch people!"

After a moment of smug satisfaction, Harry glanced at the time and, seeing it was still early, a mischievous grin crept across his face. "Miss Granger," he said, "Since we have this rare opportunity tonight, why don't we stay and enjoy the moon together?"

"You... you don't think I don't know what you're up to!" Hermione blushed and playfully punched Harry with her little fist.

However, afterwards, she inexplicably followed Harry, blushing, and went to the bedroom in the treehouse...

Since returning from their trip to France last year, their lives have been filled with many trivial matters, and they haven't even been able to go home for the Christmas holidays. Indeed, it has been a long time since they have had time to be alone.

Of course, there was none of the cautious yet deeply intimate intimacy we shared that night at Nicolas Flamel's house.

Although it was late winter, the temperature in the forest was still very low. Even though the treehouse bedroom was equipped with many magical heaters that could continuously generate heat, it seemed that the lingering chill could not be driven away.

Hermione nestled in Harry's arm, curling up beside Harry like a kitten. Her long brown hair cascaded gently over the pillow, still slightly tousled, but already as smooth as a waterfall.

This is the result of Harry's years of hard work. From the initial homemade hair conditioner made with eggs and olive oil to now using Sleekeazy's Hair Potion hair mask as a daily hair mask, Harry has finally managed to defeat Hermione's troublesome lion's mane.

Taking off her clothes... well, Harry meant the stiff, unappealing wizard robes. Anyway... only Harry himself knows exactly what kind of captivating girl Hermione has become.

Harry caught a whiff of the sweet fragrance emanating from the girl's hair, and chuckled contentedly, unconsciously ruffling his 'victory'...

"Stop fooling around, it's cold~"

However, after Harry had only rubbed her a couple of times, Hermione turned her head away in protest, and at the same time pulled Harry's hand back under the covers, then tucked the corner of the blanket in tightly.

Judging from her posture, she was completely unwilling to let the area below her neck come into contact with the outside world.

"If you're cold, just hold me tighter. I'm very warm~" Harry said with a mischievous grin, turning to the side and pulling the girl's entire body into his arms.

"Hmm..." Hermione hummed softly, not struggling, but instead gently resting her head against Harry's neck.

Nowadays, this level of contact no longer makes her shy or embarrassed; on the contrary, she tends to enjoy it.

And Harry was right, it was indeed very warm around him.

In winter, the temperature of a boy's and a girl's bed is completely different. The former can easily heat up the entire bed, while the latter can't even keep themselves warm.

This explains why, in the profound and complex China language, boys are called "xiao huozi" (小火子), while girls are called "xiao guliang" (小姑凉).

It gets really hot under the blankets for guys, and... the less clothing they wear, the hotter the blankets get.

So Hermione felt very hot right now. Harry next to her was like a furnace with adjustable gears, so warm that her eyelids were drooping and she was too lazy to even move a finger.

"Hermione, there's something I want to discuss with you." However, just as she was drifting off to sleep, Harry's call brought her back to her senses.

"Let's tell our parents about our relationship during the Easter holidays," Harry whispered, seeking Hermione's opinion. "Keeping it up like this isn't a long-term solution. Besides... I feel like Mom and Dad already know."

"Okay," Hermione replied softly, agreeing without hesitation.

Chapter 368 The Mr. and Mrs. Granger Need to Be Sent Out of Europe

Having been in this relationship for so long, Hermione is no longer as insecure as she was at the beginning, and she's no longer prone to inexplicable anxiety.

She's moved past the stage of blushing and avoiding Harry's signals that he wants to take their relationship to the next level. Now, she's able to seriously consider Harry suggestions and give timely and positive responses.

This doesn't mean that Miss Granger, under Harry's influence, is turning into a seasoned driver... well, okay, actually, she is a little bit.

But the main reason is that relationships require effort from both partners.

Having become accustomed to "strategy-based" dating, one can't help but develop the illusion that all emotional progress can be quantified.

After certain specific events occur between a man and a woman, it's stipulated that a man can only hold hands, and at what point can he ask for a hug, followed by further requests such as kissing, third base, home run, etc.

There's nothing inherently wrong with this process, and in both novels and real life, most emotional journeys seem to follow this pattern.

In reality, such relationships lack a crucial process: transitioning from 'strategy' to 'getting along'.

In addition to the appealing external manifestations, it is equally important to consider who is leading and driving each stage of a positive, healthy, and mutually engaging relationship.

As before, it was always Harry who made the next request, and Hermione, after experiencing various awkwardness and struggles, would shyly agree. After that, she would just stand there, waiting for Harry to take the initiative to pull her forward... This is a typical 'strategy-based' romance.

Hermione isn't like that anymore.

Now, whenever Harry brings up an idea, Hermione will seriously consider it and respond.

For example, when it comes to confronting her parents, she won't be as shy as before, putting on a flustered and embarrassed act, and leaving everything to Harry to decide.

She would share her thoughts with Harry, such as the idea that her parents had seen through their relationship a long time ago, but they were just taking advantage of her shyness and how she had been playing along with the two children.

She would also patiently confirm the specific details with Harry, such as the timing of the confession and what he should promise his parents.

At the same time, she also had some of her own little schemes.

For example, the legal marriage age in the Britain is 16, but is it really necessary for them to marry so young? And after telling their parents, should they change their living arrangements at home?

No, no, with Mom and Dad here, it's not convenient to stay at home no matter what.

Unless...

"Hermione... after this, I plan to have Mom and Dad leave."

That's right! It would be best to let Mom and Dad leave, which would undoubtedly give them a lot more freedom, and perhaps even the last shred of secrecy could be broken... No, wait!

"Harry, you just said... you want Mom and Dad to leave?" Hermione, whose thoughts were wandering, was still connecting the dots from Harry's words, but when she came to her senses, her expression suddenly froze.

"Seriously? We're only fourteen years old, and... just this is already embarrassing enough, okay?!" Hermione blushed instantly, as if she had just thought of something.

She puffed out her cheeks and sat up, not only scolding him verbally but also pinching Harry's ear, giving him a stern lecture.

"In short, this is absolutely unacceptable; you'd better not even consider it!"

Uh... Miss Granger didn't know was that she was clearly thinking the wrong thing.

Even if Harry really wanted to... you know... with the girl in his arms, there was no need for him to be in such a hurry to actually do it right now.

Fourteen is an in-between age; setting aside physical health reasons, it's also illegal.

In Britain law, the minimum age for consensual sexual intercourse without legal liability is 16, the same as the minimum marriage age—it's quite consistent.

"Hermione, you've got it all wrong~" Harry gave a small, wry smile, while secretly glancing at the gap in the blanket. "Besides, you're showing too much..."

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed in surprise upon hearing Harry's 'kind reminder,' and quickly clung tightly to Harry again.

She wasn't yet at the point where she could 'swagger around' in front of Harry.

Harry then put his arm around Hermione's waist and gently stroked her smooth back.

"I want Mom and Dad to leave, but it's really for safety reasons," Harry whispered to Hermione. "The situation is getting increasingly serious. Our enemies may not be so law-abiding, and it's too dangerous for Mom and Dad to stay in Britain."

The Granger family's address is no secret; anyone who wants to find it can do so easily.

After Harry carried out the decapitation of Lucius, the enemy forces might be in chaos for a while due to the lack of a leader. However, once they come to their senses, they might suspect Harry and retaliate without restraint, even harming Harry's family!

"Indeed...and if Voldemort returns, the whole of Europe might not be safe!" Hermione said, equally concerned after hearing Harry's worries.

Moreover, she thought even further ahead Harry. The Malfoy family, the Ministry of Magic, and Voldemort, who could rise again at any time—the chaos she and Harry would face in the future would definitely not be quelled in a short time, and its impact would be far-reaching!

"So... should we send Mom and Dad to America? It should be safer there, right?" After racking her brains for a while, Hermione came up with a plan that she thought was reasonably feasible.

"Let's forget about it, that's not a good place." To everyone's surprise, Harry immediately gave a negative answer.

Are you kidding me? The saying goes, "Free America, bang bang every day," and you call that safe?

Even if the Mr. and Mrs. Granger had some advantages because of their faces and skin color, in a country where it's legal to own guns, who knows what might happen the next second while walking down the street?

"Don't worry, I've already thought of a perfect place." Seeing that Hermione was still worried, Harry had already made plans, smiled and comforted Hermione, while whispering a name in her ear.

"There...yes, how come I didn't think of that before?" Hermione was overjoyed when she heard where Harry was planning to go.

That's right, it's the country Harry is most familiar with besides Britain, the one he should have thought of first!

"Harry, that's a fantastic idea!"

The thought of no longer having to worry about her parents' safety made Hermione hug Harry tightly with joy, and she didn't forget to give him a big kiss on the cheek.

"In that case, it's settled then. It's getting late, shall we head back now, or take another trip to the Time-Turner?" Harry seemed to be asking Hermione's opinion, but a mischievous grin crept onto his face again. "Or perhaps, you'd like to stay here overnight?"

"Of course we should go straight back. It's so cold, you should stay here tonight." Hermione rejected all of Harry's ill-intentioned suggestions without hesitation, and then wrapped herself in the blanket and began to grope for something on the bed.

"Hmm... going back is fine too." Harry couldn't help but chuckle as he watched Hermione bustling around in front of him. "But don't forget to rinse your mouth before you go back!"

"You... you just go to hell!!"

The sudden teasing made the Little Lion bristle. She grabbed some clothing she had just found and threw it right at Harry's face!

Chapter 369 The friendships within the Slytherin House can also be quite enlightening.

The following weekend, after Harry confirmed that the Forbidden Forest setup was complete, he had Will bring Astoria Greengrass back to the Detective Society's office.

"Hello, I heard from Will that you've found a lead on my father. Is that true?!"

As soon as she entered the room, before she even sat down, Astoria Greengrass began asking questions eagerly, showing how much she cared about news of her father.

Even so, she still remembered to greet Harry and the others politely, and this excellent manners obviously won her the favor of others.

They are far, far better than those self-proclaimed noble and elegant individuals who are actually rotten to the core.

"Miss Greengrass, please have a seat." Harry gestured to the seat in front of him and then gave Will a look before closing the classroom door.

The moment the door closed, an invisible force, mixed with a trace of dampness, began to spread rapidly throughout the room, quickly forming an invisible barrier on the inside of the house.

The Silencing Barrier – Harry had previously commissioned other ghosts to test it. When this barrier was set up in a room for soundproofing, ghosts hidden in the walls and floor couldn't hear anything inside.

Now that the Detective Society and Astoria Greengrass are all together, Greengrass's ghost will inevitably be hiding nearby eavesdropping. But if he hears nothing and discovers that his youngest daughter has been taken to the Forbidden Forest by Harry and the others, he will most likely anxiously follow them.

"Miss Greengrass, we have indeed found clues about your father, and it is certain that... he has now become a ghost."