An Unexpected Encounter of Six

"We should study Fiendfyre with the Professor."

"You know, even though the Professor is usually very rational, he gets tunnel vision when researching magic. We should keep an eye on him."

Jiamer and Qiao Weili walked through the halls of Hogwarts. Cedric, walking slightly ahead of them, heard this and a wry smile touched his lips. He didn't turn his head.

Both assistants were his seniors, far surpassing him in knowledge and learning. He respected them from the bottom of his heart and wouldn't presume to speak out of turn.

Besides, he was happy to learn more about Professor Li Wei from their conversation.

As they talked, the three arrived at the Great Hall.

The spacious hall was decorated with lanterns and live bats.

Golden plates were set on candlelit dining tables, and giant pumpkins were carved into lanterns, so large that three people could sit inside them.

Students bustled between the long benches, smiles on their faces, eagerly discussing how Dumbledore's scheduled Skeleton Dance troupe would perform.

Just looking at the scene was enough to make one relax.

"You're right, Jiamer."

Qiao Weili spoke at this moment.

"With such a beautiful scene, we should invite the Professor to see it with us."

Jiamer didn't respond.

In such a setting, she couldn't bring herself to say anything discouraging.

Cedric's smile brightened considerably, and he followed their topic, saying:

"When Christmas comes, this place will be even more beautifully decorated. Let's invite the Professor to walk around the school together then."

Jiamer still didn't respond, but her expression clearly wavered.

Qiao Weili ignored her and said to Cedric:

"I think that's a great idea. I'll try to invite the Professor then."

After touring the Great Hall, the three continued towards the dungeons.

"I think the theory you mentioned earlier, Cedric, is very interesting."

"You mean?"

Hearing Qiao Weili's affirmation, Cedric was a little overwhelmed.

"Wizards should experience different things and feel different emotions to gain abundant spiritual power.

Although I believe it's too early for immature wizards, a behavior that yields half the result for twice the effort.

But the more someone is like the Professor, perhaps, the more they should try what you're talking about."

As the three walked into the dim underground, Qiao Weili's voice seemed to gain a certain weight.

"However, the Professor's knowledge and skills are far beyond my imagination, so I can't be sure what opportunity he's been searching for.

After all, it was the Professor's drama class that guided you to come up with this theory."

The corridor the three were taking towards Nearly Headless Nick's party was already lit with candles, but the atmosphere was completely different from the Great Hall above.

The small, dark candles burned with a faint blue light, casting eerie shadows on their faces.

"Alright, let's not talk about that anymore. Is this the ghost's party? It certainly has its unique ghostly characteristics."

With every step they took, the temperature dropped. Their wizard robes felt thin in this cold.

But neither Qiao Weili nor Jiamer seemed to notice, a faint smile on their lips.

'It seems bringing them here was the right decision.'

Cedric had worried that they might prefer the atmosphere of the Great Hall, but now it seemed his initial thought was correct—for these two, different experiences were more interesting than a single setting.

This matched Cedric's impression of them.

He secretly felt fortunate.

Cedric had studied under Li Wei for two months, completing all assignments unconditionally and exceeding expectations. He had learned more from this professor than in the previous two years combined (one of which was wasted).

If he could, he naturally wanted to give something back.

Even if it was just to make the professor's two assistants happier.

"Screeeech---- Screeeech----"

A noise like a thousand fingernails scratching on a giant blackboard echoed.

Nearly Headless Nick stood at the entrance, draped in a black velvet curtain.

"My dear friends," he said mournfully, "Welcome, I'm so glad you could come."

Cedric greeted him and led the two into the dungeon classroom, explaining in a low voice:

"The ghost considers that noise just now... well, as music."

Qiao Weili chuckled, finding it novel.

Jiamer frowned slightly, but her expression quickly relaxed.

They entered the underground classroom, which was filled with hundreds of milky-white, translucent figures. Most of them drifted around the crowded dance floor, waltzing to the dreadful, trembling sound of thirty musical saws.

The band playing the musical saws sat on a stage draped in black cloth. A thousand candles were lit in a chandelier overhead, casting a midnight blue light.

The trio's breaths formed clouds of mist before them, as if they had walked into a freezer.

Just then, Qiao Weili snapped his fingers with a wry smile, and the area around the three immediately became a silent zone.

"This chic musical experience is enough just once. If we had to listen to it all the time, I think it would become quite a burden."

"I agree."

Cedric showed the same smile and nodded.

As the group was about to look around, a hand suddenly, without anyone noticing, landed on Jiamer's shoulder--!!!

Jiamer felt goosebumps erupt all over her body at that moment! She was so startled that her face turned pale. Without hesitation, she gripped her wand and was about to turn around—"Senior Sister Jiamer, what are you doing here too? You look a bit unwell?"

It turned out the owner of the hand was Hermione.

Because of Qiao Weili's spell, Hermione had been shouting not far behind them for a long time, but the trio hadn't heard her. This led Hermione to make the somewhat rash move when she got closer.

"I'm--I'm fine."

Jiamer knew it wasn't Hermione's fault and naturally wouldn't take her anger out on her—but she still glared at Qiao Weili, who returned a apologetic smile.

Harry stood behind Hermione and chuckled to himself—he had clearly seen Jiamer's startled reaction just now—how should he put it, even when startled, she was still so cute.

This Senior Sister Jiamer didn't seem as difficult to get along with as she appeared on the surface.

The six of them met unexpectedly in this eerie underground, which could be considered fate, so they decided to explore together.

Hermione quickly discovered a way to please Jiamer—as long as she talked about Professor Li Wei, Jiamer's attitude became much more approachable.

This was easy to discover, as Jiamer only spoke when the topic was related to Professor Li Wei.

Harry and Ron followed behind the two ladies and the senior student.

Ron had been a little scared at first, but with others backing him up now, he felt much more relaxed. He even started discussing the knights with arrows stuck in their foreheads who were brushing past them with Harry.

Harry responded absentmindedly, his mind entirely occupied with how he could strike up a conversation with Jiamer.