Late Return Permit?!

"Professor Snape, good evening."

A voice came from behind Devero.

It was Filch, the caretaker of Hogwarts.

He was holding an oil lamp in his hand.

He was likely in the middle of his rounds.

Checking to see if any students were out past curfew.

He was currently looking at Devero with suspicion.

"Professor, has some little wizard been giving you trouble, running about instead of sleeping soundly?"

He clearly assumed that Devero was a student caught out late by Snape.

Snape raised his eyes to look at him.

He shook his head slightly.

"He is here to assist me."

Filch clearly trusted Snape implicitly.

After all, Snape did not seem like the type to shield students.

They had likely collaborated on catching students many times before.

He turned to leave with his lantern.

"Wait a moment."

Snape suddenly turned back and called out to him.

Filch stopped in surprise.

"What is it, Professor?"

"This student, Devero Alexander, will be assisting me often from now on. He will be out late in the school at times, so if you see him, there is no need to give him a hard time."

"Professor, this..."

Filch appeared somewhat troubled.

This certainly did not align with his usual style.

Snape said nothing.

He simply stared at him.

Filch felt the weight of that gaze.

He swallowed hard.

"Well, alright, but try not to be out past eleven."

He agreed with difficulty.

"Eleven-thirty."

Snape said in a low voice.

"Very well, Professor, I shall continue my rounds."

Filch agreed immediately.

Then, he hurried away in a flustered rush.

A late-night pass?

Heh!

The corners of Devero's mouth curled upward.

This was a good thing to have.

In the original story, Harry was punished many times for being out late.

As a man who aspired to explore every corner of Hogwarts, how could Devero not be out late?

This privilege granted by Snape was truly timely!

It seemed that working for Snape was not in vain after all!

Watching Filch run off, Snape turned back to look at Devero.

Devero felt that the man must have something he wanted to say to him.

But he could not guess what Snape might be keeping from him.

After all, he did not possess Legilimency.

He could not read Snape's mind.

Snape ultimately said nothing.

He simply led Devero to the entrance of the common room.

He told him the password.

Then, he left on his own.

Only then did Devero heave a sigh of relief.

Not bad!

Today was a close call, but he made it through!

Not only did he harvest countless precious spells of all kinds.

He also loaded a red-tier trait from Harry.

Although it didn't seem to have any effect.

He would study it on his bed later.

Thinking this, Devero slipped into the passageway of the common room.

Meanwhile, in Snape's office.

Snape sat in his wide chair.

His eyes were fixed tightly on the parchment spread out across his desk.

His fingers tapped anxiously against the armrest.

He muttered to himself.

"Forget it, I'll give him a year. I shouldn't tell him so soon. Yes, that's it..."

The entrance to the Slytherin common room was located behind a stone wall in the dungeons of Hogwarts Castle.

After Devero recited the password.

He successfully entered the common room.

To be honest.

Seeing the place where he would spend the next seven years, he couldn't help but feel a bit frantic inside.

The Slytherin common room was a long, low-ceilinged dungeon.

Round lamps emitting a greenish glow were suspended from the ceiling by chains.

Carved chairs were placed here for students to rest.

There were also some skulls used as decorations.

Part of the dungeon extended beneath the lake.

Consequently, the room was bathed in a greenish hue.

The walls and ceiling were constructed of rough-hewn stone.

A fire crackled beneath a beautifully carved mantelpiece.

Even so, the common room still appeared dim and chilly.

Honestly, Devero felt that by comparison, living at Snape's house wasn't so unacceptable after all.

At least he could see the sunlight there!

This place was practically a ship sunk to the bottom of the sea!!

Did anyone actually like this kind of place?

Devero felt like his gout was about to flare up.

Sigh.

There was no point in complaining now.

He could only hypnotize himself into believing that, just as Dumbledore had said, he was a natural-born Slytherin.

Devero walked through the common room.

Along the way, he even caught a glimpse of the Giant Squid swimming past the window at the bottom of the lake.

There were also some strange creatures whose appearances were unclear.

Although Devero did not like this feeling of being at the bottom of the lake.

The sound of water waves lapping against the shore outside the window from time to time was quite relaxing.

Devero dragged his exhausted body.

He slowly stepped onto the stairs of the boys' dormitory.

Today was truly spectacular.

He had done too many things.

First, he took Polyjuice Potion in the early morning to head to Knockturn Alley.

He nearly got into a fight with the dark wizards there.

Afterward, he successfully upgraded the Potion Prodigy trait.

Then, he engaged in a fierce battle with Snape at the Leaky Cauldron.

This was the first time Devero had crossed wands with an adult wizard.

He had nearly exhausted his magic power.

It also made Devero realize the importance of magic power.

Finally, after being defeated by the professor for trying to be clever.

He shocked Snape with his self-made potion recipe.

But before he could finish showing off, he packed his luggage and immediately ran to the station to go to school.

At the station, he met the famous Boy Who Lived.

He loaded his third gold trait and his first red trait.

He even became the Boy Who Lived (mistakenly).

Then he got to know a few of the Weasley Family children.

He also finished exploring the entire Platform Nine and Three-Quarters and obtained his first Wisdom of the Sages!

I have to say.

This Zen Meditation Method of the Venerable is truly incredibly useful!

It has been of great help to him!

He hadn't been practicing for long.

Yet Devero felt his magic power had increased quite a bit.

If this Zen Meditation Method hadn't been running continuously just now, constantly helping Devero recover magic power in the gaps between casting spells, he probably wouldn't have lasted until the end of the test.

Right, thinking of this, Devero suddenly remembered.

He still had a Trait Upgrade Card he hadn't used yet!

However.

Devero was not in a hurry.

He wanted to load Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration Prodigy trait first.

And then upgrade it.

To make himself an absolute genius in the three major fields of potions, magic, and transfiguration!

After exploring the station.

He got to know Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the others.

By beating up Malfoy.

He established a good friendship with them.

It was estimated that he would have a chance to follow the main plot later.

After arriving at Hogwarts and experiencing a rather unsuccessful Sorting.

He had a big meal.

Finally, he was called away by Snape.

He displayed his skills in potions.

Shocking Snape once again.

Finally, he revealed the fact that he was an unparalleled genius.

Shocking Dumbledore and Flitwick all over again.

The results were remarkable.

He had gained the privilege of attending upper-year courses and the right to return to the dormitory late.

All things considered, it was a truly bountiful harvest!

Devero struggled to open the dormitory door.

He fumbled through the darkness to find his bed.

Although he wanted to use Lumos to light his way, he was simply too exhausted.

He collapsed directly onto the bed, which someone had already made up for him.

He even cast aside his earlier intention to practice the Zen Meditation Method before sleep.

Clinging to his anticipation for his future life at the magic school, he drifted off into a dream.