A Turn for the Better

"Heavens, what happened here?"

Professor McGonagall stared at the Elemental Magic Academy, which had been burned into a complete mess, her face filled with shock and disbelief.

Dumbledore was also somewhat taken aback. Holding up his long robes, he walked in from the side as though afraid the awful environment would dirty his clothes.

Dumbledore looked at a section of vine on the ground, then picked it up to inspect it. "Demon Vine?"

It was a black vine with remarkable resilience. It feared fire and attacked enemies who entered its territory, winding around them until they died. It would then bury them beside itself and secrete a liquid from its body to decompose them.

Demon Vine was also a method some Dark Wizards liked to use to frame or attack others.

But why was there Demon Vine here?

"Professor Kate, what happened here?" Professor McGonagall came before Katelyle and asked.

Katelyle smiled faintly, glanced at Harry and Hermione Granger, and said, "I'm not entirely sure either. When I arrived, Harry and Hermione were trying their best to put out the fire."

Hearing this, McGonagall did not doubt Katelyle's words. She turned to Harry and Hermione, her expression stern. "Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, the two of you need to give me an explanation."

Professor McGonagall then noticed the unconscious Ron Weasley and anxiously asked, "Oh, there's another poor fellow here. What happened to him?"

"He fainted. It's nothing serious." Katelyle smiled slightly, then waved his wand. "Light Sprite, heal his wounds and soothe his soul."

A ray of light shot forth, and a Light Sprite appeared, circling Ron's body before finally sinking into his head and vanishing.

Harry, Hermione, Professor McGonagall, and the approaching Dumbledore were all drawn to the Elemental Magic Katelyle had cast, filled with curiosity.

Then, when they saw Ron wake up, Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore's eyes gleamed with delight.

Light Elemental Magic actually had such benefits. It could not only heal injuries, but also mend the soul.

Seeing Ron sit up after waking, Harry and Hermione happily rushed forward, cheering as they embraced him.

What they had just experienced seemed to have made the friendship between the three little ones even firmer.

They all worried about and cared for one another.

Katelyle smiled at this, though there was a hint of deeper meaning in the curve of his lips.

"Harry, Hermione, Ron, the three of you need to answer my question now. What exactly happened here?" Professor McGonagall said sternly, staring at the three of them.

In an instant, the smiles vanished from their faces.

Faced with Professor McGonagall's stern expression, the three of them could no longer feel happy.

"Does your silence mean you admit that you did something wrong?" Professor McGonagall said coldly.

"In that case, given the severity of this matter, Gryffindor will lose ten points for each of you," Professor McGonagall said seriously.

Harry's expression changed slightly.

Over the past week, because Professor Snape seemed openly hostile toward him, Gryffindor had already lost ten points. Now, the three of them were each going to lose another ten points. That was truly disastrous.

Whenever Harry and Ron attended Severus Snape's Potions class, they felt a flood of curses rising in their hearts, unsure whether they should say them aloud.

Before entering Hogwarts, Harry had studied diligently and read through all sorts of textbook material. But in such a short time, could he remember everything?

No!

Harry was not stupid. He simply did not possess a photographic memory.

Besides, Snape had not even started teaching before sternly warning him a few times, then asking him questions he did not know the answers to. Wasn't that going too far?

And Hermione had clearly raised her hand eagerly to answer, yet she was ignored every time.

Heavens, Snape was actually so biased toward Malfoy!

Malfoy was a bastard. He was always so arrogant, always so awful, and even more disgusting than Dudley Dursley.

"Professor McGonagall, we were drawn here by the magical fluctuations. We suspected that someone was trying to destroy the Elemental Magic Academy, so we came to investigate."

"But after we arrived, it was pitch-black here, and we couldn't see anything. Then we were attacked. It was obvious that someone wanted to destroy this place."

Harry concealed the fact that he had set the vines on fire and seriously explained what had happened.

After hearing Harry's words, Professor McGonagall frowned. "Harry Potter, what happened here is not something first-year students like you should be involved in."

"Especially since your unauthorized actions placed you in danger. The deduction of points will remain unchanged."

After Professor McGonagall finished speaking, Dumbledore held a section of Demon Vine and smiled. "However, in recognition of your courage and adventurous spirit in bravely fighting the forces of darkness, Gryffindor will receive thirty points."

"Now, you need to return and get some proper rest. Then forget what happened here, understood?"

Hearing this, the three of them were instantly overjoyed.

What a turn for the better!

If the three of them had caused Gryffindor to lose thirty points, many Gryffindor wizards would surely drown them in spit tomorrow without hesitation.

That was not something they wanted to experience.

"Thank you, Headmaster. We'll go back right away!"

After saying this happily, Harry immediately grabbed Hermione and Ron and left the Elemental Magic Academy.

Katelyle exchanged a glance with Dumbledore and smiled. "Your tolerance will only indulge these little ones."

Dumbledore chuckled. "They are still young and naturally lively. We need to give them enough tolerance."

After saying that, Dumbledore glanced at the Elemental Magic Academy, waved his wand, and said, "Reparo!"

The next moment, all the burned tables and chairs were restored, and they were exceptionally clean.

The Demon Vine and the water on the ground also disappeared.

Seeing this, Katelyle gave Dumbledore a thumbs-up. Then, looking at the Demon Vine in Dumbledore's hand, he smiled. "Did you discover something?"

Only then did Professor McGonagall notice the Demon Vine in Dumbledore's hand. Her expression turned serious. "Demon Vine. Someone deliberately left Demon Vine seeds here and used Dark Magic to force them to mature."

Dumbledore nodded. "Someone has infiltrated the school and begun causing trouble."

"I hope it isn't someone too formidable, or the children will be in trouble!"

As he said this, Dumbledore looked at Katelyle and smiled. "Professor Kate, are you prepared?"

Hearing this, Katelyle smiled meaningfully. "Albus, didn't you say you would help me solve all kinds of problems and let me teach in peace?"

Dumbledore chuckled, turned, and left. "Yes, Professor Kate!"

Elsewhere, as the three returned to the Gryffindor Common Room, Hermione kept replaying in her mind the moment Harry had cast Water Elemental Magic in the Elemental Magic Academy.

"Harry, how did you do it?"

Hermione stared at Harry and finally could not help asking.

Hearing Hermione's question, Ron looked at her and Harry in confusion. "Did something happen that I don't know about?"

Harry understood what Hermione meant, so he said, "It's a secret I discovered by chance."

He then told Hermione and Ron about what had happened at the time.

"So, as long as we mobilize our magic, sense the elemental energy around us, and recite the incantation, we can cast Elemental Magic?" Ron said incredulously, his narrowed eyes wide open.

"If nothing unexpected happens, that should be how it works." Recalling the feeling of casting Elemental Magic, Hermione nodded.

"That was only one spell we managed to cast. I believe there are even more powerful Elemental Magic incantations," Harry Potter said seriously.

"I believe that too. But right now, we have to go back. Otherwise, if we're discovered, we'll still lose points," Ron said worriedly.

"Then let's go back first. Tomorrow, we can find a chance to ask Professor Kate for guidance and inquire about Potions while we're at it," Harry nodded.