Hermione hesitated for a long time and gave Su Er a suspicious look, but she still agreed to go with him to the Hufflepuff Common Room.
"Let me make this clear first. I'm only going with you because I have some questions about herbs to ask Hannah."
Su Er naturally nodded with a smile at Hermione's little show of pride. That was her personality, and following a boy to his dormitory was itself something that could easily make a young girl shy.
Su Er led Hermione downstairs, while Harry headed upstairs all alone.
"This is the entrance to the Hufflepuff Common Room?" Hermione asked in some surprise as she looked at the inconspicuous, filthy barrels in a corner of the basement.
"Yes. Little badgers like making their dens somewhere hidden, where people won't easily notice them." Su Er nodded and pointed farther down the corridor.
"Oh, right, the Hogwarts Kitchen is over there. I'll take you inside for a look next time."
Hermione nodded her little head, glanced down the corridor, then looked away. Next, she sniffed and caught a sour smell.
"What's that smell?"
"Vinegar. Vinegar that's been fermenting for a thousand years," Su Er said with a smile. At the same time, he drew his wand and began tapping expertly on the barrels. "If an outsider tries to break into the Hufflepuff Common Room, or a student gets the entry method wrong, they'll be punished."
"Justin failed once. That day, I had to wrap him in a Bubble-Head Charm while he slept."
"Remember that lesson when a sour smell spread through the whole classroom?"
"Oh, I remember now. Hehe..." Hermione covered her mouth and giggled, her eyes curving into lovely crescents.
Just as her laughter faded, a barrel lid rotated open, revealing a doorway. Su Er put away