By the time Hermione arrived at the designated spot by the Black Lake, she was feeling much more relaxed.
Before her lay the deep waters of the lake, glittering beneath the sunlight. Beneath her feet was fragrant grass, so soft it felt as though she were walking on clouds.
Something seemed to be in the lake. A Little Black Spot surfaced in the distance, seeming to observe the students, but it quickly dove back underwater.
Maybe it was some kind of big fish, Hermione thought.
She then looked over the other children. Aside from herself, the sole Ravenclaw present, there were thirty-seven Hufflepuffs. How should she put it? It was quite lively.
But as someone from a different House, she seemed completely isolated from the crowd. The little badgers were enthusiastically discussing the first midnight snack competition held the previous evening, and Hermione could not find a chance to join in.
She wandered around outside the crowd, walking here and there, occasionally talking to herself.
"Mm, the weather is lovely."
"This flower is so cute."
"There seems to be something in the water."
She hoped to draw the other children's attention and join their conversation. Yet no matter what she did, none of the little badgers spoke to her.
Because all Hufflepuffs were honest people.
While Hermione had been receiving prefect training the day before, Hufflepuff's seventh-year prefect had also been educating them. In the basement kitchen, the bearded fat man made daffodil patterns on cakes with cream while holding his fingers delicately poised, all while telling them quite a few secrets about the school.
For instance, they could enter and leave the kitchen at any time of day, House-elves were always available to serve them, their Head of House had a wonderful temper, and so on.
He also shared