"You just lack confidence in yourself, Hagrid. You know so much about Fantastic Beasts, more real than any textbook. With us here to help, just speak with confidence, and we'll help you make the lesson a success," Hermione encouraged.
Hagrid's eyes lit up, and he excitedly patted their shoulders gently with his rough hands. "Really? That's great! With you two here, I feel much more at ease!"
He smiled so honestly that even his beard stood up, "I knew you two would definitely help me!"
Draco gave a soft hum, but a sly smile crept onto his lips, while Hermione smiled gently.
The three parted ways on the lawn, Draco naturally took Hermione's hand, and together they walked towards the castle.
As soon as the morning classes ended, the Great Hall immediately became lively at noon.
Just as everyone sat down to eat, owls tossed copies of the Daily Prophet onto the long table, the headlines on the front page so glaring they made one's heart skip a beat:
Dementor was spotted on the Hogwarts Express on September 1st!
Dozens of students fainted from shock after boarding the bus without permission!
The report clearly states that the Dementor boarded the train without permission and indiscriminately released an aura of fear, severely affecting nearly a hundred underage wizards, many of whom are still uneasy about it.
The end also prominently displays --
Headmaster Dumbledore has issued an urgent statement demanding an immediate explanation from the Ministry of Magic.
The students then began to discuss it enthusiastically again.
The afternoon sun streamed through the high windows of the Arithmancy classroom, illuminating the star charts, number scrolls, and crystal abacuses scattered across the table.
This is Hermione, Draco, and Olivia's first elective course— Arithmancy.
Draco thought to himself, "Actually, throughout the entire magical world..."
Numbers are not just random calculations; each one holds ancient symbols and codes of destiny.
The number that symbolizes completeness is 7.
Hogwarts has seven years, the castle has seven floors, wizards come of age at seventeen, the Quidditch team has seven players, the Weasley family has seven children, and even Voldemort was determined to create seven Horcrux.
Dumbledore had long ago said that seven is the most powerful number in the Wizarding World.
3 represents stability and balance. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were an unshakeable trio, but this balance was broken after Draco appeared.
There are exactly three Deathly Hallows, three Unforgivable Curses, and the Triwizard Tournament's three schools and three Champion, etc...
And 11 represents a new beginning and a new start: Harry received his acceptance letter at the age of eleven, and his life was rewritten from that moment on.
The Hogwarts Express departs promptly at 11:00 AM, marking the true beginning of the boundary between the Muggle and wizarding worlds and the start of destiny.
The number 12 symbolizes completeness and protection: the twelve core professors of Hogwarts form the management team, and the twelve Christmas trees at the Christmas feast correspond to the sacred and stable collective protection.
4 is often associated with Muggle, bondage, and misfortune.
4 Privet Drive was Harry's Muggle prison during his childhood.
The Triwizard Competition should have been three people, but a fourth person was added, and tragedy ensued.
13 is considered extremely unlucky in the West and among Wizarding World, symbolizing betrayal, death, and accidents.
The betrayal at Jesus' table of thirteen, the thirteen-step staircase, and Friday the thirteenth are all taboos.
As early as the day of course selection, everyone tacitly and deliberately avoided Arithmancy.
The reasons they gave were all incredibly plausible.
Ron crossed out the Arithmancy from the very beginning.
He absolutely refused to be a third wheel, and even less did he want to be forced to watch couples being affectionate for an entire class period.
Besides, Arithmancy are all about formulas, numbers, and astrological calculations; just hearing the names of them gives him a headache, so he's not going to go looking for trouble.
Harry wasn't afraid of dog food; he simply felt that the logic of Arithmancy was too rigorous and the calculations too complex.
Rather than struggling with numbers, he preferred something easier, and since he wanted to keep Ron company, they both chose something else, hoping to just coast through the classes.
Lavender and Parvati are also not afraid of eating dog food.
They even really wanted to ship them as a couple, wishing they could follow De and He every day to get their gossip, but the two of them did some thinking in their hearts.
Arithmancy = mathematics + Divination, the difficulty level is off the charts.
Given their math skills, they would only be completely lost in class, failing instead of learning anything, which would be a huge loss. In the end, they reluctantly chose other easier courses.
Needless to say, Neville's only subject at Hogwarts was Herbology.
Arithmancy was no different from solving Charms problems for him, so he simply chose a regular Divination to get by, with the attitude of "as long as I can pass, it's fine," at least he didn't have to fight with numbers.
After counting everyone, in the entire Gryffindor dormitory, only the calm and rational Olivia chose Arithmancy, successfully becoming the only third wheel ally of Dehers.
Hermione and Draco in the classroom, however, were completely unconcerned and even somewhat pleased.
After all, an elective course where no one bothers you is just right.
The classroom door was gently pushed open.
Professor Vector walked in.
She was slender and tall, wearing a deep purple robe embroidered with fine star trails and numbers in silver thread, making her look like a slowly moving night sky as she walked.
He wore a pair of thin, round-framed glasses with gold rims, clearly someone with an exceptional sensitivity to numbers and logic.
As soon as he stood in front of the podium, his rational and precise aura filled the entire classroom.
" Arithmancy is not about guessing minds or dreaming; it's the language of numbers and stars."
Hermione gazed at her, a layer of admiration and longing unconsciously rising in her eyes. She quietly asked herself a question:
Will I become a witch like that someday?
One can gain people's trust and respect through their intellect and knowledge.
Professor Septima and Professor McGonagall embody the kind of adult woman Hermione secretly longs to be.
Intelligent, determined, professional, and neither arrogant nor humble.
Use your wisdom to secure your place.
Draco noticed her shining eyes and asked, "You're watching so intently, do you really want to be like her?"
"Yes!" Hermione nodded firmly, "Standing there with one's own knowledge is more dazzling than anything else."
Draco looked into the light in her eyes, then suddenly smiled and said, "You will. And you'll shine even brighter!"
Don't talk nonsense... I'm still a long way from there.
Olivia, pretending to look at an astrological chart, sighed inwardly, "Oh no, this lesson isn't just about Arithmancy; I'm going to be overwhelmed by their plans for the future..."
"In the first lesson today, I will have you pair up and calculate each other's life path numbers."
As soon as Professor Septima finished speaking, the sound of desks and chairs being moved echoed in the Arithmancy classroom.
Hermione picked up the quill and held it against the edge of the parchment, preparing to copy down the calculation rules first.
She always made it a habit to clarify the steps first before starting the calculations.
But before she could put down her pen, the chair beside her was gently pushed and landed firmly on the edge of her stool.
Olivia sat in the back, automatically forming a team with the student next to her, making sure not to disturb the two of them.