The fact that he entered the castle in the Gori implies that he and Dumbledore have reached some kind of agreement.
The Gori probably doesn't offer Dumbledore, just a complete Prophecy about the Child of Prophecy.
But if the Gori revealed the full content of the Prophecy, then Dumbledore should already know who the Child of Prophecy is, yet Dumbledore didn't come to him directly.
What does this tell us?
Does this mean the Gori didn't say it, or it did, but Dumbledore felt it wasn't the right time to reveal the truth?
Herman mentally went over those possibilities again and again.
The first possibility is that the Gori doesn't reveal the specific identity of the Child of Prophecy, only providing vague clues, Dumbledore to make his own judgment.
The smile just now was probably for another reason, such as simple politeness, or the old principal's habitual gentleness towards young students.
The second possibility is mentioned in the Gori, but Dumbledore decided to remain inactive. He might have felt that a first-year student shouldn't be subject to any destiny, or he might have been observing to see what the child the Prophecy pointed to would do.
Or perhaps it's not for any of these reasons at all, but rather that other things have been leaked.
Herman pondered his own problems again, considering whether he should try to get leniency by confessing.
Did he voluntarily confess that his arm had undergone magical modification?
But Dumbledore probably doesn't know this yet. Professor Malin said that she used magic to specifically hide it, precisely to prevent Dumbledore from discovering it.
This matter cannot be discussed; if I blurt it out, I will not only get myself into trouble, but I will also implicate Professor Malin.
Claiming to be the Child of Prophecy? What if the Gori doesn't even mention it? If he confesses, it would be like protesting too much.
Besides, I didn't make the Prophecy myself; I'm just an unlucky guy who was Prophecy, so why bother confessing?
Could it be that Harry's secret has been exposed? The story of Harry and Sirius meeting at Hogsmeade, or Harry gathering intelligence for Sirius?
Herman thought about it and realized that didn't quite make sense either.
If Dumbledore knew that Harry was passing messages to wanted criminals, he would definitely contact Harry first, not him.
In Harry's storyline, I was at best a bystander kept in the dark, or a bystander who accidentally learned the truth. It would have been a mistake not to report her.
Could it be that I, like Neville, was deluding myself?
They felt that Dumbledore was looking at them, but in fact, he was just glancing at the students below the podium.
I thought Dumbledore smiled, but actually he just said something interesting to Professor Trelawney.
You feel like you're being watched, but nothing's actually happening.
Herman sighed inwardly. Sigh, he didn't have Neville's protagonist's luck, but he'd already fallen for the protagonist's quirks.
After pondering for a long time without success, he gave up on the idea.
At worst, if Dumbledore criticizes me, I can report Sirius and try to gain merit and get lenient treatment.
In the end, just avoid being assigned to Azkaban.
By the time Herman put that last thought aside, he had already reached the stone door of the Slytherin Common Room.
Draco glanced back at him, probably finding his silence all the way strange, but she didn't ask anything, and simply pushed open the door and went inside.
The silvery-blue firelight flickered in the fireplace, illuminating the entire room with a cool, bright glow.
The next day, Charms.
Professor Flitwick stood on the stack of books, pressed the chalk that was floating in the air back into the blackboard slot, dusted off his hands, and announced the end of class.
The students began packing their bags and heading out, the chair legs dragging noisily across the stone pavement.
Herman stuffed his textbook and notes into his bag and was about to stand up when Flitwick's voice came from the other side of the podium.
" Mr. Horace, please wait a moment."
Herman paused for a moment after draping his backpack strap over his shoulder, then put it back on the table.
Several classmates around him glanced at him, but none of them showed any curiosity. As a good student, Herman was often called in for talks by the professor.
Draco had already reached the door. She glanced back at him, and Herman waved to indicate that everything was alright. Only then did she turn and follow the flow of people away.
The classroom quickly emptied, leaving only Flitwick standing on the podium and Herman sitting in the first row.
Flitwick jumped down from the pile of books and went to Herman's table.
He was about the same height as Herman, who was sitting, and the two were now looking at each other at eye level. Herman was unsure whether it was more polite to stand up or stay at the same height.
Flitwick adjusted his glasses, his tone as gentle as usual, but with an added layer of seriousness.
"I spoke with Headmaster Dumbledore about your situation, about your innate ability to cast spells and your extraordinary talent in controlling magic compared to your peers. The Headmaster wants you to come to his office this afternoon."
Herman paused for a moment, then blurted out, "Ah! That's it!"
He quickly went through the memories in his mind.
Then he remembered that Flitwick had indeed said he would put in a good word with Dumbledore so that Dumbledore could personally mentor him.
Flitwick briefly at the time, and he nodded, but then he got so busy lately that he completely forgot about it.
Only after Flitwick spoke did he realize what was happening.
Herman's expression was probably not quite right yet. Flitwick, looking at his face, assumed he didn't realize how precious this opportunity was.
The professor frowned slightly, and his tone became a bit more serious than before.
"You must cherish this opportunity. Headmaster Dumbledore is arguably the greatest wizard of our time. Receiving his guidance will benefit you immensely throughout your life."
He spoke more slowly than usual, enunciating each word clearly, as if emphasizing something he considered extremely important.
Herman nodded quickly, "Yes, I will definitely listen carefully to Headmaster Dumbledore's teachings."
Flitwick looked at his expression, making sure he was serious, before nodding in satisfaction.
Then, as if remembering something, he smiled slightly and advised, "Although the principal is a very nice person and won't mind, you can prepare some desserts to take with you before you go; he really likes them."
Herman silently made a mental note of it, and verbally replied, "Mhm."
Flitwick patted him on the shoulder and jumped back onto the podium to continue working on his lesson plan.
Herman stood up, picked up his schoolbag, and walked out.
He finally let out a breath as he walked out of the classroom, and then noticed a thin layer of sweat on his palms.
Flitwick thought he was nervous about receiving guidance from Dumbledore, but Herman was really nervous about something else.
I wonder if Dumbledore will discover the secret of his arm, and how reliable Marlene's magic is.