Hogwarts: Bourne Returns from Warhammer

Chapter 54 There are not many similar opportunities
Umbridge heard correctly, but thought wrongly. Instead of a train entering Hogwarts Castle, someone was calling her name.

"U-Umbridge, senior sister."

Quirrell crossed his arms behind his back and greeted Umbridge with a smile.

When she saw who was greeting her, Umbridge immediately used practical actions to demonstrate what it means to change her face in one second.

Her gloomy expression immediately turned into a smile, and the wrinkles that had climbed up her face with age were like blooming chrysanthemums, all opening up in an instant.

"Quirinas, long time no see. I didn't expect that when we meet again, you would have become a professor at Hogwarts. Congratulations, congratulations."

Umbridge graduated from Slytherin House, while Quirrell was a Ravenclaw student. There were several years between them.

Naturally, Umbridge didn't know this nominal "junior" at all. At most, she had a good impression. But because she had to assist Fudge, she was quite familiar with the personnel arrangements at Hogwarts. Moreover, after working in the Ministry of Magic for many years, she already knew how to interact with decent and successful people.

"Congratulations to you too."

Quirrell stumbled and said: "After Minister Fudge was elected, didn't you also become the chief of the minister's secretary's office? It won't be long before the Legal Enforcement Department will have another female director in two or three years at most."

These words made Umbridge's sense of this young boy change a lot. Her original compliment was just polite, but now she looked at Quirrell with a hint of real appreciation.

Regardless of the wizards in Britain, the total population is estimated to be less than 20,000, and the number of wizards working in the Ministry of Magic is less than 400. But even if there is such a small circle that cannot hide any secrets, there are very few wizards who understand the two promotion systems of civil servants and politicians in the Ministry of Magic.

In Umbridge's view, people who are willing to understand these are capable people with ambitions and ideas. Such people are basically concentrated in the Ministry of Magic.

For example, herself.

And Quirrell, the professor of the main course at Hogwarts, has such an awareness and has no competitive relationship with her for the time being. He is undoubtedly a suitable person to be a friend.

Umbridge was laughing so hard that she couldn't help but raise her voice when she spoke.

Quirrell seemed to want to get close to her, and even offered to help decorate the auditorium.

He just clicked lightly with his wand, and several coiled ropes, like cobras attracted by the flute, immediately "stand up" from the floor, climbed to the decorations on the wall of the auditorium, and hung up the movie curtain. Then they tied themselves with many figure-eight knots that were both strong and easy to untie.

"Oh, oh, oh, impressive spell." Umbridge's exaggerated praise attracted the attention of many people, not only the little wizards passing by nearby, but also those who were busy debugging the magic projector. Several staff members.

However, they only glanced at Professor Quirrell, then quickly lowered their heads and focused on playing with the projectors in their hands.

Because Hogwarts Castle is protected by powerful magic, any Muggle electronic products cannot work properly here, so the projector they use is also a magical item modified by alchemy.

This is the latest alchemy product that has not been tested in the market for a long time and has a certain probability of failure when used.

Therefore, before showing a movie, it must be repeatedly inspected and debugged by professionals to ensure that it can operate normally.

After helping Umbridge finish hanging the curtain, Quirrell walked up to them and said, "Everyone, everyone, do you need any help?"

……

The first event of the Transfiguration Club ended abruptly. Bourne originally wanted to go to the library.

But because of the rain (she was worried that the careless little wizard would bring mud and water into the library, which would affect the books) and because she had to rush to the principal's office to report work, she announced that the library would be temporarily closed today.

In desperation, he had no choice but to prepare to return to the Gryffindor common room in frustration. Today he had to write a letter home to Grandpa Horace.

Before going upstairs, Bourne took another turn and went to the Hogwarts kitchen, hoping to ask the house elf to bake some more "calcium biscuits" for him.

However, when passing by the door of the Hufflepuff common room, he met two people who he had never expected to be here.

Well, three to be precise: a young wizard, an adult, and Hagrid, the keykeeper of Hogwarts and the caretaker of the forestry.

"Hi, Hagrid!" Seeing an acquaintance, Bourne immediately greeted him, and at the same time he smelled a strong smell of acetic acid in the air.

"Oh, it's Burn. Are you going to the kitchen, or are you going to the Hufflepuff common room to hang out with your friends?"

Hagrid responded to Bourne, but still held on to the oak barrels near the wall with both hands to prevent them from suddenly collapsing. Because there was a man kneeling on the ground at this time, getting into the middle of the oak barrels piled up against the wall, and seemed to be tinkering with something inside.

In addition to Bourne, another little wizard present used a wand to release a lighting spell to provide illumination for the man who got into the gap between the oak barrels.

The clothes worn by this little wizard bear the mark of Hufflepuff House. He is tall, with black hair like a Roman and an angular face like a statue. Bourne knew him as Cedric Diggory. Except for Ron, the three Weasley brothers all mentioned this Hufflepuff genius student to him when chatting, and even the twins spoke highly of him.

"Thank you, Hagrid and Cedric." The man who got into the gap between the oak barrels finished his work and got out quickly.

Only then did Byrne see the man's face, so he quickly added a greeting: "Hello, Professor Kettleburn,"

Although the first-year wizard did not have the elective course Care of Magical Creatures, he had met Kettleburn during the sorting ceremony and knew that this old wizard with only one leg and one arm was also a professor at Hogwarts. .

"Oh, little wizard, are you going back to the Hufflepuff lounge? Don't miss the syllables of 'Helga Hufflepuff', otherwise -"

"Professor," Cedric interrupted Kettleburn helplessly, "this is Burn, he is a Gryffindor student."

After saying that, he nodded to Bourne apologetically and said frankly: "I'm sorry, Bourne. The unique lounge access control is a tradition of our college, so I can't tell you too much."

Bourne didn't care at all.

"Oh, oh, oh, look at my memory," Professor Kettleburn scratched his chicken coop-like hair with his wooden prosthetic hand.

"I remembered, you are little Bourne, the little grandson of Horace. On the day of the sorting ceremony, not only did you get more than two hundred points deducted by Dumbledore, but you were also teased by the Sorting Hat that you were going to be sorted to Az Caban’…”

As soon as these words came out, no one in this corridor was not embarrassed, including Professor Kettleburn himself.

However, this old man is actually a very good person, very kind-hearted, very simple, and has always been very tolerant of students.

In order to make up for what he just said wrongly, he simply asked Bourne: "Is there anything urgent to do now? Do you want Hagrid and I to go to the Forbidden Forest to have a long experience? There will be no points deduction for going to the Forbidden Forest with the professor. oh!"

On the contrary, Hagrid was a little hesitant when he heard this. He wanted to advise Professor Kettleburn. Isn't this a bit dangerous?
However, the old professor seemed full of confidence. He pointed at Hagrid and himself, shook a small wooden bucket in his hand, and said: "It must be no problem. You and I are here, and from these The vinegar ointment I just shaved, with strong magical power... Oh, by the way, Cedric, thank you for shining the light for me just now. If you have nothing to do, why don't we go to the Forbidden Forest together? There aren't many opportunities like this. .”

There were not many opportunities like this, and what Professor Kettleburn said was true, so Cedric hurriedly agreed.

As for Bourne, he actually has some ideas about exploring the Forbidden Forest. How could he miss the opportunity before him?
"Then let's set off!"

After saying that, the old professor led the team towards the castle gate. From his hurried appearance, it was impossible to tell that one of his legs was a prosthetic.

This look even made Bourne suspect that one of his previous judgments was actually wrong: the physical education class at Hogwarts might not be the flying class he thought before, but the Care of Magical Creatures class.

Perhaps the environment really affects people.

When he was in the castle, Kettleburn's behavior seemed somewhat unprofessional. But once he walked out of the castle and lost the roof, the old professor seemed to be a different person.

As soon as he walked out of the door, he quickly cast a waterproof and moisture-proof spell on everyone, and he cast the spell silently, just waving his wand.

On the way to the Forbidden Forest, no matter whether it was climbing or descending, Kettleburn, an old professor who was missing a leg and an arm, not only did not hold back, but walked as fast as he could on the ground. Cedric would have almost fallen behind several times if Bourne and Hagrid hadn't helped him out from time to time.

Of course, some things can't be changed too much.

"In addition to talent, the only thing left to protect magical animals is passion and not being afraid of hard work!" As he spoke, Professor Kettleburn turned back and winked at Cedric.

Bourne: "Professor, what are we going to do?"

Kettleburn lifted the small wooden barrel in his hand, patted it, and said enthusiastically: "We are just going to do some hard work today."

Seeing that Bourne and Cedric still didn't understand, Hagrid kindly explained to them: "In the past few days, I found that the Thestrals we kept in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts didn't seem to have enough to eat, and they were all so hungry that they started to eat. The mink was caught in the dirt and eaten.

But in fact, I give these little cuties enough food every week, as well as their favorite cow blood and sheep blood as drinks.

Professor Kettleburn and I both felt that something might be stealing the Thestrals' food, but we searched for several days and still couldn't find the thieves.

Professor Kettleburn believes that a guy who can hide himself and likes Thestral food is probably one or a group of color-changing ghouls.

So today, the professor and I went to the Hufflepuff lounge. Their lounge has the best vinegar in Hogwarts and even in Britain. And if you want to expel discolored ghouls, the best thing to use is vinegar paste made from aged vinegar.

As long as the vinegar paste is applied, the color-changing ghouls cannot easily change the color of their skin, because it will sting them.

Therefore, as long as they see vinegar paste or even smell vinegar, the color-changing ghoul will probably run away in despair. "

(End of this chapter)