Harry Potter and the Obscurus

Chapter 118 Animagus's Invitation

Harry and Hermione weren't particularly interested in the eccentric sisters' music. Having their own Muggle experience, they preferred classical tunes to accompany their dancing. Sure enough, after the first three songs, the two left the dance floor hand in hand.

"Would you like a drink? I'll get it for you."

Harry asked.

"Let's go together, I haven't decided what I want to drink yet."

Hermione replied.

The music continued, and as Harry and Hermione returned to their seats near the dance floor with Butterbeer and Flaming Whiskey respectively, Fred and Angelina danced right in front of them.

"Wow, their movements are so unrestrained."

"Yeah, didn't you see everyone around them avoiding them? Hey? Wait, Harry, how did you get the Flaming Whiskey?"

Hermione, a model student, instinctively asked a question after seeing the red flames seemingly leaping in Harry's cup. However, to Harry's surprise, before he could even explain, Hermione unusually spoke up:

"Let me guess, you used the Confusion Charm? My God, you can already cast the Confusion Charm silently and without a staff?"

"No, I just hid the wand in my sleeve. It was just a silent spell."

"Don't lie to me, I'm not that stupid."

Hermione said, taking a sip of the butterbeer:

“You know, Harry, for most students, just being able to successfully cast the Confusion Charm is already quite difficult. In last year’s NEWTs practical exams for the graduating class, more than half of the upperclassmen failed to master it, let alone cast it with a silent charm.”

"But you've already figured it out, haven't you? Otherwise, you wouldn't have noticed my little tricks."

"Ha~"

Hermione smiled and sighed.

After a while, she slowly turned her head to look at Harry. Having completely lost her nervousness through dancing, she slowly let go of the hands they had been holding and took the glass of Flaming Whiskey from Harry, poured it into her butterbeer, and began to taste it.

"Hmm...it seems these two drinks aren't suitable to be drunk together. Would you like to try some?"

Harry looked at the butterbeer Hermione offered and seemed to understand the unspoken meaning behind her words.

He took the orange drink, took a sip, and said:

"Well, it's not very good... Okay, Hermione, I admit I can't read your mind completely, but I don't want to use Legilimency to find out what you're thinking. Sometimes, I really want a clear answer from you, but I'm more afraid of getting an answer I don't want."

"Oh my God... Harry..."

Hermione's face flushed red upon hearing Harry's blunt words.

She didn't actually have any hidden meaning in her words; having known Harry for so many years, how could she not understand his speaking style? The reason she mixed the wines together for Harry to taste was simply so that they could share a glass.

"I......"

"Um......."

"Harry...actually I..."

"It's okay, Hermione, I think I understand what you mean, we can..."

"What?!"

Hermione panicked. She took the glass of butterbeer back into her hand and used a wandless spell to separate the mixed drinks.

“Reverte!” (Restore everything)

"Listen, Harry Potter! You've misunderstood!"

Hermione said somewhat urgently:

"Even if butterbeer and flaming whiskey don't taste good together, it doesn't mean people can't enjoy them at the same time. In my opinion, the most important thing is that two people can find a third feeling, because that's something irreplaceable. As for what answer you're talking about, well... if you ask, I'll definitely give you a satisfactory answer, but if you don't ask, I definitely won't tell you on my own initiative."

At this point, Hermione's neck was completely red. Not knowing what to do next, she subconsciously picked up her glass and took a sip. Unexpectedly, this time she drank Harry's Flame Whiskey.

"Hah!"

Hermione, choked by the strong liquor, stuck out her tongue and shook her head, saying:

"Why does it taste like this?! It's so spicy!"

"Hahaha."

"You're still laughing!"

Hermione gave Harry a playful glare before handing him the Flaming Whiskey. Watching the glass Hermione had just brought to her lips for a sip, Harry downed the drink in one gulp. Though James Potter was in his blood, he wasn't a clueless blockhead. However, just as Harry was about to ask Hermione his question, an uninvited guest shattered the perfect atmosphere.

"You two are done dancing already? I spent ages discussing it with Gemma Farley and the others, and it turns out..."

Malfoy was only halfway through his sentence when he was startled back half a step by the unfriendly glares he received from Ha and H at the same time.

The eccentric sisters' music was still playing wildly in the air when, after about ten seconds, Harry, barely managing to control his emotions, finally spoke up in praise:

"Oh, thank you. You really know how to pick your time..."

Having sensed the tense atmosphere from Harry and Hermione's reactions, Malfoy reacted quickly. His eyes darted around, and he immediately made an excuse to leave, but unexpectedly...

"Oh, I forgot that Pansy and I have things to do. You two go ahead and get back to work..."

"Malfoy? What are you doing here?"

With Ron Weasley's voice suddenly coming from behind Malfoy, Harry had to temporarily abandon his plan to confess his feelings to Hermione. He sighed and called the other two to his side, saying:

"Stop fooling around in this kind of setting. You two sit down first. I have something important to say."

Ron looked puzzled upon hearing this, his expression as if asking Harry why they didn't just kick Malfoy out, which made Malfoy laugh in exasperation. Previously reluctant, Malfoy pulled over a chair and sat down, staring at the red-haired Weasley with a slightly provocative look in his eyes:

"Hurry up and sit down. How can you be so clueless when you're just following along?"

"you!"

"Okay, that's enough."

Harry spoke up again to stop them:

"Anyone who tries to cause trouble should go somewhere cool and stay put."

Upon hearing this, Ron and Malfoy, who had been about to engage in a heated debate, fell silent. One turned his head away, while the other, to get away from Malfoy, sat down on the side closer to Hermione.

Harry, having finally settled Ron and Malfoy, shook his head. Then, taking advantage of the fact that everyone around him was still immersed in the ball, he lowered his voice and announced to the three people present:

"The second challenge of the Triwizard Tournament is for the contestants to dive into the Black Lake and retrieve something. My idea is simple: to master the Animagus transformation technique over the next month."

"Do you need our help? Hermione and I are enough for this!"

"Are you stupid, Weasley? Potter needs help to study Animagus? He must have something else he's not saying."

The childish banter between Ron and Malfoy finally pushed Hermione to her limit, and she angrily reprimanded them:

"Hey! You two, when will you ever stop? Harry's willingness to share this secret with us means he trusts us, so can you please stop chattering like monkeys? You, Ron!"

"Huh? I..."

"Whether Harry needs anyone's help is up to him. No one can speculate or spread rumors. And you, Malfoy, are no exception!"

Hermione's sharp gaze swept from Ron's face to Draco's, startling him.

“Since Harry is willing to let you stay here, he considers you a friend. Therefore, even if I don’t like you, I will respect Harry’s decision. If you respect him, then don’t put on airs and badmouth Ron and the other students, do you hear me?”

Draco, of course, did not silently accept Hermione's reprimand like Ron did. However, always mindful of upholding the honor of the Malfoy family, he merely gave a symbolic, low "tsk."

"Okay, ha!"

Harry, who had just been a bit disappointed, couldn't help but laugh. He had never imagined that Hermione would discipline Ron and Malfoy so severely. After careful consideration, seeing both of them being disciplined by a girl made it seem like he could find another opportunity to confess his feelings to Hermione.

"Ahem, then I'll tell you the truth."

Harry coughed twice and said:

“The opportunity to train into Animagus doesn’t come every year. Besides the lengthy and complicated magical rituals, it also requires a certain amount of luck. Fortunately, I now have the ability to make the weather cooperate, so if you don’t want to miss this opportunity, you can train into Animagus with me.”

"Really?"

Ron was the first to call out.

As the youngest son of the Weasley family, Ron has lived almost entirely in the shadow of his older brothers since birth. Whatever achievements he makes, it seems to be nothing more than following in their footsteps.

But Animagus magic is different. This advanced Transfiguration isn't something seventh-year students can master through practice and exams like Apparition. In Professor Minerva McGonagall's words—it might take several years to become an Animagus, and even if someone spends years trying to transform into their most suitable animal, there's still a chance of failure. Therefore, transformation requires courage, and to this day, only seven people have been registered with the Ministry of Magic in the 20th century.

"Harry, I...you mean I can also master Animagus magic?"

"If you follow the magical ritual exactly in the correct order to complete the transformation steps, I think you should be fine."

"Great! I'll join! I'll do everything in my power to master Animagus!"

Ron's loud voice attracted the attention of several Hogwarts students, but fortunately, the strange sisters' playing was loud enough that they couldn't hear the specific content of the four's conversation.

"Keep your voice down, Weasley."

Malfoy was the first to speak up, his expression seemingly calm and composed, but in reality, he was just as excited as Ron.

"I remember that the Animagus magic ritual takes at least a month to complete. If the four of us practice at the same time, what if other schools find out and guess the content of the second project?"

Draco's reminder made Harry look at him with new respect. But then again, if the champion chosen by the Goblet of Fire couldn't figure out the secret of the golden egg within a few months, then the Triwizard Tournament was better off not being held at all.

Thinking of this, Harry stopped being modest and said directly:

"It doesn't matter. I don't want to become an Animagus just to pass the second test. To put it bluntly, even without my Animagus, diving to the bottom of Black Lake wouldn't be difficult. So, besides Ron, who else wants to train with me?"

"I will be with you."

Hermione spoke firmly, her gaze meeting Harry's, her bright eyes revealing sincerity and determination.

Draco Malfoy had sensed the unusual atmosphere between Harry and Hermione long before Ron arrived, and seeing this scene now only strengthened his initial suspicion. Strangely enough, he had come to the ball with Pansy Parkinson, but a little girl named Astoria Greengrass had inexplicably begun to take root in his mind.