[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-hogwarts-learning-panel":3,"chapter-hogwarts-learning-panel-hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-496":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Hogwarts Learning Panel",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2250734,4210,"Chapter 496: The Secret of Scabbers","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-496",496,"\u003Cp>After Ron ran out, Harry quickly followed him outside the shop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neville, standing at the very back and closest to the door, inevitably became the first wizard pushed out by Ron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their three figures vanished quickly into the crowd of Diagon Alley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m so sorry…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch with thick black glasses hurriedly bowed, clutching the ginger cat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But it’s strange—though no one has adopted it and it’s been here a long time… it’s never acted so violently before.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She gazed at the three young wizards disappearing into Diagon Alley, as if something occurred to her, and murmured softly to herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean, Hermione, and Jia Jia Siting faintly caught the words “rat” and “lived too long.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the cat’s name?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione suddenly asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, dear, it has no name—names are given by owners, and it’s never had one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can I buy it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione said happily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s wonderful, dear!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch’s face lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cats are nice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Jia Siting smiled beside her, stealing a glance at Wizard Sean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, cats are nice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione paid quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Harry and the others returned, they saw Hermione tightly hugging the large ginger cat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You bought this monster?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron’s mouth hung wide open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t it beautiful?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry thought, everyone sees things differently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cat’s ginger fur was fluffy and soft, but its paws were clearly pigeon-toed, its expression gloomy, its face shaped like a strange dried persimmon—as if it had once slammed headfirst into a brick wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that Scabbers was out of sight, the cat purred contentedly in Hermione’s arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hermione, that thing nearly peeled off my scalp!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It didn’t mean to, did it, Crookshanks?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You named it? Merlin, already?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But… what about Scabbers?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron pointed to the bulge in his front pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He needs rest, he needs to relax! How can he relax with that thing around?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That reminds me—you forgot your Rat Tonic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione said, shoving the small red bottle into Ron’s hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry—Crookshanks sleeps in my dorm, Scabbers sleeps in yours. What’s the problem?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Poor Crookshanks—the shopkeeper said he’d been there ages, with no one wanting him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s strange.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron whispered sarcastically to Harry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Hermione bought her pet, the group set off for the Leaky Cauldron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was nearly noon, so they decided to have a proper meal before buying their new textbooks and supplies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry, Ron, and Neville walked ahead, chatting, while Wizard Sean, Hermione, and Jia Jia Siting lagged behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ron said that rat belonged to his brother?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Jia Siting asked casually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s odd—I heard Ron say Percy had that rat since he was very young…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Jia Siting said, puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wizard Sean, do you know how long a garden rat can live?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean paused, glancing subtly at Hermione and Jia Jia Siting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could speak, Hermione answered first:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t the shopkeeper say? A garden rat lives at most three years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione tilted her head, holding Crookshanks’ paw—now the cat, spotting Wizard Sean, pressed itself against him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe it’s not a garden rat—like Crookshanks, it has cat-kin blood and can tell good wizards from bad ones.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she finished, Crookshanks slipped from her grip, leaping onto Wizard Sean’s shoulder and curling there like a thick woolen scarf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Jia Siting agreed, but his gaze toward Wizard Sean subtly shifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean’s view was blocked by Crookshanks’ raised tail as he slowly realized Hermione and Jia Jia Siting were nearly on the verge of uncovering Peter’s secret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the Weasleys shared a bed with Peter for twelve years and never noticed Scabbers was special?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twelve years together, unaware Scabbers was Peter…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Leaky Cauldron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean immediately saw Mr. Weasley sitting at the bar, reading the Daily Prophet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Green.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked up and smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How are you? And you, Harry? Of course, you lot too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Very well, Mr. Weasley.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After greetings, the group sat beside Mr. Weasley with their purchases.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Weasley set down the paper, and Wizard Sean saw Sirius Black’s photograph glaring at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They haven’t caught him yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry asked nervously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Weasley’s expression was grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Ministry has pulled everyone off regular duties to hunt him down, but so far, no progress.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Will there be a reward if we catch him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A bit more money would be great—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t talk nonsense, Ron.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Weasley said; up close, his face looked tense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Black can’t be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Remember this—only the Dementors of Azkaban will bring him back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Mrs. Weasley entered the pub, arms laden with shopping bags.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind her came the twins, Fred and George—about to start their fifth year at Hogwarts; Percy, newly elected Head Boy; and the Weasleys’ youngest child and only daughter, Ginny.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Percy formally extended his hand to everyone, as if meeting them for the first time:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Harry, it’s a pleasure to see you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And you, Jia Jia Siting, Miss Granger…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How are you all?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Percy shook hands with each of them, acting as if they’d been introduced to the Mayor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh! Mr. Green—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he reached Wizard Sean, Percy’s demeanor changed noticeably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew some of the truth… it wasn’t hard to deduce…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How have you been lately?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Very well, Mr. Weasley.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Percy was about to say more when someone elbowed him aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Great Green!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fred pushed Percy aside with a sharp elbow and bowed deeply,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It is such a joy to meet you—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Absolutely wonderful,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>George shoved Fred aside and quickly took Wizard Sean’s hand in a light grip,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Truly magnificent.”\u003C\u002Fp>",942,"2026-06-19T10:00:42.198Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","4787faba2c991c2c095d50d820a94e9b316801dea4db2f755027f9c2c6d90282","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-497","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-495",526,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhogwarts-learning-panel-cover.jpg"]