[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-hogwarts-learning-panel":3,"chapter-hogwarts-learning-panel-hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-521":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},2250759,4210,"Chapter 521: Meeting","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-521",521,"\u003Cp>Wizard Sean was the first to board the train, Professor McGonagall’s gaze fixed on it the whole time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when the young wizards’ figures flashed past the windows did Professor McGonagall calmly vanish from the station.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where she disappeared, beside the third pillar, Mrs. Wei Wei Silai hugged Harry one extra time—Harry felt a little embarrassed, but inwardly delighted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Take good care of yourself, all right, Harry?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She straightened up, her eyes glinting with an odd light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She opened her enormous handbag and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I made sandwiches for all of you. Remember to give this one to Green’s boy…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s strange, he’s always with Professor McGonagall…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here, Harry, and you, Ron… no, not the corned beef one… Fred? Where’s Fred? Here, dear…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Harry,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Wei Wei Silai stepped closer, whispering,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come over here a moment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nodded toward a pillar; Harry followed him behind it, while the others boarded the train, following Wizard Sean’s lead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the train.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean walked down the aisle; they weren’t late, but most compartments were already full—except those at the rear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wizard Sean—could you slow down a bit—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Jia Siting was the first to catch up, beside him carrying a pet basket with Hermione.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean paused, and together with Jia Jia Siting and Hermione, they entered the compartment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The compartment held only one person: a man asleep by the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Jia Siting and Hermione stood at the doorway and glanced inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hogwarts Express was normally for students alone; besides the witch pushing the snack cart, they had never seen another adult on board.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stranger wore a neat wizard’s robe, but several patches mended its fabric.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked ill, utterly drained of strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his face was still young, his light brown hair was already streaked with gray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm… who is he?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione whispered, as they slid the door shut and took seats farthest from the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our shopkeeper.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Jia Siting said happily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What shopkeeper?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione was baffled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Jia Jia Siting could answer, Harry, Ron, and Neville burst in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone’s here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron said cheerfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hogwarts Express carriages were wide; though cramped for six young wizards, there was room enough for Ron and the others to wait briefly in the adjacent compartment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your sandwiches.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry remembered Mrs. Wei Wei Silai’s instructions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Steak sandwich, thank you, Harry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Jia Siting accepted it gladly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Blueberry…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione peered inside happily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All eyes turned to Wizard Sean—his sandwich was unmistakably shaped like a pumpkin pie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean carefully tucked the sandwich away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who is he?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron noticed the sleeping wizard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“R.J. Lupin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Jia Siting whispered immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How do you know?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron asked curiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione was puzzled too—hadn’t she just heard “shopkeeper”?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she did recall Jia Jia Siting and Wizard Sean ran a bookshop, where the old shopkeeper rarely appeared, yet often spent days mending shelves in a hooded robe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumor had it he was leaving soon—evidenced by his intense interviews with new wizard applicants for the position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione had also heard his standards were terrifying…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s the Green Bookshop…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione answered instinctively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“His trunk says so.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jia Jia Siting pointed to the luggage rack above the man’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There sat a battered little trunk, bound with many ropes, each knot neatly tied; the name R.J. Lupin was printed on one corner, the letters slightly faded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The trunk looked ready to fall apart, yet entwined with magical vines that tightened whenever the train’s shaking distorted its shape—as if alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one knew who had cast the transfiguration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Except Lupin himself… and…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, Wizard Sean, look—what an amazing transfiguration…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I know you did it. I mean, that’s unfair.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Jia Siting whispered, feigning mild resentment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t have a broken trunk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I could have one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Jia Siting’s eyes lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione couldn’t take it anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wonder what subject he’ll teach?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron stared curiously at Lupin’s lifeless form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Obviously,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione whispered,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s only one vacancy, isn’t there? Defense Against the Dark Arts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young wizards had already had two Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, both gone after just one year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumor—spread by Hagrid—claimed the position was cursed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, I hope he can handle it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron said skeptically,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look at him—he couldn’t even stand up to a powerful witch, could he…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Hermione frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d gone through great trouble to rid themselves of Lockhart the fraud; now their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was a bookstore keeper—hardly convincing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wizard Sean…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with uncertainty, Hermione turned to the young wizard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Lupin has ample ability.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione was pleasantly surprised; she was about to ask more when Ron interrupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wizard Sean, can you go to Hogsmeade? If we’re all together,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron said eagerly to Wizard Sean,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Black wouldn’t dare—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For heaven’s sake, Ron, stop talking nonsense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione glared at him, irritated,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Black once killed a crowd in a crowded street—do you really think having us around would stop him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, she fiddled with the straps of Crookshanks’ willow basket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop! Stop! You’re going to open it—don’t let that thing out!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron said, but it was too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crookshanks leapt nimbly from the basket, stretched, yawned, and sprang onto Ron’s lap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bulge in Ron’s pocket trembled; he angrily shoved Crookshanks off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get lost!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ron!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione said angrily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron was about to reply when Professor Lupin stirred suddenly. They watched him anxiously, but he merely turned his head to the other side, mouth slightly open, and continued sleeping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hogwarts Express traveled northward, and the scenery outside the window grew increasingly desolate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the high-altitude clouds thickened, the sky gradually darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>",941,"2026-06-19T10:00:42.198Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b80ef10b7de55ee2309f1ee817bce98c9aa30d7f0a0a262c121e3624593835f6","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-522","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-520",526,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhogwarts-learning-panel-cover.jpg"]