Chapter 33: A Chance Encounter with Hermione in the Library

Since the chores this time were relatively simple, there was still a long time left before curfew after finishing them.

So, John stopped by the library on his way back.

During Transfiguration class this morning, Professor McGonagall had assigned him an individual essay.

Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration diary contained only practical techniques and personal insights.

Therefore, materials for essays like that couldn't be found in the diary.

He had no choice but to go to the library to look up information himself.

Upon arriving at the library, he found quite a few people there.

After asking the librarian and finding the book he needed, John prepared to find an empty corner to read.

Come to think of it, there was a Restricted Section deep in the library that lower-year students weren't allowed to enter.

Upper-year students needed a valid reason and a professor's permission to enter.

Wonder if there are any "little yellow"... er, no, I mean enlightenment books.

While walking through the library, he met an acquaintance: Hermione Granger.

She was sitting alone in a corner of the library reading a book.

Her expression seemed a bit troubled.

As if noticing someone looking at her, Hermione turned her head and looked at John in the aisle.

She blinked, as if she hadn't expected to meet John here, but after a brief pause, she revealed a faint smile and waved at him.

John looked around to confirm she was waving at him before slowly walking over.

"Senior."

"Call me Senior Sister."

"......"

John politely greeted Hermione, but Hermione smiled and corrected his form of address.

Seeing the "Principles of Transfiguration" in John's hand, Hermione smiled.

"Did Professor McGonagall ask you to write a Transfiguration essay alone?"

"How did you know?"

Hearing Hermione's words, John was also taken aback.

"Because I wrote one too back then."

Hermione pointed to herself and said.

Come to think of it, Hermione had indeed said she had studied with Professor McGonagall for a period of time.

It seemed the tasks Professor McGonagall assigned were similar.

"Do you want Senior Sister to give you some hints or guidance?"

"That won't be necessary; this is a task Professor McGonagall gave me, and I must complete it myself."

Facing Hermione's kindness, John shook his head and said slowly.

Hearing John's words, Hermione raised an eyebrow; this guy was quite honest.

If it were Harry or Ron, they would definitely be eager to copy her homework to be lazy.

However, John's thought was that writing an essay with Hermione would definitely increase the plagiarism rate.

Although he didn't know if this magical world had such a thing as a plagiarism rate.

But to be safe, it was better to write it himself.

"However, Senior, if there's a chance, I would like to ask you for advice on some Transfiguration techniques."

John refused Hermione's help but still politely made an insignificant request to her.

This way, he wouldn't reject the senior's good intentions.

This is what's called social sophistication.

"Alright, you're welcome to ask me anytime."

Facing John's words, Hermione agreed quite readily.

After that, the two didn't continue chatting idly; after all, they both had tasks to do in the library.

John simply sat next to Hermione, reading his book while writing his essay.

It's said that focused people radiate light.

Watching John, who was focused beside her, Hermione felt for the first time that having a study partner wasn't bad.

Those two guys, Harry and Ron, wouldn't accompany her to study at all.

"Senior, could you help me see what this part means?"

"Let me see, this is..."

John would occasionally ask Hermione about some professional vocabulary he hadn't learned yet.

Hermione would also patiently help John explain them.

John was very smart and learned things almost as soon as they were taught, which made it especially easy and comfortable for Hermione to teach.

Until near curfew, John's essay was finally finished.

After this brief time together, the two became much more familiar, and their forms of address for each other were no longer so overly polite.

"Sister Hermione, thank you so much for today, for teaching me so many things."

John looked at the full essay in his hand and said to Hermione sincerely.

"You're welcome; even if I didn't teach you those things, you would have learned them soon enough."

Hermione waved her hand and smiled dismissively.

Because John was there, her studying today wasn't as dull and boring as usual.

And having someone to discuss things with made her temporarily forget her recent troubles, so even her own study progress had sped up quite a bit.

After studying, the two left the library together.

The way from here to the Gryffindor dormitory and the Ravenclaw dormitory happened to be the same, so they walked back together.

On the way, the two chatted, and Hermione suddenly brought up the Dementor attack at the start of the term.

"John, when you faced the Dementors back then, weren't you afraid?"

When the Dementors attacked the train, their compartment had also encountered Dementors.

Hermione clearly remembered that at the time, she was so frightened by the Dementors' ominous and cold aura that she was almost unable to move.

She couldn't resist at all.

Yet John, a first-year freshman, actually dared to block the Dementors.

"Er, I don't know..."

Facing Hermione's question, John shook his head.

"You don't know if you were afraid yourself?"

"I don't know how to describe my feelings at the time; if I had to say, maybe there was some element of 'a newborn calf not fearing the tiger' in it."

John shrugged, not boasting about how brave he was, but finding an ambiguous way to describe it.

"Even so, it's very impressive."

Hermione nodded, considering John's explanation understandable.

"Neville has praised you many times in our Gryffindor."

"Really? Then am I quite famous in Gryffindor?"

Hearing Hermione's words, John smiled.

"Of course."

"However, when you should be low-key, you still need to be low-key, John."

Hermione said to John in the tone of an elder.

"After all, a tall tree catches the wind; being too high-profile and showing off makes it easy to be targeted."

John was slightly stunned; Hermione was reminding him not to be too high-profile.

But John didn't take it to heart and continued to smile.

"If we're talking about being high-profile, isn't Harry Potter the one who can be the most high-profile?"

John mentioned the Savior, Harry; he was a household name in the wizarding world, so no matter how high-profile he was, he couldn't be more so than him.

"Hmm... that's true."

"That's why there are already annoying guys at odds with him."

Hermione nodded and said, while John was speechless.

The two walked all the way to the outside of the Gryffindor common room.

Their common room entrance was right at the spiral staircase, and the entrance was a tall, moving oil painting.

"Fat Lady, Lucky Stars Shine."

Hermione said to the female portrait in the painting.

This was the password for them to enter the Gryffindor common room.

Soon, the Fat Lady in the painting smiled and said: "Alright, dear, come in."

As the Fat Lady's voice fell, the oil painting opened like a door, revealing a secret passage inside.

Seeing this scene, John raised an eyebrow; it really was magical.

"Alright John, thank you for seeing me back, see you next time."

Hermione walked inside the door, then turned back and waved her small hand at John.

John also waved back, responding with a smile: "See you next time."

Then John lifted his feet and continued walking up the stairs.

Watching John's departing back, Hermione smiled slightly.

This little junior brother is quite the gentleman.

He could have taken a shortcut directly up to the Ravenclaw tower, but he insisted on accompanying her to the Gryffindor entrance before returning alone.

However, John actually just wanted to see what the Gryffindor dormitory looked like. ===== CHAPTER 34 =====