[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-wizard-war-at-hogwarts":3,"chapter-wizard-war-at-hogwarts-wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-146":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Wizard War at Hogwarts",{"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},2358119,4612,"Chapter 146: Substitute","wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-146",146,"\u003Cp>Cassandra didn’t look particularly surprised; she merely pressed her lips lightly and waited silently for Zhang Qiu to speak next.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Undoubtedly, Donald is a deadbeat who never intended to take responsibility—he used a false name from the moment he started dating you,” Zhang Qiu said, locking eyes with Cassandra.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, I guess you’ve noticed too—his lies are pretty clumsy, haha,” Cassandra sighed. “But what can I do? Arguing with him brings no benefit, whereas pretending ignorance seems to make him more willing to nurture Cui Ge. The child is so well-behaved—if helping him means the adult endures some hardship, it’s not a big deal after all these years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re right, I…” Zhang Qiu hesitated, “I won’t tell Cui Ge.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Actually, when you first came asking about my story, I already guessed what you were going to say. But it’s still good to have someone willing to let me vent—even if you can’t help at all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, I intend to do something.” Zhang Qiu flipped the diary open to the first page, displaying the Xu Jun’s mark again. “I want Cui Ge to transfer to Tianchao—to the Guozijian or the Xuanmen Tianzong, either is fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassandra’s breathing quickened; she set her wineglass gently on the table and stared intently at Zhang Qiu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know I’m Xu Jun’s direct disciple, and this concerns Harry’s fate—Xu Jun himself is deeply concerned,” she said slowly. “Tianchao’s education isn’t inferior to Hogwarts, and Cui Ge clearly isn’t just interested in magic. I can recommend him to the Guozijian for any major.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know that, but it also means we’d have to move to Tianchao…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You could stay in Yingzhou too—Xu Jun can still write a recommendation to the Magic Bureau. But you’d need to change your residence, preferably cutting all contact with Donald.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Qiu’s tone carried an air of finality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t have a problem, but Cui Ge…” she hesitated, “he really loves Hogwarts and his friends, especially Luna.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Precisely because of that, Luna never grew close to Harry as fate intended—and that affects Xu Jun’s plan,” Zhang Qiu leaned back slightly, her fingers tapping lightly on her notebook.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is Xu Jun’s plan? Has Cui Ge affected him?” After asking this, Cassandra recoiled as if shocked and quickly added, “I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to pry or anything, I just… I’m truly afraid he’ll cause trouble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Qiu pressed her lips together, paused a moment, then avoided answering directly: “It’s fine. I can still arrange your life—if you come to Tianchao, I can handle your household registration anywhere, housing and living expenses are no problem. Xu Jun is far more generous than that American nouveau riche.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I still want him to stay—he really loves it here,” Cassandra asked cautiously. “Is there any way he can remain at Hogwarts?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then he’ll keep being influenced by Donald, that deadbeat. And if we let Cui Ge keep making friends at Hogwarts, sooner or later he’ll disrupt the grand plan,” Zhang Qiu’s tone turned icy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I want to stop her,” Harry blurted out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No,” the professor gripped his arm. “You should remember our first journey—it was Zhang Qiu’s fourth stop, and back then she’d just met you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? So I can’t appear before her now?” Harry grumbled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Correct. But Professor Doudou has no problem. You want Cui Ge to stay, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, no—it’s not just that. I also want to know… never mind, I’ll ask her myself later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No problem, leave it to me,” Professor Doudou patted his shoulder, then dispelled the Invisibility Cloak and moved smoothly through the crowd, plopping down beside their table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You may know Dumbledore won’t allow anyone to harm a Hogwarts student,” came a perfectly enunciated Beijing-accented Mandarin, translated by the TARDIS’s magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, both young women were startled; Zhang Qiu frowned sharply at Professor Doudou, her eyes brimming with hostility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I merely mean that if Cui Ge doesn’t wish to leave Hogwarts, he doesn’t have to,” Professor Doudou said calmly. “That’s also Dumbledore’s wish.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really?” Cassandra’s voice held a hint of delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not only does Cui Ge value his friends, but Torchwood members also like him,” Professor Doudou lowered his voice. “Besides, Donald is no good either.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Donald…” Zhang Qiu tucked the open diary back into her lap, gently stroking its cover. “And Torchwood—Harry is in it too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassandra looked uneasy; she fidgeted a bit, then picked up her wineglass again and took a small sip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, I still don’t want Cui Ge staying here to interfere with Harry’s fate,” Zhang Qiu finally tucked the diary into her pocket. “But first, Cui Ge himself may prefer to stay; second, Harry wouldn’t want him to leave; third, there are other obstacles to consider. Perhaps we should take more time to deliberate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassandra exhaled as if relieved, whispering, “Thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, Cui Ge’s matter can wait. But I hope we can resolve your issue soon,” Zhang Qiu shifted gears, pulling out her diary again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Me? I’ll return to Yingzhou quickly—Donald really doesn’t want me here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s exactly the problem. But Donald himself is now deep in litigation, and I’ve already removed his eyes in Hogsmeade,” Zhang Qiu said confidently. “Theoretically, you’re free to stay by Cui Ge’s side—if you wish.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I do wish it! So can I enroll at Hogwarts?” Cassandra said happily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you thinking?” Zhang Qiu gave an awkward smile. “Do you really think you’re Cassandra?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorry,” she lowered her head again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I mean, China can help you settle in Britain—so Cui Ge can visit you during holidays, and you can come to the school anytime to see Dumbledore,” Zhang Qiu said slowly. “Perhaps you don’t want to keep working—we can arrange something more respectable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Professor Doudou offered an encouraging smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, that’s not bad,” Cassandra hesitated briefly, then accepted. “But don’t let Donald know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand. This has nothing to do with Madame Fontroy or with Cassandra,” Zhang Qiu paused. “May I call you by your real name—Zhen Zhong Lian Nai?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ma what?” Professor Doudou didn’t understand the foreign name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Manaka Reina. Family name first, given name last,” Zhang Qiu repeated it in English pronunciation. “We’ll buy you the Sangerst Gobstone Shop and convert it into a magical photography studio.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ll own the studio outright. Xu Jun will send people to assist with operations and maintenance—they won’t take wages from you, and they’ll protect you from Donald’s threats.” Zhang Qiu turned to Reina, now using her real name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reina smiled faintly and whispered, “I understand. Thank you. Then I’ll return to my true appearance—I’ve worked so long in that brothel, I’ve almost forgotten what little girl I used to be.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re a Metamorphmagus?” Professor Doudou snapped alert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, just a few cosmetic spells I studied myself,” she laughed. “After all, customers prefer pretty waitresses.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under their gaze, her bright golden hair turned into fluffy brown, her smooth pale cheeks sprouted freckles, her even white teeth became uneven, with two prominent front teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Qiu slammed her hand on the table and stood up; Harry, hidden under the Invisibility Cloak, gasped and covered his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You used to be—wait, you looked like this as a child?” Zhang Qiu’s voice trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, I’ve always had brown hair, so few kids played with me,” Reina said. “Everyone else had black hair—I always stood out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And it grew so fast—I was often called a squirrel as a kid,” she idly ran her fingers through her hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now I understand why Donald favored Hermione so much,” Zhang Qiu murmured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But that doesn’t make sense,” she suddenly frowned. “If you weren’t pretty as a child, and you were just a bookworm who lived in the library, how could you have attracted boys?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly! So when Dack approached me, I was truly moved…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, didn’t you ever wonder?” Zhang Qiu leaned forward, hands pressed on the table. “Didn’t you ever think—why would Dack be drawn to someone like you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know—he said he just liked me this way. Everyone has their own taste,” Reina shrugged. “Besides, beauty is in the eye of the beholder—who can say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From the fact you two started sleeping together after three months, it’s less about taste and more about,” Zhang Qiu’s expression turned grave as never before, “kink.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you making that face? It’s all in the past,” Reina dismissed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s fine. I’m worried about something else.” Zhang Qiu sighed, flipped to the last few pages of the diary, and began writing. “You can still follow the original plan—stay at the Three Broomsticks for a while longer. Someone will come to you within two weeks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm-hmm,” Reina nodded, not disturbing Zhang Qiu’s writing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As for you, Professor Doudou,” she said without looking up, “we both know Johnny Inglis is interrogating Sirius right now. So if someone sent you to find me, whatever it is can wait until the next stop.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course. Honestly, I have nothing to do—just happened to see injustice and spoke up,” he half-closed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The correct phrase is ‘to draw one’s sword in defense of justice,’” Zhang Qiu corrected his idiom, tore off a page, handed it to Reina, and her figure began to fade. “As I said—see you at the next stop.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1530,"2026-06-21T04:54:27.874Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","07400fe6c91e2020b6b3ef80c8e48f7a135dafcbc035fe4488a61cf911b9c9ad","wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-147","wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-145",528,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwizard-war-at-hogwarts-cover.jpg"]