Chapter 121: The New Semester

Sherlock has no objection to Dumbledore’s decision. He has some interest in the person who came from Germany and made trouble in the British wizarding world.

Sherlock left the principal office. He came to the fifth floor and learned from Dumbledore that Silk, the Unspeakable from the German Ministry of Magic, lived in a lounge there. Sherlock knocked on the door. She didn’t respond, but the door suddenly opened by itself.

He hesitated for a moment and finally pushed the door and walked in. The room was dark, and although it was cloudy today, it was so dark that there were barely any lights coming from outside. The room’s owner had drawn all the curtains to create such a dark atmosphere.

The only bright place in the whole room was the table in the middle, with a candle on it, and the faint candlelight could only illuminate the space less than half a meter. Silk was sitting quietly in front of the candle, with a light blue teacup placed in front of her.

Sherlock walked in. Before he could speak, she spoke softly, “Please close the door.”

He turned around and closed the door, and the whole room returned to silence and gloom again. Only the candle on the table illuminated Silk’s whole appearance. Even in such an environment, she still wore her robe and the hood on her head, and only the lower third of her entire face was exposed.

Sherlock walked to the table and sat opposite her, “Why don’t you open the curtains?”

“I need it to be dark.”

Sherlock noticed that the cup in front of her contained no tea; only the bottom was covered with a layer of ground tea residue.

Tea divination.

It is one of the most convenient divination techniques in the wizarding world and a subject for Hogwarts divination classes. She is obviously a Seer, but she doesn’t have the slightest bit of a way of speaking like a normal Seer.

Sherlock stared at the tea in her cup for a long time but couldn’t see anything. It’s not that he lacks knowledge of divination, but he lacks any talent in it.

“What are you trying to read about?”

“Its purpose.”

Sherlock narrowed his eyes, “Can I know what it means?”

Silk seemed to raise her head slightly. Sherlock could only see the tip of her nose at most, and further up, there was darkness under the hood.

“Are you sent by Dumbledore?” Her words were so straightforward that Sherlock coughed twice.

“You misunderstood. I am the person who will assist you in Hogwarts during this period.”

She lowered her head again and continued to look at the tea leaves at the bottom of the cup.

“It relies on emotions to accumulate strength.” Silk’s voice was cold and ethereal.

“I can’t inform you, but if Dumbledore sends you, you can follow me when I look for it and learn about it for yourself.”

This caught Sherlock, a little off guard, but he couldn’t help but relax. He also doesn’t like to play riddles with others, but since she is so direct, he doesn’t continue to hide it.

“If you’re going to do something or discover anything about it, come find me in the office on the third floor.”

She nodded slightly. This brief exchange between the two ended, and Sherlock turned around and left the room. After he left, Silk was still silently staring at the tea leaves at the bottom of the cup, motionless, like a statue in the dark.

—-

In the evening, the sky began to rain heavily. Various decorations had been arranged in the Great Hall, and the professors were sitting at the tables, waiting for the students’ arrival and starting the opening dinner.

Sherlock sat next to Hagrid; he could clearly see the excitement on his face. In this year’s Care of Magical Creatures, Professor Kettleburn retired from his position. He was old enough, with his legs and feet disabled when Sherlock first entered Hogwarts, and it was a little unbearable to see him still teaching.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Hagrid continued his position, but Sherlock had doubts about whether he was qualified for it. Hagrid is generous and kind, and he can also be the most loyal person. In terms of knowledge, he also has expert insights and experience on magical animals.

But his view of some magical animals is completely different from others. Due to his special physique, some highly dangerous magical creatures will appear less dangerous in front of him, which makes him think that this is the same for everyone.

Just like last semester, he asked Harry and Ron to find Aragog in the Forbidden Forest to find out the truth. He thought Aragog would treat Harry like him when he knew he was his friend. But the reality is that if Sherlock hadn’t been there, Harry and Ron would most likely have died there.

But Dumbledore was willing to give him a chance to try, and Sherlock also felt that maybe Hagrid would understand this and change after he became a professor.

After a moment, all the students except the first grade came to the Hall. They arrived a little later than normal, and they all looked shocked. As they got on the train, the Dementors were already surrounding them to check everyone one by one.

Fortunately, Sherlock’s assistant this year, Remus Lupin, was also on the train. He used the Patronus Charm to push the Dementors back so that the students didn’t have much trouble. But when the students arrived at the school, Madam Pomfrey hurried over to give them chocolates.

After being affected by Dementors, eating something sweet is the easiest way to relieve the discomfort feeling. Harry passed out again on the train. This was the second time he had passed out when he saw these creatures.

In the school infirmary, he rejected Madam Pomfrey’s offer to let him lie down here for the night and insisted on going back to the Hall for dinner. After confirming that he was fine, Professor McGonagall agreed to his request and let him go back to the Hall for dinner.

When Harry returned to the Hall, this year’s sorting ceremony had ended, and before the dinner began, Dumbledore had announced something. At the beginning of this semester, Dementors will be guarding all the exits of the school so that the students don’t sneak out at night.

The second news was to introduce the two new professors.

“Because your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Forrest, will be involved in other things this year, so the school hired an assistant to share his responsibility. Professor Lupin agreed to assist him.”

“Starting this semester, he will teach first to fourth grades in Defense Against the Dark Arts. While Professor Forrest will continue to teach fifth to seventh-grade students for the next exam.”

Lupin’s appearance looked shabby compared to other well-dressed professors. When Dumbledore introduced him, there was sparse applause in the Hall. These were the students he had protected on the train.

Harry and others also applauded, but Harry frowned and said curiously, “What happened to Professor Forrest this year? Why did the school hire him a teaching assistant?”

Hermione shook her head and said, sad, “Professor Forrest didn’t teach us this year. His class is the best class I’ve ever taken. I don’t know how the new professor Lupin is going to be, but I hope we can learn something from him.”

Ron was confident about it, “With Professor Lupin’s action on the train, he certainly won’t be like Quirrell, who only reads textbooks.”

While they were chatting, Dumbledore announced the second new professor, Hagrid. Harry and the others were happy for Hagrid because Hagrid had always wanted to be a professor at Hogwarts.

After the incident in the Chamber of Secret last semester, he was cleared of his charges. He can now use magic openly and honestly and become a teacher at Hogwarts.

After Dumbledore’s brief introduction, the dinner officially began. This was Sherlock’s first time talking with Remus Lupin this year.

“Hello there, Professor Lupin.” Sherlock raised his glass, and Lupin touched it lightly.

From the outside, Lupin seemed to be a typical middle-aged man. His body seemed a little unwell, and his face showed abnormal paleness. But the smile on his face and the words tell that he is a nice person.

“It’s not the first time we met before, Sherlock. Although you were very young when we met last time, you probably have forgotten about it, but this should be the second time we met.”