A magical journey that begins in Azkaban

Since Lupin entered school, he has never seen or heard Professor McGonagall come home. The students all secretly guessed that there was a secret door in the study behind the Transfiguration classroom, which was Professor McGonagall's bedroom.

Snape gave Lupine a sharp look and warned him not to ask too much. Like Professor McGonagall, he is the kind of wizard who has a home and doesn't want to go back.

Contrary to McGonagall's desperate desire to escape home, Snape stayed at school to keep the memories fresh. The buildings, trees, stones, and even the clouds floating in the sky at Hogwarts made his memories as fresh as freshly dissected nerves.

As for his home in Spider End Lane, it was nothing more than a cold cave built of stone.

"Severus?" Mrs. Pince, the librarian, suddenly stood at the door and called, looking like she was hesitant to speak.

Everyone in the office looked at the two of them, obviously curious about Mrs. Pince coming to see the cold Snape.

Snape's cooking hand stopped stiffly in mid-air, and he concealed his guilt and said, "I'll go to the dungeon right away to get the book."

Most people then looked away and secretly cursed: "Sure enough, I'm overthinking it. How could he get too close to other witches?"

Lupine chewed the last bite of bread and stared at the backs of the two people as they left.

"There is a problem, there must be a problem." He said decisively, "There must be something fishy between the two of them. I bet with my keen nose."

"Don't think too much about it." Professor Flitwick shook his head firmly. He stood on the stool and looked at Lupine: "Don't you still know Snape's feelings for Lily? What's more, you yourself are the person involved. "

"But have you ever seen other witches walking side by side with Snape?" Lupine asked in an uncertain tone.

Professor McGonagall shook her head and said earnestly: "Perhaps, before you care about Snape, you might as well care about yourself first." The other professors nodded in agreement.

"Who cares about him! Me? What happened to me?" Lu Ping looked at everyone in confusion.

Professor Sprout said with concern: "You have returned to normal now, are you going to live like this forever?"

"What's wrong, it doesn't affect anything." Lu Ping hurried out of the office holding the remaining food.

It was not until the eve of the curfew that Malfoy reluctantly said goodbye to Parkinson. There was a satisfied smile on his lips. Who knows what the two of them did when they turned the corner.

He suddenly shouted: "Roger, you haven't found a dance partner yet? There are many witches in the school who are looking forward to your invitation."

"Yeah..." The other Slytherins nodded quickly, imploring him to make a choice quickly with their eyes.

"If you don't make a decision, they won't give up and will refuse other people's invitations." Theodore rubbed his sore arms. He danced with a drink bottle all afternoon and sighed: "If they keep waiting, Waiting for you, I’m afraid there will be a lot of boy-boy pas de deux at the Yule Ball.”

Rogge shrugged and responded easily: "It's okay, the principal won't mind."

He waved his hand and left the Slytherin Tower. As he walked towards the old college, he considered whether to attend the dance: "Such as a sudden fracture... it's not feasible. Madam Pomfrey's potion is too effective."

"Forget it, let's meet the mermaid first." Faced with the dilemma, he decided to wait for changes.

Filch was busy carving runes on the clay tablets and asked Lady Norris to patrol the castle on his behalf. After Roger offered a handful of cat food, Mrs. Loris let him go with satisfaction.

Since the completion of the Slytherin Tower, the old college left by Salazar has been gradually forgotten in the shadow of the campus.

Freshmen who have entered the school in the past two years can only learn about the underwater academy created by Slytherin through vague accounts from their parents and senior wizards. Perhaps in more than ten years, the college designed and built by the founder himself will become a legend spread on campus.

Rogge looked at the familiar wall in front of him and muttered the password that had not been changed for a long time. A smooth snake gradually rose up from the junction of the wall and the floor, and he carefully pushed the door open.

The oily green chandelier was still burning in the dark room, and through the huge glass on the wall, one could see the phosphorescent fish in the black lake. They swim slowly in the deep water like stars in the night sky.

At some point, the fireplace was transformed into a statue of a mermaid sitting sideways. Her face was soft and moving, and her long hair was casually draped over her shoulders. He gently held his white chin with one hand and stared at the black lake with his eyes, as if he was meditating on ancient stories or looking forward to returning home from afar.

Her body is curvy and draped in a gauze scarf as thin as a cicada's wings, revealing a hazy beauty that invites exploration. The delicate white marble is carved with the texture of silk, and every pleat is so smooth, as if the gauze is going to travel far with the breeze on the lake.

A string of even and round pearl necklaces hangs around her neck. Each pearl exudes a soft luster and complements her skin. There were colorful shells and rough stones in front of her, as if they were treasures she found from the bottom of the lake.

As Rogge approached, her eyes naturally turned to the person coming. The corners of his mouth were raised slightly, giving him a gentle smile.

"It's really scary." Rogge shrugged his shoulders unnaturally. Fortunately, the lounge was clean and there were no cabinets that could move suddenly.

Soon, the fish outside the glass started to stir, and even the giant squid hurriedly sank to the bottom of the water. Merkus held a sharp iron fork and swam towards Rogge with his two sisters.

"Roger?" When she saw the wizard behind the glass clearly, there was a hint of helplessness in her eyes.

The statues were made by the Selki tribe to make it easier for Dumbledore, Snape or other wizards to find them.

The last time I dealt with Rogge was the last time. Merkus clearly remembers that he was still a very small one at that time. Compared to the mermaid, who is over two meters tall, he is completely a malnourished toddler. After not seeing each other for a few years, it had actually grown to the height of her chest.

She swam near the statue and let out a melodious, high-pitched female voice. The moving singing instantly caused the glass windows blocking the lake water to liquefy, causing ripples to form on the surface.

Merkus and his sisters got in, tossing their hair and the lake water around them.

"Your mermaid's high-pitched skills are really amazing. It sounds as easy as breathing. If the fat lady of Gryffindor knew about it, she would put away the goblet immediately." Rogge gave a heartfelt admiration.

The slender mermaid asked curiously: "Ah? Why do you want to put it away?"

"Because she is afraid that the goblet will be shattered by your high notes." Rogge explained with a smile, "She always lets people watch her perform, shouting, shouting, and smashing the glass with her hands." As he said, He also imitated the Fat Lady and made some gestures with his hands, making all the mermaids except Mercus burst into laughter.

"Can you sing the 10-beat E6 high note?" Rogge then asked.

Merkus frowned and looked at him with a puzzled expression: "10 beats? E6? What is that? Are you talking about the song title?"

"Just hold 10 beats for a long time and sing a very high E6 scale." Rogge clapped his hands in rhythm and squeezed his throat to squeeze out a harsh sound.

"Stop, stop, stop! My teeth are going to be sore from the noise!" Mercus interrupted him quickly, "It's so unpleasant! If this is E6, all the newborn babies in our tribe will cry louder than it. Moreover, It’s much more pleasant than your screams!”

"You are like this when you sing in the air, you are not as good as me..." Rogge whispered to defend himself.

"This place has been specially modified by us mermaids, so that the singing will not be as unpleasant as yours. Listen carefully!" She looked back at her sisters, cleared her throat, straightened her chest and took a deep breath.

"Ah~" Merkus sang E6 easily. His voice was not only full of cadence, but also gradually rose to the height of G8.

While moving around Rogge gracefully with their tails, they continued to change their pitches, emitting a series of sopranos with a brisk rhythm and clean timbre.

Rogge immediately cast his eyes in reverence. It was indeed a racial talent unique to mermaids. Such a complex and exquisite high-pitched coloratura was at his fingertips. Listening to them sing, even if the content of the song is only one character, it can make people mesmerized.

"Little wizard, don't try to challenge our talents with your efforts." Another mermaid took advantage of Rogge's trance and touched his head rudely, "Small ones just don't work."

"Nonsense, why am I young?" Rogge retorted firmly, suspecting that she was driving.

"Everywhere is small." She looked up and down with a smile and pointed out the small places one by one: "The head is small, the neck is narrow, and the bubbles it spits out in the water are not as big as those of a fish."

"Okay, okay!" Rogge interrupted her impatiently. He wanted to report that someone...no, a mermaid was driving, but there was no evidence.

Merkus stared at him and asked: "Little wizard, are you looking for us for something? Ordinary wizards would never come here."

"Can you help me record a song?" Rogge smiled and took out the golden egg. After pressing the button, the song they recorded for the Triwizard Tournament rang out.

Merkus looked away from the golden egg, stared at him closely, and asked in a slightly serious tone: "Are you a warrior in the competition?"

"No, I won't participate in such boring things." Rogge shook his head, "Others insisted on giving it to me."

"That's good." Merkus breathed a sigh of relief, "But we are not singing prostitutes for wizards, so we won't accept it." She refused concisely.

"Then how do you explain the singing inside the golden egg?" Rogge curled his lips and asked.

Merkus's expression immediately became dull, and he muttered hesitantly: "That's because...because of other reasons."

"Could it be that the principal lent us Slytherin's old college to you?" Rogge asked immediately.

"There are others." Merkus admitted his guess in disguise.

Rogge didn't get to the bottom of it. He looked around the empty lounge and suddenly pulled out his wand.

"What are you going to do!" Merkus asked slightly nervously. She had seen with her own eyes how Rogge taught those dragons a lesson.

"I'll give you an offer you can't refuse." He raised a slightly evil smile on his lips and recited the magic spell: "Waterproof and moisture-proof, the water is as clear as a spring."

A large amount of clear spring-like water flowed out from the tip of the staff, quickly turning the entire rest room into a large pool. The amount of water is not too much or too little, just half of the mermaid's body is submerged.

"Is this an offer you can't refuse?" Mercus said with a disapproving smile, "A temporary swimming pool?"

Rogge explained patiently: "As a school director..."

"Just you?" Merkus shook his head, not believing it at all.

Rogge then added: "The director's son can help you improve your living conditions."

He looked at the mermaid sculpture, took out the ruby ​​he picked up at the World Cup camp from his pocket, and gently put it into her palm to show that he had sufficient financial resources.

"Actually, you should keep the fireplace." He used transfiguration to turn the old stool into a closed fireplace. "The fire was blazing." The fireplace instantly became hot.

Although there was no combustible material inside, the surrounding water temperature slowly increased under the magic power that Rogge continued to release. Soon it became warm.

"Miss Mercus." He spoke in a very gentlemanly tone, "You were originally as beautiful as this mermaid sculpture, but due to the cold climate of the Scottish Highlands, your faces gradually became stiff."

"Why don't you let your people live in a comfortable environment like a hot spring?" He whispered seductively, "Maybe in just one summer, you can regain your beauty, like your compatriots in the Caribbean."

"No, please forgive my rude remarks." Rogge suddenly apologized, "You are beautiful to begin with."

The hearts of the three mermaids were instantly moved, and the young mermaid was even more moved to tears quietly. Whenever the sun sets, the lake reflects a brilliant red color. They would stare at the reflection in the water silently and listen to the sound of heartbreak.

For countless nights, the children in the tribe concentrated on writing down ancient stories. They imagine that when they grow up, they will be as beautiful as their ancestors, and even make the white swans fly by fall away.

However, the cruel reality gave them a merciless blow. The cold climate has destined them to be inferior to each other, and they even lack the courage to look in the mirror.

"The biggest advantage of Slytherin's old school is that it can change the environment and water temperature." Rogge said seductively: "If you like the Caribbean climate, then add some salt to the water, and then use magic to increase the sunshine and sea breeze."

"If you still like to travel around the world, I can also turn this place into the South China Sea, the Cape of Good Hope or the Maldives." Rogge continued to paint a warm and spring-like living environment for them. He believed that no matter how much Dumbledore gave him, it would not be as much as himself.

Merkus was very excited, but he still kept calm and did not agree easily: "Here, just by you? I don't believe it."

Rogge had no choice but to take out the crystal ball, and the pink castle inside made his cheeks blush. On the grassland, there are also unicorns of different sizes walking leisurely.

"I built a house for pets to prove my strength to you."

Merkus hesitated for a moment, but in the end he couldn't resist his inner desire. She flicked her tail and got into the crystal ball.

"Roger, is what you just said true?" The other two mermaids swam over, held his hands tightly, and asked with expectation: "Can we really become as beautiful as sculptures?"

"Of course." Rogge nodded confidently, "Even if you don't believe me, you should believe in your ancestors and yourself. Believe me, you are inherently beautiful."

Merkus quickly got out of the crystal ball. She was afraid that if she continued to visit, the two silly girls outside would be deceived by the wizard. As expected of Slytherin's bad wizard, even the unicorns in the Forbidden Forest dared to abduct and raise him.

She finally knew where the unicorn Dumbledore had been looking for for a long time three years ago had gone. Moreover, their numbers have increased.

"Chief Mercus, what do you think?" Rogge asked her opinion with a smile.

Mercus pondered for a moment, and agreed with satisfaction: "As long as you can change the climate here to the Caribbean, and can change it to other sea areas at any time... At least including the South China Sea, the Cape of Good Hope and the Maldives you mentioned, we will agree. you."

"Deal!" Rogge said without hesitation, extending his right hand to her to represent cooperation. Merkus was stunned for a moment, then held it carefully.

"By the way, what's inside..." He was about to remind him something, but was interrupted by Mercus.

She pulled her hand back and asked doubtfully: "Did you show me anything?"

Rogge's eyes lit up, Ms. Mercus was indeed a qualified tribal leader.

"So, what song do you want us to record?" she asked awkwardly.

Rogge took out the staff and lyrics from his pocket and introduced: "A poem called "Nightingale"..."

"I don't understand." Merkus shook his head confidently, "What do these tadpole-like symbols mean?"

"Those are musical notes..." Rogge sighed helplessly, "Forget it, I will help you find a book on music theory, and then play the master tape for you. Do you have time to record before the Christmas ball?"

"Don't question our singing talent." Merkus rolled her eyes at him, turned and left with the sisters, "Please do what you promised!" There was a hint of pleading in her tone when she left.

For the mermaids living in the depths of the Black Lake, a warm body of water is more valuable than the Philosopher's Stone. The appearance of an adult fish may be difficult to repair, but newborn children still have a chance to grow up healthily.

As the leader, Merkus is willing to sing for the wizard named Rogge for the sake of the tribe. She looked back at the green light, hoping that he hadn't lied to her.

If Rogge can really do those things, he will become the most noble friend of the Selki tribe. forever!