Archaeologists at Hogwarts

Chapter 299 Weekend

For the students of Hogwarts, the biggest impact of Grindelwald's escape is that the school is under martial law again.

This is another martial law since Sirius escaped last semester. Fortunately, there are no dementors stationed in the school this time (perhaps because Fudge dare not disobey Dumbledore at this time), and the school has not banned it.

Students go to Hogsmeade on the weekends, but

Filch was guarding the gate of the castle, holding a sharp black magic detector in his hand, staring at the passing students with good intentions.

"Is this thing really useful?" Ron said with a grin on his face. Filch just stabbed him very hard: "Can Grindelwald still become a student?"

"It's a helper." Hermione explained impatiently while rubbing her arms: "How many times have I told you, Grindelwald must have a helper, otherwise he would not be able to escape from Nurmengard alone.

, now the Ministry of Magic is looking for these helpers."

"Yeah, no names, no photos, nothing." Ron muttered dissatisfied: "Let's see who can find this large group of mysterious people."

I don't know if it is related to the impact of Grindelwald's escape. The trio surprisingly had free time on weekends. They did not need to study Professor Lupin's Patronus class or Professor Hemmer's Devil class. They were completely free.

So the three of them simply agreed to go to Hogsmeade to stay for a while, so as not to regret it if the school suddenly stopped allowing travel one day.

"I heard that a wish box has been installed in Hogsmeade Village." Ron said abruptly: "You can probably get anti-monster glasses. Do you want to take a look?"

"Where?" Hermione clutched the collar of her witch robe tightly. It was still winter, and the cold wind blew her cheeks red. If it wasn't for a place like the Three Broomsticks, she wouldn't want to queue up in the cold weather.

"There should be one in the Three Broomsticks." Ron made the same move and said, "Fred and George told me a few locations. Let's go there and have a look. If it doesn't work, we'll find another place."

"I'm fine." Harry's mouth was blocked by the scarf, and his voice sounded muffled.

Along the way, they saw many people discussing the wish box, and some even wondered if it was because of Professor Highmore's obstruction that President Dumbledore did not allow Principal Dumbledore to impose complete martial law, so as not to affect the wish box business.

"Do you think it's possible?" Ron asked uncertainly.

"How is that possible?" Hermione was still willing to defend Professor Heimer on this matter: "If the professor really planned to make more gold, he wouldn't specifically give students a discount on "The Quibbler."

"I think so too." Harry said with a smile: "Unless the wish box is replaced with a different period of confinement, I don't think Professor Highmore will resist the principal because of this matter."

Ron immediately pretended to be gloomy and said: "Congratulations, Miss Granger, you have been selected for three days of confinement. You cannot do homework or read books. You should choose the time three days before the exam."

Hermione glared at him angrily, while Harry covered his mouth and couldn't stop laughing.

But soon, Harry stopped laughing.

"Can anyone still squeeze in here?"

Harry stood on tiptoe and looked into the crowded Three Broomsticks. He was really curious about where these people got so much money. Each time they smoked, it cost a silver Sickle.

"Stop squeezing, stop squeezing."

The bar owner was a bald man. He stood outside the door tiredly and shouted: "I am the owner of this bar. If you don't let me in, no one will make drinks for you! Not even drinks!"

"Let's move to another place," Ron said dryly.

The two had no choice but to agree, but then they found that any shop with a wish box was crowded. It seemed that students from the entire castle had come to Hogsmeade, and even wizards from the village, as well as people from afar.

Guys, they are carrying heavy bags just to enjoy smoking a few.

"Is there anything we don't know?" Harry stood in front of Honeydukes' door in confusion and asked, "Why are there so many people here today?"

Hermione took out "The Quibbler" that she had brought with her. She quickly flipped through a few pages, then pointed to one of the articles and said to them: "I knew it, look at this -"

[The new prizes added to the wish box are ten brand-new Firebolts, another lot of "Ancient Magic" written by Toby Highmore, multi-flavored juice, anti-monster glasses, and lucky charms——]

"Multi-flavored juice?" Ron was shocked: "Is it the multi-flavored juice I know?"

"I'm not asking you to see this." Hermione said: "The key is the lucky charm, which was also made by Fred and George. It is said that with the help of Wood, they successfully made magic items from the ancient divination we learned this semester.

Yeah, I always thought they were just talking about it."

"What does it do?" Harry asked curiously.

"You can predict lucky decisions." Hermione said, "For example, good weather and bad weather. Although it doesn't sound like much, these are extraordinary times. Everyone knows that Grindelwald is at large and wants more.

A way to save your life.”

Ron was so angry that he gritted his teeth and said, "They won't take me with them! No, I'm going back now, and I have to invent something valuable!"

As he spoke, he was about to rush back. Hermione and Harry just stood there, watching helplessly as he walked a certain distance. After looking back three times, he rushed back dejectedly, lowering his head and saying nothing.

"Is there any other place where there is a wish box?" Harry tried his best to suppress his laughter and asked in a trembling voice, "It seems that it can't be used here either."

"Let's go." Ron said dejectedly: "There is one last place. If it doesn't work there, you have to go back and come back early tomorrow."

Ron hadn't given up on the idea of ​​making money, and he kept mumbling ideas that popped into his head along the way - like a sweater that would comfort people, a bottle cat that didn't require much effort to take care of, and a prank flute, who would touch it?

It will turn into a snake.

It all sounds good, but it's a pity that Ron alone can't make these things. He's not as smart as Fred and George.

"Hermione, how about you-" he probed cautiously.

"No!" Hermione's answer made Ron's heart immediately become cold: "I still have a lot of homework to deal with, and there are also assessments from the Teachers' Appreciation Ceremony. There are so many assessments that I can't keep busy."

"There is no need for everyone to participate." Ron said loudly: "Will you also go to Trelawney?"

Everyone knew that Hermione didn't like Trelawney's Divination class, so just wait and see when she would voluntarily withdraw from this elective class.

Hermione hummed and said nothing, obviously still hesitating.

"Wait a minute." Harry suddenly felt that the path they were taking was getting quieter and quieter: "Where are we going? Are you sure there is a wish box in this alley?"

"Just a few more steps and we'll be there," Ron urged.

Sure enough, just after they passed a corner, they saw a small bar at the intersection. It was indeed much quieter here, with fewer people, and the chopped boar head on the wooden signboard was enough to attract people.

The three of them all hesitated in front of the creaking sign.

"Is this all there is?" Harry asked.

Ron nodded with determination, no different from a prisoner about to go to the execution ground.

"I feel like it's not necessary to find the wish box—"

Before Hermione could finish her words, Ron came to the door nervously and walked in first.

Hermione and Harry turned to look at each other, and they had no choice but to follow carefully, planning to take Ron away as soon as they noticed something was wrong.

This is the cleanest shop Harry has ever seen. There are not many customers inside. A big guy who looks stupid and seems to have troll blood is tapping the wish box in the corner.

"It swallowed my money!" The man shouted blankly: "My money is gone!"

"That's because you lost the bet."

An unkempt man came out from behind the counter. He looked like he was not to be trifled with. He picked up his wand and pointed it at the customer and said, "Get out of here quickly. Don't disturb my business!"

This man was indeed stupid enough. He stood there and considered it carefully before walking away muttering dissatisfiedly.

"It's our turn." Ron said in a low voice, his face turned pale with fright.

Hermione followed the two of them closely. When Ron dropped the precious Silver Siko into the wish box, she felt something was wrong. When she turned around, she found that the boss was also following them closely.

"Ah!" Hermione cried out in fright.

"Ah!" Ron also shouted in despair. He actually won a copy of "Ancient Magic" by Professor Hemmer. This is the worst prize.

"Ah?" Harry also became confused. He just seemed to hear Sirius talking to him -

"I've always forgotten to ask you something, Harry. Where did the Firebolt I gave you go? Was it snatched away by that guy Highmore?"

Harry turned around blankly and saw the unfamiliar boss staring closely at him, with angry eyes flashing in his eyes.

"Who are you?" he asked in disbelief. At the same time, he was glad that he swallowed the name in time, otherwise it would be terrible if others heard it.

"It's me." The strange boss said, "Follow me."

A shocked Harry, a bitter-faced Ron, and a frightened Hermione followed the boss. They walked up the stairs. Above was a living room with shabby carpets and a small

There is a small fireplace, and a large oil painting hangs above the fireplace. In the painting, a blond girl looks blankly and tenderly into the room.

"Where is Aberforth?" she kept asking: "Where is Aberforth?"

"He has gone on a long journey and will have to wait for a while before he can come back." said the strange boss.

"Then I'll ask you tomorrow." The girl said gloomily.

Harry read the conversation in a daze until the unfamiliar boss took the initiative and said: "This is a bar owned by Dumbledore's brother, and I am currently taking care of it - it's me, Harry, I'm Sirius, I

I told you we would meet soon."

Harry's mouth opened wide in surprise. He saw the person in front of him push his hair away, rub some strange things off his face, and return to his original appearance.

"Wait a minute." Ron held the "Ancient Magic" he had just drawn and said, "I didn't expect the principal to have a younger brother, but is this girl Ariana?"

At the end of the sentence, Ron's voice was so low that he couldn't hear it.

Now, even the appearance of Sirius couldn't attract their attention. The three of them all focused on the girl in the oil painting.

"I didn't expect it." Hermione also whispered: "She looks so normal, but..."

"Don't disturb her." Sirius's mind was still on the Firebolt: "You haven't answered my question yet, Harry. I remember that in the reports I read before, you drew a Firebolt. Then

Where is the one I gave you? Did Heimo deliberately intercept it?"

This was really the case. Harry had long known that Professor Highmore had intercepted the Firebolt given to him by Sirius, and he had also suspected that it had been given to Cedric.

But, to be honest, after seeing so many Firebolts in the wish box, Harry felt that he could explain it differently.

"No." He immediately made it up: "I have already received the one you gave me. As for the prizes in Professor Heimer's wish box that have not been distributed yet, the professor took them back, saying that he would have to wait until I want to

You won't give it back to me until you go to the Quidditch World Cup."

Sirius stared at Harry carefully for a while, and he seemed to understand that Harry didn't want to make his mood worse.

"I will find a chance to ask him personally." He said, and then changed his tone to a more relaxed tone: "Are you planning to eat anything? I also have cheese and bread here, and maybe I can make you a pot of tea.

"

Just when Ron was happy about the free afternoon tea, Harry suddenly said: "Are you going to stay here like this? Isn't there any danger?"

"Look at the tone of your words." Sirius said with a gentle smile: "I know it's risky to do this, but dangers are everywhere. At least it's close enough to Hogwarts, and I don't need to eat.

It’s a dead rat—just pretend you didn’t hear the next sentence.”

Harry didn't know what to say for a moment. He felt that it was very dangerous for Sirius to appear in public like this, but how could he persuade him when he heard that he had lived by eating dead rats before.

For a moment, he didn't know which option was more unacceptable.

"By the way." Sirius asked while busy opening the tea bag: "How have you considered what I told you some time ago?"

"Does it mean that my father is still alive?" Harry couldn't help but become complicated when he heard this question.

Of course he hopes that his parents are still alive, but what if that "James" is someone else pretending to be?

Moreover, is it really easy to come back from the dead?

He didn't think so from the bottom of his heart.

"You didn't go to see Haimo, did you?" Sirius suddenly asked again, obviously this was his real concern.

"No." Harry shook his head honestly and said, "He has been very busy recently, very busy. He has been so busy that Mr. Al has been taking the class for the past few days, so I have never had the chance to ask him."

"I didn't find it either." Hermione said worriedly, "I haven't even tried a single test. Is the professor complaining about us turning into a catnive?"

"That shouldn't be the case - eh, is that Professor Heimer?" Ron saw a new guest coming downstairs, and he looked back suspiciously.

Could it be that Professor Highmore has been busy meeting Sirius recently?

What on earth is going on with these two people?!