"Getting up early isn't difficult—what's difficult is persisting in getting up early."
Hearing Ron's complaint, Sherlock gave a direct answer.
"Whether in the Muggle world or the magical world, as long as you persist, you've already defeated more than eighty percent of people."
"Sherlock's right!" Neville said with admiration.
Harry didn't speak, just nodded.
"Yes, yes, how could Sherlock possibly be wrong? If this were before, hearing Sherlock say this might have made me feel ashamed. But now..." Ron said lazily, "Then let me be part of that eighty percent! Days without exams are truly wonderful!"
The morning training was for three people, but the evening adventures could only be for two.
Without the threat of the basilisk, Sherlock began taking Harry on nighttime explorations of the Forbidden Forest.
Since Sherlock had already mapped out the routes before the attacks occurred, it was much easier to navigate now. However, since he had given Harry the Invisibility Cloak, Sherlock didn't immediately take Harry deep into the Forbidden Forest, instead having him circle around the outskirts first.
Wait until next year when they enter third year to explore deeper!
Even so, Harry's knowledge and experience began growing rapidly. For some creatures with relatively low danger levels, he also began attempting one-on-one encounters, achieving good results.
Thus, the summer term ended in a cheerful atmosphere.
After Sherlock once again helped Neville find his pet Trevor, the time for farewells arrived.
The Hogwarts Express.
This time, the compartment that had always been shared by the four—Sherlock, Harry, Hermione, and Ron had several new additions. Cho Chang, Ginny, and Luna Lovegood.
Ever since resolving the Chamber's mystery, Harry and Cho Chang's relationship had grown closer.
Without exams or Quidditch training, Harry suddenly had much more time available. Apart from regular classes and morning training plus evening expeditions, Harry would spend time with Cho Chang.
Of course, given their current age, this couldn't really be called dating—they were usually discussing Quidditch or practicing the Flame-Freezing Charm.
On the other hand, since Colin insisted that Harry had saved him, he became even more fanatical than before. In this situation, Ginny fully demonstrated her initiative, repeatedly helping Harry intercept Colin. Over time, this also meant that when she saw Harry, she finally no longer blushed when speaking as she used to.
It was precisely because of this that Cho Chang and Ginny appeared in this compartment.
As for Luna, she had come to find Sherlock. She had never forgotten what Sherlock had said at the celebration feast.
According to Luna, the journey on the Hogwarts Express lasted most of the day, which was enough time for Sherlock to explain everything related to the Chamber. Moreover, the privacy of the Hogwarts Express compartments was much better than the feast held in the Great Hall—at least they didn't need to deliberately use the Muffliato charm.
So, Luna, who usually traveled alone in the last compartment, chose to take the initiative. Halfway there, she encountered Cho Chang, who was also looking for Harry. Since both were Ravenclaws, after clarifying the situation with each other, they simply came together. Unexpectedly, upon reaching their destination, they also encountered Ginny, who was Luna's good friend. Thus, Luna gained double happiness for the first time.
"What a pity, those two seats were originally ours," Fred said, looking at the newly joined Cho Chang and Luna.
"It's fine, we'll give them some Filibuster Fireworks and go find Lee," George said, glancing at Ginny.
After the Weasley twins left, the compartment immediately became lively. They played Exploding Snap and set off the last few Filibuster Fireworks that the Weasley twins had given them.
Next, Harry began telling everyone in the compartment the complete story of the Chamber incident. He spoke very seriously, continuing for half an hour. The entire compartment was silent—even Sherlock and Hermione, who had experienced it all, listened intently.
When Harry finished the entire story, his voice was hoarse.
"Have some water, Harry."
Seeing Harry finally pause, Cho Chang immediately handed him a glass of orange juice.
"Thank you."
Harry took it and drank it all in one go. This action made Ginny's eyes light up—she had also prepared a drink but had been a step slower than Cho Chang, which had made her somewhat annoyed.
"There's more here, take it!"
"Uh—thank you, Ginny."
Harry looked at Ginny with some surprise. However, he was indeed thirsty and could drink another glass.
After Harry had downed two glasses consecutively, Sherlock spoke.
"Harry, you truly have a talent for summarizing and organizing. Every time you retell events, you always help me make new discoveries."
"Really?"
Harry looked at Sherlock with delight.
"In the vast majority of cases, I don't lie, and obviously, now still belongs to the vast majority of cases."
"So, what did you discover?"
"Tom Riddle's diary."
Sherlock smiled slightly. "It might be more important than we imagined—this can be seen from Dumbledore's attitude toward it."
"Sherlock, you mean—"
"Based on my deduction, Dumbledore should now have a theory, though it's not yet mature. Even when we left school, Dumbledore was still studying that diary. However, by next year, we should have new things to do."
At this point, Sherlock's gray eyes sparkled. A new storm was brewing—how could they stand still! Magic was truly fascinating!
"By the way, Malfoy's father was kicked out of the Board of Governors!"
Ron laughed heartily. "You didn't see how dejected Malfoy looked during that period. As proud as he used to be, that's how depressed he was then."
"That was inevitable. When Dumbledore decided to leave the school, Lucius's fate was already sealed," Sherlock explained. "Dumbledore also issued him a warning not to distribute any more of Voldemort's old school belongings. If any more of these items surface in the future, it won't just be a matter of expulsion."
"Well done!" Ron clapped his thighs happily. "But what happened to that little fellow called Dobby?"
"House-elves must obey their masters' commands, so once it's released again, no matter how reluctant it might be, it would still act according to Lucius's orders. So, it's still confined at Hogwarts."
Hermione suddenly interjected. "Speaking of which, in resolving the Chamber incident, it did provide us with considerable help."
"Objectively speaking, that's true, but its actions of intercepting our letters to Harry and arbitrarily preventing Harry from coming to school caused Harry great trouble."
Harry nodded repeatedly. Apart from Voldemort himself, house-elf Dobby, Colin Creevey, and Gilderoy Lockhart were the sources of his suffering this year. Fortunately, now Dobby was confined, Lockhart was unconscious, and he wouldn't have to face Colin for a long time. His mood immediately improved considerably.
After finishing everything about the Chamber, at Luna's request, Sherlock spoke about his work as a consulting detective at school, helping other students. Some of these cases were unknown even to Harry and Ron, who shared his dormitory. So, everyone listened with great interest, and their relationships grew closer.
"The only regret is not having encountered a boggart."
"That's fine," Cho Chang explained upon hearing Sherlock's words. "Recognizing and defeating boggarts was originally second-year content. Professor Quirrell did teach us about it last year, but unfortunately, he only gave theoretical lessons..."
At this point, Cho Chang paused. That year, Voldemort had been attached to the back of Quirrell's head. If he could have controlled Quirrell the way he controlled Lockhart, he might have given them a practical lesson too.
"Anyway—since you didn't learn it this year, next year's new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will definitely make it up."
"That depends on what kind of teacher Dumbledore can find for us again," Ron said irritably. "After experiencing Quirrell and Lockhart, I've lost hope in this subject."
"Don't say that, Ron. Lockhart was actually quite good," Ginny was somewhat displeased with Ron's disparagement of Lockhart.
"It wasn't Lockhart who performed well, but You-Know-Who who controlled him!"
"That's still better than Quirrell!" Hermione said bluntly.
This time, everyone in the compartment nodded in agreement. When the most powerful dark wizard personally taught classes, how could it not be impressive?
They continued chatting.
"Ron, you actually didn't know Luna's family lives near us?"
"Isn't that normal? I know the Diggorys and Fawcetts live nearby, but I've barely spoken to them at school either."
"But Luna's different—she's, my friend!"
"Okay, okay, now I know."
"If Ron doesn't pay attention to neighborhood affairs, then not knowing this is understandable. Although Luna and I are in the same house, I only learned today that she also lives in Ottery St. Catchpole."
After this, Hermione suggested they make full use of the last few hours when magic was still allowed before the holidays—mainly practicing attack spells that Lockhart and Snape had taught them, especially the Disarming Charm that could disarm opponents.
For Harry, this set of spells had become very familiar. However, when it came to the Impediment Jinx, a protective spell, the situation became somewhat awkward.
"Harry, why are your movements different every time?"
Ginny's question made Harry feel embarrassed. He had tried many times alone—if he didn't perform a complex set of preliminary movements first and directly said "Impedimenta," the spell wouldn't work. Only when he performed that set of movements would the spell show effect.
Harry didn't understand why this happened, always feeling like he had learned from mixed sources—studying under both Voldemort and Lockhart, absorbing the essence of both.
"For a defensive spell, it doesn't matter much," Cho Chang, seeing Harry's embarrassment, kindly consoled him. "You can change your thinking and use those complex movements to confuse enemies, after all, no one would think you're casting a spell."
"Hahahahaha!"
The compartment suddenly filled with cheerful atmosphere.
Thus, the Hogwarts Express gradually slowed down and finally stopped.
"This is my telephone number."
Harry suddenly remembered something, quickly pulled out his quill and parchment, wrote down his telephone number, and handed it to Cho Chang. "Besides using owls to communicate with me, you can also call me."
"Alright." Cho Chang gave Harry a sweet smile.
Seeing this, Ginny hesitated for a moment but finally gathered courage. "Harry, can I call you too?"
"Of course."
Harry returned Cho Chang's smile to Ginny. "I've already given Ron my telephone number. Last summer I also told your father how to use the telephone—he'll understand."
"Mm!"
Ginny's face flushed as she nodded vigorously.
The group got off the train, joined the crowded flow of people, and slowly walked toward the magical barrier. Compared to previous returns from the platform to the Muggle world, Sherlock and his companions' group had become much larger this time.
Ron and Ginny walked at the front, Cho Chang and Luna followed closely, and Sherlock, Harry, and Hermione walked at the back. The same principle applied: too many people couldn't pass through the platform at once, or it would attract Muggle attention.
Passing through the platform into the Muggle world, parents were already waiting for their respective children. By this time, the young wizards basically looked indistinguishable from Muggles, especially those from half-blood and Muggle-born families.
Thus, Hogwarts' second year came to a close.
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