When Ginny discovered that Luna could hit it off with Sherlock in her own unique way, she was quite pleased.
The better Luna's relationship with Sherlock, the more it would help her get closer to Harry.
Though she did feel a bit sorry for Hermione.
After spending the day in the library, the group ate dinner together in the Great Hall before Ginny reluctantly pulled Luna away.
This left her somewhat bemused.
Before coming here, she'd thought she would be the main character.
But after arriving, she discovered the protagonist was someone else entirely.
That evening, Ron returned from Hogsmeade, dusty from travel.
"Here!"
A heap of colorful candies rained down onto Harry's bed like a shower.
"I grabbed as much as I could carry. Even that cousin of yours couldn't eat all this, no matter how much he can pack away."
"Ron, I'm afraid you're underestimating Dudley's capabilities."
Harry looked at the pile of sweets on his bed and said rather awkwardly, "He can eat even more than you."
"Oi—what's that supposed to mean!"
Ron said with feigned anger, "Why am I the standard for comparison?"
Harry hastily opened a packet of Pepper Imps and passed them over. "Sorry, I was just using it as an example..."
"Where's Sherlock?"
Ron had only been pretending to be angry. He accepted the sweets and glanced at the empty bed. "Is he still in the common room reading? Didn't you see him when you came in?"
Ron paused mid-motion, about to stuff candy into his mouth. "I thought you'd all be in the dormitory this late, so I didn't go back there."
"What about Neville and Dean? Didn't they come back with you?"
"They went next door to play chess with Seamus," Ron said dismissively. "Two terrible players wanted me to join them, but I refused. Dean ended up dragging Neville over instead."
Harry couldn't help but silently mourn for Neville for a few seconds.
Then Ron asked, "By the way, did you ask him what he's been up to all this time?"
"I did. He said he's been investigating Sirius Black's case."
"Oh?" Ron's interest was immediately piqued. "What did he say?"
"By next term at the latest, he'll be able to catch Black." Harry reported honestly.
"Brilliant!"
Like Harry and Hermione, Ron had complete faith in Sherlock's words.
He said excitedly, "That's our Sherlock! Once that's done, you'll be free from house arrest!"
"House arrest..."
Harry thought about it and realized Ron wasn't wrong.
His current situation: not allowed to go home for winter or spring break, can't visit Hogsmeade on weekends, might even have to stay at school during summer vacation, wasn't that exactly house arrest?
Once Sherlock actually found Black's whereabouts, all these restrictions on him should naturally be lifted.
Only...
Ron didn't know that once Black was caught, ending the house arrest would only be one aspect.
More importantly, that villain who betrayed his parents, his godfather in name only, would finally be brought to justice.
Harry had imagined countless times what he should do when that day truly arrived.
Kill him?
No. Last year in the Chamber of Secrets, Tom Riddle had tried to tempt him into doing such a thing.
He hadn't fallen for it then, how could he possibly regress after a whole year?
Neither his parents nor his friends would want him to become a murderer, especially not for scum like that.
So, after figuring out how he escaped from that hellhole of Azkaban, just send him back to Azkaban!
"If Sherlock says he can catch him, then he definitely can... Hey, are you planning to buy a new broomstick?"
While Harry was lost in thought, Ron noticed the Complete Broomstick Collection? magazine by Harry's bedside. He picked it up, flipped through it, then asked curiously.
"Yeah, Wood's been nagging me to order a new broomstick."
"Ha! I'd nag you too if I were him. You can't ride that Shooting Star to play against Ravenclaw, can you? That thing flies slower than a butterfly."
"Yeah, that's what I think too."
"Actually, I have a bold idea."
"What idea?"
"Go to Professor McGonagall and have her buy you a Firebolt!"
Harry: ━━∑(￣□￣*|||━━
Ron didn't notice Harry's expression of as if looking at an idiot and continued excitedly:
"Remember your Nimbus 2000?
That broom wasn't cheap either, but Professor McGonagall bought it and gave it to you!
Clearly her desire for victory is no less than ours, so you should go to Professor McGonagall and say you really want a Firebolt.
Of course, it wouldn't be good to make her pay for everything. You could cover most of it and have her sponsor part of it.
Oh, and it could be your Christmas present this year..."
"Ron, do you even hear yourself?"
Harry couldn't listen anymore and cut him off directly.
Ron's idea couldn't just be called bold, it was downright mad.
"Professor McGonagall already spent several hundred Galleons to buy me the Nimbus 2000. I'm already grateful to her, how could I ask her to do something like this?"
"Like what?"
Just then, Hermione pushed the door open and walked in. She looked around. "Huh, Sherlock's not back yet?"
Hermione wasn't alone, she was carrying Crookshanks. The large cat looked thoroughly displeased, with a circle of gold foil decoration around its neck.
"Don't bring that thing in here!"
Ron panicked at the sight and quickly grabbed Scabbers from beside his bed, stuffing him into his pocket.
But Hermione didn't listen. She dropped Crookshanks onto Sherlock's empty bed, then picked up some of the sweets Ron had brought back from Harry's bed.
"Thanks, Ron."
"You're welcome."
Ron frowned at Crookshanks. He and Hermione had finally reconciled over their worry for Harry, and he didn't want to fight over this again.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself not to look at that annoying cat, and shared what he'd just discussed with Harry.
"What are you talking about, Ron? How could you ask a professor for presents?"
"Just have Professor McGonagall sponsor part of it!"
Ron said righteously, "Didn't Sherlock say before? She doesn't want Gryffindor to always be at the bottom either!
Besides, Harry's already helped Gryffindor win the House Cup two years in a row. As Head of House, shouldn't she show some appreciation?"
"She already has! Don't forget the Nimbus 2000, even then, that was an expensive item worth several hundred Galleons!"
"That's right, Ron. I would absolutely never do something like that!"
"Alright, alright, I admit it was a bit much..."
Seeing his suggestion simultaneously rejected by both his good friends, Ron felt somewhat regretful. "I did say it was a bold idea. Why are you both taking it so seriously?"
Hermione's brow furrowed slightly as she shot Ron an unamused glance.
In that moment, Harry was surprised to find he actually understood Hermione's expression.
That look clearly said Ron was an idiot... Oh right, he'd just been looking at Ron the same way.
Never mind then.
Just then, Crookshanks, who had been lying quietly on Sherlock's bed, suddenly leaped up and pounced precisely at Ron's chest.
Ron's anger ignited instantly. His face turned as red as his hair in that moment.
Crookshanks' sharp claws tore at Ron's clothes one swipe after another, the cloth ripping with loud "riiip" sounds that were particularly grating in the small dormitory.
"Get—it—away!"
Ron gripped Scabbers' tail tightly in one hand, protecting him behind his back, terrified the cat might touch him even slightly.
His other foot, filled with fury, kicked viciously at Crookshanks.
Unfortunately, he'd never been good at coordinating hands and feet. Not only did he miss Crookshanks entirely, but he slammed his foot heavily into Harry's bed frame.
"Owww—!"
Ron had kicked out in anger, so the force was considerable.
When he hit the bed frame, he couldn't help but cry out in pain, hopping on one foot while clutching the other.
"Quite the party in here?"
Just then, Sherlock pushed the door open and walked in.
The chaotic scene inside immediately met his eyes:
Ron hopping in place on one leg while clutching the other, Crookshanks with arched back and bristling fur in attack position, Harry and Hermione both looking tense.
With just one glance, he understood what had happened.
He stepped forward quickly and pulled Crookshanks, who was preparing to pounce on Ron again, into his arms.
Just like last time in the common room, even though Sherlock had grabbed him, Crookshanks wasn't settling down.
His body twisted desperately, determined to escape Sherlock's embrace, while emitting low growling sounds.
"Hermione..."
Just as Sherlock began to speak, a sharp whistling sound suddenly erupted.
He frowned, reaching into his robes and pulling out the source of the noise.
It was the Sneakoscope Ron had given Harry.
At that moment, it was spinning and shrieking, glowing just like it had on the train before term started.
Sherlock looked at Crookshanks, then at Scabbers.
One agitated and restless, the other trembling in fear.
His gaze became sharp in an instant.
"Hermione, take Crookshanks back first."
Hermione opened her mouth as if wanting to explain something, but when she met Sherlock's firm and sharp gaze, she swallowed the words on her lips.
She nodded lightly, took Crookshanks from Sherlock, grabbed some of Ron's scattered candies, and headed for the door.
As Crookshanks was carried out, his yellow eyes still stared viciously at Ron.
"Mate, can't you turn that thing off?"
Seeing Hermione and Crookshanks leave, Ron sat on his bed rubbing his toes. "It's driving me mad."
Sherlock shook the Sneakoscope in his hand, speaking unhurriedly: "But I remember Harry said you took it to the magical equipment shop in Hogsmeade for repairs, and they said it wasn't broken."
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