"So, I'm afraid we'll have to wait," said Harry.
The twins exchanged a look and asked in unison, "Why?"
"Well, one time could be forgiven as unintentional, but doing it again would look like a deliberate prank on the professor," Harry shrugged.
"You're right," the twins laughed. "Anyway, we don't have classes today. Want to have a snowball fight?"
"No, I have something to do," Harry declined.
As he was about to head toward the Great Hall, Harry looked up and saw Hagrid dragging a massive pine tree inside.
At Hogwarts, only Hagrid could move such a gigantic tree with sheer strength.
"Need a hand, Hagrid?" called Harry.
Hagrid's shaggy head appeared next to the tree, a gentle smile on his face. "Thanks, no need, Harry. You can go back into the Great Hall."
Harry didn't bother with formalities and turned to enter the Great Hall.
Unfortunately, Sprout hadn't returned the biting cabbage to him; after all, it was the cabbage that had bitten Professor Quirrell on the head.
"Hey, mate," said Ron, already on his feet, "do you know where that biting cabbage is? Neville's going crazy."
"Professor Sprout confiscated it," Harry replied. "I tripped while carrying it, and the cabbage flew and bit Professor Quirrell on the head."
Ron leaned back dramatically, staring at Harry with wide eyes. After a long pause, he muttered dryly, "Cool…"
Indeed, it was cool. He had thought the cabbage was merely ornamental; he never imagined it could be used to bite a professor.
With the holidays approaching, the young witches and wizards' hearts were filled with excitement.
They could no longer pretend to be studying in the Great Hall; they were animatedly discussing what they would do over the holidays.
After lunch, Harry remembered the promise he had made to Miss Farley and left the Great Hall.
"This is so annoying," Hermione muttered, scratching her head impatiently. She had planned to study a bit in the Great Hall.
Looking up, she saw Ron playing wizard chess with Neville.
"Look at you, all you do is play wizard chess—pathetic!" Hermione began to scold Ron.
Ron pouted incredulously. "What else should I do? Today's a holiday! Besides, shouldn't you be going home? Why are you still at Hogwarts?"
"It's only the 16th today; tomorrow we go home!" Hermione said softly. "But you, Ron, Harry said that when we return from the holidays, he's going to organize practical training for us. Have you memorized all your spells?"
"Of course I have," Ron said confidently.
"Then let me ask you, what's the spell for the Stunning Spell?" Hermione asked.
Ron hesitated, stammering for a long time, unable to recall.
"And again, what's the spell for the Blasting Curse?" Hermione asked once more.
"Um…" Ron racked his brain, but still couldn't remember the spell.
Hermione shot him a look of disdain and asked again, "Let me ask again: what's the charm for the Petrification Spell?"
"I know!" Ron suddenly exclaimed. "You used it on Crabbe and Goyle on the train!"
Hearing Ron's words, Hermione smiled with relief.
However, Ron's next words made her bury her face in her hands.
"What was the incantation again?"
Ron scratched his head awkwardly, grabbed a can of Coca-Cola, and took a big sip.
"Drink less soda, it's bad for your teeth," Hermione reminded him. "My dad's a dentist; he told me that."
"All right," Ron said. "There's a potion to strengthen teeth in the wizarding world, didn't you know? It's very effective, and even Headmaster Dumbledore promotes it."
"Oh, I almost forgot—does this potion really work?" Hermione recalled seeing it in the potions book a few days ago. "If it works, I should buy some to take home, so Dad's dental clinic will be even more successful."
Ron said nothing, took another sip of his Coca-Cola, and set the can down.
"Weasley." Draco's irritating voice sounded.
Seeing that Harry wasn't nearby, Draco perked up again.
"Malfoy?" Ron, still holding his Coca-Cola, turned to see Draco's pale, thin face.
"Judging by what you're holding, that's probably a Muggle drink, right?" Draco said, irritably. "You're as degenerate as your family, not only for befriending Mudbloods… and Muggles, but also for using Muggle things. You're a real disgrace to the pure-bloods."
Ron's face flushed red, and he was about to toss the soda can over his shoulder.
However, Hermione interrupted him, replying, "Oh, really? I wonder what your ancestor would think if she saw her descendant mocking the descendants of her friend's family?"
"What do you mean?" Draco asked, frowning.
"You don't know?" Hermione covered her mouth dramatically. "My goodness, your ancestor Malfoy was a comrade-in-arms who fought alongside the Weasley ancestor to suppress the goblin rebellion. You didn't know that?"
"I… I…" Draco stammered.
Could this Mudblood be telling the truth? Draco wondered.
But wait—his father hadn't mentioned anything.
"What nonsense are you talking about!" Draco snapped, frowning. "How could a Muggle-born witch like you know anything about the Malfoy family?"
"Oh, so you really don't know. How pathetic," Hermione said, pointing a finger at his face. "What a shame! You don't even know as much about your own family as a Muggle-born witch. You're a disgrace to the Malfoy family!"
Draco immediately blushed.
It wasn't Hermione's mocking tone that bothered him, but the claim that he "knew less about the Malfoys than a Muggle-born."
A disgrace! Absolutely humiliating!
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Draco protested. "If that were true, why wouldn't my father tell me? I bet you're just making this up to protect your boyfriend!"
Hermione grabbed the book, slammed it on the table, and began reading Cassandra's exploits to Draco.
Draco leaned closer, the detailed account in the book leaving him suspicious.
If it were true, why hadn't the Malfoy family written extensively about such glory?
If it were false, why would it be in the book?
He wanted to deny it, but then saw the inscription on the title page—written by Bathilda Bagshot.
The authority of this woman in magical history was probably only comparable to Professor Bobbins, Hogwarts' headmaster.
"Go ask your father, Malfoy," Ron interrupted, joining Hermione. "Ask him if there's a woman in the Malfoy family named 'Cassandra Malfoy'… Ha! It's unbelievable that the Malfoy family, which claims to value family so much, would ignore a woman with such a glorious story. Who's really the disgrace among pure-bloods?"
Draco stormed off, stopping his argument with Ron and planning to ask his father about it once he got home the next day.
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