After returning from the Shrieking Shack to Hogwarts, Lewis headed for the hospital wing to visit Harry.
Along the way, every student he met greeted him enthusiastically.
Many took the initiative to say hello.
Others eagerly asked how they could join the study group.
Lewis gave them all the same answer.
"For now, we don't have enough classrooms or teaching resources. We'll need the headmaster's approval before we can expand."
Then he added with a smile,
"If you really can't wait, you can always suggest it to your Head of House—or even Professor Dumbledore himself. If enough people ask, perhaps the study group can be upgraded into an official extracurricular club sooner."
This was Lewis's true objective.
He intended to use the students themselves to pressure Dumbledore.
After Professor Flitwick had already submitted an application but received no response, Lewis had figured out exactly what was happening.
The old headmaster was simply being overly cautious.
Suspicious.
If that was Dumbledore's attitude…
Lewis had no intention of accommodating him.
Let the voice of the students do the persuading.
Inside the hospital wing, Lewis found Harry lying in bed.
Ron sat beside him, keeping watch.
Hermione was seated at a nearby table, working on her homework.
The moment she noticed Lewis, she immediately stood up, pleasantly surprised.
She had just opened her mouth to speak—
When Ron interrupted with a sarcastic remark.
"Lewis."
"I didn't expect you'd actually come visit Harry."
"So you still remember you've got a friend lying here?"
Hermione pursed her lips before replying sternly,
"Get a grip, Ron!"
"Lewis's only a little late."
"He hasn't done anything wrong."
"He's the hero who drove away the Dementors!"
Since the beginning of the school year, Hermione had noticed herself arguing with Ron more and more often.
Partly because of the conflict between Crookshanks and Ron's pet rat, Scabbers…
But more importantly…
Because Ron kept targeting Lewis for no reason.
"Harry."
"I hope you recover quickly."
Ignoring Ron entirely, Lewis handed Harry a box of Fizzing Whizbees.
"Thanks for coming, Lewis."
Harry accepted the sweets with a complicated expression.
He wanted to tell Lewis everything weighing on his mind.
The enormous black dog he'd seen again and again…
The Grim Professor Trelawney had predicted.
His overwhelming reactions whenever Dementors appeared.
There were things…
He simply couldn't discuss with Hermione or Ron.
Ron would only panic and worry.
Hermione was intelligent enough…
But she dismissed Divination completely.
Only the "Lewis Buddha" in Harry's heart always seemed capable of solving every problem.
Yet now…
Harry discovered he couldn't even bring himself to say those words.
That realization left him feeling unusually heavy-hearted.
He finally understood…
He and Lewis had gradually drifted apart.
Before a powerful psion like Lewis…
Harry's thoughts were practically transparent.
To Lewis…
Harry had always been a good friend.
He still was.
But only a friend.
As for Ron…
Lewis simply couldn't be bothered with his temper.
Perhaps it was merely youthful impulsiveness.
But Lewis had no interest in indulging it.
That kind of friendship…
Where people constantly fell out, misunderstood one another, then reconciled after dramatic revelations…
The classic hot-blooded shonen formula…
Didn't suit him.
So Lewis completely ignored Ron.
Instead, he smiled at Harry.
"Harry."
"I told you before."
"Dementors affect different people differently."
"The more painful your past…"
"The more vulnerable you'll be."
"That's why you fell off your broom."
Then he repeated his earlier advice.
"And Harry…"
"I still strongly recommend that you speak with Professor Lupin."
"Whether it's learning the Patronus Charm…"
"Or simply talking through your worries."
"You'll find he's much kinder than you imagine."
"Lewis, can't you just let Harry join your—"
"Ron."
"I'll go see Professor Lupin."
Before Ron could finish…
Harry interrupted him.
Ron opened his mouth.
Then slowly closed it again.
The atmosphere instantly became awkward.
Ron was dissatisfied with both Lewis and Hermione.
Lewis and Hermione had no desire to speak to Ron.
Harry still wanted to continue talking with Lewis…
But held himself back out of consideration for Ron.
In the end…
Lewis left the hospital wing carrying the empty candy box.
The following morning…
The atmosphere in the Great Hall had completely changed.
As Ravenclaw students entered…
They were greeted with applause from every other House.
Especially the members of the study group.
Whether or not they had successfully produced a Patronus the previous day…
Everyone received cheers and enthusiastic applause.
Every Ravenclaw felt immensely proud.
When Lewis himself entered the hall…
The applause became thunderous.
The incident involving the Dementors had already spread beyond Hogwarts.
The entire British wizarding world had been shaken.
Never before had there been such a large-scale Dementor attack against witches and wizards.
Even the Daily Prophet, usually loyal to Minister Fudge, had fiercely criticized him.
"Who can guarantee that one day Dementors won't force their way into ordinary wizarding homes just as they entered Hogwarts?"
"Can we still say with confidence that the Ministry truly controls the Dementors?"
According to a message Lewis had received from Gianna…
The Ministry had nearly drowned in Howlers the previous night.
They'd even had to dedicate an entire room solely to destroying the letters.
At that moment…
Professor Dumbledore stood from the staff table.
"Everyone."
"May I have your attention?"
His voice echoed through the Great Hall.
The students gradually fell silent.
After clearing his throat, Dumbledore said,
"Yesterday's Dementor incident at the Quidditch pitch could have ended in tragedy."
"Fortunately…"
"At the critical moment…"
"The Ravenclaw students, under the leadership of Mr. Lewis Green, stepped forward and prevented what might have become a terrible disaster."
"Therefore…"
"I award Ravenclaw…"
"Three hundred points."
The Great Hall immediately erupted into deafening applause.
Students from every House joined in.
Even the Slytherins.
No one wanted to relive the terror of yesterday.
Simply standing near a Dementor had been unbearable.
It took quite some time before the applause finally subsided.
Dumbledore raised a hand and continued,
"The Patronus Charm is an exceptionally difficult branch of magic."
"Most witches and wizards never master it."
"I've learned that these Ravenclaw students were able to cast Patronuses together because they participated in a study group privately organized by Mr. Green."
"I find both his willingness to teach and his classmates' eagerness to learn deeply admirable."
"Recently, many students have approached me asking whether Hogwarts could provide additional support so that Mr. Green's study group might be opened to the entire school."
"To be honest…"
"I've been considering this matter for some time."
"But yesterday's events proved beyond doubt that this organization serves an important purpose."
"Therefore…"
"I hereby announce…"
"Hogwarts will provide additional classrooms, equipment, and other resources."
"The study group will officially be upgraded into a Hogwarts club."
Thunderous applause exploded once again.
Too many students wanted to join.
Not merely for self-defense.
But because…
Watching an army of Patronuses drive back hundreds of Dementors had simply been unbelievably cool.
In truth…
The study group's effectiveness wasn't nearly as miraculous as everyone imagined.
The previous day's performance had been the result of carefully prepared conditions.
First…
Ainiu's singing.
A Carnival Dragon's Feast of Joy naturally filled listeners' hearts with happiness.
Students no longer needed to struggle to recall joyful memories.
The emotional fuel required for the Patronus Charm was supplied automatically.
Without her song…
Faced with a sky full of Dementors, very few students could have maintained enough happiness to sustain a Patronus.
Second…
The power of the group.
Watching classmates successfully cast Patronuses inspired confidence.
Even students who initially failed refused to become discouraged.
In their minds…
The Patronus Charm had become something ordinary students could achieve.
And in the wizarding world…
Belief itself often created miracles.
In short…
Yesterday had been the perfect advertisement.
One spectacular demonstration…
And Lewis's organization had become the most famous club in Hogwarts.
As excited students surrounded Lewis…
He happened to glance toward the staff table.
There…
Dumbledore was watching him.
His expression was unusually complicated.
The old headmaster hadn't agreed because he'd suddenly changed his opinion.
He had simply been forced into it.
Throughout his life…
Dumbledore had witnessed the rise of two Dark Lords.
Because of that experience, he instinctively viewed extraordinarily talented young wizards with caution.
He constantly feared they might walk the wrong path.
Especially after Lewis founded a study group.
The resemblance was impossible to ignore.
When Voldemort had still been Tom Riddle…
Hadn't he also gathered talented students around himself to study magic?
The only difference…
Was what they studied.
Tom had taught Dark Magic.
Lewis taught the Patronus Charm.
But who could guarantee…
That Lewis would never teach Dark Magic in the future?
That concern was exactly why Dumbledore had delayed approving Professor Flitwick's request.
He had wanted to keep Lewis's influence contained.
Unfortunately…
Yesterday's battle had made that impossible.
There wasn't even a reasonable excuse anymore.
After all…
Leading students in driving away Dementors with Patronuses…
The symbolism couldn't have been more righteous.
Standing up for others.
Protecting the weak.
Leadership.
Light magic overcoming darkness.
If anyone claimed Lewis was secretly building a new generation of Death Eaters…
No one would believe it.
Please.
The very first spell taught in his club was the Patronus Charm.
The purest of all Light Magic.
If Lewis truly possessed the heart of a Dark Wizard…
He would have failed the moment he attempted to cast it.
At this point…
Dumbledore had completely run out of reasons to suppress him.
In terms of strength…
Lewis was already powerful enough to protect himself.
In terms of influence…
He had numerous allies inside the Ministry.
As long as Dumbledore cared about his own reputation…
He couldn't openly oppose him.
And in terms of moral authority…
Who at Hogwarts currently stood on higher ground than Lewis?
From this day onward…
Lewis no longer needed to keep such a low profile.
His era…
Had truly begun.
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