The Ancient Wizards of Hogwarts

Just before dawn.

Ash walked through the silent Ravenclaw common room and returned to his dormitory.

He thought this would not alarm anyone, until he found the petite girl with long straight black hair sitting on the bed with her legs crossed, curled up against the wall, and burying her head in her thighs.

"Ash..."

The sound of the door opening made the girl raise her head and look at the boy who pushed the door open in surprise. Her voice was also a little hoarse, as if she had been crying for a long time. The girl's slightly red eyes and the tears that have not dried up at the corners of her eyes also prove this.

Ash sat on the edge of the bed, hugged the girl tenderly, and asked softly:

"Why aren't you sleeping yet?"

"I just woke up not long ago."

Qiu Zhang's body no longer trembled, her little hands gently grabbed Ash's collar, and said aggrievedly:

"Where did you just go?"

"Shh!"

Ash made a silent gesture, and under the girl's surprised eyes, he took out a large bag from his pocket and opened the seal.

Wow!

Two slender and beautiful birds with blue feathers flew out of the bag, but they didn't fly very far before they turned and flew towards Ash. They fluttered twice and landed on Ash's lap, one on each side, very well-behaved. .

"so beautiful!"

Qiu Zhang's eyes fell on the little bird. Apart from being amazed, he raised his head and looked at Ash with some surprise:

"Is this the Silent Bird?"

Ash nodded slightly and asked curiously:

"Well, how did you recognize it?"

"I've seen it in books, and there is it in the Forbidden Forest..."

Qiu Zhang whispered back, then suddenly realized something and looked at Ash with worry, "You went to the Forbidden Forest?"

"No."

Ash knew what she was thinking, so he gently held the girl's hand, winked and said:

"I asked Hagrid to catch this for me. It's a gift I specially prepared for you and Senior Penelo. Do you like it?"

Qiu Zhang knew Hagrid, who was the guard of the Forbidden Forest. He often patrolled the Forbidden Forest and had never been in danger.

If it were him, he would indeed be able to catch a magical animal in the Forbidden Forest.

In comparison, Ash is just a freshman.

Even if he could escape Filch's patrol and sneak out of the school. But he can't break into the Forbidden Forest alone and capture a Silent Bird and bring it back, right? This is unrealistic no matter how you think about it.

Thinking of this, Qiu Zhang felt a little relieved.

The girl raised her little face and shouted softly:

"Ash."

Ash lowered his head in confusion. His eyes had not yet touched the girl, but he could only see the girl's fair and crimson cheeks getting closer and closer.

The wet touch like a dragonfly's drop of water disappeared instantly, and only the girl's nervous and shy voice remained in my ears:

"I like it very much, thank you."

She said, holding one of the Silent Birds in her arms, lowering her head slightly to hide her blushing cheeks.

——

At 7:35 in the morning, Harry, Hermione and Cassandra hurried down the steps and came to the open space in front of the castle.

It was a sunny, breezy day, and the grass rippled slightly beneath their feet as they walked quickly down the sloping lawn toward a flat lawn on the opposite side of the field. Beyond the lawn was the forest, with dark trees swaying in the wind in the distance.

Professor Snape was already waiting there. His face with a hooked nose was very gloomy, and the back of his black cloak was blown by the breeze, like an eerie old bat spreading its wings and preparing to hunt.

Almost no one dared to go near the area where he was, even the Slytherin students.

Cassandra brought Harry and Hermione to Snape and said nervously:

"Sorry, Professor Snape, we're late."

Snape's gloomy gaze fell on Cassandra and said coldly:

"You are five minutes late and I need an explanation, Miss Malfoy."

"I……"

Hermione's face turned pale slightly, and Harry whispered:

"I'm sorry, Professor Snape, this is all my fault."

Snape turned his gaze to Harry and said calmly:

"Then, Miss Harley, you should give me an explanation."

"I'm lost." Harley said weakly.

"..."

Snape was silent for a long time, as if he didn't expect the answer to be so simple and unexpected.

"It doesn't matter."

Snape withdrew his gaze and said calmly:

"Hogwarts is huge, and it's normal for first-year students to get lost."

"However, I will not make up for the five minutes you wasted. You need to learn enough lessons from this matter."

"Now."

He pointed at the four broomsticks neatly placed on the ground and said calmly:

"Stand next to your broomsticks."

Harry obeyed the instructions and stood next to the broom in the middle, nervously waiting for Professor Snape's instructions.

"Stretch out your right hand and place it over the broom handle,"

Professor Snape also had a broom at his feet. He shouted and demonstrated: "Then say: 'UP!'"

Snapped!

The old-looking broom automatically flew into Professor Snape's hands.

"UP!"

Harry and the other three shouted after him.

Snapped!

Harry's and Cassandra's broomsticks flew into their owners' hands at the same time, but Hermione's broomstick just rolled on the ground.

Harley was a little excited and carefully looked at the broom in her hand with curious eyes.

Although Harry often heard Slytherin students complain that the broomsticks at Hogwarts were too old, her broomstick seemed different because it looked almost like new.

It is made of mahogany, with graceful and lustrous lines. Its long tail is tied with neat and straight branches. The words "Nimbus 2000" are printed brightly on the top of the broom handle.

"Nimbus 2000?" Harley exclaimed.

Professor Snape cast his gaze and asked calmly:

"Is there any problem? Miss Harley."

"Sorry, Professor."

Harley explained softly:

"But I must have been standing in the wrong place, this must have been Cassandra's broom."

Professor Snape said calmly:

"That's right."

"But..." Harley also wanted to explain that it was Cassandra's father, Professor Snape, who bought Nimbus 2000 for her, not her.

"Harley."

Cassandra shook her head at her and showed Harley her broom.

Harley looked at the broom handle, where there were several large golden characters written: Nimbus 2000.

"Huh?" Harley blinked.

She looked at Hermione's broom again. Even though Hermione blushed and shouted 'UP' several times, it was still just rolling on the ground.

But even so, Harley could still clearly see the words 'Nimbus 2000' written on the golden broom handle.

Harley asked softly:

"Cassandra, did your father buy this for us?"

Cassandra was a little confused, but shook her head firmly:

"impossible!"

She knows her father well, how could her father be such a generous person?

Snape, who was almost being robbed of his credit for some reason, frowned and said in an understatement:

"I accidentally bought a few more. There's no use keeping them. I'll just treat them as gifts for you."

Hermione subconsciously looked at the old broom in Professor Snape's hand, expressing deep doubts about his words 'it's useless to keep it'.