Hogwarts: Even Voldemort Can't Stop Me From Studying

Even Harry probably didn’t care much about it.

Throughout the Christmas holiday, Harry almost stayed entirely with Sirius in Hogsmeade, and the village had become an ordinary place to him, losing the initial allure it once had.

But if Percy really imposed any restrictions… the conflict with the twins would surely escalate immediately.

I wonder if Percy thought about this when he was jotting down words on the report?

The thin joy that Hughes had brought just now dissipated in an instant. Vid pondered the possible actions of Percy or the Ministry of Magic and, as he approached the Ravenclaw Common Room, he saw two figures on the spiral staircase ahead.

Madam Grey—the ghost of Ravenclaw—was quietly standing next to a pillar, her long hair softly cascading down her shoulders.

Next to her was Luna, the blonde girl gazing at her with misty eyes, asking, “What are you afraid of?”

Madam Grey said nothing, merely turned her head slightly, avoiding Luna’s gaze.

Yet she didn’t, as she usually would when uninterested in talking, float away through the wall.

Luna tilted her head, studying her for a moment, then reached into her robe pocket.

“If you’re afraid, try this!”

She pulled out a crumpled small cloth bag, opened the drawstring, and poured out some grayish-brown things.

“Valerian root.”

She said matter-of-factly, “These were stepped on by giants, and they can transfer giant-like courage to the user! I’ll share half with you, so you won’t be afraid.”

Madam Grey’s lips seemed to twitch slightly, and she turned just in time to see Vid climbing up the stairs.

Their eyes met in the air, and Madam Grey’s body stiffened slightly, then she turned and vanished through the wall, leaving no trace.

Luna: “…”

She blinked in confusion, withdrew her hand, sniffed the valerian root in her palm, and muttered to herself:

“You don’t like it? Or could it be you’re afraid it smells like giant feet?”

“Sorry,” Vid said, “I seemed to have interrupted your conversation.”

Luna turned around, and understanding dawned on her face, “Ah, then it’s okay… but I feel like she doesn’t really like the valerian root either.”

She tied up the small cloth bag and tucked it away, waved her hand, and said:

“I’m heading to the library—I remember The Quibbler mentioned another secret to boost courage, I need to check some materials to confirm it. Goodbye, Vid!”

The girl dashed down the spiral staircase, her long, pale blonde hair bouncing behind her, like a nimble magpie.

Vid curled his lips slightly, and as he turned around, he found a pearl-white figure behind him.

Madam Grey had emerged from the wall again!

In an instant, Vid’s heart nearly jumped out of his chest.

After all, a ghost is still a “ghost,” and no matter how many times he had seen it, Vid couldn’t get used to the bluish figure silently appearing behind him.

He steadied himself, only then putting away his magic wand, meeting her gaze.

Madam Grey hovered there, silently watching Vid, her lips pressed into a line, both hands unconsciously clenched into fists.

—Luna was right; she did seem scared of something.

But what could frighten a ghost who has already died?

Recalling the unusual behavior of Madam Grey voluntarily sitting beside him at the start-of-term feast, Vid felt a slight heaviness in his heart, realizing… something unexpected had happened.

“Madam Grey,” he said softly, “do you want to tell me something?”

The ghost lowered her eyes, her lips trembling slightly, as if struggling with some invisible force.

After several seconds, she spoke, “It… it has looked over here.”