The last few days of vacation spent at the Lovegood house were like a break in the busy schedule for Maka.
He no longer held his notebooks, but accompanied Luna to catch fish and insects in the back mountain, and then took a nap under the shade of a tree.
But the first day of school came quickly, and Maka had to put an end to his real holiday time.
Xenophilius sent Maca and Luna to King's Cross Station, watched them pass through the wall pillars, and then hurried back to work.
But I don't know if they came too early, but there was almost no one on platform nine and three-quarters.
Well, except for Hagrid's huge figure that can be seen from a distance.
Maka brought Luna closer, and then she realized that there was another person being blocked by Hagrid's wall-like body.
"Good morning, Professor Hagrid." Maka patted Hagrid's arm and said, "Oh, by the way, and Professor Lupin... I'm looking forward to your class."
Luna next to Maka also nodded slightly towards the two of them to show courtesy.
"Oh - Maka, how did you know -" Hagrid looked at Maka in surprise.
"It's nothing. When I saw those "Monster Books of Monsters" in Flourish and Blotts Bookstore, I was mentally prepared." Maka spread her hands and said calmly.
"Haha! I heard that those books gave the bookstore manager a headache for a while!" Professor Lupine, opposite Hagrid, laughed.
Although Lupine should still be very young, there are many wrinkles on his face. His hair was gray and his clothes were ragged. His shabby robe was full of patches and he looked tired.
But the mischievous energy when he spoke vaguely revealed the unruly and calmness in his heart.
Lupine obviously already knew something about Maka, a low-key yet talented student. He chatted with Maka enthusiastically and made a little joke from time to time. He did not regard him as a child at all. .
It is worth mentioning that Maka gave Hagrid a lot of suggestions on course arrangements, but it was really uncertain whether Hagrid would listen to them.
Luna stood aside and looked at Maka's side face quietly. Gradually, more and more students began to appear around her.
"Okay, get in the car! Maka...and Miss Lovegood." Lupine said with a smile.
When Maka followed Lupine onto the Hogwarts Express, intending to take Luna back, she reached out and pulled Maka's sleeve.
"I'm going to my friend's place, will you come too?" Luna said softly.
Maka looked at the back of Lupine who was walking in front, and then at Luna, and couldn't help but think for a moment.
"Luna, I have something else to do..." Maka said, "Take this, and if you encounter a dementor, uncork it."
He said, putting a milky white potion bottle into Luna's hand.
"Well, you can keep these chocolates and eat some if you feel uncomfortable. It's very useful."
Maka watched Luna enter a compartment, and then continued to walk back.
Although he wanted to keep Luna by his side. But perhaps, staying further away is the most appropriate choice. After all, something unpleasant will probably happen soon.
After a while, the train puffed out steam and began to move slowly.
At this time, Harry, Ron and Hermione, who had been delayed for a while because of the Weasleys, also arrived. They looked for empty carriages along the corridor, but all the carriages were full.
As they walked, they found that they had reached the last carriage.
"Oh - Maka!" Hermione said in surprise.
Harry was also very happy, only Ron looked a little unhappy.
Maka stood up and welcomed the three of them in. He naturally reached out his hand, hooked Ron's shoulder, and pulled him to his side.
"Hey, don't care so much," Maka said softly, "I know what you are thinking, but no matter what, it has already passed..."
"Oh - I guess so," Ron whispered back.
It could be seen that the expression on his face seemed to be slightly relaxed.
"Maka, who is that?" Harry asked, pointing to the man in the corner.
Lupine was probably a little tired from traveling in a hurry. After chatting with Maka for a while, he expressed that he wanted to take a nap first.
At this moment, he was leaning against the window and sleeping softly!
"The new professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts this semester, Mr. Lupin." Maka said softly, "Believe me, he is a qualified professor."
"Oh, I hope so... I mean, if it's like what you said, I hope he can fuck it longer." Harry couldn't help but say.
"But he looks weak?" At least Ron Ken spoke near Maka, although he still looked a little cautious. "Oh, by the way, Harry, what did you want to say to us in the corridor just now?"
Harry told them all about the Weasleys' argument and the warning Mr. Weasley had just given him.
After he finished speaking, Ron felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and Hermione covered her mouth with her hands.
"Sirius Black escaped to chase you? Oh, Harry... you must be more careful, be very careful! Don't ask for trouble, Harry..." Hermione kept warning.
"I didn't ask for trouble," Harry said angrily. "Trouble usually comes to me."
"Let me see, there's no need to worry so much." Maka said calmly, "Hogwarts is very safe, just don't run around casually."
But it is obviously a bit unrealistic to keep the three little lions at peace.
It didn't take long for Harry and the three of them to start discussing some interesting shops in Hogsmeade.
"Ron, do you know much about Hogsmeade?" Hermione asked keenly. "I read that this is the only place in Britain where there are no Muggles..."
"Yeah, I guess so," said Ron nonchalantly, "but that's not why I want to go. I just want to go to Honeydukes!"
"What is that?" Hermione asked.
"It's a candy store," Maka said casually, "There are some weird candies in it, but I have to say, some of them are pretty good."
"But Hogsmeade is a very interesting place, right?" Hermione asked eagerly, "The book "Wizard Monuments" said that the inn was the headquarters of the goblin rebellion in 1612, and the screaming room The house is probably the most haunted house in Britain—"
"Are you afraid of ghosts?" Maka asked, "Didn't you attend Nearly Headless Nick's death anniversary party?"
"No! I'm not afraid, I'm just curious..." Hermione said, looking away, "It would be great to leave school for a short while and go to Hogsmeade to explore, isn't it?"
"I think so." Harry said dullly, "When you feel this way, you must tell me."
"What do you mean?" said Ron.
"I can't go. The Dursleys didn't sign the consent form for me, and Fudge wouldn't do it either."
"You won't be allowed to go?" Ron asked in shock, "But... maybe... Professor McGonagall or someone else will allow you to go."
Harry laughed dryly.
Professor McGonagall, the head of Gryffindor House, is a very strict person.
"—or we could ask Fred and George, they know every secret passage out of the castle—"
"Ron!" Hermione said sharply, "With Black at large, I don't think Harry should sneak out of the school! And Maka also said..."
"Yeah, I thought that's what Professor McGonagall would have said when I asked for permission," Harry said bitterly.
"Maka should be going too, right?" Ron immediately turned his head and looked at Maka expectantly, "In that case, Blake wouldn't dare-"
All the grudges in his heart seemed to have been washed away by the fun.
"Oh, Ron, stop talking nonsense." Hermione snapped, "Black has killed so many people in the crowded streets, and I don't want anything to happen to Maka and Harry..."
As she spoke, she fumbled and untied the straps that bound Crookshanks' basket.
That was the pet cat Hermione had just bought in Diagon Alley. She thought Crookshanks was cute, but Ron obviously didn't think so.
"Don't let this thing out!" Ron shouted.
But it was too late, and Crookshanks easily jumped out of the basket, stretched, yawned, and jumped into Ron's lap.
The drumstick in Ron's pocket trembled, and Ron drove Crookshanks away angrily.
"Get away!"
"Ron, don't do that!" Hermione said angrily.
"Oh, by the way," Harry looked at Crookshanks who jumped on Maka's lap and asked curiously, "Where is your owl? Why can't you see it?"
Maka shook her head upon hearing this.
"You mean Marfa? I don't always see it... It likes to fly around and stays in the Forbidden Forest during the summer vacation."
The three little lions immediately looked at Maka in surprise, but Maka remained calm.
While stroking Crookshanks' fur, he said calmly: "Mafa is a very independent owl. Maybe it has been imprisoned for a long time, and now it likes the feeling of freedom."
The Hogwarts Express drove steadily north. The scenery outside the window gradually turned into continuous woods, and the surrounding environment became darker and darker.
At the same time the clouds overhead became thicker and thicker.
There was a constant movement of people outside the door of their carriage, and Crookshanks was now slumped securely in Maka's lap, his squashed face turned towards Ron, his yellow eyes ever watching. Holding Ron's pocket.
At one o'clock, the food cart plopped up to their carriage door.
"Do you think we should wake him up?" Ron looked awkwardly at Professor Lupine, who still looked tired in his sleep. "He looks like he needs to eat something."
"Don't worry, I have a lot of food in the box. Let's wait until he wakes up!"
Maka stopped Hermione, who was about to go over to wake Lupine, and signaled that they just needed to take care of their stomachs first.
"The professor told me before going to bed that he was just a little tired."
In the afternoon, it started to rain, and the outline of the rolling hills outside the window gradually became blurred in the rain curtain.
At this time, they heard footsteps in the corridor outside, and several people seemed to be slowly approaching...