Chapter 177 It’s not blackmail, it’s cooperation

"I'm sorry, I was impulsive this time, but I really didn't expect to bring things to this point." Harry explained very seriously: "I didn't want to doubt you at first, but there are too many coincidences, especially with Qui After the Dodger game.

The night I was hospitalized, I saw you and Professor McGonagall sending Colin here, and you asked Dumbledore not to spread the word.

Hermione has also been unwilling to believe that you are the heir of Slytherin. She helped us prepare Polyjuice Potion in the hope of avoiding unnecessary misunderstandings.

And more than a month is the buffer period. If we can find any evidence that you are not the heir during this period, we will stop immediately.

But what I didn’t expect was..."

"But you didn't expect me to be at the scene of the crime when Justin had an accident, right?"

Harry nodded awkwardly. This is called the world of things. It never occurred to him that all the coincidences came from the harmless-looking dragon cub in cat skin squatting next to Aaron.

"Alas!" Aaron let out a long sigh and said with emotion: "Actually, it's not that I can't understand you, and I can accept your approach, but I feel particularly uncomfortable.

I have always regarded you as friends, but now it seems that I may be wishful thinking. "

Aaron looked at the three of them with disappointment, and was extremely lucky that he had let the Sorting Hat sort him into Slytherin. If he was in Gryffindor, he would have had to worry a lot.

"Actually, this is just a misunderstanding." Ron laughed and smoothed things over. "Our apology can be considered sincere. How about you forgive us again?"

"Haha!" Aaron curled his lips disdainfully, "You are so thick-skinned, both of them are embarrassed to say that."

Ron turned to look at Harry and Hermione, one bowed his head and said nothing, the other was on the verge of crying, and swallowed in embarrassment.

"It's a little harder to forgive." Hermione mustered up the courage and looked directly into Aaron's eyes, "But what happened has happened, you have to give us a chance to make up for it!

Everyone's goal is to find the real culprit behind the scenes. With the help of the three of us, you can feel more relaxed. "

"No need." Aaron refused unceremoniously, "It would be nice if you don't hold me back."

"But we already know all your plans..."

"Hey! Correct me, not all.

There are some things you haven’t learned yet, such as who the heir was fifty years ago, and maybe the final location of the secret room. "

"What about the Gryffindor common room!" Hermione said, "There's no way you can check this place!"

"And my sister." Ron immediately added, "I will not let others investigate her, let alone Malfoy to carry out your plan."

Hearing this, Aaron's face instantly darkened, "What do you mean? Are you blackmailing me?"

"No, you must not misunderstand." Harry said hurriedly, while not forgetting to wink at the two of them: We are here to ask for forgiveness, not to bargain.

Ron smiled coquettishly, "Sorry."

Hermione gritted her teeth and ignored Harry's look.

She knew what Harry meant, but she knew better what kind of person Aaron was.

No matter how high-sounding their actions are, they cannot change the nature of deception. It is completely impossible to make the other party forgive them with just a few words.

“It’s not blackmail, it’s cooperation.

You need help, and we can help you, and we hope we can. "

Aaron took a deep breath and tapped his fingers on the table, making a clicking sound.

The three of them remained silent, waiting for Aaron's response.

Half a minute later, he stopped tapping and said meaningfully: "Believe it or not, even without your help, I can find the real culprit behind the scenes."

Hearing this, Harry and Ron's hearts sank slightly, but Hermione felt relieved. If she didn't refuse directly, it meant they had something to talk about.

"But with our help you can find the heir of Slytherin faster."

"That's true."

Aaron could not deny it. He had absolute confidence in his character, but the image of Slytherin was already shattered in the hearts of the students in the three houses.

Even if he could enter the common rooms of the other three colleges, he would definitely be handcuffed during the investigation.

"Cooperation is okay, but I have a few conditions."

"you say."

"First of all, you are not to reveal my plans to anyone, not even a little bit."

"No problem, we agree." Harry said immediately. They still knew the importance. No one could believe it until they found the heir of Slytherin, not even Dumbledore.

"Secondly, personal feelings cannot be substituted during the investigation." Aaron said and gave Ron a meaningful look.

"Ginny..." Ron was about to say something but was stared back by two sharp eyes, and immediately changed his words: "I know, I will take care of business."

Aaron nodded with satisfaction, "Also, you must tell me what you find, but I won't tell you any clues."

Harry hesitated. This seemed unfair to them.

"Okay." Hermione said, but looking at Harry's confused look, she rolled her eyes speechlessly, "There's no need to hesitate, we still made a profit."

Harry was stunned for a moment and suddenly realized something.

They spent the same amount of time investigating as Aaron, but what they found was simply incomparable.

But they almost synchronized Aaron's progress last night, which can be said to be standing on the shoulders of giants. What else is there to be dissatisfied with.

"Finally, return the Christmas gift I gave you.

It's for friends, and you are not friends now." Aaron said calmly, "Cooperation does not mean that I will forgive you.

I gave you a chance last year, but you didn't cherish it."

The three nodded with shame and put the three gift boxes on the table.

"Wow, thank you for not opening them, so that the memory may be more profound." Aaron said meaningfully, and then slowly opened the first box, which contained a lottery ticket.

"Take this to the Magic Broom Store, and you can upgrade your Nimbus 2000 to the latest model.

I personally expect a fair game, although Flint will definitely scold me to death if he knows, but thanks to your performance last night, I don't have to be scolded."

Tear!

Aaron tore the lottery ticket into pieces and threw it into the trash can.

Harry forced a smile, but his heart was bleeding.

The equipment of the seeker can determine the outcome of a game to a certain extent. He seemed to see the trophy for the next semester flying away from his hand with wings.

Ron patted his shoulder and comforted him in a deep voice: "It's okay. Even without a new broom, you are still the best seeker."

"Thank you!"

"This is for you." Aaron handed a gift box to Ron, "Why don't you open it and take a look."

Ron smiled far-fetchedly and opened the box nervously.

A brand new brown wand lay in the box, as if welcoming his new owner.

"My uncle is a professional in making wands. He can clearly remember every wand he has sold." Aaron explained, "He adjusted this wand according to your father's size.

How about it, are you satisfied?"

"Satisfied." Ron's eyes twitched slightly, and he squeezed out a smile that was uglier than crying.

What's the use of being satisfied? No matter how good the thing is, it's not his anymore.

Crack!

The wand was broken in half, and it was even more broken than the one in Ron's hand.

Hiss!

Harry and Hermione turned their faces away reluctantly. It was a murder! Just now they seemed to hear the sound of a broken heart.

Harry walked up to Ron, looked at him and wanted to cry but couldn't, and comforted him: "With your talent, even if you use an old wand..."

Harry couldn't make up any more stories halfway through.

Everyone knew what the wand Ron was using now was like. The simplest levitation spell would have an explosive effect.

At this time, a good wand was more helpful to him than a timely help.

"It's okay, just pretend nothing happened."

Ron's eyes were red, and he choked a few times in silence. He tried not to look at the broken wand, and kept wailing in his heart, what did I miss.

"Next, it should be my turn!" Hermione looked at the last gift box and couldn't help but tremble slightly. "I guess there is a book in it."

"I admire your cleverness." Aaron smiled and pointed his wand at the gift box. The ribbon on it loosened automatically, and a dark green book with a not-so-thick but vicissitudes-filled cover flew into his hand.

"A work by a great wizard, with his annotations and autograph.

To be honest, I personally think Lockhart is a clown, and I just want to give you a book with more practical value, which is real knowledge.

By the way, you also know the author of this book, Nicolas Flamel."

Hermione staggered and almost fell to the ground, feeling the same as Harry and Ron.

"You're not going to tear it up, are you?"

"Of course not. Although I remember everything on it, Flamel's notes are 10,000 times more valuable than Lockhart's autobiographies, enough to attract countless wizards." Aaron rolled up the book and stuffed it roughly into Abe's pocket, which made Hermione feel distressed.

Harry and Ron looked at Hermione with pity. They only lost material things. Although they felt sad, they could barely accept it. But she missed the spiritual wealth. For a top student, there is nothing more cruel than this.

"I have said what I should say, and I have taken back what I should take back." Aaron said and stretched out his right hand, "Then happy cooperation."

The three of them shook hands with him with a wry smile. Although their hearts were broken, they were not completely without gain. With this basis for cooperation, at least they would not be regarded as enemies by Aaron when they meet again in the future.

"Oh, one last question." Aaron suddenly thought of something and asked jokingly, "Will something like this never happen again?"

"No, absolutely not."

Hermione made a solemn promise, and Harry and Ron shook their heads.

The three gift boxes that were taken back clearly told them that being dishonest with friends would cost them dearly.