Chapter 15

The Gryffindor lounge is always bustling. Groups of people chatting and bragging, sitting in a circle, playing crackling and exploding cards, playing wizarding chess, and the only time to quiet down in the Gryffindor common room is bedtime and Gryffindor Quidditch matches and holidays.

When Hermione and Neville slipped through the doorway guarded by the Fat Lady into the common room, they saw the norm in the Gryffindor common room, and they didn't think it was strange, although Hermione sometimes complained that the Gryffindor students were too noisy.

Hermione dragged Neville to the corner of the common room and sat down, Hermione still remembered the horrible scar on Solim's back, she wanted to know more, but obviously Solim didn't want to say more, she could only hope that Neville would know something, after all, Neville had an uncle who had taught Solim.

"Neville, tell me what else you know about the scar on your cousin's back. "

Neville has been following Solim for almost half a semester, and there are no major changes, but the small changes are that he speaks a lot more fluently, at least he won't stumble.

"Hermione, I don't know much. All I know is that Solim was bullied by others when he first entered that school. Neville scratched his head, "Just like I used to be, but now that he's there, no one is going to bully me, and Malfoy is talking to me now." I'm really grateful to my cousin. "

"Hurry up and get to the point!" Hermione quickly interrupted Neville as she saw that he was about to think bittersweetly.

Neville tilted his head and thought, "I think it's when I'm ten." If I'm not mistaken. "

"When you were ten years old?" said Hermione, who knows what you're talking about.

"My cousin's injuries must have been there when he was ten years old. Neville looked at Hermione and said seriously, "My uncle seems to have told me that every time he mentions his cousin, he calls him 'little monster'. Or it's a 'little madman'".

"I warn you! Hurry up and get to the point!" Hermione is hairy, what do you say when I ask, why do you always deviate from words?

"Uh, oh, okay. Neville shrunk his neck, "I don't know exactly how my cousin got hurt, maybe my uncle told me, maybe I forgot." But I know what happened later. "

Hermione motioned for Neville to hurry up and speak, don't be struggling.

"Cousin gave a man a 'black glove,' Hermione, do you know the black glove?" asked Neville.

"Black gloves? I know white gloves duel, what are black gloves?" Hermione knew from the book that white gloves duels were once popular among wizards, but later the Ministry of Magic promulgated the "Prohibition of Duel Law", and the atmosphere of wizards liking duels slowly declined.

Conflicts between wizards used to be resolved by duels. When a wizard initiates a duel against another wizard, there is a process of throwing a white glove at the other party, the other party usually accepts, and then it is filed in writing with the Council of Elders or the Ministry of Magic, and the wizarding body usually persuades both parties to abandon the duel, but it is only a formality. When it is determined that the problem will indeed be resolved through a duel, the duel initiator will set a time, and the duel receiver will set a location. When the duel day comes, each side will bring a dueling assistant, first two parties duel, when one party wants to lose, you can seize the opportunity to throw a white glove, representing the admission of defeat, at this time the other party must not do harm. Of course, if you don't have white gloves, or don't have a chance to throw them, you're dead. The losing side will decide whether to play the second match or not, and if it does, the winning side will decide whether the party will continue to play or send an assistant. Look at the outcome after the duel, and if the original losing side loses again, be prepared to pay the price, maybe it's a golden galleon, maybe something else. But if it is to win, it is a draw, and there must be no more duels between the parties. The process and outcome of this duel will then be documented by the wizarding agency.

The Black Glove is different, and the duel with the White Glove has a good chance of surviving even if you lose. Black gloves mean deathmatch, no assistants, no additional alchemy items, and the only thing to rely on is the wand in your hand and the wizard's skill. Black gloves are duels with the aim of killing each other. The Black Glove has a similar set of procedures and rules: the age difference between the parties must not exceed 20 years, and both parties must have a reason not to die, which puts an end to people who duel over trivial matters like the White Glove Duel.

Hermione listened with relish, she didn't worry about Solim, after all, Solim was alive and well now.

"Wait, Neville," Hermione seemed to realize something, "Solim...... Solim: Has he killed anyone?".

Solim is a man who has experienced a black glove duel, and he is now attending Hogwarts, so how can Solim survive without killing the other party.

Neville nodded, "Yes, I was shocked when I knew. The other party seems to be a very old family, I forgot what it was called. My uncle said that the cousin's duel had a great impact and that he offended a lot of people. But the uncle said that the cousin did nothing wrong. "

Hermione suddenly realized that Solim was fundamentally different from the rest of Hogwarts. Of course, Hermione knew that Solim was very strong, and she also knew that Solim's mastery of magical knowledge and techniques far exceeded that of the students in the school. But Hermione has always regarded Solim as a little wizard who is a little different, maybe he is strong, maybe he is knowledgeable, maybe he is more mature than young wizards of the same age, but now Hermione seems to suddenly realize that Solim and they are people of two worlds. If Hermione lived in a fairytale world—wizards, magic, and flying broomsticks, friendly people around her, and a white-bearded grandfather. So Solim is in a cruel world—a real, brutal world. A ten-year-old child had killed someone, Hermione couldn't have imagined. Thinking of Solim, whom she had to see almost every day, Hermione suddenly felt a little scared.

Neville knew what Hermione was thinking when he saw the look on her face, considering Neville's childhood and family, he was actually a very good kid.

"Hermione, don't overthink it. "

"Don't think too much about anything?" Harry and Ron walked over, they had been looking for Hermione.

"It's nothing, you're here just in time, and I'm looking for you. Hermione quickly adjusted her mood, just in time to talk to Harry about what had happened at the Quidditch match that afternoon.

Harry and Ron sat down and looked at each other, and finally Harry spoke, "Well...... Hermione, we haven't written Professor Spinn's paper yet, it's due on Monday, can you let us see yours. "

This was not the first time the two of them had asked Hermione for homework, Hermione glared at Harry and Ron, closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "I have something to tell you." About Harry, what happened to you during the game. "

"We may have wronged Snape. Hermione looked at Harry and Ron.

"What! Hermione, do you know what you're talking about?" Ron looked at Hermione in disbelief, "That's Snape! And you saw Snape cast a spell on Harry. "

"Yes, but there are a lot of doubts here. Hermione then repeated what Solim had said to her.

"Hermione, you mean someone is trying to warn the professors that someone is ill med against me by assaulting me on the court?" asked Harry.

"Yes, you heard me say that if Snape really wanted you to die, there was no need to do it on the pitch, because there was no chance. Hermione looked at Harry solemnly.

"Hermione, do you believe that Slytherin?" Ron asked Hermione, holding his arm and pulling his face, "Then tell me, why didn't that guy just go and tell the professor and attack Harry during the game?".

"I've thought about it, it's likely that there was more than one person in the school who wanted to harm Harry. Hermione glanced at an absent-minded Harry, "The person who made the shot at the game is likely to be watched, and he can't go directly to the professor." "

"Come on, Hermione, let me say it's the Slytherins, they just don't want us to win the game, in Quidditch they often engage in intrigue, attack opposing players in the hallways, foul play. This time they had a new twist, disrupting Harry in the box. But they failed. "In Ron's opinion, Hermione is a bit nervous and likes to think about everything. "Besides, with Dumbledore, Hogwarts is safe. "

"You forgot about Halloween?" Hermione retorted.

If Hogwarts is safe, how did the trolls get in? Is it a little surprise for the professors? How many little wizards can stop the trolls with a stick?

"Alright, don't argue. Harry saw that the two were about to start arguing again, and hurried to the round. He'd seen a lot of this scene in front of him, and Hermione and Ron basically had to quarrel without saying a word.

"Speaking of Snape, Hermione, did you notice that his leg was injured?" Harry quickly changed the subject.

"I don't care about that! I wish you had spent more time using your brains, lest you find that you forgot how to use them. Hermione stood up and walked away without looking back.

Harry and Ron looked at each other. At the same time, they sighed, they hadn't forgotten what they were here for, it was obvious that Hermione's homework could not be borrowed.

"Alright, Neville, have you finished Professor Spinn's paper?" Ron looked at Neville expectantly. If Neville had written, he and Harry wouldn't have to flip through the books, just read Neville's. The two of them knew that Neville and Hermione were very close, and that Neville's homework Hermione was all about purpose.

"It's written, but I didn't bring it with me. Neville scratched his head. Hermione and Neville's homework was rarely done in the Gryffindor common room, and more often was brought to the hidden classroom they frequented. Solim kept a lot of books there, and they didn't have to go to the school library to borrow them.

Neville's disappointment caused him to often forget his homework in their small classroom.

"Can you give it to us, Neville? Tomorrow and Sunday are the last day, and we have to hand it over on Monday. "Ron and Harry hope to finish Professor Spen's paper by the evening – or copy it.

Neville was a kid who didn't know how to say no, especially when Harry and Ron looked at him with sparkling eyes.

"Okay, I'll go out and get it, you wait. Neville stood up and prepared to walk to the door of the lounge.

"Get out?" Harry grabbed Neville, "Didn't you put your paper in your dorm?"

"It would be terrible if Filch found out about going out now. Ron interjected.

Neville explained to the duo that his paper was in a small classroom, not in his dorm. While it's a lights-out time for freshmen, it's not a problem for Gryffindors like Harry and Ron. They had already run out several times during lights-out time.

"Neville probably doesn't have any experience going out after the lights go out, do you, Harry and I go with you so we can take care of each other if we meet Filch. Harry nodded straightly.

When the three of them stood in the corridor and prepared to act, the portrait of the fat lady behind them opened again.

"I know!" Hermione looked angrily at the three in front of her, "I know your idea to beat Neville when I see you three sitting there muttering, I'll tell you two! Hermione turned to look at Neville, "Neville, you go back with me, and you won't lend them any homework in the future." "

Maybe it's providence, maybe it's some bad old man with a bad heart. When Hermione turned to go back, she found the fat lady disappearing from her portrait.

"What are you going to do now?" Ron smirked at Hermione, "just stand here and wait for the fat lady to come back?" or wait for Filch to catch you first?".

The four Gryffindor cubs had no idea what they would encounter tonight.