Chapter 165 It's Not a Child's Play

...Is this impossible?

At least that's how it seems to me.

The next day is Sunday. Before dawn, Maca was helping in the potion preparation room behind Snape's office. While they were busy with the work at hand, they chatted casually.

The anti-eavesdropping measures are well prepared here, and conversations here cannot be overheard-at least the possibility is low.

To be honest, when Hermione was selected as the fourth warrior yesterday, Maca was really confused. And his confusion has continued to this day without an answer.

What did Voldemort want to do? Does it make sense to him?

Maca weighed it in his heart, and took this opportunity to ask Snape for his opinion.

However, Snape's guess made Maca scratch his head.

You mean to say——Voldemort wants Hermione to be in danger, or even face death, so as to test me if I have ulterior motives?

Maca frowned, puzzled and said, But... why Hermione?

Snape pouted, showing a don't pretend to be confused expression. He held back for a while, then simply continued to get busy with the work at hand, and did not continue this topic anymore.

...Could it be because I forcibly saved Hermione from him?

Maca pondered for a moment, then shook his head speechlessly.

After a while, when things were done, Maca left Snape's office first, planning to go to the auditorium to finish breakfast.

But at the side entrance of the auditorium, he met Ron with a gloomy face.

Oh...good morning, Maca. Ron took the initiative to say hello, but he didn't look very happy.

Well, good morning. Maca glanced at him and said, What's the matter, who are you angry with?

No, who can I be angry with? Ron forced a smile, however, he smiled uglier than crying.

Maca shrugged and said, Is it because of Harry and Hermione?

Do not,

how can that be possible! Ron couldn't help arguing, They are all my good friends, and now they are all warriors, I am happy for them!

yes?

certainly!

As Ron said, his hands clenched into fists subconsciously, and finally couldn't hold back.

I just... I just don't think they should be cheating on me! That's obviously wrong! he exclaimed. We're friends—best friends! aren't we?

Maca nodded noncommittally, and said calmly: Of course it's wrong to deceive friends, but we can't be sure whether they have deceived you or not.

Even you said that... Ron said angrily, Well! Someone must be framing them, someone wants their life! This is really terrible. A mysterious lunatic confused the goblet, and then gave it Our school has one more chance to win the championship!

Ron finished speaking angrily, then ignored Maca, turned around and walked into the auditorium without looking back.

At this moment, another person came behind Maca.

That... Maca?

He stopped again, turned around and said, Oh, good morning, Hermione.

Last night... thank you.

Behind Maca, Hermione, who had recovered from being overwhelmed, thanked in a low voice.

Last night? Maca pretended to be puzzled, What are you talking about?

What? Hermione asked strangely, Last night you made the cat's head—

In the middle of her speech, she seemed to understand something from Maca's expression, and stopped immediately.

Oh, sorry, she said, I don't think I slept very well last night, and I'm a little fuzzy now... I saw Ron just now... what's wrong with him?

Maca shook her head lightly, and as she walked in, she told Hermione what Ron said just now...

At this moment, Harry just woke up from an uneasy sleep.

He sat up, lost in thought on the bed, and it took him a while to remember why he felt so sad and anxious. Then, the events of last night came to mind at once.

He sat up and drew back the curtains of his four-poster bed, trying to talk to Ron again, trying to make Ron believe him. But then he found that Ron's bed was empty, and he had obviously gone downstairs for breakfast.

Harry dressed and walked down the spiral staircase to the common room below.

As soon as he appeared, the classmates who had already had breakfast cheered enthusiastically again. He shuddered a little at the thought of going into the Great Hall, facing the rest of the Gryffindors, who were all treating him like a hero.

But if he doesn't go to the auditorium, he has no choice but to stay here, letting himself be pestered by his classmates in the lounge. So he walked decisively to the hole behind the portrait, pushed it away, and crawled out.

When he also came to the entrance of the auditorium, he happened to meet Hermione who was walking out.

Hello, said Hermione, holding up a stack of bread wrapped in a napkin in her hand, I'll give you back... Want to go for a walk?

Good idea, said Harry gratefully.

They descended the stairs, passing quickly through the hall without even looking at the auditorium. Soon they were striding across the lawn that stretched toward the lake.

Durmstrang's big boat was moored on the lake, casting dark reflections in the water.

It was a cold morning, and Harry and Hermione discussed the accident together as they walked on and on, chewing on their bread.

Of course I know you didn't sign up yourself, said Hermione when he had finished describing what had happened in the room next to the Great Hall. Of course I didn't either!

Look at the look on your face when Dumbledore called out our names! The question is, who put your name in? You know, Moody is right, Harry... I think, No student other than Maca can do this! We all saw that even Maca is not a very simple thing to do.

Did you see Ron? Harry interrupted her.

Hermione hesitated.

Well... see...he's having breakfast, she said.

Does he still think we signed up for it ourselves?

Um... no, I don't think so... actually not, said Hermione awkwardly.

'Not really,' what does that mean?

Oh, Harry, doesn't that make sense? said Hermione helplessly. He's jealous!

Jealous? Harry asked in disbelief. Jealous of what? Would he want to make such a fool of himself in front of the whole school?

Think about it, said Hermione patiently. You know, all this time, it's either you or Maca who's got everyone's attention—

Seeing Harry open his mouth angrily, she hurriedly added, I know you didn't pursue this...but, how should I put it—you know, Ron has to compete with so many brothers at home, you As his best friend, and so famous—

Every time someone saw you, he was left out in the cold, and he endured it silently, never saying a word. And this time, there happened to be another me... Both of us have a share, only He didn't, it's as if we abandoned him. At this point, Hermione paused and said, I think this time he can't bear it anymore...

Very well, said Harry bitterly, that's very nice... I think I could trade him with him any time he wanted! When someone stares stupidly at his brow wherever he goes people!

Yes, that's right. Hermione said bluntly, You should use this to talk to him. Only in this way can the problem be solved.

I don't want to be chasing him around trying to teach him to grow up! said Harry. When is he going to believe that I'm not happy? Maybe when I break my neck, or—

His voice was so loud that several owls on the nearby tree fluttered up in fright.

That's not child's play, said Hermione softly, that's definitely not child's play!

She hesitated for a moment, then moved closer and said in a very small voice, Harry, Maca secretly gave me three potions last night and told me—

I know, I received it too. Harry interrupted, Just this morning, I saw a package next to the bed, and I knew it was from Maca as soon as I guessed it.

Really— Hermione's expression froze for a moment, but she continued in the next second, Then you should have seen it too, and Maca also thinks that this Triwizard Tournament will be very dangerous!

Harry, I've been thinking - you know what we're supposed to do, don't you? she reminded softly.

Yeah, give Ron a hard kick—

Writing to your godfather! Hermione said angrily, You have to tell him what happened. Didn't he write before asking you to write to him about everything that happened at Hogwarts? Is it? He seems to have expected this to happen. I brought out some parchment and a quill—

Stop talking nonsense, Harry said.

He looked around and saw that no one could hear them, but the field was empty and there was no one there.

You saw that last year too—he was so impulsive, if I told him someone asked me to sign up for the Triwizard Tournament, he'd probably come straight to the castle—

He wants you to tell him, said Hermione sternly, anyway, he'll find out sooner or later—

But--

Maka seems to have important things to do this time - he even pretended not to contact us just now. Hermione said seriously, Since he can't be with us, we have to We've made plans earlier... We can't always rely on Maca to help us.

Okay, okay, I'll write to him, said Harry, throwing the last piece of bread into the lake.

The two stood there, watching the bread float on the surface of the lake for a while, and then a huge tentacle emerged from the water and grabbed it under the water.

Not long after they left, a tiny hummingbird flashed past the trees by the lake.