Hogwarts Lion Girl

The afterglow of the setting sun filled the towers of Hogwarts, dyeing the ancient castle golden red.

Serena walked through the busy corridor towards the Owl Post Office.

Before you get close, you can hear hundreds of owls hooting in the distance, some flapping their wings, as if they are eagerly discussing the journey they are about to embark on.

As you walk into the post office, a unique scent hits you in the face, a mixture of the smell of owl feathers, ink and parchment, and an indescribable scent of freedom.

Thick wooden beams support the towering roof, and countless owls perch on the beams. Their eyes sparkle as they curiously look at the students coming and going.

The walls were densely packed with wooden shelves, each with many small compartments. Owls of different species went in and out, delivering letters to designated compartments.

Salina came this time to mail a letter to Donald. She found the block of Swinburne Manor in front of rows of wooden grids with addresses written on them, and then fed the owl in this compartment.

She always regularly sends back the files that need to be processed, and then receives new files. Every time this happens, Salina will miss those network cables that extend in all directions. This is actually simpler and faster than magic.

Serena put a piece of chicken on the small plate in front of the owl. The greasy meat immediately attracted the owl's attention. It lowered its head and stared at the chicken with its yellow eyes. Its sharp beak pecked twice quickly, accurately clamped the chicken, and then raised its head and swallowed the whole piece of chicken. Serena could even see the muscles in its throat moving quickly to send the food into its crop.

While waiting for the owl to eat, Salina discovered that deep inside the post office, next to a window with an exquisite owl pattern carved on it, there was a boy. He was the boy she had met once before by the Black Lake.

The window was very high, and the beams of setting sun shone through the glass, making the boy's outline hazy.

He turned his back to Salina, bent slightly, and gently stroked a proudly standing black owl with his slender fingers.

This owl has feathers as dark as the night, shiny and glossy, with starlight shining in the afterglow of the setting sun.

It tilted its head slightly and looked in the direction of Salina with its sharp black eyes.

Perhaps noticing the owl's gaze, the boy slowly shifted his gaze away from the owl and turned towards it.

Just at this moment, a ray of setting sun passed through the carved window lattice and illuminated the boy's face. Their eyes met, and his eyes flickered slightly, as if he recognized Salina.

At this time, the owl in front of Salina was full, and contentedly rubbed Salina's fingers with its beak, took the package from her hand, spread its strong wings, and flew out of the window with a beautifully carved owl pattern.

In the golden-red afterglow of the setting sun, its black silhouette streaked across the sky and soon disappeared in the sky above Hogwarts Castle.

……

"Hello, my name is Salina Swinburne, a second-year Gryffindor." Salina broke the silence first. She gave him a friendly smile, hoping that her smile didn't look too stiff.

The boy nodded slightly, the afterglow of the setting sun dancing in his eyes, reflecting an almost transparent light golden color. "Lucian Bore, fourth year Slytherin."

Salina's attention shifted to the owl beside him. This owl was larger than the average owl, with shiny black feathers. Its sharp black eyes looked at Salina intently, as if assessing her threat.

"It's my owl, Ares." Lucian said lightly, with a barely perceptible hint of pride in his tone.

"Hello, Ares." Salina reached out her hand and tried to touch Ares' head. However, Ares turned his head away proudly, avoiding Salina's hand. He used his sharp beak to tidy up his feathers, and seemed to be uninterested in Salina's touch.

"Don't mind. Ares doesn't like others touching it." Lucien said calmly, with no emotion in his tone. He raised his head and looked at Salina calmly, "Are you here to mail a letter as well?"

"Yes, I just sent a letter home." Salina nodded, and to avoid embarrassment, she quickly changed the subject, "Your owl is so beautiful, what kind is it?"

"A pure-blooded night owl is a very intelligent owl." Lucien explained simply. He didn't seem to be very interested in the topic and just answered Salina's question indifferently.

Salina also noticed Lucien's coldness, and she began to feel that her behavior of taking the initiative to talk to him was a bit abrupt.

After all, they had only met once before at the Black Lake, and they didn't even know each other's names.

"Well, it's getting late. I should go back." Salina smiled unnaturally and turned to leave.

Salina walked to the door. The old oak door was carved with intricate patterns. The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the stained glass windows, casting colorful light and shadows on the ground.

Just as her figure was about to disappear at the door, a voice called her.

"Wait." Lucien's voice sounded behind Salina, with a hint of subtle hesitation.

Salina looked back in confusion. The halo of the setting sun outlined Lucien's angular profile. There seemed to be a barely perceptible hint of... embarrassment on his cold face?

Salina rubbed her eyes in disbelief. It must be because the light was too dim and she must have seen it wrong.

Lucien avoided Salina's gaze, coughed lightly, and asked, "Do you still remember that day by the Black Lake, you said you wanted to see the giant octopus at the bottom of the lake?"

Only then did Salina remember that she had indeed said such words when they "met by chance" by the Black Lake that day.

"So, do you want to go and see it again?" Lucien's voice interrupted Salina's memories.

Salina came back to her senses and looked at Lucien in confusion.

"What are you looking at?" Salina was a little unresponsive for a moment.

"The giant octopus at the bottom of the Black Lake," Lucien repeated patiently, adding, "I can take you there."

"Really?" Salina's eyes suddenly lit up, and her tone was full of surprise.

Lucien looked into Salina's sparkling eyes, raised the corners of his mouth slightly, and said, "Follow me."

Salina was stunned for a moment, then quickly followed Lucien's steps.

The owl named Ares tilted its head and blinked curiously as it watched its owner and the unknown woman walk away until their backs disappeared into the night.

It lowered its head and used its sharp beak to pick up the last piece of meat from the plate, feeling the aroma of the meat filling its mouth. It lowered its wings somewhat lostly, and gently combed the feathers on its chest with its beak. Today, the owner did not touch its head as usual, but left in a hurry. Can love really disappear?

……