Hogwarts Lion Girl

Ever since Voldemort officially announced his return to the wizarding world, the Death Eaters have become more and more arrogant, and their evil deeds have become more and more rampant, from wantonly destroying the order of the wizarding world to breaking into the Muggle world to create chaos. The shadow of darkness seems to cover every inch of land.

That day, Dumbledore found Harry and prepared to take him to a special place.

"Harry, hold on to my arm and don't be afraid." Dumbledore's face was solemn, but his tone was still calm. He stretched out his left hand and motioned for Harry to hold it.

Harry grabbed Dumbledore's skinny arm without hesitation, and could feel the protruding bones and blood vessels on the back of the old man's hand with his palm.

A powerful magical force instantly enveloped Harry. The surrounding scene began to twist and spin. Dumbledore's long silver beard fluttered in the wind. He chanted a spell in a low voice, and the next second, they disappeared from the spot and arrived at the village of Barberton.

The streets of Barberton Village are quiet and deserted, with low and dilapidated buildings on both sides, exuding a bleak atmosphere.

Dumbledore led Harry slowly along the bluestone-paved street, his sharp eyes carefully observing the surrounding environment.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, Dumbledore stopped in front of a two-story brick house. The house looked dilapidated. The glass on the windows was covered with a thick layer of dust, the wooden door had rotted, and the paint on the door was mottled and peeling, but the dark green color it once was could still be vaguely recognized.

Dumbledore pushed the door tentatively, and it creaked loudly before slowly opening.

A damp and moldy smell hit me in the face. The room was dimly lit and I could only see some vague outlines of furniture. There were scattered books and sundries everywhere, making it look very messy.

Dumbledore looked around until his eyes fell on a worn sofa in the corner of the room.

The sofa looked bulging, as if it was stuffed with something, but it was unusually quiet, which was out of tune with the messy environment around it.

He walked lightly towards the sofa, then stretched out his left hand and poked it gently.

With a soft "puff" sound, a head suddenly appeared on the sofa!

The man had a worrying hairline, a shiny forehead, a round face that was flushed red, and looked at Dumbledore with sleepy eyes. He was the person Dumbledore was looking for, Horace Slughorn.

It turns out that in order to avoid being recruited by the Death Eaters, Slughorn turned himself into this inconspicuous sofa and hid there.

Dumbledore looked around and frowned slightly. The room was a mess. Books, scrolls and quills were scattered on the floor, empty medicine bottles were tilted here and there, and the ashes in the fireplace were piled up like a mountain, emitting a musty smell.

He decided to clean up the place first so that he could talk to his old friend.

He just waved his wand lightly and muttered something, and something magical happened: the books and scrolls scattered on the ground automatically flew up and returned neatly to the bookshelf;

The quill pens jumped back into the pen holders one by one; the empty medicine bottles returned to their original positions as if controlled by an invisible hand;

The ashes in the fireplace also miraculously disappeared, replaced by a blazing flame that dispelled the dampness and musty smell in the room.

The room suddenly became clean, tidy, warm and comfortable.

Slughorn was originally the professor of Potions at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He had many students, including many famous wizards. Even Harry's mother, Lily Evans, learned potions in his class.

Dumbledore came to him specifically this time, hoping that he could return to Hogwarts and serve as the Potions professor again.

However, Slughorn was unwilling to get involved in the struggle between Dumbledore and Voldemort. He just wanted to live his life in peace and did not want to be drawn into the dangerous vortex again.

But Dumbledore knew the character of his old friend very well. Although Slughorn looked easy-going and smooth on the surface, deep down he longed for fame and fortune. He hoped to recruit more outstanding students like Harry as his disciples in order to enhance his own reputation.

So Dumbledore brought Harry over, hoping to use Harry's "secret weapon" to convince Slughorn.

Sure enough, when Slughorn learned that he might become the teacher of the famous "savior" Harry Potter, his heart began to waver.

After a fierce ideological struggle, he finally agreed to Dumbledore's request and decided to return to Hogwarts to serve as the Potions professor this semester.

Then Dumbledore Apparated with Harry and appeared at Ron's door.

Harry saw Hermione sitting on the sofa in the living room, chatting with Ron's family.

Seeing Harry suddenly appear, Hermione stood up in surprise and walked quickly towards him.

Ron also excitedly put down the teacup in his hand and walked over in two steps.

"Harry!" They shouted almost at the same time, their faces filled with joy of seeing good friends.

The three good friends hugged each other tightly, patted each other on the shoulders, shared the joy of meeting again after a long separation, and then walked up the stairs together, talking and laughing, to Ron's room to chat.

Meanwhile, in the dark Spinner's End, Bellatrix was holding her sister Narcissa's hand and walking quickly through the narrow and dirty streets.

Narcissa followed closely, her high heels making crisp sounds on the uneven cobblestone road.

Their destination was a dilapidated house deep in Spinner's End, where their fellow Death Eater Severus Snape lived.

Bellatrix knocked hard on the door, making a dull sound that echoed in the quiet street.

As a double agent, Snape's identity on the Death Eater side was a pawn placed by Voldemort in Hogwarts.

In the dim room, Snape looked coldly at the two sisters who broke in, and Narcissa anxiously explained her purpose: Voldemort had chosen Draco to carry out a secret mission.

She looked at Snape worriedly, begging him to keep an eye on Draco in secret and ensure his safety.

Bellatrix's sharp eyes swept back and forth between the two of them. She snorted coldly from her nose, obviously doubting Snape's loyalty.

She roughly drew out her wand and forced Snape and Narcissa to swear an unbreakable vow.

Under the powerful magical constraints, Snape was forced to swear: he would do his best to ensure Draco's safety and secretly assist him in completing the task. If Draco failed, Snape would take over personally and complete Voldemort's instructions.

Narcissa's tense shoulders finally relaxed and she took a deep breath, suppressing her anxiety.

She walked to the window, reached out to touch the cold glass, and looked at the gray sky outside the window.

It seemed to reflect her mood at the moment, which was cloudy and filled with unresolvable worries.

"Xiaolong, you will be safe."