Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 38: The Owl Portrait
After 3 p.m.,

Hogwarts then entered a lazy weekend.

For the young wizards, Friday is even more joyful and relaxing than Saturday or Sunday.
Because on this day, they can put their homework aside and enjoy a rare moment of leisure.

Having walked all the way from the greenhouse, the hem of Sheen's robe still held dewdrops from the rain.

He learned from Professor Sprout that

Professor Snape is going to start brewing two days' worth of potions today.
Therefore, the potion-brewing plan had to be temporarily put on hold.

Having inherited the knowledge of Master Ribasius Pollack, he now feels like he's sitting on a mountain of gold, unable to use it for the time being.

Fortunately, he was not familiar with the rituals modified by Master Ribasius Pollack.

So he decided to practice in the hidden room until he was proficient.
Incidentally, he can also grind his spell proficiency.

"I'm going to cut your head off!"

"No--"

The childish voices coming from the distant lawn contrasted sharply with the content of their conversation. Sheen turned his gaze and saw that it was a group of young wizards playing a game of executioner.
This game can be played by two or more people. One person thinks of a word, and the others try to guess it based on the given letters. If they can't guess it, they have to pretend to be beheaded.

Sheen then heard a series of crackling explosions coming from the other side of the lawn.

Looking into the distance, you can see young wizards playing with popping cards. These cards aren't very powerful, but they're enough to burn the eyebrows of two young wizards black.

There are many forms of entertainment in the wizarding world, not just Quidditch, Wizard's Chess, Gobstone, and so on.

Michael played more than ten strange games in just five days.

That's why he's still in the library.

It would be even better if he didn't wail "Sheen, save me!" when he returned to the dorm, but just quietly read Sheen's notes.

Sheen held the beautifully packaged honeydew candy in his hand, and the image of Bruce being led away like a balloon by Leon seemed to still be vivid in his mind.

He observed that whenever Bruce was about to land, Pister, who had just arrived, would stuff a piece of candy into his mouth.

The remaining candy was given to him by the kind-hearted senior, Pister, who gave him all the candy.
Hufflepuff's philosophy is—to—share—

Bruce practically screamed those words.

The afternoon sun, like melting honey, lazily spilled onto the ancient stone walls of Hogwarts Castle.
To warm and soften the cold stones.

The tower's spires gleamed golden against the azure sky, as an owl hooted as it swooped past.

Sheen's hair was ruffled by the wind.

A loud cry came from the distant sky; it was a hawk.
The one who stumbled and staggered across the lawn was Justin.

"Sheen!"

He greeted them enthusiastically and loudly.

Hermione, standing to the side, puffed out her cheeks in exasperation. In her hand, a dark green book with a dragon pattern was being blown open by the wind.

"My mother said that nature will heal all the children."

Justin leaned closer to Sheehan and whispered...

Sunshine, lakeside, breeze, green grass... Although Hermione didn't think these were better than "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" in her hands—

She's right, that book is really interesting.

Fantastic creatures?
Sheen thought,
That's really interesting.

Then, Sheehan's gaze followed Justin's direction and landed on one of the pages:
I want to refute all the other absurd statements in Miss Rita Skeeter's book.

I just want to say one more thing: I am absolutely not "the heartless man who abandoned the heartbroken Serafina Picqueri".
At that time, the chairperson made it clear that if I did not leave New York voluntarily and promptly, she would take severe measures to expel me.

?

Sheen was somewhat speechless; it seemed that gossiping didn't distinguish between wizards and Muggles.

"And this—"

The Billywig bug is an insect native to Australia. Anyone stung by a Billywig bug will feel dizzy and then float up in a daze.

Generations of young Australian wizards have tried to capture Billywig bugs and provoke them to sting them for this side effect. "Wizards can be pretty crazy sometimes, can't they?"

Justin shrugged and said,
Hermione, what do you think?

“That’s right, I even read in a book that a wizard made sizzling honey from its juice.”

Hermione closed the book, her voice strong and clear.

Before she could finish speaking, Sheen silently placed a piece of honeydew candy in each of their hands.

"good to eat."

Sheen said seriously.

Hermione and Justin, who were left to react, stared at each other blankly.

……

"It feels so good to float..."

I mean, do you remember?
Hermione and I went to Professor Flitwick to ask if we could use that classroom.

The professor agreed quickly, but what did he say...?

In the corridor, Justin suddenly stopped talking.

Sheen noticed a clear smile in his eyes.

“Idiot…yes—of course, no problem, but it depends on whether the owl portrait agrees.”

The three waited for the spiral staircase while Hermione explained.
"The professor said that in the tenth century, there was only one magic school in Europe, and that was Hogwarts."

At that time, Hogwarts admitted students from all over Europe.
Later, other magic schools were established, and many wizarding families chose schools closer to home.
Hogwarts, which can hold over a thousand people, has many empty classrooms now, most of which have been sealed off by magic, but that doesn't include ours, because…”

"There is a special owl portrait, and even the professors of all generations may not be able to answer the questions about it."

Justin added with a smile that he was much more arrogant than Sheehan.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

With the rumbling of the stairs and Justin's knocking on the wall,

The yellowed, cracked canvas reappeared, upon which a snow-white owl, wearing a velvet vest and tiny pince-nez glasses, tilted its head.

It seems it can never simultaneously straighten the glasses and hold the old parchment firmly.

"What are you looking at! An owl is still an eagle!"

It was shouting.

"Don't laugh! I'm going to ask you a difficult question! A question that even the clever little wizards can't answer!"

It said fiercely.

Justin's face immediately fell.
He thought for a moment, then tried to please the owl in the portrait with a lollipop quill pen.

"If I'm not mistaken, those are owl feathers! Even if they're just carved!"

"Oh!"

Justin whispered,
Hermione burst out laughing;
Then, watching Justin pretend to fumble around and stuff the lollipop quill into Sheehan's arms.

"Do mice eat Mr. Owl?"

Justin pulls out the screaming sugar mouse in an attempt to save it.

"Little wizard! Foolish little wizard! I am a portrait!"

The owl flapped its wings, the parchment swaying under its claws, and the whole owl looked very angry.

Hermione was shaking with laughter.

"what?!"

Justin was somewhat desperate.
"Where am I supposed to find a picture of a rat?!"

(End of this chapter)