This Hogwarts is not normal

Chapter 1330 The Girls' Afternoon

Hermione and her friends arrived at the Great Hall, where the Greengrass sisters were already there, dressed in matching black tracksuits.

"Qiu didn't come?" Astoria looked around, a puzzled expression on her face.

The four girls exchanged a knowing glance, and then all chuckled softly.

Lavender rolled her eyes at the ceiling. "I guess she was 'temporarily' called away by some upperclassman from Hufflepuff."

Parvati nudged her gently with his elbow, his eyes full of smiles.

The sweet relationship between Qiu and Cedric was an open secret throughout the school, and it was perfectly normal for them to find a quiet place to be alone on such a sunny afternoon.

Astoria nodded her little head, looking bewildered yet hopeful, and walked out of the castle's heavy oak gate with them.

Passing through the foyer again, the "warning notice" bearing the Ministry of Magic's emblem was still posted in the most prominent position on the bulletin board.

The students stopped crowding in front, and just then, Draco strode quickly down the other side of the corridor.

He was not followed by his two henchmen, Crabbe and Goyle. His steps were very hurried, his pale face was expressionless, and he was carrying a silk package in his hand.

His gaze swept quickly across the notice board, his expression unchanged, before he hurriedly turned toward the stairs leading to the dungeon, his figure quickly swallowed by the shadows of the entrance.

The girls stepped out of the castle, and the Black Lake in winter had a unique scenery. The lake surface was covered with a thin layer of crystal-clear ice, like a huge matte mirror, reflecting the gray-blue sky and the silhouette of the castle.

"Let's begin." Hermione did a few simple warm-up exercises, stretching her legs and arms.

They began jogging along the lakeshore, with Hermione naturally leading the way. Her steps were steady and rhythmic, her breathing even and deep, and her pure white tracksuit stood out against the desolate lakeside.

Lavender and Pavati followed behind, whispering among themselves about the latest gossip they had heard as they ran.

The Greengrass sisters ran side by side at the back, at a slightly slower pace, but their breathing was steady and their movements were coordinated, clearly indicating that they were regular exercisers.

Daphne's jogging posture was similar to Hermione's, both being crisp and efficient.

After running for about 15 minutes, her body gradually warmed up, and Hermione increased her speed slightly, maintaining her steady pace.

Lavender and Parvati's conversation gradually turned into intermittent sentences, until only the sound of them trying to regulate their breathing remained, and they were slowly left behind.

Fifteen minutes later, Daphne and Astoria's breathing became a little rapid, and their cheeks flushed with the effects of exercise.

"I...I can't go on..." Lavender was the first to give up. She stopped, put her hands on her knees, and gasped for breath. Her forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat. "Hermione...did you grow up eating...eating the Golden Snitch?"

Parvatido held out for five minutes before surrendering, leaning against an old tree by the lake to catch her breath.

Hermione ran another lap along the lake shore before slowing down and walking over.

Her breathing was steady, and her eyes were clear; she didn't look like someone who had been running for more than half an hour.

Lavender, having recovered, straightened up and looked her over carefully. "Hermione, your stamina is almost catching up with your master's, isn't it? I remember when Vincent used to train us, he looked just as relaxed as this."

Hermione seemed to have gotten used to being called "your master." She raised her chin slightly and said with a hint of smugness, "He's still far from it. He's... well, not human."

"Oh ho~" Parvati's eyes gleamed with a sly smile, "Inhuman level, huh~ Is that your reason for constantly increasing your exercise intensity?"

Hermione's ears turned red instantly. She gently nudged Parvati, neither admitting nor denying, but simply shaking her head with a smile. She then turned to face the Black Lake, pretending to be focused on stretching her shoulders and back.

Soon, the girls joined in to stretch and relax together.

They chatted casually, their conversation shifting from interesting anecdotes about the professors to their plans for the upcoming Christmas holidays.

The sun gradually slid westward, and the colors of the sky began to undergo a wondrous transformation.

At first, it was a grayish-blue with a hint of pale gold. Then, the clouds near the horizon were ignited, spreading out layers of orange-red and rose pink.

The magnificent colors are reflected on the frozen surface of the Black Lake, turning the matte mirror into a dazzling and dreamlike painting.

The castle towers and walls were also gilded with a warm gold trim, and the lights shining through the windows made everything beautiful and cozy.

Lavender stopped what he was doing, looked at the lake and exclaimed, "How beautiful!"

The girls quieted down and admired the dreamlike scenery.

Hermione looked down at her and their elongated, blurry reflections on the lake, her thoughts drifting away.

If those things hadn't happened, would Vincent be here on an evening like this?

They would run together and then watch the sunset side by side, just like Cedric and Autumn, ordinary yet beautiful.

The sun sank quickly, and the warm colors of the sky were gradually replaced by a deeper blue.

Hermione looked up. "That's about it."

She clapped her hands lightly, a vibrant smile returning to her face. "How was it? Want to see the night view and go again?"

As night fell, the girls began another round of jogging.

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Slytherin dormitory

Draco sat alone in the most comfortable high-backed chair in the entire dormitory, his pale face illuminated by the flames in the fireplace in front of him. His body was trembling slightly, as if he felt no warmth at all.

Suddenly, he lowered his head, his empty gaze shifting from the burning firewood to the empty silk bundle he was clutching tightly in his hand.

The package arrived suddenly in the afternoon. When he saw the familiar sealing wax seal, he knew it was sent from home.

He didn't open it on the spot. Instead, he quickly grabbed the package, threw a "Don't follow" at Crabbe and Gore, hurriedly returned to his dormitory, locked the door, and then opened the package with trembling hands.

There were two things inside: a high-quality invisibility cloak and a note.

"At dawn, in the Screaming Shack, put it on and come through the Hit-Man Willow Secret Passage."

Draco recognized his father's handwriting, and on the back of the note was written the way to enter the secret passage.

He tossed the note into the fireplace and sat in his high-backed chair, watching it burn to ashes with a blank stare.

He slowly closed his eyes, and the suffocating images of Malfoy Manor from the summer vacation resurfaced in his mind:

Those figures in black robes moved silently through the magnificent corridors; the fear hidden deep in the eyes of the mother, Narcissa; the increasingly haggard and tense face of the father, Lucius; and the self who spent all day hiding in the cold room, curled up, filled with fear and helplessness.

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