0214 Troubles

0214 Troubles

Professor Flitwick and Hagrid were guarding the gate, while Professor Snape and Filch were assigned to patrol all night. Bryan, who was in charge of the safety of all teachers and students at Hogwarts, couldn't go back to his office and sleep. After sending away Filch and the bewildered Neville, Bryan walked with his Head of the house in the courtyard.

Under the gradually cooling moonlight, they could see the undulating forest and the snow-covered mountains in the distance. The white on the snow was spreading to the world, as if heralding the arrival of winter.

The wind wandering on the lawn also brought the chill of the season. It seemed that the first snow of 1993 was approaching. Bryan shivered slightly and pulled his cloak tighter around him.

"So, it seems that Dumbledore has solved your problem?" Snape turned his head slightly and looked at Bryan, who was standing still, gazing at the snowy peaks. He asked in a low voice.

"I'm afraid the headmaster can't solve my troubles–" Bryan yawned and stretched, trying to hide his fatigue. "My situation is complicated, I'm afraid. No one else can help me much, except for myself."

Snape understood what Bryan meant. His favorite student was implying that he was also helpless about his problems. Problems that Snape had no idea about, but suspected were related to the Soul.

"When did you get yourself into this trouble?" Snape snapped angrily, "I warned you so many times, Bryan. The outside world is not as simple as Hogwarts. It's not enough to make everyone cheer by throwing two spells that can blow up a big hole in the ground. But you-, you still like to do dangerous things for those worthless galleons!"

"My trouble was not caused after I left school, my Dear Professor Snape." Bryan smiled gently.

"Then what–" Snape was stunned by this answer. His long hooked nose twitched, and his eyebrows shot up. "Could it be, at Hogwarts?!"

"Who knows?" Bryan put his hands on his back, squinted his eyes and looked into the distance, letting the midnight cold wind blow over his hair. He seemed to be lost in his thoughts, or maybe hiding something.

"Maybe, it's a trouble I made before I was born." He said cryptically, making Snape even more curious and frustrated.

Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping Harry in the hospital wing for the weekend. He didn't argue or complain, but he refused to let her throw away the wreckage of the Nimbus 2000. He knew he was being silly, and he knew the Nimbus 2000 couldn't be fixed, but Harry couldn't help but have some attachment as this was not just a broom, but also his best friend. The broom had given him so many happy memories, and made him feel free and alive.

Hagrid, Ginny, and all the members of the Gryffindor team visited him in an endless stream during the weekend. Everyone tried their best to cheer him up, hoping that he could recover from the terrible defeat yesterday. But to be honest, Harry didn't feel his mood had improved, but rather more exhausted. He felt like he had let everyone down, especially himself. He wished they would leave him alone, but he didn't have the heart to say it.

"It had nothing to do with Malfoy this time, Harry," Ron rubbed his grumbling stomach and said sympathetically, "It's the old problem. Neville lost something again, and this time, what he lost was his wand. It's really puzzling. Why is Neville worse than those two stupid trolls behind Malfoy's butt when it comes to taking care of his own things?"

Although Ron's words about Neville were not very friendly, Harry agreed that Neville was too good at losing things. He had lost his toad, his remembrall, his passwords, and even his own clothes. He was always looking for something, and often ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"–Neville thought his wand had fallen on the Quidditch pitch, and last night, he foolishly wanted to rush out of the castle to look for his wand. But unfortunately, he ran into Filch and Snape, that old bat." Ron said, shaking his head.

Hearing Ron say that, Harry couldn't help sighing for Neville. It was bad enough to lose his wand, but he also ran into the two people he was most afraid of meeting at school.

"What happened then?" Harry asked, slightly curious about this topic.

"Neville said that Filch was ready to torture him, and Snape seemed to want to use him as an experiment material for the potions class. But luckily, Professor Watson, who was passing by, saved his life. He ordered Filch to help him find his wand on the pitch early this morning,"

Ron shrugged and said, "But unfortunately, his wand may not have fallen on the pitch. They searched for hours, but they couldn't find it anywhere."

"Poor Neville–" Hermione said worriedly, "Without a wand, how can he go to class?"

She knew how important a wand was for a wizard, and how difficult it was to perform magic without one. She felt sorry for Neville, who was already struggling with his studies.

Ron didn't care about Hermione's worries. He thought Neville's wand was like the toad he often couldn't find. It would show up sooner or later, and if not, he could always buy a new one. He didn't think it was a big deal, and he changed the subject.

Knowing that Neville was not bullied by Malfoy and his gang, Harry was not too worried about this. In fact, he suddenly thought of something when he calmed down again– Professor Watson.

'Hmm, he seemed to be very good at fixing things. Last year, he made Ron's wand, which looked completely hopeless, last for a while. And he also seemed to be very good at dealing with Dementors.'

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