Chapter 29: Be Serious, No Crying Allowed

The young witch lowered her head silently and sat back in her seat, looking utterly lost, almost on par with Bell's degree of despair.

"...?"

"What's wrong? What happened? I didn't even bite her! Why is she turning into a zombie?" Bell was completely puzzled, frantically tapping on the question mark key. Could it be that today happened to be one of those days every month, so she suddenly felt uncomfortable? No way! Are girls nowadays so mature at such a young age!?

"I must be the worst little wizard in Hogwarts."

Hermione looked like she was about to cry, feeling a bit homesick for her parents.

"I studied magic really hard over the summer, but now I can only manage to turn matches into needles, and it takes me a long time..."

"I'm sure I'll be expelled from Hogwarts. Maybe as soon as I get off the train, I'll be told, 'Your magic skills are just too poor, we can't teach you, so you better go back.' " Hermione was completely immersed in the bleak future she had created for herself. "Then I'll have to go home and tell my parents that because I'm so stupid, Hogwarts doesn't want me anymore, so I can only go back to attend Muggle school, sob~"

Hermione couldn't hold back her sadness anymore, tears flowing like a torrent, unstoppable.

"...?"

Watching the girl's tears dripping down, Bell felt incredibly awkward.

It seemed like she had inadvertently made the girl cry, right? He really didn't mean to!

Feeling somewhat bewildered by the sudden turn of events, Bell glanced at the dazed Neville and began to seriously consider the issue of covering up his tracks. He didn't want to be labeled as someone who bullies little girls in the future.

Realizing that Hermione had already imagined a miserable life of "not being able to attend university after the age of 18 and living by cleaning toilets," Bell reluctantly prepared to comfort the young witch.

As for how Bell knew what Hermione was imagining. Well, that was because... cough, he used a bit of "mind reading."

All of this sacrifice was made in order to better comfort the girl. Actually, Bell really didn't want to do this, really!

"Hermione..."

"Wahh~ Ahh~!"

(´;Д;`)

A deafening cry echoed through the air. Bell, with his sensitive hearing, could even hear a young wizard in the next compartment being scared to the ground by this scream.

Σ(っ°Д°;)っ

"What's wrong again? What happened now? Isn't it over yet!?"

"I... I can't even turn matches into needles... I can't even perform a single spell properly... My family used to think I was a dumb... dumb cannon... I'm definitely... definitely going to be expelled from Hogwarts... My... My grandmother will... will kill... kill me..." The chubby boy choked on his words, crying miserably. But it wasn't all bad; at least Hermione didn't need Bell's comforting anymore. She was busy comforting Neville, with no time to think about the deep question of whether canvas or hemp was better for mops.

Bell felt like his brain was about to explode. Watching Hermione clumsily comforting Neville, with little effect, was too much for him to bear.

It was one thing to comfort a cute little girl, although Bell was capable of being single for 40 years based on his abilities, he still couldn't bring himself to be mean to her like that. But this chubby boy, even though he looked quite cute due to his age, he was a boy! Bell wouldn't indulge him!

(╬￣皿￣)

"Shut up, both of you! If you cry again, I'll turn you into a toad and let you accompany 'Trev-Trev's' offspring!"

The crying abruptly stopped, Hermione and Neville stared blankly at Bell. Especially Neville, if Hermione hadn't blocked the compartment door, he would have probably picked up Trevor and run away.

With the crying finally ceased and a sense of long-lost tranquility filling the air, Bell nodded satisfactorily and looked at Hermione.

"You! Sit down!"

"Oh..." The young witch replied in a small voice, feeling aggrieved.

"Huh!?"

"Yes!"

Hermione sat back in her seat, her back straight. Even at this moment, she hadn't forgotten to sit back in her original seat, determined not to sit next to a toad.

"If you've read your first-year textbooks..."

"Yes! I've memorized all the first-year textbooks!" Hermione answered loudly, trying hard to prove that she still had hope.

"Good. Then I suppose you should have a certain understanding of the first-year curriculum."

Neville hesitated, looking at Bell. He really wanted to say that he hadn't read the first-year textbooks.

Although his grandmother had told him countless times to study the contents of the textbooks seriously before entering school, otherwise he wouldn't be able to keep up with the teaching progress. But every time he opened the textbook, it was like he was hit by a Stunning Spell and he would immediately fall asleep.

But thinking about Bell's demonic expression just now (from Neville's perspective), he ultimately didn't dare to speak up.

"The content of the textbooks is what you will learn in your first year. In other words, most young wizards cannot master most of the content in the book before they enter school. As long as you can proficiently grasp the content of the textbooks during your first year, it is enough to prove that you are a qualified young wizard." Bell patiently explained to the two.

He didn't want the two young wizards to doubt themselves and suffer from a sense of inferiority because of him. It would be too much of a crime to torment the flowers of the nation. He couldn't afford it.

"Hermione..."

"Yes!"

"Um, just relax a bit."

Bell couldn't remember how many times today he had felt like he was bullying a little girl. The inner embarrassment was about to overflow.

"You've already successfully transformed matches into needles before entering school, which proves that you are already very talented. Trust me, most young wizards from wizarding families can't do this."

Hermione hesitated, looking at Bell.

"But, Bell, you..."

"Don't compare yourself to me. I'm an exception."

Bell pointed to Neville, who was sitting across from them, not daring to move.

"In fact, Neville is the norm, and I'm the abnormal one."

"..."

The compartment fell into a strange silence. Hermione didn't want to speak, Neville didn't dare to speak, and Bell looked at this one, then that one, not knowing what to say.

The atmosphere became more and more awkward, but Bell decided not to care anymore. Love me or hate me! Isn't the current situation what he had originally pursued? He could finally quietly reminisce about every moment with Shanna.

Thank heavens, may it continue to be firm and not be killed by the yellow sky.