A broken Hogwarts

Chapter 153 The Ether Academy Reappears
Harry has been very troubled lately.

Ever since meeting Mr. Malfoy that day, Draco had often looked at him resentfully, as if because he had been beaten.After hearing the whole story of that conversation, Owen almost died of laughter. Recently, he has always looked at him with strange eyes, and that look of watching a good show is extremely unbearable.

Neither the crown nor the diary had any clues, so he had to focus on Peter Pettigrew, who was the most likely problematic, and wanted to open a breakthrough from him, but when he was wearing an invisibility cloak and trying to follow him at night, he was caught by Professor McGonagall. A cat raccoon who was patrolling in the castle was picked out...

At this sensitive moment when the heir was raging, he was locked up for his night tour, and as expected, more rumors spread in the campus, making those skeptical students also begin to believe that Harry is the son of Slytherin The heir—see, he must have been caught on his way to open the Chamber of Secrets!
Now, Harry stared gravely at a letter that silently appeared beside his bed, saddened by persecutory paranoia.

A line of words was written on this slightly yellowed letter paper in flamboyant fonts: Dear Mr. Harry Potter, as a research object that we value very much, you will eventually be lucky to be the cornerstone of our great experiment!Here we warmly remind you, please pay attention to protect your personal safety, keep a happy mood, and avoid unnecessary damage, otherwise we will come to pick you up in advance~
At the bottom right of the letter paper is the inscription of "Ether Society", and the emblem of the Ether Society's cross-star pupil eye shape. The letter ES under the pattern is the abbreviation of the Ether Society.

Harry threw the letter on the table in annoyance. He thought he had escaped from the shadow of the Aether Society, but he didn't expect those guys to keep staring at him and deliver the letter to him silently.Those lunatics still treated him as a test subject, and pretended to remind him to be safe, as if he couldn't escape their grasp no matter what...

Owen poked his head over from the side, glanced at the contents of the letter, and said with great interest: "Look, there are such a group of people who are concerned about your safety in places you don't know, how 'lucky'!"

"Bah, whoever wants this kind of luck!" Harry said angrily.He took a careful look at Owen, and suddenly raised his hand to grab the other's hand, but was swiftly dodged.He grabbed Owen's face with his backhand, but all his attempts were in vain... Owen is someone who can never lose in the online game of cat's claw with a cat, so how could it be so easy for someone to win.

"Do you know that you look perverted like this?" Before teasing Harry until his hair exploded, Owen let him touch his hand in a face-saving way, and said playfully.

Harry stared at the still pale and smooth skin on Owen's hand, didn't see any blisters on it, turned his head and went to find Draco, completely ignoring Owen's joke, lest this guy get more excited.

"Wow, is the handshake monster going to appear at Hogwarts again?" Owen said with a smile.

"You don't talk and no one thinks you are dumb, Owen." Harry said angrily.It's okay for this guy not to be worried at all after seeing that he received the threatening letter, and he even teased and teased him even more. He is really the best bad friend.

Of course he would not know that the letter from the Aether Society was concocted by this guy.

Owen just said quietly: "What I want to say is that your confinement is going to be late..."

Harry froze for a moment, let go of Draco's paw, checked the time and hurried out the door.

"Do you think he has something wrong recently?" Draco shook his hand with a look of disgust.

"Maybe he just fell in love with you, Draco." Blaise pretended to touch his cheek, and said shyly, "He came here on purpose and grabbed your hand tightly... just It's a bit sentimental, besides you, I still miss Owen, who made Owen look beautiful?"

"I'm going to duel with you!" Draco angrily chased Blaise around the common room, calling for Crabbe and Goyle to help surround him.Owen surreptitiously and silently released a spell that caused Blaise to squeak and do a wacky, hilarious tap-dance as if he had a branding iron under his feet, before being pinned down awkwardly by two hunks.

Daphne looked up from her homework and saw this scene, couldn't help but chuckle, and glanced at Owen, who was secretly playing tricks, with a bright smile in her clear and bright blue eyes.

Owen also smiled at her, then secretly opened Tom's diary and began to learn Parseltongue.

Parseltongue is an experimental product of ancient wizards. A natural Parseltongue can not only communicate with snakes, but also naturally control snakes to obey their commands.The pronunciation and grammatical structure of the Parseltongue language are completely different from those of humans, but it can still be learned with a teacher who is willing to work hard, although the acquired Parseltongue does not have the magical power to make snakes naturally obey.

Tom is undoubtedly a good teacher. He is patient, humorous, always able to quote from many sources, and shows a very high personal charm all the time.Owen is also a good student. He can always remember those difficult pronunciations quickly, and try his best to repeat those syllables that test the human voice.

The atmosphere here is happy and harmonious, while Harry on the other side is suspicious.Filch dropped him off at the Defense Against the Dark Arts office and told him he needed to be in detention here tonight.

Harry had suspected that there was something wrong with Peter Pettigrew, but he didn't expect that he would be sent to the other party.After entering this crowded and cramped office, he tensed his body a little nervously, and managed to prepare his mind with great difficulty, intending to take the opportunity to test the other party.

"Oh, Harry, you're here." Peter shrugged his mouse-like pointed nose, rubbed his hands and laughed, "Caught in the night tour? Which student hasn't done this kind of thing? We didn't miss it back then." So I got caught..."

"Correct my homework for me, it's better than washing the toilet, isn't it?" He pointed to the thick stack of parchment on the table.

Harry grinned, took the stack of parchment, and without hesitation typed a "T" on the first paper, which was written in a script that his mother didn't even recognize.

In the following time, the two chattered a lot, Peter spared no effort to express his concern, Harry was racking his brains to find a way to formulate words, but he still failed to formulate any information.

When Harry finally finished grading the stack of homework and was rubbing his sore eyes, Peter seemed very anxious and asked, "Harry, what do you think of my class?"

"Fine," Harry said against his will.In fact, Peter Pettigrew's class is really not attractive. He always tells the teaching content that should be wonderful, and he is so soft that he doesn't have much majesty as a professor, and he can't control the mischievous students. , Every time I mess myself up.

"...much better than the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor we had last school year." He thought for a moment and added sincerely.It's better, well, he doesn't think there is any professor who can teach worse than Quirrell.

"You don't need to comfort me, Harry, I know I'm doing badly and no one likes my class." Peter blinked his watery eyes sadly, his nose twitched slightly, "I can't do anything all the time." Well, but lack the courage to change..."

"No, Pettigrew, I know that you even sacrificed your life to avenge my parents. This is something the bravest would do." Harry lowered his head and said in a very serious tone.

"Oh, Harry, you see?" said Peter sharply.

"I see, my parents died in a disgraceful betrayal." Harry clenched his fists tightly, gritted his teeth and said expressionlessly.

Peter shrank slightly, his expression became extremely complicated in an instant, his small eyes soon became tearful: "I never wanted you to know..."

"Can you tell me, Pettigrew? What happened to you back then?" Harry shot him a quick look. "My parents, you, and... and Sirius Black."

"We were... best friends back then." Peter moved his body a little uneasily. Each other's biggest secret..." He muttered a few words in an inaudible voice, and then began to bite his thumbnail, frowning tightly.

Harry could see that he didn't want to talk about the time at school with his parents.He was silent for a while, and then asked tentatively: "Peterto, that werewolf who appeared in school that day... When did you know him?"

Peter glanced at him quickly out of the corner of his eye, wandering his eyes around, and whispered, "Remus was also one of my best friends when I was in Hogwarts. James, Remus, Black, and Me, the four of us..." His expression became depressed, "but everything is in the past tense."

"Is it one of the people in that photo?" Harry looked at him in surprise, he didn't expect that werewolf to have such a relationship with his parents.

"Yeah, yeah...but I killed him, almost killed you, and so many students...I was so careless that I forgot the date." Peter sobbed, "Lyme Stan is going to hate me."

"That's not all your negligence..." Harry pursed his lips, "Did you contact him after the accident that day?"

"I don't dare to contact him, I'm afraid that even I will lose this friend..." Peter said in a small voice, with a trembling cry.

Harry closed his eyes, and exhaled helplessly. He didn't know how Pettigrew became so fragile, or did he have such a personality in the first place?He comforted: "No, I don't think a true friend will feel resentful because of this. Mutual trust, understanding and support, this is a friend, right?"

"Yeah, that's right..." Peter's expression became complicated and dazed again.He lowered his head in silence, his hands were tightly twisted together, and there was a long silence in the office before he said in a trembling and thin voice: "Harry, you'd better leave Hogwarts this year." ..."

"Why?" Harry froze for a moment, turning his head to stare at him.Does Pettigrew know something?
"I mean, there...is there danger here, isn't it? The Chamber of Secrets has been opened..." Peter said with difficulty.He kept his head down and didn't look at Harry, all his expressions were hidden in the shadow of his hair, which made him look gloomy and dull.

"Leave here, hide far away, go to a place where no one can find..." His voice was so sharp that it almost broke.

"But Hogwarts is my home," said Harry sullenly. "I have nowhere to go, Pettigrew."

"There's nowhere to go...yeah, no choice...nobody to choose." Peter looked up slightly, his lifeless eyes twinkling, his voice trembling uncomfortably.He became calm all of a sudden.

Harry inexplicably felt a little uncomfortable and uneasy. He opened his mouth, but he didn't continue the topic in the end: "Pettigret, do you know an organization called the Aether Society?" He secretly looked at the other party's expression.

"The Aether Society? I haven't heard of it, Harry." Peter shook his head, then asked cautiously, "Is this organization... important?"

"Nothing." Harry didn't say much.

Peter's eyes flickered for a moment, then he looked up at the time and said, "It's already so late? I think you should go back. Ah, take this with you, don't go out for night tours recently..." He took out from the drawer A large bag of nut biscuits was handed to Harry.

Harry touched his hand as he took the biscuit, somewhat pleased that nothing had happened.After saying goodbye to Peter, he bumped into Professor Snape as soon as he walked out of the corridor where the office was located.

"Good evening, Professor Snape." Harry was a little surprised that the headmaster would be here, as his office was not nearby.

Snape glanced at the direction Harry was coming, frowned tightly, and then said in a smooth and deep voice: "Although your night life is very colorful, Potter, I don't think this kind of thing is necessary It's well known, isn't it? I have to be ashamed of you..."

Harry blushed from being overwhelmed, he took a deep breath and said, "I see, Professor." You must not get caught on your next night excursion!
Snape nodded incredulously, then turned a corner and walked away on his own.Harry clenched his fists. Although the dean is a good person, his incapable mouth will always make him angry, which makes him often have the urge to punch people in front of the dean...

"Huh, be respectful, friendly, and self-control..." Harry took a deep breath and walked a long distance before looking back thoughtfully.Could it be that Professor Snape was monitoring Peter Pettigrew by hovering around there?Like spying on Quirrell last school year...

Harry had a very familiar sense of déjà vu, and his mood became heavier.

……

Pettigrew stared silently at the closed door, his expression suddenly becoming restless.He bit his fingernails, his eyes scanned the corners of the surrounding vigilantly, and finally took out a bag of biscuits and gnawed them, and the crumbs of the biscuits fell all over the table.

The dim lights around him suddenly began to flicker, and there seemed to be a few thick shadows in the corner of the office.The biscuit in Peter's hand slipped onto the table, and his expression became frightened and flattering: "Master..."

"Did you find anything?" An erratic and cold voice echoed in the office, making it impossible to distinguish the source of the voice.

"Harry Potter asked me if I knew about the Aether Society... I suspect that organization is still watching him!" Peter finished without thinking, and then wrung his hands and asked eagerly: "Master, when shall we do it? "

"Wait." The voice said simply.

"But... Master! Remus Lupine has escaped! Although I have wiped his memory, he will definitely suspect me!" Peter's voice became sharp and panicked, "Once he goes to see Sirius Black... …Once he writes to Dumbledore ... I'm done, Master! I can't stay here long!"

Ever since Lupine escaped, he had been in a constant state of panic, terrified every moment that Dumbledore would suddenly find him and arrest him and hand him over to the Ministry of Magic.He wanted to escape here immediately, but the master didn't allow it...

"You let me down, Wormtail," said the grim voice lazily. "Instead of killing that werewolf sooner, you imprisoned him in your office and let him find a chance to escape on the night of the full moon." Get out...you are paying the price for your shameful weakness."

"I'm sorry, master... I just think it's useful to keep him! If Lockhart didn't drag me to his office that day..." Peter Pettigrew sobbed to defend himself, his face pale.

"I don't want to hear stupid excuses, Wormtail." The voice echoed in his ears, intertwined into echoes one after another, "I can forgive you for being stupid this time, but don't do it again."

"Thank you for your forgiveness, master." Peter Pettigrew cried bitterly, "Then how long do I have to wait?"

"It's coming, it's coming..." The voice was erratic, gradually getting farther and farther away, and finally it was completely inaudible.

Peter Pettigrew stood numbly for a long time, then collapsed on the chair exhausted, his face as pale as a dead body.He was dazed for a while, then sobbed lowly, reached into the biscuit bag rustlingly with one hand, took out a nut biscuit and stuffed it into his mouth.

……

"What? The Aether Society has found you again? Are they still staring at you?"

At the study group meeting this week, Blaise cried out in surprise when he heard that Harry had received a threatening letter.

"Why are you so surprised? Didn't I tell you all last night?" Harry squinted at him.

"Oh, I was distracted at the time." Blaise patted his head pretending to be nonchalant, "Absent, it's normal."

"Understandable." Owen blinked his left eye gently at him, "I always thought your brain was detachable, and it seems that this idea is not so outrageous..."

Blaise threw a handful of gobstones with a "hoo", and Owen propped up the Iron Armor Curse smoothly.The round pebbles were thrown everywhere, spraying patches of foul-smelling liquid everywhere in the classroom, and everyone hurriedly avoided.

Neville, who was distracted, was caught off guard, and looked at Blaise and Owen with some resentment in his eyes, which seemed pitiful.

"Look, I'm not the only one who forgets his brain sometimes," Blaise said triumphantly.

"Don't you want to refute the fact that you are often out of your mind?" Owen spread his hands, and Blaise rushed over with his teeth and claws.

"No, Neville!" Harry hurriedly helped to chant a cleansing spell, almost peeling Neville off a layer of skin.

Well, the daily life in the study group is always so unpretentious and boring.

(End of this chapter)