Seeing how readily Nolan agreed, Hermione let out a breath of relief.
However, the thought of Astoria made her hesitate.
"This time, I plan to keep it from Astoria. Given her personality, she will definitely insist on coming along. But… this mission is far too dangerous for her. Even I am not completely confident that we will find the Mirror Moon Spring."
As she spoke, Hermione's expression darkened. Her brows knitted with deep worry, and an almost tangible sense of unease surrounded her.
"According to Dumbledore, the Mirror Moon Spring resides atop the highest peaks. It is the purest of waters, and only those destined to find it can truly see it. Otherwise, they will lose themselves in an endless search."
Hermione let out a sigh. "But honestly, I don't quite understand what it means to be 'destined' to find it, or what makes someone 'suitable' for it."
At this moment, Hermione looked utterly lost, as if voicing her worries was the only way she could keep herself grounded.
Nolan understood her concerns.
It was clear that Hermione's feelings toward Ron were anything but ordinary. In fact, she seemed closer to Ron than even Harry, despite the three of them always being together.
"Don't worry too much. I believe that everything in this world has its own rightful place. As long as we search with sincerity, we will find what we're looking for."
Nolan also understood what Hermione was implying.
Astoria was not suited for this journey.
Her magic was too weak to protect herself, and in Nolan's eyes, she was still a delicate little girl. He couldn't even imagine how she would survive the harsh conditions they would face—exposed to the elements, struggling through exhaustion and danger.
"I'll talk to her about it," Nolan assured Hermione. "Don't worry, I'll make sure she stays behind."
With that promise, they arranged to meet at the school gates in the afternoon.
Since their mission had been approved by Dumbledore, Nolan didn't need to request leave from any professors. Instead, he walked straight to the girls' dormitory, standing in front of Astoria's door with a moment of hesitation before finally raising his hand to knock.
A soft sound of movement came from inside.
Moments later, the door creaked open, revealing a sleepy, silver-haired girl rubbing her eyes.
Upon seeing the tall and imposing figure of Nolan standing before her, Astoria's drowsy eyes lit up. But then—realizing that she was still in her nightgown—her face turned crimson. She gasped and, in a panic, slammed the door shut.
After a brief moment, she reappeared, now dressed in a proper lady's gown, her cheeks still carrying a rosy hue.
"Nolan… I wasn't expecting you to visit so suddenly. You caught me completely off guard," she murmured, clearly flustered.
Had he just seen her in such a disheveled state?
Would he think she was unkempt?
Would that make him lose interest in her?
Would all the effort she put into closing the distance between them be undone just because of this embarrassing encounter?
Astoria's mind raced, spiraling into overthinking.
Meanwhile, Nolan remained composed.
"I need a favor from you," he said after a brief pause.
"You might have noticed that the school has been increasing its coursework on magical plants lately. To be honest, I find it tedious and dull. So, I was wondering if you could make me a witch's vial, like the one you crafted using Moonlit Cinnamon last time."
Nolan spoke with sincerity.
The witch's vial needed to be carried at all times to work properly. More importantly, crafting it required absolute focus. Even a small mistake could result in failure.
This kind of magic was more akin to alchemy—precise, delicate, and demanding complete concentration. The process was complex, requiring specific conditions, materials, and techniques.
Which meant…
Astoria would have to devote herself entirely to making the vial.
She would have to use the school's resources, ensuring she stayed within Hogwarts.
And just like that, she would be too preoccupied to even think about tagging along on the dangerous journey ahead.
Nolan knew Astoria's personality well—if she had even the slightest opportunity to go on an adventure, she would seize it.
So, he gave her a reason not to.
And sure enough, just as he had predicted, Astoria's eyes gleamed with determination.
"Don't worry! I'll make the best witch's vial just for you!" she declared, puffing out her chest with pride.
Nolan nodded, pleased, before taking his leave.
Meanwhile, Astoria remained in her room, cupping her flushed cheeks with both hands, eyes filled with dreamy excitement.
"He must like me!" she whispered to herself. "Otherwise, why would he ask me to make it instead of Eve?"
A delighted smile spread across her lips.
She wanted to rush to Eve immediately to boast about this, but a thought crossed her mind—if Eve found out, she might try to interfere.
No, she had to keep it a secret.
After all, Eve was the type of person who would seize credit for anything.
Pouting slightly, Astoria decided to keep the matter to herself.
Little did she know…
At that very moment, Nolan was already at the school gates, joining Hermione and the others as they swiftly departed on a magic carpet.
…
Following the directions on the map given by Dumbledore, they traveled east for over sixteen thousand kilometers, finally arriving at the base of a towering, snow-capped mountain.
"Dumbledore said that we must search with sincerity," Hermione reminded them. "So we can't use any flying magic or other shortcuts."
As she spoke, her eyes flickered with concern as she turned to Nolan.
"You… You're not human," she hesitated. "Can you really withstand this kind of cold?"
The worry in her voice was genuine.
Would Nolan, as a vampire, be affected by the freezing temperatures? Would he fall into some kind of winter hibernation?
The thought made Nolan chuckle.
"I'm a vampire, Hermione. Not a snake. I don't hibernate," he reassured her.
Harry, however, looked puzzled.
"But… don't bats need to hibernate?"
Nolan stared at him, momentarily speechless.
"You do realize I'm not just any ordinary bat, right?" he deadpanned.
Harry and Hermione exchanged glances, deciding not to press the matter further.
After all, what did they really know about vampires? Their assumptions were based purely on guesswork.
Without wasting any more time, they began their ascent.
The air was crisp and bitingly cold.
The higher they climbed, the fewer signs of life they encountered. There were no villages, no animals—only endless, towering peaks standing against the howling wind.
The phrase "cold and desolate" had never felt more fitting.
As they continued their trek, the landscape turned into a vast, blinding expanse of white.
Nolan retrieved a pair of tinted goggles from his coat and handed them to Hermione and Harry.
"Don't stare at the snow for too long," he warned. "You might get snow blindness. If that happens, you could lose your footing and fall."
His voice carried a note of caution.
Out here, a single mistake could mean disaster.