Even Hermione had to admit that Robert's method was incredibly effective. In just two days, most of the talk about expelling Robert Ollivander from the school had disappeared. Smart people didn't want to be used as an excuse for the price increase of wands. As for those who weren't smart, there would be others who would actively help them expose Robert's scheme.
Although the situation hadn't completely disappeared yet, it had certainly improved. With Christmas approaching, fewer people were discussing the matter. Only a few Slytherins were unwilling to give up, deliberately raising their voices and making sarcastic remarks whenever they passed by Robert. These people were mainly led by Malfoy. Since his return from St. Mungo's, his personality had become even worse. He wanted to get revenge on Lockhart for being tormented by the Bone-Stripping Curse all night, but Lockhart was already lying in the Hospital Wing, lifeless and worse off than him. So Malfoy shifted his anger to Robert. Who told Robert to call Madam Pomfrey at that time? Otherwise, the one whose bones would have been stripped would have been that damned Potter.
Moreover, he wasn't afraid of Robert threatening him with a wand at all. It didn't matter if he couldn't buy an Ollivander wand; he could just buy a Gregorovitch one. After all, the Malfoy family had plenty of money.
Then, the day before the Christmas holiday, as Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were on their way back to the Common Room, someone suddenly put a bag over his head from behind.
"Hit him hard! I'll take responsibility for any consequences!" Malfoy heard someone say, and then a rain of fists and shoe soles came crashing down on his head. One kick even landed squarely on his face.
That familiar touch and force, the perfectly sized shoe, instantly awakened a memory in his mind.
"Potter!" Malfoy roared, enduring the falling fists. "You're Potter, damn it! I'm going to kill you!"
The fists stopped, and Malfoy heard the rapid sound of footsteps quickly moving away. But when he angrily tore off the bag from his head, he didn't see a single person.
At this moment, Crabbe and Goyle also finally tore off their bags.
"Damn Marcus, he actually dared to hit us," Goyle said angrily. His eye was bruised, and he was covered in dirty footprints.
"Idiot, that wasn't Marcus at all!" Malfoy said exasperatedly. "Use your brain! Why would Marcus ambush us? Those people were clearly Gryffindors!"
Malfoy stood there angrily, then suddenly turned around a few minutes later. "Let's go!"
"To get revenge?" Crabbe and Goyle clenched their fists at the same time.
"Of course we're getting revenge," Malfoy said. "We'll go find Professor Snape. This time, Gryffindor actively violated the school rules. They're finished!"
The three of them stormed towards the dungeons.
Not far away, Harry, who was watching them, couldn't help but worry.
"Robert, Malfoy recognized me. If he tells Snape about this, I'm finished…" Harry's face instantly turned pale at the thought of Snape's unique detentions.
Malfoy's vision had been blocked by the bag, and he hadn't spoken at the time, so how had he recognized him?
"Don't worry, the one who hit them was Marcus Flint. What does that have to do with us Gryffindors?" Robert patted his shoulder.
"Yeah, Robert's right, what does this have to do with us Gryffindors?"
"He's just making baseless accusations."
Fred and George echoed from the side. They were the most excited just now, hitting and kicking non-stop.
"But, he called out my name," Harry was still a little worried.
"What's wrong with calling out a name? If he shouted Dumbledore, would the Headmaster have to apologize to him?" Robert said. "Besides, you've been reading with me in the Hogwarts Library. Where would you have had time to go to the dungeons?
"Quickly take out the Invisibility Cloak. We should go back."
"Oh, right." Harry quickly took out a silver-gray cloak that looked like it was made of water, under the envious gaze of the Weasley brothers.
"An Invisibility Cloak," Fred smacked his lips. "I wish someone would give us a Christmas present like this this year."
"Go back to sleep early; you can have anything in your dreams," Robert said unceremoniously.
"That's really hurtful," George exaggeratedly rubbed his eyes.
"Alright then, I hope you also receive an Invisibility Cloak for Christmas this year," Robert said. "But were you serious about what you said before? That the news about the person who spreads power being a wandmaker really came from Slytherin?"
"Half possible," Fred nodded.
"The other half is Gryffindor," George said. "But we definitely wouldn't target you like that, right?"
Robert didn't say anything.
At this moment, there seemed to be some movement ahead. Fred and George immediately ran into a dark corridor nearby. Robert and Harry also put on the Invisibility Cloak together and walked to the Hogwarts Library.
Tomorrow was the Christmas holiday, and only a few people were in the Hogwarts Library reading and doing homework. When Robert and Harry walked in, they didn't attract anyone's attention. They walked all the way to a secluded table before emerging from under the Invisibility Cloak.
"I can't believe you actually went to find Malfoy!" Hermione, sitting at the edge, said in a very low voice.
"You've said that many times, Hermione," Ron on the other side said. "Were you successful? How is Malfoy now?"
"He got a good beating," Harry said excitedly.
"This is against school rules," Hermione said. "If Professor Snape finds out…"
"As long as you don't say anything, he won't know," Robert walked in and sat down. "Madam Pince can testify that we haven't left since we came in after dinner. Malfoy has no evidence."
Harry sat between Robert and Ron, his chest heaving. He felt his heart beating rapidly. He still couldn't believe how he had inexplicably joined Robert and the Weasley brothers' group that afternoon. He had even actively offered suggestions and contributed his Invisibility Cloak—probably because the person Robert wanted to beat was Malfoy.
And it was precisely because of the Invisibility Cloak that they were able to do this.
Harry calmed his heartbeat. Just thinking about kicking Malfoy hard made him feel incredibly relaxed. The fatigue from continuous training, the pressure of the game, and the pain of being harassed by Lockhart and Colin before—all of it seemed to disappear with Malfoy's screams.
"Remember to call me next time something like this happens," he said to Robert subconsciously.
"Harry!" Hermione turned her head in disbelief. Because her voice was too loud, it even attracted Madam Pince's attention. She quickly lowered her voice, "You can't… Harry, you couldn't have left no trace at all."
Ron on the side was full of regret.
For Harry to say that, it must have been a great experience. But there was nothing he could do. The Invisibility Cloak could only cover two people at most. Adding another would likely reveal a flaw, so he could only stay here and provide cover with Hermione.
"Alright, Harry was just joking. Don't be so serious."
Robert said, being the first to stand up. "And this kind of opportunity doesn't come around every day. Tomorrow is the Christmas holiday, and most students will leave school. There are no classes during the holiday, so he can't come to our dormitory to find us. By the time school starts again, this matter will be forgotten."
"I hope so," Hermione said. Besides believing, she had no other choice.
The few of them returned the books to Madam Pince together and walked outside.
"By the way, what time are you coming to the Hogwarts Library during the holiday? We can go together," Hermione said. "I'll also be staying at Hogwarts for Christmas this year."
"I might not come to the Hogwarts Library during the holiday," Robert shrugged.
"What?" Hermione thought she had misheard.
"To be honest, I feel like I've been a bit too hasty," Robert casually flipped through the book filled with notes, "Advanced Transfiguration Guide."
"There's a lot of content in there that I don't understand, and no matter how much I read, it won't do any good, so I've decided to rest for a while first."
"That's more like it," Ron said with a smile. "If you ask me, the holiday should be spent playing Wizard Chess and Exploding Snap. I just happen to have a new set."
"No, you misunderstood. For me, making wands is resting… Oh, good evening, Professor Snape."
Just as they left the Hogwarts Library, they ran into Snape coming towards them, followed by three people with bruised faces.
"You did it, didn't you?" Snape looked at Harry and Robert with a gloomy expression.
"Gryffindor will lose…"
"Wait a moment, Professor," Robert interrupted him, stepping forward to block the other three people while looking into Snape's eyes. "I don't know what you mean, but we've been reading in the Hogwarts Library since after dinner. Is there some misunderstanding?"
"Impossible!" Malfoy stepped forward angrily. "The person who kicked my face was Potter, I know it."
"Excuse me, are you…" Robert narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing him for a while before realizing, "Oh, Draco Malfoy, sorry, I didn't recognize you just now. You look a lot fatter than before. Your face is all round."
Malfoy's face wasn't just round, it was redder. It was clearly swollen. Someone had put belladonna powder in the bags they used to cover their heads!
"You…"
"Draco," Snape stopped him from saying anything further, looking coldly at Robert. "You said you've been in the Hogwarts Library?"
"Yes."
"You haven't left?"
"No!"
"I'll find out," Snape said.
"Of course, that's only right," Robert said thoughtfully. "Madam Pince has been sitting by the door, and there are also a few other older students. If we went out and came back in, it would be impossible to escape the eyes of all of them."
"You don't need to tell me what to do," Snape snorted coldly.
"Of course, Professor," Robert said. "Can we go back now? We still have a lot of homework to do."
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