The fresh Daily Prophet was delivered to Hogwarts, and Harry opened it with growing dread.
Harry Potter, a fourteen-year-old boy whose eyes are filled with suspicion, often cries at night missing his parents and is currently dating fellow star student Hermione Granger...
Harry crumpled the newspaper into a tight ball, and Rita's fabricated voice gradually faded from his mind.
Originally, Harry had planned to reconcile with Ron during detention, but because of this malicious report, Ron was even more convinced that Harry was an attention-seeking show-off and continued to give him the cold shoulder.
Because of Malfoy's relentless efforts, Harry received constant bullying, making him recall the dark days of second year.
And thinking that Ron had been by his side to support him back then made Harry even more heartbroken.
"Hey, young man, why do you look like you've lost a loved one?" Aiden said, popping his head out from the glass dome on the roof and looking at Harry hiding below.
"Aiden." Harry's dejection was written plainly across his face.
"Alright, it's all that Ron's fault. I'll go teach him a lesson later," Aiden said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"No, don't blame him," angelic Harry said, still considering Ron's feelings.
"So, are you two planning to drag this out indefinitely like this?" Aiden asked, sliding down from the dome and sitting beside Harry.
"I just..." Harry hesitated to speak.
"Forget it, let's not talk about this. Look who's here," Aiden said, waving his hand and pulling a black dog out from hiding in a blind spot of consciousness.
"Sirius!" Harry exclaimed with joy.
"Harry." The two embraced warmly.
"What exactly happened? Did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?" Sirius demanded with fatherly concern.
"Of course not. I'm not stupid enough to do such dangerous things," Harry shook his head firmly.
The dragon who had done dangerous things stared awkwardly. "..."
"Alright, tell me about your dream. In your previous letter you mentioned Wormtail and Voldemort, so who was the third person in the room?" Sirius asked urgently.
"I don't know. I didn't hear his name clearly," Harry said, frowning with concentration.
"Do you know what his purpose was?" Sirius asked, pulling Harry to sit down.
"He demanded the third person work for him and capture me," Harry revealed everything about his disturbing previous dream.
"Listen, Harry, I can't stay at Hogwarts to protect you, but..." Sirius began, but was interrupted by Aiden.
"Perhaps you can stay," Aiden said with a casual shrug.
"What?" both said simultaneously, one joyful, one surprised.
"I can hide you in the Room of Requirement, but your movements must be completely covert throughout, or it might alert the Death Eaters," Aiden said, pulling down his hat brim.
"Maybe I should just take Harry away. This year's Hogwarts is too dangerous," Sirius said with obvious concern.
"Leave for where? Is there anywhere safer for Harry than Hogwarts right now?" Aiden asked, raising an eyebrow.
"But I get the feeling you're all planning to do something dangerous. I can't let my son get hurt," Sirius said, his parental intuition activated.
"Indeed, but I promise you, Sirius, we won't let Harry suffer any harm, physical or psychological," Aiden said, looking at him with complete seriousness.
"Sirius, Aiden, what are you talking about?" Harry asked with growing confusion.
"There are Death Eaters at Hogwarts. They're coming for you. We've set a trap, and you... are the bait," Aiden said, looking away with obvious guilt.
"Good, let them come. Isn't Dumbledore at the school? Catching them all in one net would be perfect," Harry said, turning back to look at Sirius with determination.
"But you'll be in danger," Sirius said, gripping Harry's shoulders protectively.
"I'm not afraid, Sirius. I want to fight alongside all of you!" Harry's expression was resolute, and Sirius once again saw his best friend's shadow in him.
"Good, worthy of being James's son. Let's face them together, father and son," they said, clasping hands firmly.
"Alright, sorry again to interrupt your father-son bonding time. Sirius, come with me. I'll take you to the Room of Requirement," Aiden said, bringing Sirius into psychological invisibility.
After successfully hiding Sirius in the Room of Requirement, Aiden prepared to head to Ravenclaw Tower.
On the way, Ron came walking toward him. Seeing Aiden, he snorted coldly and prepared to turn and leave.
"Snap!" A crisp finger snap rang out, and the corridor unfolded like a cardboard box.
The unfolded corridor walls became small squares that finally assembled into a floating platform.
"Ronnie, are you throwing a tantrum at me?" Aiden asked, appearing behind Ron in a flash.
"Hmph, I wouldn't dare throw a tantrum at the glorious champion," Ron muttered with bitter sarcasm.
"Really, even with family?" Aiden asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Hmph, go tell Mum on me then," Ron said, crossing his arms defiantly.
"Ron Weasley!" Mrs. Weasley's voice echoed across the empty platform with motherly authority.
"Mum, I was wrong! I'll go apologize to Harry right now, and sorry Aiden too!" Ron immediately backed down in panic.
"Don't you know what your real problem is?" The young man's gentle laughter echoed around them.
Aiden hooked his finger, and two comfortable sofas appeared on the platform. Ron, who was crouching on the ground, flew directly onto one sofa.
Then the surrounding walls closed again, and Ron looked around to find himself in a church-like place.
"You're messing with me again!" Ron glared at Aiden with frustration.
"Look, you clearly know it's your own fault, so who are you really sulking with, me or Harry?" Aiden said, waving his hand casually as a cup of tea floated over.
"I just..." Ron said, lowering his head with shame.
"Resentment, jealousy, envy. Aunt Molly's love for you isn't any less than for the other children. She carefully remembers that you don't like corned beef, remembers you prefer red sweaters, remembers you love wizard's chess... Though Aunt isn't good at expressing herself, her love has never been in short supply," Aiden said, counting on his fingers all the things Mrs. Weasley did specifically for Ron.
"It's not about Mum!" Ron protested, his face flushing red.
"Mm, mm, I know it's about the champion tournament and has nothing to do with Aunt," Aiden nodded with understanding.
"You... you..." Ron stammered incoherently.
"My dear brother, we've grown up together since childhood, plus I'm a skilled Legilimens. You can't hide those little thoughts from me," Aiden said, raising his left eyebrow knowingly.
"Don't read my mind," Ron said, rarely being tough. "If you read my mind again, I'll make you experience a brother's authority."
"Oh! I'll gladly satisfy you," Aiden said, pressing his palms together as the Bone Church unfolded, becoming a huge arena.
The glow of magic flickered on Ron's hands as three Zoltraak spells shot toward Aiden with impressive precision.
Aiden flicked his finger lightly, making the ground soft, with earth and stone surging upward to block the attacking magic.
The third spell actually curved cleverly when approaching the earthen barrier. Aiden manifested crystal barriers on his body to block it easily.
"Expelliarmus!" Red lightning shot from Ron's wand tip with sustained power.
Lightning continuously shot from Ron's wand tip, pushing Aiden backward across the arena.
"You're trying to outlast me in magical consumption inside the Bone Church," Aiden said, shaking his head with amusement.
The two remained in this determined stalemate, with Ron's Disarming Charm lasting a full ten minutes before he finally collapsed from magical exhaustion.
"Had enough?" Aiden asked, walking to Ron's side.
Ron used all his remaining strength to jump up and swing at Aiden, hitting the dragon scales that appeared on Aiden's face with a heavy thud.
"Ah!" Ron cried out in pain.
The Bone Church dispersed. Ron sat on the ground while Aiden grabbed his injured hand and cast a gentle Healing Charm.
"Feel better now?" Aiden asked with brotherly concern.
"Mm," Ron said, turning his head away with stubborn pride.
"If you feel better, hurry up and make up with Harry," Aiden said, shaking his head and turning toward Ravenclaw Tower.