When Aiden returned to Hogwarts, today's Transfiguration announcement had dropped a huge bombshell.
Countless reporters flocked to Hogwarts, with Rita holding her magical quill being the most conspicuous among them.
Professor McGonagall skilfully dealt with the reporters' barrage of questions while continuously shooting warning glares at Aiden.
"Mr. Prewett, come to my office later," Professor McGonagall said. Surrounded by the crowd, she dropped this line before going all out to handle the reporters' relentless interviews.
Aiden could only wait for her in her office first. Soon Professor McGonagall walked in with obvious exhaustion.
"Mr. Prewett, please take a look at this," Professor McGonagall said, taking out an official document.
"Improper Use of Magic Office?" Aiden asked, taking the document and reading out the text on it.
"Restriction order: After evaluation by the Improper Use of Magic Office, your magic possesses extremely high danger levels and may become a destabilising factor, therefore the dissemination and use of this magic must be restricted."
"They've banned my magic?" Aiden asked, raising an eyebrow.
"They're just not allowing widespread dissemination, and learners need to register with the Ministry of Magic, similar to Animagus registration," Professor McGonagall explained patiently.
"Hmph, they won't know if I secretly teach people anyway," Aiden said, lifting his lower lip in a disdainful expression.
Then he was grabbed by the head with a pair of tiger claws. "You are not allowed to violate the order!"
"Yes, yes, yes!" Aiden quickly nodded in submission.
Having gotten the answer she wanted, Professor McGonagall released her grip, but well, Gryffindor lions have their ways.
Leaving the office, Aiden came to Hogwarts' main entrance. The final match was approaching, and Hogwarts had invited the champions' families to watch the competition.
The Weasley family, being the family of a champion, was naturally on the invitation list.
A crowd stood at Hogwarts' gate to welcome visitors, and Thestrals pulling carriages flew toward them in the sky.
Soon, the carriage stopped steadily in front of him, and several familiar faces stepped down from it.
"Aiden," Mrs. Weasley said, rushing up and giving Aiden a warm hug.
Then, the next second, seamlessly switching, she grabbed Aiden's ear.
"How dare you slip past Dumbledore's restrictions to compete and even fight dragon! Do you know how worried I was!"
"Don't, Aunt, I was wrong, really wrong," Aiden quickly begged for mercy.
Bill and Charlie were snickering on the side with obvious amusement.
"And you too, Harry, poor child. I heard from Ron that you must have suffered a lot," Mrs. Weasley said, lovingly cupping Harry's face, and Harry returned a grateful smile.
A certain dragon who had just had his ear grabbed shot a murderous look at a certain red-haired guy hiding behind his sister.
At the same time, the dragon also winked at an invisible friend.
"Oh, I'm done for," Ron complained to Ginny, but got a 'you deserved it' expression in return.
"Hi, Aiden, Is this your family?" Fleur asked, happening to pass by with her parents.
"Yes, the one hugging Harry is my uncle and aunt, and this is my brother Bill," Aiden said, elbowing the suddenly dazed Bill.
"Oh, hello, I'm Bill Weasley," Bill said, extending his hand to Fleur.
And Fleur, who was usually curt with others, rarely extended her hand to shake his. "Hello, I'm Fleur Delacour."
Then Fleur walked into Hogwarts with her parents.
"Snap out of it, she's already gone," Aiden said, elbowing the distracted Bill again.
"Wow, Fleur Delacour, French? Aiden, do you know what she likes?" Bill asked, still distracted.
"You're hopeless," Aiden said, rolling his eyes and stopping paying attention to Bill.
Leading Mrs. Weasley into Hogwarts, the group walked through Hogwarts' vanishing stairs.
"Aunt, are you staying in the Gryffindor visitor room or Ravenclaw's?" Aiden asked.
"I'll go to Gryffindor, Bill can go to Ravenclaw," Molly said after thinking for a moment.
The group walked through the familiar corridors. Revisiting old haunts clearly moved Mrs. Weasley greatly as she looked at the weathered walls, reminiscing about the past.
"How wonderful. Your father and I once studied here too."
The group accompanied Mrs. Weasley to the entrance of the Gryffindor common room.
"Where's the Fat Lady?" Bill asked with curiosity.
"She might have gone to play with other portraits," Ron answered.
"The Fat Lady was Gryffindor's gatekeeper when I was in school," Molly said, reaching out to touch the frame. "Once I came back at four in the morning, and she scolded me terribly."
"Aunt, what were you doing out at four o'clock?" Aiden asked, looking at Molly with surprise.
Mrs. Weasley showed a nostalgic smile.
"Arthur and I were taking a romantic walk. He was caught by the prefect Apollyon Pringle and got whipped. He still has marks on his body to this day."
"How romantic," Bill commented with obvious amusement.
After settling Mrs. Weasley in Gryffindor, Aiden brought Bill to Ravenclaw.
"Hi, Aiden, who's this?" Edmund asked. He happened to be going upstairs and greeted Aiden.
"My brother Bill Weasley. Bill, this is Edmund Lestrange," Aiden introduced.
"Lestrange, isn't that..." Bill said, frowning with concern.
"No, we're the branch that stayed in France and moved back after the main line were all imprisoned," Edmund explained matter-of-factly.
"Oh, that's really..." Bill felt a bit embarrassed.
"Every family has a few unlucky relatives," Edmund said with a casual shrug.
The group came to the entrance of Ravenclaw, where the eagle door knocker presented a riddle to the stranger.
"First of all things, moving without form, with a mouth but cannot speak, with eyes but cannot see, with a heart but cannot think, with ears but cannot hear. What is it?"
The eagle knocker posed the question to Bill, while Aiden and Edmund watched from the side.
Bill thought for a while and gave his answer to the knocker. "Rules."
"That makes sense." Ravenclaw's door opened with approval.
"What was your answer?" Edmund suddenly turned to ask Aiden.
"What about you?" Aiden asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Magic." "Destiny."
The two looked at each other and smiled as they walked into the tower.
"See, I'm quite talented after all. Maybe I would have been suitable for Ravenclaw originally," Bill boasted to Aiden.
"Yes, yes, yes, wise and clever brother Bill. Do you need me to provide you with a re-sorting service? I have a pretty good relationship with the old hat," Aiden said, acting cute.
"Ahem, that won't be necessary," Bill said, awkwardly rubbing his nose.
"Heh," Aiden said, turning back to see Edmund's amused expression.
Just as Bill was about to continue speaking, a graceful figure passed in front of him.
It was Fleur again. Bill immediately shut his mouth and followed her like a moth to a flame.
"Your brother seems..." Edmund said, looking at Aiden with an indescribable expression.
"Normal, he's a Weasley after all. They naturally have the talent to attract women and be attracted to women," Aiden said helplessly, watching Bill skilfully and without any training go up to strike up a conversation with her.
After settling Bill, Aiden also rested early, gathering his strength to face the third match and the upcoming encounter with Senior Tom.