Roger believed that disputes between students were best resolved by the students themselves. As teachers, intervening often meant forceful suppression. If the conflict was merely pushed beneath the surface rather than resolved, further trouble could arise later.
This was why he had stopped Professor McGonagall.
However, if Roger recalled correctly, Ron and Hermione's argument shouldn't have happened until closer to Halloween, after another practice session of the Levitation Charm. Learning spells was a dangerous endeavor; incorrect casting could lead to severe consequences. Typically, students first learned wand movements, then the incantations, and finally combined them for practice.
And now, there was still some time before Halloween.
The conflict had erupted early.
Why? Roger realized the butterfly effect had occurred again, without him even noticing.
With a hint of confusion, Roger walked between Hermione and Ron.
Harry, who was worried about Ron, put down his flying broomstick and quickly walked to Ron's side.
As Roger approached, Ron, who had been furious at being called out and losing face, lowered his head and looked at the ground, afraid to meet Roger's gaze.
He was still angry, but he didn't dare to vent his frustration at Roger.
Hermione, on the other hand, lifted her head, not out of arrogance, but so that when she looked up, the tears in her eyes wouldn't fall.
She considered crying in front of Roger to be deeply embarrassing.
Seeing the two students, one looking at the sky and the other at the ground, both sulking, Roger sighed and said, "Tell me, what happened?"
"...She's been bothering me," Ron mumbled.
"I haven't," Hermione's voice was low and choked with emotion.
Seeing them like this, Roger knew that although fate had shifted slightly, the main current hadn't deviated. The root of their conflict was still the same one he was familiar with.
And that made things rather difficult.
After all, this was essentially about a little girl, desperate for validation and lacking social awareness, cautiously extending her kindness only to be hurt by someone who didn't appreciate it. It was also about a sensitive little boy, whose fragile self-esteem was constantly being poked and prodded, eventually leading to a defensive outburst.
Kindness wounded, a reaction after being hurt. No one truly had malicious intent, yet this was the outcome.
In such a situation, it was difficult to side with either of them.
Normally, he could either use his own strength and knowledge of fate to forcefully compel Ron, who had first spoken harshly, to apologize. Or, he could talk to Hermione about the complexities of human interaction, helping her understand that not everyone appreciated kindness without boundaries, and that her approach had been a bit too forward.
Alternatively, he could do both, giving each a piece of his mind to show fairness.
But... Roger didn't want to choose that path! Her kindness shouldn't be in vain, and his dignity shouldn't be trampled.
"Do you… trust me?"
Drawn by the steady voice, Hermione and Ron both looked over. Seeing Roger's serious and earnest expression, and recalling how he had protected and helped his classmates since enrolling, they nodded.
"Good," Roger extended both his hands.
He took Hermione's hand with his left and Ron's with his right.
Although he hadn't been formally enrolled for very long, with the help of his precognitive abilities, Roger's magical experiment progress had advanced at a speed unimaginable to ordinary wizards.
He possessed nerve-modification technology and, having read "The Connection Between Soul and Brain" from the Ministry of Magic's Department of Mysteries, had a deep understanding of the brain.
While preparing easy-to-read experimental idea documents for Professor McGonagall, his magical experiments had never stopped.
Roger was still far from being able to perform magical brain modifications on himself, but he was capable of other operations.
For example...
Ron and Hermione's eyes widened simultaneously.
"This, this is..."
Using their hands as connection points, Roger linked his nerves to theirs. His mental power, far exceeding the combined strength of the two, surged into their brains.
A segment of memory in their minds was extracted by a force akin to Legilimency, and then, with Roger as the bridge, exchanged between them!
What had just happened replayed in their minds, but this time, they witnessed it from each other's perspectives.
This memory was more real than the Pensieve Dumbledore could use to replay memories.
They could even feel every subtle thought in the other's mind at that moment.
Shame, anger, loneliness, grievance...
The well-intentioned kindness that hoped for the other's well-being, the anticipation of a friend's desire for connection, the longing to keep up with a close friend, the fear of being left behind...
And, the pain of being hurt.
At this moment, under Roger's magic, true mutual understanding was achieved.
Hermione was a little lost. She had never realized that her help had caused Ron so much pain: "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..."
Snapping back to reality from the memory, Ron glanced at Harry, who had been standing by his side the entire time, and shook his head: "No."
Ron lowered his head again, but this time it was a deep bow: "...It's I who should apologize. What I did was too much."
Seeing that they had not only reached a genuine reconciliation but also seemed to have undergone some kind of spiritual transformation, a smile bloomed on Roger's usually serious face.
Roger was happy for them, and happy for himself.
In Roger's past life, he had encountered many things, both good and bad.
Just as Professor McGonagall had regrets, Roger did too. Life is long, and who doesn't have something they can't let go of? The old Roger was an ordinary mortal. Some things he lacked the power to change, and for others, no matter what he did, someone would always get hurt.
But now, it was different.
Muggle methods can't always satisfy everyone, but my magical methods can.
What's done is done for Muggles, but with magic, I can reverse time.
The meaning of magic lies in creating miracles! All impossible things, when amplified by magic and endless time, will become possible! After flying class, Hermione and Ron wanted to keep him to express their gratitude, but Roger waved his hand and left without saying much.
For Roger, this matter with Ron and the others was no different from how he had helped other classmates before. Roger did it simply because he liked seeing people smile, not conflict, nothing more.
It wasn't for any reward. Or rather, seeing the people around him happy, not walking around with numb, unhappy, and aggressive expressions every day, was reward enough for him.
Who wouldn't want to live in a joyful and comfortable environment?
"Roger." Just as Roger was thinking about how to continue his experiments in his laboratory tomorrow, striving to completely resolve the side effects of his pain-doubling modification within two days, an aged voice sounded.
He turned his head and saw Headmaster Albus Dumbledore standing behind him at some point.
"I have something I want to discuss with you."
"What is it, Headmaster?" The last time they met was at the crossroads outside the courtroom, and Roger looked at Dumbledore with some confusion.
"It's about the Philosopher's Stone," Dumbledore said with a serious expression.
"Can... can I entrust the Philosopher's Stone to you?"
"Huh?" The little Seer was a bit stunned.
How could the direction of fate suddenly change so drastically?!
He hadn't done anything too outrageous since enrolling, had he?
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