"Harry, can you be sure that Sirius Black or Peter Pettigrew won't use any of these secret passages to sneak into Hogwarts?"
"Any single one of them. Your safety is very important right now."
Even if Harry said he couldn't be certain about the safety of any of them, Hermione would have suggested handing this marauders map over to a Professor.
This was to ensure Hogwarts wouldn't be infiltrated; regardless, nothing was more important than the life and safety of her friend.
Of course, if Harry could ensure the safety of these passages... then she would also support her friend enjoying this bit of fun while remaining safe.
"I'm sure," Harry said, a bright smile breaking across his face. "Fred and George gave me this marauders map. Nothing ever happened during their previous use, and no one has ever sneaked into Hogwarts through these passages."
Reaching out to point to each secret passage leading out of Hogwarts one by one, Harry explained in a lowered voice.
"We already talked about this one. The Whomping Willow is over it; it's impossible for a person to get through."
He couldn't help but pause and add, "Except for my dad, who used some unknown method." He felt that if he didn't add this, something would seem off.
"And this one," Harry's hand pointed to a passage hidden behind a mirror, "according to Fred and George, it's already collapsed and can't be used now."
"Finally, this one," Harry tapped firmly on the mark of a small statue, above which was written in even smaller script 'Finite Incantatem,' "is the passage I used to come to Hogsmeade today."
"The entrance to the secret passage on the Hogsmeade side is on the second floor of Honeydukes Sweetshop. If someone were to pass through here recklessly, I'm sure the owner of Honeydukes would definitely notice."
After all, not everyone had an invisibility cloak like he did, and not everyone could achieve flawless invisibility without one like Lynn and Headmaster Dumbledore could.
"Filch knows about the rest of the passages, so they're essentially useless."
Harry spread his hands. According to his detailed count, all these secret passages were actually quite safe.
Sirius Black would have no way to enter Hogwarts through any of them.
"As long as there are no hidden risks."
Lynn also withdrew her slightly dull gaze and took a sip of the butterbeer next to her.
Harry carefully put away the marauders map. Lynn set down her beer bottle and looked steadily at Harry.
"Harry, you must keep a close eye on the marauders map at all times. If either of the names Sirius Black or Peter Pettigrew appears on it, remember the location where they appear, move away from there quickly, and then go find a Professor to go there with you."
"I understand."
Harry nodded solemnly. Once he saw those two names, he would definitely go find a Professor.
No one desired more than he did for the truth of everything to come to light and for the traitor who betrayed his parents to be caught.
Having finished discussing the marauders map, the four of them chatted as they finished their butterbeer.
After walking out of The Three Broomsticks pub, Lynn and Hermione separated from the two boys.
Of course, Harry and Ron left of their own accord. They didn't want to stay with Lynn and Hermione as a group; wouldn't that be obviously getting in the way?
They also knew Hermione's feelings for Lynn, so it was better not to be the third and fourth wheels.
Strolling through Hogsmeade with Hermione, Lynn suddenly felt Hermione lean in close, a slightly warm breath puffing into her ear.
This caused Lynn's entire body to go stiff for a second, her cheeks and ears rapidly flushing red.
"Blushing already?"
Hermione chuckled, breathing out more air along with her words. The breath hit Lynn's ear, stirring an even more vivid crimson glow on her face.
"My face and ears feel very hot..."
Lynn said this in a voice as calm as water, though if one listened closely, a faint tremor could be heard in her words.
With a light laugh, Hermione reached out to gently support Lynn's back, preventing her from having weak legs and sitting down in the snow.
Sitting in the snow in the middle of winter would be an unfriendly and unhealthy thing for a girl.
At the same time, she looked around. After ensuring no one was nearby, she leaned into Lynn's ear again, speaking of serious matters with a breath like orchids.
"Professor Lupin must be a Werewolf, right? And the Shrieking Shack is where he used to spend the nights of the full moon when he was in school."
Hermione spoke very quietly. Aside from her and Lynn, even if someone were passing by them now, they wouldn't be able to hear it.
"Yes, both points Hermione mentioned are correct."
Lynn likewise lowered her voice, nodding her head without expression to admit it.
She had long expected that Hermione would be able to figure these two points out. With Hermione's reasoning and keen observation, it was impossible for her not to notice that for three consecutive months, Professor Lupin had taken leave on every night of the full moon.
Furthermore, he always returned looking extremely weak and exhausted, which was clearly the behavior of a Werewolf after a full moon night.
Coupled with Senior Penelope's previous introduction to the Shrieking Shack and Lynn's own reticence regarding the Shrieking Shack and the Whomping Willow passage, it wasn't strange at all that Hermione could guess it was the location Professor Lupin once used to get through the full moon.
Or rather, it would be strange if Hermione *couldn't* guess it, as that would mean a low-probability event with only a 2.1% chance had occurred.
"So it really is like that," Hermione nodded thoughtfully, continuing to lean close to Lynn's ear.
She wasn't worried about Professor Lupin's identity as a Werewolf. Like Lynn, she also believed this was something Headmaster Dumbledore had arranged in advance.
Since he could agree to let Professor Lupin come to Hogwarts to teach, it meant he was certain the Professor wouldn't harm the students.
And over these past three months, she had already realized what a refined and gentle person Professor Lupin was.
She was also willing to believe that such a Professor would absolutely never harm a student.
"Is that why you didn't tell Harry the whole truth about this?"
"Yes," Lynn's heartbeat slowly accelerated, yet the expression on her face didn't change in the slightest. "According to my analysis, Harry's father, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew should have all accompanied Professor Lupin to the Shrieking Shack as his friends."
"But to explain this, I would need to state the fact that Professor Lupin is a Werewolf. This belongs to Professor Lupin's personal privacy and is not something I should disclose."
"Pfft," Hermione laughed proudly, turning her head to give Lynn a firm kiss on the cheek. "That's so you—politeness and respect are written into your very bones."
Her breathing gradually became hurried. Lynn felt her heartbeat had accelerated far too much; even her eardrums were thumping in sync with the beats.
Thump, thump, thump... the sounds of heartbeats echoed in her ears.
"Th-this is the most basic rule of etiquette that I should uphold."
Mechanical words, yet at this moment, they were spoken with a trembling voice and a softened tone.
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