[Ding-Dong! Friend Request received from Hermione Granger.]
[Bzzzt... Verifying... High-Priority Character confirmed. Inscribing Echo...]
[Spend 1000 Gems to inscribe the Growth-Type Echo: Magic Scholar?]
[Note: Growth-Type Echoes evolve based on the intimacy (positive or negative) between the player and the corresponding character.]
[Initial Quality: White (Common)]
[Echo Quality can only increase, never decrease.]
"So enemies count too."
"If I kill Lucius Malfoy, Draco's Echo would probably jump straight to the highest [Corrupted] quality."
"But... what the hell?! Why haven't Harry and Ron sent requests yet?"
"Are we fake friends or what?!"
"We've been stuck in this compartment together for almost two hours! Hermione beat them to it in minutes!"
These thoughts flashed through Basil's mind as he listened to the System notification.
Then, he mentally replied to the System: "Yes."
The sound of a Time-Turner spinning echoed in his mind.
Clatter!
Gems: 11134.431 (-1000)
[Ding! Obtained White Quality Echo: Magic Scholar]
With a thought, the [Magic Book] opened automatically.
In the Echo slot, Hermione's portrait had appeared.
He tapped on it, and the description below read:
[Echo: Magic Scholar]
All spells open their doors to you. Learning difficulty reduced by 2%.
Passive: Dark Magic will not corrupt your mind. Neither will White Magic.
"That's it for White quality? Completely different from the game description."
"But not bad. Now I can put learning Dark Magic on the schedule."
"Though, I wish it showed a specific Affection Meter like in a dating sim!"
Basil didn't dwell on it.
Right now, getting closer to Hermione was the priority.
So, Basil let his eyes mist over with unshed tears, adopting a fragile, vulnerable persona.
"I am an orphan."
"My mum and dad died shortly after I was born."
"My grandmother raised me all by herself."
...
"Not long ago, I was targeted by the most vicious werewolf, Fenrir Greyback."
"Luckily, the magical tree planted by my family protected me and killed the werewolf."
"Neville probably heard me talking about the killing."
"Before we could explain, he ran off."
Hermione grabbed both of Basil's hands, her face full of sympathy and guilt.
She felt terrible right now. Like she deserved to be expelled!
"I'm so sorry! I didn't know anything, and I just—"
In Basil's mind, the frame of the [Echo] instantly turned Blue.
[Learning difficulty reduction: 2% - 5%]
[New Description Unlocked:]
The more spells you learn, the stronger your spell effects become.
Bonus: +1% Spell Power for every 10 spells learned.
Current Cap: 10%
Basil was mentally dancing the Tarantella.
But in reality, he gentlemanly and politely withdrew his hands.
He only wanted to enter her heart, not her... ahem, body.
"It's fine. Just a misunderstanding. I don't think Neville did it on purpose."
"He seems really scared."
Basil nudged Neville gently with his elbow, silently casting the Counter-Curse.
He turned his head, feigning ignorance. "Neville, are you okay? You were frozen still just now."
While the Full Body-Bind Curse paralyzes the body, the victim's mind and senses remain active.
So, facing Basil's gentle, kind inquiry...
Neville, who had been constantly belittled by his grandmother and lacked confidence even more than Harry, subconsciously assumed he had just frozen up from fear.
He didn't even question how Basil knew his name.
"I... I was just scared."
Neville's face turned beet red, tears welling up in his eyes. "I bet when I get Sorted, I'll definitely be in Hufflepuff! Someone with no talents like me belongs there!"
"No, my friend." Basil placed a hand firmly on Neville's shoulder. "You are a true hero!"
"You belong in brave Gryffindor!"
"Just now, you truly believed I was a murderous maniac. Yet, even in that situation, you found the courage to step in front of Hermione to protect her."
Neville was incredibly moved.
So were Hermione, Harry, and Ron.
Ding-Ding-Ding!
Three notifications chimed in Basil's mind. The border of the [Magic Scholar] Echo began to shift from Blue towards Gold.
Basil's smile became even more sincere.
He decided to check the Friend Requests from Harry, Ron, and Neville later tonight.
Right now, maintaining these friendships and upgrading his Echo quality was the top priority.
The compartment door slid shut again.
Neville and Hermione stayed.
Trevor the Toad?
Who's that?
Relying on his inexplicable leadership aura, Basil dominated the conversation.
"You might have noticed, my name is Basil. It sounds like 'Badger', the symbol of Hufflepuff House."
"My ancestors were all Hufflepuffs. Actually, Hufflepuff isn't a place for 'people with no talents,' like Neville said."
"Hufflepuff has produced many outstanding figures. Grogan Stump, one of the most popular Ministers for Magic in history; Newt Scamander, the world authority on magical beasts; Bridget Wenlock, the famous 13th-century Arithmancer; and Hengist of Woodcroft, who founded the all-wizard village of Hogsmeade. They were all Hufflepuffs."
"In fact, the reason Hufflepuff gets a bad rep is mainly because Helga Hufflepuff accepted all students who weren't chosen by the other three founders based on specific traits. The great Hufflepuff believed that all children with magical talent deserved an education at Hogwarts."
Neville's eyes shone with admiration. "Now I think... being Sorted into Hufflepuff wouldn't be so bad after all!"
Hermione, however, looked conflicted. "Basil, are you planning to go to Hufflepuff too? Like your ancestors?"
She had already made up her mind. If Basil said yes...
She was willing to give up on Gryffindor.
Even though it was the "best house" where the greatest wizard, Albus Dumbledore, came from.
Basil shook his head.
"No, I want to go to Gryffindor. There always has to be one Granger who dares to be different. That's going to be me!"
Actually, he had initially planned to go to Slytherin.
Because he didn't want to be targeted by teachers.
In the movies, Snape was somewhat redeemable, but he was still biased. In this "Novel-leaning" world, Snape would likely be even worse.
But now that he knew "High-Priority Characters" were needed to unlock Echoes via 'Making Friends'...
And that enemies counted as 'Friends' for leveling up Echoes...
He mentally crossed out Slytherin.
After all, there were too few characters with significant screen time in Slytherin.
Aside from the Death Eaters who had already graduated and found secure, lifelong "government housing" in Azkaban...
Draco was probably the only high-priority character there.
Hermione didn't know that the shining boy in front of her had briefly considered joining the house that produced the most Dark Wizards.
She was completely immersed in the joy that she and Basil had chosen the same path.
She didn't even notice that Basil mentioned they shared the same last name.
She just cheered, "That's wonderful! I plan to go to Gryffindor too!"
Ron coughed. "I reckon I'll be there too. All Weasleys go to Gryffindor."
Harry blinked. "I guess me too. Hagrid said my mum and dad were both Gryffindors!"
Neville asked cautiously, "So... we're all going to be Gryffindors? That would be brilliant!"
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