Chapter 118: Misunderstanding
"I never expected you to create such a high-level spell in your first year. Truly remarkable!"
Even Dumbledore, who had always been somewhat wary of George, couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.
He thought that if George didn't stray down a dark path, he might indeed become one of the most accomplished wizards in the magical world.
"Students from Slytherin have always been exceptional!"
Snape, who had remained silent until now, allowed a faint smile to appear on his face. He felt that George was much like him. As his protégé, George had not only mastered Sectumsempra quickly but had also created his own spell.
"However, George, creating new spells is extremely dangerous. You must be more cautious in the future. If you have any doubts, come to me first."
Many wizards had died attempting to create new spells, and Luna's mother had been one such casualty.
So, while Snape was proud that George had created a new spell in his first year, he still sternly warned him.
"Thank you, Professor. I'll definitely come to you for guidance."
George readily agreed to Snape's advice.
If Snape was willing to spend more time teaching him, he could improve his magical abilities much faster and learn more advanced spells.
There was so much he wanted to learn: the Disillusionment Charm for invisibility, Apparition for teleportation, Animagus transformation, the Patronus Charm, various forms of alchemy, and even dark magic.
"Now that everything is clear, Severus, Minerva, please escort them back to their common rooms. I need to discuss the next steps with the school board."
After clarifying the situation, Dumbledore waved his hand, and Professors Snape and McGonagall led George and Hermione out of the headmaster's office.
"Hermione, this was just a stroke of luck. With your intelligence, I'm sure you'll create your own spells in the future."
As they left the office, George noticed Hermione's troubled expression and assumed her pride had been hurt. He tried to comfort her.
Hermione was a top student, but her reliance on book knowledge sometimes limited her creativity compared to wizards like Snape.
Still, her natural talent far surpassed that of George's current body. His achievements were largely due to his "cheats."
"Ah, what? Oh... yes, I'll work hard."
A faint blush appeared on Hermione's face, and she nodded somewhat flustered.
She hadn't been thinking about what George had said.
George and Hermione's expressions and conversation didn't go unnoticed by Snape and McGonagall, who were escorting them. Both professors looked surprised.
McGonagall's usually stern expression softened into something almost maternal.
She hadn't expected the brightest witch of her house to develop feelings for a Slytherin student.
But as the head of Gryffindor, she didn't feel any resentment.
After all, George was a Slytherin she admired, and he had just saved Hermione from the basilisk.
It was like something out of the romance novels she had read in her youth.
As long as it didn't affect their studies, she didn't mind students dating. Hogwarts was quite liberal in that regard.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have allowed Gilderoy Lockhart's Valentine's Day event.
In a regular Muggle school, a teacher encouraging students to write love letters or use love potions would be fired—or even arrested—the next day.
Snape's expression, however, was far more complicated.
At first, he frowned. Then, as if remembering something, his expression grew distant, lost in some memory.
Finally, a rare look of happiness appeared on his face.
"George, I'll head back now."
Hermione's voice was slightly shaky as she bid George farewell, then hurried off with Professor McGonagall toward the Gryffindor common room.
"Alright. Say hi to Harry and Ron for me."
George smiled and nodded, then continued toward the staircase.
The Gryffindor common room was on the eighth floor, just a few turns away, while the Slytherin common room was in the dungeon, requiring a trip down to the entrance hall and then into the basement.
"Was she scared?"
George didn't think much of Hermione's unusual behavior. His mind was preoccupied with the dark magic books in the Restricted Section.
After returning to the entrance of the Slytherin common room with the ever-silent Snape, George was about to enter when Snape suddenly said something that left him baffled.
"George, don't get too absorbed in magic. Spend some time with her too, especially since you're in different houses. It's not as convenient as being in the same house.
And if you accidentally say something hurtful, make sure to explain it..."
Without waiting for George's response, Snape turned and left.
George was left utterly confused.
"Is he talking about Hermione?"
The mention of "her" and being in different houses made it hard not to think of Hermione.
"Does he think Hermione and I are dating?"
Blinking, George roughly figured out what was going on.
He realized Snape might have seen a reflection of himself and the late Lily in George and Hermione.
When he thought about it, the parallels were striking.
Snape was an outstanding Slytherin, and so was George. Lily had been the brightest witch in Gryffindor, just like Hermione.
Snape was a half-blood, as was George. Lily had been a Muggle-born witch, just like Hermione.
Lily had been close to a Potter, and Hermione was close to Harry Potter.
No wonder Snape had said those things. He didn't want George to repeat his mistakes.
But the misunderstanding was huge. George liked Hermione? Impossible. She was just a thirteen-year-old kid.
Whether it was Harry, Ron, Colin, Hermione, Ginny, or Luna, George saw them all as children. He had no other thoughts.
Shaking his head, George decided to let the misunderstanding be. It wasn't something he could easily explain, and it wouldn't affect his plans.
"Noble!"
After saying the week's password, George pushed open the door to the Slytherin common room.
As soon as he entered, he was surrounded by his housemates, all clamoring to know what had happened.
Since Dumbledore and Snape hadn't asked him to keep it a secret, George repeated what he had said in the headmaster's office.
Hearing that the monster in the Chamber was a terrifying basilisk, many of the students were frightened.
However, some, like Draco Malfoy, were extreme in their belief that the basilisk wouldn't attack Slytherins, only Muggle-borns.
When they heard that George had created a flying spell, they were utterly stunned, especially when George demonstrated it in the common room.
(End of Chapter)