Chapter 20: Signs Assistants
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The mention of the magazine had the students buzzing with excitement, particularly those with better grades who believed they had cracked the code to wealth.
The auditorium came alive around Hermione and Penelope. Their exceptional papers circulated among the students, drawing admiration from the younger wizards. Min, feeling embarrassed, simply lowered her head and focused on her mashed potatoes.
Millicent Bulstrode from Slytherin approached Hermione proudly, intending to find mistakes and humiliate her. However, Hermione calmly made a couple of copies of her paper and handed one to Millicent. After reading it, the Slytherin students gave up their attempt at humiliating her.
Following the Hogwarts dinner, Hermione was welcomed back to the Gryffindor common room by her fellow Gryffindors. The Weasley twins organized a grand celebration party for her, complete with glasses enchanted with automatic refilling spells that filled up with butterbeer at a touch.
The table was laden with an assortment of candies from Honeydukes. The Weasley twins, now richer from the booklet sales, set off fireworks in the Gryffindor common room without restraint. Percy, normally strict, seldom intervened, occupied with organizing his papers. He planned to revise several excellent papers for submission to journals.
As the party reached its peak, Hermione found herself lifted and thrown high by several senior wizards, shouting with excitement. She reveled in the joyful atmosphere.
Ron, amid the celebration, struggled to catch a chocolate frog that nearly escaped. He and Harry sat comfortably on the sofa, proud of their friend Hermione's success.
During the lively party, an owl arrived at the Gryffindor common room carrying a letter from Professor Ethan. Ron discovered it first and handed the letter to Hermione. Wanting to reward the owl with a treat, Ron received an unexpected peck on his finger, and the owl swiftly flew away.
Opening the letter, Hermione read Professor Ethan's invitation to meet the next morning at the Wizard's Close Combat office to discuss arrangements for the assistant position. She carefully reread the letter, patting it into her pocket with a determined expression, intending to make a positive impression on Professor Ethan.
The next morning, Hermione overslept. Waking up to the warm sunlight, she felt a sense of calm after the party. However, the tranquility was shattered when Hermione realized she had missed her appointment with Professor Ethan. Panicking, she rushed out of her room, colliding with Ron, who was about to greet her at the door. Ron, perturbed by the collision, spun around but was saved by Harry from falling. Grumbling about Hermione's haste, Ron felt that she was adopting a style closer to his mother's.
When Ethan opened his office door, he found Penelope waiting outside for a long time. It appeared that Penelope had arrived early, and her nervous demeanor was evident as she greeted Ethan. Politely, Ethan invited Penelope into his office. She curiously inquired about the office's environment, noting its Witcher-style simplicity and toughness.
Two of Ethan's longswords adorned the wall, with wolf school Witcher armor displayed on an armor stand below. The central wall featured a shield adorned with a painted vine—a gift from the Duchess of Toussaint, symbolizing Ethan's knighthood. On the windowsill sat flowers from another world, originally potion ingredients, enchanted by Ethan to maintain their eternal freshness. Even in this world, when the breeze stirred, Ethan could feel the familiar scent from his homeland.
When Penelope was about to close the office door, Ethan halted her and gestured to keep it open. As a Muggle-born, Penelope quickly grasped Ethan's intention, offering him a grateful glance before leaving the door ajar.
This action relieved Professor McGonagall, who had transformed into a cat and was keeping a watchful eye from a distance. Dumbledore had instructed her to observe Ethan closely, aware of his recent activities. Although Dumbledore hadn't directly interfered, he emphasized reporting any developments promptly. Professor McGonagall, unwavering in her trust in Dumbledore, diligently followed his orders. However, when she observed Ethan inviting two female students into his office in the morning, she couldn't help but feel nervous.
Despite Ethan's seemingly alluring appearance, the specific instruction to Penelope not to close the door reassured Professor McGonagall about Ethan's character. Yet, her unease deepened as she pondered why Dumbledore remained so cautious about him.
"Miss Penelope, your understanding and application of spells and ancient runes are truly excellent, surpassing even some adult wizards," Ethan praised.
Penelope beamed with excitement, tightly squeezing the notebook in her hand until her slender fingers turned white.
Receiving praise from Ethan was still a thrilling experience for Penelope. Unlike younger wizards, Ethan maintained strict training for senior students, and their comparatively poor physical fitness made it challenging to earn his commendation.
Ethan acknowledged that these students' physical abilities were even inferior to Ciri's as a child. Subsequently, Ethan and Penelope discussed matters related to the Signs Assistant position, scheduling daily research sessions after the Close Combat class.
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