Chapter 590: Flexible Tactics

The corner of the third greenhouse, in the middle of the aisle of the square garden platform.

The Hufflepuff team is fertilizing the vines and meeboobs.

The barking vine is a kind of vine that has a keen sense and can respond immediately to external stimuli. Experienced gardeners can judge its status based on their squeaking sounds and adjust their care methods appropriately.

The tasks of the little wizards are relatively simple. If the cry is weak, increase the amount of fertilizer, and if the cry is sharp, water more to dilute it.

Mibu Mibao is mainly distributed in Asia. It is a small plant that looks like a gray cactus, but instead of thorns, it is covered with boil-like things. The pus inside keeps flowing and drives the outside. The knots are bulging slightly, like diseased internal organs. The disgusting and weird appearance is deeply loved by middle-aged and elderly wizards. In recent years, they have been widely introduced as pets, causing many jokes.

Mibu Mibao is not a gentle and well-behaved ordinary plant. It has a very strong self-defense mechanism. When attacked by outsiders, its boils are powerful weapons. They quickly expand and burst, and eject a lot of sticky and disgusting dark green stinky liquid. Attack everything around you indiscriminately.

Thankfully, its sap is not toxic.

When assigning the task, Professor Sprout specially assigned this area to the gentle and patient Hufflepuff, just because he was worried that the impetuous and reckless Gryffindor would anger Mib Mibbo.

Ernie MacMillan and Justin Finch-Leary were wearing thick dragon leather gloves on their hands and holding small wooden baskets. With frowns and bleak expressions, they reached into the basket and grabbed some lumpy dragon dung fertilizer and squeezed it. Turn into loose sand and spread evenly around the main root of Mibu Mibao.

Ernie asked with some confusion: "Justin, why do we take the initiative to take over the care of Mibu Mibao and leave the easy and safe name of Biting Teng to the girls?"

"Because you are a fool."

"If you don't answer, you won't answer. Why are you scolding me all of a sudden?"

"Eh……"

Justin patiently warned: "We are in fifth grade. Other students are in pairs, but we are alone. Don't you want to find a girlfriend and do it in the courtyard after class?" Let’s take a walk hand in hand and have a date at Mrs. Puddieff’s teahouse on the weekend?”

Ernie shook his head: "What's so good about Mrs. Puddieff's teahouse? Isn't Honeydukes Candy Shop fun? Aren't the snacks there delicious?"

Justin sighed helplessly, looked up at the girl in front of him on the right, and paused: "Just think of it as taking care of Susan. After all, something like that happened in her family..."

"Alas..." Ernie, who has always had no emotional intelligence, sighed and did not refute.

"Have you read the report in the Daily Prophet? The latest issue introduced the specific crimes of the fugitives." Justin paused, glanced at the girl in front of him, and lowered his voice, "Su Shan Bones' uncle, aunt and cousins ​​all died at the hands of the Lestrange brothers. After these people escape, they may target their family. "

"Probably not..." As a pure-blood, Ernie is fairly familiar with this information. "Her aunt Amelia Bones is the director of the Legal Enforcement Department of the Ministry of Magic."

"Why don't you understand? Just because she is the director, she is more dangerous!" Justin's voice was dull and urgent, "Death Eaters escaped in large numbers, and what the Ministry of Magic published in the newspapers was nutritious. Nonsense, you are secretive about not disclosing the results of the Dementor investigation, and you are hesitant to answer Principal Dumbledore's original warning. What does this mean? "

Ernie looked horrified: "You mean...Voldemort is really back..."

"This is the only possibility left." Justin nodded solemnly, and suddenly heard a scream from in front of him.

"ah!"

Susan Bones was distracted and accidentally added too much dragon dung to the gnawing seedlings, causing them to squirm and scream in pain.

The girl was frightened, staggered back two steps, and pressed down on the Mibu Mibao on the bench behind her.

Those small gray cactus-like plants immediately began to swell, and juice spurted out from every boil on the plant. A stream of sticky, smelly dark green juice sprayed onto the flower pots around the bedside, and the splash spread to There were several Hufflepuff students nearby.

Justin and Ernie were sprayed all over their faces. Although Hannah covered her face with her arms in time, her blond hair was stuck with green juice, which smelled like fresh dragon dung.

"Yes... I'm sorry..." Susan, who had been tense for a long time, burst into tears all of a sudden, crying so hard that she couldn't breathe. "I didn't concentrate on fertilizing... I didn't expect it to be like this..."

However, no one blamed Susan. Justin and Ernie wiped it randomly and quickly comforted:

"It's okay, don't worry..."

"We're fine."

Hannah cleaned the mucus from her hair, came up and pulled Susan into her arms, gently whispering comfort while holding her in her arms to find the professor.

The little wizards in the greenhouse were left whispering.

The mood of the students changed. Catalyzed by confusion and fear, some students began to write letters home frequently. Small and frequent exchanges have slightly changed the situation of a single source of information in closed schools. It is often seen that several students gather together, chatting nervously in low voices, and exchanging information with each other.

Except for some students whose families are senior officials of the Ministry of Magic, most students gradually reached a consensus——

The warnings Dumbledore issued over the summer were the truth.

…

Potions class ended on Thursday morning.

Loren stopped Professor Snape and said he had some questions about the use of strong magic sources as medicine.

The two left the classroom together and walked towards the office.

The corridor on the first basement floor was relatively quiet. After class, the students were all going upstairs. The Gryffindor students had a herbology class next period and were rushing to the grass to breathe more fresh air. The Slytherin students had a spell class next period. Only one or two students who were hiding their behavior returned to the dormitory. They looked a little suspicious, but neither the teacher nor the student cared.

Pushing open the wooden door, you can hear the creaking sound of loose-leaf pages.

A certain potion professor kept walking, and Loren did not speak, but followed him into the storage room silently.

Snape was counting the things on the operating table: "What's your question?"

"That... resurrection..."

"Let me ask you a question first..." Snape didn't even turn his head, "If it were you, what would you do?"

"..."

Loren watched him wash the utensils with familiar movements, thought silently for a while, and said softly: "Professor, I'm not here to dissuade you, I just want to confirm something."

"You say."

"Have you made a Horcrux?"

"This is not something you should worry about."

"Are you planning to experience death yourself, From this, we can observe the true face of death and perfect the elixir of life. "

"This is not something you should worry about."

"The last question..."

Loren opened his mouth, and many thoughts flashed through his mind about whether his reason faded, whether his magic changed, his emotions and soul, etc. All of these finally turned into a short question:

"Professor, can you still summon the patronus?"

Snape's eyes were dazed for a moment. He put down the utensils in his hand and looked down at the pair of equally dark eyes. His eyes were deep, and a ripple rose from the bottom of his heart and gradually spread to the depths of his mind.

Can you still summon the patronus?

He also wanted to know.

"..."

Snape reached into his pocket with his right hand and took out the wand. He waved it gently: "[Expecto Patronus]"

A soft silver light gushed out from the tip of his wand. It fell on the floor. Its shape was not clear, and its head was hidden in the light mist. It could only be vaguely seen that it was a four-hoofed animal. It was brisk and agile. It jumped lightly to the other end of the office and disappeared behind the candlelight.

Snape didn't speak for a long time. After he came to his senses, he glanced at the little devil and said calmly: "Add another paper."

"Oh."

"Hmm?"

"Okay, professor."

...

The paper was added and deleted several times, and it was reviewed until December.

It snowed heavily in December.

It was the weekend night of the Defense Association again.

Stimulated by the large-scale escape of the Death Eaters and the comeback of Voldemort, the number of people participating in the Defense Association's activities increased significantly. Regardless of the college or grade, they all participated in the teaching and duel practice activities of the Defense Association.

However, the past two months have been very peaceful. Since the young wizards received the news of the large-scale escape of the Death Eaters, they have been living in fear for a long time, but they didn't expect that nothing happened. There was no news of the Death Eaters killing and murdering anyone again, no news of Voldemort's high-profile announcement of his return, and even no dark wizards jumped out to do something. The peace was unexpected.

For the young wizards who are about to usher in the Christmas holiday, this is good news that makes people feel at ease.

After Harry had a candlelit night talk with Dumbledore, he opened up a new idea. He changed his route and persuaded Hermione to participate in the event, which led to Loren's participation in the event, and the effect was remarkable.

The teaching of lower grade students is not complicated, just communicate and practice basic spells with each other.

Senior students are a little different. There are only so many commonly used combat spells, and all that should be taught is taught. Except for a small number of poor students with weak foundations, most senior students pay more attention to duel practice, learning tactics and strategies, and learning how to use Transfiguration to fight against the enemy.

Loren and Hermione wandered around the little wizards in the duel couplet, pointing out some wrong habits from time to time, and making appropriate suggestions based on the situation on the field.

At present, the Hufflepuffs are basically practicing battles in the edge area of ​​the auditorium. The opponents they invite are different. What is more interesting is the practice between several pairs of friends.

Cho Zhang might be able to fight Cedric back and forth in Quidditch, but duel practice is completely one-sided;

Rolf and Luna's practice is the most entertaining, and the spells they use in the battle are always unexpected...

"Hannah, pay attention to the direction of the spell, dodge to the right..."

"Neville, use Transfiguration to hinder her movement..."

"Hannah, return his wood and light another fire..."

"Neville, smash these torches and take the opportunity to counterattack..."

"Hannah, don't dodge this repulsion spell!"

Loren stood behind Hannah, glanced at the tip of Neville's staff opposite, and casually gave a bad idea: "He doesn't dare to hit you with all his strength, just prepare a binding spell to counterattack, it's okay to get hit..."

"They are careless, Neville, just end the battle!" Hermione, who was standing on the other side, had a bright look in her eyes.

Seeing that Hannah was really motionless and was determined to be hit by the Repulsive Spell, Neville panicked for a moment, and the spell accumulated on the tip of his wand failed to be activated. Then he was hit by a Binding Spell that was also not cast with full strength. The upper half of his body stiffened and petrified, and he stood there in a daze.

Hermione Granger, the duel instructor on the other side, was so angry that her eyes widened. She strode to the man and argued with him aggressively:

"What are you teaching? What do you mean he doesn't dare to hit you with all his strength, and it's okay to get hit? Is this the tactic that should be used in duel practice?"

"Why is it not a tactic?" Loren said confidently, "Distinguishing the strength of the attacking spell, making choices in defense and counterattack, and exchanging injuries for lives are classic tactics!"

Hermione was so angry that she laughed: "This is because Hannah's opponent is Neville. If it were a real Death Eater, the consequence of this tactic would be death!"

"Observing the opponent's psychology is also part of the duel!"

"You are making a fuss!"

"You are making trouble!"

"..."

Seeing that the atmosphere between the two instructors was getting more and more tense, Hannah silently moved to Neville's side and lifted the petrification. The two looked at each other, tacitly slowed down their steps, and withdrew from the battlefield.

"Then let's practice together!"

"The space here is too small, let's go to another place!"

"Then let's go to the old place upstairs!" Hermione was determined to teach him a lesson.

"Let's go!"

"..."

Noticing the two people gradually walking away, Harry, who was practicing with Ginny, was a little distracted, and a trace of doubt flashed in his eyes.

"Bat Curse!"

"Hiss..."

On the other side, Loren walked out shoulder to shoulder with her, fell to the side after leaving the hall door, then stretched out his right hand to hold her shoulder, leaned on her, and turned to walk towards the tower.

"Why are you walking this way?"

Hermione symbolically struggled twice, turned her head and stared at him.

"You really want to practice dueling?"

"Of course! I must prove that your tactics are wrong!"

"Then I surrender directly." Loren hugged her who was trying to turn around, "I admit that my tactics are wrong."

"No, I want to prove it through dueling."

"Oh, I have more important questions to ask you. I have encountered difficulties in my astronomy homework."

Loren's expression was serious. This reason was very legitimate. After all, the papers in the previous few months were revised by the little witch out of thin air. The Christmas vacation was coming soon. Generally, the long vacation was a comprehensive paper on the course content of the previous semester. He should prepare in advance.

Of course, this was just a high-sounding excuse.

Hermione squinted and stared at him, her expression calm: "Then let's go back to the lounge, I will make up lessons for you."

"Of course, you have to go to the tower for astronomy. How can you learn it in the lounge?" Loren rubbed her head and said happily, "You don't even understand this."

"..."

What else can he do? Hermione just spoils him.