Mysterious Journey

Chapter 971 Interrogation of the Girls

For Aileen, having dinner in the Great Hall that evening was a wonderful and unprecedented experience.

The conversation she had with Professor Trelawney in Divination class spread like wildfire. Even by Hogwarts standards, the speed of transmission was surprisingly fast. If there was a trending topics list at the school, then "Aileen can foresee the future" would definitely be today's headline.

When she and Hermione arrived at the Great Hall to start eating, most of the surrounding students were whispering.

Interestingly, unlike the previous fear or caution, the gossiping students didn't seem to care whether Aileen heard what they were saying.

Or rather, on the contrary, they seemed to expect Aileen to take the initiative to say something, so that they could hear a prophecy with their own ears.

"Professor Trelawney said Aileen is also a Seer..."

"Seers mostly bring misfortune..."

"Do you think she could foresee the answers when she took the exam last semester..."

"I think it should be the exam questions. Have you forgotten the questions she asked..."

"Is this cheating?!"

"It probably doesn't count as a magical talent..."

"By the way, did you hear? She predicted in class that Granger might become Minister for Magic?"

"Stop talking nonsense. Professor Trelawney and Aileen made opposite predictions..."

"What if Aileen's Seer talent is stronger than the professor's..."

"I don't care about these. I just want to know if Cedric secretly likes me..."

"I also want to know what my future boyfriend will be like..."

"Spare me..."

"Pay no attention to those boring rumors," Aileen steadily cut a piece of steak and placed it on Hermione's plate. "There is no such thing as chance in this world, only inevitability. The only difference is when you understand the inevitability..."

"The problem is, Aileen, now that I think about it, there were too many suspicious things about you before—"

Hermione said with a serious expression, poking the beef on her plate with some irritation, the knife and fork making a heavy knocking sound on the plate.

"Hannah, don't just eat. Don't you want to know how many things this dumpling has been hiding from us? We must maintain a united front this time!"

"Eh?! Uh... um..."

Hannah, who was seriously biting a chicken leg next to her, was stunned for a moment, nodding vaguely in response.

At the same time, Luna, at the Ravenclaw table, gently put down her knife and fork and walked towards Aileen.

As Hogwarts' "Moonlight Besties," they naturally had to "interrogate" her after learning about the white-haired dumpling's new identity. Perhaps they couldn't suppress the dumpling alone, but if they gathered the strength of the three of them, they could usually win.

"...Well, I explained it once before. It's just big data."

Aileen glanced at Luna, who was approaching, and explained in a low voice, making a final attempt.

She wondered if it was her illusion, but Hermione, Luna, and Hannah were all more powerful than in the original book, especially in identifying lies. Logic plus inspiration plus a stubborn streak, this combination was simply a killer.

"Well, I believe the big data theory exists... but that's definitely not all, right?"

Hermione raised her eyebrows, forked a piece of steak that Aileen had cut for her as a favor, and turned to look at the witch sitting next to her.

"Luna, you think so too, right? But why are you here? I was just about to go over there and call you after dinner."

"I'm here to advise you to leave the Great Hall as soon as possible, at least tonight—or you might be in trouble later."

Luna gently tilted her head towards the Ravenclaw table and said calmly.

"They seem to be close to making a decision, preparing to ask Aileen to help with divination after dinner... This is very attractive to many Ravenclaw students. If you don't plan to defeat them all, you might have to enjoy the pleasure of being a Seer."

Uh—

Aileen turned her head and looked at the Ravenclaw table.

Unlike the other three Houses, the girls on the Ravenclaw side were almost all whispering, their eyes looking at her evasively.

Compared to the titles of "Sorceress Soaring in the Sky" and "Sorceress Coercing the Eagle Ring," the weight of the title "Seer of Love and the Future" was obviously much heavier in the hearts of adolescent girls. Aileen didn't need to ask to know what kind of questions they might ask.

"Okay, that's true—"

She put down her knife and fork heavily, looked at the still plentiful table reluctantly, and chose to stand up.

The changes happening at Hogwarts were not just academic. As the barriers between the various Houses gradually broke down, campus romances became more and more common. Magic empowered the witches, giving them confidence and the courage to take the initiative.

In fact, earlier at the Hufflepuff table, many students' eyes were also a little eager.

However, on the other hand, before the first warrior appeared, most young wizards were temporarily afraid to actively seek divination.

After all, besides Aileen, who was "notorious," the three "Disciplinary Committee" members gathered around her were not easy to mess with.

When these four young witches were together, they were much more intimidating than the caretaker Argus Filch.

At least eighty boys have been beaten by "Iron Fist Hannah" in the past few months, if not a hundred.

As for Hermione and Luna, although they haven't formed any particularly loud nicknames yet, their terror in the eyes of many students is no less than that of Hannah.

From the division of labor of the three, Hannah is responsible for appearing at the scene, Luna is responsible for identifying the facts, and Hermione is responsible for sentencing.

As the drafters of the "Hogwarts Violation and Discipline Report" in each month's *The Quibbler*, no matter how ingenious the excuse or how realistic the lie, it is useless in front of these three "Disciplinary Committee" members. Filch often refers to their suggestions.

More importantly...

Christmas is coming, and Christmas is also the time for the publication of the next "Execution List."

People watched them walk out of the Great Hall, and in the end, no one took the initiative to ask questions.

"So what everyone said is true? Aileen, are you really a Seer?"

As they walked down the marble staircase, Hannah belatedly realized and looked at Aileen with some curiosity.

"Uh, yes and no. The situation is very complicated..."

Aileen blinked and looked around at the three best friends staring at the top of her head, spreading her hands in reply with some helplessness.

"But one thing I don't understand is why you think this is so serious. Seers in the magical world are rare, but not extinct, right? You just played Werewolf last week. Whether it's actively jumping 'Seer' or being identified as 'Identity,' these subjective speculations based on language and conjecture are quite unreliable. Besides, I also explained the principle of 'prediction' to Hermione before."

"Part of it can be described by logical principles!" Hermione corrected seriously.

"Incomplete truth is not truth, Aileen, you taught us that—"

Luna blinked, and a sly look flashed in her silver-gray eyes, staring at Aileen and said softly.

"Actually, it doesn't matter how a Seer knows the future or what they can know. What matters is what everyone's wishes are. You are too good, so when a reason appears in front of people, it will naturally become the answer to all unreasonable things."

"Unreasonable... answers?" Aileen raised her eyebrows.

"Well, for example, your cross-grade exams last semester—"

"The Eagle Ring too—"

"At the beginning of the school year, the mock Sorting Hat you did for everyone in advance—"

They strode down the empty corridor, returning to the Hufflepuff common room.

In the answers of the little wings, each saying a word, Aileen felt that she seemed to understand some of Dumbledore's thoughts.

Undoubtedly, in Albus Dumbledore's view, she is definitely a Seer whose talent is far higher than Professor Trelawney's, and also has the "Vision (active skill)." If students are allowed to know this, it may cover up the secrets hidden behind her.

Of course, on the other hand, this may not be a "middle door duel" between two Seers.

After all, since the world-changing "prophecy" ten years ago, Sybill Trelawney has not had a second "Vision prophecy."

Dumbledore still has some doubts about the authenticity of that prophecy. If it is a true Seer, then there can never be only one prophecy in a lifetime—an unrepeatable "Vision prophecy" is extremely unreliable, and it would be terrible if it were a coincidence.

However, Dumbledore could never have guessed that Aileen was actually the one without "Seer" talent.

As for Hermione, Luna, and Hannah...

As they turned into the corridor of the Hogwarts kitchen, Aileen glanced at the worried expressions on the faces of her wings, and secretly made up her mind.

Unlike last year, everyone is no longer a freshman who just stepped into the school.

Just as Sybill Trelawney said, those who are closely related to the "Seer," their fate has long been intertwined with the fate of the "Seer" in an invisible way. No matter how carefully she hides it, there will always be a day when "misfortune" arrives.

Perhaps she could try to make her wings stronger, and then face the test together.

As for the lesson from the "scumbag Seer" Merlin?

Aileen didn't take it to heart from the beginning, anyway, she was neither a "scumbag" nor a "Seer."

More importantly, the friendship between girls, no matter how you think about it, there will be no risk of being sunk in the lake... right?

…………

The Hufflepuff common room was almost empty.

Almost all the students were still eating in the Great Hall upstairs.

But calculating the time, it might become crowded in less than ten minutes.

After all, the number of Hufflepuffs is almost as many as Gryffindor plus Slytherin, and it is obviously not suitable to talk about secrets here.

Aileen, Hannah, Luna, and Hermione walked through the long dormitory corridor, found their favorite spots in the luxurious bedroom that had been cast with heavy spells, and sat down. As the door closed gently, "Aileen's Secret Room" was completely isolated from the prying eyes around.

"So, are you going to ask questions one by one, and I'll answer them in turn—"

To the surprise of Hermione and the other young witches, Aileen took the lead in breaking the silence in the room, and said in a relaxed tone.

"Or should I tell a story, and after I'm done, everyone can go to the washroom to wash up and chat to add something?"

"Well, I have a question. Did you activate your Seer abilities during class and exams?" Hermione said, "You know what I care about most. In so many classes and exams before, did you... This time you're not allowed to answer 'yes and no'!"

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"Yes also—if it is 'Seer' in the conventional sense in the magic world, then no."

Under Hermione's threatening gaze, Aileen swallowed the words back with difficulty, and spread her hands with some helplessness.

"What the professors asked in class was all fair competition. There was no cheating. But for the exams, I did see the real questions in advance, so I was able to complete so many grade-skipping exams in one go—but not through prophecy, but through basic logical reasoning and information gathering."

"Eh? Information gathering? Logical reasoning? How can these..." Hannah looked at Aileen in confusion.

"Hogwarts has seven grades, and everyone sees different questions every year, but that doesn't mean the question bank is endless—"

Aileen shrugged and pointed to the large stack of magic textbooks piled on the desk not far away, "Whether it's Potions, Herbology, or Transfiguration, almost all subjects have not changed their textbooks for decades. More importantly, the same thing that hasn't changed is the professor in charge. In Hogwarts last year, even Professor Snape, who has the shortest teaching time, has more than ten years of teaching experience, which means..."

"...When the professors set the questions each year, they most likely won't rewrite the paper, but repeat the past exam questions?"

Hermione said thoughtfully, looking at the white-haired dumpling that used this to launch the "one hundred times" bet, and said sweetly.

"You found all the past exam questions and memorized them all in one go, so you can directly copy the answers in the exam hall—that's the reason for your dozens of excellent grade-skipping exam results last year, right! And you actually made a bet with me, Aileen, you're such a genius!"

"Well, memorizing past exam questions before the exam is actually a test-taking skill..."

Aileen looked away, saying somewhat guiltily.

Anyway, she had already accepted that "one hundred times" bet, and it was impossible to pay it back.

"So, Aileen... soon after school started last year, you wrapped me up and went to steal Professor Snape's office..."

Just then, a faint voice suddenly came from Aileen's ear.

Hannah casually unbuttoned her cumbersome robe, groped and moved closer to Aileen, gently hugged the dumpling from behind.

"What you said at the time about the accident and the premonition that the professor might deduct points, were all these actually lies? Everything was indeed in your careful plan, right? I even helped you hide it for so long, and I didn't even tell Luna or Hermione—"

Crap!

There's a murderous aura!

The tuft of hair on top of Aileen's head perked up abruptly, and she said with a chuckle.

"Uh, Hannah, listen to me explain, I actually..."

Before she could figure out how to argue, another faint voice suddenly sounded on her right.

"Actually, I've always been wondering, Sister Aileen, why did you add my name to the letters you sent to Dad back then? What are you hiding? Information about me shouldn't be able to be collected, right?"

"Eh. This, that—"

Aileen blinked, looking around at the three little witches in the room who looked cute and lovable.

It was clear that none of them should have the attribute of being scheming, so why did they suddenly become so terrifying?!

Fortunately, she didn't intend to continue hiding it from Hermione, Luna, and Hannah, so she didn't have to worry about repeating "Merlin's" mistakes.

"Ahem, ahem—let me think..."

Aileen cleared her throat, carefully considering her words.

"Everything has to start with me, uh, accidentally stewing the first round-faced plump chicken..."

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