“…… Mr. McLean, that's how it was," said Selene, "and to be honest, my mother only fainted for a moment, and she woke up very quickly. So, we didn't pay much attention to it. ”

But then my mother's body became weaker and weaker...... We've been to St. Mungo's been to St. Mungo many times, but we haven't been able to find out why. ”

Maca nodded, and suddenly asked, "So, isn't there anything else in that swamp?" ”

Selene shook her head and said, "No...... Or rather, we don't see anything. After all, the poisonous fog there was too thick to penetrate. ”

"Manchuk Swamp...... "Witch Swamp," Maca pondered, "Ghost Swamp...... Voodoo ......"

Words popped out of his mouth, and they were some of the information he knew.

But after a while, Maca shook her head.

"The U.S. side has to do a field trip...... Send your mother back to the bedroom first, and I'll figure it out...... At least you have to get rid of the things that are attached to the soul first. Maca said.

“…… In the state of your mother, you have reached a tipping point, and we will never be able to survive our return from the United States. ”

This time the problem was indeed troublesome, and as far as Maca was concerned, he was not sure that Selene's mother would fully recover.

Can a soul that has been devoured still be able to spit out those things again?

"Looks like we're going to have to trouble Headmaster Dumbledore this time......" Maca thought to herself, rubbing her furrowed brow.

To be honest, although it is all a matter of the soul, the situation of Selene's mother has nothing to do with his own emotional isolation, and this matter can already be confirmed.

But intellectually, it was a matter of course to stay away from such obvious troubles—and in fact, Snape probably did.

But Maca, who has been denying this way of judging and trying to recover her emotions, has not chosen to avoid it.

Besides, he's really interested in something that can only devour souls.

When I came out of the "Snow Witch", it was already snowing heavily, and it looked like it wouldn't stop for a while.

Maca tightened her robe and stared at the wind and snow as she walked towards the secret passage......

Hogwarts Castle is still empty, and the students are still enjoying their holidays, but it will be empty for a while.

But Dumbledore would never have much time to take time off.

At this time, he was still sorting out all kinds of materials in the headmaster's office, and by the way, he had to prepare the documents for the Ministry of Magic for record. Truth be told, there are only a few days of the year when Dumbledore is really free.

Just as he was immersed in various affairs, he seemed to sense something, and suddenly raised his head and looked at the door.

At the same time, after a few regular knocks on the door, a voice came in.

“…… Professor Dumbledore, I'm Macklean, and I need your help with something. ”

Hearing this, the wrinkles on Dumbledore's face seemed to stretch.

He had been waiting, waiting for the kid McLean to come to him for help—even if it was a small favor.

This kid is really quite intelligent and very assertive. Judging from how he interacts with people and handles things, it seems that he doesn't have to worry too much.

He's not like Tom Riddle at the beginning, he's better and more capable than Tom. But what Dumbledore valued was his sincere heart that he hid deeply.

This is especially important as a wizard, a wizard who will eventually become stronger.

But right now, McLean, a kid, is on the same path he once gave up. The road was so bumpy and arduous that the burden of bearing was weighing on one after another, and even Dumbledore himself could not walk on.

He was really worried about whether this child would be crushed and crushed, and go the wrong way in confusion.

As a teacher who taught students like Voldemort, Dumbledore chose to wait this time.

He will no longer rashly encourage the students he values, but he will also not interfere and forcibly correct them. All he's doing is trusting a smart kid and giving him guidance when he reaches out for help, and that's it.

"Please come in." Dumbledore said loudly.

The door opened automatically, and Maca walked in briskly without hesitation.

"Professor," said Maca, "I'm sure you've heard about that witch yesterday—"

Dumbledore nodded, motioning for him to continue.

"When I went to visit her mother today, I noticed something strange." "I judged that St. Mungo's therapist had misdiagnosed her mother's condition, so I did a test for her mother myself. ”

He accentuated his tone and said solemnly, "I found something strange in her mother's soul - it was a smoky thing that was constantly gnawing and devouring the soul......"

"And now, her mother's soul is broken."

Dumbledore couldn't help but grimace when he heard this.

Soul devouring, anything that involves such a situation, is generally not a trivial matter.

Immediately afterward, Maca briefly explained the matter of Manchak Swamp, but Dumbledore immediately shook his head.

"I know that place," he said calmly, "and I must not go there unless I have to." ”

Then he said to Maca, "Bring her mother here...... Or is there something else you want me to help with? ”

Maca shook her head and said, "No, it's just that, it's a bit beyond my ability - I only know a little fur about souls." ”

"There's no way to do it for the time being, and her mother can't afford to wait."

Dumbledore stared at Maca for a moment before he said, "So be it, McLean, bring her to me." ”

After that, he hurried away again.

"The mind is very strong, and the goal is very clear......," Dumbledore nodded secretly as he looked at the door that had been closed, "I lost my feelings, but I didn't immerse myself in this efficient and clear psychology, and I still affirmed my past self...... This is the most precious thing. ”

……

After New Year's Day, everyone went back to school, and Spotted was a little happier when he unexpectedly returned to Ron's bed - but he looked even more listless.

The next day, school started.

Spending two hours on the playground on a cold January morning is the last thing people want to do; But Hagrid lit a fire, full of fire monsters, for everyone's amusement, and the students had a lesson that was too good to be good - they collected dead leaves to keep the fire going, while the flame-loving lizards jumped around on the burnt, red-hot wood.

The first divination class of the new semester was much worse than that.

Professor Trelawney was now teaching them palmistry, and she wasted no time in telling Harry that he had the shortest lifeline she had ever seen.

Soon, the morning session was over.

"He's still sickly-looking, isn't he?" Ron was talking about Professor Lupin, who had the last class of the morning.

They were walking down the hallway, going to lunch.

"What do you think is wrong with him?" Ron said curiously.

At this moment, a loud and impatient "beep" sound came from behind them. It was Hermione, who had been sitting under a suit of armor, sorting out her school bag. There are so many books that the bag can't be closed.

"What are you muttering to us?" Ron asked her impatiently.

"That's a car horn,......" Harry explained, fearing that Ron wouldn't understand.

"Nothing." Hermione said haughtily, putting her bag back on her shoulder.

"No, something." Ron said, "I just said I didn't know anything was wrong with Lupin, you just-"

"Ah, isn't that obvious?" Hermione said, with a sense of superiority that drove mad madness.

"If you don't want to tell us, then don't tell us!" Ron said loudly.

"Okay." Hermione said arrogantly, and walked away.

"She doesn't know," Ron said, glaring at Hermione angrily, "she just wants us to talk to her again." ”

Harry shrugged his shoulders and said, "You should be polite, didn't Hermione get Professor McGonagall for Spotted...... Although Spotted was gone at the time......"

"yes, yes," Ron said with a sigh, "well, I guess I should...... But I couldn't help but see her like that! ”

"She couldn't resist not telling Professor McGonagall about the firebow arrows, so bear with it!" Harry is in a good mood right now, he's going to race on his best broomstick!

And lately, he's become more proficient in the Patronus charm, which is also an exciting thing.

"Let's move on to Professor Lupin......

A week after the start of the semester, Ravenclaw and Slytherin played a match.

Slytherin won, but the score was close.

According to Wood, this is good news for the Gryffindor team. Because, if Gryffindor beats Ravenclaw, it will still be in second place.

As a result, Wood increased his training time to five times a week – meaning Harry only had two nights a week to do his homework.

Even so, Harry didn't seem as tired as Hermione.

Hermione had taken too many classes, and the burden of the classes was finally showing up on her.

Every night, Hermione was always present in the corner of the common room, with a few tables in front of her spread out with textbooks: arithmetic charts, various magic dictionaries, illustrations of Muggle lifting weights, and a wide range of notes...... She rarely spoke to others, and if someone disturbed her, she would speak in a vicious voice.

"How did she cope?"

One night, Ron muttered to Harry as he was about to finish writing a paper Snape had assigned about undetectable poisons.

Harry looked up and saw Hermione sitting behind a large pile of crumbling books, almost out of sight.

"She's been looking like Maca lately...... "Hmm...... What to deal with? ”