"Luna, are you going to be involved in protecting Hogwarts too?" Maca looked Luna in the eye, as if to find the real answer.

But Luna shook her head slightly.

"It's not about protecting Hogwarts," she said with a slight smile, "it's protecting 'friends.'" ”

"Really?"

"Yes......" she said, holding out her hand and snapping her fingers, "Hermione, Harry, Ron, Hagrid, Toothtooth, Hannah......"

Luna tilted her head and counted them one by one, without any intention of stopping. Maca looked at her innocent smile and couldn't help but sigh to herself.

“…… You've got so many friends! Maca shrugged her shoulders and said, "Okay! Don't count, I get it - Harry, Hermione, Ron, you go and gather the students who are willing to join in first, and find out what everyone really thinks. This matter is not rushed, we have to take it step by step! ”

He paused, then looked at Harry and said, "Also, Harry, you have to be mentally prepared. Perhaps, soon you will have to face 'it' again. ”

Harry was stunned for a moment, a flash of gloom in his heart, but the next moment he clenched his hands and nodded resolutely.

"I see." He spoke with a sonorous voice.

"Hey! I said, "Are you all about not existing?" Hagrid said angrily, "That's not good, you're just a little bit old...... It's too dangerous! ”

"Don't worry, if the strength doesn't meet my requirements, I won't let them really get involved." After Maca said something to Hagrid, she turned to the group and confirmed, "That's it...... Do you understand? ”

"Of course! If we can't help you, cough ......" Hermione coughed dryly, and then said, "I mean, if we can't be a force against the enemy, we won't be willing to force ourselves out and be a burden!" ”

"That's right, that's what I thought!" Harry agreed, "I don't want the same accident as that...... Not at all! ”

"Ron, what about you?" Maca asked Ron, who was sitting a little silent on the barrel.

"I'm ......," Ron said somewhat unnaturally, "I really ...... Can it be done? ”

"You think you can't do it?" Hermione looked at him disapprovingly.

"I-"

Ron's words seemed to be stuck in the monkey's head, revealing an expression of wanting to say something.

"Say whatever you want!" Maca smiled, "We're all friends, we won't laugh at you." ”

"Yes! Ron ......" Harry said a little sluggishly, "what's wrong with you?" ”

Ron held for a moment before letting out a long breath.

"Maca, you taught me how to put myself in the shoes of others, and I learned a lot about what I had overlooked...... Even, because of this, I was able to look at myself from a different perspective......"

"But no matter how I look at it, I don't see a future where I can actually do it. I really...... I really feel like I'm ...... Can't do it......"

Maca looked at Ron, who was a little downcast, and couldn't help but feel some approval in her heart.

If it were Ron, he wouldn't have been able to say that in this situation. He is a person who keeps a lot of things in his heart, and although his qualifications are ordinary, he is not willing to admit defeat.

It is because of the lack of talent that he puts in the same effort as others, but there will be a big gap in the results obtained. This disparity can lead to despair, to give up, and to live a life of inactivity.

If it were more extreme, this desperation could even be a trigger for jealousy and revenge.

But at the moment, although Ron put on a disappointed and helpless expression, he was able to express this powerlessness, which was indeed a very difficult thing.

Sometimes, acknowledging one's own weakness is not necessarily another kind of strength.

Just like Maca, I'm afraid no wizard of our time can ignore his power. But in the face of the vast mysteries of magic, in the face of the mysterious and unknown future, he still feels infinitely small.

Only by recognizing one's own weakness can one move forward in a down-to-earth manner, and not gradually lose the direction of the road under all kinds of temptations on the way.

“…… As long as you put enough effort into moving forward, then at least you won't regret not doing anything, will you? Maca smiled at Ron and nodded, "We'll all help, I guess...... You don't have to be bad at anything, it's just that you haven't found what you're good at yet! ”

He paused, then spread his hands and said, "Didn't you say that you have learned to think from a different perspective?" Why don't you think about it from a different angle—"

"If you haven't found it now, wouldn't it be equivalent to - you have infinite possibilities in the future?"

……

Maca can say a lot of things casually, which may encourage others, but the truth needs to be changed with real actions.

After talking in Hagrid's cabin, the matter was almost decided.

Hermione and the others took on the task of gathering their classmates, which was not difficult to say, but it took a lot of thought for them to make their minds clear to the restless students.

So after Ron thanked everyone gratefully, the young wizards with a mission quickly left.

"Hagrid, then I should go back too—there's a lot of research left unfinished, and now is not the time to be lazy!" Maca also stood up and said goodbye to Hagrid, "By the way, Glopp's side needs to keep an eye on it, and try not to make any big noise in the near future." ”

"Well, I see, I'll be careful!"

Maca waved her hand, then pushed open the creaking wooden door and walked out of Hagrid's cabin.

"Luna, why don't you come with them?" He had long known that Luna was still at the door, so as soon as he came out, he asked, "It's almost dinner time, aren't you hungry?" ”

"I want to talk to you......"

Luna stood on the edge of the steps outside the house, looking at the remaining afterglow in the west, her eyes seemed to become much clearer.

"It's necessary to take a break, you've been busy lately."

Maca smiled slightly, "Yes! Really busy......"

"I remember you always liked to lie in bed...... I've tried a lot of things to get you out of bed! Luna said leisurely.

“…… The one that works best is the fluffy one," added Maca with a wry smile, "and of course, it's best not to use that method." ”

"Fluffy is cute and relatable," Luna blinked her big bright eyes, and she looked a little excited when she talked about magical creatures, "they're weird and funny." ”

The two stood side by side in front of the hut, casually chatting about topics that didn't make much sense, looking at the sky. Immersed in this kind of leisure, none of them took the first step.

After chatting aimlessly for a while, both Maca and Luna closed their mouths in agreement, quietly enjoying the long-lost peace.

After a short moment, Luna took the initiative to break the warm silence.

"Maka, what are you moving for?"

Hearing Luna ask such a vague question, Maca fell into deep thought.

Oh, yes! What has he been moving forward for?

Is it for a particular person, as Snape did? Or is it for everyone, like Dumbledore? Or...... Is he simply being pushed away by established facts?

In Dumbledore's words, what is the "love" that he cherishes, insists on, and guards?

Even Ron learns the importance of looking at himself, but Tamaka has been trying to avoid it. He was just a coward, and he was afraid that in his search for answers, he would come to a frightening conclusion.

Maybe he had already vaguely seen that conclusion, but he was still reluctant to confirm it.

“…… Result...... Why? Maka muttered to herself, a little dazed.

Luna didn't continue to ask, she just looked at Maca's side face with surprisingly gentleness, and took the initiative to hold Maca's slightly cold hand.

"You'll protect me, won't you?"

Maca's heart shook, and he turned his head away, and suddenly met Luna's soft and delicate gaze. In that gaze, he felt a warmth full of inclusiveness.

“…… Of course. ”

When he received his acceptance letter from Hogwarts, he had an illusory goal called "Magic". That was the reason for his desire to fight, but it was not enough to justify him in the face of all obstacles.

As Luna just said, he was originally a lazy and casual person, and if nothing pushed him, he was likely to settle for the status quo.

But from the moment he caught a glimpse of the pale golden glow in that cemetery, he had gained a momentum to move forward.

In the first place, it was Luna who inadvertently gave him a reason; And now, this girl with long pale blonde hair once again took the initiative to put this reason in his hands.

Maca knew very well that Luna was not mixed with any selfish thoughts when she held his hand. She just kindly hoped that Maca wouldn't get lost in her path, nothing more.

But it is precisely because of her simple kindness that Maca, who is strong and calm on the outside but timid as a mouse on the inside, can approach her with peace of mind.

"Then I'll be relieved," a smile appeared on Luna's face again, and her eyes were in a trance again, "I'm in charge of protecting everyone, and Maca is in charge of protecting me...... That sounds pretty good, too. ”

"That's pretty good." Maca also smiled and said, "Let's go!" It's time to go back to dinner—you're not hungry, I'm hungry!" ”

Under the starry sky that was quietly lit up, two figures strolled along the path between the lawns, gradually blending into the shadows of the huge castle.

The night seems to add a bit of indescribable silence.