*59

Goose lay on the edge of the bed, sensing Hermione's boredom. He lifted his head and meowed softly before curling back up to sleep.

After leaving Fury, Hermione was surprised to find that the magical creatures she'd collected could be included in her book. So, she decided to bring Goose directly into this world.

At that moment, shadows obscured the windows, and the light inside the room dimmed.

Hermione rolled out of bed, raising her wand with one hand and pointing it out of the window. With the other hand, she picked up Goose, holding him protectively.

"Hey, hey, hey! Be careful!"

A voice called out from the window. Ron was sitting in a floating, very vintage blue car, arms raised in surrender.

He thought Hermione hadn't seen a flying car before and wanted to show off, surprising her by not knocking on the door first. Instead, he flew up to the second floor to say hello. He didn't expect Hermione to react so intensely.

"Hi, Hermione!"

Next to Ron, George Weasley leaned out from the driver's seat to greet her, with Fred Weasley in the passenger seat.

It wasn't just Ron; the Weasley twins were also there.

"What's going on..." Hermione was puzzled.

Shouldn't they be rescuing Harry? Why were they here?

"Hey, can you put the wand down first?"

Ron was a bit dissatisfied, muttering, "Why does it feel like you're ready to duel at any moment?"

After a brief exchange, Hermione finally understood the situation.

A few days earlier, the Ministry of Magic detected magic near 4 Privet Drive, and since Harry was the only wizard living there, they suspected him of underage magic use and sent a warning. Ron's father, Arthur Weasley, who worked at the Ministry, learned of this.

Knowing Ron had written many unanswered letters to Harry, Arthur suspected Harry was being locked up by his uncle. So, he asked Ron and the twins to bring Harry home for a few days.

"Since you didn't reply during the holidays, we came to check on you too," Ron said, noticing the stack of unopened envelopes on the windowsill. His eyes widened, "These are all my letters! I thought you didn't get them, but you haven't even opened them!"

Hermione touched her nose, feeling a bit awkward.

It's even more embarrassing than not replying, seeing the messages on the right side of the chat box, caught red-handed by the sender.

The Weasley twins couldn't hold back their laughter.

After saying goodbye to her parents, Hermione accepted Ron's invitation, mainly due to Molly and Arthur's insistence, to visit the Weasley home.

She also wanted to see the famous Weasley Burrow, which seemed more exciting than staying alone with Goose.

The flying car quickly took off.

Hermione sat in the back seat, expecting it to be cramped, but found the interior surprisingly spacious.

Clearly, a charm had expanded the space.

However, the speed was average. It wasn't a match for her cyberpunk inventions or even a regular broomstick.

After nearly an hour of driving, they passed through an enchanted barrier. An old, chimney-topped building, four or five stories high, appeared on the lush green landscape, surrounded by rolling hills.

"Hey, Hermione!"

As soon as she entered the house, Harry stood up from the table to greet her.

"Have you eaten?"

Hermione asked, using a typical social opener.

"Not yet. Mrs. Weasley is preparing lunch for us. It'll be ready soon," Harry replied earnestly, unaware of the cultural exchange.

"Great."

"By the way," Harry added, "it's not that I didn't want to reply to your letters. I just didn't receive them. Dobby intercepted them all."

"It's fine. I didn't write any," Hermione said casually.

"...Oh?"

Harry's face fell for a moment. He thought Hermione, like Ron, had written to him during the holidays.

Their friendship boat rocked slightly.

Hermione shrugged. She'd spent most of her holiday in the Marvel universe, studying alchemy or having tea with the Ancient One. She hadn't had time to cater to a kid.

Seeing he wasn't the only one ignored, Ron felt a bit better and complained to Harry:

"You're not the only one. She didn't even open my letters! So rude!"

The two exchanged empathetic looks.

Though they felt slighted by her lack of concern, deep down, they knew...

This was the Hermione they were familiar with.

They sat down, and as Hermione looked around, Ron felt a bit self-conscious, glancing at her.

"Our family's not wealthy, not like your parents' villa."

Hermione patted his shoulder.

"What are you talking about? I couldn't build something as magical as this. It's far more valuable than ordinary Muggle homes."

Seeing Hermione didn't mind, Ron sighed in relief, feeling much better.

The Weasley twins exchanged amused glances.

Harry was surprised. Who knew Hermione could be so considerate at times?

"Hermione, it's wonderful to see you!"

A voice suddenly called from around the corner.

Dressed as a housewife, the warm and friendly Molly Weasley appeared, quickly moving towards Hermione and giving her a big hug.

She seemed familiar.

"I heard from Ron and Harry that if not for you, they might've been killed by that awful Quirrell!"

She then glared at Ron: "Next time, think twice before acting so impulsively!"

Ron looked aggrieved: "It was Harry's idea..."

"Enough excuses!" Molly scolded. "Harry's brave for his age, facing danger without fear. You should learn from him!"

Hermione: "..."

Classic!

She hadn't expected to witness such a familiar scene in another world.

Totally worth it!

Ron glanced between Harry and Molly, feeling like he was the adopted child, while Harry was the beloved one.

After lecturing Ron, Molly turned to Hermione, grasped her hands, and sat her down, looking her over with a loving gaze.

Hermione felt slightly uncomfortable under the scrutiny, pulling her hands back and managing a smile.

Just as she was about to fidget, a "thumping" sound approached from above, and a little girl in pajamas ran down the stairs.

Seeing the room full of people, the girl suddenly halted, eyes wide with disbelief.

After a moment's hesitation, she turned and dashed back upstairs.