Hermione wore an expression of utter indignation.
The points she had just earned hadn’t even warmed up yet!
And now they were deducted again!
“Is this guy an idiot?
The points I just earned were earned from Professor Snape, of all people!
Can’t he use his barren brain to think about how difficult that is?”
Hermione was both furious and distressed, even using words that Snape frequently muttered.
Julian felt somewhat helpless as well.
Ron had pretty much been like this the whole time at first.
Although his nature wasn’t bad, he was purely just a little brat.
He had older brothers above him and a younger sister below him.
He was neither the youngest child who received the most affection nor the eldest brother who bore the highest expectations.
Stuck awkwardly in the middle, even his wand—which was infinitely important to a Wizard—was a used one passed down from his older brothers.
This inevitably made him feel somewhat inferior.
And excessive inferiority, just like excessive arrogance, was a poison strong enough to destroy a person.
Hermione remained somewhat resentful right up until the end of the class.
“I really don’t understand!
Why does this guy dislike you so much?”
“Because I’m in Slytherin, I suppose?”
“Can’t this idiot see that you are different from the other Slytherins?” Hermione hugged her books, her walking steps growing much heavier with anger.
“Some notions can’t be changed back overnight.” Julian shrugged helplessly.
Pure-blood Wizards like Ron had been exposed to things in the Wizarding World from a very young age.
They were also very familiar with the matters of the four houses of Hogwarts, so they developed preconceived notions very early on.
Since childhood, he had heard many negative evaluations about Slytherin from his family and elders.
Coupled with Malfoy and the others acting against them all day long, it wasn’t surprising that he held a prejudice against Slytherin.
Stereotypes formed over many years could certainly not be reversed within just a few days.
However…
if one really had to say it, Ron didn’t seem wrong either.
Julian was no different from other Slytherins, and could even be said to be even purer.
He just knew how to put on an act.
“Alright, stop being angry.” Julian blinked at Hermione.
“I’ll take you somewhere fun.”
“You don’t want to go to the corridor on the right side of the 3rd floor, do you?” Hermione abruptly stopped in her tracks, turned her head to remind him.
“That place is a forbidden area.”
“No, rest assured.”
“Then what kind of place is it?”
“Temporarily confidential.
It won’t be a surprise if I tell you now.
Besides, we need to go see how Neville is doing first.”
Hermione nodded.
“I hope he’s alright now.”
The two of them walked together toward the Hogwarts Hospital Wing.
While walking on the road, they also discussed how to comfort Neville when they saw him.
In the end, they decided that whatever they did, they must not laugh.
The Hogwarts Hospital Wing was well-equipped and could handle most ordinary or magical diseases and injuries, including treating broken and missing bones.
Only some severe illnesses would be transferred to St.
Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.
Small accidents like this that happened while brewing Boil Potion could be completely and independently resolved by the Hospital Wing.
Julian walked into the Hospital Wing and found two wailing students lying on the hospital beds inside.
A tall Witch was treating them.
That should be Madam Pomfrey.
What was somewhat strange was that several young Wizards had clearly been sent over during the Potions Class, but now only Neville was still lying in bed, and nobody knew where the others had gone.
At this moment, Neville had a white cloth covering his face, revealing only a pair of eyes looking at the ceiling.
“Neville, how are you feeling?” Julian walked to the side of the hospital bed.
“Oh, Julian, and Hermione, why are you here?” Neville tilted his head slightly, facing them with his only exposed eye.
“I mean I’m fine.
Madam Pomfrey has already done the initial treatment, and now I just need to apply some Potion.”
“Where are the others?” Hermione glanced at the other hospital beds.
“Weren’t you sent here first?
How come they disappeared first?”
If it wasn’t for the white cloth separating…
Well, even without the white cloth, the two of them couldn’t see that Neville was blushing right now.
After all, the boils on his face were already red enough.
Neville looked guiltily toward the ceiling, stammering for a long time without saying the reason.
“Alright, Mr.
Longbottom.
This is the last bottle of potion for treating boils.
Remember, this is for topical application, don’t drink it again.
Otherwise, you would have recovered long ago.”
When Madam Pomfrey passed by the hospital bed, she took out a bottle of Potion and handed it to Neville.
“Madam Pomfrey!” Neville was exposed face-to-face and instantly became anxious.
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t notice that your friends were here.”
As soon as Madam Pomfrey finished speaking, another young Wizard was sent in.
She hurriedly turned around, trotting all the way over while muttering incessantly.
“Another child!
What are the Professors of Hogwarts doing?
They are simply too irresponsible!”
“Oh, poor child…”
It was clear that Madam Pomfrey’s good mood was inversely proportional to the number of young Wizards sent into the hospital.
The fewer young Wizards sent over, the happier she was.
With so many people here now, her mood was very bad.
Seeing the bottle of Potion Madam Pomfrey shoved to Neville, Julian and Hermione exchanged a glance and turned around with great tacit understanding.
Both of their shoulders trembled uncontrollably.
After a long while, the two of them turned back around with grinning mouths.
“Were you guys laughing just now?” Neville asked.
“No.” Julian and Hermione shook their heads simultaneously.
“Really not?” Neville asked again.
“Of course not.”
The two of them nodded very firmly.
“Compared to this, let me help you apply the Potion.” Julian skillfully changed the subject.
He took the Potion from Neville’s hand and lifted the white cloth covering his face.
“Woah…”
Hermione couldn’t help letting out an exclamation.
The boils on Neville’s face were red and swollen, distorting half of his face.
Getting closer, one could even see a thin layer of pus slowly flowing out from the boils.
No wonder he wanted to cover his face with a white cloth; this was indeed a bit creepy.
But Julian didn’t care at all.
After using the cotton gauze nearby to help Neville clean away the pus, he began applying medicine to him.
He furrowed his brows slightly, his expression solemn, and his movements gentle, without the slightest bit of disgust.
Hermione watching from the side thought to herself that Julian was truly too kind.
sob..
Thank you, Julian.”
Neville was even more moved to the point of crying.
“Do you remember what I said a few days ago?” Julian asked.
“Huh?” Neville was stunned by his question.
“I said we are friends, and since we are friends, you don’t need to be so polite.” Julian smiled at him and continued applying medicine to him.
He found that the bottle of Potion given by Madam Pomfrey was very effective.
The skin where the Potion had just been applied quickly returned to its original state.
This surprised him somewhat; Madam Pomfrey’s medical skills were truly no joke.
No wonder there had always been rumors that St.
Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries had invited her to join many times.
Promising her the position of Vice Head, but Madam Pomfrey firmly refused.
Even so, St.
Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries still welcomed her at any time and reserved the position of Vice Head for her.
As for the reason behind it, no one could say for sure.
Hearing Julian’s words, Neville shed tears of emotion.
Julian is truly my good friend!
Just as he was feeling moved, he suddenly heard Julian say: “After I finish applying medicine for you, I’ll take you somewhere.
I got a Greenhouse for you from there, so you can cultivate Herbology yourself in the future.”
“Neville, you have talent.
If it goes to waste, my heart will ache.”
Of course his heart would ache.
If Neville’s talent were buried, he would lose a talented free laborer, and might not be able to easily get rare plants afterwards.
Not making a profit was equivalent to a loss.
If he really lost out, it would be a huge loss.
This was something Julian could not tolerate.
“Thank you, thank you, Julian,” Neville choked out.
Aside from his family, no one had ever valued him this much.
Such an outstanding person as Julian was not only willing to be friends with him, but also helped him apply medicine without any disgust at all, and even kept his studies and future in mind.
This made him feel like he was simply the happiest person in the world.
Could anyone in the world find a better friend than Julian?
He practically thought of everything for him everywhere!
This friend, I, Neville Longbottom, am determined to make!
Neville swore silently in his heart.
Risking the bloodline and honor of the Longbottom family, he must study Herbology hard and never fail Julian’s expectations.
Even Hermione on the side couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.
Julian was simply too good, always thinking of his friends in every way.
How could there be such a good person?
She really didn’t know how Slytherin House’s luck could be so good to have a student like Julian.
After applying the medicine, the boils on Neville’s face quickly disappeared.
“Madam Pomfrey, thank you for curing my friend.
Goodbye.”
Julian obediently greeted Madam Pomfrey.
“Oh, you’re welcome.
Be careful in the future.”
Madam Pomfrey had noticed just now that this little fellow was helping Neville apply the Potion.
Now as he was leaving, he actually didn’t forget to greet her.
She instantly felt that this little fellow was a kind and polite good child.
This greatly increased Madam Pomfrey’s affection for Julian.
“Let’s go, we have to find the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy being beaten with a club by a Troll first before we can find that place.”