If it had just been an ordinary pest, killing it would have counted as pest control.
But if it was someone’s pet rat, that was a completely different matter.
He had almost caused a disaster…
Who would have thought someone would actually keep a rat as a pet?
After Crookshanks was kicked away, Hermione hurried over, picked the cat up, and gently stroked its back to comfort it.
“Hermione!
Your cat almost killed Scabbers!” Ron shouted angrily at her.
“Ron, you can’t blame Crookshanks for that.
Catching rats is a cat’s natural instinct.” Although Hermione knew she was somewhat at fault, she still argued stubbornly.
Seeing the two of them arguing, John quietly began retreating.
Can’t see me, can’t see me…
Next time, I am absolutely never interfering in something like this again…
After John slipped away, neither Ron nor Hermione paid attention to him anymore.
John had no idea who won the argument in the end.
He only wanted to escape this troublesome situation as quickly as possible.
However, before he had gone very far, he heard Hermione calling from behind him, though she was not calling for him.
“Crookshanks, where are you going?
Come back!” Hermione was chasing after Crookshanks from behind.
So the Kitty Cat’s name is Crookshanks.
What a strange name.
John pretended not to hear and kept walking without looking back.
Unfortunately, Crookshanks clearly had no intention of letting him go.
The cat ran straight in front of him and jumped directly into his arms.
“Huh?
Crookshanks, what are you doing?” John immediately panicked.
He had finally escaped, so why was the cat following him?
Then he realized Crookshanks had a very clear target in mind.
The cat stretched a paw into the inner pocket of John’s robes.
With one swipe, it hooked out a paper bag containing the sandwich John had saved for the afternoon.
“Hey!
Do you seriously think I’m your personal food supplier?
Don’t you already have an owner?” John reached out to grab the bag back, but Crookshanks clamped it in its mouth, jumped to the floor, and disappeared around the corner in just a few bounds.
That left only John and Hermione staring awkwardly at each other.
Hermione felt rather embarrassed under John’s gaze.
Earlier, she could still defend Crookshanks by arguing that cats naturally hunted rats.
But now the cat had openly stolen food from someone right in front of her, leaving her with no idea what to say.
As for John, he was worried Hermione might think he was unusually familiar with Crookshanks.
But then he thought about it again.
Wait, they had only met twice.
That did not really count as familiar, did it?
“Ahem, it’s fine.
Cats are just like that, energetic and always causing trouble.” While Hermione was still trying to figure out what to say, John spoke first in an indifferent tone.
He only wanted to leave this troublesome place quickly so that by the next time they met, today’s incident would have nothing to do with him.
Hermione blinked in surprise after hearing him speak first.
For some reason, John sounded oddly guilty.
Why would he feel guilty?
Still, she quickly replied, “No, this really was Crookshanks’s fault.
When I catch him, I’ll definitely make him apologize to you next time.” “Haha…
really, it’s fine.
No need.
I should get going…” John forced out a laugh and prepared to leave casually, but Hermione suddenly called out to him again.
“I think I know who you are.
You’re the first-year student Neville mentioned, right?
John Merrick, the one who stood up to a Dementor to save someone?” Hermione had actually recognized him earlier, but only brought it up now to confirm it.
“Uh, yes.” John nodded helplessly.
“You look extremely guilty.
Do you know something?
Did you help Crookshanks catch Ron’s rat just now?” The clever Hermione increasingly felt that John’s behavior was suspicious, so she boldly made a guess.
“…No.
Impossible.
I don’t know anything.” John fell silent for a moment before rapidly shaking his head in denial.
However, Hermione had already figured out the truth from his reaction.
Earlier, he had been watching everything unfold with obvious interest, and afterward, he looked exactly like someone who had done something wrong and was trying to sneak away unnoticed.
And Crookshanks’s behavior just now clearly showed that the cat recognized him, which meant there was a very high chance John had helped Crookshanks catch the rat.
That was why the cat was so familiar with him.
“Sigh, you don’t need to worry so much.
You didn’t really do anything wrong.
After all, who would expect someone to keep a rat as a pet?” When Hermione said that, her tone carried a trace of dissatisfaction.
Recently, Ron had argued with her many times because Crookshanks kept trying to catch Scabbers.
She truly did not understand what was so special about a rat that Ron would repeatedly argue with her over it.
John remained silent, narrowing his eyes and pressing his lips together, not daring to say anything.
After all, even if it was just a rat, it still belonged to someone.
Hurting it was still technically their fault.
And although John had helped catch the rat unintentionally, he had still been involved from the beginning, so it was difficult for him to comment further.
Their conflict was something the two of them needed to resolve themselves.
“Hmm?
This book…
can I take a look?” Hermione brushed back her hair and stopped thinking about the earlier argument.
Her attention had shifted to the red-covered book in John’s hands, which looked strangely familiar.
“Uh, sorry, not this one.
It belongs to a professor, so I can’t casually let other people read it.” “It’s Professor McGonagall’s, isn’t it?
Her Transfiguration Diary.” The moment John mentioned it belonged to a professor, Hermione immediately recognized the book and spoke with certainty.
“Hm?
Professor McGonagall lent it to you too?” John asked in surprise.
“That’s right.
I only returned it to her at the end of last term.” Hermione nodded proudly.
“Hmm..
Looks like Professor McGonagall thinks highly of you as well.” Hermione immediately began examining John carefully.
Anyone recognized by Professor McGonagall undoubtedly possessed excellent talent.
On top of that, she had heard he dared to face a Dementor to save someone, so his character could not be bad either.
“Ah?
Thinks highly of me?” John froze for a moment.
Was there really such a thing?
“What else would you be?” Hermione proudly lifted her chin and placed her hands on her hips as though the matter was completely obvious.
“Oh, right, I forgot to introduce myself properly.
My name is Hermione Granger.
You can just call me Hermione, and I’ll call you John.” “I can’t stay and talk any longer.
I need to go find Crookshanks.
Lately he keeps disappearing for a while before coming back on his own.
I need to keep a close eye on him.” After saying that, Hermione waved goodbye and hurried off in the direction Crookshanks had disappeared.
Watching Hermione’s retreating figure, John scratched his head.
She really came and went quickly.
Sigh, now he was going to be hungry again this afternoon.
Maybe it was because he was still growing, but he became hungry much more easily lately.
John touched the now-empty pocket of his robes and sighed inwardly.
He genuinely worried this body might end up malnourished and fail to develop properly.
Next time, he would definitely pack his food separately in two portions.
He actually liked cats and dogs quite a lot, so he was not angry about Crookshanks stealing his sandwich.
Back in his previous life, his own cat used to climb directly onto the dining table to eat alongside him.
He just had not expected to be treated like a walking food source by a cat he had only met twice.
…
In the afternoon, it was finally time for the highly anticipated Flying lesson.
First-year students were not allowed to bring their own broomsticks to Hogwarts, so the school provided standard training brooms for Flying class.
Flying was humanity’s ultimate dream.
But when John actually saw the broom lying in front of him, he could not help complaining internally.
Wouldn’t riding this thing crush his private parts?
Couldn’t they at least add a seat like a bicycle?