Hogwarts: From Little Wizard to White Lord

While the so-called iron triangle was in the middle of a squabble, Peter had other plans.

At that moment, he was stepping forward to stop Professor Snape.

"Professor, do you have time this weekend? There are a few questions I've been hoping to ask you."

Snape glanced at him from the corner of his eye and replied coolly, "When there is no time, there are no questions."

But Peter acted as if he hadn't heard the dismissal. He continued respectfully.

"There are many potions that can't be found in the market, and I've already covered most of the basics. You don't know how thrilled I was when I received my Hogwarts letter."

"Ever since I brewed my first blood-replenishing tonic at age eight, I've been hoping I could become your student one day."

Snape opened his mouth to speak, then hesitated. His expression twitched slightly, as if he were trying not to show what he was feeling.

After a moment of silence, he gave a short nod.

"Sunday. Evening. Do not be late. No waiting."

"Thank you very much, Professor. I'll be there on time."

Snape turned and strode away, the sound of his leather shoes echoing through the corridor. Somehow, they didn't sound quite as heavy as usual.

Peter stood where he was, pleased.

He had a lot to do this weekend, and the most important step had just been taken.

Peter needed reputation to grow stronger, and right now, Potions was the clearest path toward that goal.

It was the field he had already invested the most time in. With several years of personal research behind him and a solid theoretical foundation, he had built a name for himself at least among those who cared about potions.

If he could now access more advanced knowledge, learn higher-level brews, and deepen his understanding of magical ingredients, he could begin optimizing older formulas, validating his theories, and maybe even creating something entirely new.

The "Peter's Beauty" series had done its job. It brought in money, but the reputation gain had already plateaued.

Snape's agreement was a major step forward.

Feeling pleased, Peter returned to the Ravenclaw common room that evening. The riddle on the bronze eagle door wasn't much of a challenge, and soon he was inside.

Later that night, after mixing a strange but satisfying snack plate from various upper-year stashes, Peter and Guoguocha took a stroll toward the Black Lake.

The wind had picked up a little, sending ripples across the water. Under the moonlight, the lake glowed dark silver. A few Gryffindor students were gathered by the shore, tossing bits of food into the water. In the distance, a giant tentacle rose, flopped lazily, and splashed back down.

"I heard from Fred and George that the giant squid is basically a Gryffindor," Peter said casually.

Hermione jumped slightly. She had been sitting near the water's edge, staring out at the lake in a daze. She quickly wiped her face and turned to see Peter settling down beside her.

He reached into one of his bulging pockets and pulled out a small bar of chocolate.

"Here," he said gently. "Eat something sweet. It helps when you're upset."

Guoguocha was nearby, jerky hanging from its mouth as it wagged its tail and playfully circled their feet.

Hermione accepted the chocolate and looked at him.

"Thanks..."

She knew he had just come from the Ravenclaw tower. There, he and his little beast companion were oddly popular especially with the older girls.

Peter didn't mention it. He just smiled and looked out at the water.

She thanked him in a soft voice, then turned her gaze back to the lake.

"The giant squid can't possibly be Gryffindor's animagus form," she muttered. "Gryffindor lived over a thousand years ago. How could something he transformed into still be alive? They're just making things up."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Hermione frowned.

Why did I even say that? Was that really necessary?

She felt a pang of annoyance with herself.

Do I always have to take things so literally? Maybe I really am difficult to be around...

Peter noticed the shift in her expression and thought for a moment before asking gently, "Did you have a falling out with Harry and Ron?"

Hermione blinked. "Huh... how did you know?"

Peter smiled. "You don't usually come out here to relax. You're either heading to the library, coming back from the library, or organizing books for the next visit to the library."

She gave him a weak look.

"And honestly," he added, "you've only really gotten along with a few people so far. Aside from me and Guoguocha, it's pretty much just Harry and Ron. So if someone upset you enough to hide by the lake, it wasn't hard to guess who."

Hermione stared at him, stunned. She hadn't realized it until now, but thinking back... he was right.

Besides Peter, the only people who regularly talked to her were those two. And even they

The thought made her feel even worse. She looked down and pressed her lips together.

After a long pause, she finally spoke.

She told him exactly what Ron had said behind her back.

After she finished speaking, Hermione lowered her voice and asked, "Peter, am I really that annoying? I just... I just want everyone to follow the rules."

She expected comfort. Peter was usually cheerful, lighthearted, always warm with a joke on his lips. He never took things too seriously.

But instead, he nodded.

"A little bit."

"…"

She froze, speechless.

Then Peter reached out and gently patted her shoulder. The breeze off the lake rustled his hair as he looked into the distance.

"There's a country far from here," he said slowly, "where they have a saying that goes something like this: honest advice is hard to hear."

"That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you. Or with anyone else, really. It's just human nature. People don't like having their flaws pointed out. When someone constantly reminds them of the right way to do things, they'll start to resist it even if you're completely right."

Hermione looked up at him, startled by the calm tone in his voice.

There was something different about him in that moment. Something she couldn't quite name.

His words weren't something she would expect from a classmate. They felt older, wiser, and far more reflective than they should have been for someone his age.

Coming from anyone else, they might have sounded forced or awkward. But when Peter spoke them, they felt natural like he had been carrying them for a long time.

But in that moment, Peter seemed completely at ease. The way he sat, the way he spoke everything felt natural. It was as if time itself had settled quietly around him, blurring the lines between child and something more.

Hermione looked at him, eyes searching.

"Then why have you never found me... annoying?" she asked softly.

Peter turned to her with a gentle smile.

"Because I like that kind of honesty."

His answer came without hesitation.

Hermione's cheeks turned pink under his gaze. Then she heard him add, "The more I've lost, the more I've come to understand how rare it is to have a friend who tells the truth. Ron is still young. He doesn't realize that yet."

Hermione opened her mouth to ask what do you mean, the more you've lost?

But something held her back.

For some reason, she felt that if she asked, he wouldn't answer. Not because he was being secretive, but because there are things people carry inside them that they aren't ready to share.

So instead, she said nothing.

The two of them sat there in silence, side by side, the breeze brushing past as the moonlight rippled across the Black Lake.

Farther out on the water, the giant squid stretched a lazy tentacle, smacking it against a small boat and flipping it over. Screams echoed across the lake as the Gryffindor students tumbled into the water, followed by loud laughter.

Then Peter spoke again.

"Hermione, for my sake... forgive Ron. And keep an eye on him and Harry for me."

Hermione blinked and looked at him.

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

Peter smiled at first, then let out a soft sigh.

"Harry's situation is complicated. Dumbledore seems to be testing him somehow. And I'm worried about Ron following him so closely... but I can't exactly step in and break up their friendship."

He looked at her seriously.

"That's why I'm asking you to watch over them for me. If anything strange happens, tell me."

Hermione was taken aback. She could hear the weight behind his words. Her voice dropped to a whisper.

"You think Harry might be in danger? At school?"

"It's not danger exactly," Peter said, shaking his head. "More like... a test. But still "

He raised both hands, palms open.

"No one can guarantee full control over anything. Not even Dumbledore."

Hermione looked at him, her thoughts swirling. She wanted to ask more, to press him for answers.

But before she could speak again, Peter stood up, brushing off his robe. Guoguocha padded to his side, tail swishing.

He handed Hermione a few wrapped chocolates.

"That's it. Go back and get some sleep, Hermione."

Then he turned and gave her a smile over his shoulder.

"Keep it secret, my spy."

Hermione's face flushed again, and the questions she had been planning to ask vanished from her mind.

Peter walked off calmly under the starlit sky, Guoguocha trotting beside him.

He hadn't come to Hogwarts to follow the Savior.

His goals were clear: master potions and make a name for himself, study advanced magic and build real power.

With such plans in place, he didn't have time to trail behind the chosen one. Not when there was an entirely different path waiting for him.

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