Chapter 263 Hermione's Trust

In the Great Hall, the atmosphere was somewhat uncomfortable.

Ron and Hermione watched Harry walking away, and no one spoke.

Ron remarked astutely, amidst a prolonged sigh, "Harry has always been like that, blindly trusting others; he is always overly optimistic."

Ron turned to Hermione as if expecting something.

"Like Harry, I also trust Evan," repeated Hermione. "He has done a lot to prove that he is not like a dark wizard..."

"I trust him too. We all trust him!" Ron said regretfully, energetically waving his utensils. "I know Evan is very good. He has achieved many great things that I couldn't accomplish in my entire life. But the issue now is that he is just an ordinary person, and perhaps he may not be able to resist the temptation of power. Dark evil magic is much stronger than common magic, which is why it is powerful. Do you understand what I mean, Hermione?"

As Ron spoke, he leaned further towards this possibility. If Evan did not study dark magic, how could one explain all the magical power he possessed at such a young age?

Evan was simply a common Muggle-born. He had never had any encounter with magic before coming to Hogwarts. If it weren't for some "special" reasons, he couldn't have become so powerful so quickly, even surpassing all young pure-blood wizards.

Ron did not deny that Evan truly worked hard. But solely through effort, he should at most be at Hermione's level, no more.

This was highly abnormal. He must be secretly studying dark evil magic. Thinking of this possibility, Ron felt this was more unfair than frightening. In his view, Evan was cheating.

Evan deceived others and obtained what he shouldn't have.

Contemplating this, Ron's breathing quickened slightly. After being saved by Evan last semester, he had planned to discard all his evil thoughts and had decided to view Evan as his true friend, just like Harry and Hermione.

But Ron felt uneasy at the thought that Evan might be studying the Dark Arts and that everyone was blind to it, and that he currently had everything. The idea continued to linger in his mind that if he himself had studied the Dark Arts, perhaps he wouldn't be much worse off than Evan.

Immense power, great fame, the adoration of others' eyes, supreme glory, and Hermione's affection...All those things were initially out of his reach, but suddenly a shortcut presented itself, and he only had to reach out to obtain them.

Ron entertained that fantasy, and then he shook his head and reminded himself that he would not succumb.

Unlike Evan, he would not degrade himself by studying dark magic. That was something that must be absolutely forbidden.

Hermione did not respond upon hearing Ron's words. She shook her head blankly.

"I mean, Evan could also make mistakes." Ron was dissatisfied with Hermione's reaction and continued, frowning. "We need to be careful, and if Evan is indeed involved in the Dark Arts now, we must take action."

"What do you want to do?" Hermione seemed frightened.

"I haven't thought about it yet, but at the very least, we should stop him and make it public so everyone knows what he's doing. Is that fair, isn't it?"

"Listen to me, Ron!" Hermione took a deep breath and decided to speak with determination: "If you wish to ask others what they think about it, I don't believe Evan's study of the Dark Arts is surprising. Probably others would think the same, and that is the main reason why no one believes that ridiculous rumor. We all know what kind of person Evan is. He studies magic not to use it, but to strengthen himself against future powerful enemies."

"What noble reasoning. What enemies must he face?" Ron spat out and said, "Pettigrew has been captured. This is HOGWARTS. Dumbledore is HERE. How could there be enemies?"

"Did you forget the prophecy Evan told us the other day during Christmas break?" Hermione said, "Voldemort will return, and he will be more powerful than ever, with the help of a chosen one."

"Are you talking about the prophecy made by Professor Trelawney, I thought you never believed in it?!" Ron waved his hand dismissively. "We all know she's just pretending again, tricking Evan to make Christmas more exciting."

"Professor Trelawney may be a liar, but you can't deny that maybe she made a real prophecy." Hermione continued, trying to persuade Ron, "Besides, Evan mentioned the Secret Treasure left by the Four Founders. They must have known that something was approaching by leaving something behind."

"It's just that Evan himself said he had seen it, or that he had returned to Hogwarts a thousand years ago. No one can guarantee that it's true." Ron said stubbornly, "Even if the Four Founders really left some magical object, it's another matter if they would work properly. After all, so much time has passed, any kind of magic should be ineffective!"

"But Evan said that in the colony of the centaurs in the Forbidden Forest..."

"Don't change the subject, Hermione. We're all talking about Evan investigating Dark Arts. It's not about the Four Founders or the Centaurs in the Forbidden Forest." Ron looked at Hermione expectantly, "Come with me to find evidence, Hermione. I'm sure Evan is dabbling in Dark Arts. We can go and find out. I feel like I'm on the verge of discovering the truth."

"No, whatever it is, I believe in Evan!" Hermione repeated firmly.

No evidence was needed. What Ron said, Evan had already told her, and she had made her decision.

"I know, I believe in him too!" Ron stood up straight and said energetically. "I don't understand. What's wrong with you two? Look at yourselves and Harry. It seems like I'm doing something wrong again. I'm just kind enough to remind you that if you're not careful, you'll probably regret it in the future."

Drawn by Ron's shout, everyone in the Great Hall turned towards him in surprise, wondering what had happened and what he was talking about.

Feeling the stares of everyone, Ron sat down with a red face and ears as red as bricks.

A few seconds later, seeing Hermione's unwavering gaze, he felt deflated like a balloon, saying weakly, "Well, maybe you're right, I'm just too sensitive. You know, when it comes to dark magic, I want to be more careful."

"I understand what you mean, Ron!" Hermione tapped him on the shoulder and comforted him. "We really should be cautious. I will talk to Evan. But I still say I trust him. He promised me he would never let me down."

The corner of the long Gryffindor table fell quiet again, and neither Ron nor Hermione spoke. They ate breakfast in silence.

Both seemed to have concerns and were unsure of what the other was thinking.