In the Harry Potter Without Harry Potter

Chapter 120: Welcome banquet

"You you you"

Hermione looked incredulously at the original face of Jon after the polyjuice potion effect had worn off, and he turned back into his original appearance, her mouth could only subconsciously issue one syllable in a row.

Jon stroked his hair, he had no time to cut his hair in the castle, after drinking the polyjuice potion the appearance of Randy was fixed, so there was no need for him to take care of his original hair, which caused his hair length significantly a bit too long.

The banquet is certainly not a good time to trim the hair, but this kind of hairstyle will have some impact on his image, so Jon can only use transfiguration to temporarily create a leather band, intended to tie the long hair into a short ponytail.

Hearing Hermione's shocked voice, he looked behind his shoulder with both hands pulling to tie his long hair together, and asked with a smile.

"What's the problem?"

"You, how old are you?" Hermione took a deep breath, suppressing the disbelief in her heart and trying to keep herself calm as she asked.

"I entered school the same year as you." Jon tied his hair with a leather band and raised his head to indicate Lily's location, "see the professor there, she is the professor who teaches us Potions class, enrolment of new students is also generally her responsibility. When she found me to enrol me, she actually went to your home first, but she arrived a step late, otherwise, we might have been classmates long ago."

Hermione's face looked a little complicated, she never thought that she was actually only a step off between heaven and hell, but soon she came back to her senses and stared at Jon with wide eyes.

"So, you're only 12 years old?"

"It's already 1993, I'm 13 years old, and it's not even far-fetched to say I'm 14."

After hearing Jon's answer, Hermione remained silent.

She has a sensitive mind, just after they escaped, through the attitude of Professor McGonagall towards Jon, it can actually be deduced that he probably lied to her, he's not another Hogwarts professor at all, but a student.

But Hermione's thought process was at its limit, she never thought that Jon would be around the same age as she is, she thought that a student who dared to sneak into that "prison" and play tricks in front of so many notorious adult wizards would be at least a sixth or seventh-year student who is about to become an adult!

When Jon had just tied his hair together, an arm had wrapped around his neck vigorously, nearly shattering his already unskilled and not-at-all-stable ponytail.

"We didn't know until today noon, what exactly you had been doing, Jon!"

Ron said excitedly.

"Professor Dumbledore has kept it a secret from us before, even when he went out this morning, he lied to us and said he was going to meet up with two old friends. Then only at noon when Hagrid brought us to this place, and we started to decorate the place, did Professor Flitwick tell us who we will welcome in the evening and why!"

"It's good to have you back safely." Neville said with a fearful look on his face, "To be honest, I actually can't figure out why Professor Dumbledore decided to send you on such a dangerous mission, but luckily everything turned out to be fine."

The second years gathered around and surrounded Jon, while Lavender and Justin were curious about what the other Hogwarts was like; they had no idea what kind of danger Jon had gone through.

The welcome banquet had begun.

Although life on the wagon is far happier than being a mudblood student in that castle, but being enclosed in a space all the time, day after day, also made students feel bored, so no matter what the reason for the banquet is, every student was exceptionally excited.

There is simply no likelihood for the students on the wagon to develop ostracism either.

With no divisions and no competition, and under so much pressure from the outside world, unity has already become part of their instincts.

The children who were rescued from the castle were brought to both sides of the long table by students who are either the same age as them or older than them, and the enthusiasm even made these children a little flattered.

As if they had been reminded in advance, even if they were curious, no students asked them what their life was like, in the other Hogwarts, the students on the wagon just introduced them to the life they would lead in the future, as well as about the professors in the school.

Special arrangements were made for these rescued children when they entered school. When Jon and Dumbledore determined the time of the escape plan through the fireplace at the Hog's Head Inn, the wagon prepared and freed up the vacant rooms and classrooms.

When they officially entered the wagon and obtained their wands, a professor would set aside time to teach them the magic knowledge they had previously missed, to help them learn until they caught up with the progress of normal students.

The atmosphere at the banquet was lively, and just as the feast was drawing to its conclusion, Dumbledore clapped his hands gently, drawing everyone's attention to him.

"I am glad that so many new students will join us today even if it is not an opening day, and although everyone has already expressed their welcome to all of you before the banquet started, allow me, a nagging old man, to say one more time, welcome to Hogwarts!"

The students on either side of the long table cheered, and light smiles appeared on the faces of the children who had just arrived here today.

"First of all, let's thank Jon Green for his sacrifice, to be honest, whoever knew I let him go undercover thought I had gone crazy, but his brilliant performance proved I am not a lunatic."

"And of course, let's also thank Miss Hermione Granger, who fearlessly sacrificed herself to provide valuable opportunity and time for this rescue, which is something that I and everyone here should admire."

The students gave them a round of applause, and Jon who had just finished being held in a chokehold by Ron and is now being held in a chokehold by an excited Neville, had a flushed complexion, and it simply was not possible to tell what expression he has at this moment.

Hermione was a little overwhelmed and lowered her head, she was a little uncomfortable with such compliments and welcome.

"Finally, let's welcome our new professor."

Dumbledore's words quieted the audience as a pale, middle-aged male wizard made his way through the flowers, looking like he had just arrived, right as Dumbledore was about to speak out and introduce him.

"After Horace left us, we need a new professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts as well as the History of Magic. Remus Lupin, a wizard who once graduated from Hogwarts with very high distinction, while just today he and a group of others has accomplished an equally impressive and unprecedented feat. After today, he will be joining Hogwarts as an honourable professor."

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