[153] The Glass Between Worlds

"You are here to ask me for Galleons, right?" Sirius immediately reached for his pouch the moment he saw Hall.

Hall calmly took the Galleons from Sirius.

Sirius waited. "Why are you not leaving?"

"I have other things to discuss with you," Hall said with a self-righteous expression. "Otherwise, I would have had you bring the Galleons to me."

Sirius snorted. Just as expected of a Slytherin.

"...Come in!" He impatiently opened the office door.

Hall swaggered in as if it were his own home. With a flick of his wand, a soft chair appeared behind him. He sat down. A glass of sweet honey water appeared in his hand.

Sirius, who had been a step slower, stared dumbfounded. "This is my office!"

Hall nodded. "I know." He downed the honey water in one gulp.

This boy had no idea what guilt was.

Sirius sullenly found a seat. "So, what do you want? What could a little Slytherin snake want from me?"

"The Marauder's Map," Hall said softly.

Sirius was stunned. "You... the Marauder's Map is in your hands?" His expression twisted. Back then, the four of them — Gryffindors — created it to sneak out at night. Decades later, it had fallen into a Slytherin's hands. Even if that Slytherin's surname was Weasley, Sirius still felt ants crawling over him.

"It is not with me," Hall said, "but I have used it. It works very well."

Sirius raised his head proudly. It really did work well — the culmination of their four-man team.

But thinking of the Marauders, his face darkened. Wormtail's betrayal. Prongs's death. The Marauders would never reunite.

"You can reminisce later," Hall said. "I came to ask you how you created the map."

Sirius looked him over with a strange gaze. "Look! Our great, omnipotent Mr Hall is actually asking me if creating the Marauder's Map is illegal? Have not you figured it out yourself?"

Hall was unfazed. He understood the principles behind the map, but experimentation and improvement took time. There were aspects he found inconvenient. He wanted to create a version that satisfied him. Most urgently, he needed to find someone.

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"I do not have time to waste."

Sirius fell silent. "Fine. I will tell you. I do not believe you can improve the Marauder's Map with any new features."

Hall shrugged. He successfully obtained the creation method from Sirius. It was not difficult. The key was the locations of the secret passages. The current Sirius had almost forgotten them.

"That is not difficult," Hall said with a relaxed smile. The four Marauders might have known them back then, but could they know them as well as Helena, who had lived at Hogwarts for a thousand years? At least the Chamber of Secrets — the four of them could not find that one.

"Alright, I am leaving." Hall jumped off his chair and waved.

"Wait!" Sirius shouted.

Hall stopped.

"Rael..."

"I have not forgotten," Hall said. "But my abilities are not enough yet. Do not worry. I always remember."

Sirius nodded silently and watched Hall leave.

Hall took a deep breath. Regulus. They had to wait a little longer.

First, he needed to create the enhanced Marauder's Map so he could find that woman.

The thought of a tiny insect lurking nearby, constantly spying on his life, made him deeply uncomfortable. He desperately wanted to squash that beetle.

The insect-catching operation was urgent.

Ron and Harry were forcibly confined to the library by Hermione, forced to endure a gruelling struggle. Draco had voluntarily joined them.

"Malfoy! Who told you to sit here!"

Ron, experiencing the forced influx of knowledge into his brain, felt drowsy. He looked up and met Draco's gaze. Ron bared his teeth.

Draco snorted, turned a page, and kept scribbling. Arguing with a foolish Gryffindor lion? He decided that with his final exams and borderline grades, he was above such tedious entertainment.

Most importantly — he could accept getting worse grades than Hall. Hall's freakish nature was undeniable. But he absolutely could not lose to that lioness from Gryffindor.

Draco gave Hermione a deep look.

Sensing his fighting spirit, Hermione raised her head defiantly. "This time, I must surpass Hall's grades!" She did not consider Draco a rival at all. Malfoy's grades were so-so. If she was going for it, she would go for first place. Surpass Hall. Become the true number one.

"Ha! No one can be better than Hall!" Draco and Ron spoke in unison.

"Ron, Draco, you two are so in sync," Harry remarked.

They looked at each other with equal disgust. Ron waved his hand. "Harry, stop talking! I feel like I just ate a vomit-flavoured Every Flavour Bean!"

Disgusted. Like vomiting.

Draco's face scrunched up. "The intelligence of two people? I feel like you are insulting Hall's intelligence."

A major argument seemed imminent.

"Quiet!" Madam Pince's irritable voice rang out. "This is the library, not a place for you to argue! Get out if you say another word!"

Ron wanted to say more, but Hermione and Harry pulled him back. Draco dusted off his robes and sat down.

"Hall has been chosen for the Triwizard Tournament. He definitely will not have much time to study," Hermione muttered rapidly, flipping through her book. "This is the best chance to surpass him. I have to seize this opportunity."

Harry's expression turned strange, conflicted. Ron shrugged. "I think you are overthinking it. Hall's brain... well, I often feel my stupidity is probably because, as a twin, Hall stole some of my intelligence."

Hermione glared at him, then tossed her hair. "How will you know if you do not try!"

An invisible flame seemed to ignite within her. Ron and Harry dared not speak. Hermione looked terrifying.