And Hermione succeeded in making her snail disappear after only the third attempt, thus earning Gryffindor College ten points from Professor McGonagall.

Of course, Harry had learned this magic spell and was quite proficient in using it. However, when making the snail disappear, he inadvertently made the table disappear too, causing Ron, who was leaning on the table, to fall flat on his face.

Only Harry and she didn’t have to do homework; everyone else had to practice the spell overnight to try it on the snails again the next afternoon.

Harry originally wanted to ask Ron to go for a stroll, but Ron refused.

After becoming a Class Prefect, perhaps he felt a new psychological burden. Ron had now started a serious battle with homework.

"I mean, mate." Ron asked without looking up, "Professor McGonagall indeed didn’t assign you any homework, but here’s the question: aren’t you going to do Professor Snape’s homework either?"

"Oh." Harry waved his hand, "Annie will help me with that."

Ron looked up and glared at Harry through gritted teeth.

"You’re damned lucky, mate!"

Harry put his hands on his hips and laughed. In the past, whenever he didn’t feel like doing homework, Annie would help him, and for this, Sebastian often teased him sarcastically.

In the afternoon, the weather was gloomy and cold, with a biting wind. As they walked down the grassy slope towards Newt’s small camp on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, they felt a few raindrops fall on their faces.

Newt seemed in a good mood today, and so did Hagrid, who was behind him.

Upon seeing Harry, Hermione, and Ron, he smiled and greeted them.

"Hagrid," Harry waved and said, "I’m coming to your place for some rock cakes tomorrow!"

"Alright, Harry, alright!" Hagrid chuckled as he replied.

After confirming that everyone had arrived, Newt smiled at everyone and pointed at a pile of slender branches beside him, asking, "Does anyone know what these things are?"

Hermione raised her hand abruptly, just like she used to.

Before Newt could call on her, the slender branches on the table suddenly sprang into the air, revealing their true forms. They looked like little elves made of wood, each with brown, bumpy legs and arms. Each hand had two branch-like fingers, and each flat, tree-bark-like comical face featured two big, round, shining brown eyes.

Newt grabbed a handful of things resembling coarse grains from his bag and sprinkled them onto these twig-like animals, which immediately pounced to eat them.

"So—does anyone know the name of these animals? Miss Granger?" Newt asked.

"Tree-Protecting Lofa," Hermione said. "They are the guardians of the trees, usually living on Magic Wand Trees."

Hagrid, standing behind Newt, immediately applauded; his hands were big, and his strength was considerable, making the clapping sound thunderous.

"Five points to Gryffindor." Newt said, lowering his head but unable to hide his admiration, "That’s right, these animals are Tree-Protecting Lofa, Gryffindor got it right. They generally live on trees whose branches can be used to make magic wands. Does anyone know what they eat?"

"Dung beetles," Hermione replied immediately, "and fairy eggs, if they can get them."

"Good child, another five points." Newt lifted his head for the first time, smiling at Hermione.

As a professor, it’s hard to imagine one who wouldn’t like a bright, eager-to-learn child like Hermione—of course, except for that oddball Snape.

"So, if you need to gather leaves or wood from a tree inhabited by Tree-Protecting Lofa, it’s best to prepare some dung beetles as gifts to attract their attention and calm their emotions."

As Newt spoke, he extended his hand, and a small Tree-Protecting Lofa climbed onto his shoulder.

"They don’t look dangerous, but if provoked, they’ll dig into people’s eyes with their fingers—you can see, their fingers are very sharp, not something to play around with if they touch human eyes."

Seeing everyone was curious, Newt laughed and said, "Alright, if you wish to come closer, take some dung beetles, and lead a Tree-Protecting Lofa to examine them more carefully... but in groups of three, as I didn’t prepare too many of them, and I hope each of you completes a sketch by the end of the lesson, marking every part of the Tree-Protecting Lofa’s body."

"Alright, Professor Scamander." The students said in unison.

After dispersing, the students grouped themselves into threes and went to get dung beetles, planning to study the interesting little magical creature.

Harry didn’t plan to join in studying the Tree-Protecting Lofa since he had seen such little creatures before in Vivi’s Magical Creature Room in the Room of Requirement.

Along with Moonstruck Beasts, Fire Dragons, Poison Horned Beasts, and other rare and exotic magical creatures, he didn’t know where Vivi got them from.

"Harry." Newt called out to Harry.

"Professor Scamander." Harry replied politely.

Newt smiled and said to Harry, "Just call me Newt, no need to be so... formal."

"Oh, no way." Harry said with a laugh, "In class I have to address you as professor, that’s the rule."

Newt opened his mouth, thought for a long time, and didn’t know how to respond.

"Did you want something from me?" Seeing Newt still silent, Harry asked.

"Oh, nothing much." Newt smiled, "I heard about what happened yesterday, of course... you don’t need to worry, I still have some small connections at the Ministry of Magic, this will not affect your daily life."

"Fudge already knows?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Of course, Fudge threw a big tantrum over it." Newt chuckled, "You know, he’s been very worried lately that Dumbledore will take his position, but everyone thinks he’s overthinking it. Dumbledore isn’t interested in power. If he wanted to be Minister of Magic, he’d have done it decades ago and wouldn’t have left it to someone like Fudge."

"Maybe he just can’t see his own place." Harry said with a smile.

"Yes." Newt patted Harry’s shoulder, "By the way, has Pabi talked to you about forming a Magical Creature Protection Organization?"

Harry thought for a moment and shook his head, "She actually hasn’t."

"Oh." Newt pondered, "If she talks to you about it, I hope you can support her."

"Of course." Harry gave Newt a curious look, thinking, why wouldn’t I support my girlfriend?

After all, it’s just protecting magical creatures, nothing too significant. It’s been Pabi’s hobby since childhood.

It’s not like she’s trying to protect house-elves...

Thinking of this, Harry turned to look at Hermione, who was having fun with the Tree-Protecting Lofa.

It seemed that ever since being scolded harshly by Kreacher, Hermione no longer mentioned the plight of house-elves.

As the saying goes, "Only a villain can deal with another villain"... Oh, what a sin, thinking like that about Hermione is really unkind.

Harry repented for a moment in his heart.

"Thank you, thank you." Newt kept saying to Harry.

Harry glanced at Newt and said, "No thanks needed, it’s the least I can do, given that Pabi is my girlfriend."

Newt suddenly lifted his head, looking extremely shocked.

He quickly grabbed Harry’s arm, asking in amazement, "Since when! How did I not know! How did I not know!"

Harry was a bit taken aback, as it was the first time seeing Newt like this.

"Uh, during the summer holiday maybe?" Harry asked uncertainly—not because he was uncertain about the time, but about what Newt’s reaction would be upon knowing.

Newt took a deep breath and let go of Harry.

He paced back and forth a couple of steps before looking up and asking, "Does Miss Grindelwald know about this?"