Chapter 487 Regrets Gone with the Wind (Repaying the Debt)

Draco clenched his fists and walked towards Neville aggressively, his eyes flashing with a complex light of anger and confusion. In the narrow box, the tense atmosphere was almost suffocating.

Roger calmly pressed Draco's shoulders and gently picked up the badge of the Jackdaw Magic Society. He didn't say anything, glanced at Neville, and then his eyes fell on the badge.

A black crow perched on a dead branch, holding a bunch of blooming lily of the valley in its beak. The four white petals swayed gently in the breeze, exuding a peaceful fragrance.

This badge not only represents the identity of the Jackdaw Magic Society, but also Neville's efforts and sweat in the past few years.

Three years ago, when the Jackdaw Magic Society was first established, Neville won the respect and recognition of the members with his achievements and talent in herbology.

Although his memory was not stable at that time, he successfully protected the glory of this badge with unremitting efforts and persistence. The blooming lilies of the valley represent his achievements.

However, on this calm day, on the Hogwarts Express, Neville Longbottom suddenly announced his withdrawal from the Magic Society, as if a heavy bomb exploded in the compartment.

Hermione and Daphne sat opposite, staring at Neville in amazement. Their faces were also full of anger, but more of it was confusion and puzzlement about Neville's decision.

Roger took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. His fingers gently stroked the badge, and there was a hint of imperceptible anger in his tone. "Longbottom, what's going on? If you insist on quitting, we at least have the right to know the reason." Although his voice was calm, it could not hide the fluctuations in his heart.

Feeling Roger's sharp sword-like light, Longbottom responded cautiously: "My parents said that I should join Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix, not..."

His voice gradually became low, as if the next words made it difficult for him to speak, especially in front of Slytherin classmates.

"Not what?" Draco asked loudly, his voice full of disdain and anger, "Is it because we are Slytherins and our parents were Death Eaters? Longbottom, you traitor..."

Draco was extremely excited, his fists clenched, as if he would swing at Longbottom opposite in the next second. After a summer of Quidditch training, Draco's physique became stronger, and Longbottom's slightly fat figure seemed a little timid in such a confrontation.

Rogge pulled Draco back forcefully, his voice low and firm: "Draco, you are the prefect, representing the honor of Slytherin. We can't let people from other colleges laugh at us at this time."

His reminder calmed Draco down temporarily. Draco looked at the aisle, the Gryffindor students were curiously watching, and the members of the Weasley family had undisguised laughter on their faces.

He snorted heavily, his fingers tightly grasped the wand, and a spark of revenge flashed in his eyes. He almost wanted to wave his wand and turn the red-haired people outside the door into slugs.

But Roger repeatedly signaled with his eyes, so that he finally restrained his inner impulse. At this moment, keeping calm is more important than anything else.

Roger turned to Neville and read the truth from his self-blaming expression: he quit the Jackdaw Magic Society not out of his own will, but under the order of his parents. Perhaps in the eyes of the Longbottoms, pure-blood wizards from Slytherin are never trustworthy.

The so-called Jackdaw Magic Society may be the predecessor of another dark wizard organization.

His frown gradually relaxed, and a self-deprecating smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. He asked: "Has your stimulation therapy begun to take effect?"

"Yes." Neville nodded, with a hint of relief in his voice: "Professor Dumbledore has provided a lot of help. My parents have returned to their sanity under the spell of love."

"The spell is very effective." Neville continued, with a hint of excitement in his voice, "They can recognize me now, and they can also recognize grandma..."

Then, the voice slowly weakened. His eyes looked at Rogge's calm face from time to time, as if seeking understanding and support.

"Congratulations." Rogge responded calmly, with no anger or disappointment in his tone. "In this difficult era, every strength against Voldemort is precious."

The Dark Lord's name caused the crowd around to scream, and the students outside the door quickly dispersed. Only Harry and his friends stayed, looking forward to what would happen next with a hint of schadenfreude.

"I bet Neville won't quit smoothly." Ron whispered, with a hint of joking in his eyes, "The Jackdaw Magic Society is just like the team once formed by the Dark Lord. Everyone in it will become The evil dark wizard."

His words were full of vicious pleasure: "My father said that the wizarding world in the United States has been involved in the war. The principal should take decisive action to ban this dangerous organization..."

"Ahem." However, his smugness was interrupted by a deep cough. Professor McGonagall stood behind them, her lenses flashing with a dazzling white light.

As the accompanying teacher on the train this year, she shoulders the important responsibility of protecting Harry and other students. Her stern eyes hidden behind square glasses made Harry and his friends flee back to their box like frightened rabbits.

She had learned about Neville's withdrawal from the Jackdaw Magic Society in the past few days. After the Longbottoms regained their senses, they showed great concern for all Neville's affairs.

When they learned of Neville's romance with a Veela, they enthusiastically praised their son's courage and defiance of the pure-blood ideal. However, when they discovered that the organizer of the Jackdaw Magical Society was actually the son of a Death Eater, they sternly demanded... no, ordered Neville to quit.

As key members of the Order of the Phoenix, the Longbottoms hoped that Neville could become Professor Dumbledore's reliable partner and comrade-in-arms just like them.

Especially considering that their son was still in Gryffindor and living in the same dormitory as the "Boy-Who-Lived" Harry Potter, they immediately realized the implications.

This is no coincidence, but a careful arrangement by the principal. However, during his four years at Hogwarts, Neville not only failed to become Harry's best friend, but instead stood against Harry under the influence of the Jackdaw Magical Society.

The Longbottoms were determined not to allow their son to be corrupted by pure-blood ideas. They hoped that Neville would stand unwaveringly in the Order of the Phoenix's camp just like they did.

After a long time, Neville finally got the love of his parents. Although it was difficult, he agreed to their request. As soon as he boarded the train, he applied to withdraw from the Jackdaw Magic Society.

Rogge stared at the badge he designed and sighed deeply: "Longbottom, Jackdaw Magic Society is free." He only called the other party by his last name, and there was a hint of alienation in his tone.

"I wish the lily of the valley above could bloom in full." As he spoke, he smiled and clenched the badge, and the power gradually increased in his hand.

In the silent carriage, a sharp cracking sound suddenly sounded, and the badge shattered into countless pieces in his palm.

"Since you have applied, I will naturally agree." He spread his palm, and the image of the jackdaw had disappeared, leaving only broken branches.

The lily of the valley swayed gently on it, making a crisp sound, but at this moment, the sound sounded unusually dull. Rogge put the fragment in front of Neville and said in a low voice: "Goodbye, Longbottom."

Neville's eyes were filled with tears. He stared at the lily of the valley and his body trembled involuntarily. He felt that he had made a big mistake. He should not blindly listen to his parents and should not quit the Jackdaw Magic Society. His heart was full of contradictions and pain, and he deeply regretted his decision.

However, the matter was done, and nothing could be reversed.

He woodenly held up his lily of the valley, his heart filled with endless regret and pain. His mind replayed every moment he had spent in the Jackdaw Magic Society: studying together, playing with friends, and even the embarrassing moment of being hung upside down on the ceiling.

Everything was so clear, as if it happened yesterday. However, these precious memories are now out of reach, although their images are becoming more and more vivid in his mind.

He tried to say something, but his throat seemed to be blocked by something, and he could only choke silently. Under Draco's angry gaze, Neville picked up his luggage and walked out of the carriage step by step, and every step seemed to tear his heart apart.

Professor McGonagall witnessed all this, and she gently patted Neville on the shoulder, trying to give him some comfort. She was angry at the paranoid behavior of the Longbottoms. In her opinion, they were too controlling, forcing their son to follow the same path just because they were members of the Order of the Phoenix.

How is this different from those wizards who are full of pure-blood ideas?

Although Professor McGonagall felt sympathy for Neville's situation, the incident had already happened. Once Neville said he would quit the Jackdaw Magic Society, it was irreversible. Throughout the process, Roger did not say anything to keep him, nor did he even show any anger.

He just crushed Neville's badge and let Neville leave freely as he wished.

Roger's body leaned back slightly and leaned against the partition of the carriage. He remained silent, and no one knew what he was thinking.

His silence may be respect for Neville's decision, or acceptance of the unchangeable facts, or deep thinking about the future. In any case, the Jackdaw Magic Society lost their herbalist.

The whistle was carried by the cold wind outside the window, turning into a horizontal white mist. They then dispersed and turned into water vapor in the wind. The Hogwarts Express still moved forward unswervingly, just like when it was first placed on the rails, never changing.

Roger stared at the rapidly receding scenery outside the window, and his mother Jessica's words suddenly emerged in his mind: "The style of this train may be a little outdated, but it carries the beautiful imagination of the magical world of every child who steps on it."

At this moment, he deeply felt the weight of history carried by this train. It was so real and so kind. Countless people set off here and embarked on their own magical journey.

It carried Dumbledore and Tom Riddle... Its passengers laughed and played on it. Perhaps there were wizards like Neville who left their clubs in quarrels.

But no matter what happened, the express train always moved forward, some people got on the train, some got off the train, but all this would not affect its mission.

As the sky gradually darkened, the sunset sank behind the mountains, but left a rose-red afterglow on the ground. Roger looked at this charming brilliance and the approaching Hogwarts Castle, and a complex emotion surged in his heart.

This train, this school, this magical world, no matter how many storms it has experienced, is always so charming and so desirable.

Roger exhaled gently, and the depression and anger in his heart seemed to be discharged from his body along with the turbid air. He felt that his mind became more open, and he only felt a little regretful about Neville's withdrawal from the club.

The help he had given before became more of a gift between friends. If it happened again, Roger would not crush Neville's badge, but return it to him with a smile. Now, he would not regret it.

"Madam, please stop for a moment." Roger stopped the salesperson with a friendly smile on his face, "Can you give us some cauldron cakes, fruity soda and multi-flavored beans?"

"Rog, are you okay?" Hermione and the others looked at him worriedly, not understanding why the originally gloomy Roger suddenly became so happy.

"Don't worry." Roger patted Hermione's head skillfully, distributed snacks to everyone in the carriage, and did not forget to tease: "If Mr. Theodore could be more generous, how could we lack soda to drink."

After many years, he picked up the multi-flavored beans again. Unfortunately, the first one tasted like vomiting. Of course, Roger did not swallow it, but spit it out immediately.

But this time, he did not give up, nor did he blame the manufacturer for being irresponsible. He picked up another bean and put it in his mouth without hesitation, chewing it, as if he was savoring the diversity and uncertainty of life.

"Strawberry flavor." His mouth curled up, revealing a happy smile on his face. "No wonder everyone likes Bibi Multi-Flavor Beans. Try it now, maybe your luck is worse than mine."

There was a kind of light-hearted humor in his words, which gradually made the atmosphere in the carriage lively. Neville's withdrawal from the magic club was gradually accepted by everyone and was no longer a heavy burden.

As a freshman, Ariana stood awkwardly next to Roger and others. She looked at the castle that turned into a black silhouette in the distance, and her heart was full of uneasiness and anxiety.

"Let's take a boat." Hermione took Ariana's hand and ran straight forward, excitedly turning back and shouting: "I can take a boat to school for the second time."

Her enthusiasm and excitement infected the people around her. Everyone smiled helplessly, guessing that she would be driven back by Wilhelmina, the professor of the Care of Magical Creatures class who led the team.

"Strange, where is Hagrid?" Daphne suddenly thought of something, looked around and said: "He used to lead the team." There was a hint of doubt in her tone.

"That stupid big guy might be kicked out of school." Malfoy muttered in a low voice. He never approved of Hagrid and even looked down on him.

Roger smiled. Although he did not fully approve of Malfoy's attitude, he also felt that Hagrid was not suitable to be a professor.