Although the process had been somewhat bumpy, Malfoy eventually reintegrated into campus life as though nothing had happened.
Only occasionally, when he lay on his bed in the dormitory and stared at the ceiling, did he still feel somewhat unaccustomed to this peaceful routine.
For him, this was a rare period of peace and quiet after several months.
Neither his earlier survival in the wilderness nor his later time dancing with wolves had allowed him to get enough quality sleep. He had needed to remain highly vigilant at all times.
Things were much better now.
Hogwarts was arguably the safest place he had ever been. It was where he slept most soundly and experienced the most relaxing period of his life.
After such an intense period of activity, the sudden change in pace left him feeling somewhat lost.
When was the last time he had attended classes and left school according to a regular, structured schedule?
Malfoy's memory was somewhat hazy.
He had not been attending classes properly since the Triwizard Tournament had begun.
The weekend arrived, and Malfoy was in the library, helping Pansy with her revision.
Calling it tutoring was merely a euphemism. In reality, she was simply controlling an extra quill that floated in front of her.
Whenever Pansy had a question, she would tap the parchment, then use the quill to scribble an answer.
"Salamander blood can be used to make enhancement potions, but be careful. Its colour is similar to pomegranate juice, while salamander blood has a distinctly pungent smell."
It seemed that Pansy was currently revising Potions.
Malfoy himself was leaning against a bookshelf, manipulating a tool as he drew something on a sheet of parchment.
If someone managed to approach him from behind, they would discover that he was working on a map.
Apart from the absence of the small black dots that represented people's names, its level of detail was identical to that of the Marauder's Map.
Numerous locations had been circled and annotated.
An invisible trajectory, following a particular outline, surrounded the entirety of Hogwarts.
A large section of the Forbidden Forest had been coloured black.
The surrounding area was also dotted with scattered ink marks that had been added by hand.
As Malfoy continued sketching, the parchment somehow transformed into a book with pages that could be turned.
He pretended to turn a page.
The title displayed on it was:
How to Maintain a Broom.
"I want you to teach me personally."
Pansy had somehow approached him from behind without his noticing. She looked at him expectantly.
She occasionally peeked at the book he was reading. After seeing its title, however, her expression became rather disappointed.
"I am teaching you personally. I'm controlling the quill for you."
"But you aren't even looking at me."
"All right."
Malfoy sighed.
The plan he had been developing in his mind was almost complete. It would not take much longer; he only needed to work out the finer details.
Having a plan was one thing. Carrying it out was another.
Thinking about the enormous workload ahead of him made him feel somewhat depressed.
If Lord Voldemort had not arranged for him to return to school, Malfoy would never have wanted to undertake these tasks.
"If you finish your studies, would you like to go to Honeydukes with me?"
He suddenly glanced at Pansy.
"Really?"
Her enthusiasm ignited instantly.
Going to Honeydukes?
Is this a date?
The thought flashed through Pansy's mind.
In order to "go on a date," she began her tedious tutoring session with renewed determination.
Although the knowledge was something Malfoy had already learned, he did not consider tutoring Pansy a waste of time.
This was true from the perspective of both their relationship and their studies.
The former went without saying.
As for the latter, the difference between passively receiving knowledge and actively explaining it could be refined further through the process of teaching.
To explain something clearly, one had to possess a deep understanding of the subject.
Reviewing the old while learning something new made perfect sense.
Simply reciting information from a textbook would only mislead students.
"Whether it's for the examination or for your own sake..." Malfoy said patiently.
"All right, I know."
Pansy tilted her head while holding her quill somewhat perfunctorily.
Just as the girl was working hard to prepare for her examinations, another girl was also seeking a teacher's help in pursuit of her own goal.
"Professor McGonagall?"
Hermione stood outside the office door, feeling slightly nervous. She gently knocked.
"Come in, Miss Granger."
Professor McGonagall sat in the carved chair behind her desk, wearing her old-fashioned glasses and reading Transfiguration Today. She glanced towards the slightly open door and waved her hand.
A row of quills floated in the air, rapidly correcting the parchment scrolls spread across the desk.
It had to be admitted that such an arrangement was extremely convenient.
"You performed very well in this examination," Professor McGonagall remarked as she closed her magazine and looked at the student before her.
"However, you still need to help your two friends more, especially Ron. I suspect he doesn't pay attention in class at all, so you need to keep a closer eye on both of them."
"Ron, in particular, is a perfect example of someone who is far from perfect."
"All right. I will."
Hermione seemed somewhat distracted.
"Are you hungry? Have a few biscuits."
Professor McGonagall was still very kind outside the classroom, particularly towards her favourite students.
She handed Hermione a decorated tin box.
"Professor..."
Hermione did not accept it. She seemed to want to say something but hesitated.
She had not come here simply to take advantage of her teacher's hospitality.
Professor McGonagall's expression became serious.
"That sort of hesitation doesn't sound like my student. Nor does it sound like a Gryffindor."
"I want to learn how to become an Animagus."
Hermione took a deep breath and quickly revealed the purpose of her visit.
"Most Animagi are not particularly capable in combat, and learning the skill consumes a great deal of time, especially under the current circumstances... You also need to prepare for your examinations."
Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow, then spoke patiently.
"May I ask why?"
McGonagall scrutinised Hermione.
Hermione pursed her lips and remained silent.
"Forget it. I believe you won't do anything that violates school rules. If Potter and Weasley come to me with the same request, however, I'll really have to think about it."
"Remember to keep this a secret. I won't report it."
McGonagall sighed.
Clearly, the Ministry of Magic would not allow such matters to go unchecked anytime soon.
Even if the matter were reported, Hermione would have to fill out numerous forms and submit an application, with no guarantee that it would be approved.
Especially under the current circumstances.
Judging from Hermione's expression, McGonagall could tell that the girl was not entirely satisfied. She might even report the matter, which could prevent Hermione from continuing her studies.
Everyone had their own secrets, and McGonagall believed Hermione should understand her limits.
She did not object to students learning more, particularly during such extraordinary times.
Although Animagi generally had limited combat ability, they possessed excellent stealth capabilities.
It was very likely that another registered Animagus would soon appear.
"Thank you, Professor."
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. She had been afraid that Professor McGonagall would reject her.
"But..."
Learning to become an Animagus was a very lengthy process.
"I'll only be going home for two days during my summer holiday," Hermione quickly added.
"I have travel plans for the summer, Miss Granger."
Professor McGonagall suddenly adopted a serious expression.
"Well..."
For a moment, Hermione failed to realise that it was a joke and was left at a loss for words.
She immediately began thinking about her lessons.
"Just kidding."
Professor McGonagall's stern expression softened. Her withered hand reached out and gently brushed Hermione's slightly messy brown hair to one side.
The old professor had been joking.
Under the current circumstances, how could she possibly be in the mood to travel?
She had lost her husband early in life and was now alone. She spent most of her summer holidays at school, let alone during such a stressful period.
"That's good. You can focus on preparing for your examinations now."
"I would love to see you achieve twelve Outstanding grades. If you miss even one, you won't be allowed to continue learning."
Professor McGonagall put on her stern teacher's expression.
"All right..."
Hermione answered hesitantly.
Agreeing too readily would make her seem rather immodest.
Besides, achieving twelve Outstanding grades was genuinely difficult.
I hope it's a small animal, Hermione thought secretly.