Chapter 12. I Actually Refused.
"Was it my fault that they copied my homework?"
"Was it my fault that the teacher found out after I copied it?"
"Was it my fault that I admitted it when the teacher asked who did the homework?"
"Am I supposed to tell the teacher that I was the one who copied the homework?"
"Was it me who begged them to copy it while crying and pleading?"
"When they isolate me now, don't they ever think about who called me their best friend when they begged me to copy their homework?"
"So why do I have to suffer all of this?"
Hermione was very resentful, her puffed-up face turning into a bun, and she couldn't help but roll her eyes every time she complained to Lynn.
But Lynn obviously wasn't listening to the little girl's "plea." He was carefully studying a spell in his second-level spellbook, "Tarantella Dance."
This spell was very interesting. It could make any object with legs dance, even inanimate objects like chairs and tables.
However, the spellbook didn't record the spell's pronunciation or the hand gestures for waving the wand in detail, which made Lynn hesitant to try it.
Professor Fawkes had specifically warned him that miscasting spells could sometimes have very serious consequences, urging him to act according to his abilities.
Lynn only had two points in spellcasting talent, just the average level of a wizard. Even with a spell not much more difficult than the Levitation Charm, he wasn't confident he could cast it without mishaps.
Therefore, he was still only at the theoretical research stage.
However, he had already completed the timed spellcasting task on the third day after returning from Diagon Alley.
As mentioned before, some spells were indeed not difficult; the pronunciation and casting gestures were simple, such as the Flurry Charm, Levitation Charm, and Cleanse Charm. Once you got the feel for the pronunciation and gestures, they were very easy to learn.
Lynn didn't squander the free points reward for completing the task. He hadn't yet decided which area of magic to focus on; he'd save those for later.
"Hmm...yes, so why are you still going to school even though it's summer vacation?"
Lynn flipped through his thick spellbook, her mind mainly focused on studying spells, but she still caught Hermione's complaints.
Speaking of this, Hermione couldn't help but show a proud expression.
"Because my parents' goal for me is to go to St. Paul's Girls' School. What we learn in regular classes definitely isn't enough, so of course I have to go to an intensive summer camp."
At this point, she became indignant again: "Who knew there would be slackers at the summer camp?"
Lynn knew St. Paul's Girls' School; it was arguably the best girls' school in England, producing many famous women and boasting a 100% university admission rate.
Such a school wasn't for those who casually enjoyed "happy education"; it required genuine talent, plus a privileged family background.
In Western countries, classroom teaching is very limited because so much time is spent outside of class, resulting in a very superficial understanding.
So, what if you want to get into a prestigious university?
They have to start working hard from a young age, adding various tutoring classes outside of school, and then trying to get into private or elite secondary schools.
However, tutoring fees and private tutors are too expensive, and private school tuition is even more expensive, almost completely blocking the educational pathways for poor and ordinary families, leaving them only with poorly-regarded public secondary schools and community colleges.
Basically, their fate and that of their children is already predetermined.
Hermione's parents are both dentists, which is a very respectable job in Western countries, and their income is truly middle-class, so sending her to tutoring classes and working hard to get into an elite girls' college is certainly not a problem.
The reason there were still troublesome students in the summer camp she attended was probably because the camp's activities went beyond just tutoring; it offered numerous opportunities to participate in community service activities and had a considerable international reputation.
Some parents with poor grades send their children to such summer camps to "gild" their resumes before sending them to study in the United States.
The admissions process there differs from that in Europe; they don't place much emphasis on academic performance but rather require students to have sufficient "social experience." The basis for judgment is whether your child has a compelling resume that can impress the admissions officers.
For example, in her previous life, Lynn remembered a student in China who was admitted to the prestigious University of Rochester in the United States because of his fervent love for instant noodles.
Of course, academic performance can't be too bad either; it must at least be at an excellent level.
"You don't need to be angry about this at all. Their goals are different from yours, and their future directions are different. After summer camp, you won't have any contact anymore, so there's no need to be friends. You can even beat them up if you're unhappy."
Lynn closed his book and casually put a few wheat kernels into Umaru's bowl, saying meaningfully.
"After all, you have superpowers."
Hermione's attention was already drawn to Umaru, who had run over to eat the wheat kernels. Her eyes lit up, and she was eager to touch its soft fur.
"What difference does it make whether I have superpowers or not? I don't even know how to activate them now."
"Hey."
Hermione's hand was only halfway there when Umaru sensed her intention and jumped onto Lynn's shoulder quickly, clutching the wheat kernels in its hand, not giving her any chance.
"Wow...why is the sound of your hamster so cute?!"
Hermione's girlish heart overflowed, and she couldn't wait to hug Umaru and give it a good rub.
"Maybe it just has a bad voice. What normal hamster would make that sound?" Lynn's habit of fooling the little girl had become ingrained and he couldn't break it.
"Then what's that wooden stick you carry around every day?"
"Do you know pen spinning? I think this wooden stick is easier to spin, and it's great for improving finger dexterity."
As he spoke, the oak wand spun nimbly between Lynn's fingers. If Ollivander knew he was playing with his wand like this, he might strangle him.
"And what about all those books you read? Why do they say things like spells and magic on the covers?"
"Who hasn't been a bit of a chuunibyou? What's wrong with me reading magic books?
You must have fantasized at home about becoming Snow White someday, and having a handsome prince on a white horse come to marry you, right?"
Hermione blushed as if her secret had been exposed, and she angrily tried to grab Lynn's hair.
"I didn't! Don't talk nonsense!"
Lynn laughed and leaned back to dodge, but accidentally fell off his chair. Hermione, on the other hand, laughed gleefully. Lynn's act of fooling the girl was out of necessity.
He didn't know much about the wizarding world, and he wasn't sure if the Statute of Secrecy, which prohibited revealing magical secrets, included prospective wizards like Hermione.
To avoid trouble, he would lie as much as possible, knowing that Hermione would have no such worries after receiving her Hogwarts acceptance letter next year.
Yes… that's right, you have to believe me, Lynn was forced to fool people; deep down, he didn't want to.
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