Harry Potter: The Bard of Hogwarts

Mid-June, the evening breeze carried a hint of coolness.

Ino walked alone along the winding cobblestone path, carrying a suitcase.

This was the path from the castle to Hogsmeade.

Even though it was only a half-hour walk, he took over an hour to traverse it.

There was no other reason; he simply wanted to take it slow.

Whether it was the pace of life or the passage of time, everything had already moved too quickly.

Perhaps slowing down a bit was a true luxury and enjoyment.

...

Approaching Hogsmeade.

The air was filled with the sweet scent of candies and the fresh smell of herbs. It was obvious that the Honeydukes had been experimenting with new sweets again.

On the main street, the shops on either side were vibrant with colors. Through the windows, various magical tools and fashionable items were on display.

Although these shops were all open for business, they lacked the commercial atmosphere of Diagon Alley, giving off more of a calm and relaxed village store vibe.

This was probably one of the reasons people loved Hogsmeade.

Finding peace amid the chaos, seeking tranquility in the midst of turmoil.

Ino leisurely made his way back to his cottage.

Cottage—when he first connected it to the Floo Network, he gave it this cozy name for convenience.

Country, a warm little house.

Pushing open the door, Ino went straight to his room on the second floor.

After continuously casting cleaning and dusting spells, the room was restored to its former state.

He opened the window, letting the remnants of the sunset spill into the room.

By the window, Ino leaned back on a recliner, casually opening the forbidden book copied by Lina—The Techniques of the Killing Curse.

Simple, efficient, a one-hit kill.

The Killing Curse, despite being labeled as the ultimate dark magic by the world, undeniably had its uniqueness. Moreover, this magic was more about intimidation than actual combat use.

To be honest, he had wanted to learn about the Killing Curse for a long time, but the rules had always held him back.

After all, every move within the castle was under the old headmaster's control; there was no way the most important restricted section would be overlooked.

But now, everything was easier. Thanks to Lina, much of the knowledge sealed off due to danger was no longer forbidden to him.

...

Time passed by in a flash.

In the blink of an eye, it was the third day of the holiday.

After two days of rest and shopping, Ino had stored a considerable amount of supplies in his suitcase and had temporarily left Fide inside.

Based on previous patterns, it was almost time to enter a fantasy story again.

Although he didn't know which story would be activated this time, the presence of the Phoenix would undoubtedly save a lot of trouble.

On the dawn of the fourth day of the holiday, Ino woke up with a start.

Without any hesitation, he grabbed the suitcase from under his bed, and then his entire being vanished from the room.

...

Middle-earth.

The Third Age, 3015.

The Shire, home of the Hobbits.

Bilbo was idly smoking his pipe in Bag End. The ring had been taken away by his nephew Frodo, who had also left with Gandalf.

His youthful adventures had accidentally led him to acquire the ring, and now almost a hundred years had passed.

"It's good that it's gone. Everything here was meant to be inherited by Frodo anyway."

Bilbo took a deep draw from his pipe, the rich flavor of the Shire's tobacco momentarily making him forget his worries.

"Bang~ Bang Bang!"

But before he could enjoy the moment, the annoying knocking on the door started again.

"Leave me alone! I've already said I'm not going to any more parties, and don't come to visit! You're not welcome!"

Bilbo shouted impatiently.

Over the years, he preferred to shut himself in Bag End, living a nearly isolated life rather than forming any new relationships.

In a century's time, he had seen too many friends and relatives pass away. He was long tired of the pain of parting.

But this time, the person knocking seemed persistent.

The continuous knocking made Bilbo irritable, even the pipe in his hand couldn't bring him peace.

"Riding Barrel-Thief, are you going to open the door or not? If not, I'm leaving!"

Riding Barrel-Thief! Hearing these familiar titles, and the familiar voice, Bilbo even let the pipe slip from his hand without noticing.

"Bang!"

The elderly figure jumped down from the chair and quickly ran to the door with surprising speed.

He opened the door! The image from deep in his memory overlapped with the figure before him.

Bilbo's eyes became slightly moist.

"My old friend! I've missed you. It's been too long since I've seen you, too long!"

After 45 years, Ino once again arrived in the Shire, at Bag End.

"I've missed you too! So I've come back, and I've brought fireworks and new stories with me!"

...

Under the night sky, the Shire remained as peaceful as ever.

The gentle breeze was just like that night 45 years ago when he left.

In Bag End, the faint candlelight cast a warm glow.

Bilbo sat in the chair, his old, wrinkled face showing joy.

"You wouldn't believe what's happened over the years. Ever since you left, everyone calls Gandalf the bungling fireworks master because his fireworks... cough cough."

It seemed that speaking too quickly made Bilbo cough suddenly.

"Anapneo!"

Ino waved his wand and also took out two bottles of packaged grass juice from his suitcase.

"Old buddy, slow down!" He opened a bottle and handed it to Bilbo, while gently patting his back with the other hand.

"Drink some water first, don't rush..."

"I'm not rushing! I'm just too happy!" Bilbo drank the beverage while explaining himself.

Seeing Bilbo gradually calm down, Ino voiced his confusion.

"Aunt Julia... never mind, where's Lily? I saw no one in the room when I came."

"Ah!" Bilbo sighed.

"What happened to her?" Ino asked calmly.

But the fleeting sharpness in his eyes didn't escape Bilbo's notice.

"Don't misunderstand, Lily is fine, she just doesn't live in the Shire now."

Bilbo quickly explained, and then mentioned the reason for his sigh.

"The year after you left, Aunt Julia didn't make it through the winter. Lily and I buried her under a grapevine..."

As Bilbo spoke, Bag End fell into silence.

Through the candle on the table, in the weak flame, Ino seemed to see the scene from 45 years ago again.

An old, thin figure holding an oil lamp in one hand and leading young Lily with the other, standing quietly in the outer city of Minas Tirith.

Time ticked away.

"Let it go, Aunt Julia was already very old."

Bilbo broke the silence. No one understood the feeling better than him.

Over the years, he had experienced too much.