Chapter 34: A Detective Who Exists Only in Novels

Sherlock’s decision to skip Defense Against the Dark Arts classes made Harry and Ron feel quite envious—they wanted to do the same, but lacked the courage. After all, skipping class leads to warnings, point deductions, and even detention. Even the mischievous Weasley twins didn't dare to be so blatant about it. Faced with his friends' concerns, Sherlock remained entirely indifferent. It was only one class a week, and he had already managed to bluff his way through the first one by claiming leave. If Quirrell tried to deduct points next time, he could always earn them back from other professors. By the time it truly reached the point of detention, he would still have ways to cope.

Compared to the lopsided academic interests of Sherlock, Hermione Granger was undoubtedly a model student in the eyes of every teacher. She was never late and never missed a class. She previewed every lesson in advance, listened attentively, answered questions proactively, and completed her assignments diligently—even in the dull and tedious History of Magic or Defense Against the Dark Arts. That was where she differed from Sherlock. However, they shared one thing in common: they both spent every weekend buried in the library. Sherlock pored over materials to better understand the magical world. Books in Diagon Alley were prohibitively expensive, and now that he had a free resource, he certainly wouldn't let it go to waste. Hermione, on the other hand, was there for her coursework.

The two had known each other before school started, and with this shared routine, their relationship naturally grew closer. During their time together, Sherlock discovered that Hermione was unexpectedly useful. Beyond discussing their studies, Hermione could help him look up information. During the Sorting, Sherlock had learned from the Sorting Hat that Ravenclaw was full of "knowledge bank" types, but since school began, he had been so obsessed with magic that he hadn't had the time to associate with them. He never expected that a "knowledge bank" was right by his side.

A prime example was that he finally learned why Voldemort wanted to deal with Harry. Hermione had tracked down a rumor. Back then, Voldemort had heard a prophecy. Although it was kept secret, the content of the prophecy leaked out after his downfall. The person capable of ending the Dark Lord's reign would be born to a wizarding family at the end of July. Harry was, quite precisely, the one who met those conditions. Although it was just a rumor, looking at the results, the prophecy was remarkably accurate. There were other matters as well that made Sherlock find Hermione increasingly convenient, though those need not be recounted here. In short, their behavior stood in stark contrast to the other little lions who were immersed in adventures. This led some to wonder if the Sorting Hat had made a mistake and that people like them should have been in Ravenclaw.

One day, Hermione woke Sherlock, who was immersed in an ocean of knowledge, as per their routine: "Holmes, we have to go. The library is closing."

"Thank you, Miss Granger."

Hermione had originally considered herself a diligent person, but since getting to know Holmes, she began to feel inferior. He could sit and read for an entire day—never mind eating or going to the bathroom; he didn't even change his posture. The two walked out of the library side by side. After walking for a while, Sherlock suddenly turned to Hermione and said, "It’s fine."

Hermione was startled. "What did you say? What is fine?"

"You have something you want to ask me, don't you? I said it's fine."

"How did you know..." Hermione was shocked. She indeed had something she wanted to say to Sherlock, but she clearly hadn't said a word yet!

"Miss Granger, you may not believe it, but such things are simply self-evident to me. Explanations are just a waste of time, so I suggest you just ask your question directly."

Seeing Sherlock's seemingly impatient expression, Hermione couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed. But Sherlock was not wrong, so she took a deep breath and asked the question that had been bothering her for so long: "At that time... in the Leaky Cauldron, how did you figure out my parents were dentists?"

"That's it?" Seeing Hermione gritting her teeth, Sherlock smiled. "Alright, consider this my thanks for always reminding me when the library is closing. You know that I have developed a habit of deducing through observation—or rather, it is an ability to analyze things using intuition—so when I reach a conclusion, I am entirely unaware of the steps taken to get there. But when you asked, I realized there were indeed certain steps."

Hermione looked at Sherlock intently, waiting for his explanation.

"First, from the way your family dressed, one could infer that your income was quite substantial. Second, the way your parents held the entrance list while discussing it was very specific; it indicated the demeanor of medical professionals. High income combined with this characteristic clearly suggested they were doctors. Furthermore, when they were talking to my parents, they subconsciously glanced at my parents' mouths more than once. Such professional habits are hard to hide, so I deduced they were dentists. This chain of thought took less than a second, which is why I blurted it out. I remember your parents were quite surprised at the time."

After he finished speaking, Hermione’s mouth was slightly agape. She looked at Sherlock in astonishment, not knowing how to react. Every weekend since school started, she had spent time in the library with Sherlock, and their long time together had given her a certain understanding of his deductive abilities. But hearing Sherlock recount the process of judging her parents' identity in one breath still left her stunned.

After a long while, she collected herself and said to Sherlock with admiration: "Listening to your explanation, things really do seem exceptionally simple. I didn't believe it when Potter and Weasley mentioned it before; I never expected that there would truly be someone like Dupin from Edgar Allan Poe's stories in this world."

Sherlock turned his head upon hearing this, fixing Hermione with a curious gaze. The young girl clearly couldn't handle that sharp look and asked uncomfortably, "What is it?"

"You must think that comparing me to Dupin is a compliment." Sherlock sneered. "However, in my opinion, he is not worth praising—having to remain silent for a quarter of an hour before suddenly revealing a friend's inner thoughts; such a trick is truly superficial. Of course, he does have some analytical talent, but he is by no means the extraordinary figure Poe imagined."

Hermione: Σ(｀д′*ノ)ノ

She had been caught by Sherlock. She had indeed thought that comparing the first detective in the history of detective fiction to Sherlock was elevating him, but she never expected to be looked down upon instead. Unconvinced, Hermione couldn't help but ask again: "You must have read Agatha Christie's works, right? What is your assessment of Poirot?"