Chapter 106: Homecoming
Chapter 106: Homecoming
The final week without classes flew by, and the last Quidditch match of the semester was held on the weekend.
Gryffindor, lacking a Seeker, was thoroughly defeated by Ravenclaw. Ravenclaw's Seeker, in particular, leisurely flew around in the sky for a long time until he ensured that Ravenclaw had a significant lead before catching the Golden Snitch.
And so, this year, Ravenclaw finally lifted the Quidditch Cup, leaving Gryffindor seething with frustration but helpless to change the outcome.
However, the house with the highest points overall was still Slytherin—there was no getting around it, as Professor Snape had made an outstanding contribution in this regard.
But at the end-of-term feast, Dumbledore finally awarded house points to those who had ventured into the Chamber of Secrets: twenty points each to their respective houses, and an additional fifty points to Harry Potter. With this, Gryffindor surged to the top, pushing Slytherin down to second place.
The excitement first belonged to Slytherin, and then to Gryffindor, while the Ravenclaw students applauded along—before the points were awarded, they were in third place, and they remained in third place afterward. However, even if they had come in last, Ravenclaw wouldn't have minded.
What mattered more than the color of the hanging ribbons above their heads was the dramatic shift in emotions among the Gryffindor and Slytherin students.
On the teachers' platform, the subtle changes in Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape's expressions seemed to convey a thousand words.
"I still can't quite believe it," Michael whispered to Wade. "Professor Snape isn't a Death Eater! He just looks so much like one..."
"True, but if he were, how could Dumbledore allow him to stay at Hogwarts for so many years?" Wade replied.
...
The day after the end-of-term feast, the exam results were finally posted.
Wade topped the grade, but Hermione took first place in History of Magic and Astronomy. The other SSC members also performed exceptionally well, consistently ranking at the top of their classes.
Of course, to those unaware of the SSC, it seemed that this year's first-year students were all particularly outstanding, and their high scores were distributed relatively evenly across the houses (Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini of Slytherin also achieved high scores). Unlike previous years, most of the top ten students weren't from Ravenclaw.
The students signed the holiday notice pledging not to use magic outside of school, packed their bags, and boarded the Hogwarts Express. Wade, Michael, Theo, and Ryan occupied one compartment, while Hermione was with the Patil sisters, and Harry and Neville were with their dormitory roommates.
"How about coming to my place for the summer holidays?" Michael suggested enthusiastically. "My family lives by the sea, and we can take a boat to the nearby islands."
"Great idea!" Theo replied eagerly. "Let's set a date and have everyone come along. It would be too boring to stay at home for the whole two months."
"What about you, Wade? Do you have time?" Ryan asked.
"I'll be studying alchemy with Professor Flamel, but if I can make time, I'll definitely join you!" Wade smiled. "Even I don't want to spend the entire summer vacation just studying."
"Then wait for my message—and don't forget to check the friend page!" Michael reminded him.
The train pulled into King's Cross Station, and the students disembarked one by one. As soon as Wade stepped off the platform, he spotted Ferdinand and Fiona standing side by side, waiting for him with happy smiles.
His mother gave him a customary hug, while his father helped him with his suitcase.
"Let's go, I've already reserved a table at the restaurant," said Ferdinand as he opened the trunk and stuffed the suitcase inside. Watching him struggle, Wade had an urge to use a Levitation Charm, but then he remembered he was no longer at school and suppressed the impulse.
"Wade, I heard some outrageous rumors at the Leaky Cauldron—"
After they had eaten their fill, Fiona eagerly asked, "Is it true? I mean... about one of your professors being some sort of Dark Lord's puppet... and that your school hides a stone that grants immortality..."
Wade raised his eyes and saw that Ferdinand was also silently watching him.
"The Sorcerer's Stone is real," Wade confirmed. "Mr. Nicolas Flamel and his wife have been alive for six centuries thanks to the Elixir of Life!"
"Oh my!" Fiona exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with wonder. "I've read about him in fantasy novels! I can't believe he's still alive... What must it feel like to be immortal..."
She looked utterly captivated by the idea.
"Well, they can live forever, but they can't stay 'young' forever," Wade said, spreading his hands helplessly, leaving the rest to her imagination.
The romantic image of an immortal, mysterious, and handsome wizard suddenly crumbled in Fiona's mind, replaced by a ghastly vision of a wizened old man with toothless gums and balding hair.
However, the oldest person she had ever met was barely over a hundred... She couldn't even fathom what a six-hundred-and-sixty-year-old person would look like, and her imagination began to drift towards something out of a Cthulhu mythos.
Ferdinand, noticing that Wade had deliberately skipped over certain details, felt a weight settle in his heart.
That evening, after Fiona had gone to freshen up, Ferdinand signaled to his son, and the two stepped out onto the balcony.
"So... is it true, then?" Ferdinand fiddled with a lighter but didn't light a cigarette. "About... the rumors concerning that individual?"
Wade hesitated, unsure if he should reveal the truth to his father.
Ferdinand sensed his hesitation and forced a smile, his heart heavy. "Don't tell me... the truth is even more bizarre than the rumors?"
Wade finally made up his mind. "It's like this—the person who infiltrated Hogwarts wasn't Lord Vo—I mean, the mysterious man's puppet, but the man himself. He didn't truly die; he existed as a spirit and possessed Quirinus."
Mindful of the widespread fear associated with the Dark Lord's name, Wade refrained from uttering it aloud.
Ferdinand's hand shook, nearly dropping the lighter. "H-he... isn't dead?"
His face had gone deathly pale.
"Yes, but he's not very good at hiding. Dumbledore saw through his disguise from the start, so the situation has always been under control..." Wade replied casually. "You've probably heard that Quirinus was defeated by a first-year student, Harry Potter. In reality, it was the mysterious man who failed once again, not Quirinus."
Ferdinand remained silent for a long while. Just as he was about to head back into the living room, the sound of the bathroom door sliding open reached his ears, and he turned back, saying, "Wade—"
"Yeah?"
"Now that you've learned magic... there's no way you can remain an ordinary person... Have you ever thought about..."
Ferdinand seemed to be having difficulty getting the words out.
Wade waited quietly for his father to continue.
"Would you like to go to America? Or Australia?" Ferdinand suggested. "I've heard there's a fine magic school in the States. Perhaps they would accept a transfer student..."
Wade was silent for a moment before replying, "...I'm sorry, Dad."
"Oh well..." Ferdinand sighed. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised."
"But we can prepare in advance," Wade added. "If the situation becomes dangerous in the future, I want you and Mom to move there first."
"You foolish child," Ferdinand said with a helpless smile. "How could we possibly leave you behind and hide in a safe place by ourselves?"
"If I'm in danger, I'll go too," Wade assured him. "You know, wizards can apparate. I plan to master that spell by my second year, which should make escaping a lot easier..."
(End of Chapter)
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