Chapter 128: The Soft Glow Badge
Chapter 128: The Soft Glow Badge
As he stepped out of the greenhouse, Ved looked at the distance between him and the castle and decisively raised his wand, "Summon broomstick!"
A broomstick flew out from the window of the Ravenclaw Tower, arced through the air, and landed steadily beside Ved.
He mounted the broomstick and skillfully flew back to his dormitory.
Previously, Ved had thought that if he were to buy a broomstick, he would definitely get a new one that hadn't been used by anyone else.
Just like how he wouldn't want a used car.
But ever since the three house-elves happily gifted him this broomstick, Ved's perspective changed.
So what if it's a Nimbus 140?
He didn't plan on joining the Quidditch team. As a short-distance transportation tool, an old broomstick could serve the same function as a new one.
This broomstick carried with it sincere and heartfelt intentions. It was far more precious than a competition-grade broomstick worth thousands of Galleons.
Moreover, after Ved received it, he modified the magic attached to the broomstick numerous times. Now, although this broomstick wasn't as fast as the Firebolt series, its stability and comfort were not lacking in the slightest.
Ved quickly took a shower in his dormitory, and just as he finished, the bell rang throughout the castle. He changed into clean clothes and made his way to the Great Hall, where many students were already having lunch.
Ved casually chose an empty seat and had just forked some steak and roasted bread when Michael sat down next to him, as usual.
Ved glanced at him in surprise.
Michael raised an eyebrow, "What?"
He reached for a treacle tart and hesitated between the various roasted meats.
Ved smiled and lowered his eyes, "After what happened today, I thought you'd distance yourself from me."
Michael clicked his tongue.
"Why would I let the words of an enemy drive a wedge between me and my friend? If I were that easily swayed, I would've abandoned you in Herbology class."
"That's true."
Ved nodded, and the subtle worry in his heart dissipated.
Michael, however, glanced at the Slytherin table.
Malfoy was still in a foul mood, barely touching his food. He seemed to have a conflict with someone next to him, as he pushed his plate away and stormed out of the Great Hall.
Crabbe and Goyle seemed like they wanted to follow, but the sight of the food on the table made them stay.
Michael narrowed his eyes.
A bad idea bubbled up in his mind like a gurgling cauldron.
Suddenly, a pretty girl with glowing golden curls walked by, and Michael's gaze was involuntarily drawn to her.
Someone nearby huffed loudly and brushed past Michael, bumping him hard enough that he almost fell into his plate.
Michael was about to explode when he realized that the person who bumped him was Padma.
The girl glared at him with contempt, her eyes like knives. Michael quickly averted his gaze and offered a conciliatory smile.
"Have you eaten, Padma?"
Padma huffed again and turned to leave with her roommates.
Michael awkwardly rubbed his nose.
After Padma left, he couldn't help but glance back at the girl from earlier and was surprised to realize it was Marietta, a third-year student.
A girl who, until now, had rather average looks.
But after a single summer holiday, she had transformed into a stunning beauty with exquisite features.
"Girls really do change suddenly," Michael commented thoughtfully.
"What?" Ved was confused.
"Well..."
Michael was about to say something when he realized it wasn't just Marietta. Many girls in the Great Hall... and even some boys... seemed to have undergone drastic changes since last semester.
Michael touched his sun-tanned face from his recent trip to the beach and felt a little deflated.
"This is so weird," he said to Ved. "Why is it that everyone else is getting more attractive, and I'm just getting darker?"
Ved looked around and suddenly realized something. He asked, "Doesn't your family subscribe to the 'Witch Weekly'?"
"No," Michael replied. "Isn't that mostly read by witches?"
'Witch Weekly' was a magazine that featured celebrity gossip, quizzes, recipes, knitting patterns, and an advice column, making it very popular among witches.
Since Michael's mother was a Muggle, their household only subscribed to the 'Daily Prophet' and some Muggle women's magazines.
"A few days ago, 'Witch Weekly' published an article that might explain what's going on," Ved said.
He pulled out a copy of the magazine from his bag and handed it to Michael.
One of the forms that Ved's pen case could take was that of a school bag, and since it didn't add any weight, he often stuffed it with all sorts of random things and couldn't be bothered to take them out.
Michael took the magazine and looked at Ved curiously. "Ved, do you subscribe to 'Witch Weekly'?"
Ved maintained a neutral expression as he replied, "This is a complimentary copy that was sent to me."
Michael flipped open the magazine and his eyes immediately fell upon several color-contrasted photos. There were witches in their twenties and fifties, a middle-aged wizard with a receding hairline, and a young man with freckles.
It was the same person in both photos, wearing the same clothes and standing in the same spot. In one photo, their complexion was dull and their skin rough, while in the other, they radiated a soft glow, their skin looking smooth and delicate.
He then noticed that it was an article introducing a new product from the Aslan Magic Workshop—the Soft Glow Badge.
Every line in the article seemed to be telling readers that this small badge could instantly give anyone the kind of beauty that rivaled that of Veela.
It even implied that those who didn't wear this badge might lose out on love, confidence, and a harmonious family life.
Wait a minute...
Aslan Magic Workshop? Michael immediately grabbed Ved's arm. "Ved, this isn't one of your inventions, is it?"
Ved nodded. "Why are you so worked up? This is a product aimed at women."
"Who says so!" Michael exclaimed as he spread open the magazine, pointing to the two male witches featured as examples. "See? The pursuit of beauty knows no gender! There are definitely guys in school who are wearing these badges!"
He knew it! Today, Malfoy looked even more refined than usual.
Though the guy was already good-looking, Michael hadn't noticed any obvious differences. But some people had changed so drastically that they looked like they had swapped faces.
"Hmm... so what if some guys are wearing them? What's your point?" Ved shifted his body slightly to the side as he asked.
"You must have some spares on hand, right?" Michael said urgently. "Sell me one! I want it today!"
"No need to buy it; I can just give you one directly. But be aware that it only lasts for a month," Ved said as he fished out a pile of badges from his bag.
With the launch of the new product, Marchioni had sent him a package, just like in the old days, containing not only the magazine but also a bunch of samples. Ved had dumped them all into his bag, not intending to use them.
Michael beamed as he collected the badges. "How can I accept this for free?"
"They're just samples, and I didn't pay for them anyway," Ved said. "But why do you want one? You're already good-looking."
"Well..." Michael winked. "A guy's gotta have his secrets."
(End of Chapter)
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