Chapter 133: Invitation
A message chimed from the Book of Friends.
Theo opened the Vanishing Cabinet, and through the door, he saw Wade—his hair plastered to his forehead with sweat, his face drawn with exhaustion.
“What happened?” Theo reached out to steady him. “You look like you’ve just fought a Fire Dragon.”
“Honestly,” Wade said, “I’d rather face a Fire Dragon.”
Occult magic—Legilimency—seemed to be purely about mind or brain, but during Resistance, Wade had felt every muscle in his body being violently strained. By the time practice ended, he ached from head to toe.
Theo stared, stunned. “You’re telling me you’re already strong enough to fight a Fire Dragon?”
“No,” Wade sighed. “I mean… if it were a Fire Dragon, I’d run like hell.” He gave a dry laugh. “But this… this punishment? I brought it on myself.”
They tidied up their things for departure. As Wade passed by, his eyes caught Theo’s parchment—his detailed notes.
The Vanishing Cabinet had been improved, and every test since had succeeded. Even though this final result didn’t require comparison or analysis, Theo had still recorded it meticulously. There was no sign he was planning to discard it anytime soon.
Just like in Potions class.
Even though Theo wasn’t skilled in potions, his precision and attention to detail were unmatched.
After more than a year together, Wade had come to understand his friends deeply.
Michael—sharp and perceptive—seemed carefree on the surface, but was, in fact, clever and far-seeing. Wade often thought Michael was far more intelligent than he let on.
Liam was quiet, but always quietly watching over those around him, solving problems without fanfare. Whenever the dummies in the Umbrella Room broke down, or a crab went haywire, it was always Liam who slipped in and fixed it.
Michael’s voice echoed in Wade’s mind.
“Theo,” Wade said as they stepped through the door. “Starting tomorrow, we’ll begin learning the Stunning Spell.”
“Great!” Theo grinned. “Finally, a new spell! Shield Charm and Disarming Charm are already old news—we’ve all been itching to learn something powerful.”
“Learning isn’t the same as mastering,” Wade paused. “But if you can master these three—Shield, Disarming, and Stunning—you’ll be a real combat-ready wizard.”
He hesitated, then added: “If we can all learn the Stunning Spell by next Friday… then me and you, plus Michael and Liam—let’s do a Society Activity this Saturday.”
Theo blinked, surprised. “Just the four of us?”
“Yes,” Wade said firmly. “Just us.” He paused, then added, “The activity… well, it’s not exactly something nice. If you don’t want to join, you don’t have to.”
“…I understand.” Theo’s expression grew serious. He heard the hesitation in Wade’s voice—the pull between wanting them to come along… and wanting to keep them out.
Theo smiled easily. "No matter what the others say, I'm definitely going. Is there danger?"
“Not now,” Wade said. “The danger lies ahead… tied to that name we can’t speak.”
Theo’s eyes widened. “The Dark Lord… he’s back at school?”
“No,” Wade said. “Not exactly. If things go well, we might not have to do anything at all.”
“You’re killing me with curiosity,” Theo said. “Can’t you tell me more?”
“Some secrets,” Wade said quietly, “can’t be spoken—neither now… nor in the future.”
…
Back in the dormitory, Wade found a whole coconut sitting on the table. He laughed.
Coconut water—refreshing, sweet, and full of nutrients. Zoe and the others must’ve thought he needed a quick boost.
After rinsing his mouth and brushing his teeth, the exhaustion pulled him into deep, restful sleep.
Over the next few days, the SSC began practicing the Stunning Spell. Theo and the others put in extra effort, and Harry, too, lingered until the very end before leaving.
But his reason wasn’t just practice. The Umbrella Room was the only place where he could be absolutely certain he wouldn’t run into Lockhart or Colin Creevey.
Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, ever the self-centered showman, assumed Harry shared his craving for attention. Every word he spoke made Harry feel awkward, as if he wanted to vanish into the floor.
And Colin Creevey? He kept “accidentally” bumping into Harry—multiple times a day—always wanting to take his photo. The constant, relentless admiration felt less like friendship and more like stalking.
So Harry stayed in the Umbrella Room as much as possible, seeking peace.
Michael asked Wade privately, “Why not invite Harry? You know… he literally burned the Dark Lord to ash.”
“No,” Wade said, brushing it off. “Even if he’s the boy who lived, spending too much time near that person isn’t safe.”
He paused, then added, “If we’re afraid to say the name, why not give him a nickname?”
“A nickname?”
“Call him Tom,” Wade suggested.
“Tom?” Michael’s eyes lit up. “The owner of The Leaky Cauldron?”
Then he grinned. “Wait—you mean Tom and Jerry, the Muggle cartoon? I’ve seen a few episodes… secretly.”
He leaned in, stretching the idea. “So… the Dark Lord is like Tom—the big, powerful cat… but always getting outsmarted by a little mouse. And we’re the mice—Jerry, I guess?”
He paused, slightly confused. Ravenclaw’s symbol was the eagle. He couldn’t quite picture himself as a mouse.
But then he imagined Voldemort as a perpetually failing blue cat… and suddenly, the image made sense.
He pictured the Dark Lord’s terrifying presence twisted into the bumbling, overconfident Tom, getting tricked again and again. The absurdity burst out of him—he laughed.
Wade smiled too.
He’d never planned to include Harry.
Because this time, they weren’t facing Voldemort himself—only a Horcrux.
This was something that could be handled quietly.
If Harry were pulled in, and Voldemort ever returned, he could potentially learn this secret from Harry’s mind—exposing everyone else to a deadly risk.
Wade just wanted his friends to know what he was doing, and to be ready to help if needed.
Not to drag them into a suicide mission.
…
A week passed in a blur.
On Monday and Wednesday, Wade served two more detentions with Professor Sprout.
Detention wasn’t a reward—it was punishment for breaking school rules.
So the first hour was spent on actual lessons. The second, on chores: fertilizing, transplanting, weeding, pollinating.
Each detention left Wade exhausted, sore in every muscle—but also wiser.
On his way back to the castle, he heard Malfoy’s voice, sharp and sneering:
“I’m not a servant! If my father finds out you made me do this, he’ll have you kicked out of school!”
(End of Chapter)
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