https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-136-The-Eagle-Who-Values-His-Life/13684867/
Chapter 137: Michael's Revenge
The punishment handed out to the Weasley Twins was clearly not as light as they made it seem. On Tuesday afternoon, when Wade and his classmates exited their Herbology class, they found the twins still cleaning out the pig pen. Dressed in scarves tied over their faces like makeshift masks, they used shovels and broomsticks to clear up the pig excrement, with two large buckets placed nearby.
As Wade passed by, he noticed Percy Weasley standing just outside the pen, face dark with anger. The two seemed to be arguing. Seeing a group of second-year young wizards gathering nearby, Percy’s pale face instantly flushed red. He shouted something sharp at the younger boys before storming off with heavy steps.
The twins shrugged, indifferent, and resumed their work.
Slytherin students snickered nearby, whispering, “Look… just as stinky as ever—those Weasleys are literally soaked in pig manure…”
Wade assumed it was Malfoy speaking—until he glanced up and saw Malfoy walking alone toward the castle, head down, clearly in a foul mood. His two usual henchmen, Crabbe and Goyle, were nowhere in sight. Instead, they were mingling with other Slytherin students, as if they hadn’t even noticed Malfoy’s departure.
“I’ll meet you at the Umbrella Room later,” Michael said, slinging his backpack over one shoulder. With a casual ease, he slipped into a group of Slytherin students. Soon, he had a few girls laughing heartily at his jokes.
Crabbe and Goyle stood at the edge of the circle, their expressions clearly desperate to join in.
Wade glanced sideways. Padma walked beside him, her expression calm and unreadable—she seemed completely unfazed by Michael’s sudden flirtation with the Slytherin girls.
—What are they doing?
Wade couldn’t help but ask.
“Don’t say anything,” Padma whispered, pulling him aside. “Michael’s getting revenge on Malfoy.”
“Revenge… on Malfoy?” Wade blinked, stunned.
He’d thought the incident had ended after Malfoy humiliated Michael, forcing him into detention under Filch’s supervision—the most dreaded punishment for any student. But clearly, Michael wasn’t done.
“You know,” Padma murmured, “Michael’s got a good relationship with the Slytherins. He said he’s going to dismantle Malfoy’s little clique. Make sure he can’t strut around like he’s better than everyone else ever again.”
“…How?” Wade asked. “Won’t he risk being caught? Slytherins don’t forget insults—they remember them for years.”
“He doesn’t care,” Padma said with a smirk. “He’s not spreading lies. He’s not creating rumors. He’s just stating facts.”
She added with a conspiratorial whisper, “Well… he does use a little bit of rhetorical flair. He taps into their own emotions—jealousy, low self-esteem, vanity, anger… you know how it is.”
“Some incidents… just reworded a little… can make people feel uneasy. Spark tension. Create friction.”
“Didn’t you notice? Crabbe and Goyle haven’t been following Malfoy around lately.”
“Before, they were happy to be his lackeys. But recently… they suddenly realized Malfoy’s always looked down on them. Now they’re determined to stand on their own—dignified, strong, respected.”
It was astonishing.
Wade stared in disbelief. “So… he’s brainwashed them?”
Padma giggled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “No. He never insulted Malfoy in public. In fact… he’s been praising him—constantly.”
Wade froze.
“…He’s been praising Malfoy?”
“Exactly,” Padma said, grinning. “He’s told everyone how ‘charming,’ ‘intelligent,’ and ‘naturally superior’ Malfoy is—while quietly pointing out how Malfoy treats his friends like dirt. How he only values them for what they can do for him. How he’s never shown real loyalty… or even basic respect.”
“So… the others start to question things,” she continued. “They begin to wonder: Why do we follow someone who treats us like servants? Why do we let him boss us around?”
“Now, Crabbe and Goyle… they’re finally realizing they’re stronger, bigger, better than Malfoy. And they don’t need to be his shadows to be noticed. Girls actually look at them now—some even smile. They’re not just henchmen anymore. They’re people.”
Wade turned toward the courtyard. Sure enough, a few girls were smiling at the two towering boys—though whether it was genuine warmth or polite amusement, he couldn’t tell.
Crabbe and Goyle, however, were flushed with excitement, stammering out awkward words that only made everyone laugh harder.
Wade muttered, “I wish I knew… how did Michael do it? Did he tell them all Malfoy’s dirty secrets?”
Padma covered her mouth, eyes gleaming. “No. He never said a single bad word about Malfoy in public. He just kept saying how great Malfoy is… while subtly making everyone doubt him.”
—
Padma and her roommate headed back toward the castle, and Wade didn’t bother following Michael’s game any further.
If Malfoy had insulted him directly, Wade would’ve punched him on the spot—problem solved.
But Malfoy had insulted Michael. And Michael hadn’t said a word. Yet the revenge was quiet, relentless, and insidious.
Malfoy had mocked and bullied others before—many times. He’d never expected that a mere half-blood, without family ties or status, could be someone he couldn’t afford to provoke.
Now, Malfoy was being isolated by the very students he once commanded. But he still had no idea why.
Wade turned and walked toward the pig pen.
The Weasley Twins had finally finished cleaning. Fred was spraying disinfectant onto the pen, while George wielded a large brush behind him.
As Wade approached, a thick, pungent stench hit him like a wall. He quickly cast a Bubble-Head Charm, sealing off the foul air.
“Hey, Wade!” Fred pointed at his head. “Give us one too! Otherwise I doubt I’ll be able to eat dinner tonight!”
George made a face, pretending to gag.
In seconds, all three of them had large, spherical bubbles floating above their heads—like their heads were trapped inside giant soap bubbles.
“Thank Merlin!” George sighed in relief. “I can finally breathe!”
Fred corrected him. “Should be ‘thank Wade.’”
“Of course!” George bowed dramatically. “Thank you, Wade. You’ve saved two poor pig-keepers from certain doom!”
Wade frowned. “You two got hit hard this time, huh?”
“Yeah,” Fred said smugly. “We snuck into the Forbidden Forest on Friday night…”
“You know the big thing in there?” George added. “We’ve always wanted to meet it.”
“You mean the Fire Dragon?” Wade asked.
Everyone knew about the Fire Dragon that had appeared last year. It had lived on the Quidditch pitch for weeks before being relocated to the Forbidden Forest—where a protective enchantment ensured it couldn’t harm students. Dumbledore had even warned them during the feast not to enter the forest.
To students, it was a place of legend—haunted by vampires, werewolves, and dragons.
The Weasley Twins, of course, were never the kind to follow rules.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
