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Chapter 22: The Umbrella Room and the SSC
Chapter 22: The Umbrella Room and the SSC
Quidditch brooms occupied Ved's thoughts all day, even as he retired to his dormitory to sleep. That night, he dreamed of soaring through the skies on his broomstick, free as a bird. He flew over Hogwarts Castle, the Quidditch pitch, the Forbidden Forest, and the Great Lake.
He swooped over the grounds, gliding through the corridors of the castle as onlookers gazed up in awe. Michael hung half-dead on the stairs, his eyes dull with exhaustion. But Ved soared far above those dreaded stairs, drawing a graceful arc in the air before effortlessly gliding through a window and landing softly on his bed.
Upon waking, Ved still felt the lingering sense of freedom from his dream and stared wistfully at the ceiling, unable to fall back asleep.
However, first-year students weren't allowed to bring brooms to school, and a Nimbus 2000 cost at least a thousand Galleons...
Grey's father, Ferdinand, owned a toy factory that exported its products to America, making them relatively wealthy among Muggles. Ved had a generous allowance for snacks and other expenses, but there was no way he could ask his parents for a thousand Galleons for something akin to a toy.
Ved couldn't help but wish for financial independence.
If he were in the Muggle world, he could quickly accumulate wealth by leveraging his knowledge of the future. But how could a student at a boarding school make money? Ved's imagination ran wild.
...
Saturday was a full day off, and when Ved arrived at the practice room in the morning, he found that Hermione had already beat him there.
Among the group, Hermione spent the most time in the practice room. Sometimes, Ved opted to stay in the Ravenclaw common room or his dormitory to read instead of going downstairs, but Hermione spent almost all her free time in the practice room. Ved could tell that aside from Neville, the girl didn't have a single friend in Gryffindor House, and her relationship with the other girls in her dormitory didn't seem harmonious either.
The other girls always moved in packs, going to classes, eating, and even using the restroom together, but Hermione was always alone.
However, Ved didn't encourage her to get along with her peers. Emotional intelligence was something innate, and Ved himself wasn't the type to schmooze and mingle. He didn't like compromising himself to please others.
But today, the girl was unusually not studying. Instead, she was banging and clattering as she hung something on the wall.
"What's that?" Ved asked, moving closer to inspect.
On the rectangular wooden board were simple patterns and a line of cursive writing.
"Umbrella Room?" Ved's expression turned odd as he thought of the Umbrella Corporation, a company that created bioweapons and destroyed the world in a video game.
"Yes," Hermione hammered in the last nail and said, "There are many practice rooms, but this is the only one that belongs to us. I think it should have a special name so that when others hear us mention the 'Umbrella Room,' they won't know what we're talking about."
"Okay," Ved wasn't too concerned about such trivial matters. He took a book from the shelf, sat down, and began working on yesterday's Herbology homework.
The practice room—or the Umbrella Room, as it was now called—had undergone significant changes since they first started using it. Each of them had staked out their own space along the walls, with bookshelves lining the walls and their desks surrounded by their personal touches.
Hermione's shelf was filled with books, several of which were borrowed from the library and not yet returned. She also had a thick stack of brand-new parchment, two bottles of ink, and seven or eight quills—she went through these supplies quickly. Given the higher price of parchment, Hermione usually took notes in a notebook she had bought from a Muggle shop. The Granger family wasn't lacking in funds, but the girl had a frugal streak in her personality, and she didn't waste money where it wasn't necessary.
Ved's shelf held his textbooks and all the notes he had organized so far.
Michael's area was much more extravagant, adorned with an array of items such as perfume, mirrors, gift boxes, and chocolates. A poster of a Quidditch star was plastered on the wall, along with a model of a fire-breathing dragon, half-eaten cookies from the day before, and a collection of badges from unknown sources. Michael was living proof that not every Ravenclaw was obsessed with studying.
Theo, a Hufflepuff, was a favorite of Professor Sprout and particularly skilled in Herbology. His shelf displayed two rows of tiny flower pots, each containing plants he had cultivated himself, including common varieties like white moss, mint, marjoram, and yarrow. On his desk sat a potted Mimbulus mimbletonia, a plant that resembled diseased internal organs, covered in pimple-like growths that spewed viscous, putrid liquid at passersby. To avoid accidental injuries, Theo had placed a hemispherical glass cover over it.
Neville adored Theo's setup and wanted something similar, but due to his limited allowance, he could only afford a pitiful three or four flower pots. He had also prepared some fertilizer, which everyone insisted must be kept in a corner of the Umbrella Room to prevent it from affecting their breathing.
Ryan excelled in Herbology as well, but his true passion was Astronomy. His desk featured a set of planetary models, with the larger and smaller planets slowly revolving around the central sun. Additionally, Ryan had collected various feather quills and inks of different colors, neatly arranged on his bookshelf.
The rest of the group gradually arrived at the Umbrella Room, and they all praised the new name for the practice room. Michael even banged on the table to express his admiration for Hermione's clever idea.
Despite knowing that this guy was just habitually flattering females, Hermione still blushed with delight.
Setting down his bag, Theo said, "I think not only should our practice room have a new name, but we should also have a name for our group, something that signifies us as a united team."
"Yes," Ryan nodded in agreement. "If we keep thinking in terms of 'I'm a Hufflepuff,' 'he's a Ravenclaw,' or 'you're a Gryffindor,' there will always be a divide between us. We should be a collective that transcends house affiliations."
"Suddenly, this feels so official!" Michael exclaimed excitedly. "So, what should we call ourselves? Ved?" He turned to his friend for suggestions.
Caught off guard by the sudden attention, Ved stammered, "Um... After-School Tutoring Interest Group?"
"You might as well not give any suggestions," Michael said expressionlessly as he turned away. "Hermione?"
"Um..." Hermione, for some reason, felt a bit nervous. "Magic Lovers Club?"
Michael sighed. "Hermione, how is that any different from Ved's After-School Tutoring Interest Group? What about you, Neville?"
Neville mumbled, "I... I can't think of anything right now."
"Theo?"
Theo suggested, "How about the Sunflower Club? Sunflowers symbolize hope, sunshine, loyalty, determination, and growth. It's perfect, don't you think?"
"Hmm..."
Michael began to ponder.
Indeed, in every sense, it was quite fitting. But for some reason, it felt a bit plain. If he were to come up with a name himself, he couldn't think of a better one either.
"Ryan?" Michael looked to the last person, deciding that if he didn't have a better idea, they would go with the Sunflower Club.
Playing with the planetary model on his desk, Ryan thought for a while before suggesting, "What about 'Starry Sky Chasers,' abbreviated as SSC?"
Michael applauded vigorously, exclaiming, "Cool!"
(End of Chapter)
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