Chapter 22: Umbrella Room and SSC

The entire day, even after returning to the dormitory and falling asleep, Wade’s mind remained fixated on the Flying Broomstick. That night, he dreamed of soaring through the sky on a broom, as free as a bird—flying over Hogwarts Castle, past the Quidditch pitch, the Forbidden Forest, and Black Lake. He circled the lawn, then glided through the castle’s corridors, drawing gasps from onlookers who stared up in awe. Michael hung half-dead on the stairs, exhausted, eyes dull with fatigue. But Wade kept well clear of those cursed steps. With a smooth arc in the air, he swept past the crowd and landed gracefully through a window, landing directly on his own bed.

When he woke, the sensation of flight still lingered in his bones. He stared at the ceiling, lost in the afterglow of freedom, unable to fall back asleep.

But first-years weren’t allowed to bring broomsticks to school… and a Nimbus 2000 cost at least a thousand Galleons.

Wade’s father, Ferdinand Gray, ran a toy factory that exported products to America, making the family relatively well-off among Muggles. Wade received a generous allowance, enough to buy all the sweets he wanted. But asking his parents for a thousand Galleons for what amounted to a “toy”? That was something he simply couldn’t bring himself to do.

If only I could achieve financial independence on my own, Wade thought, a pang of longing in his chest.

In the Muggle world, he could’ve leveraged his knowledge of the future to build wealth in a flash. But as a boarding student with limited time and resources, how could he possibly earn money?

Wade let his imagination run wild.

…

Saturday was a full day of rest. When Wade arrived at the Practice Room in the morning, he found Hermione already inside.

Among them, Hermione spent the most time in the Practice Room. While Wade sometimes stayed in the Ravenclaw Common Room or his dormitory just to avoid going downstairs, Hermione’s free time was almost entirely consumed by the room. Wade was certain she had almost no friends in Gryffindor beyond Neville. Even among her dorm mates, their relationship seemed strained.

Girls usually stuck together—going to class, eating meals, using the restroom—but Hermione always went alone.

Wade didn’t try to push her to socialize. Emotional intelligence wasn’t his strength, and he had no interest in pretending to be someone he wasn’t just to fit in.

But today, she wasn’t studying. Instead, she was hammering nails into the wall with a determined rhythm.

“What’s that?” Wade leaned in to take a closer look.

A rectangular wooden panel, adorned with simple carvings, bore a single line in flowing script.

“Umbrella Room?” Wade raised an eyebrow. The name triggered an odd mental image—Umbrella Corporation, the infamous biotech company that had created deadly viruses and nearly destroyed the world.

“Yeah,” Hermione said, driving in the final nail. “There are many practice rooms, but this one belongs only to us. I thought it deserved a special name. That way, if someone hears us say ‘Umbrella Room,’ they won’t know where it is.”

“Sure,” Wade said, unbothered. He grabbed a book from the shelf and sat down to finish yesterday’s Herbology assignment.

The Practice Room—now officially the Umbrella Room—had changed significantly since its early days. Each of them now had their own designated space along the wall. Bookshelves lined the edges, and tables were arranged according to personal taste.

Hermione’s shelf overflowed with books—many borrowed from the library and still overdue. She also had a thick stack of fresh parchment, two bottles of ink, and nearly a dozen feather quills—items she used up at an alarming rate. Since parchment was expensive, she usually took notes in a notebook she’d bought from a Muggle store. The Grangers weren’t poor, but Hermione had a frugal streak—she wouldn’t spend money on anything unnecessary.

Wade’s shelf held textbooks, along with every note he’d compiled so far. Michael and the others often borrowed them, joking that with Wade’s notes, they could pass exams even if they skipped class entirely. Besides textbooks, there were also various transfiguration practice items—buttons, matches, chess pieces, and more. After today’s Flying lesson, a tiny model of a broomstick had mysteriously appeared on his desk.

Michael’s corner was a chaotic explosion of color and clutter—perfume, a mirror, gift boxes, chocolate bars, and random trinkets. A Quidditch star poster covered one wall. His table held a dragon model, half-eaten biscuits from yesterday, and a growing collection of badges from various events. He was living proof that not every Ravenclaw was obsessed with studying.

Hufflepuff’s Theo was a favorite of Professor Sprout, and he truly excelled in Herbology. His shelf held two rows of fist-sized potted plants—each one carefully nurtured by him. Common herbs like moss, mint, marjoram, and yarrow grew in neat rows. On his table sat a Mimblemope—a grotesque plant resembling diseased internal organs, covered in pustule-like growths that spat out a thick, foul-smelling liquid. To prevent accidental splatter, Theo had placed a hemispherical glass dome over it. Neville admired Theo’s setup deeply and had even wanted to replicate it—but with his limited allowance, he only had a meager three or four small plants. He’d also brought fertilizer, which everyone insisted be stored in the far corner of the room to avoid unpleasant odors.

Liam, too, was skilled in Herbology, but his true passion lay in astronomy. His table featured a rotating model of the solar system—planets of various sizes slowly orbiting a central sun. He also collected different types of feather quills and ink in a wide range of colors, arranged neatly on his shelf.

As the others arrived, they all noticed the new name and praised it. Michael clapped the table and declared Hermione’s idea brilliant and unexpectedly clever.

Even though Wade knew Michael was just being his usual self—complimenting girls for no reason—Hermione still flushed slightly, her cheeks tinged with pink.

“Theo,” Theo said, setting down his backpack, “I think not only the room needs a new name. We should have one too—something that shows we’re a real team.”

“Exactly,” Liam nodded. “If we keep thinking in terms of House divisions—‘I’m Gryffindor,’ ‘he’s Ravenclaw,’ ‘you’re Hufflepuff’—we’ll always have walls between us. We should be something greater. A collective.”

“Whoa, suddenly feels official!” Michael grinned. “So what should we call ourselves, Wade?”

Wade blinked, caught off guard. “Uh… after-school tutoring interest group?”

“—Please, don’t say that again,” Michael deadpanned, turning away. “Hermione?”

Hermione hesitated, then said quietly, “Magic Love enthusiasts’ club?”

Michael sighed dramatically. “Hermione, that’s just ‘after-school tutoring interest group’ with extra words. Neville?”

Neville stammered, “I—I don’t have anything…”

“Theo?” Michael asked.

Theo tapped his chin. “How about the Sunflower Club? Sunflowers symbolize hope, sunlight, loyalty, resilience, and growth. Doesn’t that fit perfectly?”

“Hmm…” Michael frowned. It was fitting—on every level. But somehow… it just felt… ordinary.

He couldn’t think of anything better himself.

“Liam?” Michael turned to the last person.

Liam adjusted the planet model on his table, staring at it thoughtfully. After a long pause, he said, “How about… Starry Sky Chaser? Short for SSC.”

Michael clapped his hands loudly. “Dude, that’s awesome!”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end