Chapter 224: Valentine's Day
Chapter 224: Valentine's Day
Vold had grown accustomed to the illogical trust the HOGWARTS students had in the Headmaster's abilities.
After being immersed in this environment for so long, he couldn't help but wonder—
In the original storyline, after Voldemort's resurrection, why did Fudge and the others dare to act so recklessly? Was it because they believed that Dumbledore would ultimately defeat Voldemort, and so they were only looking out for their own interests?
This thought flashed through Vold's mind, and he chuckled to himself self-deprecatingly.
The reasons didn't really matter; there were simply some people in this world who, despite their high positions, were both foolish and wicked, with short-sightedness and a myopic focus on their petty gains.
...
After bidding farewell to Filch, Vold placed several pots of flowers in Umbrella House. He transformed an old, unused pen holder into a watering can and watered each plant.
Theo, upon seeing this, was also delighted. He and Lane made some shelves by hand to support the plants' growth and even set aside some Fermented Dragon Droppings to use as fertilizer.
As soon as Michael entered, he was also drawn to the fragrant aroma. After admiring the flowers for a while, he remembered to ask, "Where did these flowers come from?"
"Vold brought them," Theo replied, wiping his forehead, leaving a muddy handprint on his face.
Michael smiled mischievously and pointed to the side of his face, "Hey, you've got something dirty here."
"Really?"
Theo didn't doubt it and wiped his face, turning it into a mess of flower smudges.
Lane, sitting across from him, didn't say a word, suppressing his laughter with a slight shoulder shake.
"Is it clean now?" Theo asked innocently.
"Yeah, it's clean."
Michael nodded, trying to hold back his laughter. He stepped back to his seat, covered his face with a book, and chuckled quietly before turning to look at Vold.
"That girl?"
"Huh?" Vold was confused.
"Don't play dumb," Michael nudged him with his elbow, winking and saying, "Tomorrow's Valentine's Day, and you received flowers!"
"Sorry to disappoint you," Vold shrugged. "These are a token of gratitude from Filch—I fixed his Cleaning Crabs."
"Filch?" Michael paused for a moment, then said, "I remember the things you made before, they didn't seem so easily breakable?"
Vold smiled but remained silent.
Michael understood—the harsh caretaker, though despised by everyone, had some students thinking that if they could get on his good side, their pranks and night-time adventures would go unhindered.
But Filch was an unyielding man. Gifts, or even gold, held no allure for him, and a beautiful girl's smile meant no more to him than a crooked tree stump.
He would never show leniency to students because of such gestures. It seemed his only joy was in making life difficult for them.
However, Vold had broken this consensus.
And it was Filch who sought his help, which was far more clever than trying to curry favor with the troublesome caretaker.
Michael silently gave him a thumbs up.
Vold thought that even if he said he genuinely wanted to help Filch, it would be hard for others to believe, right? Filch was a Muggle, and so were Vold's parents. Empathizing with them, he naturally understood how difficult it must be for a non-magical person to find a place in a magical school.
Moreover, Filch was in his sixties or seventies, still diligently performing various menial tasks. What was a simple wave of the wand for a wizard was a laborious task for him, and some children often made things more difficult for him on purpose.
Even without any reward, Vold still wanted to help him.
...
The next day was Valentine's Day, but for most twelve-year-olds, the festival was no different from any other day.
They still had classes, and at most, during lunch, the variety of chocolates would be richer than usual.
But as soon as they entered the Great Hall, a shocking scene caught everyone's attention.
Heart-shaped confetti fluttered down from the ceiling like snowflakes, and the surrounding walls were covered in pink flowers. The long tables were almost completely surrounded by blossoms.
The candles were adorned with mistletoe, and the candlelight had turned pink. The overly vibrant colors filled their vision, making some feel nauseous.
A girl with a sensitive nose kept sneezing and eventually had to flee the Great Hall.
However, the person responsible for this setup on the staff table seemed oblivious. He wore a pink robe and happily clapped his hands.
"My dear colleagues, students, and my lovely fans—"
Lockhart winked at the girls and smiled at the suppressed screams.
"Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you like the surprise I've prepared for you—"
The Weasley twins made synchronized vomiting gestures.
"—and that's not all! I've also invited friendly little cupids with their cards!"
Lockhart waved his wand cheerfully, and the doors suddenly opened. A row of gloomy-faced gnomes with golden wings on their backs entered from outside.
They walked down the aisle between the long tables, playing harps and singing sentimental love songs with raspy voices.
Almost everyone wore an expression of endurance.
"I suddenly don't feel very hungry. I'm leaving."
Vold put down his fork, patted Michael's shoulder, and stood up to leave the table.
"Wait, I'm coming too."
Michael grabbed a sandwich and, seeing Padma still staring at Professor Lockhart ahead, suddenly felt a bit annoyed. He reached out and pulled her arm.
"Let's go, Padma."
The girl reluctantly stood up from the table and followed them out, saying as she walked:
"The gnomes' singing is terrible, but Professor Lockhart really put effort into this, right? The flowers are beautiful. Hogwarts has never been this romantic on Valentine's Day..."
Michael looked at her expressionlessly and asked, "Who are you? Are you Hermione after drinking Polyjuice Potion?"
Padma burst out laughing, "Oh, Michael, you're so cute when you're jealous!"
"I'm not jealous!" Michael insisted, "I'm just stating my opinion."
"Okay, okay. Sorry, I just feel like pink suits today."
Padma good-naturedly linked her arm with his, and as their bodies got closer, Michael's dissatisfaction quickly dissipated.
Vold silently rolled his eyes and moved a little further away from them.
As they left, they could still hear Lockhart's voice—
"They will wander around the school, delivering your Valentine's cards!... Why not ask Professor Snape to teach you how to brew Love Potions? Or learn Charm of Allure from Professor Flitwick... That cunning old dog!"
(End of Chapter)
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