Chapter 276: The Stage of Fame and Fortune
Chapter 276: The Stage of Fame and Fortune
After leaving Filch's office, Felix was still pondering what Lupin wanted to retrieve. He knew the item was related to his school days and likely involved Black or Peter Pettigrew's secrets.
Removing Filch's subjective bias, he gleaned two useful pieces of information: first, Lupin and his friends didn't seem to care much about the item being confiscated back then—at least not outwardly—but now Lupin was making a strong effort to get it back; second, the item had been lost, and due to the passage of time, it was difficult to determine who had taken it.
Many of the young wizards who had once violated the rules had since graduated.
Lacking crucial information, Felix could only make a mental note and save it for later use. He made his way to Hagrid's hut, where Hagrid was clearing snow from the pumpkin patch behind the house. Fang was darting around him, running back and forth, clearly enjoying the play.
A gray Hippogriff was tethered nearby. When it saw Felix approaching, it clicked its sharp beak and followed his movements with its eyes.
"Hagrid!" Felix called out from a distance, patting Buckbeak's beak. Buckbeak, who was very familiar with Felix, raised his head and snorted, then closed his eyes contentedly as Felix stroked him.
The burly man straightened up, thrusting his shovel into the ground. He walked over with a broad smile. "Felix, Mr. Scamander wrote back, and he did it! The case has been sent back for a retrial!"
Felix nodded. "That's also why I'm here. I received the letter too, Hagrid. We need to do something now."
"Do something?" Hagrid stared at him, repeating the words in confusion.
"Exactly", Felix replied firmly. "Buckbeak's case has been sent back, and it will take at least ten to fifteen days to be reassigned. We can't just wait around during this time..."
Seeing Hagrid's puzzled expression, Felix sighed. "Without a reassignment, it means the case hasn't been finalized, which is to our advantage. If we can pay a fine, this matter might be resolved much sooner."
Hagrid's eyes widened in realization. "So... the hearing and trial won't happen?"
"Only if we take the initiative", Felix said earnestly. "My suggestion is to visit the Ministry of Magic and inquire about the case's progress. If possible, we should submit the fine. If not, we need to argue our case: this wasn't a sudden attack by a tamed magical creature, but an accident caused by improper handling during a lesson."
Felix looked at Hagrid and concluded, "We can't let the initiative slip away. If the Ministry of Magic focuses on the severity of the crime rather than Buckbeak's guilt, we'll be in a very passive position."
"I'll go to the Ministry of Magic this afternoon!" Hagrid said excitedly, glancing at Buckbeak outside the window. "Did you hear that, Buckbeak? We're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel..."
As February approached, Felix found himself interacting with the outside world more frequently. He understood the involvement of Dorothy Bones, Belby, and the Longbottoms, but he was surprised to receive letters from several pen pals who had been corresponding with him through correspondence.
In their letters, they expressed their congratulations. Felix waited quietly, and within a couple of days, three elegant official letters arrived one after another. One was from the St. Mungo's Magical Medical Association, which, despite its name, had little to do with St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Ailments and Injuries. At most, it could be said that both were established to honor the same person—Mungo Bones.
The St. Mungo's Magical Medical Association, similar to the Wizarding court Wizengamot, was a circle of elite healers. However, the association's members were more closely connected, and it published its own journal, The Warlock's Weekly.
In the official letter, it enthusiastically praised Felix for his outstanding contributions to the magical medical field. Two points were emphasized: first, it requested Felix to name his treatment method; second, it proposed to award him the St. Mungo's Medical Badge and invite him to become a member of the St. Mungo's Magical Medical Association.
For the first point, he couldn't think of any good names, so he simply followed the conventional naming method and called it the Hep Memory Healing Technique. As for the second point, Felix gladly accepted it and replied with a letter of thanks.
The second official letter came from St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Ailments and Injuries. It detailed the clinical application data of his treatment method, which had shown remarkable results, even for some stubborn memory injuries. The current Head of House invited him to complete a magical portrait, describing it as "an honor for every pioneer."
Felix found it hard to imagine his portrait hanging on the wall. However, when he considered that each portrait was essentially an additional set of eyes and ears, his slight discomfort disappeared. In his reply, he asked if he could complete the portrait himself, with St. Mungo's only needing to provide the dimensions.
The last official letter came from the Wizengamot management of the Ministry of Magic. The language was formal, announcing that he had been nominated as a candidate for the Order of Merlin. It required him to provide the necessary information as listed, for review by all Wizengamot members.
Felix followed the instructions, as this was the standard procedure for anyone in the academic field who was nominated for the Order of Merlin, just as Belby had done last year.
His name began to appear frequently in the newspapers. The Daily Prophet dedicated large sections for three consecutive days, highlighting his significant contributions, including his achievements in France, which were revisited and described as "a long-overdue honor."
During meals in the Great Hall, he often noticed young wizards at Hogwarts carrying various clippings, whispering in corners. Besides the newspaper coverage, this was also due to the frequent owl letters he received. Felix even considered casting a shielding charm on himself, but he could only think about it.
One afternoon, Professor Mcgonagall brought a young witch with a peculiar expression. She introduced her as, "This is a reporter from The Warlock's Weekly. She's here to interview you..."
After the routine interview, the reporter began directing him to pose in various positions. Felix felt like a mannequin, and after taking over a dozen photos, he firmly put an end to the session.
The female reporter looked disappointed and said, "We could take even better photos, Mr. Hep. You could be a strong contender for this year's 'Most Charming Smile Award'..."
Felix shuddered. "I'm sorry, I have no such intention." He hurriedly ended the interview and, while having dinner with Snape, he couldn't help but remark, "I haven't had time to do research lately. The world of fame and fortune is also a battlefield."
Snape scoffed at his sentiment.
It wasn't until early February that Felix finally calmed down. By then, the snow had begun to melt, and the castle's entrance area was gradually coming to life.
Young wizards shed their thick winter coats and cloaks, removed their scarves, and sat in groups by the lake on the south side of the castle, lazily basking in the sun while watching the Giant Squid swim in the lake.
In this relaxed atmosphere, Valentine's Day arrived.
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Thank you for the support of the fourth alliance leader, and to Little Flying Carpet for your backing!
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PS1: This chapter is a transition. The main plot will follow.
PS2: I will remember to add extra chapters for patrons, including the previous ones. However, due to the current writing speed, I won't mention it every time to avoid affecting your reading experience.
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(End of Chapter)
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