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Chapter 344: Hufflepuff Common Room
Curfew had passed by over half an hour. In the Horn alcove to the right of the Kitchen Corridor, a brown head occasionally poked out from between a stack of Wooden Barrels, only to vanish again at the slightest sound.
Soon, a second head joined the first—two mushroom-like shapes sprouting from the ground.
“It’s been ages,” Liam said.
“Yeah,” Theo sighed, his face etched with worry. “Wade might’ve already gone back to the Common Room.”
Liam shrugged. “You know he can turn into an Eagle and fly out through any window. He doesn’t have to sneak through this corridor.”
“I know,” Theo replied. “But I sent him a Message. He hasn’t replied.”
“Maybe he just didn’t check the Book of Friends. That guy’s completely lost in his research—half a day can go by before he even opens a message.”
“It’s late. Go rest, Liam. I’ll stay here.” Theo tried to shoo him away.
Liam grunted but didn’t move.
Theo hung from a nearby Wooden Barrel, propping his chin with one hand, then yawned involuntarily. “Do you think we should go find Professor Sprout? Or maybe Professor McGonagall?”
Liam, dangling from the other side, stared blankly. “You think Professor Snape’s some kind of child-eating creature from the Zibukru myths? Even if Wade accidentally annoyed him, he’s not going to get thrown into a Cauldron and boiled.”
“I know,” Theo said, still frowning. “But… sigh… I just can’t shake this feeling.”
Professor Snape didn’t have a personal vendetta against any Hufflepuff—his criticism was impartial, meted out equally to all who erred. And Theo had rarely gotten in trouble in Potions class, since he’d been paired with Wade for most of the term.
But the mere sight of Snape’s stern face was enough to send shivers down the spines of every Badger student.
“Still,” Theo mused, “Professor Sprout’s so much better. She’s like a mom.”
Liam nodded in agreement.
Then—just as they were about to speak again—Liam froze. A soft set of footsteps echoed down the Corridor.
“Someone’s coming!” he hissed, pulling Theo down with a sharp tug. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Hide!”
Though Theo hadn’t heard anything, he trusted his friend’s instincts completely. He held his breath, pressing himself into the shadows.
Liam listened intently. Then a smile broke across his face. “It’s not Filch… it’s Wade!”
The two heads popped up again, like mushrooms emerging after rain.
After a tense pause, Wade’s silhouette appeared at the far end of the Corridor. He was frowning slightly, eyes downcast, his expression unusually serious.
Theo waved his arm urgently. “Wade!” he whispered.
Wade looked up, surprised. “What are you two doing here?”
“Waiting for you!” Liam said simply.
“Come in quickly!” Theo urged, waving frantically. “Filch could show up any second!”
Wade wasn’t particularly worried—after all, Filch rarely patrolled this area at this hour—but he obliged, quickening his pace.
In the center of the barrel pile was a narrow, slightly sloped circular opening. Liam had already disappeared inside. Theo beckoned to Wade, then backed in carefully, crawling through the tight space.
Wade stared at the entrance.
He hesitated—then followed, squeezing through like he was sliding through a childhood Water pipe left behind on a construction site.
Only this “pipe” was made of wood, smelling faintly of aged wine and sweet cream. The floor and walls had been polished so smoothly they gleamed in the dim light.
After a short crawl, the space opened up abruptly.
The basement was circular, noticeably lower than Ravenclaw’s Common Room—evoking the image of a Badger curled up beneath the earth.
Warm, orange light filled the room. A Blazing Flame Spell roared in the fireplace, casting dancing shadows across the yellow-and-black-patterned cushions of sofas and armchairs. The whole space radiated a cozy, welcoming warmth.
Shelves, windowsills, and the ceiling below were lined with Magic plants—some glowing softly, others swaying gently in an unseen breeze, and a few blooming in full splendor. The air was thick with the fragrance of flowers and greenery, and strange insects flitted about—Fireflies and Butterflies, creatures rarely seen in other Common Rooms.
Above the honey-colored fireplace, carved with the Badger emblem, hung the portrait of Founder Helga Hufflepuff. She looked remarkably like Professor Sprout—round-faced, smiling warmly, her expression radiating kindness. Just looking at her made anyone’s mood lift.
But outside, night had fallen. The windows were dark, the sky beyond invisible. No sunlight filtered through the circular panes.
The room was empty except for the three of them.
Wade glanced around. “Where’s everyone else?”
“The others?” Theo said, as if it were obvious. “Asleep, of course. It’s past midnight.”
Wade blinked. “...Yeah, I suppose so.”
But then he thought—Ravenclaw’s Common Room would still have someone reading, or writing an assignment. Gryffindor? The Weasley Twins were almost certainly still out.
As for Slytherin—Wade didn’t know much about their habits, but he doubted they all followed a strict sleep schedule.
Two Hufflepuffs, already fighting off sleep, pulled Wade down onto the sofa in front of the fireplace.
Theo leaned forward, eyes wide. “Wade—did you go see Professor Snape? Did he give you any trouble?”
Wade raised an eyebrow. “How did you know?”
Liam sighed. “We saw Malfoy on our way back. He told Filch that a student was wandering around the underground Corridor near the Potion Classroom—late at night. We figured it must’ve been you.”
The Potion Classroom was right next to Snape’s office. That explained their suspicion.
“You went to see Snape about Neville?” Theo asked, his voice tight with concern. “What if he starts… targeting you?”
“I didn’t just storm into his office and accuse him,” Wade said. “I just made it clear—Neville feels pain. He’s not a stone. He’s not immune to insults or cruelty.”
Theo exhaled, visibly relieved. “That’s good… at least he didn’t get angry.”
Wade gave a small shrug. “He didn’t. But whether he’ll actually change his mind… I don’t know.”
“Still,” Theo said, “that’s something.” He paused, then added quickly, “I mean—I care about Neville, I really do. I just—”
“I know,” Wade said softly, smiling. “Thank you, Theo. And you too, Liam. I appreciate you both worrying about me.”
Liam shook his head, looking down. “I felt terrible when Neville cried. I just… didn’t know how to help. I…” He lowered his voice, almost whispering, as if the words were scraped from his throat. “I’m sorry… I didn’t have the courage to stand up to Snape.”
(End of Chapter)
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