Chapter 67: A Busy Day
Chapter 67: A Busy Day
Eyes met in a moment of silent understanding.
After a brief pause, Vider continued walking forward, asking, "You saw that, didn't you?"
"Mhm," Griffiths nodded. "I was passing by and happened to see you with that house-elf... A well-trained house-elf is one that never lets a wizard perceive their presence, and the house-elves at Hogwarts are the best. Many students go through their entire time here without ever laying eyes on one."
Griffiths chuckled as he spoke, "Naive little fools, thinking there's some sort of magical housework spell that cleans their dirty clothes and shoes."
"Whether or not they are seen is not the standard by which to judge their quality," Vider defended his little friend. "Hobby is good too."
"You're right," Griffiths agreed nodding, his lack of rebuttal seemed somewhat odd.
As they reached a stretch of corridor devoid of paintings, Griffiths had no choice but to stop and watch as the young Ravenclaw wizard walked away.
"A Ravenclaw who's made friends with a house-elf?"
He muttered to himself, then suddenly laughed, "Are they really just friends?"
...
Vider noticed that the professors were treating him with even more leniency. Even Professor Snape broke with convention and awarded him two extra points—in the past, even when Vider's potions were nearly perfect, Professor Snape would rarely give him more than three extra points out of ten.
The expressions of surprise on the faces of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs in the classroom at that moment were something Vider wished he could capture with a camera.
The usually strict Professor McGonagall also kept Vider back after class and gave him a reading list.
"Transfiguration is the most wonderful magic," Professor McGonagall said with a smile. "If you can read these books carefully and understand them deeply, you will surely go further on the path of transfiguration."
"Thank you, Professor," Vider said, looking at the list. He hadn't come across most of them, but—
"The last few books are in the library's restricted section."
"Yes. When you're done with the earlier books, come find me. I'll sign your permission form," Professor McGonagall said, her eyes shining with expectation.
As for Professor Flitwick, it went without saying. He had promised Vider that he could borrow any book from his private collection at any time. Whenever Vider went to him with a question, the treats on Professor Flitwick's desk would be more abundant than usual.
Professor Sprout's smile was also warmer, and she lent Vider several herbology books after class.
And so, Vider's time became increasingly tight.
In the mornings, he would ride his broomstick directly from the tower to the eighth floor of the main tower, and one of the three Zois would insist on returning his broomstick to his dormitory.
He would exercise in the Room of Requirement, transfiguring it into a gym or a swimming pool, then change it into a study to read and do homework before breakfast. During this time, a house-elf would always be on guard nearby. If someone passed by, they would notify him through the friend's list, so he wouldn't run into anyone when entering or leaving the Room of Requirement.
After that, if he had classes, he would naturally go to the classroom first; if he didn't have classes, Vider would basically spend his time in the Room of Requirement.
He practiced magic there, with books and spell targets provided; for potion-making, there were crucibles, scales, fuels, measuring cups, and other equipment of all sizes, although he still had to prepare the ingredients himself; and for the study of alchemy and the "gift" and "test" from Professor Mori, there was an even more comprehensive array of alchemical equipment than in Professor Mori's office.
After dinner and before curfew, this was the usual time for the SSC to gather in the Umbrella House. They practiced spells, finished their unfinished homework from the day, discussed any problems they were having, or simply hung out and chatted.
In fact, with Vider's advanced learning curve, not one of the SSC members could offer him any valuable academic help. This place could be considered Vider's personal after-school tutoring session, and he didn't even charge a fee.
However, not everything had to be viewed from a transactional or utilitarian perspective.
The time Vider spent with these friends was also precious to him. Here, he could relax his mind and spirit, setting aside certain worries that had been weighing on him. Their casual conversations and laughter eased the fatigue from a day of intense studying.
Moreover, seeing the noticeable improvement in the previously clumsy Neville and others under his guidance brought him joy and satisfaction that even surpassed the happiness he felt when learning a new spell—after all, the latter had become commonplace for Vider, while the former was a pleasant surprise each time.
Positive emotions were contagious, and at the end of each Umbrella House gathering, everyone wore a smile.
"It would be great if we could suggest to the headmaster to push back the school's curfew by an hour," Padma said as she packed up her books, her tone cheerful. "I've never found studying this enjoyable before."
Even Neville nodded in agreement. When he was in the Umbrella House, he didn't even find Potions class painful anymore.
He still made mistakes often, but his friends would promptly correct him, and no one scolded him.
"Next week is the Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff Quidditch match, right?" Michael looked at the members of the two houses, a probing look in his eyes.
"Yes," Hermione sighed worriedly. "And I heard that Professor Snape will be the referee."
"Then you're doomed." Padma sympathized. "Professor Snape definitely won't make fair judgments—everyone knows how much he despises Gryffindor, especially with Harry Potter on your team."
Professor Snape's bias against Harry Potter was well-known throughout the school.
However, the few people who had visited the headmaster's office exchanged knowing glances, a shared understanding in their eyes.
The next day at noon, Hermione signaled to the group in the Great Hall, and they silently gathered in the Umbrella House to discuss the matter.
"Professor Snape is probably assigned by the headmaster to protect Harry Potter during the match, isn't he?" Ryan said. "Although Professor Snape has a bad temper, Professor Dumbledore must trust him a great deal to assign him this task."
Michael fiddled with his Quidditch player figurine, watching the little figurine get knocked down and get back up repeatedly. He added with a smile, "Of course, deducting points and protecting Harry—these two things can be done simultaneously without conflict."
Ryan sighed. "With so many professors in the school, why did the headmaster have to choose the one who hates Harry Potter the most?"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
