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Chapter 67: A Busy Day
Their eyes met.
After a moment, Wade stepped forward, asking, “You saw that, didn’t you?”
“Mm-hmm.” Griffiths nodded. “I was stringing the door when I caught sight of you and that House-elf… A good House-elf is one who never lets a wizard see him. And Hogwarts’ House-elves have always been the best—so many students graduate without ever laying eyes on a single little creature!”
He chuckled. “Naive little innocents. They still think the castle has some magical housekeeping charm that magically cleans their dirty clothes and shoes!”
“Being seen isn’t the measure of a good House-elf.” Wade defended his friend. “Habi is great.”
“You’re right.” Griffiths nodded, as if genuinely agreeing—so completely that his silence felt oddly strange.
Ahead, the corridor was empty of portraits. Griffiths paused, watching the young Ravenclaw vanish down the hall.
“—A Ravenclaw who’s made friends with a House-elf?” he murmured to himself, then suddenly grinned. “Though… is it really just friendship?”
…
Wade suddenly noticed that the professors seemed warmer toward him. Even Professor Snape—yes, Professor Snape—had surprisingly added two extra points to his potion grade. This was unprecedented. In the past, even when Wade’s potion preparations were nearly flawless, Snape had given him a single point only three times out of ten.
The stunned expressions across the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students had been priceless. Wade wished he could’ve taken a photo.
Professor McGonagall, usually so stern, had even asked him to stay behind after class and handed him a list of books.
“Transfiguration is the most wondrous magic,” she said with a soft smile. “If you study these books carefully and truly understand them, you’ll go far in your journey with this art.”
“Thank you, Professor,” Wade replied, scanning the list. Most of the titles were unfamiliar to him—except…
“These last few… aren’t they in the Restricted Section of the Library?”
“Exactly. When you’ve finished the earlier ones, come see me,” she said, gazing at him with quiet hope. “I’ll sign your permission slip.”
Professor Flitwick, of course, had no reservations. He offered Wade unlimited access to his private library and, whenever Wade visited, the professor’s desk was always piled higher with sweets and desserts than usual.
Professor Sprout, too, had grown warmer. After class, she lent him several advanced herbology texts.
Wade’s schedule quickly became packed.
Every morning, he’d fly straight from the tower to the Eighth Floor of the main castle on his broomstick. One of Zoe’s three companions would rush to take the broom and return it to the dorm.
In the Room of Requirement, he’d first summon fitness equipment or a swimming pool to train, then shift it into a study space with reading materials and pre-lecture notes. Afterward, he’d have breakfast.
Nearby, a House-elf always waited. If anyone approached, they’d alert him via the Book of Friends, ensuring he wouldn’t accidentally run into someone while entering or exiting the room.
When he had classes, he attended them. When he didn’t, he spent nearly all his free time in the Room of Requirement.
There, he practiced magic—equipped with books and enchanted dummies; brewed potions, with cauldrons, scales, fuel, and measuring cups of every size (though he still had to gather the ingredients himself); and delved into alchemy, exploring the “Gift” and “Test” Professor Mor had given him—tools so advanced, they even surpassed those in the professor’s own lab.
After dinner and before curfew, the SSC’s regular session began. They gathered in the Umbrella Room—casting spells, finishing unfinished assignments, discussing problems, or simply sitting together, chatting.
In truth, Wade’s academic pace was so far ahead that none of the others could offer him real help. The room had become, in effect, an unpaid after-school tutoring session run entirely by him.
But not everything in life needs to be about utility or gain.
Spending time with his friends meant more than just study. Here, his mind and spirit could truly unwind. He could set aside the burdens that weighed on his heart and simply laugh and talk—relieving the fatigue of a long, intense day.
And seeing Neville—once so clumsy and unsure—improve steadily under his guidance brought a joy that even surpassed the thrill of mastering a new spell. That kind of progress was rare, unexpected, and deeply rewarding. Wade had grown used to mastering magic. But watching others grow? That was always a surprise.
Positive emotions were contagious. Every time the Umbrella Room session ended, everyone’s faces were smiling.
“If only we could convince the Headmaster to push curfew back an hour,” Padma said cheerfully, gathering her books. “I’ve never felt learning this… fun before.”
Even Neville nodded. In the Umbrella Room, even potion-making no longer felt like torture.
He still made mistakes—of course—but his friends corrected him gently, never harshly.
“Next week’s Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, right?” Michael looked at the two houses, his tone curious. “Yeah,” Hermione sighed, worried. “And Professor Snape’s refereeing.”
“That’s rough,” Padma said sympathetically. “He’ll never be fair—everyone knows how much he hates Gryffindor. Especially with Harry Potter on your team.”
Snape’s obvious bias toward Harry Potter was common knowledge.
But the few who had visited the Headmaster’s office exchanged glances—eyes full of quiet understanding.
The next day at noon, Hermione gave the signal in the Great Hall. The group met in the Umbrella Room, discussing it.
“Professor Snape,” Liam said, “probably wasn’t sent to judge—he was sent to protect Harry Potter.”
“True,” Michael added, fiddling with his Quidditch player figurine, watching it fall and rise again. “Even if he’s a terrible referee, he can still be on the field—keeping Harry safe. It’s not mutually exclusive.”
Liam sighed. “There are so many professors. Why would the Headmaster pick the one who hates Harry most?”
(End of Chapter)
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