The Fool in Hogwarts

As expected, Hermione still failed to dissuade Harry and Ron, who were determined to teach Draco a lesson.

Even after she explained Vade’s entire plan, they remained unmoved. They even thought she had been deceived by the wicked Slytherin, Vade Moria.

This was a wizard’s duel between Gryffindor and Slytherin. If the Slytherins appeared while the Gryffindors failed to show up, Gryffindor’s courage would become a joke. They would have to avoid Draco Malfoy whenever they saw him from then on.

Hermione was left speechless. She finally realised that there was no waking someone who was only pretending to sleep.

After struggling with the decision for a long time, she ultimately resisted the urge to tell a prefect and decided to accompany them after half past eleven.

"Why do you always have to interfere?" Ron asked impatiently.

"I only want to prove that Moria didn’t deceive me.

"Besides, I need to stop Filch from catching you. Gryffindor really can’t afford to lose any more points."

"Just don’t get us caught."

The three of them crept cautiously through the darkness. Despite several close calls, they reached the trophy room safely, but Draco and the others still had not appeared by midnight.

"This is outrageous. They deliberately tricked us," Ron cursed angrily.

"Now do you believe me?" Hermione said. "I warned you, more than once."

Ron knew he had been wrong, but admitting it was out of the question. "Perhaps this was part of the Slytherins’ plan. You came with us too."

"You’re completely unreasonable."

"Both of you, be quiet." Harry immediately raised a finger to his lips. "Something’s coming."

"Are they finally here?" Ron took a deep breath and nervously drew his wand.

A short while later, a scrawny cat with dull grey fur entered the room.

Their expressions changed. It was Filch’s cat, Mrs Norris. If she was here, Filch had to be nearby.

"Quickly, move," Harry whispered, then slipped along the corridor.

As Filch’s footsteps drew closer, they broke into a run. By the time they finally lost him, they discovered that they had somehow reached the forbidden corridor on the fourth floor.

They stared at the three-headed dog, which almost reached the ceiling, and the thick saliva dripping from its jaws. Chilled to the bone, they finally understood why Dumbledore had forbidden students from approaching this room.

The three of them screamed and rushed out, slamming and locking the door just before the three-headed dog’s fangs could close around them.

The following morning, Draco saw the exhausted yet excited Harry and Ron in the Great Hall and was momentarily bewildered.

This was not how events were supposed to unfold. They should have stormed over and accused him angrily. Then he could mock them and report their breach of school rules to a professor.

"Have they gone mad? Why do they look so pleased after being tricked?"

"Would you like to know why?" Vade asked temptingly. "A divination costs only ten Galleons."

"I think I’ll just assume there’s something wrong with their heads."

Vade glanced at Hermione, who looked equally exhausted but not remotely excited, and roughly guessed what had happened. However, he had no desire whatsoever to learn the details.

"What lessons do we have today?"

"Two periods of Potions this morning," Daphne said as she approached. "We don’t have any lessons this afternoon. Do you have any plans?"

"The library."

"Since when did you start working hard?" Draco asked uncertainly.

"I haven’t visited the library yet. I want to have a look."

"I need to do my homework in the library this afternoon as well. Remember to call me when you go."

Vade looked at Daphne strangely. "You’re coming too?"

"Is that a problem?" Daphne looked directly into his eyes and asked each word distinctly.

Beside them, Draco suddenly felt rather uncomfortable, as though he should not be standing there at all.

"Of course not." Vade smiled easily.

In any case, he had made up his mind. Whether or not Daphne Greengrass had feelings for him, he would firmly maintain the boundaries of their friendship.

A childhood romance was out of the question. He had not even escaped the whirlpool created by the prophecy, so how could he possibly have the time to develop feelings for a little girl?

Besides, what could an eleven-year-old understand? Did she even know what it meant to like someone?

Daphne gave a soft huff and left the Great Hall with light steps.

Peaceful days always passed quickly. Before anyone realised it, Halloween had arrived.

In the Charms classroom, the Gryffindors and Slytherins were divided into pairs, with each pair receiving a feather.

Professor Flitwick stood atop a pile of books as he explained the Levitation Charm. "The Levitation Charm is one of the fundamental spells. It allows an object to rise into the air.

"Now, don’t forget the proper wand movement we practised earlier.

"Swish and flick. Everyone together."

The students practised the movement several times before Professor Flitwick allowed them to attempt the spell.

"Wingardium Leviosa. Now you try."

The classroom soon filled with incantations.

Vade looked at the white feather in front of him, then glanced at Daphne energetically waving her wand beside him. He could not help feeling amused.

The Levitation Charm was undoubtedly the spell with which he was most familiar. Before encountering magic, he had constantly trained his Beyonder spirituality as though it were telekinesis.

Never mind this single feather. If he wished, he could make every desk, chair, and stool in the classroom fly without a wand or an incantation.

"Why aren’t you practising?" Daphne asked.

"I was distracted for a moment." Vade offered a reluctant explanation, then imitated her earlier movements. As expected, the feather did not move at all.

At that moment, another feather slowly rose into the air, floating weightlessly above the desk.

"Very good. Everyone, look.

"Miss Granger has done it. Excellent."

Hermione raised her chin proudly, while Ron, who had been paired with her, turned his face away irritably.

If she had succeeded, that meant her earlier lecture had been correct, which made it all the more irritating.

"That’s what you call a genius."

Vade sighed meaningfully, and Daphne gave an unconvinced snort.

A sudden burst of fire startled everyone.

When they looked over, Seamus Finnigan was sitting there with his hair standing on end, his face blackened and his mouth hanging open.

The feather in front of him had almost completely burnt away and was giving off thick grey smoke.

"Professor, I think we need another feather over here," Harry said hurriedly. He had been paired with Seamus, and half his face had also been blackened by the explosion.

After class, Ron walked with several of his dormitory mates, sarcastically venting his frustration from the lesson.

"It’s Levi-O-sa, not Levio-SA.

"Honestly, she’s a complete nightmare. No wonder she hasn’t got any friends."

At that moment, someone bumped into Ron and hurried past them.

Seeing the familiar figure and recalling the faint sob he had just heard, Harry said with mixed feelings, "I think she heard you."

(To be continued.)