Chapter 80: Sending and Receiving Messages

As night fell, Harry and Hermione returned to the Gryffindor common room together—Neville, after accidentally bumping his head during the spell practice, had to go to the hospital wing to see Madam Pomfrey for treatment. At this time, there were only two or three students still sitting on the sofas. The fire in the fireplace flickered and danced in the hearth, casting flickering, uneven shadows on the walls, like a mysterious and ancient painting. "Good night, Harry," Hermione said, "Get some rest early tonight." "Alright, good night," Harry replied, watching Hermione walk towards the girls' dormitory. He happily made his way up the spiral staircase towards the boys' dormitory, and when no one was looking, he couldn't help but do a little hop of joy. During tonight's study session, Harry was the only one who successfully disarmed his opponent. It was the first time he had learned a spell faster than Hermione. The others struggled to cast the spell correctly, and by the end of the session, Hermione had only managed to make her opponent take a couple of steps back. Michael's best effort was making his opponent flinch slightly... though that might have been because the light from his wand was a little too bright. Harry thought back to the surprised and approving looks from the others—not because he was "Harry Potter" or the "Boy Who Lived," but because of the talent he showed in learning spells. Every member of the SSC had a subject they excelled in. Harry had thought that aside from Quidditch, he didn't have much to boast about, but now he knew he was particularly skilled in Defense Against the Dark Arts spells... Even Wade had praised him, calling him a "combat genius." But all the joy came to a halt the moment he pushed open the dormitory door. Ron was sitting against the headboard, flipping through a magazine. When he heard the door open, he didn't look up. Seamus and Dean were likely already asleep, and their silhouettes under the curtains were breathing steadily. The atmosphere in the dormitory felt a bit unusual. Suddenly, Harry remembered that before he left, he had promised Ron—if Wade and the others were okay with Ron joining the SSC, he would send him a message through the Book of friends, and Ron would come right over. Harry noticed that Ron was still dressed in his day clothes, not having changed into his pajamas yet. "Hey, Ron," Harry greeted awkwardly, feeling an almost overwhelming urge to turn around and leave. Ron glanced up at him slowly and asked, "All done? How was your club meeting?" "—It was alright," Harry replied stiffly, "We learned the Disarming Charm." He didn't know why he added that last sentence, but once it was out, there was no way to take it back. Harry immediately regretted it. "Did you ask for me?" Ron inquired, his voice calm but expectant. "You definitely asked, right? It's okay if they said no, just be honest with me—I can handle it." Harry didn't know what to say. "I—I didn't—" "—Didn't?" Ron's eyebrows shot up. "SSC has rules. You can't just let anyone join. Everyone has to agree... and I'm still new... so..." Harry stammered, realizing even as he spoke how unconvincing it sounded. "Oh." Ron's voice turned cold. "I get it." He abruptly pulled the curtains around his bed closed and lay down, pulling the blanket over himself. Harry stood alone by the door, feeling a mix of emotions that were hard to sort through. ... A bright white orb of light floated gently to the candelabra and fixed itself there, illuminating the entire dormitory. Wade sat by the window and began to check the messages in his Book of Friends. The Book of Friends can't store messages for long. If someone checked them quickly, the text would disappear from the page soon after. If left unchecked, the messages would fade after about half an hour at most. So, his parents and friends usually chose to communicate just before bed. [Zoe: Zoe is very thankful for the candy from Wade Grey! Zoe shared it with her friends, and Maggie and Tess are going to try to recreate it. Wade Grey will be able to enjoy it at breakfast too!] [Steven: I've gathered some information about the Occamy and sent it to you. I hope it's helpful. Oh, and Mr. Scamander replied to my letter! He said he'd be happy for me to help! I'm so excited, Wade! I never thought this day would come! It's all thanks to you for reminding me, my friend!] [Marchionne: Regarding the Book of Friends upgrade, I'd like to discuss it with you in person—can we meet in Hogsmeade on Saturday? I know you need permission to go outside until third year, but maybe Professor Murray could take you out? Actually, I also know of a secret passageway that leads off campus...] [Fred(dad): Wade, I've received the letter from the person you mentioned.] Wade's eyes lit up as he quickly scribbled on the parchment— [Wade: Remus Lupin?] [Fred(dad): Yes. As you requested, he claims in his letter to be proficient in most defensive magic, including the Patronus Charm. He also excelled in Transfiguration and is well-versed in the Animagus transformation. He's willing to accept a weekly payment of 10 Galleons. The letter was signed by Remus Lupin. I've arranged to meet him tomorrow at the Leaky Cauldron.] Wade let out a long breath, unable to suppress a smile. He could consult Professor Flitwick for Defense Against the Dark Arts content, but not too often. Flitwick had classes to teach, homework to grade, and as head of Ravenclaw, he had responsibilities around the castle, including patrols. During his downtime, he liked to relax and socialize with friends over a drink at the pub. Wade couldn't constantly monopolize his time, and the same went for Professor Murray. During the Christmas holiday, Professor Flitwick had gifted Wade a book titled The Complete Book of Spells, but Wade later discovered it was an abridged version. Flitwick had removed most of the Dark Arts, curses, and jinxes, as well as a few spells he felt Wade wasn't ready for—like Apparition, Disillusionment Charm, Animagus Spell, Portkeys, and others. Flitwick's stance was clear—while he recognized Wade's exceptional talent in Charms, he believed that as a first-year student, Wade should focus on mastering safe, harmless spells. Advanced magic should be learned progressively as he gets older. Wade didn't want to argue with the professor about whether this well-meaning protection was what he actually needed. Flitwick was, after all, a highly principled and kind-hearted person. But some of the things Wade wanted to learn were simply beyond what Flitwick would ever teach him. And practicing those on his own, even with his unique advantages, would be quite dangerous. Every chapter in the textbooks repeatedly emphasized the same point—failed spells can have dire consequences, some resulting in a wizard's death, others turning people into non-human creatures, or causing irreversible magical injuries. So, Wade needed a teacher. A highly skilled, trustworthy, and slightly unconventional teacher. And who could be a better choice than Remus Lupin? -------------------------------- ????????Please consider supporting this translation project by becoming a P@treon member!!! Your support is greatly appreciated! Available on my P@treon page for just $4!! 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