Chapter 17

“Wizard Sean! Wizard Sean!”

A familiar voice made Wizard Sean pause.

In the corridor outside the greenhouse,

the last rays of sunset fell, making the wizard beside the Gothic stained glass look even more dashing.

“Senior Bruce.”

Wizard Sean nodded in greeting and turned to continue toward the greenhouse.

“You’re going to visit Professor Sprout, right?

I suggest you go back.

The professor is in Greenhouse Three—first-years aren’t allowed in there.”

After giving the warning, Senior Bruce closed his book and waited for Wizard Sean’s reply.

“...Thanks for the warning.”

Wizard Sean stopped in place, his eyes clouded with confusion.

If Professor Sprout wasn’t there,

given his knowledge of herbology, he wouldn’t even be able to identify basic plants, let alone process them.

And he didn’t even know which herbs needed processing.

“You’re really obsessed with magical plants...”

Seeing Wizard Sean’s hopeful gaze dim,

Bruce felt as if he’d committed some unforgivable sin; he helplessly closed his book.

“Generally, Professor Sprout only stays in Greenhouse Three for a short while.

Tomorrow after class, you should still find her in Greenhouse One.”

He finished speaking,

and Wizard Sean’s eyes instantly brightened; he nodded seriously.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Oh, by the way—here.”

Wizard Sean looked over in confusion, and before he knew it, a dark shadow flickered and a piece of cheese appeared in his hand.

“Dragon’s Milk Cheese,

though the revised edition of *Magical Cheeses for You* has changed the recipe,

I still think the original tastes better. Many people feel the same.”

Senior Bruce smiled, arms crossed.

“Snack exchange—Hufflepuff tradition. Even if you’re Ravenclaw, who cares?”

While Wizard Sean was examining the cheese, Bruce strode off decisively.

Wizard Sean heard faint voices coming from the end of the corridor.

“I think the new version tastes better.”

“Agreed.”

“Pist, Leon! You two heretics!

Don’t make me angry right after I’ve just shown off!”

“He thinks he’s so dashing...”

“Leon, this time it really seems...”

“Alright, Pist, you’re right.

I say, well done—that’s very Hufflepuff.

Bruce, you’ve got skills.”

New version? Original version?

Wizard Sean guessed it was like the debate over salty versus sweet tofu pudding in his past life?

Luckily, he preferred spicy food.

Wizard Sean glanced at the sky and decided to first do what he’d long wanted to do:

go to the Hogwarts Library.

Think of it—tens of thousands of books, all free!

Just that alone made Wizard Sean, who’d bled gold coins buying books, drool.

Plus, he could finish his homework there.

Good homework completion would surely count as one of Headmaster Dumbledore’s evaluation criteria.

The Hogwarts Library was on the second floor of the castle, filled with thousands of bookshelves holding tens of thousands of volumes.

It was divided into three sections:

One was the general area.

Here, Wizard Sean saw countless bookshelves like a dense forest,

extending in all directions as if naturally ordained, vanishing into distant darkness.

They weren’t perfectly uniform—some rose and fell unevenly,

and some required creaking movable ladders to reach the top.

Around the heavy oak tables in the center, students sat scattered, heads bent over their books,

their faces lit by floating magical crystal orbs, quills scratching furiously across parchment.

Wizard Sean strained to see the restricted section behind,

that legendary place where Voldemort found *Advanced Dark Magic Revealed* and turned himself into a brainless lunatic.

The trio found *Advanced Potion-Making* there and brewed Polyjuice Potion.

A true treasure trove.

The third section, called the Invisible Zone, held most books on invisibility magic.

He had no idea how to find them.

As Wizard Sean pondered, he adjusted his small bag, preparing to find a seat—then spotted Justin silently shouting at him.

“Wizard Sean! Over here!” (mouthed)

Wizard Sean quickly walked toward Justin and Hermione.

“Where have you been? You vanish after every meal.”

Hermione lifted her face—her concern came out as an accusation.

“The greenhouse.”

Wizard Sean answered without a care.

“Oh, I mean, well—do you know how to tell mature white healing herb apart?”

Hermione realized her tone was harsh, tried to backtrack but didn’t know how, and ended up blurting out her question.

“White healing herb has a faint mutton odor; when mature, the scent becomes stronger.”

Wizard Sean repeated what Senior Bruce had said—it felt strange, as if he’d inherited something.

“You know!”

Hermione covered her mouth; she’d asked just to make conversation, never expecting Wizard Sean to actually know.

“So that’s what you got from the greenhouse?”

Wizard Sean nodded—sort of.

“I knew it!”

Justin looked prouder than Wizard Sean himself,

making Hermione blush slightly.

“But I memorized the first-year textbook—there’s no description of it at all.”

Hermione’s ears turned pink as she whispered.

“Yeah, I memorized it too—there’s nothing in there.”

Wizard Sean fully agreed.

“Oh my gosh, you memorized it too!”

Hermione covered her mouth again, cautiously peeking over the top of a thick brown book,

scanning the room—seeing Madam Pince scolding a first-year and not noticing them—she finally exhaled.

“Then how did you—?!”

Her eyes sparkled, as if she’d found a kindred soul.

“Senior Hufflepuff told me when I helped Professor Sprout process herbs.”

Wizard Sean finished speaking, then pulled out *A History of Magic* and parchment—he decided to start on his History of Magic homework.

Hermione and Justin exchanged a glance—both looked like “Huh?”

If Professor Binns hadn’t confused inches with feet, the homework wouldn’t have been much,

but unfortunately, the professor was clearly addled, so Wizard Sean and the others got a one-foot assignment.

About a third of a meter.

The students rushing out at the end of class clearly hadn’t grasped the severity of the situation,

But soon, Wizard Sean saw Michael and others at the second row of oak tables in the library wearing expressions of agony.

“Three feet! Even if I set the spacing and font size to maximum, I still can’t finish!”

Wizard Sean heard a loud shout, and then everyone in the library looked at Michael with pity.

Only then did Michael cover his mouth, but it was already too late.

Mrs. Pince stormed over, her shoes clacking loudly against the floor.

Wizard Sean stood his book upright and silently mourned for him, then went to collect books for his essay.

The essay seemed daunting, but for Wizard Sean, it was no challenge.

“A History of Modern Magic, three Galleons;

Important Magical Events of the Twentieth Century, four Galleons;

Directory of Contemporary Famous Magicians, five Galleons…”

Wizard Sean deliberately chose the more expensive books,

expensive books weren’t necessarily better, but they were definitely expensive.

Once, Wizard Sean couldn’t afford them,

now, they were free for the taking.