Chapter 38: The Owl Portrait

After three in the afternoon,

Hogwarts slipped into a lazy weekend.

For young witches and wizards, Friday’s joy and ease surpassed even Saturday and Sunday,

for on this day they could toss their homework aside and fully enjoy their rare leisure.

As he walked from the greenhouse, dewdrops from the recent rain clung to the hem of his robe.

He learned from Professor Sprout that

Professor Snape would begin brewing a potion requiring two days,

so the potion-brewing plan had to be temporarily shelved.

He, who had inherited the knowledge of Master Libaixu Polaqi, now sat like a man guarding a mountain of gold he could not yet use.

Fortunately, he was not familiar with Master Libaixu Polaqi’s modified ritual either,

so he planned to practice in the hidden room until he mastered it,

and meanwhile, he could also improve his spell proficiency.

“I’m going to cut off your head!”

“No, please—”

From across the lawn came a childish voice whose content clashed sharply with its tone; Wizard Sean turned his gaze and saw a few young witches and wizards playing the executioner game,

a game for two or more players: one person thinks of a word, others guess it letter by letter, and if they fail, they pretend to have their heads chopped off.

Wizard Sean then heard a crackling explosion from the other side of the lawn,

and upon looking farther, saw young witches and wizards playing Exploding Snap—cards whose power was slight but enough to scorch the eyebrows of two players black.

The magical world offered many forms of entertainment beyond Quidditch, Wizard’s Chess, and Gobstones,

and Michael had played over ten strange games in just five days,

which was why he still remained in the library.

It would be better if he didn’t scream “Wizard Sean, save me!” when returning to the dormitory, and simply read Wizard Sean’s notes quietly.

Wizard Sean held the exquisitely wrapped Sizzle Bee Candy; the image of Senior Bruce being dragged away like a balloon by Senior Leon still lingered before his eyes,

and he noticed that every time Senior Bruce began to descend, Senior Piston would promptly stuff another piece of candy into his mouth.

The remaining candies were given entirely to him by Senior Piston, who grinned warmly,

“Hufflepuff’s principle is—to—share—”

Senior Bruce nearly howled these words.

The afternoon sun, like melted honey, lazily spilled over the ancient stone walls of Hogwarts,

warming and softening the cold stone.

The spires of the towers traced golden outlines against the blue sky; owls hooted as they flew past,

Wizard Sean’s hair stirred—that was the wind,

a sharp cry echoed from the distant sky—that was an eagle,

stumbling across the lawn was Jia Jia Siting.

“Wizard Sean!”

He called out enthusiastically.

This made Hermione, beside him, pout in exasperation; her book, emerald green with a dragon pattern, fluttered open in the breeze.

“Mother says nature heals all children.”

Jia Jia Siting leaned close to Wizard Sean and whispered,

“Sunlight, lakeside, breeze, grass… though Hermione doesn’t think these are better than her copy of ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’—

she’s right, that book is fascinating.”

Fantastic beasts?

Wizard Sean thought,

indeed, very interesting.

Then Wizard Sean’s gaze followed Jia Jia Siting’s finger to a page:

【I refute every other absurd claim in Miss Rita Skeeter’s book.

I only wish to add one simple point: I am not the heartless man who abandoned the heartbroken Seraphina Picquery.

At the time, the Chairman explicitly stated that if I did not voluntarily and swiftly leave New York, she would take severe measures to expel me.】

?

Wizard Sean was momentarily speechless; it seemed gossip knew no divide between wizard and Muggle.

“And this—”

【The Billywig is a native Australian insect; anyone stung by it feels dizzy, then floats helplessly into the air.

Generation after generation of young Australian wizards have tried to catch Billywigs and provoke them to sting, just to experience this side effect.】

“Wizards can be quite mad, can’t they?”

Jia Jia Siting said, spreading his hands,

“Hermione, what do you think?”

“Exactly. I also read in the book that wizards turn its juice into Sizzle Bee Candy.”

Hermione closed the book, her voice firm and clear.

Before she finished speaking, Wizard Sean quietly placed a piece of Sizzle Bee Candy in each of their hands.

“Delicious.”

Wizard Sean said seriously.

Hermione and Jia Jia Siting, still processing this, stared at each other.

…

“Floating feels wonderful…

I mean, remember?

Hermione and I applied to Professor Flitwick for use of that classroom,

he agreed quickly, but what did he say again?”

In the corridor, Jia Jia Siting suddenly stalled.

Wizard Sean saw clear amusement in his eyes.

“Idiot… it was—of course, but only if the owl portrait agrees,”

as they waited for the turning staircase, Hermione explained,

“Professor said that in the tenth century, Hogwarts was the only magical school in Europe,

and back then, students came from all across Europe,

but as other magical schools opened, many wizarding families chose those closer to home,

leaving Hogwarts—once able to hold a thousand students—with many empty classrooms, most sealed by magic, except ours, because…

“There’s a special owl portrait, one even past professors couldn’t always answer.”

Jia Jia Siting added with a grin, looking far prouder than Wizard Sean.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

As the staircase rumbled and Jia Jia Siting knocked on the wall,

the yellowed, cracked canvas reappeared, showing a snowy owl in a velvet waistcoat, wearing tiny pince-nez, its head tilted,

as if it could never simultaneously straighten its glasses and hold steady the aged parchment.

“What are you staring at! Owls are eagles too!”

it squawked,

“No laughing! I’ll ask you a riddle—even clever young witches and wizards can’t answer it!”

it growled fiercely.

Jia Jia Siting’s face fell instantly.

He thought for a moment, then tried to bribe the owl in the portrait with a candy quill.

“That’s owl feather, isn’t it? Even if it’s just carved!”

“Oh!”

Jia Jia Siting gasped,

Hermione burst into laughter;

then watched as Jia Jia Siting pretended to fumble and shoved the candy quill into Wizard Sean’s arms.

“Do rats eat the owl portrait?”

Jia Jia Siting pulled out a screaming sugar rat to salvage the situation.

“Young witch or wizard! Foolish young witch or wizard! I am a portrait!”

The owl flapped its wings, the parchment trembling beneath its claws, the whole bird radiating fury.

Hermione was shaking with laughter.

“Huh?!”

Jia Jia Siting looked desperate,

“Where am I supposed to find a rat portrait?!”