Chapter 53: Fool

Professor Flitwick looked genuinely busy,

after briefly checking the progress of their spells, leaving behind a few notes and awarding them a few points,

he hurried out of the classroom.

Wizard Sean’s shorthand pen recorded every word the professor said:

“The classroom reserved for clever young witches and wizards never chooses wrongly, children—you’ve done excellently!

But I ask you, if you can make a feather spin, why not try it on that small table?

I don’t encourage young witches and wizards to learn difficult spells ahead of time, but for those with talent,

I suggest they seize their gifts and master the interesting spells in Standard Spellwork: Level One—

the Summoning Charm and the Aguamenti Charm are both extremely practical; I hope these notes help you.”

At the time, Professor Flitwick had been encouraging everyone warmly, and casually winked at Wizard Sean,

“When you’ve barely mastered the spells required for first year, you’ll find mysterious silent spells waiting for you—

knowledge is never too much!”

Then he quickly stepped out of the practice room,

“Just like Miss Creevey—she finished all this year’s spells, so I encouraged her to boldly try silent spells…

Oh, I must hurry, or this time Miss Creevey might set something on fire—

Last time, I remember, last time, it was Professor Quirrell’s turban…”

Wizard Sean froze upon hearing this,

the Ravenclaw prefect—so brave?

“Alright, I have to tell you a secret.”

As Wizard Sean stared blankly, Hermione suddenly spoke up,

Wizard Sean, as expected, sat beside her with Jia Jia Siting.

The three huddled on the sofa as dusk fell, the magical lantern’s light swaying, casting a solemn and magical atmosphere.

“Do you remember what Headmaster Dumbledore said?”

Hermione said seriously.

“Before dinner?”

“Those who don’t wish to meet a sudden, painful death should not enter the corridor on the fourth floor, to the right?”

Jia Jia Siting and Wizard Sean exchanged glances,

both seeing shock in the other’s eyes.

“Wizard Sean, the thing you care about most isn’t this?”

Jia Jia Siting was surprised.

Wizard Sean thought carefully:

“I was wrong.”

“You two!”

Hermione puffed out her cheeks and slapped the table,

Jia Jia Siting immediately lowered his head like a quail, and Wizard Sean’s spirits also sank.

“Headmaster Dumbledore is right—those who don’t wish to die painfully shouldn’t go there…”

Hermione said, her voice growing quieter.

Wizard Sean noticed Jia Jia Siting’s body tensing:

“So, did you go in, Hermione? What happened after? Are you alright?”

“I didn’t want to break the school rules—it was Harry…”

Both voices spoke at once, but Hermione suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

“...Hermione, I don’t care about the rules, or about Harry—I only care about one thing: are you alright?”

Jia Jia Siting paused; the word “painful death” made his voice tremble slightly.

Wizard Sean saw Hermione’s eyes reddening.

“I… I’m fine…”

Hermione said dazedly,

“I nearly died.”

Jia Jia Siting leapt to his feet; Wizard Sean heard his breathing quicken:

“Harry Potter? That Harry Potter? What did he do?!

Damn it, I’m going to find him and demand answers!”

Wizard Sean gently pulled the agitated Jia Jia Siting; his reason seemed to leave him when Hermione went silent,

and return only when Wizard Sean gently tugged him back.

“Maybe we should hear Hermione’s explanation first—Harry won’t disappear, right?”

Wizard Sean whispered gently.

A flash of lightning suddenly split the sky outside, followed moments later by rolling thunder,

the weather of the Scottish Highlands was always unpredictable.

But a small, cozy nook was enough to shut out the endless rain.

“Gryffindor cowards—useless except for dragging others down!”

Jia Jia Siting muttered angrily.

The story, as Hermione explained, was now clear: to Jia Jia Siting,

Harry, the idiot who got tricked into a duel, and Ron, the idiot who attacked Peeves and sent them all fleeing in panic,

were not only useless—they were dangerous!

And Hermione, full of house pride, had stopped them from sneaking out and used spells to help them open the door—she was the one who got dragged into this mess!

If he’d been there, he’d have smashed their stupid heads with his dirty boots!

Wizard Sean instinctively felt something was off, but couldn’t pinpoint what.

“It was a three-headed dog—its teeth could crush skulls, and its saliva was corrosive,”

Hermione recalled; her earlier fear and panic gradually faded, and the sleepiness from last night’s insomnia crept in,

“It must be guarding something… the trapdoor…”

As she pondered, she drifted peacefully to sleep, pushing Jia Jia Siting’s anger to its peak;

he silently pulled a blanket over Hermione, expressionless, and turned to leave.

Wizard Sean sighed—he didn’t need to guess what Jia Jia Siting intended to do.

“Headmaster Dumbledore knows exactly what’s inside Hogwarts,”

Wizard Sean said softly,

“Hermione said the three-headed dog is guarding something—I believe that’s part of the Headmaster’s plan.

If the Headmaster allowed this to happen, then it must not be truly dangerous—remember, the three-headed dog never attacked Hermione.”

Jia Jia Siting stood still for a moment:

“Wizard Sean, you’re always so wise.

But my mother said, if doing what’s necessary makes you a fool,

then let me be the fool!”

He finally stepped out,

“I don’t care about the Headmaster’s plan—I only know Hermione nearly died behind that door…

If no one speaks up for her, will her suffering be ignored?”

A distant flash of lightning illuminated Wizard Sean’s profile,

Alright,

having a Hufflepuff friend is good.

Wizard Sean thought again.

The Headmaster won’t care much about Jia Jia Siting’s protest—but Hermione will. That’s the point.

Wizard Sean didn’t believe the plot could be changed—everything was under Headmaster Dumbledore’s control—

at least in the first Harry Potter.

It was a pure fairy tale.

Nothing to worry about,

Wizard Sean thought,

compared to these, his scholarship crisis was far more urgent.

The three-headed dog can’t kill anyone, the Philosopher’s Stone can’t be stolen, Voldemort’s purpose is to be an XP baby.

But if he doesn’t get his scholarship, he truly won’t have money to buy quills or textbooks.

More than how soon Voldemort would be defeated, Wizard Sean cared whether he could keep attending school.

“Professor Flitwick practically spelled it out…

the Levitation Charm—at least proficient level, preferably with silent casting;

and I need to learn the Summoning Charm and Aguamenti Charm…”

Wizard Sean looked at the sleeping Hermione and quietly turned off the magical lantern.

His most important goal right now is clear: grind proficiency, elevate his spellcasting to a high level,

then consult Professor Flitwick on dark defense spells beyond those taught to first-year students.

Collect the final shard of the scholarship,

synthesize a 600 Galleon super gift pack.