Chapter 235: Reflection

After the training session ended, Qiu Zhang, accompanied by Cedric, found John to strike up a conversation.

"Hello, Meilik, I'm Cedric Diggory, very glad to meet you."

Cedric extended his hand, his smile warm and sincere.

"Hello, senior Diggory, Titus often mentions you to me."

John shook his hand back, smiling as he replied.

Titus, standing nearby, asked: "Really?"

"Just call me Cedric. The last time at the Pig Head Bar I wanted to greet you and get to know you, but then you seemed… uh… not very available, so I waited until today."

Cedric possessed a very natural charisma, and his smile was refreshingly bright.

He simply came to meet the legendary little wizard John.

After all, at Hogwarts, even a first‑year student knows him, let alone a seventh‑year like him.

Previously there had been no chance, or no standing.

Now that they are classmates studying together, it is only natural to get to know the legendary little wizard John.

"Heh, haha, actually I also noticed you that day at the Pig Head Bar."

"I've always thought your physiognomy, senior, looks a lot like an old acquaintance I've never met."

John also laughed, shook Cedric's hand, and began chatting warmly.

Cedric felt an inexplicable surge of enthusiasm from John, and, with some doubt and hesitation, glanced at Qiu Zhang as if asking, "Has he always been like this?"

Qiu Zhang was also a bit hesitant, since she didn't really know John and had always thought him a smart, reliable, and steady junior.

"Senior, may I ask something…"

John suddenly, with a hint of hesitation, asked.

"Um, go ahead."

Hearing John had a question, Cedric promptly responded.

"So, you… have you ever been a vampire before?"

Everyone present:???

Cedric was actually pretty nice.

He didn't get angry at John's remark; instead, he laughed and helped John out, saying he had only performed in a vampire play.

After that they exchanged a few more words and then went their separate ways.

Before leaving, he patted Ryan on the shoulder, saying he looked forward to sparring with him in the Quidditch Match.

Ryan was startled at first, then quickly caught on.

It must be that the Eagle House School Team plans to let this substitute Seeker play in an official match.

But why did Cedric, a Hufflepuff Seeker, know about it before my own house's?

Oh right, our Eagle House's official Seeker is actually his girlfriend.

It's normal for her to know some inside info.

Time flew by.

Thanks to the successful first training, Hermione's sharing boosted Harry's confidence greatly.

He even began proactively preparing lessons, pondering what to teach next time.

But weekends aren't free for everyone; they come from three different houses, each with their own Quidditch Training, homework, and activities.

Thus, before each training, Harry has to spend a lot of time coordinating.

Later, Hermione devised that they should create a remotely linked "Shared Schedule."

It is essentially a Fake Galleon engraved with a serial number.

Each member gets one.

When one number changes, the numbers on the other Fake Galleons change correspondingly.

The number indicates the meeting time; once a time is confirmed, if no one objects, the number stays unchanged.

If someone is unavailable, they can edit the number, continuing until a time works for everyone.

A very sophisticated method.

John was forced to take part in the entire production process; I have to say, little Hermione was still way over the top.

And because Umbridge was no longer a threat, they didn't hide their training organization at all.

Now many people at the school have heard about this training.

The Spell Enhancement Tutoring Class co‑hosted by the two prominent figures Harry and John.

It has caused many students, utterly disheartened by Umbridge's "theory lessons," to seek to join.

However, obviously Harry cannot constantly run this "tutoring class."

Because he also has to attend Quidditch training, handle various assignments for the OWLS Exam, and finally practice Snape's Brain Sealing Technique.

All that left them emaciated.

And because last year's Three‑School Championship left no Quidditch matches for an entire year.

Thus this year's Quidditch Match returned, and everyone placed great importance on it.

The opening showdown is the century‑defining battle between Lion House and Snake House.

Their two houses have been at odds for countless years.

So before the start, the Quidditch players on both sides could be described as smelling of gunpowder.

But none of this concerns John any longer.

Because at this moment he is undergoing Professor Trelawney's mental pollution…

In the pitch‑black Divination Classroom, each desk held a Crystal Ball.

In the dim surroundings, the Crystal Ball seemed to glow faintly, its image indistinct.

Professor Trelawney was on the podium, performing a shamanic ritual...

"Come now, dear ones, empty your minds."

"Do not think about those petty calculations, nor about the paper you haven't finished yet."

"Stare at the Crystal Ball, let your thoughts drift in like smoke..."

Professor Trelawney exaggeratedly waved both hands, chanting some strange prayers in a mystical, rambling tone.

"Do not blink... let your gaze become blurred..."

"What do you see? White? Gray? Or rolling blackness?"

John stared at the Prophecy Orb for a long time, only seeing his own reflection.

Perhaps because of the spherical reflection, his expression looked rather effeminate.

"Uh, I saw rolling gray—how does that count...."

At that moment, Ethan, standing nearby, asked John speechlessly.

"I—" John began to retort, about how he could possibly know.

Professor Trelawney, as if she had a keen ear, suddenly sprang right in front of them.

"Oh, right!"

"Rolling gray mist, this is a test of fate!"

The teacher Trelawney used a wavering voice, stretching the tone as she spoke to Ethan.

"Uh... what test?"

Ethan shrugged his shoulders, hesitantly asking.

"This, dear, you must interpret yourself."

Professor Trelawney gave a mysterious smile, not answering Ethan's question.

John, standing nearby, couldn't help but jab at Professor Trelawney's shamanic display.

"Professor, you don't actually know either, do you?"

Professor Trelawney: "......"

"...... Fate can only be glimpsed by those who reveal it, dear..."

After a long pause, Professor Trelawney finally uttered some lofty‑sounding nonsense.

John and Ethan exchanged a glance, both looking utterly speechless.

But they didn't derail the scene.

John still stared at his own image in the Crystal Ball before him, asking oddly.

"So how does my own reflection in the Crystal Ball count?"

Professor Trelawney, hearing John's question, instantly put on an excited face and began to bluster.

"Ah~ a soul's reflection, that proves another you resides within, ready to replace you..."

"You must be careful~ don't let the other self inside defeat you..."

Come on, how did you, old man, casually utter such terrifying words?

If someone else said that, they'd probably think it's just hype to keep people true to themselves.

But John thought of another soul inside himself.

Although he wouldn't truly believe such hype‑filled prophecy.

But it was still oddly frightening.