Chapter 20: My Mom Would Never Abandon Me!

The after-class tutoring gradually showed results. Although Lys's spells still had an indescribable suddenness and visual impact when cast, Professor Flitwick's need to restore things to their original state decreased. He even let Lys demonstrate once, resulting in a silver cup and a dazzlingly silver but shattered table.

The professor couldn't understand what factor caused this Starlys Black's spells, regardless of type, to have a chance of changing the target object's color whether they failed or succeeded.

As the weather grew colder, Lys donned her thicker cloak. Though barely adequate, it at least looked better. Hearing Professor McGonagall in Transfiguration class mention the list of students staying for Christmas, Lys hesitated. Her mother had never mentioned coming home for the holidays. What if she went to the station and Coco wasn't there to pick her up?

Staring at the owls in the Owlery, she stuffed the inquiry letter back into her pocket. Mom had said not to send letters home by owl.

The Owlery, next to the Astronomy Tower at the castle's highest point, was a place Lys rarely visited except for Astronomy class. The wind was too strong, stinging her face with its biting cold.

Feeling her cloak billow in the wind, she sighed softly. The moon was nearly full. Looking up carefully at the moon and the twinkling stars in the distance, she wondered what she could do for Christmas.

The next morning, Lys was secretly glad she hadn't sent the letter. At breakfast, she received a Howler. Though not as loud as others that could shake dust from the ceiling, it was certainly not quiet. The entire Great Hall heard clearly:

"Disgraceful waste! Since you can't read, I have to inform you this way - stay at school for all holidays! And don't send any letters home!"

Lys watched the bright red envelope float in mid-air, wanting to keep it. It was the first letter from her mom.

But the magical nature of Howlers caused it to self-immolate into ash after delivering its message. Clutching the ashes, Lys whispered, "Mom, I can read now."

Students reacted differently to the Howler. Slytherins avoided eye contact, Hufflepuffs, led by El, looked concerned and pitying, Ravenclaws were amazed that a student couldn't read, then found it reasonable upon realizing it was the one who kept blowing up their Head of House's office.

Worst were the Gryffindors. Some laughed out loud, and Sirius Black dramatically mimicked Lys's earlier classroom behavior of poring over reading primers: "Oh, I can't read. Maybe I should go home, but my mommy doesn't want me!" "Hahaha!"

Remembering Headmaster Dumbledore's words when she was in the hospital bed about letting the "minor conflicts" of energetic children resolve themselves...

Mom! Mom would never abandon me! Mom always reaches out to me in the end! How dare he say Mom doesn't want me!

"Sirius Black, you should know how incompetent I am. If my spell misfires one day, I wouldn't be surprised at all. Would you?"

This was tantamount to a blatant threat, causing discussion among the students in the Hall.

Sirius slammed the table, ready to teach Lys a lesson. "You filthy rat, how dare you speak to me like that!" But Remus Lupin held him back.

Potter also wanted to rush over to defend his best friend but was grabbed by Lily Evans. Unnoticed by others, Snape's brows were furrowed tightly.

"It's clearly your fault! You provoked and mocked her first! You can't even handle retaliation? Fighting in the Great Hall, you didn't even apologize last time when she got hurt. What more do you want, lose another 60 points?" Lily was furious.

The self-righteous bullies, whose actions had already cost their House many points, were stopped by the Gryffindor prefect at the mention of point deduction.

Lys raised her wand and sneered, "Come on, hit me with another Soul Intimidation, Sirius Black. Come on!" Seeing Lupin struggling to restrain the nearly manic Sirius, Narcissa suddenly spoke from the head of the Slytherin table: "That's enough. It's mealtime. Try to be quiet and maintain your manners." Lys wasn't sure who she was addressing but lowered her wand and sat down after glancing at the opposite table.

Looking up at Headmaster Dumbledore, who seemed to be feigning deafness and favoring the provocative Gryffindors, Lys snorted forcefully through her nose. "My mom won't abandon me."

As for the calmly dining Narcissa, she pondered whether the use of owl post couriers was to hide the family address, and if this special form of address was to conceal a true name. Could she be related to her family after all? She was half right.

After this incident, El Elbow kept a close eye on Lys, spending almost all their time in the library and kitchens.

He worried about the Gryffindor boys causing trouble and would even come find her after classes, continuing this until the Christmas holiday return train.

Narcissa's impartial intervention in the Great Hall deepened the young Slytherins' suspicion that Starlys might indeed be from the same Black family as Narcissa.

This rumor even made Greengrass remember to close the door when returning to the dormitory.

"Lys, Merry Christmas! I'll send you a gift. See you after the holidays," El bid farewell to Lys in the morning before heading home. He felt somewhat reassured since those Gryffindor boys weren't staying for Christmas.