Chapter 80: Sending and Receiving Messages

As night fell, Harry and Hermione returned to the Gryffindor common room together. Neville, having accidentally bumped his head during spell practice, had to go to the hospital wing to see Madam Pomfrey.

At this time, only two or three students remained on the sofas. The fire in the fireplace danced in the hearth, casting mottled and flickering shadows on the walls, like a mysterious, ancient painting.

"Good night, Harry," Hermione said. "Get some rest tonight."

"Okay, good night." Harry watched Hermione walk towards the girls' dormitory. He himself happily bounced twice as he went up the spiral staircase to the boys' dormitory, unseen.

During that evening's study session, Harry was the only one who successfully disarmed his opponent. This was the first time he had learned a spell faster than Hermione. Almost everyone else struggled to cast spells smoothly; by the end, Hermione had only made her opponent step back two paces... then Michael made his opponent flinch... but that might have been because the beam of light from his wand was a bit startling...

Harry recalled the surprised and admiring glances from everyone—not because he was "Harry Potter," nor because he was "the Boy Who Lived," but because of the talent he displayed in spell-casting.

Every member of the SSC had a subject they excelled in. Harry had thought he had nothing much to boast about besides Quidditch, but now he knew he was probably very good at Defense Against the Dark Arts spells... Wade even praised him, saying he was a genius in practical combat...

All this joy came to an end the moment he pushed open his dormitory door.

Ron was leaning against his bed, flipping through a magazine. He didn't look up when he heard the door open. Seamus and Dean were probably already asleep, their figures in their curtained beds emitting even breaths.

The atmosphere in the dormitory was unusual.

Harry suddenly remembered that he had promised Ron before going—if Wade and the others also welcomed Ron into the SSC, he would send a message on the Friendship Scroll, and Ron would come over immediately.

Harry noticed Ron was still wearing his outdoor clothes and hadn't changed into his pajamas.

"Hi, Ron," Harry greeted dryly, almost wanting to bolt out the door.

Ron looked up at him and slowly asked, "Done? How was your club activity?"

"—It was okay," Harry said stiffly. "We learned the Disarming Charm."

He didn't know why he added the last sentence. Once it was out, he couldn't take it back, and Harry immediately regretted it.

"So, did you ask for me?" Ron asked. "You must have, right? It's okay if they didn't agree; you can tell me the truth—I can take it."

Harry didn't know what to say: "I—I didn't—"

"—Didn't?" Ron's eyebrows rose.

"The SSC has a rule that you can't just let anyone join; everyone has to agree... and I'm just a newcomer... so..." Harry stammered his explanation, finding it unconvincing even to himself.

"Oh," Ron said coldly. "I see."

He yanked his bed curtains shut and lay down, pulling the covers over himself.

Harry stood alone by the door, a mix of emotions churning within him.

A pure white orb of light slowly floated to the candle holder and settled there, illuminating the entire dormitory brightly.

Wade sat by the window and began checking messages in his Friendship Scroll.

The Friendship Scroll couldn't retain text for long. If someone checked the message promptly, the text would quickly disappear from the page; if it wasn't opened, the text would disappear within half an hour at most.

So his parents and friends usually chose to communicate before going to bed.

[Zoe: Zoe thanks Wade Grey very much for the candies! Zoe shared them with her friends, and Mikey and Tess will try to replicate them. Wade Grey will also get to eat them at the breakfast table!]

[Steven: I collected some information about Occamys and sent it all to you. I hope it helps. Oh, Mr. Scamander replied to me; he said he welcomes me to help out! I'm so happy, Wade! I never thought this day would come! It's all thanks to you; luckily you reminded me, my friend!]

[Marchionne: Regarding the revised edition of the Friendship Scroll, I hope to discuss it with you in person—can we meet in Hogsmeade on Saturday? I know only third-years get permission to go out, but maybe Professor Morray can take you out? Actually, I also know a secret passage out of the school...]

[Ferdinand: Wade, I received a reply from the person you mentioned.]

Wade's eyes lit up, and he quickly wrote on the parchment—

[Wade: Remus Lupin?]

[Ferdinand: Yes. Just as you requested, he claims in his letter to be proficient in most Defense Against the Dark Arts, including the Patronus Charm. His Transfiguration grades are Outstanding, he is familiar with the Animagus training method, and he accepts a payment of 10 Galleons per week. The signature is Remus Lupin. I've arranged to meet him tomorrow at the Leaky Cauldron.]

Wade let out a long breath, unable to suppress a smile.

He could ask Professor Flitwick about Defense Against the Dark Arts material, but he couldn't always bother him. Professor Flitwick had classes to teach, assignments to grade, Ravenclaw House to manage, and sometimes he had to patrol the castle. In his free time, he also wanted to go to the pub with friends for a drink and relax. Wade couldn't monopolize his time, and the same applied to Professor Morray.

During the Christmas holidays, Professor Flitwick gave Wade a copy of "The Standard Book of Spells," but Wade later discovered it was an abridged version. Most Dark Arts, curses, and hexes had been removed by Professor Flitwick, and he had also omitted some spells that he believed Wade, as a first-year student, shouldn't be exposed to yet—such as Apparition, Disillusionment Charm, Animagus, Portkeys, and so on.

Professor Flitwick's stance was clear—while he thought Wade was outstanding in Charms, he insisted that as a first-year student, he should learn and master safe, harmless spells, and advanced magic should be learned gradually in later years.

Wade didn't want to argue with the professor about whether his concern was what he needed, because Professor Flitwick was a very upright and kind person. However, some of the things Wade wanted to learn were things Professor Flitwick could never teach him. And if he tried to practice them himself, even with his golden finger advantage, there would be considerable danger.

More than half of the content in each chapter of the textbooks typically emphasized the same thing: failed spells could cause extremely serious consequences, some leading to wizards' gruesome deaths, some transforming humans into non-human creatures, and some resulting in irreversible damage that magic itself couldn't mend.

So he needed a teacher.

A highly skilled, trustworthy, and less conventional teacher.

Was there any better choice than Remus Lupin?

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