Friendship and Tagalongs
Chapter 126: Friendship and Tagalongs
Waking up, Wade stared at the ceiling adorned with stars and a moon for a few seconds before realizing he was back at school.
It was Wednesday, and Ravenclaw only had one Herbology class that morning, and it wasn't even the first period.
Wade got up and, after breakfast, still headed to the Room of Requirement.
He transformed the room into what was needed for Alchemy practice, arranging the Sneakoscope and detectors he'd bought at the junk shop around him. Damaged items like the Two-Way Mirror were placed on shelves, and then he approached the Vanishing Cabinet.
Before the holiday, Wade had mostly repaired the Vanishing Cabinet.
There were still some parts he didn't quite understand, so he consulted Newt Scamander, which proved very helpful.
The lake water in Newt's suitcase connecting to the Loch Ness outside was almost identical in principle to the Vanishing Cabinet.
The difference was that Newt had placed a barrier at the connection point, allowing only objects he permitted (usually seawater and small marine creatures) to pass through.
Between Vanishing Cabinets, there was no barrier; simply opening and closing them initiated a two-way transfer.
What had stumped Wade for a long time was basic magical knowledge to Newt.
He easily resolved the difficult questions and even proposed improvements to make the transfer more stable and secure.
During the last few days of the summer holiday, Wade finished the repair blueprints for the Vanishing Cabinet at home. Now, it was time to verify if they were correct.
He gazed intently at the Vanishing Cabinet, his eyes faintly turning golden in their depths.
The tip of his Wand seemed to glow with a golden arc.
...
"What's wrong? Didn't sleep well?"
Michael couldn't help but ask when Wade yawned for the third time.
Wade, looking tired, replied, "A bit exhausted."
Concentrating and using his eyes, channeling magic, even while sitting still, was quite draining.
Fortunately, the Vanishing Cabinet was repaired.
From Wade's perspective, the magical circuit patterns flowed smoothly and naturally, without any flaws.
All that remained was repeated testing to ensure safety before he could truly come and go as he pleased.
They walked across the lawn towards the greenhouses, and as they exited the castle, they encountered Slytherin students also heading to the greenhouses.
Draco Malfoy, surrounded by his companions, suddenly raised his voice when he saw Wade:
"The Nimbus 2001 is the best Flying Broomstick out there right now, much faster than the Nimbus 2000, and it has better defensive mechanisms. It just came out last month..."
While Malfoy was speaking, Pansy was always the most enthusiastic supporter.
She asked in a surprised voice, "That must be incredibly expensive, Draco?"
"Of course!" Malfoy said boastfully, "My father told them—we're buying seven Nimbus 2001s, and everyone in the shop was stunned."
Seven of the latest Flying Broomsticks—that number surprised even students from well-off families.
Terry Boot of Ravenclaw, who had a good relationship with some Slytherins, asked directly, "Malfoy, why are you buying so many brooms?"
"Interesting question, Boot." Malfoy narrowed his eyes. "Why do you think it's exactly seven?"
There was no need to guess.
Boot asked in surprise, "You joined the team?"
Malfoy gave a mysterious smile and then said, "The Flying Broomstick shop didn't have that many Nimbus 2001s either. They're working overtime to get them ready! They won't send them to me until the weekend..."
Malfoy drew out his words, looking meaningfully at Wade, who was walking at the back of the group, and said:
"I heard some people are still using ancient relics from decades ago! A Comet 140, tsk tsk tsk... how pathetic. When my new broom arrives, I don't mind letting him admire it."
Wade rode his broom up and down the Ravenclaw tower every day, and many students saw him, so Malfoy naturally knew.
The Comet 140 was the broom Wade rode daily.
But Wade was still preoccupied with the Vanishing Cabinet and didn't realize Malfoy was mocking him until Michael spoke up.
"Malfoy, I heard you tore up your Book of Friends?"
Michael feigned surprise: "No way... are you still using Owls to communicate with your family?"
Upon hearing this, Ravenclaw and some Slytherin students chuckled softly.
Actually, using Owls was perfectly normal, after all, the Book of Friends couldn't magically transfer things their families prepared for them.
Every day at breakfast, Owls still flew busily through the Great Hall.
But the funny thing was that whether Malfoy was trying to save face by never using the Book of Friends again, or swallowing his pride and secretly using it...
It was equally amusing.
Either foolish or embarrassing, he had to choose one of the bad options.
In reality, his dormmates knew very well that Malfoy regretted tearing it up the very night he did it.
He only lasted one day.
The next evening, Wade wrote to his parents, and on the third day, Mrs. Malfoy sent him several new Book of Friends.
Malfoy, red with rage, immediately cursed, "Some people are just like poodles, always trailing after others, it's truly disgusting—oof..."
Before he could finish his sentence, his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, rendering him speechless.
"Draco!" Pansy exclaimed, then glared at Wade. "What did you do to him? Undo it now!"
"If you can't speak properly, then don't speak at all."
Wade retracted his Wand, saying coldly, "Malfoy, you probably can't tell the difference between friends and hangers-on. Because in your heart, you've never considered anyone a true friend, have you?"
The remark hit home, and even Pansy couldn't help but glance back at Malfoy.
Everyone was well aware of how the young lord usually treated his lackeys.
Malfoy snorted in anger. He pointed his Wand at Wade, his eyes red from the effort, and only a few sparks emerged from the tip of his Wand.
He looked around.
Goyle and Crabbe had drawn their Wands, but they just stood there傻乎乎, waiting for his command.
—Could they really not see that he couldn't speak? Or did they think Wade had a point and were just pretending to appease him?
Pansy stood beside him, not daring to act, and as for the other Slytherin students, there was even less to say.
Not only because many Ravenclaw students had also drawn their Wands, but also because after Wade made his move, these particularly keen-scented Slytherins immediately realized a fact—
He hadn't made a sound when casting the spell!
A Nonverbal Spell... that was something taught in sixth year.
The young snakes instinctively chose silence and evasion, while the Ravenclaws, who had previously been smiling, also became cold.
Wade was always a loner, but Michael was not; he had good relationships with students from all houses.
Just as Malfoy was in a bind, someone's arrival broke the deadlock.
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