Yet, there was something about it that Wentworth simply couldn't understand. If what Nala had said was true, then by all accounts, the Kalembo Tribe and Headmistress Adisa ought to be allies, at least, in some sense.
But tonight, Juma Kalembo's words had made something else abundantly clear: the Kalembo Tribe did not trust Headmistress Adisa. That was why they had proposed the formation of a school board, to oversee and, if necessary, restrain her.
After mulling over this for some time, Wentworth finally looked up at Jabari and asked:
"You've got owls here, right?"
Jabari blinked in confusion. "Owls? What do you need owls for?"
Caught off guard by the question, Wentworth stared at him, baffled.
"You mean… how do you normally send letters?"
Jabari's response was even more unexpected.
"Letters? Oh, we use parrots."
Before Wentworth could respond, Jabari rolled out several large cages, each containing a massive macaw, nearly as tall as a first-year. As soon as they came into view, one of the parrots began chattering loudly:
"Where to? Where to? Where to?"
"Who's it for? Who's it for? Who's it for?"
Wentworth couldn't help but give Jabari a thumbs-up, grinning.
"Top-notch and first-class!"
He quickly scribbled three letters and handed one to each of the parrots. As the birds took the notes in their beaks, they squawked the recipient's name and address repeatedly, then took off into the dawn sky.
With that task complete, Wentworth turned to say his goodbyes to the Nwadike siblings. As for the deal Nala had proposed, Wentworth only offered a wry smile and said:
"If Professor Snape ever found out I won the Golden Cauldron with your help, I'd probably end up even worse off!"
By the time Wentworth returned to Uagadou, the sky was already tinged with pale silver. It was nearly morning. Somehow, the entire night had slipped away.
He had barely entered the grounds when he spotted house-elves pushing food carts past him, clearly preparing breakfast for Uagadou's students. Though he had intended to return to bed immediately, the smell of fresh food gave him pause.
He decided he might as well enjoy breakfast before heading off to rest. There were worse ways to start the day.
Following the house-elves to the same grassy clearing from the day before, Wentworth found that he was the first student to arrive. The elves were still setting up when he stepped onto the lawn.
At the sight of him, they immediately bustled around with warm enthusiasm:
"Honoured guest of Uagadou, come to enjoy breakfast, have you?"
"Would you care for a moshi pastry? You won't find one this fine anywhere in Europe!"
"Perhaps a glass of disclaw juice first? It's a native fruit blend, freshly pressed, invigorating and perfect for the morning!"
Just like their Hogwarts counterparts, the house-elves of Uagadou were exceedingly hospitable. At their earnest recommendations, Wentworth sampled a variety of foods, dishes the elves insisted could only be found in Africa.
One elf, who introduced himself as Hulk, stayed by Wentworth's side, describing each dish's origin, ingredients, preparation, and even the legends behind them as Wentworth ate.
"This breakfast isn't just hearty," Wentworth remarked, thoroughly impressed. "The service is incredible too. I'm really blown away."
Hulk, clearly a chatterbox, beamed with pride.
"Well of course, sir! Uagadou is the finest magical academy in the world, and Madam Adisa is the best headmistress anywhere!"
Wentworth, already familiar with the exuberance of house-elves, let the flattery slide. But Hulk went on, undeterred:
"You've never been to Uagadou before, have you, sir? I've worked here for over eighty years! Back in the day, this place was nothing like it is now. Sure, there were grassy fields, but full of weeds!"
"Take breakfast, for example. Uagadou didn't use to provide it free. If students wanted breakfast, they had to pay. Many came from humble backgrounds, especially those from nearby tribes. To save money, some even chose to commute daily instead of boarding. In fact, there are still students who do."
Wentworth nodded thoughtfully. He knew both Jabari and Nala were day students.
"But everything changed when Madam Adisa became headmistress," Hulk continued. "She started offering meals to all students, free of charge. Over nearly twenty years, she slowly transformed Uagadou, bit by bit."
"The Uagadou you see today is nothing like the school it was two decades ago. Every improvement, every change, that's all thanks to Headmistress Adisa!"
At first, Wentworth had only half-listened while he ate. But as Hulk spoke, his chewing slowed. By the end, he was deep in thought.
It felt like he had just grasped something important.
Just then, a familiar voice called out beside him:
"Wentworth! Up early today, aren't you?"
He turned, and saw Malika Kalembo, Juma's cousin.
But she looked nothing like she had the day before. Yesterday, Malika had dressed boldly, showing off her confidence, and her figure. Today, she wore the most ordinary T-shirt imaginable, completely downplaying her appearance.
Caught slightly off guard, Wentworth smiled and asked:
"You're up early too, Malika?"
She grinned back.
"I'm always up at this hour. You didn't think yesterday's me was the real me, did you? Girls have many sides, you know. I've been ranked in the top three of my class at Uagadou for years!"
Wentworth couldn't help but marvel. The world was full of witches and wizards who were born into privilege, blessed with talent, and still worked harder than anyone else.
Just like him.
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TN: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon —— patreon(.)com/PrimalDemon [remove the parentheses ( )]