"I don't know if you're that kind of person, but as long as you listen to advice, that's enough," Dylan chuckled. "Other than that, I'll give you thirty million."
Cedric paused, "Thirty million? Galleons? Wouldn't that be too much..."
Dylan's mouth twitched. This fellow really dared to dream. From his reaction, it seemed he truly might take them. Ignoring both Sickles and Knuts, going straight for the Galleons, wanting both everything and nothing at all? Dylan's face became serious.
"The thirty million I'm giving you is: I wish your first meeting to be vibrantly fresh, your time together to be infinitely tolerant, and your days to be endlessly prosperous."
Cedric: ('-') "A very... very beautiful blessing, thank you." He forced a dry laugh, muttering under his breath, "So that's what 'thirty million' meant... I thought..."
Dylan's eyes widened. "What did you think? That I'd give you thirty million Galleons? Are you mad with greed?"
Cedric awkwardly rubbed his nose. "I was actually quite surprised you'd suddenly offer me Galleons, but I also thought you wouldn't joke about something like that..." He cleared his throat twice, then continued, "And, well, I am a bit short on money."
Hearing that, Dylan raised an eyebrow. "You're short on money? How is that possible? I heard from others that your family works at the Ministry of Magic."
Cedric sighed slightly. "What good is that? I don't work at the Ministry, and the Ministry's salary isn't that high. My pocket money is just a tiny bit." "Barely enough, you could say."
Dylan's eyelashes fluttered slightly. "I see. Alright."
Cedric shook his head. "Let's put that topic aside, Dylan. I know you have extremely high talent and skill in divination. Regarding me and Cho..."
As soon as he opened his mouth, Dylan knew what this fellow wanted to say. He shook his head directly. "I'm sorry, I can't fulfill your request."
Cedric paused slightly, blinking, his long eyelashes casting shadows beneath his eyes. "I haven't even said—"
"You already did. My divination talent is extremely high."
"Uh, alright..." Cedric sighed softly. "My apologies, I was presumptuous. I suppose even if one's divination talent is very high, exploring the future must come with some cost."
"I was going to ask you to divine the future of my relationship with Cho, how it will turn out, whether we can go the distance until we grow old together. That was indeed my offense, please forgive me."
Dylan shrugged. "Actually, it's a good thing you have that thought; at least you're considering your future with a girl."
Cedric's cheeks flushed slightly. He looked at Dylan, his gaze shifting slightly, then suddenly laughed. "Many in Hufflepuff are talking about you and that Ravenclaw girl. You two..."
Dylan narrowed his eyes, his gaze fixed on Cedric. They stared at each other. Cedric immediately clamped his mouth shut.
"Hahahaha, I imagine as friends, your relationship must be very good."
Dylan narrowed his eyes and nodded. "That's very true." As for Luna, Dylan wasn't sure if he had any special feelings for her. He just felt that spending time with Luna was much more interesting than with Harry and the others. Of course, this might also be because Luna herself had many unique understandings and insights into spirituality. Through these, Luna could also provide Dylan with feedback on things Dylan couldn't divine. Moreover, Luna could truly hold a conversation with Dylan. Many things Dylan talked about, Luna could chime in on, and even understand, which pleasantly surprised Dylan. And they were the same age. Dylan was naturally willing to interact more with Luna.
Even Hermione, though she had read many books, Dylan found it difficult to be on the same wavelength with her logic and thinking in certain matters and aspects. Sometimes, even when two people were talking about the same thing, what they said was completely unrelated. Ultimately, Hermione was too rational. Although she knew a lot, it was only because she read a lot. If something happened that was beyond Hermione's comprehension, it was simply because she hadn't read that part. Or, even if a book explained the situation, not all books were instruction manuals. How to turn knowledge into power was something that would leave Hermione completely stumped.
There's a good saying: "What you learn on paper feels shallow, true understanding comes from personal experience." Knowledge gained from books is too superficial; to understand things deeply, one must practice them personally. This was a conclusion Dylan reached after reading so many books and conducting so many experiments himself. Only by fully applying the knowledge from books to oneself can one truly possess that knowledge and transform it into a part of one's life.
Dylan smacked his lips and looked at Cedric again. "You want me to divine, and I understand your thoughts. However, besides those 'thirty million,' you still need to understand something."
Cedric looked back at Dylan, his expression more serious. "Please, go on?" He didn't adopt an arrogant attitude just because Dylan was a few years younger than him and he was older. Instead, his eyes were humble, and his gaze towards Dylan carried a hint of polite inquiry. That was his curiosity, wanting to know what hint Dylan would give him next.
"Even if two people love each other passionately, there will inevitably be areas where they need to adjust to each other. How to handle this relationship, and how to nurture it, fundamentally relies on the genuine effort of both of you—"
"After all, divination cannot account for the daily trivialities of life, nor can it provide the tolerance and understanding needed during adjustments. It is merely a prediction, a possibility."
"So, what truly makes a relationship last is always your mutual consideration and proactive effort in the details. I think these words should be enough to replace the divination you sought and answer your question about your relationship with her."
After listening to Dylan's explanation, Cedric gently squeezed his fingers. He lowered his gaze, his eyelashes casting fine shadows beneath his eyes. He remained silent for a few seconds. Cedric's throat bobbed gently with his breathing. He let out a soft sigh. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, lifting his light golden hair. Cedric's brows furrowed slightly, then relaxed, and his lips moved imperceptibly. The movement of his fingertips gradually stopped, and he looked up at Dylan.
"I understand. Thank you for your guidance. This is indeed more useful than divination."
Dylan raised an eyebrow and smiled, seeing how quickly he understood. "Divination is always just divination. If I were to make a prediction for you, even if I told you that you and she would spend the rest of your lives together, what then?"
"If, because of my divination, you suppress the flaws you perceive in your partner, or the thoughts that aren't quite aligned with yours—things that make you uncomfortable—and force them down, even if you do spend the rest of your lives together, would you truly be happy in your own life?"
Cedric nodded. "I understand what you mean. You're saying that relationships aren't like using a Portkey, where you can instantly jump to a desired moment."
"Even if it's like Apparition, letting us skip over awkward arguments, the process of what happens will be etched into my life and memories."
Dylan snapped his fingers. "Exactly. And people's affections aren't like quick spells you can just cast to fill up. Now, I think everything you wanted to ask is clear, right?"
Cedric nodded slightly. "Yes, but there's one thing I still don't quite understand."
Dylan tilted his head. "What?"
"Your words are so philosophical, and your insights into love seem very profound—" Cedric took a deep breath and asked in one go, "So, how many girls have you dated? To have summarized such profound ideas."
Dylan: ( )
It seems someone really has a death wish. Dylan almost couldn't maintain his expression, but the smile on his lips grew deeper. However... that kind of smile, a fake one, looked even more frightening.
Cedric seemed to sense the increasingly heavy air. He coughed, not daring to tease Dylan further. "Although I think having several relationships isn't a bad thing, still..."
Dylan gripped his wand. "—Still, at this age, it's important to study hard and try to master magic before leaving school."
Cedric said earnestly, "Just like you, Dylan, constantly studying diligently every day! You're truly a role model for all students at Hogwarts!"
"Oh, really?" Dylan's lips curved into a cold smile.
Cedric nodded emphatically. "Of course!"
Dylan glanced at Cedric, then scoffed. "Even though I haven't been in a relationship yet, I wouldn't deliberately reject the possibility of one. It's just that I'm afraid I might find it very difficult to have a truly intimate relationship."
Cedric paused, somewhat confused. "Why?"
Dylan rolled his eyes. "If I were your partner right now, even if I could foresee your every future move, even a single fantasy you had, even if you never acted on it, I could still know it through Legilimency—"
"Would you still want to be with me?"
"Of course not!" Cedric blurted out without thinking. Then he stared wide-eyed as the possibility Dylan described slowly solidified in his mind, causing cracks to appear on his handsome face. "Oh, dear..."
If that were the case, perhaps living alone wasn't so bad. In fact, living alone seemed quite comfortable... Cedric scratched his head. When he came back to his senses, he looked at Dylan with a strange gaze, seemingly with some pity. He cleared his throat twice, then raised his hand and patted Dylan's shoulder.
"I think someday, someone will not only be able to block your divination but also skillfully use Occlumency to resist your Legilimency."
"You two will go back and forth, enjoying the struggle, and your relationship will only grow more intimate."
Dylan's eyes moved slightly, imagining this possibility in his mind. Hmm—perhaps it wasn't impossible. After all, another saying goes: "The one who knows you best is not your lover, but your enemy." Sometimes, people in love turn against each other. But people who are enemies might instead feel a strange mutual admiration. And even in their hearts, inexpressible feelings might arise.
"Let's hope so," Dylan shook his head, clearing the jumbled thoughts from his mind.
Cedric pursed his lips, then offered more comfort. "Honestly, living alone isn't so bad. We're wizards, not Muggles without magic who can only rely on each other until death."
"As long as we master various spells, longevity is the only thing that limits us."
"Look at our Headmaster, and look at the Heads of our Houses—I'm not just talking about Hufflepuff, but all four Houses."
"They're all still alone, without partners, and they're living perfectly well, aren't they?"
"..."
Dylan: ?
Is this person mad? He could understand Cedric wanting to comfort him after imagining his situation, suggesting that even if he ended up single and alone in the future, it wasn't a big deal.
But!
BUT!
Did he actually listen to the nonsense he was spouting?
Old Dumbledore, that old geezer. Why doesn't he have a partner? Hm? Look at my eyes. Tell me why!
Why doesn't Professor McGonagall have a partner? Is she truly without one? She was already married! She's been faithful to her deceased husband, dedicating herself entirely to her work, focusing all her energy on teaching students, and hasn't accepted any dating invitations from other adult wizards. And you use Professor McGonagall as an example? Isn't that a bit off the mark?
And Professor Snape. Hahahahaha! This is even bigger! Why didn't that greasy-haired old man date anyone? Why wouldn't he? Hm? Why?! His first love ended in heartbreak. He held the person he secretly loved in his arms, only for her to be a corpse. And you want him to find another partner? Aren't you being a bit too cruel?
As for Professor Flitwick. This professor with goblin blood. He's so incredibly short. Who could accept him? Do you think he wants to be single? The fact that his ancestor could even marry a wizard was already exaggerated enough! Although Professor Flitwick's goblin heritage isn't high, the powerful goblin genes still made him retain the short stature characteristic of goblins. What adult witch would instantly fall for Professor Flitwick? By talking like this, aren't you just rubbing salt in Professor Flitwick's wounds?
And finally, Professor Sprout. She's the only one who decided to live alone without any external interference.