Michael had already left.
Wade turned his head, looking at the windowpane.
The figure reflected in the glass had a pair of grey eyes. They weren't as deep as black eyes, nor as bright as blue eyes; they were more like a calm lake surface in autumn and winter, devoid of intense emotions.
Sometimes, those who met his gaze would feel an unusual chill, making them wonder if his inner world was just as indifferent.
Through the reflection on the glass, one could see a group of students on the grounds outside the castle. Carrying brooms and braving the gloomy, rainy weather, they trudged across the lawn, making their way back to the castle. Their faces and clothes were covered in mud, as if they'd rolled in a swamp, their features indistinguishable. Yet, the smallest figure among them remained strikingly noticeable.
Then, a turbaned man, seeming to shrink from the cold, scurried across the field of vision.
Soon after, a figure like a black bat strode into the castle, their robes billowing high on either side in the wind, as if the rain itself recoiled from them. Their face was even gloomier than the overcast sky, and all the students they encountered on the path frantically scrambled out of the way.
Wade couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle.
Harry Potter.
Voldemort.
Severus Snape.
The Savior, the Dark Lord, and the former Death Eater.
Several individuals whose identities were full of contradictions, even full of murderous intent, coexisted peacefully in the same castle as teachers and students, merely waiting for the final moment when the dagger would be revealed.
Thinking of Michael's expression, as if his soul had been cleansed, when he left, Wade's lips curled slightly upwards.
He tidied the clutter on his desk, organized his recent homework and notes, and slung his school bag over his shoulder, heading to the Astronomy Tower.
—Of course, Harry Potter must join, and he must be helped to improve his strength as much as possible. Otherwise, if Voldemort revives—or gains more power due to some butterfly effect, who will stand against him?
—Will it be Wade, whose power is still very weak? Will it be Michael, who spends all his time with girls? Or Dumbledore, who in the plot was cursed and fell from the high tower?
Harry Potter, despite his various flaws—such as recklessness, impulsiveness, lack of self-discipline, etc.—and despite mastering only a few spells and not excelling in subjects other than Defense Against the Dark Arts… he was undeniably the anti-Voldemort weapon.
Leaving aside his infancy, from the moment he started school, Voldemort generally suffered a defeat against Harry Potter every year. In the final year, Harry Potter, as if divinely aided, found all of Voldemort's hidden Horcruxes in an incredibly short time, ultimately burying the Dark Lord completely, while he himself emerged almost unscathed.
Whether it's the protagonist's halo or the Son of Fortune...
Wade currently lacked the strength to defeat Voldemort, so he would never refuse such a friend.
Even if his power were to surpass Voldemort's one day, he would not shut Harry Potter out—things change unpredictably, and Harry Potter would always be a strong trump card.
Outside the castle, the rain fell steadily, and flashes of lightning streaked across the sky, casting mottled shadows through the windows, appearing abruptly and then vanishing.
"Dreadful weather, isn't it?"
Professor Morrey poured a cup of hot tea, thought for a moment, then added a little milk and sugar, and sat comfortably in his chair, saying.
"It is." Wade held his hot tea and smiled, "But I also feel this kind of weather is especially suitable for sleeping in. Muggles call this uniform, continuous sound white noise, believing it can block out other frequencies of sound and thus improve sleep quality."
As he became more familiar with Professor Morrey, Wade learned about the professor's attitude towards Muggles and no longer hesitated to discuss Muggle theories and technologies with him.
"White noise..." Professor Morrey mused for a moment, then chuckled, "They always have some marvelous and peculiar research, don't they? I once saw a... hmm, a research report, it seemed to be about the relationship between the length of a human's ring finger and intelligence."
"But there are also some very interesting studies, such as the interaction between dreams and reality, time travel, forms of alien life, and so on." Wade thought for a moment, saying with some yearning, "They're still exploring beyond Earth. If interstellar travel truly becomes possible, I would very much hope to be one of the passengers."
"I also long for that, but at my age, I'm afraid I won't live to see that day. You, living well, might still have a chance—or perhaps you could brew a Philosopher's Stone like Mr. Nicolas Flamel," Professor Morrey chuckled.
Wade also smiled, "I read in a book that the Philosopher's Stone can create the Elixir of Life—so is Mr. Nicolas Flamel still in his youth now?"
He remembered Nicolas Flamel in the movie looking like a walking pale ghost, his bones so brittle they'd break at a touch. He wondered if it would be different in this world.
"Hmm—" Professor Morrey pondered for a moment before saying, "I can only say—the Elixir of Life can indeed allow its owner to escape death, but the cumulative effect of six centuries is terrifying. The potion cannot completely counteract that effect—"
"Then such immortality doesn't seem very interesting," Wade tilted his head, thinking, and said.
Professor Morrey couldn't help but smile, "Only a child in the prime of his youth like you would say that without hesitation. When you're as old as I am, you'll understand—when one approaches the end of life, the fear of death, the attachment to life, all make us dread death and long for a longer existence."
"Professor Morrey thinks that way too?" Wade couldn't help but ask.
"I am but a mortal, of course I do," Professor Morrey stroked his teacup, saying, "But Albus once said—death is a great adventure. No one knows what the world after death is like—it could be as terrifying as the legends say, or as beautiful as they say, or just a void—"
Professor Morrey seemed to recall something, paused for a moment, and then suddenly murmured, "So I both fear death and long for that day to come—I will continue to walk forward and see what the scenery ahead truly is—"
Wade watched him quietly.
Professor Morrey suddenly snapped out of his contemplation and chuckled, "These things are too early for you—speaking of which, do you have an answer to the question I left you before?"
"Yes." Wade took the small box from his pocket and placed it on the table, saying with a tone of disapproval, "But Professor, this is too valuable."
"The value of a gift isn't in how much it costs, but in how you use it," Professor Morrey said in a kind and encouraging tone. "Tell me your thoughts."
Wade opened the box: "This is a piece of Occamy skin—Steven introduced this creature to me. Its body can expand and contract at will, becoming as huge as a dragon or fitting into a tiny teapot, generally feeding on insects and rats—"
Professor Morrey nodded and asked, "Hmm, what else?"
Wade took a deep breath: "—It's the best material for the Undetectable Extension Charm."