As Wade had anticipated, the Slytherins didn't complain to the professors.
Seven or eight Slytherins ambushed a Ravenclaw of the same age, not only losing the fight but ending up crying hysterically from fright—such a humiliating incident was something even Malfoy, who constantly boasted about "my father," wouldn't want others to know.
After Wade left that day, the few of them helped each other to the Hospital Wing for treatment, claiming they accidentally caused an explosion while privately practicing potions. Such mistakes were common among students, but so many students getting injured was too preposterous. Madam Pomfrey believed Professor Snape had failed in his supervisory duties and complained for over half an hour straight.
Snape, hearing that several students from his house were injured, rushed to the Hospital Wing. Before he even entered, he heard Madam Pomfrey's complaining voice.
A bewildered Snape: "..."
He knew nothing of the situation and thought it was genuinely his fault, so he could only stand by the door, grim-faced, enduring the scolding.
—After all, Madam Pomfrey was already the Hogwarts matron when Snape was a student there. He frequently got into conflicts with James Potter and his group of four and often got injured, receiving a lot of care from Madam Pomfrey. Nowadays, Snape could butt heads with Dumbledore, but he always reined in his temper in front of her.
Although he remained silent, his icy gaze swept over their faces one by one. Snape could immediately tell that their widespread redness and swelling were caused by a failed Pimple-Curing Potion, but Potions class had been going on for half a year already; who could still make such a basic mistake?
If it were Neville Longbottom from Gryffindor, or the "Exploding Expert" Seamus Finnigan, there might be some possibility.
When Madam Pomfrey went to attend to other students, Snape walked over and asked, "What happened?"
Malfoy, his face covered in ointment, hung his head, his expression unclear. He murmured, "It was my own carelessness, Professor."
Snape narrowed his eyes.
Draco Malfoy's posture struck him as somewhat familiar—just like himself a decade or so ago, when he would say the same thing every time he lay in the Hospital Wing.
But back then, he knew that even if he told the truth, no one could help him, and it would only invite contempt and worse bullying... Draco Malfoy had always been spoiled by his parents, so arrogant and foul-mouthed; why would he conceal for the perpetrators?
But since they all got beaten together, Snape couldn't be bothered to intervene further—he had always thought that with Draco Malfoy's arrogant and sharp-tongued demeanor, a beating was inevitable sooner or later.
The next noon, Michael and Wade went to the Great Hall to eat. When they encountered some Slytherins, Michael instinctively tensed up, but saw that the two—Millicent and Nott—both slightly lowered their heads and only continued what they were doing after Wade and Michael had passed.
"—What did you do to them?" Michael asked incredulously.
"Uh..." Wade thought for a moment. "You might not believe it, but they already gave up resisting before I even entered the classroom yesterday."
Michael eyed him suspiciously, then nodded understandingly. "If it's something you can't talk about, then just pretend I didn't ask."
"It's not really a secret," Wade said slowly. "I can show you too, just hope you won't be scared."
"How scary could it be?" Michael first disbelieved him, then recalled something and asked nervously, "—Did you get a Boggart?"
A Boggart is a magical shapeshifting creature that takes the form of a person's greatest fear.
Wade shook his head. "Not that... though if I had the chance, I'd like to see one..."
Pansy and a few other Slytherin girls walked past. Seeing Wade, they nodded at him, looking somewhat unnatural.
After several such encounters, Wade noticed a subtle change in the attitude of the Slytherins—at least some of the first-year Slytherins—towards him. It wasn't resentment, disdain, or a desire for revenge, but a mixture of fear subtly tinged with admiration and even reverence.
Slytherin students—they seemed to have a certain admiration for power...
This thought flashed through Wade's mind.
Without the Slytherins targeting him, Wade's school life was mostly occupied by studying. He didn't even go to watch the Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff Quidditch match, only hearing that Harry caught the Golden Snitch in just five minutes and that Professor Snape, who was refereeing, reportedly looked extremely displeased.
The Undetectable Extension Charm proved unexpectedly difficult, especially since Wade wanted to create a storage box akin to Newt Scamander's, almost a small world in itself, which made it even more challenging. Professor Morrie advised him not to rush.
In his spare time, Wade also created two alchemical works to practice: one was a slowly rotating Mobius strip with a tiny figure walking endlessly on it; the other was a small crab that automatically swept and mopped, sometimes even spraying cheerful colored bubbles. Hermione and Padma adored it.
Incidentally, on Sunday afternoon, Wade brought his insect sparring partners to the Boathouse, resulting in unprecedented high-pitched shrieks from everyone. Harry disarmed a praying mantis's front limbs with a powerful Expelliarmus, Hermione successfully cast a Shield Charm for the first time, and Michael used a Fiendfyre to make a spider shriek.
It proved that despite their ugly appearance, the insect sparring partners were excellent teachers. By the end, even Neville had made noticeable progress—when Padma was cornered, he actually jumped onto a spider's back and plunged his wand into its massive compound eye.
Lupin's magic lessons had also begun, and the first spell Wade asked to learn was the Memory Charm.
[Lupin: May I know—why do you wish to learn this charm?]
In the Book of Friends, Lupin's written words conveyed caution. He subtly advised: [According to Ministry of Magic regulations, any charm that tampers with another's memory is illegal.]
[Wade: The user is myself.] A moment later, Wade's reply appeared on the paper: [I've forgotten something important that I must remember. Also, I'd like to learn Occlumency. Do you know it?]
[Lupin: Of course. During the Wizarding War, we all had to learn how to prevent enemies from directly extracting information from our minds. But honestly, I'm not an expert in that area. The person truly skilled in such magic would be Severus Snape.]
[Wade: I just need to know the basic practice methods; at least I need to prevent others from silently infiltrating my mind and seizing my will.]
Wade wouldn't go to Snape to learn Occlumency, because those skilled in Occlumency were often also skilled in Legilimency, but he couldn't let anyone see into his thoughts and memories.
This way, communicating through the Book of Friends, made him feel more secure. Even if the learning effect was slightly less, Wade could gradually improve through practice.
In the Room of Requirement, Wade finished writing a line of text, and while waiting for Lupin's reply, he looked up at a grey stone basin placed on a stone pillar.
The basin was shallow and wide, empty of even a drop of water. Its outer rim, however, was inlaid with shimmering, very ornate jewels.