Last night, Wade had checked his Friendship Ledger and found that Michael, Neville, Hermione, and Theo all said they'd come. Padma asked if she could bring her sister. Ryan was traveling in Italy with his family and wouldn't be back for a few days. Harry, however, hadn't sent any messages.
Green flames rose, and everyone arrived in turn.
At school, they were used to seeing each other in black uniforms. Now, dressed in casual clothes, they presented a fresh visual experience.
The Patil sisters, in particular, wore dazzling long dresses, light makeup, and shimmering gold jewelry on their wrists and necks. They were stunning and gracefully poised.
"Good morning! Hope we're not late," the girls said in unison.
The Patil sisters were already beautiful, and being twins amplified their charm several times over.
Michael, who had been peering out the window observing animals, practically apparated to the fireplace upon hearing their voices, elegantly raising a hand to greet them.
"No, we just got here too," he said happily.
"Miss Patil and Miss Patil, welcome to Glaring Farm."
Steven said, then turned to Wade, raising an eyebrow slightly.
Wade perfectly understood what he wanted to say—
Such beautiful girls, why aren't you more proactive?
Wade shook his head.
Steven was probably so used to his father urging him to marry that he'd developed a bit of a matchmaker's reflex.
Neville stepped out of the fireplace, letting out a long sigh of relief.
"Grandma didn't want me to come at first," he said with lingering fear. "But she changed her mind when she heard the top two students in the year were here."
Theo arrived, and before he could even speak, he heard the Patil sisters gasp.
"What's wrong?"
Everyone thought they were under attack and rushed over to see.
"My necklace and earrings are gone!" Padma said, touching her empty earlobes.
"And my bracelet and hairpin," Parvati added, panicked. "They just vanished in an instant!"
Steven immediately understood.
"It's a Niffler," he said helplessly. "These little fellows love shiny things. Don't worry, I'll get them back for you right away."
He whistled, and a Fork-tailed Dog with a split tail rushed over, squatting obediently like a soldier.
Steven stroked its ears, whispered a few words, and the Fork-tailed Dog scurried away.
Soon after, it ran back, carrying a blue-black Niffler in its mouth that bore some resemblance to a platypus.
The Fork-tailed Dog wagged its tail furiously, its face beaming with a "praise me" expression.
Steven took the Niffler, stroked the Fork-tailed Dog's head, and praised, "Good boy."
"This is a Niffler?" Parvati asked curiously, looking at the small animal. "I don't see any jewelry! Did it hide it in its burrow?"
Steven said, "This is a Cronus Niffler, unlike an Irish Niffler. It has a magical belly pouch—look!"
He held the Niffler upside down by its hind legs and gave it a shake. The Patil sisters' gold jewelry clinked down, along with some Occamy eggshells, golden cutlery, and a few shiny pebbles.
When the little creature was put back on the ground, it looked furious. It tearfully pawed back the scattered items on the ground, then turned and ran off.
"I think you'd better put your jewelry away," Michael advised. "Otherwise, a Niffler might steal it again sometime."
Theo suddenly exclaimed, "Look, it's a fairy!"
Everyone looked over.
At first glance, they looked like a swarm of dragonflies fluttering among the flowers. But on closer inspection, they were entirely human-like, apart from their multicolored wings.
The exquisitely delicate little people, dressed in clothes made of petals or grass leaves, busily fluttered about. Sometimes they'd land on a leaf, as if resting.
Everyone watched with bated breath, afraid to even breathe, fearing they might scare them away.
One fairy, seemingly attracted by a scent, flew towards Padma. After circling twice, it landed on Theo's finger.
"Merlin..."
Parvati let out a groan-like sigh.
Theo looked at the green-haired fairy with delight. It held a tiny wand in its hand, and as it flew, golden and red specks sometimes sprayed from the tip of its wand.
Another fairy with transparent wings flew over, and the two exchanged low buzzing sounds. A moment later, both flew away.
Theo touched his finger, feeling somewhat lost.
"Some wizards use fairies as exquisite decorations, enchanting them to fix them onto lampstands or Christmas trees," Steven said with a hint of pity. "But I think... they look more beautiful when they fly freely."
"Fixed to lampstands?" Padma asked. "Can they still be alive then?"
"Some people release used fairies... but not everyone is willing to do that," Steven said.
"Do they feel pain?" Theo asked softly.
"Fairies have always been considered unintelligent, with minds probably similar to insects," Steven said. "But how could any living creature not perceive pain? It's just that arrogant wizards can't empathize with their suffering."
These words silenced the young wizards for a long time, each feeling a personal impact.
Hermione arrived in the afternoon, looking worried.
"Have you been in touch with Harry recently?" she asked the group.
Everyone looked at each other and shook their heads.
"Harry doesn't seem to have opened his Friendship Ledger at all," Hermione said anxiously. "I even rented an owl to send him a letter, but he hasn't replied at all, and it's the same with Ron..."
"Could something have happened to Harry?" Theo frowned.
"Maybe he's been imprisoned by his Muggle relatives," Michael actually guessed the truth directly. "I knew he wasn't being treated well!"
"Imprisoned? Do Muggles dare to do that to him?" Parvati said in astonishment, then added, "Why don't we all go check?"
"Great, let's make it a group activity!" Michael said enthusiastically.
"Don't!" Wade urged, seeing Theo about to speak, and flatly refused. "Besides, I'm not going alone... I'll go with Remus."
"Him?" Steven frowned at first, then something clicked. "Oh... Remus Lupin, I remember he was good friends with James Potter."
Steven was almost graduating when James Potter started school. And they weren't in the same house, so they didn't know each other personally.
But the Marauders, as prominent figures in the school, Steven had heard their names and some of their deeds.
If Harry Potter was truly in danger, or being mistreated by Muggles, then Remus Lupin, as his father's friend, would certainly be the most appropriate person to intervene as an elder.