Chapter 224: Valentine's Day
Wade had grown accustomed to the illogical trust the Hogwarts community placed in the Headmaster's abilities.
After being immersed in it for so long, he even found himself wondering—
In the original story, after Voldemort's resurrection, Fudge and others were still so brazen. Was it because they also believed Voldemort would ultimately be defeated by Dumbledore, and so they unscrupulously sought advantages for themselves?
This thought flashed through his mind, and then Wade chuckled self-deprecatingly.
The reason didn't really matter. There were simply some people in this world who, even when in high positions, were both stupid and malicious, short-sighted, their eyes always fixed on their own petty gains.
...
After bidding farewell to Filch, Wade placed several potted plants in the Umbrella Room. He had turned an old, unused pen holder into a watering can and watered all the plants.
Theo saw them and was delighted. He and Ryan personally built several stands to help the plants grow properly, and even separated some fermented dragon manure to fertilize them.
As soon as Michael walked in, his attention was drawn by the scent. After admiring them for a while, he finally remembered to ask, "Where did these flowers come from?"
"Wade brought them," Theo said, raising a hand to wipe his forehead, instantly leaving a streak of mud on his face.
Michael smirked maliciously, deliberately pointing to the side of Theo's face and saying, "Hey, you've got something dirty here."
"Really?"
Theo didn't suspect anything and wiped twice, turning his face into a big mess.
Ryan, across from him, saw it but didn't say anything, his shoulders shaking as he tried to stifle his laughter.
"Is it clean now?" Theo asked, completely unaware.
"Mmm-hmm, it's clean."
Michael nodded, suppressing his laughter, then moved back to his seat. He hid his face behind a book and snickered a few times before turning to look at Wade.
"That girl?"
"Hm?" Wade was confused.
"Don't play dumb," Michael elbowed him, winking. "Tomorrow's Valentine's Day—and you received flowers!"
"Sorry to disappoint you," Wade shrugged. "These are a thank-you gift from Filch—I helped him fix the Cleaning Crab."
"...Filch?" Michael was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "I remember the things you used to make weren't that easy to break?"
Wade smiled without speaking.
Michael understood—although the bitter caretaker was detested by everyone, some students had thought that if they got on his good side, future pranks or night excursions would be smooth sailing.
But Filch was impervious. Gifts, even gold, held no appeal for him, and the smiles of pretty girls were no different to him than a Bowtruckle.
He would never give students a break because of them; it seemed his only pleasure was to make things difficult for students.
However, Wade had broken this common understanding.
And the fact that Filch sought his help was far more clever than them trying to curry favor with the difficult caretaker.
Michael silently gave a thumbs-up.
Wade thought that even if he said he genuinely wanted to help Filch, others would probably find it hard to believe.
But Filch was a Squib, and Wade's parents were also Squibs. Putting himself in Filch's shoes, he naturally understood how difficult it must be for a non-magical person to exist in a magical school.
Moreover, Filch was already in his sixties or seventies, still diligently performing various odd jobs. What was a minor issue for a Wizard, easily fixed with a flick of a Wand, required immense effort for him to complete, and some children often deliberately caused him trouble.
So, even without any reward, Wade wanted to help him.
...
The next day was Valentine's Day, but for most twelve-year-olds, the holiday was no different from any other day.
They still had classes; at most, the variety of chocolates at lunch would be richer than usual.
But as soon as they entered the Great Hall, a shocking scene crashed into everyone's view.
Heart-shaped confetti drifted down from the ceiling like snowflakes, the surrounding walls were covered in pink flowers, and the long tables were almost enveloped by blossoms.
Mistletoe was wrapped around the candles, and the candlelight itself had turned pink. The overly vibrant colors filled their vision, even making some feel a bit nauseous.
A girl with a sensitive nose kept sneezing and eventually had to flee the Great Hall.
But at the teachers' table, the person who had arranged all of this seemed not to notice at all. He wore pink Robes and clapped his hands with delight.
"My dear colleagues, students, and my lovely fans—"
Lockhart winked in the direction of the girls, satisfied to hear a chorus of suppressed squeals.
"Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you enjoy the surprise I've prepared for you—"
The Weasley Twins simultaneously made retching noises.
"—Of course, that's not all! I've also invited friendly Cupids with greeting cards!"
Lockhart waved his Wand gleefully, and the main doors suddenly opened. A line of sullen-faced dwarves with golden wings strapped to their backs marched in from outside.
They walked down the aisle between the long tables, strumming their harps and singing husky, languid love songs.
Almost everyone wore an expression of endurance.
"Suddenly, I don't feel very hungry anymore. I'm leaving first."
Wade put down his fork, patted Michael's shoulder, and got up from the table.
"Wait, I'm leaving too."
Michael grabbed a sandwich. Seeing Padma still staring at Professor Lockhart, he suddenly felt a pang of jealousy and reached out to tug her arm.
"Let's go, Padma."
The girl reluctantly stood up from the table and walked out with them, saying as she went:
"Even though the dwarves' singing was terrible, Professor Lockhart really put a lot of effort into it, didn't he? Those flowers were really nice. Hogwarts has never had such a romantic Valentine's Day before…"
Michael looked at her expressionlessly and asked, "Who are you? Are you Hermione, having drunk Polyjuice Potion?"
Padma burst out laughing, guffawing, "Oh my god, Michael, you look so cute when you're jealous!"
"I'm not jealous!" Michael retorted defensively, "I'm just stating my opinion."
"Alright, alright. I'm sorry, I just thought today was perfect for pink."
Padma good-naturedly hooked her arm through his. As soon as their bodies drew close, Michael's unhappiness quickly vanished.
Wade silently rolled his eyes and moved a little further away from them.
As they left, they could still hear Lockhart's voice—
"They'll be wandering all over the school, helping you deliver Valentine's Day cards! …Why don't you ask Professor Snape to teach you how to brew Love Potion? Or learn from Professor Flitwick how to cast charming spells… that sly old dog!"
-----------
Machine Translation by: https:// randomtranslator.com/
Read ***+ original & fanfic translations in English, Español, Português, Deutsch, Français, or Русский
Or Translate for free at : https:// randomtranslator.com/translate
Join our Discord: https:// discord.com/invite/XXUR9nkjwa
-----------