Chapter 232: Safety First!
The beds in the Hospital Wing weren't large, but for a Wizard of Wade's caliber, the size of the space was no issue at all.
His Wand lay by his pillow, and Wade easily enlarged the bed, making it big enough for five or six people to lie down comfortably. The three of them slept until morning.
Madam Pomfrey came over with Potions, her face stern, and watched Wade drink the medicine. After checking him over, she indicated he was free to go.
The three of them barely dared to breathe. Only after Madam Pomfrey left did Ryan whisper, "Madam Pomfrey seems angry."
"Definitely! She hates students who don't take care of themselves the most," Theo said, equally surprised. "I'm curious why she didn't scold you."
"Maybe because I'm a patient?" Wade said casually.
In truth, he knew that because Professor Snape often sent him to deliver Potions he'd brewed for practice, Madam Pomfrey was somewhat lenient with her words towards him.
At least she didn't harshly scold him in front of everyone. Compared to how others were treated, Wade actually felt a little touched.
The three of them tidied the sickbed and gathered their belongings. Wade pulled back the curtain with a "whoosh," and many eyes turned to look at them.
Wade now fully understood why Theo and Ryan had wanted to stay and keep him company.
There were about ten sickbeds in the ward, most of them occupied by Slytherins, and specifically, classmates who had been in class with him yesterday. Wade even saw Goyle, whom he had stepped on.
In the Wizarding World, injuries caused by Spells heal much slower than physical wounds. So, while Wade was able to be discharged this morning, many students would still need to stay here for another two days.
They silently stared at the culprit... or at least one of the culprits. No one spoke, but no one jumped out to attack them either.
Despite being tragically caught in the crossfire, most Slytherins actually felt a stronger sense of identification with Wade.
He wasn't a Pure-blood... not even a Half-blood... so what?
All the Slytherins in their year combined couldn't stand against him.
The only reasonable reaction they could offer was to not speak to him.
As the three of them cautiously exited the Hospital Wing, Michael was surprisingly right outside the door, peeking inside.
"Why are you like this?" Ryan asked curiously.
"I'm worried Madam Pomfrey will see me. She really scolded us yesterday."
Michael cautiously peeked inside again, noticing the expressions of the Slytherins. He chuckled and said,
"Wade, believe it or not... don't let their cold, icy demeanor fool you now. If you're willing to reach out, almost every Slytherin would want to be your friend."
"Forget it," Wade said. "Did you see Dumbledore this morning?"
"No," Michael said. "But I guess he must still be at Hogwarts—I saw an Owl carrying a package fly out of the Headmaster's Office window this morning."
Theo asked, "Wade, do you have Dumbledore's Book of Friends?"
"I do, but I want to talk to him in person," Wade said.
Even face-to-face, he found it difficult to discern Dumbledore's thoughts, but at least he could pick up on a few things from his expressions and body language. Through parchment, one couldn't see anything.
Dumbledore was not at the breakfast table, but Wade sent a message to inquire, and Dumbledore quickly replied:
I think we can meet at 2 PM. I remember you don't have class at that time—oh, and the password is 'strawberry ice cream'.
So, Charms Class this morning felt a bit long for Wade.
Professor Flitwick had probably heard about what happened in Defense Against the Dark Arts. He spent half the class telling students stories of his dueling days when he was young, and some small dueling tricks.
"Move quickly, children! Don't stand there foolishly like Trolls, waiting for the enemy to hit you!"
Professor Flitwick swung his Wand forcefully and spoke loudly. He even demonstrated in front of everyone, having several students surround him. Without even attacking, only defending, he easily dodged all their Spells.
Of course, everyone unanimously agreed that Professor Flitwick's agility was inextricably linked to his small stature. They firmly refused to admit that they were the Trolls or gorillas Professor Flitwick referred to.
"Alright, alright, take a break."
A few minutes later, Professor Flitwick said, panting.
Once the students had stopped, he said, "Remember, not getting hit by your opponent's Spell is more important than defeating them! No matter who you're fighting, don't rush to claim victory. Protecting your own safety is always the top priority!"
Then he gave a few more examples, such as a careless Wizard who was hit by a Tarantallegra Spell during a battle, losing the chance to counterattack while dancing wildly, and was easily subdued by Professor Flitwick.
Neville raised his hand and asked, "But... if you don't know the Shield Charm, how can you block the opponent's Spell?"
"Many ways. But the simplest and fastest way is to collide it with another Spell."
Professor Flitwick said, "There's an invisible attraction between Spells. If two people cast Spells at each other simultaneously, there's a high probability the Spells will collide, causing them to deviate from their original direction or even rebound."
"This is explained in detail in Chapter 3 of Basic Spell Theory. So, for today's homework, write a fifteen-inch essay on this topic."
"Oh, no..."
This was clearly something he had just thought of on the spot. The classroom was immediately filled with groans.
Once the students started practicing in pairs, Professor Flitwick approached Wade.
"Wade, did you remember what I just said?"
The short professor asked, uncharacteristically serious.
"Yes, Professor," Wade said, bowing his head slightly. "My own safety is the most important thing. I shouldn't have let my emotions get the better of me and continued challenging Professor Abigail."
Professor Flitwick nodded, a relieved smile on his face.
"There's nothing wrong with being a little impulsive sometimes; after all, you're only a teenager."
As soon as Wade admitted his mistake, Professor Flitwick began defending his student. Then he added, "But remember for the future, when it's time to stop, stop immediately. There's no shame in running away."
"Yes."
"Even if someone calls you a coward or a chicken, you need to know that the ones who rush to their deaths impulsively are the real fools. If you can defeat an enemy with wisdom, why prove your courage by smashing your head against them?"
He blinked, and Wade couldn't help but laugh.
It was unclear who had relayed Professor Abigail's words to Professor Flitwick... He probably thought Wade was easily provoked, which led to actions uncharacteristic of him.
No wonder several professors at the faculty table had grim expressions during breakfast today. Did Professor Abigail, who was happily gorging herself, even notice the others' displeasure?
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