"Oh... Merlin..."
"How can he do this!"
"This is simply shameful!"
Looking at Tiger's wrinkled and disheveled trousers, along with his ill-fitting white shirt stained with large patches of syrup, the Slytherin students' expressions instantly froze, feeling as if they were about to shatter.
In their eyes, Slytherin students represented far more than just individuals.
The murmured discussions from other houses drifted over faintly. A strong sense of shame surged like a tide into the Slytherin students' hearts—they wished they could simply vanish from the Great Hall.
"..."
Female prefect Gemma Farley remained expressionless, but the silver fork in her hand had been gripped out of shape.
Sitting beside her, Riley Shafiq's face was iron-grey. She wanted to say something but was stopped by Gemma Farley's warning glance.
This was breakfast time.
Her eyes had already been insulted—Gemma Farley didn't want her ears to suffer the same fate.
Tiger walked straight over and sat beside Draco Malfoy, casually picking up a sandwich and stuffing it whole into his mouth, with absolutely no intention of using a knife and fork.
Gunpowder yawned lazily, jumped down from Tiger's shoulder, cast its gaze toward the fried eggs on the plate, and kept flicking Tiger's wrist with its tail.
Tiger chuckled softly, pinched up two pieces of fried egg with his fingers, placed them in front of Gunpowder, and began feeding the cat.
Just then, Blaise Zabini leaned over. He carefully watched Tiger's expression and spoke with a serious tone:
"Good morning, Mr. Shelby. I wonder if you have time—I'd like to invite you to..."
"Shut your stinking gob..."
Tiger glanced at him indifferently. This roundabout noble-style drivel was truly nauseating.
"Kid, speak straight."
"Keep using that sickly disgusting tone to turn my stomach, and I'll give you a set of gold teeth."
Looking at Tiger's thick wrists and knuckles, Blaise Zabini swallowed deeply. The fierce gaze made him not dare to breathe loudly.
Due to his mother's circumstances, Blaise Zabini had encountered quite a few excellent nobles—some held high positions, others possessed superior abilities.
But none could make him feel oppressed and afraid just by proximity, like Tiger did.
If it weren't for his friend, he wouldn't get this close to Tiger for anything—this bloke was truly dangerous...
Remembering his friend Theodore Nott's words, Blaise Zabini vaguely realized something. He took a deep breath, and his expression became sincere and natural.
"Sorry, Shelby. I just don't know you well yet. If I've offended you in any way, I can make amends."
Facing a wild beast that could devour you at any moment, any tricks or nonsense were death warrants. Better to be bold—even if you died, at least you'd die with dignity.
The deliberately lowered youthful voice carried a trace of sincerity. Tiger raised an eyebrow slightly and waved his hand dismissively.
"No need."
Finding that he'd discovered the key to communication, Blaise Zabini, who had been carefully observing Tiger, couldn't help but breathe a long sigh of relief.
Though still somewhat unaccustomed, he had to admit that this direct way of speaking was far more straightforward.
"It's like this, Shelby."
"Draco did something wrong. I sincerely request that you—considering his wizard robe can wipe your hands—help us plead for mercy."
Setting aside the roundabout language, the noble-style small humor wasn't entirely unpleasant. This was the art of speaking.
"Hmm?"
Tiger's lips curved slightly as he turned his gaze to Blaise Zabini, indicating for him to continue.
"Draco!"
After all, it was Draco Malfoy who was asking for help—appearing in person to explain would be more sincere. He couldn't substitute for this kind of thing.
Blaise Zabini was crystal clear about this. He reached back and tugged at the bloke shrinking behind him.
Though bowing his head to Shelby felt humiliating, Draco Malfoy wasn't stupid—he was just somewhat naive.
Only Tiger could help him with this matter. He couldn't bear the consequences of ruined reputation and universal contempt.
The sour expression he'd shown Tiger before was completely gone now. His platinum-coloured slicked hair, combined with his tender, tense, pale little face, looked considerably more agreeable.
"I'm terribly sorry, Shelby. I did something rather awful to your friend..."
After hearing the entire sequence of events, Tiger put the last piece of fried sausage into his mouth.
Then, he habitually picked up Draco Malfoy's wizard robe and wiped the grease from his hands clean.
Looking at the oil stains on his wizard robe, Draco Malfoy seemed to break out in hives, trembling with fury. His originally somewhat timid face was now flushed crimson with suppressed rage.
Blaise was just having a laugh! You actually took it seriously?
Tiger found unprecedented pleasure in tormenting the brat. He laughed heartily and patted Draco Malfoy's rigid shoulder.
"Right, I'll handle this matter."
"However, you both owe me a favour."
When it came to promises, both Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy's expressions became considerably more serious, even carrying a trace of wariness.
Tiger couldn't help but snort with amusement. They were just two kids—he really didn't know where they got so many schemes from.
"Don't worry, it won't violate your honour or Slytherin rules."
"How about it?"
Draco Malfoy looked somewhat helplessly at his friend. Blaise Zabini gritted his teeth and nodded.
"Deal!"
A very simple word, yet it clearly distinguished between priced transactions and priceless favours.
"Bugger off..." Tiger curled his lip with some boredom, his tone returning to coldness.
Disgusting pure-blood nobles—he despised these roundabout ways, but that didn't mean he couldn't understand them.
Blaise Zabini's expression froze, then he immediately realized he'd fallen into old habits again. A trace of annoyance flashed through his calm eyes.
But to prevent Draco's matter from creating more complications, he chose not to explain now, instead quickly leaving the Great Hall with his friend.
Meanwhile, Gunpowder polished off the fried eggs completely. After casually licking its paws, it fluttered up Tiger's arm, climbed along his shoulder, and jumped onto his head.
The already filthy and rumpled shirt now bore another string of conspicuous paw-print oil stains. Seeing this scene, the refined little snakes nearly suffocated.
But whether it was angry whispers or strange looks from around, for Tiger, none of it had any impact whatsoever.
At this moment, Hermione entered the Great Hall. Under the murderous gazes of numerous Slytherins, Tiger casually plonked himself down at the Gryffindor table.
"Are you going to keep ignoring this?"
Several senior Slytherins suddenly stood up, clenching their fists tightly, sneering coldly at the classmates and friends beside them who were quietly trying to restrain them.
"Don't be ridiculous."
"This bastard has been challenging our bottom line all along, challenging Slytherin's dignity!"
With that, these senior Slytherins stormed angrily out of the Great Hall.
Seeing this, other Slytherins also abandoned the table one after another, unwilling to spare Tiger another glance.
Female prefect Gemma Farley cast a sardonic glance at the flustered Hermione and disappeared behind the door.
"Tiger! You can't sit here!"
Slytherin's gazes made one's neck feel cold; Gryffindor's gazes made one's scalp prickle.
Hermione sighed, pressing her hand to her forehead.
As she spoke, she was about to get up and pull Tiger away with her. For the sake of friendship, breakfast didn't really matter.
She looked longingly and regretfully at the mango waffles. The prefect had said this delicacy only appeared twice a month.
(???)
However, she couldn't budge Tiger.
"Tiger?"
Under her anxious urging, Tiger's eyes slanted sideways. Facing the gazes from the Gryffindor table, he grinned maliciously, his fierce and menacing smile radiating oppressive force.
The little lions panicked and lowered their heads, cutting frantically at their empty plates.
The terrifying scene of Venom appearing last night—they'd probably never forget it for the rest of their lives...
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
The story isn't over...
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