In the following period, Kael kept an eye on his surroundings, but strangely enough, that old whispering voice never appeared again.
He even tried increasing his training intensity to make himself tired again, even staying up all night, but it was still no use.
It seemed he truly misheard it that day.
After about two weeks, Kael gradually stopped thinking about it.
...
A few days before Halloween, on a stormy Saturday evening, Kael, finishing up the Charm Club activity, nearly bumped into someone at a corner of the corridor... no, to be precise, it was a ghost.
Nearly Headless Nick.
The ghost of Gryffindor Tower was gloomily looking out the window, muttering under his breath: "…doesn't meet their criteria… just half an inch short..."
He was so absorbed that he didn't even notice that someone nearly passed through him.
Until Kael greeted him...
"Hello, Sir Nicholas."
Kael preferred to call him this rather than the other name.
Ever since the last holiday, every time Kael heard someone call him Nick, he couldn't help but think of that old man far away in Devon.
"Hello, hello."
Nearly Headless Nic(k) was startled, glancing around briefly before finally seeing Kael.
"Few people call me that." His mood seemed a bit better, "You look very tired, that's great... I mean, I can't remember what it feels like to be tired."
As he spoke, he folded up a transparent letter and tucked it into his jacket.
Oddly enough, though the letter was transparent, it seemed just like real parchment; once folded, nothing written on it could be seen.
"I can only say that feeling is terrible, you wouldn't want to remember it."
Kael rubbed his forehead, changing the topic: "You seem to have something on your mind."
"Ah, it's nothing." The ghost elegantly waved a long hand, "Just a trifle... I didn't really want to join... I thought I could apply, but it seems I... don't meet the criteria."
Though his tone was indifferent, his face showed deep sadness.
"Hello... Kael, oh, and Nick."
Just then, Harry walked over from a short distance away, he should have just finished Quidditch training, soaked to the skin, with his clothes covered in mud.
"Did the badge not work?" Kael asked.
"No, it's very useful." Harry said, "It's just that I accidentally fell into a mud pit while catching the Snitch, and it fell off."
Harry took out the waterproof badge, still attached to a piece of torn cloth, which was ripped from his robe.
"Looks like you took quite the tumble."
Kael took out his wand.
"Reparo."
The torn cloth and badge returned to his robe.
"Thank you, Kael, Hermione has been urging me to learn this charm recently... I think she's right." Harry said happily, then he looked at the ghost beside Kael, "You seem to have something on your mind."
Being asked by two young wizards in succession, the Gryffindor ghost suddenly exploded.
"So you tell me!"
He pulled out the letter from his pocket again, complaining loudly about how the Headless Hunter Team rejected his application.
"Look at this, we only accept hunters whose heads are separated from their bodies..."
He said angrily, "A little flesh and sinew attaching, most people would think that's as good as being headless. But it's not enough; according to Sir Bodemo, it's not enough."
Harry opened his mouth, not knowing how to comfort him, and could only say dryly: "I think you're eligible, really."
"Thanks... but they don't think so!"
"Sir Nicholas..." Kael thoughtfully said, "I think you actually don't need to insist on joining the Headless Hunter Team."
"I didn't particularly want to join... I just applied because I'm bored, for fun!" Some ghost stubbornly said.
"Alright, just as you said." Kael didn't reveal him.
"I think you could start your own Nearly Headless Hunt."
"Start my own hunt?"
"Yes, Sir Nicholas." Kael said, "I think you're pretty well-known in the Ghost Circle."
"Well... I do have quite a few friends."
"Actually, this Halloween marks my five hundredth deathday, there's already over a hundred ghosts confirmed to attend."
When he said this, he looked very proud, the number must be quite substantial.
"Then there's no problem." Kael smiled, "You can announce the formation of your own hunt then and have them help with publicity to raise the profile."
"But... what about the activities."
Nick hesitated, "Though I hate to admit it, I indeed can't perform horseback juggling, or activities like balancing a polo on my head, and I don't look scary."
"You can create your own activities." Kael said, "No need to imitate theirs, you have your own advantages."
"My... advantages?"
"Indeed." Kael thought for a moment, said: "For example, you can swing your head like a helicopter blade, they can't do that."
As he spoke, Kael conjured a stone tied with a string, swung it around twice in his hand.
"Just like this..."
"You could find a nearly headless mount and swing together. If you can make some noises during the process, or make some expressions, it'd be even better."
Nearly Headless Nick stared wide-eyed, as if discovering a new continent, then leaned toward Harry, asked:
"Do you think, if I do that way, it'd really be scary?"
Harry looked at the stone constantly swinging in Kael's hand, then at the head in front of him, and suddenly a picture formed in his mind.
Unconsciously, Harry's features scrunched up.
Oh no... the image is too vivid, and he can't shake it off his mind; he surely won't be able to sleep tonight!
But Nearly Headless Nick was quite satisfied.
"Oh, wonderful, that's the expression!"
He clapped excitedly, "That's such a great idea, Patrick Delaney-Podmore would drop his jaw if he saw it.
Haha... why didn't I think of it before!"
He floated excitedly in the air.
"If possible, could you come to my..."
"Meow..." A sharp and ear-piercing sound suddenly came from near Harry's ankle, drowning out what he was saying.
"It's Mrs Norris."
Kael glanced at Harry and the long trail of mud behind him.
"You'd better leave here promptly, someone's cauldron exploded during Potion Class today, the potion splattered everywhere, Filch spent the whole morning cleaning, if he finds out you dripped mud water all over..."
"You're right." Harry said, as he prepared to run to the upstairs common room, but it was too late.
He had just walked a few steps when Filch burst out from behind a tapestry, panting heavily.
He wore a thick plaid scarf over his head, and his nose was unusually red, seeming like he had a cold.
"Enough!" He pointed at the mud dripping from Harry's Quidditch robe, "It's a mess everywhere, I'm telling you, I've had enough! Potter, follow me!"
Harry sighed despondently, and followed Filch down the stairs, leaving a trail of muddy footprints on the floor.
"That direction is... Filch's office, he probably wants to make an example of him."
Nick said: "We should help Harry, I remember there's a large cabinet in the storeroom, if we smash it on top of Filch's office, it should distract him."
"A large cabinet?" Kael muttered softly, "Where's that storeroom?"
"No, you can't go there, it'll cause trouble."
The ghost half-entered the wall, "I'll go find Peeves, he's the most suitable candidate."
"Wait..."
Before Kael could finish speaking, the ghost was already gone.
"Isn't that a bit too hasty."
Looking at the empty corridor, Kael thought for a moment, and turned to run towards the second floor.