Fred and George didn't even bother with lunch, grabbing a few slices of bread as they left the table.
It looked like they wanted to send out their letters before class started.
Harry, Ron, and Neville exchanged bewildered looks with each other. Honestly, they still hadn't figured out what was going on.
However, they didn't have much time to think as Professor McGonagall was handing out the class schedules along the Gryffindor table.
"Kael, it's good you're here."
She handed the last schedule to Neville and said, "Professor Sprout wants to see you. If you've finished your breakfast, come with me."
"Alright, Professor."
Kael took the last sip of his lemonade and followed Professor McGonagall out of the auditorium.
He guessed that Professor Sprout likely wanted to discuss the Time Turner.
After all, the first class of the new school year was about to start, so there should be news.
Besides, before coming to the dining hall, he had already picked up his schedule from the common room.
The first class for third years was Care of Magical Creatures and Divination… Both classes were at the same time, at nine in the morning.
...
After leaving the dining hall, instead of heading to her office upstairs, Professor McGonagall led Kael out of the castle to the other side of the grounds.
Professor Sprout was there treating the Whomping Willow's injuries...
Because yesterday, the poor thing had been bumped into by two reckless individuals and lost several branches. Professor Sprout was wrapping the broken areas with special potions and bandages.
Kael noticed that the Whomping Willow wasn't exactly stationary; it was still moving... An owl passing by narrowly escaped being whacked out of the air by it.
Luckily, the owl was small and quick enough to dodge, though it left behind a trail of feathers as it flew away, angrily squawking.
Apparently, Professor Sprout hadn't pressed the knot at its roots.
But the Whomping Willow showed no intention of attacking her, letting her fuss with its branches.
And she wasn't the only professor there.
Gilderoy Lockhart was also present.
He stood about ten meters away from the Whomping Willow, shouting:
"If I were you, I wouldn't do it that way... It's too much trouble."
"Oh... you're making it too complicated, Pomona. I happen to know a very useful charm that can perfectly mend those completely broken branches."
"That's right, just like that. I was just thinking of teaching you this charm, but I see you already know it!"
Lockhart rambled on below, while Professor Sprout's face grew darker.
If Lockhart wasn't standing so far away, she might have asked the Whomping Willow to give him a hearty hug.
How annoying!
At this moment, Professor McGonagall arrived with Kael.
"Oh, Minerva, how wonderful to see you." Lockhart came over.
"The same to you, Professor Lockhart," Professor McGonagall replied perfunctorily, then called out towards the Whomping Willow:
"Pomona, are you finished? I've brought Kael."
"Just one more branch," Professor Sprout replied, quickening her pace.
"Wait, could it be you're the youngest-ever recipient of the Merlin Order Medal?"
Lockhart looked at Kael as if he had discovered a new continent.
"Yes, Professor Lockhart." Kael nodded.
"We must have met before. Remember, in Flourish and Blotts, you came to buy my book," Lockhart said with a smile, his white teeth gleaming in the sunlight.
"But you were too shy back then and hid away."
Professor McGonagall glanced sideways.
This was someone who dared to face Dark Wizards alone, stand his ground against werewolves, and break into forbidden areas with a Three-Headed Dog... could he really be shy?
Professor McGonagall couldn't possibly associate Kael with shyness. It was too absurd. She'd sooner believe Fred and George were a pair of angels.
Then she recalled a recent article in the Daily Prophet featuring a flustered Harry in the photo.
If she wasn't mistaken, Kael was probably there too but had left early and escaped the group photo.
Professor McGonagall's lips twitched, like she was smiling.
But Lockhart didn't notice this.
"I'm also a recipient of the Merlin Order Medal and have faced werewolves too."
He clapped Kael on the shoulder:
"You're lucky to achieve the same accomplishment at such a young age."
"Kael's Merlin Order Medal has nothing to do with luck,"
Professor Sprout interjected, neither warm nor cold. "He saved an entire floor of patients."
"Yes, indeed, deserving of an award." Lockhart adjusted his gold-edged hat.
"In fact, I've saved many people on my travels, though I've never mentioned it."
"Yes, you've never mentioned it, but it's all in the books," Kael thought to himself.
No one responded, but Lockhart didn't feel any awkwardness, continuing to speak to Kael:
"I imagine you've read my 'Wanderings with Werewolves'? I detail fifteen ways to handle werewolves in it."
"Professor, wasn't it seventeen ways?"
Kael blinked. "Did you forget?"
"Seventeen..." Lockhart paused but maintained his composure.
"Of course not, but two methods are too risky, and I don't recommend ordinary wizards try them... Seems you've read my book carefully, excellent. Which house are you in?"
"Hufflepuff."
"Well then... ten points to Hufflepuff," Lockhart said cheerfully. "You'll surely be as internationally renowned a wizard as I am.
Of course, you already have some accomplishments, though they don't quite overshadow my five-time winner of the "Wizard Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award," but it's just the start.
When I was thirteen, I was far more mundane than you are."
Professor McGonagall, listening in the back, was twitching, grinding her teeth.
The "Wizard Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award" more prestigious than the Merlin Order Medal?
How could he even say that?
Something like that, even if it came with a hefty pile of Galleons, she'd think twice before accepting it.
Embarrassing. If her old friends saw this, they might think Hogwarts couldn't afford to pay salaries anymore.
At this point, a group emerged from the castle, including Harry, Hermione, and Ron... Their first class was Herbology, so they headed to the greenhouse.
"I must be going," Lockhart said, patting Kael's shoulder again.
"By the way, although I was just advising Professor Sprout on how to treat the Whomping Willow, I don't want you to think I'm more knowledgeable than her in Herbology. I just happened to encounter a few of these curious plants during my travels..."
"Where did you see them, Professor?"
Kael suddenly asked, "I've always wanted to have a Whomping Willow, but Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Sprout won't allow me to uproot it. If there are ones in the wild, that should be fine, right?"
"It was in a very distant place..." Lockhart thought for a moment before replying, "And you might be disappointed. The Whomping Willows there are also private property and highly valued by their owners."