💎 WEEKLY POWER GOALS 💎
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⏰ Resets Monday!
After the extraordinary waxing moon night, Anthony's life returned to calm. When he had classes, he taught. Between lesson prep, he browsed books in the library or enjoyed butter biscuits with chocolate in the staff room.
Myrtle didn't much care about the fate of the Basilisk that killed her, just pleased Anthony visited, and excitedly told him she really did encounter several Ravenclaw second-years at midnight.
Those students trying to explore the castle's secrets wandered curiously to an abandoned classroom and met Myrtle gazing out the window and sighing deeply. They shouldn't have—absolutely shouldn't have—asked why she was there. Myrtle firmly believed they meant she only deserved staying in the bathroom and could never go out for walks like other ghosts.
"Professor, you should've seen their faces when I cried," Myrtle said gleefully. "White as ghosts, ugly as hell."
In the staff room, Anthony heard this story's continuation. Because the abandoned classroom was too close to that forbidden corridor, even though these second-years insisted they only wanted to reach the Charms classroom, Filch still cheerfully declared they'd definitely be expelled. Fortunately Professor Quirrell happened to pass by and saved them.
Anthony took the floating porcelain milk jug and poured a bit into his tea. "Professor Quirrell seems to often not sleep at night." Otherwise wouldn't have encountered him dealing with the Basilisk.
"I can imagine," Professor Flitwick squeaked. "He looks somewhat neurasthenic, poor man. Cake, Professor Anthony?"
Anthony gladly accepted the cauldron cake he passed over. This chocolate-flavored small cake had soft texture and the sunken shape allowed people to add flavors according to preference.
Professor Burbage highly recommended filling it with milk-flavored fudge, while Professor Sprout suggested he could soak cauldron cakes in elderflower wine and would blend some very interesting flavors—just needed to control timing, otherwise he'd harvest a soggy chocolate-wine-flavored mud.
"How were these little adventurers dealt with in the end?" Anthony asked curiously, broke apart the plain cake bit by bit, and enjoyed this pleasant afternoon with milk tea.
Professor Flitwick said happily, "I remember each lost ten points."
Anthony looked at him in surprise. If he remembered correctly, Ravenclaw currently ranked second in House points, just a bit away from surpassing Gryffindor to compete for the House Cup.
"Ah, I don't care about the House Cup," Professor Flitwick said. "I mean, winning is certainly nice, but not winning isn't much—I doubt my shelves have space for another trophy—more importantly, tell them curiosity without caution pays a price."
Anthony smiled at his careful wording. In other words, if these Ravenclaws were cautious enough not to involve themselves in any situation requiring a price, their Head of House didn't mind curious students taking moonlit walks in the castle.
The weather gradually warmed but still quite cool and damp. Sometimes temperature would suddenly drop and almost overnight, winter seemed to return, but after a few days, busy bees' buzzing proved this was bright spring.
Clusters of daffodils swayed left and right with the breeze and red squirrels became active again. Sometimes ran dazedly near the castle, then scared away by dangerous magical creatures in the Forbidden Forest.
Anthony gently closed his office door and prepared to walk outside the castle.
His mouse nestled on the cat's belly, sleeping soundly. They got along well now and often huddled together resting. Once Anthony even saw the cat carry the mouse in its mouth and jump out the window to show it the rooftop scenery, and the mouse rested peacefully between those two rows of teeth.
Outside the castle, sunshine was warm and grass drilled from moist soil, green as if ready to grow wildly anytime. Anthony walked slowly along the Black Lake shore with sunlight dappled under tree shade and wind brought a bit of spring's breath.
If still at home, probably could prepare picking some wild chives. Migratory birds would fly back and then came parsley and winter melon's season. Anthony examined weeds by the Black Lake and wondered why wild vegetables didn't spread to this magical land.
Students also came out. Many lay on the lawn with heads together, laughing and talking. Some students even brought homework out, bit quill shafts and pondered hard at the sparkling Black Lake, and occasionally waved hands to drive away various insects circling them.
"Professor Anthony!" Angelina called and walked over from afar carrying a broom.
Behind her followed a team of Gryffindor Quidditch players. Wood was excitedly gesturing in the air and explaining something. Harry watched seriously, heard Angelina's call, and looked toward Anthony with the Weasley twins.
Anthony smiled. "Good afternoon, Johnson. Training finished?"
"Afternoon's done, training ground goes to Hufflepuff first. We'll practice again tonight," Angelina said. "Today's really nice weather."
"Professor, does the practical activity conflict with the match schedule?" Fred or George asked. "We calculated—if it's at term's end..."
Anthony said, "It's term's end, but before exams. I remember your match is scheduled after exams?"
"Before exams?" The Weasley brothers beamed.
Anthony knew they'd already thought of excuses for their grades and warned, "Veela's promise, Weasleys."
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