Wild winds swept freely. Dark clouds from distant mountains blew above Hogwarts.
Dull thunder roared, penetrating through the Black Lake into the Slytherin common room. Aquatic creatures at the lake bottom scattered in panic.
The previously lessening rain suddenly intensified. The floating light reflected from the dome shattered under the raindrops...
After the banquet ended, the little snakes returned to their dormitories. The dim common room fell silent.
Tiger lay sprawled on the sofa, covered by Gunpowder like a blanket. Contentedly snoring lightly.
In fact, he particularly loved dozing to the sound of thunderstorms. This half-asleep, half-awake feeling let his whole body relax, as if he were melting into the storm itself.
Unfortunately, Venom couldn't manage it. It resisted thunder that easily produced sonic resonance.
Every time thunder roared, it urged Tiger to quickly return to the better-soundproofed dormitory.
Fortunately, this trouble was finally solved.
The cat's melodious purring gently surrounded his ears. Warm and quiet.
Thunder, soothed by the Black Lake, was magnificent but not ostentatious. Rain freely washed the lake surface—dense but not noisy.
Indescribable comfort transformed into delicate whispers. Slowly permeating Tiger's entire body.
"Damn heaven. Nothing could be better than this..."
Dream-like sighs quietly echoed.
Time passed.
Thunder gradually ceased. Rain became pattering. Tiger stretched satisfyingly.
Gunpowder woke up.
In flashes of faint light, the cat returned to being one. Tilting its head to nuzzle Tiger's neck.
"Slept comfortably, didn't you?"
"Meow~~"
"Let's go. It's still early."
Just as Tiger turned to sit up, holding Gunpowder and preparing to return to the dormitory, the sound of shifting serpentine stone walls suddenly rang out...
Carrying outside dampness and cold, Riley Shafiq carefully walked in. Her calm eyes showing wariness as she surveyed the surroundings.
"Hmm?"
Seeing her suspicious appearance, Tiger raised an eyebrow.
"Run into trouble during night wandering?"
For energetic stupid lions, Hogwarts under night had always been their main battlefield. Led by the Weasley Twins, the elusive stupid lions had caused considerable trouble for night-wandering Slytherins.
"Ah..."
Riley Shafiq suddenly covered her mouth. Her eyes widened with panic and annoyance.
"Shel... Shelby? You... how are you still here!"
Her voice trembled slightly.
While crying out in alarm, Riley Shafiq instinctively stepped back two paces. As if hiding something.
Where should I be? Gryffindor?
Tiger blinked in confusion. He instinctively scanned the surroundings. Confirming he hadn't woken up in another house's common room.
"No... I mean..." Realizing her reaction seemed strange, Riley Shafiq forced down her nearly leaping heartbeat. Struggling to maintain surface composure. "How are you not asleep yet?"
"I just woke up, right here in the common room." Tiger's brow furrowed. "Who are you hiding from?"
You know, their relationship, even if not hostile, wasn't good enough for mutual good nights.
This abnormality—Tiger could still detect.
Riley Shafiq took a deep breath. Trying to hide all nervous, panicked emotions and return her posture to composure and elegance.
She crossed her arms, slightly raising her head:
"I'm not hiding from anyone. It's just too late now. You startled me. Don't you know you look fierce? Like a natural-born killer. Not just me—anyone seeing you at midnight would be scared. I hope you understand this."
"..."
Tiger's face instantly darkened.
What the hell... no one had ever dared speak to him like this. Every word was like a blade trying to pierce his heart.
"I'm a good person."
His voice paused as he glared viciously at Riley Shafiq. Word by word:
"My mother said so! I look very kind!"
Facing Tiger's fierce glare, a ripple of panic flashed in Riley Shafiq's eyes.
Are you kidding me?
Fortunately, as his words fell, Tiger walked angrily toward the boys' dormitory. His heavy, suppressed breathing like a beast's roar with nowhere to vent.
The moment the dormitory door opened, Tiger turned back to look at Riley Shafiq. Both frustrated and serious:
"I'm a good person! Also, my mother never lies!"
"BANG!!!"
Watching the dormitory door slam shut, Riley Shafiq blinked in confusion.
Shelby's expression just now... inexplicably familiar.
She really couldn't describe it. If she had to, it was like her brother Leon after she bullied him?
Did I say something wrong?
Just then, Gemma Farley walked out from behind her.
"Riley, don't forget... he's only twelve. You shouldn't have said that to him. You hurt his little heart."
Her cool, lazy tone carried a hint of mockery.
"Farley?! You changed back! How do you feel!"
Riley Shafiq quickly turned around. Looking at her friend with surprised and nervous delight.
Fortunately, except for slightly disheveled, damp clothing, Gemma Farley showed no other problems...
An Animagus's first transformation brings intense discomfort to wizards. Both physical and psychological.
Instinctive terror and unease causes animal instincts to temporarily replace human nature until the wizard completely adapts to the new body.
On the way Riley Shafiq brought Gemma Farley back to Hogwarts castle, Gemma Farley hadn't even recognized her friend and tried escaping back to the Forbidden Forest.
Helplessly, Riley Shafiq had to knock Gemma Farley unconscious and use the Levitation Charm to bring her back to Slytherin.
"I feel excellent."
Gemma Farley gazed at her slender, pale fingers. Her calm, composed eyes faintly showing excitement.
"I got what I wanted..."
The pattering light rain still hadn't stopped.
But this couldn't dampen Hogwarts' enthusiasm for Halloween. Percy Weasley found male prefect Burstrode. Both sides agreed to a one-day truce.
In the Transfiguration classroom, Professor McGonagall even replaced the textbooks with pumpkin candy.
Every time a student failed to cast a spell, they had to eat a pumpkin candy.
The usually serious Transfiguration classroom was suddenly filled with joyful atmosphere. Professor McGonagall didn't mind certain young wizards deliberately failing their spells.
But except for one person.
Tiger, who always hated sweets, was nearly rolling his eyes from choking on various pumpkin candies.
Seeing this scene, Professor McGonagall's lips curved up without concealment. Only Hermione busily handed Tiger water, while Slytherin little snakes held back laughter until their faces reddened.
At lunch, Tiger didn't even appear in the Great Hall. The omnipresent smell of roasted pumpkin made him unwilling to step out of the common room.
Fortunately, no classes were scheduled for the afternoon.
Besides anticipating the evening Halloween feast, young wizards from each house returned to their common rooms to arrange balls unique to their own houses.
"Costume ball?"
"That's right. What will you dress as, Father?"
Not only did Theodore's voice carry anticipation, but other Slytherins couldn't help looking at Tiger.
Tiger glanced at Riley Shafiq in the distance, who was secretly watching him. She quickly looked away.
"Heh... do I need to dress up?"
Watching Tiger's fake smile, Riley Shafiq awkwardly lowered her head.
"This guy really holds grudges..."
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