Chapter 15: Theodore Nott
The next morning, Su Yu woke up in warmth.
His left arm was pinned by Farley, and his right arm by Cassandra. The two of them, one on the left and one on the right, held him firmly in the middle of the bed like two warm human pillows. Farley's hair was spread across his shoulders, the black waves carrying a faint floral scent. Cassandra's face was buried in the crook of his neck, her light golden hair tickling his chin.
Su Yu did not move.
He stared at the ceiling, recalling what had happened last night—Cassandra had handed him a glass of wine, he had downed it in one gulp, and that was that. He didn't even remember how he had returned to his dormitory.
He shook his head helplessly.
He knew what they were thinking. There was no need to be so aggressive; if they had just told him, he certainly wouldn't have been able to resist agreeing. Was there really a need to use this method?
He smiled and shook his head.
Then, he lowered his head and gently kissed Farley on the forehead. Farley's eyelashes fluttered, but she did not open her eyes. He turned his head and kissed Cassandra on the forehead as well. Cassandra's breathing stopped for a moment, then she continued to pretend to be asleep.
Su Yu gently pulled his arms out from under them and got up to wash.
The bathroom door closed. The sound of running water started.
Farley opened her eyes.
Cassandra also opened her eyes.
The two looked at each other for a second.
"Are you awake?" Farley whispered.
"You are too," Cassandra said.
"He kissed me," Farley said, her fingers unconsciously touching her forehead.
"He kissed me too," Cassandra said, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly.
The two looked at each other for another second, then looked away at the same time. Farley turned over and buried her face in the pillow. Cassandra sat up, hugging her knees with her chin resting on them, watching the water of the Black Lake flowing slowly in the morning light outside the window.
"He knows," Farley's muffled voice came from the pillow.
"He's known for a long time," Cassandra said.
"Then why did he—"
"That's just the kind of person he is," Cassandra's mouth curled up. "If you don't take the initiative, he just pretends not to know."
Farley lifted her head from the pillow, her hair a mess, the expression on her face somewhere between shy and annoyed.
"Then why did you turn off the lights last night?" Farleyasked.
Cassandra blushed. "...Habit."
Farley looked at her and suddenly laughed. Cassandralaughed too. The two laughed together, and fearing they would be heard by Su Yu, they covered their mouths, their shoulders shaking.
When Su Yu came out after washing, they were still whispering on the bed. Their hair was messy, they were wrapped in the quilt, and the two were muttering about something under the covers. Seeing Su Yu come out, they shut their mouths at the same time, their faces still carrying the lingering traces of laughter.
Su Yu walked over, bent down, kissed Farley on the face, then kissed Cassandra on the face.
"Hurry up and get dressed, then go wash up," he said.
Farley and Cassandra exchanged a glance, then simultaneously threw off the quilt and grabbed their robes to put them on. Their speed was completely unlike their usual elegant and composed selves.
How to say it, Su Yu quite enjoyed this kind of life.
When Su Yu arrived at the Slytherin Common Room, Daphne was still reading on the sofa. She was wearing a pale green morning robe, her hair draped over her shoulders, holding a thick copy of Potion in her hands, with a cup of hot tea on the coffee table in front of her.
Seeing Su Yu come over, Daphne shifted to the side, making room for him.
Su Yu slumped onto the sofa next to her, sinking into it, his head resting on Daphne's shoulder. Daphne didn't speak; she reached out to straighten the collar of his robe, then continued reading.
There were not many people in the common room. A few upper-year students were talking in low voices in the corner; some hadn't even woken up yet. The fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, and the water of the Black Lake outside the window shimmered with a green light in the morning sun.
Su Yu's gaze swept across the common room and landed by the window.
Theodore Nott was sitting there alone.
He was facing the window, holding a cup of tea, his gaze fixed on the water outside, but he was clearly not looking at it. His shoulders were slightly slumped, and his whole person radiated a "don't bother me" vibe.
Su Yu noticed that the tea in front of him had gone cold, and he hadn't taken a sip.
"What's wrong with Theodore lately?" Su Yu said to Daphne. "Why is he always sitting by the window alone looking at the scenery? I saw him drinking tea alone there last night at the party, too."
Daphne put down her book, glanced in Theodore's direction, then withdrew her gaze and lowered her voice. "Because he's in love."
Su Yu was stunned for a moment.
"In love? Who falls in love like this? Anyone who didn't know would think he'd just been dumped..."
Daphne smiled slightly and whispered to him, "I heard the other person is a Ravenclaw, and not even a pure-blood. So I guess that's why he's sitting there confused by himself."
Su Yu frowned.
"Is pure-blood status that important?" Su Yu complained. "Everyone is like this; you really should go to Dongda and see. Which Muggle's ancestors there haven't been wealthy? Whose family hasn't had a bunch of landlords and nobles, otherwise it wouldn't have been passed down..."
Daphne smiled and said nothing.
In Slytherin, sometimes, prejudices are not so easily broken. After all, in Slytherin, no one could do what Su Yudid—go out in the middle of the night to take care of a Muggle-born Witch. That was Su Yu, not anyone else.
Su Yu stood up from the sofa.
Daphne looked up at him, not asking what he was going to do, just patting the sofa cushion he had wrinkled.
Su Yu walked to the window and sat down opposite Theodore.
Theodore came back to his senses, saw Su Yu, froze for a moment, then quickly put down his teacup, his body leaning forward slightly, his posture respectful and natural.
"Chief, why are you here?" Theodore's voice was very soft, carrying a unique Slytherin elegance and politeness. "Is there anything I can do for you?"
Su Yu didn't answer this question.
He looked into Theodore's eyes and spoke directly.
"Do you like her?"
Theodore was stunned.
That beautiful figure appeared in his mind.
It was an afternoon, and he was practicing magic in an open space by the Black Lake. The sunlight was great, the lake surface was sparkling, and his spells were going very smoothly, with red sparks spraying from the tip of his wand one after another and exploding in the air.
Then he noticed the person under that tree.
A girl was sitting in the shade of the tree, with a drawing board set up in front of her, holding a brush, looking down and drawing something. Her hair was dark brown, shimmering with a chestnut luster in the sunlight, hanging over her shoulders. Her profile was very quiet, her lips slightly pursed, her brows gently furrowed, as if she were very seriously doing something very important.
He continued to practice magic for a while, but his gaze always drifted unconsciously toward that tree. The girl would look up at him from time to time, and then look down to draw. Sometimes looking at him, sometimes drawing.
Theodore couldn't help it.
He put away his wand, walked to the tree, and stood in front of the girl.
"What are you drawing?" he asked.
The girl looked up at him. Her eyes were dark brown, bright, as if they contained an entire starry sky. She looked at him for two seconds, then chuckled.
"Your eyes!"
She turned the drawing board around to show him. On the paper was a sketch of a pair of blue eyes. Those eyes on the paper were looking at him, carrying a kind of tenderness he had never seen on his own face.
The girl looked at him with a smile, as if waiting for his praise.
Theodore was stunned.
His face felt a bit hot, and a bit flushed.
The girl tilted her head and looked at him, the smile on her face turning into worry.
"Your face is so red," she said, "Are you sick?"
She reached out and touched Theodore's face with her small hand, trying to cool him down.
Her hands were very cool. Theodore's face turned even redder.
"Your ears," she said, "are so cute."
Later, he learned the girl's name—Olivia. A Ravenclaw, in the same year as him.
But that girl didn't call him Theodore, nor did she call him Nott. She called him—Little Duo.
"Because when you blush, your ears look especially good," Olivia said when she said this, her eyes curving into smiles.
Theodore came back to his senses.
He looked at Su Yu, his lips moving.
"I like her," he said. His voice wasn't loud, but it was very firm.
Su Yu asked again: "Can you forget her?"
Theodore thought for a moment.
"I can't," he said.
Su Yu looked at him, didn't ask him again, but said calmly.
"But I haven't told you who she is yet."
Theodore was completely frozen on the spot.
Su Yu stood up and patted him on the shoulder.
Then he turned and left.
Farley and Cassandra had already come out of the dormitory. Farley had changed into a dark robe, her hair tied into a loose low ponytail, and she had light makeup on—the corners of her eyes slightly upturned, and her lips painted with a bean-paste colored lipstick. Cassandrawalked beside Farley, wearing a dark green robe, her hair loose, her gray-green eyes brightening the moment she saw Su Yu.
Daphne stood up from the sofa, tucked the book under her arm, and walked to Su Yu's side.
The three girls stood together—Farley was tall and sharp, Cassandra was exquisite and cold, and Daphne was gentle and quiet. Su Yu stood in the middle of them, with Daphneon his left and Cassandra on his right, and Farley walking in front, the four of them walking out of the common room together.
Dozens of Slytherin students were already lined up in a loose queue in the corridor. Seeing Su Yu come out, they automatically cleared a path.
No one spoke. No one fell behind. The group of nearly a hundred people walked neatly through the corridor, stepped onto the stone stairs, and pushed open the small door hidden on the right side of the Great Hall.
The Great Hall was already occupied by quite a few people.
Su Yu sat down at the Slytherin table. Kurama jumped from Su Yu's arms onto the tabletop, crouching in her usual spot, her tail swaying elegantly behind her.
Su Yu looked around.
At the Gryffindor table, he saw Hermione.
Hermione was sitting next to Harry and Ron. The three of them didn't know what they were talking about; Hermione's hands were gesturing, and Harry and Ronwere nodding and shaking their heads. Ron had a piece of fried egg in his mouth, saying something indistinctly. Hermione glared at him, and then the three of them laughed at the same time.
At this moment, Hermione had finally found new friends.
To be honest, if you had once fought side-by-side against a twelve-foot-tall Troll that looked like a small mountain, how could this deep friendship forged through shared adversity be easily forgotten and not cherished?
Hermione laughed very happily.
Hermione turned her head and saw Su Yu. Her eyes lit up instantly. She put down the fork in her hand, stood up from the Gryffindor table, and almost ran over.
"Su Yu!" Hermione ran to the side of the Slytherin table, panting. "Are you okay last night? I was so excited after I went back last night that I couldn't sleep until midnight. How are you so amazing?"
Her speaking speed was still as fast as ever, her face was flushed from running too quickly, and a few curls were sticking up on her forehead.
"I'm fine," Su Yu said. "Slow down, I'm listening."
"That's good," Hermione said, and then her chatterbox opened. "You know, last night Harry, Ron, and I ate so much in the common room. They are really funny. When Ron was eating pumpkin pie, he got cream on his nose, and Harry laughed for a long time—by the way, did you eat pumpkin pie?"
The corner of Su Yu's mouth twitched.
"Ate a little..." he said.
"Oh right, I forgot you don't like pumpkin," Hermionenodded.
Daphne had already taken two cheeseburgers from the long table and placed them in front of Su Yu. Su Yu picked one up and took a bite.
Hermione stood to the side, not intending to leave at all. She began to talk about last night's Halloween party, about how many pumpkin lanterns were hung in the Gryffindor common room, about how Percy had nagged for ten minutes because a first-year student stepped on his foot, and about how Ron had stuck his teeth together while eating toffee apples.
Su Yu listened while eating his burger, occasionally nodding, occasionally saying "Hmm."
Kurama was lying on the table, the cheesecake in front of her not yet touched. Her ears were perked up, listening to Hermione's chirping voice, her tail swaying slowly on the tabletop.
"Why is she starting again..." Kurama thought painfully.
"—Then Ron said he'd rather fight a Troll again than listen to Percy nag, and Harry said, 'Then go find a Troll,' and Ron said, 'The Troll has already been cut in half by Su Yu, can't find it'—"
Kurama's tail swayed a bit wider.
"—Then I said, can you two be more serious, Professor McGonagall said if you break the rules again you'll be in detention—"
Kurama buried her face in her paws.
"—Ron said, detention is better than listening to Percy nag—"
Kurama's muffled voice came from her paws: "When is she leaving?"
Su Yu ignored her.
Hermione talked for about another five minutes. From the Gryffindor party to the Ravenclaw decorations she heard about, from the Ravenclaw decorations to hearing that the Hufflepuff pumpkin lanterns were more numerous than Gryffindor's...
Kurama lifted her head from her paws, looked at Su Yu, then at Hermione, then at the cheesecake in front of her.
She made a decision.
"I want to eat five cheesecakes!" Kurama's voice echoed in Su Yu's mind.
Su Yu looked at her. "Can you eat that much?"
"I don't care," Kurama continued in her heart. "This experience of being bombarded at least once a day, I've had enough! This morning I want to eat five cheesecakes, not one less!"
Su Yu sighed. He turned and told Daphne.
Daphne tapped the table.
"Five pieces of cheesecake," Daphne said, "Coming right up."
Kurama put her chin on the table with satisfaction, her tail perked up behind her.
Hermione was still talking.
She had already started talking about how she borrowed a book about Trolls in the library this morning, and the book said there were three types of Trolls—mountain Trolls, forest Trolls, and water Trolls. The one last night should have been a mountain Troll, but she had never seen a mountain Troll with flames on its body in any book. She found it very strange and wanted to ask Su Yu what that flame was—
Kurama closed her eyes, her ears drooping.
Su Yu dipped his fries in ketchup, took a bite, listened to Hermione talk, while Daphne sat next to him, quietly drinking tea. Farley and Cassandra were chatting in low voices opposite, occasionally looking up at Su Yu.
The Great Hall was noisy, owls were flying overhead, and the sunlight outside shone through the magical ceiling, casting a warm light on the long table.
Chapter 16 Quidditch Season
By November, the weather began to turn cold.
The mountains surrounding the school became grey and chilly, and the lake froze like cold steel.
Every morning, the ground was covered in white snow.
Hogwarts Castle looked especially lonely under the winter sky, with thick snow piled on the tops of its towers, reflecting blinding white light in the sunlight.
Through the windows upstairs, one could see Hagrid—wrapped in his moleskin overcoat, wearing rabbit-fur gloves, and with his enormous beaver-skin boots on his feet—pacing back and forth at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, looking like a clumsy, furry giant bear.
Every morning when Su Yu came out of the Slytherin Common Room, he had to shrink his neck into his collar in the corridor.
The dungeons were already cold, and in winter, they were bone-chillingly cold.
Daphne had knitted him a silver and green scarf, which Su Yu wore every day.
Kurama had one too, but she still preferred to lie on Su Yu's scarf to keep warm.
The Quidditch season was fast approaching.
The whole school was talking about it.
In the corridors, the Great Hall, and classrooms, people were everywhere discussing which house would win.
It was unclear who had leaked the news that Harry was the Seeker.
Some people told Harry he was incredibly clever, while others said they should carry a mattress under him to prevent him from falling.
Su Yu heard from Hermione that she had been frequently tutoring Harry with his homework during this time and had even found a copy of "Quidditch Through the Ages" for Harry to read.
Harry read it with such relish that he even read it while eating.
"He really loves Quidditch," Hermione said to Su Yu, sitting at the Slytherin table.
She often ran over to eat with Su Yu now; she was more familiar with the aisle between the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables than she was with the corridors.
"I think he's interested in everything except studying."
Su Yu leaned on Daphne's shoulder, listening to Hermionespeak.
"By the way," Hermione lowered her voice and leaned in a little closer, "Harry says it seems like Snape is trying to steal something."
Su Yu raised an eyebrow.
"Do you remember that Cerberus we talked about before?" Hermione's eyes lit up.
"It was that night I told you about; I later discovered that the Cerberus was standing on a trapdoor.
Harry says Snape wants to steal what's under the trapdoor."
Su Yu patted her little head.
"Sometimes, what your eyes see is not the truth," Su Yusaid.
Hermione blinked her little eyes, not understanding what Su Yu meant.
The morning of the Quidditch match, the sky brightened early, and the weather was extremely cold.
When Su Yu climbed out of bed, he felt as if outside the quilt was another world.
Kurama was still curled up inside the bedding, with only the tip of her nose exposed, wrapping herself tightly with her nine tails.
Cassandra had already washed up and was dressed; she had to go and arrange the Quidditch plans for today, so she couldn't leave with Su Yu and the others.
She kissed Su Yu on the face and then walked out of the dormitory.
When Su Yu fished Kurama out from the bedding, Kurama's tails puffed up into a ball.
The Great Hall was filled with the delicious smell of fried sausages.
The long tables were laden with steaming breakfast: toast, fried eggs, bacon, sausages, and a large pot of steaming porridge.
The students were chattering excitedly, looking forward to the exciting Quidditch match that was about to begin.
Su Yu noticed that at the Gryffindor table, the food in front of Harry was barely touched—he was too nervous.
Ron was patting his shoulder and saying something, and Hermione was there too, holding a small pamphlet, seemingly explaining tactics to Harry.
Su Yu ate a lot; he liked winter, which was contradictory, as he didn't like it being too cold.
Farley even fed him a few pieces of sausage, and Daphnehelped him wrap his scarf properly.
Around eleven o'clock, it seemed that all the students in the school had gathered in the stands of the Quidditchpitch.
Many people brought binoculars.
The stands were high, and the seats seemed to have been raised a bit, but because there were so many people, it was sometimes still difficult to see the situation on the field.
The flags of the four houses were fluttering in the stands—red lions, green snakes, blue eagles, yellow badgers—snapping in the cold wind.
Su Yu was a bit cold; he said he needed to hug Farley to get warm.
Farley certainly wouldn't refuse.
They sat in the front row of the stands.
Today, Farley was wearing a turtleneck sweater, a thick dark robe, and a fur-collared coat over it.
Su Yu hugged her from the side, burying his face in her chest, and slumped into her arms.
Farley's body temperature was very high; hugging her was like hugging a heater.
"Still cold?" Farley asked, lowering her head.
"It's okay." Su Yu's voice was muffled against her chest.
Farley smiled, pulled Su Yu tighter into her arms, and tucked his hand, which was wrapped around her waist, inside her sweater.
Cassandra stood nearby, arms crossed over her chest, watching the field below.
She was wearing a dark green robe today, with a silver snake-shaped brooch pinned to the collar, and her hair was put up, revealing her slender neck.
Her expression was very focused, her grey-green eyes squinting in the cold wind, her lips slightly pursed, and she radiated an aura that said, "Don't talk to me."
Daphne, however, was not next to Su Yu today, because she was holding a hand warmer, sitting in the top row with Malfoy, Pansy, and a few other Slytherin students, holding a large flag that read "For the Glory of Slytherin!".
Pansy and Daphne were holding the flagpole, Malfoy was shouting slogans nearby, and Crabbe and Goyle were standing behind them, their mouths open, not knowing if they were shouting or yawning.
Kurama poked her head out of Su Yu's arms, took a look at the field below, and then shrank back in.
"So many people," Kurama said, "isn't it just riding broomsticks to chase a ball?"
"You don't understand, actually I don't understand either, what is the point of this..." Su Yu said.
Kurama snorted and buried her face in the crook of Su Yu's arm.
The referee, Madam Hooch's whistle blew, and the match began.
Fourteen broomsticks shot up from the ground, soaring straight into the sky.
The Slytherin players were wearing silver-green uniforms, and the Gryffindor players were wearing scarlet uniforms, standing out against the grey-white sky.
Su Yu squinted at the sky, the sun a bit dazzling, and he could only barely identify the fast-moving figures.
Slytherin completely dominated at the beginning.
Their captain and Seeker, Marcus Flint, was a sixth-year student, tall and sturdy, like a small mountain on a broomstick.
His flying style was rough and direct—not the agile, dodging kind, but the "I'm here and you can't knock me over" style.
Gryffindor players were shoved aside by him several times, almost falling off their broomsticks.
The Slytherin Beaters were also the best in the school.
Those two senior students—Derrick and Peregrine—cooperated tacitly, their bats swinging with a whistling sound.
Under their hits, the Bludgers were like two black cannonballs, flying precisely toward the Gryffindor players.
Although the Gryffindor Beaters, the Weasley twins, were skilled, Derrick and Peregrine were more experienced, several times hitting the Bludgers near the Gryffindorplayers' broomsticks, forcing them to dodge.
Less than ten minutes into the match, Slytherin had scored two goals.
The Slytherin Chasers worked together like flowing water—Montague broke through from the left and passed the Quaffle to Pucey in the middle.
Pucey used a feint to deceive the Gryffindor Keeper, Wood, and with a light toss, the Quaffle passed through the Gryffindor goal hoop.
A deafening cheer erupted from the Slytherin stands.
Malfoy held the flag higher, Pansy screamed, and Crabbeand Goyle finally reacted and shouted a few times.
"Slytherin! Slytherin!"
Su Yu saw Cassandra's expression change slightly.
She wasn't cheering.
Her gaze was fixed on the field, her brows slightly furrowed, and her lips were moving.
Su Yu listened carefully—she was directing.
"Montague, you're open on the left! Don't just charge into the middle!"
"Derrick, the Bludger hit was too high! Keep it lower!"
Cassandra stood at the very front of the stands, one hand on the railing, the other clenched into a fist, her grey-green eyes tracking every Slytherin player on the field.
Her voice carried an unquestionable sense of command, more effective than Professor Hooch's whistle.
Hearing her voice, the Slytherin players immediately adjusted their tactics.
Montague began to break through to the left, and Derrick's Bludger hits also came lower, several times almost hitting the Gryffindor Seeker—that first-year freshman, Harry Potter.
But Gryffindor was not beaten down.
Their Keeper, Wood, performed heroically, saving three of Slytherin's goals in a row.
The Weasley twins also began to counterattack, the red Bludgers flying back and forth in the Slytherin half, several times almost knocking Montague off his broomstick.
And Harry Potter—that first-year freshman—was flying back and forth over the field on his Nimbus 2000.
Su Yu watched him.
Harry's flying posture was completely different from how he usually walked.
The Nimbus 2000 shone golden in the sun, its speed shockingly fast—faster than any broomstick Slytherin had.
However, he was always having various accidents.
"That Potter flies well, but I always feel like his broom isn't listening to him," Farley said.
"Yeah, probably some other accident," Su Yu said.
The match had been going on for nearly an hour, and Slytherin was leading by fifty points.
The Gryffindor players looked a bit tired, but Harry's energy seemed inexhaustible.
He kept circling high in the air, his eyes scanning every corner of the field, looking for traces of the Golden Snitch, though for some reason today, the broomstick was a bit disobedient.
Cassandra was shouting so much on the sidelines that her voice was hoarse.
"Pucey! There's someone on your right! Dodge!"
"Montague, pass! Don't carry it yourself!"
"Flint! The Golden Snitch is on your left! Left!"
Marcus Flint turned sharply and rushed in the direction Cassandra pointed.
He saw it—the Golden Snitch was less than two meters from the ground, hovering above a patch of low grass, its wings flapping rapidly, making a buzzing sound.
The Gryffindor Seeker, Harry, also saw it.
Both broomsticks dove at the same time.
The speed of the Nimbus 2000 was clearly faster; Harry's body was almost pressed against the broomstick, the wind whipping his robes.
Flint's broom was a Cleansweep series, not a match for the speed at all.
But Flint was closer to the Golden Snitch.
Both of them reached out at the same time, fingers grabbing toward the tiny golden sphere—
Suddenly, Harry's broom accelerated uncontrollably, almost throwing Harry off.
Then the spectators saw Harry and Flint collide, Harryfalling rapidly from the air, and finally tumbling off his broomstick.
It turned out Harry had caught the Golden Snitch in his mouth in mid-air, and at this moment, he was covering his mouth with both hands, coughing.
Then, a golden object fell into his hand.
"I caught the Golden Snitch!" he yelled, waving his hand over his head.
The whistle blew.
Madam Hooch's voice, amplified by a spell, spread throughout the entire field: "The Golden Snitch has been caught by the Gryffindor Seeker, Harry Potter! The match is over! Gryffindor wins!"
The Gryffindor stands exploded.
The red flags were like a rolling sea of fire, cheers, screams, and whistles mixed together, making Su Yu's ears ache.
The Weasley twins high-fived in the air, Wood jumped off his broomstick in excitement and was caught by his teammates.
When Harry was surrounded by Gryffindor players and returned to the Gryffindor stands, he had an "I can't believe it" expression on his face.
Hermione rushed in front of him, too excited to speak, just patting his shoulder hard.
Ron was jumping up and down nearby.
The Slytherin stands went quiet.
Su Yu looked at the scoreboard—Gryffindor won 170 to 60.
Harry had caught the Golden Snitch, earning Gryffindor150 points, directly overtaking the score and ending the match.
Cassandra let go of the railing, her hands hanging at her sides.
Her lips were pursed, and the expression on her face was calm.
"Close," Cassandra said.
Her voice was a bit hoarse.
Malfoy cried out that it was impossible, but there was nothing he could do.
Su Yu straightened up from Farley, walked over to Cassandra, and patted her on the shoulder.
"Good game," Su Yu said.
"We lost," Cassandra said.
"We'll win next time."
Cassandra turned her head to look at him, her green eyes reflecting the crowd gradually dispersing on the field.
Her lips moved, but in the end, she said nothing, just nodded slightly.
Daphne walked over and handed the hand warmer in her hand to Cassandra.
Cassandra took it, held it in her hand, looked down at the small bronze stove, and said nothing.
The Slytherin players walked down from the field.
Montague's hair was a mess, Pucey's robes were torn, and Flint's face was livid.
They walked under the stands and looked up at Cassandraand Su Yu.
"Sorry," Flint said.
Cassandra looked down at him.
"It's not your fault," Cassandra said, "Win it back next time."
Flint nodded and left with the players.
Su Yu stood in the stands, watching the celebration still going on over at Gryffindor.
Harry was carried on Ron's shoulders, Hermione was clapping nearby, and Percy was smiling for a change.
In the distance, Professor Snape stood in the teachers' stand, his expression as gloomy as the sky before a storm.
Su Yu turned around and looked at the few people beside him.
Farley, Cassandra, and Daphne all stood quietly beside him.
No complaints, no frustration, no blaming each other.
Just standing quietly, watching the flags on the field slowly drooping in the wind.
"Let's go," Su Yu said, "Go back and eat."
He started walking towards the bottom of the stands.
Farley and Cassandra followed behind him, and Daphnewalked beside him.
When they returned to the Castle, the Great Hall was already full of people.
However, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were not seen.
Su Yu sat down, Farley sat on his right, Daphne on his left, and Cassandra sat next to Farley.
Kurama jumped onto the table, and a piece of cheesecake was quickly placed in front of her.
"I want to eat three pieces," Kurama said.
"Why are there two less?" Su Yu asked.
"Because we lost. When we lose, I'm not in the mood to eat too much."
Su Yu looked at Kurama.
Kurama buried her face in the cake and didn't look at him.
Daphne poured a cup of hot tea for Su Yu, Cassandrahelped him pick up a piece of sausage, and Farley took the scarf off his neck, folded it, and placed it to the side.
Su Yu picked up the teacup and took a sip.
"Is there another match next week?" Su Yu asked.
"No," Cassandra said, "The next one is Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff."
"Then we can have a good rest."
Farley smiled and reached out to ruffle Su Yu's hair.
Su Yu didn't dodge.
The sky outside the window was grey, and snowflakes began to fall.
Hogwarts Castle stood quietly in the winter afternoon, the torches on the stone walls flickering in the wind, illuminating the long corridor with shifting light and shadow.
Chapter 17: Before Christmas (Part I)
The grounds of Hogwarts Castle were covered in several feet of snow, and the lake was frozen as hard as steel. Christmas was fast approaching, and the weather in December was getting colder by the day. Early in the morning, when Su Yu woke up in his dormitory in the Slytherin dungeon, he could see through the massive window that the Black Lake had frozen into a sheet of dark green ice. Creatures at the bottom of the lake swam beneath the ice, and occasionally a fish would press against it, leaving a blurry shadow on the other side.
The world outside the Castle had become a canvas of silver and white. The trees in the Forbidden Forest were draped in thick cloaks of snow. The distant peaks glowed with a pale blue light in the morning sun, and the snow on the ridges was sculpted into curves by the wind. The spires of the Owlery were piled with snow half a person's height, and several owls huddled under the eaves, necks tucked in, feathers puffed up like balls of fluff. Qingluan was different; she stayed in Su Yu's dormitory now, going nowhere, not even to deliver letters. With no other choice, Su Yu had to buy another owl.
It took Su Yu a long time to crawl out of his blankets every morning—not because he couldn't get up, but because the quilt had kidnapped him. Kurama was even more resistant; every morning, Su Yu had to fish her out of the blankets, and she would kick her four legs in the air several times before she was willing to open her eyes. Her fur had become thicker in the winter, feeling like a soft hot water bottle. Sometimes, Su Yu would stick his hands into her fur to warm them up, and Kurama would glare at him, but she never moved away.
The stone floors in the corridors were as cold as ice, and with every step Su Yu took, he could feel the chill creeping up from the soles of his feet. The silver-green scarf that Daphne had knitted for him was long and thick, wrapping twice around his neck and still hanging down to his chest. He buried half his face in it, and his warm breath formed a layer of fine frost on the scarf. Farley had gotten him a pair of dragon-hide gloves, said to have been brought back by her father from Romania. After putting them on, his hands were warm, but he always felt that his grip on his wand was off.
The Weasley brothers had been punished for playing around while piling up snow, so they had to follow Professor Quirrell around all day. Su Yu had seen them in the corridor once—the two of them trailing behind Professor Quirrell, their expressions more miserable than in Potion Class. The corridor windows were open, and the cold wind rushed in, blowing Professor Quirrell's turban as if it were about to be ripped away, startling him into quickly steadying it. The smell of garlic couldn't dissipate in the wintry classroom; it was as thick as if someone had spilled a whole jar of minced garlic.
Several delivery owls struggled to fly into the blizzard, snowflakes hitting their wings and soaking their feathers in no time. They flew crookedly, as if they could be blown away at any moment. Hagrid stood at the Castle entrance, wrapped in his moleskin overcoat, taking meticulous care of every owl that flew in. With his thick fingers, he carefully brushed the snow off the owls, placed them by the fire in the entrance hall to warm up, and pulled biscuits from his pocket to feed them. One owl huddled on his shoulder, shivering all over, and Hagrid covered it with his massive palm, muttering something.
The young Wizards were eagerly looking forward to the holidays. The whispers in the corridors had shifted from "Have you finished your homework?" to "Are you going home for Christmas?". A few lower-year girls from Gryffindor were discussing what gifts to buy, someone over at Hufflepuff was showing off Christmas cookies sent from home, and a Ravenclaw boy was unwrapping a package in the corridor—it contained a hand-knitted scarf in his house colors, and he walked with a spring in his step after putting it on.
The drafty corridors outside became icy, and the biting cold wind made the classroom windows rattle. Every time Su Yupassed through those corridors, he would pull his scarf up, burying his entire face and leaving only his eyes exposed. Sometimes, Kurama would burrow into the scarf, revealing only the tip of her nose, her warm breath puffing against Su Yu's chin, which felt ticklish. Farley walked in front, the hem of her robe fluttering in the wind; she didn't seem to fear the cold, or perhaps she just didn't show it. Cassandrawalked behind, her hands in her pockets, her light golden hair blown into a mess by the wind; she didn't bother to fix it, just letting it fly about.
The worst was Snape's classroom in the dungeon. As soon as they entered, the cold air surged in from all directions, as if they had walked into an ice cellar. The students' breath formed clouds of mist in front of them, and to keep warm, they huddled as close to the large cauldrons as possible.
Su Yu held Kurama to keep warm. Her nine tails hung down from between Su Yu's arms, swaying gently in the air, the tips slightly curled. Daphne was weighing lionfish spine powder, her fingers frozen a bit red, but she didn't complain, only occasionally holding her hands over the cauldron to warm them before continuing to weigh the powder on the scales.
Malfoy seemed even more sullen than usual.
He was extremely furious about Slytherin's failure in the match. However, this time was different; he wasn't angry because he wanted to pull a prank—he felt that those people had lost Slytherin's honor! Even though Senior Cassandra had commanded so well, they had lost the match because of their incompetence. This was unforgivable; it was a betrayal of Su Yu, the Prefect!
Slytherin does not need dead weight! Just as Prefect Su Yusaid, you can bring me benefits—that is your true ability.
Since last week, Professor McGonagall's office had been busy registering students who would be staying at the school for the holidays.
Su Yu signed up. Because he didn't know where he could go for the holidays either. He certainly couldn't find his parents. Return to Fawley Manor? He could see Steward Carson, at least. But Su Yu thought about how troublesome it was to go home, so he decided to wait until the end of his first year, during the summer break, to visit Carson.
When Farley learned that Su Yu wasn't going back, she decided not to go either. She said there was nothing going on at home, and returning would just mean staying in her room alone.
Cassandra and Daphne still had to go back. Cassandrasaid her mother missed her, and if she didn't return, her mother would come to Hogwarts to pick her up in person. Daphne said she had to go back to help her sister choose Christmas gifts, and she also promised to bring Su Yucookies her mother made when she returned. "My mother's chocolate cookies are the best in the world," Daphne said, her eyes shining as she spoke, "You will definitely like them."
Hermione was also going home. She said her parents hadn't seen her for several months.
After Potion Class ended, the students left the dungeon.
Su Yu was holding Daphne's hand, and just as they reached the doorway, they discovered a large fir tree blocking the path in the corridor ahead.
The fir tree was huge, its branches spreading out to almost fill the entire corridor. Snow still hung on the branches, spreading a thin layer of white on the floor. The trunk was thicker than Hagrid's arm, and a large clump of frozen soil still clung to the roots; it looked like it had just been dug out of the Forbidden Forest.
Harry and Ron were helping Hagrid carry it.
But because it blocked Malfoy's way, and because Malfoyhadn't been in a good mood these past few days, his words were very impolite.
"Can you move out of the way?" Malfoy's voice was cold, his chin slightly raised, his grey eyes sweeping from Hagridto Harry, and then from Harry to Ron. "I find it disgusting even speaking to you."
"Weasley, are you looking to earn some pocket money?" Malfoy's lips curled into a mocking arc. "Want to be a gamekeeper after leaving Hogwarts? Hagrid's little hut is practically a small palace compared to your home."
Ron's face flushed red instantly. He let go of the fir tree's branches and turned to walk toward Malfoy.
"Say that again if you dare?"
Malfoy didn't move. His hands were in his pockets, his chin still raised, and the expression on his face was one of provocation: "I said it, what are you going to do about it?"
Ron lunged forward.
He grabbed the front of Malfoy's robe and pushed him back a few steps. Malfoy's shoes slid on the stone floor, but he didn't lose his balance—his knees were slightly bent, his center of gravity lowered, as if he had anticipated this push all along.
"Weasley!"
Professor Snape's voice came down from above the stairs. He stood on the steps, his black robes billowing in the drafty corridor like a giant bat. His black eyes looked down at the scene coldly, with no expression on his face—but that lack of expression was more terrifying than any expression could be.
Ron let go, but his fists were still clenched.
"Professor Snape, he was provoked," Hagrid said, revealing his furry face from behind the tree. His face was flushed from the effort of moving the tree, and tiny ice crystals hung on his thick beard. "Malfoy was insulting Ron's family."
"Regardless, Hagrid, fighting violates Hogwarts school rules," Snape said smoothly. "Five points from Gryffindor's Weasley. You should be thanking me for not deducting more. Now all of you, get out!"
Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy shoved rudely through the branches, laughing smugly, pushing and shoving until they shook fir needles all over the floor. When Crabbecrawled under the branches, a broken twig caught his robe; he tugged at it, it didn't move, he tugged again, ripping a hole in the robe, and then walked away without looking back.
"Just you wait, I'll deal with that guy sooner or later," Ronsaid through gritted teeth, watching Malfoy's retreating back.
Su Yu had seen it all from a distance.
He was pleased for Malfoy.
Malfoy was no longer that reckless hothead. Su Yu had seen that when Malfoy was grabbed by the collar by Ronjust now, his wand had instantly appeared in his hand. But Malfoy didn't strike. His eyes caught that Professor Snapewas approaching, so he immediately retracted his wand, letting Ron drag him around. His hands went back into his pockets, and his face returned to that punchable sneer, as if everything just now had been within his calculations.
Including Pansy. Su Yu noticed that Pansy's hand had also reached into her robe pocket; her movement had been even faster than Malfoy's, but before Snape spoke, her wand had also been put away. The expression on her face changed from fierce back to that haughty indifference, switching even faster than Malfoy.
As for Crabbe and Goyle—we can't expect much from them. They were just a bit slow to react. Yes, they just hadn't reacted in time. Su Yu made excuses for these two talents in his heart.
The Malfoy of now was no longer that little dragon who only knew how to call for his daddy. If Ron and Harryprovoked him, they were going to be in for a rough time.
Su Yu led Daphne out of the dungeon.
— — — — — —
After eating, Su Yu and the others watched from the Great Hall as Ron, Harry, and Hagrid moved the Christmas tree.
The fir tree was set up in a corner of the Great Hall. Hagridclapped the dirt off his hands, stepped back to look with satisfaction, and then stepped forward to adjust the angle. Finally satisfied, he grinned, revealing a mouthful of large yellow teeth, and said, "Now that's more like it."
Hermione, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwickwere also busy setting up Christmas decorations.
Professor McGonagall stood on a flying ladder, hanging holly wreaths on the wall. Professor Flitwick was too small to reach the high places, so he was in charge of handing things up from below. He used the Levitation Charm to send strings of mistletoe up to the ceiling; the mistletoe leaves rose slowly in the air, and the white berries shimmered with a soft light under the candlelight, like little pearls.
Hermione was decorating the Christmas tree. She stood on tiptoe to hang small bells on the branches.
The Great Hall looked absolutely magnificent.
The four walls were hung with holly branches and mistletoe flowers; the green leaves shimmered with a glossy sheen in the candlelight, the red berries like small gemstones, and the white berries like little pearls. The small golden bells between the branches swayed gently in the draft, emitting a faint, almost inaudible sound.
There were more than a dozen tall Christmas trees decorated in the hall. They were placed along the sides and in the four corners of the Great Hall, stretching from the floor all the way to the ceiling. Some trees were hung with glittering icicles, crystal clear, while others shone with hundreds of lit candles.
The enchanted ceiling had been cast with a special Christmas spell, and snowflakes drifted down slowly from above, vanishing before they touched the floor. They drifted down from the deep blue sky, circled above the candle flames, and then silently dissipated. The air was filled with the fresh scent of pine needles and the smell of burning candles, mixed with the smoky aroma of firewood burning in the fireplace.
Kurama poked her head out from his arms, watching the falling snowflakes, and stretched out a paw to catch them. A snowflake melted on her paw tip, turning into a tiny drop of water; her paw was wet, and she stared at it for two seconds before shrinking back into Su Yu's arms, rubbing her wet paw onto his robe.
Su Yu looked down at her. Kurama buried her face in the crook of his arm, pretending nothing had happened.
After finishing the decorations, Hermione came over and hugged Su Yu.
"I'm going to the library this afternoon," Hermione said, "Harry and Ron are waiting for me."
She ran off after saying this, her curly hair bouncing behind her.
Su Yu watched her figure running away.
Then, holding Daphne's hand, he turned and walked toward the common room.
Chapter 18: Before Christmas (Part 2). This can also be considered an extra chapter, as it was moved forward due to plot requirements.
In the blink of an eye, the holidays arrived.
A thin layer of frost had formed on the windows of the Slytherin dormitory. The fire in the fireplace had burned all night, and the logs had reduced to dark red embers, still radiating a final trace of warmth.
Su Yu pulled the quilt up to his chin, curling his entire body under the covers. Farley lay beside him, her long, black wavy hair spread across the pillow, one hand resting on his chest, her breathing light and slow.
Su Yu lay in bed holding Farley. He was too lazy to get up, and Farley happened to be enjoying this tenderness as well, though it would have been even better if Kuramahadn't come out.
That little fox had been clamoring since early morning that she was hungry and wanted to eat cheesecake!
Kurama crouched at the foot of the bed, pushing Su Yu's feet with her paws.
"Get up," Kurama said, "I want to eat cheesecake."
"Go to the kitchen yourself," Su Yu said, muffled by the quilt.
"I can't get out. The door is closed."
"You know how to open the door."
"I don't."
"You used your tail to open the door last time."
Kurama's tail stiffened for a moment, then she pulled it back. "...That was a coincidence."
Su Yu reached out from under the quilt and patted Farley's shoulder. "Farley, help me get my wand."
Farley, eyes closed, reached out and fumbled on the bedside table a couple of times until she found Su Yu's wand and handed it to him. She seemed not fully awake yet; her fingers felt cool when they touched Su Yu's palm.
Su Yu took the wand, sat up from under the quilt, and gave it a wave.
With a pop, a House-elf appeared at the foot of the bed. He was wearing a clean tea towel embroidered with a small Whisk pattern, his ears drooping like a bat's, and his eyes were as large as brass bells. He bowed deeply to Su Yu, his nose nearly touching the floor.
"Whisk is at your service, Master Sean Foley!" His voice was high-pitched but very enthusiastic.
Su Yu leaned against the headboard and said to Farley, "I placed a bell in the kitchen; as soon as it rings, he will come to me. By the way, his name is Whisk; I don't know who came up with it, but it's quite interesting. Whatever you two want, just tell him, and he will satisfy your requests."
Kurama was the first to jump up, standing on the bed, her voice loud enough to shake the entire dormitory: "I want ten cheesecakes! I'm going to eat my fill today, since we aren't going out anyway!"
Whisk bowed: "Right away, Miss Kurama!"
Farley sat up from under the quilt, her hair messy, her face still full of sleepiness. She thought for a moment and said, "Anything is fine."
Su Yu also stated what he wanted.
Whisk bowed to the two of them again, then disappeared with a pop. A few seconds later, he popped back into existence, carrying a huge tray piled high with food—ten cheesecakes stacked high like a small mountain; Farley's fried eggs and toast were on a silver platter, with a cup of steaming fresh milk beside it; Su Yu's cheeseburger and hot soup were neatly arranged on the other side.
Kurama pounced on the cheesecakes, diving headfirst into the top one. Her eating style was still as uninhibited as ever, caramel sauce sticking to the tip of her nose, crumbs spraying from her mouth and landing on the bedsheets. Farley held her fried eggs and toast, leaning against the headboard, eating in small bites and occasionally glancing at Su Yu.
The two finished breakfast and lay back down to whisper. Kurama had finished three cheesecakes, her belly round and full, and was sprawled at the foot of the bed, eyes half-closed, still muttering, "One more piece."
Farley lay on her side, one hand supporting her head, the other tracing circles on Su Yu's chest. As she traced, it turned into writing; she was writing her name—Gemma Farley—one stroke at a time, very slowly.
Su Yu was tickled by her tracing and caught her hand.
"Stop drawing."
"Why?" Farley's lips curled up, and there was a glint in her eyes.
"It tickles."
Farley laughed, pulled her hand away, turned over, and lay on her back, staring at the ceiling.
It wasn't until the afternoon that the two of them finally got up.
When Su Yu got out of bed, Kurama was still asleep. Her belly was facing up, and her four legs were curled. Su Yudidn't wake her up; he covered her with a small blanket, then washed up and changed clothes with Farley, and walked out of the dormitory.
The Slytherin common room seemed exceptionally quiet on this holiday afternoon. The fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, making the entire hall feel warm and cozy. A few people were scattered across the dark green sofas and silver chairs.
Su Yu saw Blaise Zabini in the common room.
Blaise was sitting in an armchair by the fireplace, holding a cup of black tea with a magazine spread out in front of him. His posture was very elegant; his back was straight, his long legs crossed, one hand holding the teacup while the other turned the pages of the magazine. He was wearing a well-tailored black robe with a silver brooch pinned to the collar, and his hair was meticulously combed.
Su Yu walked over and sat down next to him. Farley sat beside Su Yu and picked up a magazine from the coffee table, flipping through it casually.
"Blaise," Su Yu said, "Where has Theodore been these past few days? I haven't seen him around."
Blaise put down the magazine and turned to face Su Yu. He stood up and gave a slight bow, his posture respectful and elegant, every movement just right.
"Respected Chief," Blaise's voice was low and steady, "Theodore went out at noon. He has likely figured out his own heart over these past few days, and this afternoon, he must have gone on a date."
Ever since those days when he displayed his strength and gave a speech, Blaise had become a little fanboy. He was no longer that vain, arrogant, and conceited person. Although he still had some arrogance now, he had also learned to face his own heart, his own family, and to face what was most important—his mother. He would occasionally still say things like "You are not worthy of my eyes," but he would laugh after saying it.
Su Yu's eyes lit up, and he put his arm around Blaise's shoulder, saying: "Why don't we go sneak a peek? Are you free?"
Blaise tilted his head slightly to look at Su Yu.
"As you wish, Chief," Blaise said. He didn't understand why there was anything worth peeking at in such matters...
Su Yu patted his back. "You don't need to be so formal, Blaise, you know my personality."
Blaise didn't speak. He stood up, placed the black tea on the coffee table, closed the magazine, straightened his robe's collar, and then stood to the side waiting for Su Yu.
Su Yu had no choice but to take Blaise and Farley outside the Castle.
Outside Hogwarts Castle in winter, it was a different scene. The snow had stopped, but the sky was still gray. In the distance, the Forbidden Forest was covered in thick snow, branches drooping low, the treetops forming a sea of white.
They walked along the path by the Black Lake, the snow under their feet crunching with every step.
It was the same place where Theodore had met Olivia—under that large fir tree by the Black Lake.
That fir tree grew on a small slope by the lakeshore; its trunk was thick, its canopy huge, and the snow on the tree was already very thick. Two young Wizards were sitting on the snow under the tree.
Su Yu and the other two hid behind an oak tree not far away.
Theodore and Olivia were sitting under that fir tree.
They didn't seem to mind the cold, hugging each other and quietly watching the lake surface. Their bodies were pressed together, wrapped in a thick blanket.
A fire was crackling nearby, and beside the fire sat a basket—brought by Olivia, containing hot chocolate and cookies. The hot chocolate was still steaming, white mist rising from the rim of the cup into the cold air, and the lid of the cookie box was half-open.
They just sat there, holding each other quietly.
Theodore knew in his heart how difficult it would be for them to be together. But he was also slowly telling Oliviahis story. Theodore's story.
Under the fir tree, the fire crackled.
Theodore Nott leaned against the rough trunk, holding Olivia in his arms. His gaze fell on the frozen surface of the Black Lake, but he didn't really see anything. His mind was churning with too many things, as if someone had poured a whole bucket of ice water into it, making him shiver with cold, and yet it was also as if someone had lit a fire inside, burning his insides until they ached.
Olivia leaned in his arms, not speaking. Her hair brushed against his chin, tickling, carrying a faint scent like freshly washed clothes. Her breathing was light and slow, her chest rising and falling, like a small animal curled up in its nest.
Theodore knew how difficult it would be for them to be together.
He spoke slowly to Olivia, but he was not saying "I"; he was telling the story of a person named "Theodore Nott." It was as if he were stripping those things away from himself, so that when he spoke them out loud, it wouldn't hurt as much.
AI Model: gemini-3.5-flash
The Nott Family was one of the Sacred Twenty-Eightpure-blood families. A pride of pure-bloods, their ancestors included many great figures, as well as many... not-so-honorable ones. Theodore Nott was the sole heir to the next generation of the Nott Family. His mother had passed away when he was very young—so young that he could barely remember her face. He only remembered that her hands were very warm. Every time he cried, she would pick him up and wipe away his tears with her slender fingers. He also remembered the sound of her singing; every time he couldn't sleep, she would sit by his bed and softly hum a song. He didn't know the name of that song, and after she was gone, no one ever hummed it again.
His father was a Death Eater.
When He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was still around, his father had followed him. After that man's first downfall, his father escaped trial by claiming he had been controlled by the Imperio Curse. But Theodore knew the truth. He had seen that book in his father's study—it bore the imprint of the Dark Mark, its pages worn and frayed from being flipped through. He had also found an old photograph in his father's desk drawer. The people in the photo wore robes and hoods, standing in a semicircle. The person in the middle had no face, only a pair of red eyes.
Theodore put the photograph back and never opened that drawer again.
As the next head of the Nott Family, he had learned from a very young age what it meant to disguise himself and what it meant to accept his fate. At countless banquets, he had to hold his head high and maintain the poise expected of a Nott Family heir. No matter what he was thinking in his heart, his face could show no expression. His smile had to be just right—not too warm, yet not too cold. His handshake had to be of moderate strength—not too tight, yet not too loose. When he spoke, his voice had to be steady—not too high, yet not too low.
His father had taught him all of this. In the year after his mother passed away, his father called him into the study, made him stand in front of a mirror, and practice his facial expressions. He smiled many times—no, smile again. Speak—your voice is too quiet, speak again. Stand up straight, don't slouch your shoulders. A five-year-old child, standing in front of a mirror, practicing over and over again how to be a proper Nott.
During those years, there were always all kinds of people coming and going from the house. They wore hoods and spoke in very low voices, as if they were conspiring. They never came during the day, always in the dead of night. The sound of footsteps would come from the fireplace, a flash of green flames, and a person would appear. They gathered in his father's study, the door shut so tightly that not even a sliver of light could escape. Theodore would sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and hear low murmurs coming from downstairs, with the occasional sharp laugh or two, like the sound of glass being scratched.
He knew.
Others didn't know how much he bore that was beyond his years. They only saw the Nott boy, quiet and taciturn, like a wooden block. They didn't know how many times he had practiced to get the curve of his lips just right when he smiled at banquets. They didn't know that every time he saw an owl fly past the window, his heart would tighten—could that be a letter from his father?
All he wanted was the companionship of a family member, some understanding and encouragement. But for him, that was a luxury. His mother was gone, and his father spent longer and longer locked in his study, sometimes not coming out for the entire day.
Theodore always sat alone at the long dining table to eat. The silver tableware gleamed coldly under the candlelight; the food was hot, but it tasted of nothing in his mouth.
He had thought his life would always be like this, that he would grow up to become a Death Eater just like his father, following his father's arrangements. He had no spare emotions to contemplate that elusive thing he yearned for—until he met Olivia.
The girl who painted under the tree, the girl who called him "Theodore," the girl who pressed the back of her hand against his forehead to ask if he was sick. Like a child who had never tasted candy, he quietly tried to secretly absorb those few drops of sweetness, yet he felt terrified. He wasn't used to being cared for, wasn't used to someone minding him, wasn't used to someone not forcing him to speak when he was silent, but simply keeping him company quietly. He didn't know if he was worthy of such care, didn't know if he could give her anything, didn't know when he might turn into someone like his father.
So during that period, he began to resist Olivia's care. He himself was drifting and unstable; how could he give her a promise called eternity?
He avoided her. He sat in the very back row during class, was the first to leave the classroom when it ended, and turned to take another path whenever he saw her walking toward him from afar in the corridor. He didn't reply to her letters, didn't accept the cookies she offered, and didn't respond when she called him "Theodore." He thought she would give up this way, thought she would go find someone more normal.
But she didn't.
She still sat under that tree painting. She still looked up at him whenever he passed by, her lips curving slightly, before lowering her head to continue painting. She would still wait for him under the fir tree on weekends, bringing a pot of hot chocolate and a box of butter cookies, sitting on a blanket, flipping through a book, waiting for him to come.
She never asked why he was avoiding her, nor did she ask why he didn't reply to her letters. She was just there, like that fir tree, unchanging through the four seasons.
It wasn't until the Chief's words that he understood his own heart. And because of the Chief's power, he saw hope for the future. He would no longer tread that path of no return; he would not be like his father, staking everything on a mad Dark Lord. He had his own choices, his own judgment, and his own path to walk.
Theodore stopped here. The firewood in the bonfire had almost burned out, so he bent down to add a dry branch. The flames licked the new wood, making a hissing sound before flaring up again.
Olivia didn't say a word from beginning to end. She simply leaned in his arms, her fingers intertwined with his, her thumb gently tracing circles on the back of his hand. Once, twice, very slowly, very gently.
The snow on the lake was still falling.
Theodore didn't say anything more.
After listening to him, Olivia sat up straight from his embrace, turned around, and looked at him.
Her eyes were red, and tiny teardrops hung on her eyelashes, shimmering in the firelight.
"Theodore."
"Yeah."
"Do you know?" Olivia's voice sounded in his ear, "I don't care about Death Eaters, and I don't care about glory."
She reached out and cupped Theodore's face. Her fingers pressed against his cheeks, cool but very gentle.
"I've known for a long time. I've known what your family's situation was like for a long time," she said word by word. "I don't care about any of it."
"I just want to tell you," Olivia's tears finally fell, rolling down her cheeks one by one, but her smile didn't change, remaining warm and sweet, "if one day, or if that day really comes, when your wand is pointed at me, you must remember—I liked you, right here under this fir tree."
"I liked you, inside this Hogwarts Castle."
"Oh, or... I like you the most at this very second!"
Theodore didn't speak. He reached out, pulled Olivia into his arms, and held her tightly. He buried his face in her hair, his shoulders trembling slightly.
After listening, Su Yu and the other two did nothing and quietly left just like that.
The three of them walked back to the Castle along the lakeshore. It was almost dark, and a warm yellow light shone from the Castle windows, casting square patches of light onto the snow.
Blaise walked at the very front, taking large strides, the hem of his robes dragging a long trail in the snow.
"Sentimental," Blaise suddenly muttered.
Su Yu looked at him.
"What's all this talk of love and affection?" Blaise said without looking back, his voice drifting over in the cold wind. "How much is it even worth? It's just a mutual arrangement where both parties get what they want. Today they say they like you, but tomorrow they might like someone else. Today they say forever, and tomorrow it becomes the past."
Su Yu shook his head helplessly.
This guy was beyond saving.
Farley walked beside Su Yu and reached out to link her arm with his. Su Yu glanced at her, but Farley didn't look back. Her eyes were fixed on the Castle ahead, her lips slightly curved. Her fingers tapped twice gently on his arm, a little habit she only had when she was in a good mood.
By the time they entered the Castle, the entrance hall was already lit. The massive oak doors were closed, blocking out the cold wind outside. The air in the entrance hall was warm and dry, carrying the scent of candles and pine needles. The holly wreaths hanging on the walls gleamed glossily under the candlelight, their red berries looking like tiny gems.
Su Yu stood in the entrance hall, looking out at the sky that was gradually darkening, when he suddenly thought of something.
With Christmas approaching, he hadn't prepared gifts for anyone, but now he had thought of what to give.
He really hadn't decided before, and had originally planned not to give anything at all. Su Yu was fully capable of doing such a thing—as a citizen of the Eastern Great Power, he didn't celebrate Christmas to begin with. You say God? Oh, my friend, how many combined arms brigades does God have? But if you, my friend, want to talk about the God of Wealth? Well, let's sit down and chat. That was Su Yu.
Farley's hand in his palm felt cool.