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Chapter 267 — The Scumbag Smile!!
In the end, they agreed that they still wouldn't tell Darren.
Maybe it was just a misunderstanding.
Or…
Never mind.
After all, since Justin's previous petrification, there had been no further attacks on anyone.
And now it seemed the Death Eaters were much more annoying than Hagrid's pets.
"As long as it doesn't happen again, it's better if we pretend we don't know… After all, everyone will wake up soon.
Professor Sprout said the mandrakes are almost fully matured."
Hermione concluded.
Darren woke up in the school hospital wing on the third day.
As he sat up, he sighed once again at the magic of healing.
Every time he woke up, it felt like being born again.
He felt completely fine.
After he learned from Madam Pomfrey that he had only slept for two days, he immediately grew excited and thanked her repeatedly.
"Alright, alright, go!"
Madam Pomfrey finally showed the first smile she had shown in days.
"Thank you, Madam… You're always so good to me. I know I always make trouble, I always worry you…"
[Ding, Father +100]
"You child… As long as you're healthy. Don't keep coming back with injuries.
I'm an old woman—I can't handle being frightened that often…"
Madam Pomfrey said helplessly.
Then she noticed Darren looking even guiltier.
She couldn't say anything more.
So she hugged him.
"As long as you're alive, I'll cure you. Remember, my medical skills are very good.
Alright, don't say goodbye to me again. Harry and the others just came by, they haven't gone far."
Madam Pomfrey said softly.
Darren nodded quickly and jumped off the bed with excitement.
Then he ran out happily.
Day by day, the days passed.
Aside from releasing his Squib-Cannon Wizard Complex variant, Darren didn't dare do anything else recently.
If he caused more trouble, he was afraid Snape would suffer a mental breakdown.
There were no more petrification attacks inside the castle.
Darren and Harry didn't hear the Basilisk again.
Everything felt quiet.
During the Easter holidays, a new problem appeared for the second-years.
They needed to choose their third-year electives.
Darren looked at the course list.
Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, Alchemy…
He remembered that choosing all the courses would earn him a Time-Turner.
So he obediently ticked every class.
"Oh my God, are you two crazy?"
"Yeah! Some of these classes overlap! How are you going to be in two places at once?"
Harry and Ron protested.
Darren just wanted to laugh.
He remembered he used to be like them before.
But after crossing over, he became a "school genius."
Of course, he couldn't say that.
So he replied obediently, "I just want to learn more so I can help my brother later."
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
"Darren… how are you always so kind?"
Hermione sighed.
Every time she saw him, she worried someone might have bullied him.
He was like a little angel, a ray of light.
Whenever she saw him, she felt that life was good.
"I'm not actually that kind… Sometimes I get jealous."
Darren said softly.
The others looked surprised.
"I'm jealous that my brother got to live with Mum and Dad for one extra year.
Jealous that you're always together.
Jealous that you eat so well.
Also jealous…"
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
"Oh, Darren, that's not jealousy… That's just a little sadness."
Hermione said.
"You should really look at Malfoy's face in first year—that's jealousy.
You're at best a gentle admirer…
But honestly, if you had been sorted into Gryffindor, we could've been together all the time."
Harry said helplessly.
His brother couldn't even get jealous properly.
He even claimed he wasn't kind…
Why didn't Slytherin teach Darren to be a little more selfish?
What, was he supposed to drag Darren to Azkaban to toughen him?
Impossible.
And if he did, Darren would probably try to convince the prisoners to reform.
Harry could already imagine the scene.
Fortunately, he wasn't taking Darren to Azkaban.
He sat there, lost in bizarre thoughts.
Meanwhile Darren was also thinking.
In the original timeline, Tom Riddle should be taking Ginny to the Chamber of Secrets around now.
So how should he display the "Light of the Father" this time?
Another question: the Basilisk was now his.
Could Tom Riddle still perform his script?
And the most important problem—if Harry ended up needing to kill the Basilisk, should he stop him?
He couldn't possibly let the Basilisk he just obtained die, right?
He hadn't even properly observed it yet.
They always separated too quickly.
All he remembered were the Basilisk's huge brass-colored eyes.
Forget it.
If the creature looked cool, it could live.
If it turned out ugly, maybe he should abandon it—raising that giant thing wasn't easy.
No pets allowed at home anyway.
That morning.
The sun shone brightly, the air was fresh.
Perfect Quidditch weather.
But Tom Riddle's diary was stolen.
A terrible thing.
After all, for now only Harry and a few knew of Tom Riddle's existence.
And the diary had been taken so easily.
The thief stole nothing else, only that diary.
Clearly the thief understood what the diary really was.
"Only Gryffindors could have stolen it—only they know the password…
Well, Darren knows it too, but do you really think he'd steal anything?"
Harry said helplessly.
Hermione and Ron shook their heads immediately.
They had only subconsciously thought Darren also knew the password.
But none of them believed he would do something like this.
They were very uneasy.
It was time for the Quidditch match.
"This weather is perfect—we're definitely winning today!"
Wood said enthusiastically.
He added extra food onto every team member's plate.
Then he strode over to the Slytherin table.
"Hey Darren, eating anything else? Want another small cake?"
Wood asked excitedly.
He also shot a mocking glance at Marvre, the new Slytherin captain.
Clearly he was there to provoke them.
Because Flint—the previous captain—along with several players, had died in the earlier attack.
So even though Slytherin had replaced its captain and lineup, it was impossible for them to defeat Gryffindor.
If Flint had simply died, Wood wouldn't mock them like this.
He would've respected the dead.
But Flint and his players were terrible people.
Even if they hadn't died, they would be in Azkaban.
Letting them die neatly was truly cheaper for them.
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