After breakfast, Lewis was about to leave the Great Hall when he had barely risen from his seat before a crowd of students surrounded him.
"Lewis, Dumbledore already agreed to expand your study group!"
"Now that you've got a new classroom and the school's support, are you going to recruit more members?"
"Lewis, can we join your training club?"
The students bombarded him with questions all at once.
Lewis looked around.
Students from every House were present—even Slytherin.
Among those he recognized were Astoria Greengrass, Tracy Davis, and the Carrow sisters.
In response to their requests, Lewis readily agreed.
"Of course. Anyone who wants to join can register with Miss Penelope Clearwater so we can keep track of the numbers and prepare the lessons accordingly."
"We'll announce the details of the training schedule later."
A loud cheer erupted from the students.
Lewis could clearly feel it.
Their attitude toward him had changed.
There was far more respect in their eyes now.
One after another, they bid him farewell with the same courtesy they would show a professor.
"Lewis, it looks like Ravenclaw's reputation has finally surpassed both Gryffindor and Slytherin."
Standing beside him, Penelope's cheeks were slightly flushed, her expression overflowing with delight.
It almost felt as though she herself had been the one receiving everyone's recognition.
As Ravenclaw's prefect for years, she had to admit that the person responsible for completely overturning Ravenclaw's once-overlooked status and allowing it to outshine Gryffindor and Slytherin was the boy standing beside her.
Everything had changed after he enrolled.
The Head Girl enthusiastically dragged Sherry away to begin registering students.
Just then, Harry Potter walked over to Lewis.
"I wish Dumbledore had announced this sooner," Harry said regretfully. "I really wanted to join your study group. But I went to see Professor Lupin last night, and he's already teaching me the Patronus Charm. I don't want to let him down."
Lewis smiled.
"It doesn't matter, Harry. Professor Lupin is an excellent teacher. You'll learn a great deal from him."
"One-on-one instruction is far more effective than a large class. Plenty of people would envy you."
More importantly, Lewis knew Harry's biggest concern wasn't Lupin.
It was Ron.
Now that the study group—no, the club—was open to the whole school, Hermione would definitely join.
If Harry joined as well…
What about Ron?
Harry would never willingly make his best friend feel isolated.
Now that the school had officially authorized the club and provided a classroom and resources, Lewis naturally intended to make full use of them.
The new venue was an abandoned classroom on the third-floor corridor of the Astronomy Tower.
Over the next several evenings, Lewis gathered a group of Ravenclaw volunteers to clean and renovate the room for the club.
Naturally, Sherry, Penelope, and Cho Chang were there.
So were Steve and several of Lewis's roommates.
Even Luna joined in, and she had somehow managed to recruit Ginny from Gryffindor.
Hermione, of course, was also drafted into the workforce.
"So tell me again," Hermione complained while using the Copying Charm to duplicate teaching materials for Lewis, "why am I helping with Ravenclaw's club?"
"What do you mean Ravenclaw's club?" Lewis shot her a fierce look. "Don't tell me you aren't planning to join."
Hermione stuck out her tongue playfully.
"You know perfectly well I'd never refuse you."
"Honestly… Ravenclaw's been making such a splash lately that Ron already calls me a Gryffindor traitor."
"Who cares what he says?"
Lewis shrugged before tempting her with an offer.
"How about this? Help out these next few days, and I'll let you take part in managing the club."
"Really?"
Hermione's eyes lit up.
"But… hasn't Penelope always handled the management? If I join, what happens to her?"
"I'm not asking you to replace her."
Lewis explained patiently.
"I'm asking you to succeed her."
"Penelope graduates at the end of this school year."
"When that happens, the club will need someone else to manage it."
"So…"
"Would you like to take on the challenge?"
"Absolutely!"
Hermione's enthusiasm exploded.
She immediately began thinking like an administrator.
"Lewis, have you figured out how the club's classes will be organized?"
"Oh? Got any suggestions?"
Although Lewis already had a plan, seeing Hermione so motivated, he decided to let her contribute.
"After observing your study group," Hermione began seriously, "I noticed there were only fifty or sixty students before. One instructor could barely manage a single large class."
"But after the expansion, the number of members will probably multiply several times over."
"With hundreds of students, teaching everyone together the way you have been simply won't work."
The moment she spoke, Lewis knew she had identified the core issue.
"So you've secretly been paying attention to the study group this whole time."
"You even know exactly how many members we had."
"Then why were you acting so reluctant when I invited you?"
Hermione pouted, but before she could answer, Lewis continued.
"So what do you think we should do?"
Hermione replied earnestly,
"Look at Hogwarts itself."
"Classes are divided by year."
"I think that's worth learning from."
"Now that the club has grown too large for one giant class, why not divide everyone according to their skill level and teach different material to each group?"
Lewis nodded repeatedly.
Her idea perfectly matched his own.
After finishing the classroom renovations, Lewis gathered Penelope, Sherry, and Hermione.
The four of them spent the entire evening discussing the club's future teaching structure.
By the time the meeting ended, it was nearly midnight.
Hermione returned alone to Gryffindor Tower.
Meanwhile, Lewis walked back toward Ravenclaw Tower alongside Sherry and Penelope.
"I never imagined your study group would become the activity every student in Hogwarts wants to join."
Looking at Lewis, Sherry sighed with emotion.
"This really is quite a surprise, isn't it?"
"I'm definitely happy," Lewis admitted with a smile.
"But I wouldn't call it a surprise."
"The moment I founded the study group, I was convinced it would eventually grow into something like this."
"The only question was how long it would take."
"So this is what genius-level confidence looks like."
Penelope glanced at him with admiration.
Lewis shook his head.
"And besides, this isn't my club."
"It's our club."
"Sherry, without you, there'd be no way I could teach so many students."
"And Penelope, without your day-to-day management, the club couldn't function either."
"You're right."
Penelope smiled warmly.
"Helping establish this club will probably become the achievement I'm most proud of during my years at Hogwarts."
The three fell silent.
After several minutes, Penelope spoke again.
"Sherry…"
"We're graduating this year."
"Graduating?"
Lewis looked at her in confusion.
He couldn't understand why she seemed so troubled.
Was Hogwarts' Head Girl actually worried about unemployment after graduation?
"Sherry, your relationship with Lewis is so close."
"You've already decided what you'll do after graduation, haven't you?"
Although phrased as a question, Penelope already seemed certain of the answer.
"I'm going to become an Auror."
That was a decision Lewis and Sherry had already discussed.
Gianna was currently focused on expanding her influence within the Ministry of Magic and desperately needed capable people.
Tonks alone wasn't enough.
No matter how talented she was, her lack of seniority meant she could only rise so far before people refused to accept further promotions.
Sherry's graduation would solve that problem perfectly.
"And… what about me?"
Penelope looked from Sherry to Lewis.
The determination in her eyes made it obvious just how seriously she valued their opinions.
After thinking for a moment, Lewis answered.
"As your friend…"
"I hope your future job lets you live without exhausting yourself."
"I hope you never have to worry about money."
"I hope you never have to bow before power."
"And most importantly…"
"I hope it's work you truly enjoy."
A complicated smile appeared on Penelope's beautiful face.
"Thank you, Lewis."
"No wonder so many girls end up falling for you."
She sighed softly.
"But you know…"
"That isn't the answer I was hoping for."
Seeing the determination in her eyes, Lewis finally relented.
"Fine."
"If that's what you really want…"
"Then become an Auror alongside Sherry."
"Gianna will take care of you."
"So… it really was Gianna."
A knowing expression crossed Penelope's face.
Apparently, she had already suspected as much.
The Head Girl truly was exceptionally perceptive.
"When did you figure it out?" Lewis asked curiously.
"After I learned you accepted the Ministry's invitation to participate in the dragon-slaying mission."
Penelope calmly explained her reasoning.
"You're far too proud to work for the Ministry just for a bit of fame."
"Unless someone inside the Ministry was already your friend—or your ally."
"Then I noticed that both Deputy Director Gianna and Miss Tonks participated in the mission with you."
"I'd already heard Sherry mention Miss Tonks last year. It sounded like the two of you were quite close."
"But Tonks' position alone wouldn't have been enough to recruit you."
"So I thought back to the postcards Sherry sent me during the summer."
"And to the newspaper reports after the dragon hunt."
"My conclusion was that you'd actually completed the mission long before everyone thought you had."
"Instead of immediately returning to Britain, your group stayed behind on vacation."
"And if Deputy Director Gianna was vacationing with all of you…"
"Then your relationship had to be much closer than anyone realized."
Penelope's chain of deductions left even Lewis impressed.
She truly was well suited for working at the Ministry.
Then she asked quietly,
"Lewis…"
"Sherry…"
"Do you think I'm being too calculating?"
Before either of them could answer, she answered herself.
"Yes."
"I am."
"But someone like me…"
"A witch from an ordinary family…"
"If I want to accomplish something in the magical world…"
"I have to choose the right people to support."
"Lewis."
"Sherry."
"I'm not a genius like either of you."
"I'm just an ordinary witch."
"Maybe a little more hardworking than most."
"But hard work alone isn't enough to break through the limits placed on someone like me."
Lewis gently patted her shoulder.
"Don't worry, Penelope."
"We'd never blame you for that."
Sherry nodded firmly.
"Exactly."
"You've got us."
Moonlight flowed through the corridor like water, spilling softly through the windows.
Penelope's eyes glistened.
Suddenly, she stepped forward and wrapped Lewis in a gentle embrace.
Then she hugged Sherry as well.
"Thank you."
"I won't betray the friendship you've given me."
Lewis stood there somewhat stiffly, feeling the warmth of the soft body pressed against him—and the deep affection hidden within that embrace.
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