"What do you want to talk about? I'm very tired recently and want to rest as soon as possible, so let's be brief, okay?"
Although the words were in a questioning tone, Jennifer heard an unquestionable meaning from it.
Looking at Sean, Jennifer couldn't help but sigh. In just less than three years, he had grown to his current level. If she had known that Sean's growth rate was so amazing, she should have...
Thinking of this, Jennifer recalled the attitudes of those guys in the Slytherin Brotherhood Reserve Organization — especially the looks on their faces when they saw Sean's recent achievements. It was obvious they couldn't hold their faces anymore, but they still had to force themselves to maintain the so-called aristocratic demeanor. It was ridiculous!
"Sean, I have joined the Slytherin Brotherhood Reserve Organization. If nothing unexpected happens, I can join the Slytherin Brotherhood when I graduate."
Sean was not surprised by this news. In fact, Jennifer had not joined the Slytherin Brotherhood Reserve Organization before, not because they looked down on her, but because Jennifer did not want to join because Oliver was in it. Now that Oliver had graduated, Jennifer had naturally joined the Reserve Organization, and it had been confirmed that she would officially join the Slytherin Brotherhood after graduation.
After all, in any aspect, Jennifer was not inferior to Oliver, and even in terms of study and personal ability, Jennifer was slightly better. Of course, the Slytherin Brotherhood would not let someone like Jennifer slip away.
So Sean was not surprised — it was simply not surprising.
"Congratulations, Jennifer. When you graduate, you can fight with Oliver on a new battlefield."
"Actually, there's nothing to be congratulated about. It's nothing more than a new springboard. These are not what I want to talk to you about."
Sean leaned against the wall behind him, looked at Jennifer quietly, and said, "Like I said just now, let's make it short and be direct."
Jennifer half-truthfully showed a hint of annoyance — like a little girl acting coquettishly, or an older sister sulking — but Sean didn't react at all and still looked at her quietly.
Jennifer's expression froze for a moment, then she put it away and said seriously, "There are mainly two things: one official and one personal.
Officially, the Slytherin Brotherhood has entrusted me to invite you back — not to the Reserve Organization, but to the real Slytherin Brotherhood. They invite you to join them now.
Personally, if you choose to join, I would like to ask you to join me in dealing with Oliver. If you do not choose to join, I would still like to ask you to help me deal with that guy Oliver.
I don't know — what do you think?"
"I will not join the Slytherin Brotherhood. That's the answer to your first question. For your second question, I will not join you in dealing with Oliver.
At least, not for now."
When Jennifer heard Sean's first answer, her face showed an expression of I knew you would not agree.
But when she heard the last sentence, her face lit up with a look that said finally, a breakthrough after all this waiting.
"Sean, you said it — don't lie to me!"
"I never lie to people."
Waving his hand with his back to Jennifer, Sean opened the door and returned to his room.
Seeing Sean return to his room, Jennifer smiled and pumped her fist in triumph — but the moment she did, she quickly dropped her hand, glanced around to make sure no one was watching, and slipped out of the boys' dormitory.
"Hey, look who's back — Mr. Sean, tricking innocent girls again, I see."
Glancing at Kulkan hanging lazily from the clothes rack, Sean chuckled. "Don't start with the sarcasm. But tell me — how did you know I was talking to Jennifer out there?"
"I heard it. My hearing's much better these days."
"You didn't tell me that before. Let me guess — too lazy again?"
"Exactly. I'm lazy."
Ignoring Kulkan, Sean summoned a house-elf and asked it to prepare food for her.
Seeing this, Kulkan climbed down from the hanger and asked, "Are you sending me to find that mouse again tonight?"
"Yeah, I'll need you to track it down."
"Why are you so obsessed with that mouse? Even if it's an Animagus, what's it got to do with you?"
"There's profit in it, of course. It's not the right time to explain the details. I'll tell you everything when it's time."
"Fine. I'll leave after I eat."
After polishing off three plates of fresh beef and six eggs, Kulkan shrank down to her smallest form and slipped through the crack in the door Sean opened for her, heading straight for the Gryffindor common room.
These days, Kulkan could protect herself well enough — an ordinary wizard wouldn't be able to do anything to her, so Sean wasn't worried.
Sitting at his desk, Sean looked at the stack of books in front of him. He'd wanted to really rest this weekend, but now that he was here, he suddenly didn't know what to do.
Daydream for a bit?Play some wizard chess?Chat with Blaise and the others?
After a moment, Sean sat up straight, pulled out paper, pen, and books. He'd already finished the first draft of his Potions paper — now he could work on his Transfiguration one.
He still hadn't finished those alchemy books either — so he decided to read a bit more and rest later.
On Sunday morning, Sean cut his break short and went straight to the library. Settling in with his books, he finally felt back to normal, diving once more into the stack of alchemy texts.
Whenever Sean studied alchemy, he was reminded just how important teachers really were.
So far, Sean had never struggled to learn any class — every subject had a good teacher who explained things clearly and thoroughly. But with alchemy, there was no master to guide him, so he could only rely on himself. It made him truly appreciate how hard self-study could be — how hard it was when there was no teacher at all.
"Alchemy isn't something you can master on your own so easily. You need a teacher."
Sean looked up to see Madam Pince standing beside him — he hadn't even noticed when she'd appeared. He gave her a helpless smile. "You're right, Madam Pince. Alchemy is difficult, but Hogwarts doesn't have a professor for it, so I don't have much choice."
Madam Pince studied him for a moment, as if remembering how hard he'd pushed himself before. She pressed her lips together, then said, "If you're willing, I do have someone in mind — a very good teacher I could recommend to you."