The house-elves in the Hogwarts kitchen had begun to see Allen as a god-like figure. Before he left, a swarm of elves rushed forward, offering him snacks they had made themselves.
Without exception, Allen rejected them.
"I'll teach you some dessert techniques next time I visit," Allen said at the door, facing the crowd of elves. "Sweetness isn't everything when it comes to desserts. We'll talk more about these principles next time."
All the house-elves looked at him solemnly, as if listening to divine revelation. Allen's tone was casual, but to them, every word was sacred.
Just then, the door outside the kitchen creaked open, and crisp footsteps approached. A beautiful girl soon entered.
She had delicate features and a tall, graceful figure. Wearing a Ravenclaw uniform, she was clearly an upperclassman. Her robe did little to hide her mature, proud physique that didn't quite match her age. Her long brown hair flowed like a waterfall down her shoulders, and her blue eyes were soft and serene, like a gentle stream.
She was clearly surprised to see a group of house-elves surrounding a student. After hesitating for a moment, she asked, "What's going on here?"
"Sorry, ma'am. It's the esteemed Mr. Cecil teaching us how to cook," Kelly, a house-elf, answered excitedly. "Kelly is very happy. Kelly hasn't talked this much in a long time."
"Um… sorry to interrupt, but it's already 7:10. A lot of students are waiting for breakfast," the girl reminded gently.
"Oh! I'm terribly sorry. We lost track of time," Allen said.
"To apologize, we'll serve an even more delicious breakfast today!" Kelly announced, then turned to the others. "Everyone, let's get to work!"
The kitchen sprang into action with renewed vigor, moving even faster than when Allen had first arrived.
Watching the scene, Allen felt a bit guilty. He realized he had taken up a lot of their time.
"Are you Allen Cecil?" the girl's soft voice called from behind. Allen turned to find her looking at him with kind, curious eyes.
"Hello," Allen smiled. "It's a pleasure to be recognized by such a beautiful lady. May I ask your name?"
"My name is Penelo Crevat, and I'm a Ravenclaw prefect." She frowned slightly. "So, you should call me Senior Sister."
"'Senior' sounds a bit too formal," Allen replied with a grin. "Sister Penelo, is there something I can help you with?"
"I was just curious about what makes someone like you be called a fanatic," Penelo said with a slight smile. "But now it seems you're not as arrogant or rude as the rumors suggest."
"Fanatic?" Allen scratched his chin. "So that's what other houses are calling me now?"
After all, it wasn't surprising. Gryffindor had a reputation for being brash and reckless, and Ravenclaw, with its emphasis on calmness and rationality, likely viewed Allen's public challenge to Dumbledore as outrageous.
"Of course," Penelo replied. "On the first day of school, you announced you were going to challenge Headmaster Dumbledore. No one in Hogwarts history has ever done that. Even if there's a hidden reason, that's considered crazy."
"There have to be pioneers," Allen said, spreading his hands. "If everyone believes they can never surpass Dumbledore, what's the point of coming to Hogwarts? Isn't learning all about surpassing those who came before?"
Penelo was momentarily stunned by his words. Then she covered her mouth and laughed. "That's… an interesting perspective."
Watching her laugh—shoulders trembling slightly—Allen couldn't help but find the moment quite genuine.
"There's a lot more I could share," Allen said. "You haven't had breakfast yet, right? Why don't I make you something, and we can chat while we eat?"
"You cook?" Penelo raised her eyebrows. "I think I heard someone say you're quite well-known in Diagon Alley, and your dishes are very popular."
"I never said that myself," Allen replied with a humble smile. "Those are just others' comments. I wouldn't dare boast. What would you like to eat?"
"I'm not picky. Why don't you decide?" Penelo said.
"I get to choose?" Allen looked over at the house-elves who were kneading dough again, then said thoughtfully, "Alright, then I'll make something for you."
What followed was no ordinary meal—it was ramen, and a very technical one at that.
Under Allen's light touch, the dough slowly transformed into long, delicate strands. To the onlookers, it was as magical as any spell.
Allen then borrowed a ladle of vegetable stock from the kitchen, seasoned it himself, and added the noodles. Two steaming bowls of ramen were ready soon after.
Though it was just clear broth ramen, the fragrance it emitted was mouthwatering.
"This is magic," Penelo said, picking up some noodles with a fork. "I can't believe this was just dough a moment ago."
"What's more important than how it looks is how it tastes," Allen said, gesturing toward the bowl. "Try it."
"Then I won't be shy," Penelo replied, tying her hair up into a high ponytail and revealing the smooth, pale curve of her neck. She picked up the fork again, rolled some noodles, and took a bite.
"It's delicious!" Her eyes sparkled. "It tastes so fresh, and the texture of the noodles is amazing."
She couldn't help but take another bite, but accidentally made a slurping sound from eating too fast. Embarrassed, she covered her mouth.
"It's natural to make a bit of noise with noodle soup," Allen said. Then, instead of using a fork himself, he casually took out Draco's wand and tapped it three times.
With each tap, a pair of chopsticks appeared on the table.
"Is that… someone else's wand?" Penelo blinked. "Why do you have it?"
"There was a student who wasn't very polite. I taught him a lesson, so his wand belongs to me for the week," Allen explained, handing her a pair of chopsticks.
"That could be a problem. A lot of classes require wands," Penelo tilted her head, a strand of hair falling beside her face. "But… aren't first-years the youngest in the school? Wasn't that student the same age as you?"
"Maturity doesn't come with age," Allen replied, placing the chopsticks in her hand. "Using these utensils takes a little skill. Want me to teach you?"
"I'll try on my own first," Penelo said, watching how Allen held the chopsticks and trying to mimic him. But after a few clumsy attempts, she frowned. "This is harder than it looks."
"You're not holding them correctly," Allen said, reaching over to gently adjust her grip. His hand inevitably brushed against hers.
Allen glanced at her. She was looking back at him too—calm and composed.
So he winked playfully.
Anyone else doing that might've seemed greasy, but Allen's youth and good looks made the gesture charming. Penelo chuckled.
"Looks like learning to use chopsticks is quite a challenge," she said, covering her mouth as she laughed again. "I'm worried I'll forget."
"It's okay. Just come find me. I'll teach you again," Allen replied with a bright smile.
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