"Got it... you created a Dumbledore among trolls," Michael said expressionlessly.
Vid: "..."
The cloak patted Michael comfortingly, expressing silent sympathy.
Over the past few days, Vid had also taken the time to add some more magic to the cloak hastily made. Just now, under its protection, except for his confidence, Michael wasn't hurt anywhere else.
Vid glanced around and asked, "Do you want to challenge a vampire again?"
Michael glared at him and asked, "Don't tell me you strengthened the vampire too?"
"Uh... how should I put this..."
Vid rubbed his chin and said, "You see, these poppets are meant to be used in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, where a poppet might face twenty students at once. If they're not made a bit stronger, they might get damaged in one class, and I'd have to repair them..."
His voice gradually became smaller as Michael gave him a knowing look.
"Honestly, Vid, you brought me here today just to have me test the poppet's combat ability, didn't you?"
Michael asked with a cold laugh.
"Hahaha... how could that be?" Vid chuckled dryly and suddenly remembered something, coughing lightly into his fist before saying, "Did you forget? You were the one who wanted to come to the maze first."
"...Even if I hadn't said it, you'd definitely have suggested it anyway, right? Maybe at a different time, and you might have dragged others along too."
Michael snorted, squinting at him.
Vid raised an eyebrow and asked, "So... are you giving up the challenge and heading back to class? It's getting late."
Michael hesitated for a moment but still clenched his magic wand, "I'm already here... let me see how powerful your vampire is!"
Vid clapped his hands, and a vampire girl walked out from behind a tree, smiling brightly.
Michael: "..."
...
In the Magic History classroom, Professor Bin hadn't emerged from behind the wall yet. Most students were already getting ready for a nap, while a few were hurriedly scribbling away to finish their homework.
Ravenclaw and Slytherin had this class together. Millicent was talking to Pansy and Daphne when she saw Michael walk in, beaming.
Even though there had been conflicts between the two houses, Michael got along well with most of the girls, so Millicent directly asked, "Michael, why do you look like you've drunk Felix Felicis?"
Quite a few girls glanced towards the door.
"No, no," Michael said, grinning broadly, "I just had a little duel with someone."
Seeing Vid follow Michael into the classroom, Pansy couldn't help but ask in surprise, "What, you beat Gray?"
If that were the case, she could totally understand why Michael was so happy now.
At this point, nearly everyone in the classroom was looking at them, even waking a few of the sleeping students.
Vid: "..."
He didn't say a word, yet became the center of attention while several people weighed themselves against Michael and looked at Vid eagerly.
Vid glanced around at everyone, ignoring their speculations, and casually found an empty seat to sit in.
"Of course... not at all!" Michael cheerfully waved his hand, "I had a challenge... uh, with someone else."
Daphne was puzzled, "Who did you beat?"
"No, no," Michael continued, in a great mood, "I lost... haha... not a chance of winning."
Everyone was baffled, "Then why are you so happy?"
"Do I have to get angry when I lose? This was just a small stepping stone in my life's journey," Michael said, "Failure is as valuable as success, I've just calmly accepted it."
"I think it's more like you joyfully accepted it rather than calmly,"
Terry spoke what was on everyone's mind, then asked Vid, "Vid, did you accidentally kick his brain a couple of times and turn this guy into a fool?"
Vid: "..."
—I already said it wasn't me who defeated him; what does it have to do with me?
However, Padma looked carefully at Michael's expression and seemed to understand, snorted, turned her back to them.
"Padma..." Lisa looked concernedly at Michael, who was flipping open 'The History of Magic' and couldn't help but hum a tune, asking, "Michael really seems off... did he have a dose of Euphoric Potion?"
"No," Padma replied flatly, "He might have met a beautiful girl."
Lisa: "...Huh?"
She paused, then cautiously looked at Padma's expression.
Padma pursed her lips and said nonchalantly, "Why are you looking at me? We've already broken up; we're just friends now!"
"Oh..."
Lisa whispered, then closed her mouth and quietly opened her book.
The class bell rang, and the pearl-white Professor Bin walked through the wall, beginning the class as usual.
A few minutes later, the commotion caused by Michael's odd behavior gradually subsided, and the sound of steady breathing filled the classroom.
...
Percy Weasley was now a seventh-year student, preparing to face the ultimate wizard exams (NEWTs).
Although most jobs only focused on Ordinary Wizarding Level (OWLs) certificates, Percy's ambition wasn't just to find a job that paid the bills; he wanted to aim higher and needed impressive graduation results.
Therefore, while most of his peers, because they only took a few subjects, spent their time dating, partying, and fooling around, Percy remained dedicated to studying all day, seriously preparing for the exam six months away.
He spent over an hour at noon fulfilling his student council president duties, and thereafter spent the entire afternoon in the library, only leaving when the sun set and dinner time began.
Shortly after stepping out, Percy saw a lower-year student pacing outside, looking rather downcast, the previously lively face now gloomy.
Percy remembered him, because this young wizard was usually very active and popular in the common room.
As he walked past him, Percy asked, "Carrel, what are you doing here? It's time to have dinner."
Carrel looked up, his eyes flickering, staring deeply at Percy.
"President Weasley..."
Carrel's address made Percy happy; he tried hard to suppress his smile, maintaining his student council president demeanor, "Hmm, do you have any troubles?"
"Those... undeclared young wizards you mentioned in the last meeting, whose parents were given a Forgetfulness Spell, would forget their own children, right?"
Carrel pondered and cautiously asked.
"Of course," Percy frowned, "It's a very wicked and vile act!"
"Then..." Carrel hesitated for a while and, seeing Percy's impatient expression, asked, "That... organization, those people... would they arrange new parents for the young wizards?"
"Of course not!" Percy confirmed, "How could they be so kind? Those people even make children witness themselves being forgotten by their parents, letting them know that even if they escape, they'll have no home to return to, making it easier to control them!"
"I see... I knew they wouldn't... thank you, President, really thank you..."
Carrel breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't help but smile.
Percy looked at him strangely, watching him mumbling something to himself, then loudly thanking him, turning and running away quickly.
"This guy..." Percy frowned in confusion, "What about it is there to be happy about?"
He didn't think deeply about it, checking the time, and quickly headed towards the hall, encountering some lower-year students in the hallway throwing magic at each other. Percy immediately walked over and righteously scolded them.
"Everyone stop! I'm the student council president for the boys! You're violating school rules... no throwing magic randomly in the corridors..."
After reprimanding the kids, Percy completely forgot about Carrel's earlier strange behavior.