He's always been good at this sort of thing.
"By the time you grow up, the older sister next door will probably have kids running around already, and since you're not as tall as she is, there's no way you'll end up marrying her."
Such sincere and reasonable analysis.
Ian thought it enough to comfort his good roommate.
However.
"?????"
William's expression froze for a moment, his flushed face looking a bit unconvinced. He now possessed the appearance of someone eighteen, and his voice had also become much deeper.
"At most, three more years, no, two years, and I'm sure I can start dating." Although this guy didn't say it outright, his words hinted at some affection for the girl next door.
"That makes it even easier."
Ian went directly to the window, pulled over a chair, and sat down.
"Since you're not tall enough anyway, I can make you a chair that automatically adjusts in height. If you ever get the chance to marry her, it would still ensure post-wedding happiness."
Ian's words made William's face flush red.
"What does that mean?"
William didn't fully get it, but seeing Michael lying on the bed laughing till he almost had a cramp, William realized Ian's words must have another implication.
"Uh..."
Ian was still pondering how to explain.
Michael got up and used words and gestures to clarify for him.
"Ian is saying you're too short to reach her!"
No kidding.
Brother Xiao Hei's actions were quite precise.
Who knows if he secretly learned things he shouldn't have from questionable magazines at home. Anyway, once William realized it, his face turned the shade of a monkey's butt.
"It's not like you guys say! I've found love! Do you understand love?" William explained hastily, looking a bit flustered.
Despite standing at about 1.75 meters tall and having the appearance he'd only possess as an adult, he still seemed quite different from an average eighteen-year-old youth.
It was only then Ian realized why his and Aurora's disguise was spotted by the landlady in Hogwarts Village; some differences are just too obvious.
"No way! In my past life, I was a college student! I was an adult!" Ian thought he didn't have many flaws, after all, he had genuinely been an adult before.
One couldn't say a lack of social experience could be identified at a glance, right?
...
The dormitory atmosphere returned to its lively state.
Ian, having been alone for a while, really missed this feeling. Of course, if Michael hadn't brought out his family's special product, tonight could have been a warm reunion of friends.
"Can you really eat this?" Ian looked at the pickled puffin Michael brought out, seriously doubting Michael's family wasn't authentically Black.
"Of course! My mom makes a living by making these foods!" Michael didn't eat it himself; he merely opened the sealed jar, and the whole dormitory was instantly overwhelmed.
"Has it gone bad?"
After the effect of the Aging Potion wore off, the little wizard William pinched his nose.
"No, that's how it tastes."
Michael even demonstrated how to eat it to Ian and William.
"Ugh~"
William couldn't help but retch first. It wasn't that he lacked stamina; he just didn't have the kind of advanced learning Ian did, so he couldn't cast a Bubble Head Charm on himself.
"I respect every way of making money, but does anyone actually buy this stuff? Do wizards eat this?" Ian stared at Michael's mouth munching on the puffin.
He really admired Michael's taste buds that seemed to enjoy it so much.
"Wizards do have people who like it; mainly it's sold to Muggles. Nowadays in London, the gentlemen love trying out exotic things from overseas."
"Remember I said my father sacrificed himself? Because of that, the Ministry of Magic supports families like ours, so we can exchange Muggle currency for a certain amount of Golden Galleons each year." Michael said and pulled out another sealed can. Ian quickly reached over to stop him from opening it.
He seriously suspected it contained either herring or something even weirder than herring.
"Speaking of the Ministry of Magic, did you hear about them coming to the school recently?" Ian tried to change the topic, quietly shoving the pile of stuff Michael brought under the bed.
He deliberately pushed it all the way in so that when Michael wanted to retrieve it, he'd have to crawl under the bed.
Ian gave himself plenty of time to escape.
"Of course, I heard. My dad told me... Minister Fudge brought back a very frightening corpse, and several extremely evil Dark Arts residues were found on it."
It's not surprising that William, whose family works in the Ministry of Magic, knew this. After saying that, he lowered his voice and continued whispering to his two roommates.
"Apparently, Minister Fudge got secret information initially, thinking Headmaster Dumbledore intended to perform a Dark Magic ceremony to resurrect someone, which is why he came to Hogwarts wanting to catch something on Headmaster Dumbledore."
"However, he obviously failed. According to my dad, not only did Minister Fudge not get what he wanted, but he's also become quite paranoid now."
"He keeps telling people that if he dies, it must have been Dumbledore's doing... Who knows what prejudice he has against our kind headmaster."