Harry Potter: Even Voldemort Can't Stop Me from Studying

Even though the Galleons in Wade's Gringotts vault were enough to buy ten of the latest broomsticks, he still showed immense joy for the house-elves' gifts and shared the candies he had brought from home with them—he had grabbed a bag and stuffed it into his pocket when changing clothes to go out.

"These are made by Muggles; they don't have magic, but they're very fragrant and delicious," Wade introduced.

The house-elves looked incredibly flattered, hesitating for a moment. But since it wasn't their first time exchanging gifts with Wade, the house-elves quickly composed themselves and accepted the candies, thanking him profusely.

"Does Wade Grey want breakfast?" Phil asked respectfully. "Most of breakfast in the kitchens should be ready by now."

"Yes, please," Wade said decisively.

Phil found a relatively clean old cushion from the pile of odds and ends. Zoe and Hobby left the Room of Requirement, returning soon after, one carrying a large tray laden with food, the other a big pitcher of orange juice, Wade's favorite.

Hobby and the others knelt on the ground, spread out a tablecloth, and set down the food and drinks. Wade sat down too, then watched the elves stand up and gather around, still clutching their candies, smiling broadly as they looked at him.

A thought suddenly flashed through Wade's mind. He looked up, surprised, and said, "Why are you standing? Sit down, all of you—this is our breakfast party."

"Sit—sit down!" Zoe stammered. "W-we?"

"Of—of course!" Wade mimicked her stammer, then burst out laughing. "Is there anyone else here?"

The three house-elves exchanged glances, their expressions even more excited than when they first received Wade's gifts, as if "sitting down" was an unimaginable honor.

But they seemed bound hand and foot, unable to move for a long time, their large eyes filled with trepidation.

Wade slightly deepened his tone, inviting them again, "Please sit—don't you want to have breakfast with me?"

"Of course—we do!"

Zoe sounded as if she was out of breath, breathing heavily, then carefully sat down next to Wade.

Next was Hobby, who was a little braver, sitting clumsily opposite Wade.

Then Phil, who wobbled uncertainly, and only with the encouragement of his two companions did he timidly sit in the corner, his slender fingers unconsciously clutching the tablecloth.

"Well then—" Wade looked at the three house-elves and announced, "Let the breakfast party begin!"

He was the first to pick up a meat pie, then handed one to each of the house-elves, and began to eat casually. A moment later, faint sobs could be heard in the air.

Large tears rolled down the house-elves' tennis ball-sized eyes.

"Strange—so strange—" Hobby said, wiping away tears and choking up. "Hobby is so happy—why are there tears—?"

Wade said nothing, lovingly stroking its ugly little head.

Phil and Zoe swallowed their pies in big mouthfuls, mixed with bitter tears.

In the shadows cast by the old furniture, a wizard and three house-elves, in a place where light and shadow intertwined, finished their breakfast together for the first time.

Monday at Ravenclaw still began with the unpopular Potions class.

The Room of Requirement was on the eighth floor of the castle, while the Potions classroom was in the dungeons. Wade was too lazy to climb the stairs, so he simply flew down on his broom, circled the castle twice, and then landed in the central courtyard.

When he landed, Wade's fingers were almost frozen, and his ears and nose were red from the cold.

It turned out that winter was not a suitable season for flying; even with warming charms, the biting wind still made it cold.

"Pop!"

Hobby suddenly appeared. He handed Wade his school bag, then eagerly took the broom, gazing at Wade with adoring eyes, and excitedly said, "Hobby will put Wade Grey's broom in the dorm!"

"Thank you for your help, Hobby," Wade said with a smile.

Hobby bowed deeply, his long nose almost touching the ground, then he vanished with the broom.

Wade had already eaten breakfast and originally intended to go straight to the Potions classroom. But as he shivered from the cold, the damp, chilly dungeon suddenly became repulsive, while the roaring fires of the Great Hall seemed far more inviting.

Wade walked up the steps, through the entrance hall, and sat in the Great Hall for a while.

By then, some weary fifth-year students were already seated at the long tables, most with messy hair, looking annoyed and helpless, eating breakfast while reading—or eating breakfast while looking at their books, which looked about to fall apart.

Wade didn't dare disturb these senior students who were studying themselves silly. He sat quietly for a while, read a chapter of his Potions textbook, and then quietly left the Great Hall once his body had warmed up.

"Yo, Wade, long time no see!"

As he passed through the entrance hall, a familiar voice called out.

"Griffiths?" Wade looked over in surprise.

"Yeah, it's me." The red-haired wizard was sprawled on a large portrait frame. The portrait's original owner was squeezed into a corner, looking resentful and daring not to speak, glaring angrily at Griffiths from behind.

"Haven't seen you in a holiday, did you miss me?" Griffiths' voice was still cheerful. "Hmm? Looks like you had a very pleasant holiday! Your face seems a little rounder… I'm different though—"

He rolled up his sleeve and pointed to a bruise on his arm, telling Wade, "See this? Someone even beat me up! It's only been a few years since we last met, and everyone seems to have become distant and their tempers have grown so short—"

—Are you sure it's not because of you that they've become short-tempered?

Wade secretly grumbled, glancing at the poor wizard whose space had been taken by the bully, and asked Griffiths, "Weren't you in the corridor? How did you get to the entrance hall again?"

"No, my portrait is still in the corridor!" Griffiths wiggled his finger and chuckled, "They only said there was no space in the entrance hall, but they didn't say I couldn't visit! Dumbledore won't mind if I visit an old friend I haven't seen in ages!"

"Hey, little fellow!" In a nearby portrait, an old man in a tall top hat suddenly yelled at Wade, "You're the one who brought this fellow out of the Astronomy Tower, aren't you? Do us a favor, quickly send him back!"

"Yes, yes!" The old men and women in the surrounding portraits, who had seemed to be asleep, all shouted. "Send him back, send him back!"

"We finally chased him to the Astronomy Tower, how did you get him out again?"

"Do you know how annoying he is? I'm losing handfuls of hair!"

"—You're a portrait, you don't lose hair."

"This is a figure of speech! A figure of speech! Understand? Don't pick apart my words."

"I'm just telling the truth… why are you so angry? Can't we all just communicate nicely?"

"Arghh—someone drag this fellow away!!!"

The usually quiet portraits suddenly started arguing among themselves, astonishing the students who were eating early and eagerly gathering around to watch.

Wade quietly left the entrance hall. Griffiths, ignoring the commotion he had caused, unceremoniously moved through the portraits, even pushing awake some truly sleeping ones, and followed Wade out of the entrance hall.

"Noisy bunch, aren't they?" Griffiths said with a chuckle. "House-elves are much quieter than them."

Wade paused, looking at Griffiths.