Hogwarts: Not Even Voldemort Can Stop My Learning

Wade paused. "Is it that obvious?"

"Maybe not to others, but to us, it's crystal clear!" Fred said with a laugh. "We saw you come out of the corridor with the mirror, and now you've found Paracelsus's portrait. Aren't you looking for secret passages?"

"But it's no use. Filch knows about the secret passage behind the portrait; he's always on alert! Even if you sneak in, he'll definitely catch you when you come out," George said. "That guy knows four secret passages in the castle."

"But we know even more! If you really want to sneak out of school to do something—"

"We mean—to Honeydukes to buy some sweets or something—"

"Then go to the middle of the fourth-floor corridor and find a statue of a one-eyed, humpbacked witch—"

"The password is Separation of Left and Right—"

"The exit is in Honeydukes."

"So—" Fred winked mischievously. "We look forward to your great adventure!"

"Why are you telling me?" Wade asked, puzzled. "You haven't told many people about this secret passage, have you?"

"Of course not! Even little Ron doesn't know!"

"But you've already found two secret passages on your own—you're qualified to be the next generation of rule-breakers!" Fred said solemnly, as if performing a serious inheritance ceremony.

"We also received some help from our predecessors—hmm—very valuable help—" George murmured. "So we should also help some like-minded people!"

"Do well, Wade!" Fred gave a thumbs-up. "You have talent."

Wade didn't want to know what he meant by "talent"... He always felt the twins had some misunderstanding about him.

"Separation of Left and Right!"

Wade found the statue of the humpbacked witch and uttered the spell. The statue's hump immediately opened, creating enough space for him to walk through.

But Wade stood at the entrance, looking at the dark passage, and ultimately chose to restore the statue to its original state.

Why must I break the rules to sneak out of school?

This thought suddenly occurred to Wade.

Gryffindor might consider this a magnificent adventure, but in his opinion, such self-endangering behavior was inadvisable.

He did need to see Remus Lupin, and he could also see Marchioni while he was at it, but the secret passage was only a backup option. It wouldn't be too late to use the secret passage to leave school if his goals couldn't be achieved through proper channels.

Several professors quickly flashed through his mind, finally settling on Professor Murray's kind smile.

It wasn't just because Professor Murray cared for and appreciated him, but also because this professor didn't take rules and discipline too seriously—

Ostensibly, Hogwarts didn't allow access to the Floo Network, but he connected his office fireplace (though Dumbledore surely knew);

Legally, you weren't allowed to connect a Muggle household's fireplace to the Floo Network, but he secretly found someone to set it up anyway;

Many people of Professor Murray's status and prestige, as they aged, would gradually become like moral exemplars, embodiments of rules (even if only on the surface), but Professor Murray would roll up his sleeves and personally haggle with merchants over every penny.

Therefore, Professor Murray was the most likely person to make an exception and approve his leaving school.

...

"*Pop!*"

The familiar soft sound made Wade immediately turn his head. He thought it would be one of Phil's group, but to his surprise, it was an unfamiliar House-elf.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Wade Grey." The elf bowed deeply.

"You are—" Wade's fingers subtly gripped his Wand, scanning the top of the elf's head. "Mikey? Good afternoon, Mikey."

The elf's eyes widened in surprise, already as large as tennis balls, they protruded even more, and tears quickly welled up.

"Mr. Wade Grey remembered Mikey's name? Even though Mikey is just a House-elf more insignificant than dust, Mr. Wade Grey remembered his name? He even said good afternoon to Mikey? No Wizard has ever said good afternoon to Mikey—no Wizard has ever remembered Mikey's name—"

The elf burst into loud sobs.

Wade sighed, knelt down, and said to him, "I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"

"No—no—how could Wade Grey be wrong? He's just as Zoe said... a very, very great Wizard... as good as Zoe said—" Mikey cried.

"That's a huge exaggeration, I'm not great at all." Wade pulled a tissue from his pocket and handed it to him, saying, "If you keep crying, you might attract others!"

A good House-elf is one not discovered by Wizards—this thought, like a moral law imprinted in the elf's mind, immediately lowered Mikey's crying, and soon it gradually stopped.

"I remember Zoe saying you were researching how to make those candies?" Wade asked tentatively. "Did you come to me because your research had results?"

"Yes—yes—Wade Grey will see the candies at dinner tonight—"

Mikey sobbed. "But—no—Mikey didn't come for that—Mikey came to warn Wade Grey—"

"Warn?" Wade was startled. "Warn me about what?"

"Mikey was cleaning in Slytherin and heard some students say—say they wanted to—to teach Wade Grey a lesson—when he goes to practice Potions—"

Mikey finished with great difficulty, then froze completely, as if unable to believe what he had done. Then he shivered and violently slammed himself against the wall, shouting, "Bad Mikey! Bad Mikey!"

"Wait, Mikey!" Wade grabbed her, preventing her from hitting the wall. "What are you doing, Mikey?"

"Mikey is punishing himself—Mikey is truly bad—for revealing little Wizards' secrets—" Mikey said tearfully. "But Wade Grey needs to know—someone means him harm—Mikey... Mikey wants to tell Wade Grey who it is, but Mikey can't say their names..."

As he spoke, he tried to hit the wall again. Wade quickly stopped him and said, "Wait! You were trying to protect me, remember? You didn't reveal any secret; you protected a student who was about to be in danger. This doesn't need to be punished!"

"Is—is that so?" Mikey asked, bewildered.

"Of course." Wade nodded emphatically.

Mikey hesitated, stopping his struggles, and tilted his head, as if thrown into confusion.

Wade said softly, "Listen, Mikey—thank you for protecting me from misfortune, even if it meant punishing yourself… Protecting others and sacrificing yourself is a very noble act, full of love and responsibility. It's also the meaning and value of life, and there's absolutely no reason for you to be punished for it."

Mikey stared blankly at him.

After a long moment, he bowed deeply, his nose touching the ground.

"Wade Grey must be careful about his safety—Mikey absolutely cannot bear for Wade Grey to be harmed…"

Having said that, he vanished with a *pop*, taking the soiled tissue with him.

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