Chapter 87

Chapter 87

Time flew past, and soon the weekend arrived.

Suer woke and squinted through the window. A thin veil of mist lay across a sky of pink and pale gold, while birds called clearly in the morning air.

“It’s barely dawn…”

Justin and Morn slept like the dead. The birdsong outside seemed to serve as a lullaby for them.

“Hogwarts is rather beautiful in the morning.”

Suer left the castle, planning to walk around the Black Lake. He had risen so early that breakfast had not yet begun.

By the time he wandered onto the lawn beside the lake, someone else was already there.

“Morning, Suer.”

The boy practising magic on the grass raised his wand in greeting.

“Morning, Diggory. I didn’t expect to find you awake this early,” Suer replied. “Are you practising charms?”

“Yes. Professor Filius Flitwick intends to teach me several new ones this year, so I’m preparing in advance.” Cedric Diggory looked delighted.

“That’s not very Hufflepuff of you,” Suer said.

“You got up early too.” Cedric laughed. “I simply don’t enjoy sleeping late.”

The more they spoke, the more Suer admired him.

Cedric had not risen to the top of all the fourth-years through talent alone.

How many students could claim to know Hogwarts at five in the morning?

“By the way, have you ever studied Animagi?” Suer asked suddenly.

“Why do you ask?” Cedric looked puzzled. “That isn’t second-year material.”

“No particular reason. I saw the transformation mentioned in the library and became curious.” Suer shook his head.

“It isn’t taught until sixth year. It already involves Human Transfiguration, though I see no harm in explaining the basics.” Cedric began to elaborate. “Professor McGonagall briefly mentioned Animagi in class last year.”

“The magic allows a witch or wizard to transform freely into an animal. It is a branch of Transfiguration. Your textbooks next year will mention that much. Professor McGonagall also listed the materials involved: a chrysalis of a Death’s-head Hawk Moth, the wizard’s saliva, and a Mandrake leaf. I don’t know the precise procedure.”

“She strictly forbade us from attempting an Animagus transformation by ourselves. Without the proper preparation, it’s very easy to end up as something neither human nor animal, like the Quintapeds.”

“Come to think of it, you must have seen Professor McGonagall’s Animagus form.”

“Yes. A tabby cat.” Suer nodded.

“That is an Animagus,” Cedric said with a smile. “Professor McGonagall loves sitting on the desk as a cat for every first-year class.”

Suer had already read everything Cedric told him in the book he had borrowed from the Restricted Section.

It appeared he would gain no more useful information from Cedric. He soon changed the subject and began discussing charms instead.

During their conversation, Suer saw a group of students in red Quidditch robes carrying broomsticks across the lawn on the opposite side. Harry, his glasses catching the light, was among them.

Cedric truly was exceptional. He had already moved far beyond the other students in his year. His knowledge of charms was extensive; clearly, he had read a great deal and absorbed it all. Suer found the conversation enormously helpful.

Cedric, in turn, was astonished by Suer’s deft Switching Spell and eventually began asking him for advice.

“It’s the only thing I’m really good at.” Suer scratched his head with feigned bashfulness.

They remained beside the Black Lake until the sun hung high overhead.

Only the growling of their stomachs brought them back to their senses.

“See you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow.”

Cedric was due to meet Professor Filius Flitwick later that morning, so he parted from Suer after breakfast.

Suer learnt from him that professors sometimes invited outstanding students for private lessons during their free time. In simple terms, they gave them extra tuition.

Suer was leaving the Great Hall to return to his dormitory and continue studying the Animagus transformation when–

“Ha!”

Hermione jumped out beside him and tried to startle him.

She failed. Suer did not jump at all. Hermione did, because when he turned, she found herself staring at a perfectly blank face.

It was blank in the most literal sense: no eyes, no nose, no eyebrows, no mouth.

“Ah!” Hermione leapt backwards.

“Trying to frighten me?” Suer laughed triumphantly. He flicked his wand at himself, and his familiar features reappeared.

Hermione clutched her chest, recovered, then rushed forwards and smacked him several times in outrage.

“Hic… Are we going to watch Harry practise or not?” Ron interrupted their flirtatious scuffle with a hiccup.

Suer caught Hermione’s hand just before it reached his waist and turned to Ron.

“I saw Harry heading for the Quidditch pitch earlier. You’re going to watch training?”

Hermione tried several times to pull free, but failed. She gave Suer a mortified glare and explained:

“We meant to visit Hagrid, but Wood dragged Harry off at dawn. So we’re going to wait at the pitch until he finishes.”

“You can let go now! I won’t pinch you!”

Never trust a woman’s promise.

Suer sucked in a sharp breath. Rubbing the patch of flesh on his waist that Hermione had pinched and twisted halfway round, he followed her smug figure towards the Quidditch pitch.

“What spell was that?” Hermione asked after they had walked for a while. “How did you make your whole face disappear?”

“It’s a prank spell. It doesn’t truly remove your face; it merely covers it. Apart from frightening people, it isn’t useful for much.” Suer explained, “I found it in a book called Practical Prank Magic.”

“Where is the book?”

“Let me think. I believe it was on the shelves near the Charms section. Someone may have borrowed it, but I can help you look this afternoon. It doesn’t matter if it’s gone. I memorised the spell.”

“Halloween is nearly here. It would be great fun to use it on the first-years,” Hermione said suddenly.

“You haven’t been replaced by Fred, have you?” Suer stared at her in alarm. The Hermione he knew would never have said such a thing.

“You’re the one who’s been replaced by Fred!”

Ron trailed behind them, carrying bread and jam for Harry. He watched the two of them laugh and talk, occasionally curling his lip and rolling his eyes.

For the first time in his life, the road from the castle to the Quidditch pitch seemed unbearably long.