"Did you notice..." Anthony Goldstein studied the image on the screen. "Do these merfolk look different?"
The merfolk had had an unpleasant clash with Durmstrang earlier, so many students had seen what they looked like, and Michael Corner was one of them.
"The merfolk look different?" Hearing Anthony say that, he also started adjusting the screen, focusing on the image over by the Merfolk Village.
His nose was almost pressed against the screen as he watched with intense focus and care. "They look... like they really have changed!"
"How can you tell?" Chris Moen asked in confusion. He was also watching the image over by the Merfolk Village. "It feels like... there's no difference."
"I remember it clearly! The merfolk here really weren't good-looking!" Michael recalled the appearance of the Black Lake merfolk. "Their scales were iron-gray..."
"And their dirty, tangled dark green hair... anyway, there wasn't much difference between male and female merfolk! But look at the male merfolk now—just tell me whether you think they look good or not!"
"Hmm..." Chris rubbed his chin. "Not exactly good-looking, right?"
"But before, they were ugly!" Michael said. "Look at their hair. At least it isn't all tangled together, and these scales aren't iron-gray anymore. They even have a shine to them."
"How do you know so much about male merfolk too?" Anthony frowned, shrinking back as much as he could to avoid any physical contact with Michael. "Don't tell me you...?"
"That's because I haven't seen any female merfolk!" Michael explained loudly. "That's what I'm actually focusing on!"
"So that's how it is!" Anthony nodded as if enlightened, then looked around and said, "Congratulations! Now everyone knows what you like researching."
Feeling the girls' disdainful gazes on him, Michael had already drawn his wand and roared in utter fury, "Anthony!