Peeves, You're So Cuteღ

"What, you turned Malfoy's head into a pin cushion today?" Ron shouted heartbrokenly, "Just the day we gave up this morning?!"

"What, you have detention with Snape tonight?" Harry exclaimed worriedly, "Really with Snape?!"

Eliana picked up a roasted chicken wing for herself and nodded happily, "Yes, yes."

Harry looked like he couldn't eat anymore, his emerald green eyes filled with worry and heartache at the thought of his companion dying.

Ron finally reacted, "No, girl, how can you still be smiling?"

Eliana happily drank a large cup of Pumpkin Juice, "Going to Professor Snape's office alone, why shouldn't I be smiling?"

Ron even put down his beloved large chicken leg.

He wiped his greasy hands casually on the tablecloth, sat up straight, and sincerely asked the person in front of him, "Girl, tell me, which of the words above is worth being happy about?"

"Every single one." Eliana raised her cup full of Pumpkin Juice and lightly tapped it against Ron's head, "Cheers!"

Ron's mouth fell open, as if he had been knocked silly by her tap.

Fortunately, they had seven children at home.

Eliana thought guiltlessly.

"Alright, now I'm going to hurry back and finish my tasks for today in advance. I don't want to be affected by these trivial matters when I'm in that situation."

She slung her schoolbag over her shoulder and bid farewell to the two wooden chickens.

After a long moment, Ron suddenly gasped, as if he had just broken free from a petrified state:

"Did she mess up her brain? I told you this daily study wouldn't work for her!"

"That situation--what situation? Why does it sound like she's actually looking forward to it?"

Harry tried to explain for Eliana, "Maybe it's because she's too scared--brainwashing herself--you know, sometimes when I don't want to go to Potions Class, I brainwash myself into thinking I like Potions Class."

As he spoke, his voice and back shrank.

But he remembered the smiling eyes Eliana had when she looked at him, and with a slight blush, he straightened his back again, sticking out his neck as if to say, "Yes, that's exactly it."

Ron looked like he was going to throw up.

"Buddy, you can lie to others, just don't lie to yourself."

Malfoy had only said detention was in the evening, not what time it started, so Eliana decided to head to the dungeons right after dinner.

She walked along the familiar path with light steps. The weather in September was still quite hot, but the underground classroom was nice and cool. Eliana often secretly came here for a nap at noon, so she knew the way by heart.

Passing an empty classroom, Peeves was there, creaking and dismantling a broken stool. Eliana was in a good mood and greeted it proactively:

"Playing? You're so energetic, Peeves, you're a cute ghost."

The broken chair dropped from Peeves's hand with a thud.

It looked at the rotten chair on the ground in shock, wondering if it had forgotten a memory, like perhaps it had thrown this chair at this female student's head before, knocking her silly.

Ghosts weren't supposed to have such bad memories, were they? Wasn't Binns still a History of Magic professor?

"You continue your work, I won't disturb you, goodbye Peeves."

Eliana skipped away.

"The student is crazy!" Peeves roared and flew into the corridor, "A first-year student, just enrolled, and she's crazy!"

"Her brain's just not working right. Luckily she's a ghost, she won't have to find a job later."

Eliana sighed and shook her head.

She seemed to have arrived a bit early. Snape didn't seem to be in his office. She knocked a few times, but no one opened. Eliana leaned against the door and squatted down, waiting obediently.

Great wizards were very busy, she understood. She had even seen a new paper published by Snape in a potions magazine a few days ago.

It was well-written--or so she guessed, since she didn't understand it.

Suddenly, the door behind her was yanked open. Eliana, who was squatting, lost her support and rolled inside like a ball.

Snape's quill drew a heavy 'P' on a piece of parchment.

What, was Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry changed to Hogwarts School of Animal Husbandry? To see an old bee at a meeting, and a white hedgehog rushing in afterwards, and what is this rolling in tonight, a red goblin?

It's a person!

"Miss Richie, your method of expressing dissatisfaction, as a genius who has only studied Transfiguration for a month and can perfectly apply it to classmates, truly opens your Potions Professor's eyes."

Snape quickly drew a 'T' on another paper.

Eliana, who had just completed a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree roll three times, looked up at him blankly, stars dancing and linking arms in her eyes.

Did she roll herself silly?

Snape's lips thinned into a tight line.

"Get up!" he commanded roughly, "Pick out the rotten Flobberworms from that barrel, and then collect the slime from the remaining worms."

The stars in Eliana's vision had not completely faded before her body obediently stood up and walked towards the large barrel.

She looked down at the barrel of slimy caterpillars that looked almost like they were dissolving into a mush, and her voice was a little hesitant, "Professor Snape, can I..."

"No," Snape said softly but very quickly, as if he had been waiting for this, "This is your punishment. You cannot wear gloves."

Eliana watched as a hint of pleasure appeared on Snape's usually grim face, as if tormenting students and watching them tremble in fear and panic was a source of joy for him.

For some reason, even though it should have been a terrifying sight, Eliana found it a little cute.

It was as if a fierce big tiger was happily wagging its tail because it had scared a child.

"Of course," her tone also became cheerful, "I wanted to ask if I could wash my hands? I pressed my hands on the floor several times just now, and I was afraid that dust falling into the mucus would affect your potion-making."

The smug pleasure instantly vanished from Snape's face, and he stared at her expressionlessly.

Eliana looked back innocently and obediently.

"Of course."

She heard Snape's voice seem to grit his teeth.

Snape waved his wand, and a thin stream of water sprayed from the mouth of a small snake sculpture in the corner—it was actually a small washbasin.

"You have excellent taste,"

Eliana praised as she washed her hands clean with the water, looking around.

It was a very Potions Master's office—tall wooden shelves reached all the way to the ceiling, with countless glass bottles densely packed on each level, rows of colorful potions, some were pure liquids, others had various plant and animal specimens floating inside. Eliana squinted to recognize them, spotting a mass of something resembling tangled rat tails, which she guessed was gillweed.

"Miss Richie, I am not one of those soft-hearted professors. Insincere flattery will not allow you to escape punishment," Snape said coldly. "I assume you are here for detention, not to critique my office?"

"Now! Shut up! Get to work!"

Eliana made a zipping motion across her mouth, tilting her head back, and darted over to the bucket of Flobberworms.

Actually, although it was a bit disgusting, once she got started, it was relatively easy.

Eliana pinched her thumb and index finger a few times, stretching and compressing the green mucus. Ugh, it was like snot.

She flicked the snot into the wide-mouthed bottle.

Eliana quickly became proficient—this was the foundation laid during her time working in the orphanage.

To be honest, it was a very boring job, simple mechanical repetition, it seemed like time itself was infinitely stretched by this tedious work, but it was still bearable.

As the saying goes, thanks to the orphanage's training.

Just as the Flobberworms were about to run out, Snape suddenly spoke: "What is the use of Flobberworm mucus?"

Strictly speaking, this was not part of the first-year curriculum, and Flobberworms were even part of the third-year Care of Magical Creatures course—but Eliana, while researching how to make Scabbers Potion better and looking up information on slugs with antennae, happened to see and remember its distant relative—the Flobberworm.

"It can be used to make sleeping potions, weed killer potions, and Scabbers Potions. This Scabbers Potion seems more complex than the one we are learning now, with additional ingredients like Hirake fish fin spines and ginger root. Am I correct, Professor?"

Snape did not commit.

—He didn't scold her, so she was correct.

Eliana puffed out her non-existent tail, feeling like the best in the world.

As if reading her mind, Snape looked at her with cold eyes the next second: "What, does our genius Miss Richie find the first-year classes too simple and is already aiming for loftier goals?"

Eliana's eyes widened a little—No, where did that come from?

She was so wronged!

Seemingly satisfied to see her speechless, Snape's tone softened: "After you finish with the Flobberworms, go to the potion cabinet and find the ingredients to make Scabbers Potion."

She understood, a surprise inspection, right?

She wasn't afraid! She remembered all the ingredients and all the steps! Moreover, she had practiced many times after class until she successfully made the potion exactly like the textbook three times in a row before moving on to the next chapter!

Eliana confidently went to the cabinet to find the ingredients, and also chose a cauldron that looked new and expensive.

Usually, she used her own old, second-hand cauldron. Today, having the rare opportunity, she wanted to taste the difference of this expensive, fine-grained material.

Before lighting the fire, she reached out and touched the bottom and walls of the cauldron. They felt no different, just a bit thicker than hers—this was probably because it was newly bought and hadn't been worn down much; after two years, it would be the same.

Because the cauldron wall was thicker, Eliana slightly extended the preheating time and was more cautious in observing the color of the potion during the simmering step before proceeding to the next—so some of the timing was not exactly the same as in the textbook.

Snape, who had been fiercely marking a paper with a 'P', looked up and saw this scene. Although he didn't speak, the frown on his forehead seemed to relax slightly.

Eliana made a bottle of perfect Scabbers Potion, exactly as described in the textbook.

She excitedly bottled it and brought it to Snape, like a kitten bringing its prey to a biped, not saying a word, but the meaning was clear.

"So, Miss Richie, who knows not to follow the textbook completely when brewing, believes this is the best state for Scabbers Potion?"

"What?" Eliana was stunned. Realizing what he meant, she became excited, "Professor, are you saying..."

"Your detention ends here. Now, go back to your dormitory," Snape interrupted her coldly.

"No--Professor, how about we just have five more minutes of--hey--"

Eliana was thrown out.

She stomped her foot angrily—but still didn't dare to kick open the tightly shut door.

There was no Potions Class tomorrow.

Hmph! Did he think she would give up just like that?

So the next day, a crying Malfoy (hedgehog version) rushed into Snape's office again: "Teach--"

He swallowed the rest of the syllable under Snape's stern gaze.

Eliana followed close behind, her small paws tucked into the sleeves of her school robes, her eyes sparkling.

Malfoy let out another wail, like a bullied puppy who had found someone to back him up, and immediately turned to yap furiously at his enemy:

"Professor, look at her—she's too much, she even followed me! Professor! She's bullying me! Professor, lock her up!"

Snape met two pairs of expectant eyes, and he almost laughed in exasperation.