Whispers of the Wind

Klein felt his first Potions class had been perfectly adequate.

Though what they were learning now offered him no inspiration, he understood that a thousand-mile journey begins with a single step. Without a solid foundation, one could never brew complex potions.

"Klein, no classes this afternoon. Let's find some fun!"

As class ended, Draco Malfoy hurried over to Klein's side, shooting a fierce glare at Neville, who had been about to approach, from an angle Klein couldn't see.

Startled, the chubby boy indeed dared not come closer.

"Sure."

Since Snape's detention—oh, no, private tutoring—was in the evening, Klein had the whole afternoon free.

"That's brilliant."

Draco broke into a smile, his pale face barely concealing his delight.

"Alright, let's go to lunch. Stirring cauldrons all morning has me starving."

Patting Draco on the shoulder, Klein nodded to a few familiar Gryffindors, then led a group of Slytherin first-years out of the classroom.

"Hey, Harry, did you see Malfoy just now? He's become Klein Grindelwald's little sidekick!"

After Klein and the others left, Ron, packing his things, suddenly put on an exaggerated expression, his voice dripping with schadenfreude.

"So?"

Harry blinked, looking at his friend oddly.

"You're no fun, Harry. Think about what happened on the train."

Meeting Harry's gaze, Ron couldn't help but remind him.

Before the other could answer, he went on unprompted.

"That bastard acts all high and mighty, huh? Look at him now."

"If you were as outstanding as Klein, plenty of people would flock around you too."

Suddenly, a slightly sharp female voice cut into their conversation.

Harry and Ron turned to see Hermione Granger, arms crossed, glaring at them with her big brown eyes.

"That's none of your business."

Meeting that gaze, faint red crept across Ron's freckled face. He muttered stubbornly, sounding a bit guilty.

"Whatever."

Hearing this, the little girl wore a disdainful expression, hugged her books, and left alone.

"See? That's why nobody likes her."

The departure of the "annoying know-it-all" clearly relieved Ron's pressure. He sighed, then spoke confidently at Hermione's retreating back.

"I bet she doesn't have a single friend."

"Hermione's actually pretty helpful, and she's smart—just a bit proud."

Harry also watched Hermione's back. Somehow, Klein's handsome face suddenly flashed through his mind.

He paused for a second, then blinked.

"Ron, you have to admit, some people are just different from us."

Students from Slytherin inevitably carried a bit of that edgy flair. Klein figured it had something to do with the house founder Salazar Slytherin's personal philosophy of "Pure-blood supremacy."

So when the sharp-faced little boy earnestly warned him to stay away from non-Slytherin students, he didn't find it strange.

Don't ask—it's just house tradition.

"Gryffindor brutes and Hufflepuff dimwits aren't worthy of playing with us. If we have to choose, Ravenclaw's bookworms barely pass."

Draco straightened up, looking like a little snake raising its head to spit venom.

Behind him, Crabbe and Goyle chimed in.

"That's right, exactly." "Boss Klein, forget those losers—they don't deserve to be your friends."

"Hey, can I say something?"

Klein smiled helplessly, putting down his wizard's playing cards.

"Of course."

The three of them nodded eagerly, perfectly obedient.

"Thanks."

Thanking them, Klein blinked and asked them a question.

"In your hearts, what matters most?"

What matters most?

The question stumped Draco and the other two on the spot.

They thought for a long while before giving their respective answers.

"Honor!" "Power!" "Wealth!"

Klein smiled, not surprised in the least.

Draco came from a pure-blood family, and traditional thinking made him value honor above all else; Crabbe was a big brute, violence his greatest love; Goyle came from a difficult family background and had a somewhat greedy nature.

"Then Klein, what about your answer? What do you want most?"

Seeing the expression on Klein's face, Draco couldn't help asking back.

"Me?"

Twitching the corner of his mouth, Klein reached out his hand and slowly curled all five fingers together.

"Only children make choices. Honor, power, wealth—I want them all!"

As the words fell, the atmosphere turned somewhat strange.

The three of them, Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle, stared at Klein as if turned to stone, their mouths opening and closing again and again, yet still unable to utter even a single word.

"I want them all"—that was way too arrogant!

But still...

So cool!

"That's an answer with the style of Slytherin House. You're a true Slytherin."

Just as Draco and the others were struck speechless by Klein, a deep, hoarse voice came from behind them.

The Bloody Baron suddenly poked his head out from the wall, revealing hollow eyes and a gaunt face.

"Hello, Mr. Baron. I thought you'd be over by the Astronomy Tower."

Klein nodded in greeting to the Slytherin ghost, a friendly smile curling at the corners of his mouth—building good relations with ghosts was necessary; it let you learn many secrets.

Of course, Peeves, who only caused trouble, was the exception.

"I happened to overhear your conversation. Grindelwald, you are excellent. The ghosts have been talking about you lately. You will become the pride of Slytherin House—of that, I have no doubt."

A flicker of satisfaction, barely perceptible, passed through the Bloody Baron's dull, lifeless eyes.

Then, twisting his head in a rather eerie posture, he glared at Draco and the other two, who had been scared speechless.

"As for you mediocre wretches, put away your vulgar thoughts. Following an intelligent person is the most sensible thing you can do."

The Baron spoke calmly, as if stating the simplest of facts.

"Remember: cunning, shrewdness, reading the situation, and knowing when to protect yourself."

Having said that, he ignored Draco and the others entirely and looked back at Klein.

"No matter your surname, Slytherin will help you reach the peak!"

"Of course, glory belongs to the Serpent House."

Hearing this, Klein's mind churned with thoughts, but his face showed no hesitation. He smiled faintly, his blue eyes shining like brilliant stars.

"Good."

The Baron nodded and drifted back into the wall.

Only when the terrifying ghost had completely vanished did Draco and the other two finally relax, collapsing onto the carved armchairs.

"Dumbledore moves quickly."

Ignoring his sweat-drenched companions across from him, Klein tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table. From the conversation just now, the well-informed ghosts had clearly caught wind of something.

"But that's fine too."

His fingers paused in their motion, and he closed his eyes.

Under the ghastly green light of the common room, the youth's expression was calm and confident.