The next few months were practically a vacation for Avada.
He went to class, did his homework, and studied for his exams as usual. Aside from spending some of his free time learning and deciphering the Diadem, he spent the rest chatting with friends, relaxing, picnicking, and having tea parties...
There was no Dark Lord lurking around with his face on the back of someone's head, no Basilisk in the sewers glaring at people, no Dementors roaming the skies, and no one locking their real body inside a Horcrux and asking for help... If life could get any more pleasant than this, it would probably be graduating, not getting a job, and spending your days lazing around at home on twenty Galleons a month from the Ministry of Magic.
As for the things Professor Baker had given them, Avada and Baron had studied them for a while before setting them aside. They weren't planning to touch them again for now—the Crystal Ball was still cooling down, they couldn't understand the notes on Repentance at all, and they had nowhere to spend those five hundred Galleons at school. Besides, they couldn't go to Hogsmeade...
Avada had, however, carefully examined the enormous sealed book and estimated that he could break the seal by hand sometime next year.
He had no idea what was recorded inside for Professor Baker to call it "the deepest, most fundamental mysteries."
Then came the first-year final exams.
Avada had been confident in his abilities, convinced that Baron was the only person in the year who could pose a threat to him. He had his sights set on the top spot. But after making a pear dance Swan Lake, brewing a perfect Forgetfulness Potion, turning a rat into a snuffbox that might get Disney sued, correctly identifying Devil's Snare hidden among the vines, and remembering that the wizard who invented the Self-Stirring Cauldron was called Gaspard Shingleton... he got one question wrong in Astronomy.
And so Baron and another clever, hardworking Ravenclaw girl tied for first place, with perfect scores in every subject.
Apart from Astronomy, Avada had aced the other six exams, so he managed to take second place. He became one of the more admired students in the Hufflepuff Common Room—but he still couldn't hold a candle to Cedric, who had topped their year for two years running.
Another highlight was Hufflepuff's big sister, Tonks, returning at the end of term to sit her N.E.W.T. exams. She earned five certificates and was officially hired by the Ministry of Magic's Auror Office. To celebrate, the Hufflepuffs set aside an entire day to throw her a grand party by the Black Lake. Food and drinks flowed without end, and students from the other houses kept coming to join in. At Professor Sprout's invitation, quite a few other professors even attended.
It was worth mentioning that Baron finally accepted the invitation to the party, much to Avada's delight.
At the final End-of-Year Feast, Professor Snape pulled off an incredible feat of point management, and Slytherin once again won the House Cup by a landslide, claiming its sixth consecutive victory. The entire Great Hall was decked out in silver and green, and Slytherin students' cheers rang throughout the school—mostly from the younger students. The older ones had already had their fill of winning.
This time, Hufflepuff didn't come in last. Tonks had become the first Auror in four years, and Dumbledore awarded her a substantial number of points in recognition. That left Hufflepuff's commiserating rivals, Gryffin... Gryffindor, at the bottom.
Besides, the Chosen One would start making a difference next year, so Gryffindor had nothing to complain about.
Speaking of which, with Tonks back and rumors spreading among the students, nearly everyone at school knew that the famous Harry Potter would be starting at Hogwarts next year. So, inevitably, everyone's conversations turned to him: where he was living now, which house he would be sorted into, whether his magical abilities had already surpassed Dumbledore's, and so on...
Avada hadn't planned to join in. At most, he would listen to everyone's wild theories and enjoy himself. But to his surprise, as the topic spread, the professors began looking at him strangely, with amused expressions.
At first, he was puzzled. Then it clicked: Harry Potter was the first person in history to survive the Killing Curse, earning him the title "The Boy Who Lived"...
The moment he figured it out, Avada was so amused by the professors' sense of humor that he couldn't help laughing. What, did they expect him to perform a literal "Avada Kedavra" and prove the Killing Curse's reputation?
Or was it because big things were going to happen next year, with so much gossip to go around that he'd be "Avada Kedavra-ing" his way through it all?
Aside from Harry Potter, there was something else that astonished the staff and students of Hogwarts: Professor Benjamin Baker, who had worked tirelessly for most of the year and was powerful, knowledgeable, kind, and entertaining in class, had resigned of his own accord.
The official explanation was that Professor Baker had suffered an accident while trying to break through a bottleneck and complete a magical transformation, leaving him badly weakened. That was why he had been so listless in January and February. He needed to resign and focus on his recovery, hoping to heal without any lasting effects.
But Avada and Baron knew that Professor Baker was probably going to deal with the fragments of his soul—or consciousness. They just didn't know what he would ultimately do about them. Would he make another vessel, or find a way to make himself whole again?
"Oh, right. Do you want to come visit my house this summer?"
Aboard the Hogwarts Express, speeding toward King's Cross Station, Baron clapped his hands and looked at Avada expectantly. They had just finished discussing Professor Baker's plans.
"Of course, as long as your parents don't mind!"
"Don't worry. My family doesn't believe in blood purity. No one will look down on you for being Muggle-born. Especially if my dad finds out you came second in our year—he'll be thrilled to have you visit."
"I'd be honored. But before that, I'd like to spend some time at the orphanage. My friends there haven't heard from me in a year, so I should go back and let them know I'm all right."
"Of course. What's the address of your orphanage? I'll come pick you up."
"It's called the Muller Orphanage, and the address is... By the way, how are you planning to pick me up? It's not part of the wizarding world, so be careful not to break the International Statute of Secrecy."
"My family has a car, too. As long as we don't turn on the magic inside, it's no different from an ordinary Muggle car. A House-elf will be driving, and he can disguise himself to look exactly like a human..."
"Great. So, when should we meet?"
"Sometime in mid-August. Hmm... how about August tenth?"
"That works. Thanks for the invitation!"
With a long whistle, the train finally pulled slowly into King's Cross Station. Adults had already crowded the platform to collect their children, standing on tiptoe and craning their necks as they searched through the crowd.
"Next term, everything will begin..."
"Harry Potter, the trio, the Philosopher's Stone, Quirrell, Voldemort..."
After saying goodbye to Baron and leaving the crowded platform, Avada stood on the street and took a slow, deep breath. Then he hailed a taxi.
"To the Muller Orphanage."
Before you continue