"We should have studied Fiendfyre with the professor."
"You know, although the professor is usually very rational, he often gets carried away when researching magic. We should keep an eye on him."
Jiamer and Qiao Weili walked through Hogwarts Castle, with Cedric slightly ahead of them. Hearing this, a wry smile appeared on his lips, but he did not turn around.
Both assistants were his seniors, and their knowledge and learning far surpassed his own. He respected them from the bottom of his heart and naturally would not speak rashly.
Besides, he was happy to learn more about Professor Li Wei from their conversation.
As they spoke, the three of them arrived at the Great Hall.
The spacious hall was decked out in festive decorations, with live bats hanging everywhere.
Gold plates sat on the candlelit tables, while enormous pumpkins had been carved into lanterns large enough to seat three people inside.
Students weaved between the benches, smiles bright on every face as they eagerly discussed how the skeleton dance troupe Dumbledore had booked would perform.
Simply looking at such a scene was enough to make one relax.
"You're right, Jiamer."
Qiao Weili spoke at that moment.
"With such a lovely sight before us, we should invite the professor out to see it with us."
Jiamer did not respond.
In a setting like this, she could not bring herself to say anything that would spoil the mood.
Cedric's smile brightened considerably as he followed their topic.
"When Christmas comes, this place will be decorated even more beautifully. Then we can invite the professor to take a walk around the school with us."
Jiamer did not answer, but her expression clearly wavered.
Qiao Weili paid her no further mind and said to Cedric,
"I think that sounds excellent. I'll try inviting the professor when the time comes."
After visiting the Great Hall, the three continued toward the underground classrooms.
"I found the theory you mentioned before quite interesting, Cedric."
"You mean?"
Hearing Qiao Weili's approval, Cedric felt somewhat flattered.
"Wizards should experience different things and feel different emotions in order to gain abundant strength of mind.
"Although I think it is too early for immature wizards, and would be an inefficient endeavor.
"For someone like the professor, however, perhaps he ought to try the things you spoke of even more."
As the three descended into the dim underground, Qiao Weili's voice seemed to take on a heavier tone.
"Still, the professor's knowledge and skill far exceed anything I imagined, so I cannot say what opportunity he has been seeking all along.
"After all, it was the professor's drama lessons themselves that led you to devise this theory."
The three entered the corridor leading to Nearly Headless Nick's party. Candles had already been lit here, but the atmosphere was entirely different from the Great Hall above.
Tiny black candles burned with a faint blue glow, casting eerie light across their faces.
"All right, enough of that. So this is a ghost party? It certainly has the distinct character of ghosts."
With every step they took, the temperature dropped. Their wizard robes even seemed somewhat thin in such cold.
Yet neither Qiao Weili nor Jiamer appeared to notice at all. Instead, faint smiles hung on their lips.
Looks like bringing them here was the right choice.
Cedric had once worried that the two might prefer the atmosphere in the Great Hall, but now it seemed he had been right—different experiences were more interesting to these two than any single setting.
It matched the impression Cedric had of them.
He secretly felt relieved.
Cedric had studied under Li Wei for two months. He had always completed every assignment Li Wei gave him in excess, and he had learned more from this professor than he had in the previous two years combined—one of which had been wasted.
If possible, he naturally wanted to offer something in return.
Even if it was only making the professor's two assistants a little happier.
"Zzzla—zzzzla—"
A noise rose up, as though a thousand fingernails were scraping back and forth over an enormous blackboard.
Nearly Headless Nick stood at the doorway, draped in black velvet curtains.
"My dear friends," he said with infinite sorrow, "welcome, welcome. I'm so delighted that you could come."
Cedric greeted him and led the other two into the underground classroom, explaining in a low voice,
"Ghosts consider that... er... a kind of music."
Qiao Weili smiled, finding it novel.
Jiamer frowned slightly, but quickly relaxed again.
They entered the underground classroom, which was packed with several hundred pearly-white, translucent figures. Most drifted about the overcrowded dance floor, waltzing to the dreadful, quavering sound produced by thirty musical saws.
The band playing the saws sat upon a stage draped in black cloth. A chandelier overhead held a thousand burning candles, casting a midnight-blue light.
Their breaths formed clouds of mist before them, as though they had stepped into a cold-storage room.
At that moment, Qiao Weili gave a wry smile and snapped his fingers. The area around the three of them immediately became a zone of silence.
"One experience of such distinctive music is enough. If we had to listen to it constantly, I imagine it would become something of a burden."
"I agree."
Cedric wore the same smile and nodded.
Just as they were preparing to look around, a hand suddenly landed on Jiamer's shoulder without a sound—!!!
Every hair on Jiamer's body stood on end in that instant! She was nearly frightened out of her wits and immediately gripped her wand, about to turn around—"Senior Jiamer, why are you here too? You don't look very well."
It turned out the owner of that hand was Hermione.
Because of Qiao Weili's spell, Hermione had called out to them from not far behind for quite some time, but the three had not heard her. That was why, after approaching them, Hermione had made that somewhat rash move.
"I-I'm fine."
Jiamer knew it was not Hermione's fault and naturally would not take it out on her—but she still shot Qiao Weili a glare, to which he responded with an apologetic smile.
Harry stood behind Hermione and secretly smiled. He had clearly seen Jiamer's frightened expression just now—how should he put it? Even when startled, she was still so cute.
This Senior Jiamer did not seem as difficult to get along with as she appeared on the surface.
The six of them had encountered one another by chance in this eerie underground place. It was a kind of fate, so they simply began looking around together.
Hermione quickly discovered how to please Jiamer—so long as she talked to her about Professor Li Wei, her attitude became much friendlier.
It was easy to notice, because she only spoke when the conversation turned to matters related to Professor Li Wei.
Harry and Ron followed behind the two ladies and their senior.
Ron had originally been somewhat frightened, but with others around to bolster his courage, he immediately relaxed. He even began discussing with Harry a knight they passed whose forehead had an arrow stuck through it.
Harry responded absentmindedly. All he could think about was how to strike up a conversation with Jiamer.
Before you continue