The Depressed Maiden

Daphne Greengrass walked alone by the lake.

Bored, she kicked a pebble away, watching it roll into the lake and create a small ripple.

Her dazzling blonde hair bounced with each step, making her stand out even in the night.

It's very lively on the lawn.

Long queues formed around the Fire Dragon, the area under the Thunderbird's tree was packed with people, and the Unicorn's area was completely surrounded.

Laughter, exclamations, and the shouts of Cupid trying to maintain order mingled together, audible from a great distance.

Daphne did not go back.

After seeing that figure in the sky, she knew that the fireworks and the Magical Creatures, just like the adorable Alchemy Puppet — Cupid —were all Lucien's creation.

Daphne didn't know whether these Magical Creatures were raised by Lucien or created using some incomprehensible and profound Transfiguration.

The former would indeed violate the laws of the Ministry of Magic, but she came from Pure-blood families, and the Greengrass Family held important positions in the Ministry of Magic, so she understood a principle from a very young age—

Rules are made by the strong, by those who wield power.

Daphne was absolutely certain that Lucien would be the kind of person for whom "the rules would make way."

If you really want to take pictures with these Magical Creatures, you can ask Lucien separately later.

There's no need to be like Malfoy, foolishly running around queuing for a photo.

Thinking of Malfoy, Daphne's lips curled into a slight smile.

When that love letter was read aloud in public, Malfoy's expression was... absolutely priceless!

She was hiding in a corner and almost burst out laughing.

But after laughing, I felt a little envious.

At least someone dares to write it.

She didn't even manage to give it away.

Thinking about this, Daphne couldn't help but feel depressed.

She asked Malfoy for help and found out that Lucien had actually set it so that Cupid wouldn't deliver letters to him!

"Well--"

Daphne sighed like a little adult.

Her mother told her that when it comes to love, one should be patient and not impatient.

When she grows up, she will be more beautiful, smarter, and more deserving to stand beside the person she loves.

But--

As she walked, Daphne squatted down by the lake.

Using the light of the fire in the sky, she quietly watched her reflection in the water.

The flames burned in the night sky, reflecting shimmering light onto the lake and casting flickering shadows on that delicate yet still somewhat childish face.

She looked left and right.

"Her eyes could be bigger..." Daphne muttered, "Her nose could be more defined, and her mouth..."

The more she looked, the more she felt that everything about her could be even more beautiful.

When it comes to becoming more beautiful, Daphne naturally thinks of the Fountain of Fair Fortune...

It was made by Lucien.

Daphne tilted her head and began to think seriously about her reflection in the water.

What exactly is Lucien not good at?

Transfiguration —he published a paper on it; Alchemy —he built a fountain; Charms, Potions, Herbology... it seems like nothing can stump him...

Daphne couldn't figure it out.

She then thought of her great-grandfather—actually her great-great-grandfather—who was a world-renowned Alchemy.

It is said that he met Daphne's great-grandmother during their student days, and it was love at first sight.

Thinking of this, Daphne became even more depressed.

She thought Lucien was very smart, extremely smart. He learned magic very quickly, far surpassing his dull and clumsy peers.

But in some ways...

Daphne really didn't know if Lucien was simply uninterested, or... "not good at"? "Didn't understand"?

I heard he met a stunningly beautiful girl in Beauxbatons, a few years older than him, and obviously even more beautiful in her own right...

Daphne looked down at her reflection in the water, her thoughts drifting further and further away.

Glug--

A bubble rose to the surface of the water.

Daphne didn't pay attention.

Glug glug--

There are more bubbles now.

Daphne blinked, still not quite understanding.

Whoosh!

A slippery black shadow burst from the water's surface, lunging straight at Daphne's face!

"Ah!"

Daphne instinctively fell backward and landed hard on the grass.

But the next second, she saw what it really looked like.

A long, slippery tentacle with suction cups was hovering in front of her face, swaying as if greeting her.

Daphne slapped it away impatiently.

"That scared me to death!"

The tentacles weren't angry after being slapped away; they shook themselves again and gently landed on the grass beside her, their suckers opening and closing.

Daphne rolled her eyes and poked the tentacle.

The tentacle twitched suddenly, as if tickled, and retracted a bit before tentatively reaching out again to gently touch the back of her hand.

This is Giant Squid that lives in Black Lake.

Slytherin students are especially familiar with it—because the Slytherin common room is located below the Black Lake, and they can often see this huge creature slowly swimming by through the glass.

Sometimes when I get tired of doing my homework, I look up and see a tentacle stuck to the glass, its suction cups opening and closing, as if saying, "Hey, what are you looking at?"

Over time, a wonderful tacit understanding developed between the Slytherin students and the Giant Squid.

Daphne poked the tentacle again.

This time she changed her angle and gently scratched it from the side.

The tentacles twitched violently a few times, ticklish, but stubbornly refused to retract to the surface, seemingly enjoying playing with the little wizard like this.

Seeing the Giant Squid's tentacles writhing wildly, Daphne was amused.

"Hehe, come back next semester, and I'll introduce you to Astoria. She'll probably be assigned to Slytherin too, after all, she's my sister, with Greengrass blood flowing through her veins. It's just that the Slytherin Common Room is too damp; it's actually built underwater. What were the Founders thinking...?"

"When Astoria comes to Hogwarts, she'll see all the amazing things there in person. It'll definitely be more vivid and interesting than anything I wrote in my letters or took in photos. Now Hogwarts even has its own ' Fountain of Fair Fortune,' so that girl won't have to keep talking about going to Beauxbatons anymore. How could her Mother let her go to a foreign land alone? In that case, I should Lucien. I think Astoria will like her brother Lucien; they both love reading..."

As she spoke, Daphne's voice grew softer and softer, and her smile gradually faded.

Her younger sister, Astoria, had been in poor health since childhood and needed careful care. She couldn't spend long periods outdoors and mostly stayed in her room reading.

This "weakness" stems from a curse hidden in the family bloodline, which the mother always says will get better when the child grows up.

Daphne had also secretly seen her mother alone in her study, perusing various books about curses, so engrossed and lost in thought that she didn't even notice a child peeking in from outside.

Daphne hugged her knees, gazing at the fireworks in the night sky. Would things be better when she grew up?