Prefects' Perks

The academic pressure did not improve on Wednesday and Thursday, and the schedule remained packed every day.

The Gryffindor schedule on Wednesdays is as follows:

In the morning, there's a Divination Class and two Transfiguration; in the afternoon, there's a Care of Magical Creatures; and in the evening, we have to travel a long way to the Astronomy Tower for Astronomy.

The situation was similar in Slytherin; apart from Skylar, all the young wizards were suffering terribly.

Of course, the one who suffered the most was definitely Harry. Starting from Tuesday, in addition to his daily classes and homework, he had to be put in solitary confinement in Umbridge's office every afternoon at five o'clock. The process was not only painful, but he was often kept there until midnight before being released.

His homework had become unbearable, so when he returned to the Gryffindor Common Room, although he was exhausted, he didn't go to bed. Instead, he opened his books and started working on his assignments.

By Thursday, he had spent the entire day in a daze of exhaustion. He was completely disoriented and had no idea what he had done, what classes he had attended, what he had accomplished, or what he had eaten.

The only thing he remembered was the terrifying solitary confinement punishment—during which all he had to do was use the enchanted quill to write the words "I cannot lie" on parchment.

The ink he used to write was his own blood. Every time he wrote, a wound would appear on the back of his right hand, which would heal and then crack open, bleeding and becoming ink for writing. Umbridge was torturing him with a sharp black quill, and Harry knew it all too well.

The back of his hand was still burning with excruciating pain, and several words, deep and vivid in blood red, were etched into his flesh. "I cannot lie," constantly reminding him how terrible this punishment was.

Harry hated Umbridge, and he hated everything around him—he hated Dumbledore's indifference towards him since the start of the term, he hated the unfair attacks he received from the wizarding community, and he hated his own weakness and helplessness, for he could only endure all kinds of injustices.

If he possessed the power of Dumbledore, why would he need to fear a despicable scoundrel like Umbridge? Not to mention Dumbledore, even Skylar Malfoy, who was in the same class as him, would probably be Umbridge wouldn't dare to easily provoke.

Anger churned within him, occasionally surfacing thoughts that even he found too sinister—if he had enough power, he would make those people suffer, and let Umbridge, Skylar, Draco... know his rage and witness his terror.

At the same time, he was also struggling. His reason and conscience would not allow him to abuse violence; he did not want to follow in Tom Riddle's footsteps and fall into the cruel and tyrannical Dark Lord because of his thirst for power.

In stark contrast to Harry, Skylar had a rather relaxed and enjoyable Wednesday and Thursday.

The two students had similar numbers of classes and workloads, but Skylar had finished his assignments much earlier and even had plenty of extra time to do his own things.

He first explored the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts Library.

In his second year, he managed to gain access to the Restricted Section by tricking Professor Lockhart into signing his book. However, he was closely watched by Madam Pince, the librarian, and could only briefly browse through the area, borrowing Merlin's bloodline research notes.

Now, as a Prefect, he has the right to freely enter and exit the Restricted Section. Moreover, since the beginning of this term, Madam Pince has resigned from Hogwarts, which makes Skylar even more certain that she is the spy planted by the Shadow of the Magic Dragon at Hogwarts. Hermione's abduction from the library last year was most likely her doing.

The new librarian Bridget, was still a grumpy middle-aged woman, but she was very good-natured when she was with Skylar — Skylar's various awards, status, and prestige, as well as his powerful family background, made the new librarian afraid to offend him.

She didn't dare to ask what Skylar was doing in the Restricted Section or how long he stayed there. Anyway, Skylar was Prefect and wasn't violating any school rules, so she was happy to do him a favor.

Skylar didn't waste the opportunity. Using the three magical automatic quills, he copied all the forbidden books of Hogwarts again, including the Book of Spells, Potent Potions, and Moste Potente Potions mentioned in the original works.

This means that Skylar's private library now contains all the books from the Restricted Section of the three major magic schools in Europe.

[Acquired numerous copies of books from the "Hogwarts Restricted Section"!]

His second place of exploration was the Prefects' Bathroom. Located on the sixth floor of the castle, it was the fourth door to the left of the statue of the Boris the Bewildered, and a password was required for entry.

This bathroom is much more spacious than a typical bathroom, with a huge white marble bathtub in the center, large enough to be used as a small swimming pool.

The walls are adorned with over a hundred Water Dragon decorated with seashells, each capable of spouting bathwater of different temperatures, scents, and even magical bubbles.

The bathroom ceiling is also enchanted, displaying a dazzling starry sky or ethereal clouds, making you feel as if you're in a dream while taking a bath.

The walls of the room are inlaid with large pearl white tiles, reflecting warm and soft light, but the most eye-catching feature is a huge Merpeople portrait on the opposite wall.

The red-haired, blue-eyed Merpeople leaned lazily against the coral reef, elegantly combing her long hair. Occasionally, she would open her eyes, casting a curious glance, and even blow a string of bubbles that mingled with the steam in the bathroom.

Skylar took off his robe, walked to the bathtub, casually selected a faucet inlaid with amethyst, and gently turned it. A stream of deep purple bubbles flowed into the tub, quickly dissolving in the water, and the bathtub immediately became covered with a layer of fine foam, carrying the scent of lavender and sandalwood.

He slowly sank into the warm water, closed his eyes, and enjoyed this moment of tranquility. As the magical bathwater gradually seeped into his skin, a feeling of comfort washed over Skylar's entire body. Fatigue gradually dissipated in the warm water, and not only his body relaxed, but even his mental stress was melted away little by little.

At that moment, the Merpeople in the portrait on the wall gently raised her hand, and a melodious song echoed in the bathroom. It was the ancient and mysterious Mermish, with a gentle and melodious tone, like waves crashing against rocks, carrying an indescribable charm.

Skylar could feel the magic contained in the singing, like an invisible hand gently soothing the restlessness in his heart, allowing his thoughts to flow freely and immerse him in this brief but incredibly luxurious tranquility.

Just as he was pondering his various speculations about the Hufflepuff's Cup from the day before, the bathroom door was pushed open.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't know there were people inside." A clear voice rang out.

Skylar opened his eyes and saw a tall, handsome boy standing in the doorway, the Hufflepuff badge gleaming on his robe.

"It's alright, Cedric, come in too." Skylar said calmly, nodding to him.

Cedric Diggory smiled slightly, walked in, and hung his robe aside, revealing his muscular physique. He walked to the other side of the bath, turned on the Water Dragon, and golden bubbles flowed out, carrying the scent of lemon and honey.

"You like using this place too?" Skylar asked casually.

"Of course, it's so much better than our Hufflepuff communal bathrooms," Cedric chuckled, leaning against the poolside. "And it's not as noisy here."

Skylar nodded in agreement, and the two remained silent for a while, with only the sound of the water rippling gently.

"How long do you usually stay here?" Skylar asked casually.

"Sometimes I soak for half an hour, sometimes longer," Cedric chuckled. "But I usually come here after Quidditch practice; it helps my muscles relax a lot."

Skylar glanced at him. "Is your Hufflepuff Quidditch training very tiring?"

Cedric shrugged. "It's tiring. Our team is in pretty good form this year, so everyone is training very hard. I have to lead by example, otherwise the players won't be working so hard."

Skylar leaned against the poolside and asked with great interest, "If Hufflepuff were to face Slytherin, do you think you have a chance of winning?"

Cedric chuckled. "You're from Slytherin. Are you trying to probe our background by asking this?"

Skylar laughed too, "Just curious."

Cedric thought for a moment and said, "Slytherin plays very aggressively, your brother is a tough opponent, and he also has the fastest Firebolt. To win, our Chaser (himself) must find the Golden Snitch before they do."

Skylar nodded and casually said, "I think you Hufflepuff have the best chance of beating Gryffindor."

Cedric raised an eyebrow, looking at him with interest. "Oh? Why?"

"Oliver Wood has graduated and left. It's hard to find a goalkeeper as good as him among the wizards of Gryffindor." Skylar's tone was casual, but his eyes held a certainty born of precise analysis.

Cedric pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "You seem to know a lot about Quidditch."

"It's alright," Skylar said casually. "Just my personal opinion."

The two chatted for a while longer until the bathwater gradually cooled down before getting up, putting on their robes, and leaving the bathroom.

Becoming a Prefect also comes with the Fawley of having access to the Prefects' Meeting Room, which is also the Prefect's private lounge.

Since only Prefect are allowed inside, it is usually much quieter than the common rooms of the various colleges, and many Prefect like to rest or do their homework there.

Skylar pushed open the door to the Prefect's private lounge, he was immediately enveloped by a faint herbal fragrance. The aroma was refreshing and pleasant, as if it could wash away the weariness in his mind and instantly make him more alert. He smelled passionflower, lavender, and a hint of peppermint; it must be some kind of herbal fragrance that could refresh the mind and improve concentration.

The lounge was brightly lit with soft light, and warm candlesticks were embedded in the ceiling, casting just the right glow.

One side of the room has a row of soft single sofas, and in front of each chair is a small magic bookshelf, which is convenient for the Prefect to read or do their homework.

On the other side was an elegant self-service tea and snack station, with a variety of desserts displayed on silver platters, each one fresh and tempting. The magic teapot gently steamed, automatically brewing coffee and herbal tea, and the air was filled with a faint aroma of honey and tea.

These desserts and drinks are all-you-can-eat, and the menu changes automatically every day, which reminded Skylar of his experience enjoying a buffet in a five-star hotel in Muggle in his previous life.

Skylar casually picked up a raisin scone, took the butter knife beside him, leisurely spread a layer of cream on it, and added a little berry jam. Just as he was about to find a sofa to sit down, a familiar female voice sounded from the side—

I didn't expect you to come here.

Skylar looked up and met a pair of deep brown eyes. Elusi Montgomery, the Gryffindor student Head Boy, was standing by the tea table with a cup of Earl in her hand, a faint smile on her lips. She stood tall and straight, the Prefect Badge on her shoulder gleaming subtly in the light.

"What? Isn't this place for the Prefect?" Skylar smiled slightly, his tone tinged with amusement.

Elusi gave a soft hum and raised an eyebrow. "Of course it's for the Prefect, but you, a Slytherin Prefect, don't seem to come here often."

"Indeed, this is my first time here." Skylar shrugged, sat down on a sofa, picked up a freshly brewed cup of hot coffee, took a small sip, and savored the slightly bitter aroma that melted on his tongue, carrying a hint of fruitiness. He looked up at Elusi and said with a smile, "But the environment here is quite nice, much quieter than the Slytherin Common Room."

Elusi sat down on the sofa opposite him, elegantly stirring her Earl, her tone casual. "Of course, this isn't an ordinary common room after all; it's mostly Prefect here, so it's bound to be quieter."

Elusi looked up at Skylar, her tone tinged with concern. "Is this your OWL exam year? I see Weasley, Granger, and the other fifth-year Prefect are all quite busy, but you seem so relaxed. How's your studying going?"

Upon hearing this, Skylar paused slightly in his hand holding the coffee, then chuckled softly, "It's alright, I suppose. After all, I've been accumulating knowledge regularly."

Elusi raised an eyebrow. "You don't sound very nervous?"

"It's not that I'm arrogant," Skylar shrugged, his tone relaxed, "the Potions exam and the Defense Against the Dark Arts exam are far less challenging for me than the Potions Championship and the Triwizard Tournament."

"That's true." Elusi took a sip of tea and said slowly, "But don't be careless in the History of Magic and Astronomy; those two exams are really difficult."

Skylar nodded thoughtfully. After all, Elusi was the Head Boy, and her academic performance was among the best in the grade. What she said did make sense.

"So what's your suggestion?" He raised an eyebrow at her, seemingly wanting to hear her opinion.

Elusi put down her teacup and said seriously, "I have some past exam papers and questions here. They were all copied from memory by the previous Prefect after the exams. I'll find them for you later."

"Thank you so much," Skylar said with a smile.

At the same time, he couldn't help but wonder why, in the original story, Ron and Hermione were both Prefect, and Gryffindor at that, they didn't receive this Fawley. Otherwise, Ron wouldn't have gotten such poor grades.

This is probably not just a simple Prefect for Fawley, but a resource that only specific Prefect are entitled to.

The two continued chatting. Skylar first asked her for advice on studying and preparing for exams, and then they complained together about Umbridge's terrible Defense Against the Dark Arts and Montgomery's career plans after graduation.

Although Montgomery is a Gryffindor, her quiet nature makes her more inclined towards academic work. She plans to work in the Ministry of Magic to conduct magical research or teach at Hogwarts.

The two chatted idly under the warm light, the atmosphere unusually relaxed and comfortable. What began as polite small talk between Prefect quietly transformed into genuine friendship. Under the lamplight, the aroma of tea filled the air, and their relationship unknowingly grew much closer.