Pansy Parkinson

For some time afterward, Ron and Hermione remained locked in a long-running cold war that only grew more intense. They ignored each other, and it was said that even if they met in the Gryffindor Common Room, they would not exchange greetings.

Li Mu had once tried to mediate between them and ease the tension, but he had obviously failed.

In fact, he had fewer chances to see them as well.

After the first week's combined classes, all the first-year students had gained a basic understanding of their courses. Starting from the second week, the four Houses would attend classes separately, returning to England's traditional small-class teaching model.

The only class Gryffindor and Hufflepuff still shared was Herbology—a practical course where Li Mu had few chances to talk with Harry and the others.

During the occasional breaks between classes, he brought snacks to visit Neville in the Hospital Wing. The poor chubby boy had fallen from such a height and suffered only a minor fracture in his wrist.

However, his burns from Potions had flared up again. According to Madam Pomfrey, it was because he had forgotten the dietary restrictions and eaten a pile of greasy fried chicken legs and pan-fried pastries.

The exasperated Madam Pomfrey had then decided to cover Neville from head to toe in ointment. He would not be discharged until he had fully recovered... which would take at least another two or three days.

So the chubby boy now lay in bed, only able to move his neck a little. His once-plump cheeks had grown noticeably thinner.

"The happiness I once imagined was so fragile... life..." Sitting beside Neville's bed and munching on fried nuts, Li Mu could not help gazing up at the ceiling at a forty-five-degree angle and sighing as if by accident. He remembered that afternoon on the Hogwarts Express: the laughter of six people, the bright sunlight, their warm expressions—it had all seemed like a dream.

"Could you hurry up and finish those snacks?..." Neville finally could not hold back any longer. Had this guy brought snacks to visit him, or had he brought them just to eat in front of him?

"I'm helping you train your willpower, little Neville."

"..." Neville swallowed his anger—or rather, a mouthful of saliva.

Li Mu shrugged. This little chubby boy really was not cute when teased.

In Li Mu's opinion, perhaps only Malfoy could bring him a bit of amusement these days. He had been eagerly looking forward to Malfoy's resentful expression when he saw Harry safe and sound... but nothing happened!

On Sunday, when Harry, Ron, and Li Mu ran into Malfoy in the corridor, the young master merely nodded at them before striding away with ease. The three of them were utterly stunned and stood there for a long while before recovering.

In the end, Ron said indignantly, "That guy must have chickened out! Look, Crabbe and Goyle aren't with him. He must be afraid of getting taught a lesson again!..."

Then on Monday morning, as Li Mu watched Malfoy pass the Gryffindor table with great anticipation, the little aristocrat with platinum-blond hair did not even glance at Harry Potter, as if the Boy Who Lived had nothing to do with him. Even Li Mu could not make sense of Malfoy's behavior.

Then came Tuesday morning. As usual, before breakfast began, flocks of owls flew into the Great Hall carrying packages of all shapes and sizes.

What was different that day was that the owls had brought something enormous. Six long-eared owls carried a long, narrow parcel straight toward Harry Potter. They dropped it in front of Harry with a bang, then flapped away in a rush.

As everyone in the Great Hall stared in astonishment, another small owl swooped down and placed a letter on top of the package.

"What's that?" Ron asked. "It looks like something big... Harry, did you buy it?"

Ron's voice rose in surprise, loud enough for even the students at the neighboring Hufflepuff table to hear. Li Mu turned around. With one glance at the shape of the package, he knew what was inside. Some things were still inevitably playing out just as they had in "history."

Harry shook his head to show that he did not know either, then instinctively looked toward Li Mu at the next table. At this school... no, in this world, if there was anyone who would buy him something, it could only be Li Mu. Ron was too poor, Hagrid was not well-off either, and the Dursleys were out of the question... if someone had both the motive and spare money to give him a present, then it could only be...

Unfortunately, Li Mu understood Harry's meaning in an instant and quickly smiled, waving his hands and shaking his head.

So Harry Potter opened the letter the last owl had left behind. It read: Do not open the package. Inside is your new broomstick, a Nimbus 2000. I do not want everyone to know that you have a new broom, or they will all want one.

"Oh, no!" Harry cried as soon as he finished reading the letter. Before he could stop him, Ron had already opened the package.

"Whoa..."

It seemed as if everyone in the Great Hall had drawn a sharp breath. From one corner of the opened package protruded a section of a mahogany broom handle, sleek and elegantly shaped, with a line of small lettering carved into it.

Nimbus 2000!

Someone screamed. That cry was like a spark igniting a powder keg, and the entire Great Hall immediately erupted. Everyone whispered among themselves, casting all sorts of looks toward Harry.

Ernie and Justin, Li Mu's two roommates sitting beside him, both stood up at the same time, their eyes fixed on Harry.

"Wow... that's so cool! It must have cost a fortune..." Ernie Macmillan kept exclaiming, his eyes gleaming with the eerie green light of a hungry wolf. Li Mu almost laughed at the sight. Ernie, who came from a wizarding family, was an avid Quidditch fan and had long coveted a Nimbus 2000.

Justin smacked his lips, then suddenly turned to Li Mu with a look of sudden realization. "I get it... I get why you wanted to be friends with the Boy Who Lived!"

"Get lost." Li Mu raised his silver spoon and rapped Justin on the head with its back. "I'm richer than he is, all right?"

"Richer?..."

Just then, they heard a shrill voice—"Impossible!"

That scream cut through the noise in the Great Hall, drawing everyone's attention to its source. It was Pansy Parkinson. At some point, she had come to the Gryffindor table, with Crabbe and Goyle following behind her.

Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the Nimbus 2000, her face an ugly shade of green. "Harry Potter, first-year students aren't allowed to use those. Just wait until you're punished!"

Ron broke into a grin. He remembered this small, black-haired Slytherin girl. "Look at that expression, Parkinson. Are you worried Harry will be punished? Have you finally realized that compared to Harry, that Malfoy is nothing but a pile of crap?"

With every word Ron spoke, Pansy's face grew a little redder.