The Flame Troll of Halloween

Halloween finally arrived.

Early that morning, everyone could smell the special pumpkin fragrance drifting in from the corridors. Sweet and warm, mixed with cinnamon and clove, it wafted all the way from the dungeons to the top of the castle. As Su Yu carried Kurama through the hallway, he saw Filch hanging pumpkin lanterns on the suits of armor. Each one wore a wide, sinister grin.

Su Yu had not seen Hermione all day. Neither at noon nor during the feast had she appeared at the Gryffindor table. Su Yu could only marvel at the power of the timeline. It was not something he could fight against. What was meant to come would come, and what was meant to happen would happen.

When the Halloween feast began, Su Yu sat by the Slytherin table, looking at the festively decorated Great Hall.

The scene in the hall was quite spectacular. More than a thousand live bats swirled densely across the walls and ceiling, the sound of their wings like an endless gust of wind. Other bats swooped up and down, their fluttering wings making the candlelight flicker and casting shifting shadows across everyone's faces. Still more descended on the tables in a flock, looking from afar like a massive moving cloud. Several Hufflepuff girls hunched their shoulders, laughing as they dodged the bats.

Just like at the welcoming feast at the beginning of term, the golden plates were filled with sumptuous food in the blink of an eye. Roast turkey, pumpkin pie, toffee apples, peppermint hard candy—the Halloween spread was more than twice as lavish as usual. Its fragrance permeated the hall, mixing with the wind from the bats' wings to create a strange festive atmosphere.

Su Yu was leaning against Daphne's shoulder, lazily opening his mouth to receive the food Sister Fa fed him. Sister Fa sat to his right, spearing a piece of roasted pumpkin with her fork and bringing it to his lips. Her fingers were slender and fair, her nails painted a pale nut-brown shade. The way she held the fork was like holding a paintbrush. Then Su Yu said he did not eat pumpkin...

"Open your mouth," Sister Fa said.

Su Yu could only helplessly comply. They would not care whether he was a picky eater. The pumpkin was roasted until soft and tender, melting in his mouth with the sweet fragrance of honey and butter.

"Is it good?" Sister Fa asked, as though it were a very serious question.

"It's alright."

The corners of Sister Fa's lips curved up, and she speared another piece. She found feeding Su Yu thrilling in itself—this boy, who could scare every Slytherin student into wetting themselves, was currently like a cat too lazy to move, opening his mouth and waiting to be fed. The contrast was addictive.

Su Yu did not mind. He leaned against Daphne's shoulder. Her shoulder was soft and at just the right height, more comfortable than any pillow. Kurama lay on the table with a small slice of pumpkin pie before her, using her little paws to break it apart bit by bit as she ate.

But before Sister Fa could feed him more than a few bites, Professor Quirrell stumbled straight into the hall.

His turban had slipped crookedly, the purple cloth hanging loosely to one side and exposing the bald top of his head. His face was filled with terror, his lips white, his eyes bulging as though they might fall out. Everyone watched as he ran to Headmaster Dumbledore, grabbed the table for support, and gasped for breath.

"The—the Cave Troll—" Professor Quirrell's voice came in broken fragments, as though someone had gripped his throat. "It's gone into the dungeons—I came to tell you—"

After saying that, he could not hold himself up any longer. His body went limp, and he collapsed unconscious onto the floor.

The hall immediately erupted into chaos.

Students from the other houses screamed in fright and scattered in all directions. The Gryffindor table was the first to descend into disorder. Several younger girls clung to each other and screamed, knocking over several chairs. Someone from Hufflepuff climbed onto the table and spilled pumpkin juice everywhere. A few Ravenclaw students remained somewhat calmer, but their faces were pale as they surged toward the doors one after another.

Only the Slytherin students continued eating unhurriedly.

Sister Fa's fork stopped in midair as she glanced at Su Yu. Since he did not move, she continued feeding him. Sister Ka raised her glass and took a sip, her gaze passing over Professor Quirrell before withdrawing. Malfoy sat at the other end of the long table. He glanced at the panicked Gryffindors, sneered, and continued cutting his steak.

Was a Cave Troll really that strong? Could it withstand a few Avada Kedavras?

Headmaster Dumbledore had no choice but to raise his wand and launch several purple firecrackers into the air. The bursting sparks crackled above the hall, finally quieting everyone somewhat.

"Prefects, listen," he announced loudly, his voice echoing through the magically amplified hall. "Lead your students back to their dormitories immediately!"

His gaze swept across the tables of all four houses, pausing briefly on Slytherin.

"Slytherin receives ten points for remaining calm in the face of danger just now!"

The prefects of the other houses had already begun organizing their students' evacuation. Gryffindor prefect Percy shouted himself hoarse, "Get in line! Don't push!" but hardly anyone listened to him.

The Slytherin students were still waiting for Su Yu's orders.

No one stood. No one left. They remained in their seats. Some set down their cutlery, while others lifted their goblets, but every gaze was fixed on Su Yu. Dozens of eyes waited silently and patiently for him to speak.

Su Yu slowly rose to his feet.

Sister Fa's hand paused, her fork suspended in the air. Daphne's shoulder tensed slightly, but she said nothing.

"Sister Fa, Sister Ka," Su Yu said. His voice was not loud, but everyone in Slytherin could hear him. "Lead everyone back first. I have something to take care of."

"As you command."

She set down her fork and stood from her chair. The laziness and allure on her face vanished completely in an instant, replaced by a cold sharpness devoid of superfluous expression. She turned to face the Slytherin students, her voice crisp and forceful, every word seeming to cut across ice.

"First- and second-years, follow me! Form a single line! Third-, fourth-, and fifth-years, stay alert! Sixth- and seventh-years, follow behind in case anything happens!"

Sister Ka had already risen and stood beside Sister Fa, her gray-green eyes sweeping through the crowd to confirm everyone's position. Her expression was calm, but it was not relaxation—it was the stillness before a storm.

The Slytherin students stood without a word, their movements as orderly as an army's. The first- and second-years formed a line and walked in the center. The third-, fourth-, and fifth-years surrounded them, their hands already gripping their wands. The sixth- and seventh-years walked at the rear, no more than two steps apart from one another.

Sister Fa walked at the front of the formation, her black waves swinging in an arc behind her. She looked back at Su Yu, her gaze lingering on his face for a second.

Su Yu nodded to her.

Sister Fa turned back and led the group out of the hall.

Su Yu had already left the hall by then, striding quickly toward the girls' bathroom.

The corridors were empty. The students from the other houses had all retreated to their respective common rooms. Pumpkin lanterns hung on the walls, grinning beneath candlelight that swayed through the deserted corridors. Su Yu's footsteps echoed across the stone floor as Kurama hurried along beside his feet, her four paws moving rapidly.

"You know where she is?" Kurama asked.

"The girls' bathroom," Su Yu said.

"How do you know?"

"I just do."

Professor McGonagall appeared from around the corner and blocked his way. She wore a dark green robe, her black hair tightly bound behind her head. Her expression was ten times more severe than usual. Her eyes stared at Su Yu through her spectacles, while her lips pressed into a thin line.

"Mr. Su-Fuli," she said. Her voice was not loud, but every word was like a nail driven into wood. "Where are you going? The Slytherin common room is in the other direction."

Su Yu stopped and looked at her.

"Hermione is missing," Su Yu said. "I'm going to find her."

Professor McGonagall frowned. Of course she knew Hermione—the Gryffindor girl who raised her hand highest in every class and answered questions with the speed of someone racing to respond.

"Hermione's safety is the responsibility of us teachers," Professor McGonagall said. "You should return to your own—"

"You know my strength too," Su Yu interrupted. His tone was calm, but left no room for negotiation. "It's only a Cave Troll. I don't think much of it."

Professor McGonagall's lips pressed even tighter. She did not argue. Everyone at Hogwarts knew Su Yu's strength—the Nine-Tailed Fox in the Forbidden Forest that night had been visible from the entire castle.

"You're the one I'm worried about," Professor McGonagall said, lowering her voice. "I'm afraid you'll tear Hogwarts apart if you're not careful."

Su Yu froze for a moment.

At that moment, Dumbledore came down the corridor from the other end. He did not walk quickly. His silver beard glimmered faintly in the candlelight, and his deep purple robes trailed along the ground, every step steady. He walked to Professor McGonagall's side, glanced at Su Yu, then at Professor McGonagall.

"Let him go, Minerva," Dumbledore said, his voice gentle and calm. "After all, Hermione is his friend too, isn't she?"

Professor McGonagall fell silent for a while. Her gaze lingered on Su Yu's face for several seconds, as though judging something. Then she took a deep breath and stepped aside.

"Take it easy," Professor McGonagall said, her tone carrying a helpless warning. "Don't make a commotion like last time."

Su Yu had already started walking. With his back to Professor McGonagall, he waved a hand, his lazy voice drifting back. "Got it."

Kurama followed by his feet, her little paws pattering across the floor.

"She's afraid you'll demolish the school," Kurama said.

"I didn't do it on purpose."

"You absolutely did."

Su Yu ignored her.

Because Professor McGonagall had delayed him for quite a while, Su Yu quickened his pace. The corridors grew darker, the torches on the walls fewer. A damp, rotten stench began filling the air. The smell of a troll.

When he arrived at the girls' bathroom, Harry and Ron had also arrived. The three ran into each other at the entrance. Harry's face was pale, Ron's lips trembled, and both held their wands, though their hands shook.

Su Yu did not look at them. His gaze fell inside the bathroom—onto that thing.

Something was wrong.

Wasn't the Cave Troll in the movie supposed to be weak? Gray-skinned, clumsy, and knocked out by one blow from its own club. So why was this thing he saw—

The troll was covered in flames.

They were not ordinary flames. They were dark red, like magma boiling up from deep underground. The fire clung to its skin like living armor, flickering with its breath. Its skin was not the gray shown in the movie, but a charred dark brown. Crimson light shone from its cracks, like a piece of fully burned charcoal. Its eyes were two balls of fire, with no pupils or whites, only two burning, scorching flames. It gripped an enormous wooden club, also wrapped in the same flames, dragging trails of searing light through the air.

What the hell was this?

"Su Yu!" Hermione's sharp, terrified voice came from inside the bathroom. "I'm in here!"

Su Yu stopped thinking about the troll.

"Kurama!"

Kurama instantly turned into a streak of golden light and entered Su Yu's body. Yellow chakra surged from him like burning armor, enveloping his entire body. The Tailed Beast Cloak appeared over him, and its golden radiance exploded through the dim corridor, illuminating the entire passage.

Su Yu turned toward Harry and Ron, his voice beyond question. "Go save Hermione! Now!"

Harry and Ron froze for a moment, then nodded together. Keeping close to the wall, they circled around the troll and ran toward where Hermione was hiding.

Su Yu turned back to face the flaming troll.

His eyes changed. Three black tomoe connected into a circle—the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Red chakra surged from his body and condensed into a spear in his right hand. The shaft was dark crimson, nearly black, while the tip was bright red, like iron freshly pulled from a fire. The spear was a full two meters long and stood steady in Su Yu's hand, its tip aimed at the troll.

At the same time, a huge amount of sand suddenly surged up from underground. It poured from cracks between the stone slabs, sewer openings, and fissures in the walls. Like golden snakes, it silently spread over the entire bathroom floor. Then it erupted—like a rising tide, instantly wrapping around the troll's entire body.

"Desert Funeral!"

Su Yu clenched his fist.

The sand suddenly tightened. The immense pressure could have compressed a car into a sheet of metal. Then it exploded, scattering sand everywhere. Cracks appeared in the bathroom walls, tiles shattered with a series of sharp cracks, and the taps burst under the shockwave, water spraying from ruptured pipes.

But the troll did not die.

After the sand scattered, the troll was still standing. The flames on its skin only dimmed for an instant in the sandstorm before reigniting, fiercer than before.

It was too tanky. This troll's defense far exceeded Su Yu's expectations. The flames covering it not only enhanced its attacks, but protected it like armor.

Su Yu did not hesitate again. He kicked off the ground and shot forward like an arrow, thrusting his spear straight at the troll's chest.

The troll's reaction was not slow. It swung its enormous flaming club in a horizontal sweep. The wind pressure from the club scattered broken tiles across the floor, and the flames drew a dark red arc through the air.

Su Yu twisted aside. The club swept past his ear, the searing blast of air scorching his face. He used the momentum to stab his spear toward the troll's flank.

The troll shifted aside and swung its club back down.

Su Yu blocked with the spear held crosswise. The shaft collided with the club in a muffled boom, like two mountains crashing together. Su Yu was forced two steps back, his palm numb. The troll's strength was astonishing—his physical abilities were already more than ten times those of an ordinary wizard, yet the impact still left his arm aching.

Flames leaped from the club and spread down the spear's shaft. Su Yu withdrew the spear and retreated, shaking his wrist.

The three children were frozen with fear by then.

Hermione hid behind the sink, while Harry and Ron had just reached her. The three huddled together, motionless as they watched Su Yu battle the troll. Every time the troll swung its club down, another crater appeared in the floor. Several bathroom stalls had been smashed apart, splintered wood and tiles flying everywhere. The taps continued spraying water, but the instant the water touched the troll's flames, it became steam. The entire bathroom was filled with scorching mist.

The troll suddenly turned and brought its club down toward Hermione.

Hermione screamed and instinctively shut her eyes.

Su Yu rushed over.

He moved so fast he was nearly impossible to see—the golden glow of the Tailed Beast Cloak left an afterimage in the air. He pulled Hermione into his arms to shield her, while a translucent red skeleton rose behind him—the first form of Susanoo.

Red chakra muscles covered the skeleton like a giant hand, blocking the space between Su Yu and Hermione.

The troll's club slammed into Susanoo.

Boom—

The entire bathroom shook. Several chunks of stone fell from the ceiling, and the sink split completely in half. A small crack appeared on Susanoo's surface, but it did not break.

Su Yu took the chance to give part of the Tailed Beast Cloak to Hermione. Golden chakra spread from Su Yu's body over Hermione's, forming a thin protective film across her skin.

"Be good," Su Yu said, looking down at Hermione. His voice was soft but firm. "Get somewhere safe quickly. This power will protect you. Don't be afraid. Go now, listen to me."

Hermione's eyes reddened and her lips trembled, but she nodded. She released Su Yu's robe collar, stepped back twice, and was pulled out of the bathroom by Harry and Ron.

Su Yu turned around.

The red in his eyes deepened. The pattern of the Mangekyō Sharingan slowly rotated in his pupils like two miniature whirlpools.

The first form of Susanoo fully unfolded. A gigantic red arm extended from behind Su Yu and grabbed the wrist of the troll's club hand. The troll struggled, but could not break free. Susanoo's arm tightened further and further, and the flames around the troll's wrist began to dim before the red chakra.

Su Yu formed that dark crimson spear in his right hand again. Black flames began burning at its tip—Amaterasu.

Su Yu gripped the spear tightly and thrust it toward the troll's eye.

The spearhead pierced the troll's eye socket. Amaterasu's black flames instantly spread, confronting the dark red flames on the troll's body. The two fires collided, tore at one another, and devoured each other across the troll's skin.

The troll let out an ear-splitting scream. Its body shook violently, and the club slipped from its hand, smashing a huge crater into the floor. It reached for the spear lodged in its face with its free hand, but Susanoo's other hand had already seized that wrist.

Amaterasu's flames and the troll's flames began a silent war. The dark red fire tried to devour the black flames, but Amaterasu was like the thickest ink—once it touched something, it could not be shaken off. It spread across the troll's skin, little by little consuming that dark red armor of flame.

The troll's screams gradually weakened.

After a while, the flames over the troll's body slowly began to recede. First from its arms, then from its thighs, and finally from its chest. The dark red fire seemed to be drawn away by something, vanishing thread by thread into the air. The troll's skin changed from dark brown back to gray. The red glow within its cracks went out, leaving ordinary rough skin.

Amaterasu's flames still burned. Su Yu withdrew his spear and flicked his left hand. The black flames instantly went out—he did not want to burn down the entire bathroom.

The troll fell to its knees, both eyes blinded. Smoke still rose from the spear wound on its face. It could no longer stand. Its enormous body slumped against the smashed sink, and indistinct gurgling sounds came from its throat.

Another blade materialized in Su Yu's hand, a Tang saber. Its long, slender blade gleamed with a cold red light in the dim bathroom. He walked before the troll, gripped the sword with both hands, and raised its edge.

One horizontal slash.

The blade light drew an arc through the air, cutting in through the troll's left waist and emerging from its right. The troll's body paused, then its upper half slowly slid off its lower half and crashed to the floor.

The bathroom fell silent.

The taps still sprayed water, but the sound seemed distant. Steam still filled the room, but it was no longer so hot. Su Yu stood before the troll's corpse, and the Tang saber in his hand dissolved into red fragments of chakra that scattered through the air. The Tailed Beast Cloak faded away, and Kurama jumped out of his body, landing by his feet and shaking out her fur.

He turned and saw Hermione standing at the bathroom entrance.

She rushed over and threw her arms around Su Yu. Her body trembled, and her fingers tightly gripped the back of his robes as she buried her face in his chest. Her tears soaked his collar, hot drops falling one after another.

"I was so scared," Hermione said into his chest, her voice broken. "I was so scared..."

Su Yu gently hugged her, resting one hand on the back of her head, his fingers slipping into her fluffy curls.

"It's alright now." His voice was gentle, completely different from the cold severity he had shown during the fight.

Hermione cried in his arms for a long while before slowly raising her head. Her eyes were red, as was the tip of her nose, and tears still clung to her eyelashes.

"How did you know I was here?" Hermione asked quietly. "Why did you come save me again?"

Su Yu smiled softly.

"Because I really don't want to lose you, so I came."

Hermione's face instantly turned red. Her eyes were still red as well. She lowered her head, buried her face against Su Yu's chest again, and said nothing.

A burst of hurried footsteps came from outside. The four looked toward the door.

They still had no idea how much noise they had made. Half the bathroom ceiling had collapsed, the walls were covered in cracks, several craters had been smashed into the floor, the sinks had been reduced to rubble, and the taps were still spraying water. The entire room reeked of steam and burnt flesh.

Professor McGonagall was the first to rush inside. Her face turned pale, and her eyes widened behind her glasses. Her gaze swept from the collapsed ceiling to the cracked sinks, from the shattered stalls to the pits in the floor, finally landing on the troll's corpse.

Professor Snape followed behind, his black robes billowing through the steam. His gaze swept swiftly across the room, paused briefly on Harry, then fell on the troll. He said nothing.

Professor Quirrell came in last. He stumbled through the doorway and saw the Cave Troll on the floor—already cut in half, its upper and lower body lying separately, dark red blood covering the ground. He let out a small sigh, then quickly collapsed onto a toilet, clutching his chest with both hands. His face was paler than his turban.

Professor Snape bent down to inspect the Cave Troll. He used his wand to move aside the wound on the troll's face, examined the cut surface, then looked at the bruising on its wrist where Susanoo had crushed it. His expression did not change, but Su Yu noticed one of his eyebrows lift slightly.

Professor McGonagall, meanwhile, glared sternly at Harry and Ron. Harry had never seen her so furious. Her lips had gone white with anger, her chin trembled, and her eyes behind the lenses blazed like two fires.

"What on earth were you thinking?" Professor McGonagall's voice was terrifying. Every word seemed forced out from between clenched teeth.

Harry looked at Ron. Ron's face was white as paper, his lips shaking, his wand nearly falling from his hand.

"You were incredibly lucky not to be killed!" Professor McGonagall's voice rose higher and higher. "Why weren't you staying safely in your dormitory?"

Snape gave Harry a quick, piercing glance. Harry lowered his head. He wished Ron would put down his wand—Ron was still holding it up, his fingers clenched white, as though he were ready to duel someone at any moment.

Then a small voice came from Su Yu's arms.

"Professor McGonagall, please—they only wanted to help me."

Hermione turned around in Su Yu's embrace to face Professor McGonagall. Her eyes were still red, and tear tracks remained on her face, but her voice was steady.

Professor McGonagall's gaze shifted to Hermione. Her expression softened slightly, but she was still stern.

"Hermione!"

Hermione finally found the strength to stand upright and leave Su Yu's embrace. She took two steps forward and stood before Professor McGonagall.

"I followed that Cave Troll here," Hermione said. "Because... because I thought I could handle it by myself... I thought I had learned how to subdue it..."

Harry and Ron were so shocked that their wands nearly fell from their hands.

Hermione—Hermione had actually told a teacher a colossal lie? Hermione, who never broke the rules, always raised her hand the highest in every class, and would feel guilty for an entire day if she was late?

"If they hadn't come looking for me, the troll would definitely have killed me," Hermione continued, her voice trembling slightly. But instead of looking at Professor McGonagall, she stared at the floor. "They simply didn't have time to get anyone else. By the time they got there, I was already terrified."

Harry and Ron tried their best to pretend this was not the first time they had heard the story. Ron kept his mouth tightly shut, while Harry stared at the ground.

Professor McGonagall looked at her.

Then Professor McGonagall glanced at the wrecked bathroom, then at the troll that had been cut in half, and then at Su Yu—who was leaning against the wall with both hands in his pockets.

Professor McGonagall was so angry she almost laughed.

She was not an idiot. Looking at the signs of battle, looking at the destruction—what kind of little girl could possibly fight this thing head-on? The cracks in the ceiling had clearly been blasted open by some immense external force. The holes in the floor had been made by the troll's club, but the ring of bruises around the troll's wrist—those had been squeezed there. Su Yu had beaten it into this state, so where was the opponent's strength? Professor McGonagall glanced at Su Yu, who was exchanging looks with the Nine-Tailed Fox.

"Miss Hermione," Professor McGonagall took a deep breath, her voice returning to its official coldness, "you foolish girl! How could you think you were capable of fighting a giant as big as a mountain?"

Hermione lowered her head. Her shoulders sagged slightly, and her fingers twisted the hem of her robe.

Harry could not say a word. Hermione was the student least likely to break the rules, yet now she was pretending that she had made the mistake herself in order to help them out of trouble. It was as unbelievable as Snape giving them candy.

"All right, Professor McGonagall," Su Yu spoke from the side, helping Hermione out. "At least this ended perfectly, didn't it?"

Professor McGonagall gave him a look.

"Miss Hermione," Professor McGonagall turned back, her voice stern once more, "Gryffindor will lose five points for this. I am very disappointed in what you did."

Hermione nodded, her lips pressed together as she said nothing.

Professor McGonagall turned to Harry and Ron again. "I suppose the two of you are extremely lucky. Not many first-years get to deal with a Cave Troll as big as a mountain. You will each earn Gryffindor five points. I will inform Headmaster Dumbledore."

"If you are not hurt, you may leave now," Professor McGonagall said. "The students are holding a Halloween feast in the common room."

The three turned and headed for the door. As she passed Su Yu, Hermione paused and looked up at him. Her eyes were still red, but she was no longer crying.

Su Yu waved at her. "Go back and eat."

Hermione nodded and walked out. Harry and Ron followed behind her. When he reached the door, Ron looked back at the troll's corpse, then at Su Yu. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he said nothing and followed Harry away.

The sound of their footsteps gradually faded.

The bathroom fell silent. Water was still spraying from the faucets. Snape tapped them with his wand, and the water stopped. The steam slowly dispersed, revealing the devastated room.

Su Yu looked at the four professors before him.

Then he spoke to the empty air.

"Professor Dumbledore," Su Yu's voice was quiet, yet especially clear in the silent bathroom, "shouldn't you come out and explain the situation to me?"

The three professors turned to look at Su Yu.

Dumbledore stepped out from the shadows by the door. He did not walk quickly, but in just a few steps, he stood before Su Yu.

Su Yu looked into his eyes.

"Professor Dumbledore," Su Yu's voice was still calm, but it had lost some of its lazy drawl, "can you explain what is going on with the flames on that troll?"

Dumbledore's eyes flickered behind his spectacles.

"I don't know," Dumbledore said, his voice gentle and calm. "I am also investigating exactly what happened."

Su Yu looked at him with open disbelief.

Dumbledore's expression did not change at all. That wrinkled face still bore that gentle, composed smile, as though he knew everything but would not reveal anything. Su Yu stared at him for several seconds, trying to find the slightest flaw in his gaze—but there was none. Dumbledore's eyes were like a pool of deep water. You could see the surface, but not the bottom.

Su Yu had no choice.

He straightened up, scooped the Nine-Tailed Fox from the ground into his arms, and nodded to the four professors.

"Goodbye."

He turned and walked out of the bathroom.

The corridor was empty, and the jack-o'-lanterns on the walls were still grinning. Su Yu carried the Nine-Tailed Fox in his arms, walking at an unhurried pace. She lay against his chest, her tails hanging down on either side of his arm.

"That old man was lying," the Nine-Tailed Fox said.

"I know."

"Aren't you going to get to the bottom of it?"

"He wouldn't tell me even if I asked."

The Nine-Tailed Fox snorted and buried her face in the crook of his arm.

Su Yu crossed the corridor, went down the stone steps, and returned to the entrance of the Slytherin common room. The stone wall was shut. He quietly gave the password, and the wall slid open without a sound.

Then he froze.

The Slytherin common room had completely changed.

The fire in the fireplace burned three times brighter than usual, bathing the entire hall in warmth. Dark green ribbons and silver stars hung from the ceiling, while the alcoves in the walls had been decorated with fresh holly and mistletoe. Several long tables had been joined in the center of the hall, covered with silver tablecloths and piled with pumpkin pie, roasted chestnuts, and hot butterbeer. There was even a small band in the corner—four upperclassmen playing a lively tune with enchanted drums and enchanted instruments.

People were everywhere. The Slytherin students had changed into different outfits and gathered in small groups. The girls wore all kinds of dresses, while the boys wore tailored suits or robes, holding glasses as they spoke in low voices. If he had not known this was the Hogwarts dungeon, Su Yu would have thought he had walked into a ball at some aristocrat's estate.

Then he saw Fa.

She stood beside the fireplace with a glass of red wine in her hand. A small black hat sat at an angle on her head, a thin black veil hanging from its brim and concealing half her face in a hazy blur. Her eye makeup was heavy, the corners of her eyes swept upward. Together with the lazy yet sharp quality she possessed, she looked like a cat squinting in the shadows. Her lips were painted rose red, glistening moistly in the firelight. She wore a long black dress that trailed across the floor, its waist drawn tight to outline her tall figure to perfection.

She was truly breathtaking.

Ka stood beside Fa in a dark green gown, her hair pinned up to reveal her slender neck and delicate collarbones. Her makeup was lighter than Fa's, but her gray-green eyes looked deeper and brighter in the candlelight, like two polished gems. She held a glass of wine as well, a faint half-smile at the corner of her lips as she lowered her head to say something to the girl beside her.

Daphne sat on the sofa in a pale gold gown, her hair draped over her shoulders and a pair of small pearl earrings at her ears. She was not as sharp as Fa, nor as mysterious as Ka. She was like a ray of sunlight—quiet, warm, and inviting. She was not holding any wine, only a cup of hot tea. She looked down at the tea leaves in her cup as though she were counting something.

Su Yu stood at the doorway, utterly stunned.

All three looked up at the same time and saw him.

Daphne set down her teacup and was the first to rise. She walked over to Su Yu, reached out to straighten the collar the troll had pulled crooked, lowered his sleeves, and brushed the dust from his shoulder. Her movements were natural, as if this were something she did every day.

Fa walked over from the fireplace, still holding her glass of red wine. She stopped in front of Su Yu and looked him up and down.

"Is everything taken care of?" Fa's voice was low, carrying a lazy huskiness. "My dear prefect?"

That tone. She really was the mature big-sister type. Su Yu felt his ears grow a little hot.

"It is," Su Yu said.

Ka walked over as well and stood beside Fa. The three girls surrounded Su Yu, six eyes fixed on him. Su Yu felt a little uncomfortable under their gazes, so he put an arm around Daphne and Ka, one on each side.

"What is all this tonight?" Su Yu asked.

Ka smiled. That smile was different from her usual faint, ambiguous curve. She was genuinely smiling, the corners of her eyes bending slightly as she revealed a small row of white teeth.

"We're cultivating a little aristocratic refinement," Ka said. "We came back early tonight and had nothing to do, so we threw a party."

She raised the glass in her hand and gave it a little shake toward Su Yu.

"Want a drink?" Ka lowered her voice, a sly smile in it. "I'll let you in on a secret. The house-elves stole all this alcohol. The school doesn't allow it."

Su Yu accepted the glass Ka offered him. It was silver, engraved with delicate vine patterns, and filled with a dark red liquid that gleamed amber in the firelight. He sniffed it—the fruity fragrance was strong, with a faint scent of oak. It did not seem like particularly strong alcohol.

Fa and Ka exchanged a glance. That look said, Here it comes.

Su Yu lifted the glass to his lips and drained it in one gulp.

In the first second after the liquor went down his throat, he only tasted sweetness. In the second, heat. In the third—he felt as if someone had set his esophagus on fire. The flames burned from his throat all the way to his stomach, then exploded from his stomach and rushed through every limb and bone. His face flushed bright red in an instant, his ears were hot enough to fry eggs on, and everything before his eyes began to spin.

He had greatly overestimated his alcohol tolerance.

He had also underestimated Ka's lack of limits.

What kind of wine was this? This was clearly hard liquor that the house-elves had distilled and purified who knew how many times, poured into a harmless-looking fruit wine glass.

Su Yu's legs gave out slightly, and Daphne caught him with quick hands. Fa supported his arm from the other side, while Ka stood in front of him, looking at his face with eyes curved into crescents from laughter.

"Are you all right?" Daphne's voice came from beside his ear, as though through a layer of water.

"I... I'm fine..." Su Yu's voice was slurred, his tongue seemingly tied in knots.

Fa lowered her head to look at him, the corners of her lips rising high. "My dear prefect, your alcohol tolerance is rather poor."

Su Yu wanted to say something, but his mouth no longer obeyed him. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier, while the three figures before him became increasingly blurred, overlapping, separating, then overlapping again.

Then, in a daze, he knew nothing more.