Slytherin Daily Life (I)

Early the next morning, Su Yu woke up from an itch.

Something furry was brushing back and forth beneath his chin. Still half-asleep, he reached out to touch it. His fingertips sank into soft fur, then the thing moved, and a tail swept across the tip of his nose—a big, fluffy, furry tail.

Su Yu's nose tickled once, then again, and then—

He abruptly opened his eyes and looked down to find a little fox curled up in his arms.

The fox was covered in golden-red fur. Nine tails spread out behind her, her ears stood erect with their tips trembling slightly, and her amber eyes stared unblinkingly at him.

Su Yu froze for a moment.

Nine-Tailed Fox looked back at him too.

Their eyes met for roughly two seconds.

Then Su Yu grabbed the scruff of her neck and toward the foot of the bed—

Threw her...

The scene shifted.

The sound of water from the washroom stopped. Su Yu pushed open the door and walked out, his hair already combed and his robes neatly put on. As he walked, he fastened his cuff buttons, the last remnants of sleepiness still lingering on his face.

Nine-Tailed Fox was still lying on the bed.

She was in exactly the same position as before—her four legs stretched straight out, her chin resting on the mattress.

Su Yu walked to the bedside and glanced at her.

"I've apologized to you so many times already, okay? I didn't know it was you. You manifested in the middle of the night without telling me beforehand. I got scared too, okay?"

Nine-Tailed Fox buried her face in her tails and let out an indistinct mumble.

Su Yu took a deep breath, then slowly let it out.

"I was wrong," he said.

"That's it?"

"I was wrong. I shouldn't have thrown you."

"That's it?"

In the end, after Su Yu signed a series of unequal treaties, Nine-Tailed Fox finally forgave him...

Su Yu bent down and picked her up. Nine-Tailed Fox adjusted her position in his arms, found the most comfortable spot, and rested her chin on his shoulder. Her nine tails hung down on either side of his arms like a fluffy shawl.

"Come on," Su Yu said. "Let's go eat."

He pushed open the bedroom door and entered the Slytherin common room.

Then he froze.

The common room's hall was packed with people—from first years to seventh years, every Slytherin student was there. They sat on dark green sofas and silver chairs, some holding teacups and others textbooks, but the instant Su Yu opened the door, everyone turned to look at him in unison.

Su Yu stood in the doorway with Nine-Tailed Fox in his arms and swept his gaze over the entire hall.

"What's this?" he asked.

Daphne Greengrass rose from the crowd. She wore a well-tailored dark green robe, her long golden hair draped loosely over her shoulders. She walked up to Su Yu and pointed at the people filling the hall.

"Everyone is here waiting for you. From now on, Slytherin will be led by you."

Slytherin was known for cunning, ambition, and a thirst for power. What Su Yu had done yesterday—seeing through Professor Dumbledore's little schemes, confronting Professor Dumbledore directly, and the Tailed Beast Bomb—had struck exactly the right chord...

Su Yu looked at them.

The corner of his mouth twitched.

Everyone looked at Nine-Tailed Fox in Su Yu's arms, their eyes first full of astonishment before realization dawned on them. This must have been the powerful fox from last night. Many students who had previously been afraid now looked at her with worship instead of fear, their eyes brimming with the fervor of those who revered strength. They looked just like they had Stockholm syndrome—or, to put it less politely, like a bunch of lunatics.

Daphne walked over to Su Yu and gently straightened his slightly rumpled collar. Su Yu sighed inwardly, feeling a headache coming on. He had never wanted to manage these people; he had thought he could just let these little snakes fend for themselves. Yet now he had somehow been pushed into the leader's position. It seemed he would not have a moment's peace from now on.

"Let's go," Su Yu said in the same lazy tone. "Eat first."

Holding Nine-Tailed Fox, he started toward the common room exit. Daphne walked beside him, while the others—the seated, the standing, and the Slytherins leaning against the walls—rose one after another and followed behind him.

When they entered the Great Hall, students from the other three Houses were still chatting in small groups about last night's events. But when they saw the unusually orderly Slytherins, with Su Yu—the boy they had privately called a mudblood last night—leading them, discussion immediately broke out as all kinds of gazes turned their way.

At the Slytherin table, Su Yu sat down in the center. Nine-Tailed Fox leaped from his arms onto the tabletop and crouched beside his plate, her nine tails swaying elegantly behind her.

Su Yu paid no attention to everyone else's chatter. All his attention was on Nine-Tailed Fox.

Because Nine-Tailed Fox was already clamoring for cheesecake.

"Cheesecake!" Nine-Tailed Fox's voice exploded in his mind, even louder than her roar in the Forbidden Forest last night. "I want cheesecake! Right now! Immediately!"

Daphne sat down beside him as well.

Su Yu looked around and did not see Hermione or Neville. But when he turned back, ready to order breakfast, he was stunned to discover that the table was already covered in all kinds of cheesecake, piled high in a whole spread—all ordered by Nine-Tailed Fox while he had turned away.

The corner of Su Yu's mouth twitched.

"You ordered this much," he said helplessly, as though asking if she had gone mad. "Can you finish it?"

Nine-Tailed Fox turned around and looked at him. "What's it to you? Being able to eat is a blessing!" she replied righteously, baring two pointed canine teeth in a slight grin.

Then she turned back and plunged headfirst into the nearest caramel cheesecake.

Su Yu did not want to use the word "elegant" to describe the way she ate. It was more like a miniature avalanche. Cake vanished into her mouth at an astonishing rate. Caramel sauce stuck to the tip of her nose, strawberry juice dripped from the corners of her mouth, and crumbs flew from her lips, landing on the table, on her paws, and beside Su Yu's plate. With every bite, she made a satisfied humming sound squeezed from deep in her chest, like a cat having its chin scratched.

Su Yu looked at her and sighed.

He turned to Daphne.

"Get me two cheeseburgers," he said. "Extra pickles, no ketchup, mustard instead. Add two German sausages, hash browns, and pineapple yogurt."

Daphne nodded. She reached out and lightly tapped the tabletop, murmuring something under her breath. Su Yu did not catch it, but seconds later, everything he had ordered appeared neatly before him.

He picked up a cheeseburger and took a bite.

Today was Monday.

As Su Yu chewed his burger, he went over today's schedule in his mind.

There was no first period. Second period was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Third period was Herbology. The first afternoon class was History of Magic, and the second was Transfiguration.

He took another bite of his burger. Right now, the most important thing was breakfast—and making sure Nine-Tailed Fox did not eat herself to death.

Nine-Tailed Fox had already finished her third cheesecake and was launching an attack on the fourth. Her nose was smeared with caramel sauce, and a slice of strawberry clung to the tip of her tail. She looked like a battle-worn warrior who had just survived a fight, covered in wounds. Her way of eating could hardly be called elegant, but her happiness was real.

After breakfast, every Slytherin student who left respectfully greeted Su Yu before going.

Just as the crowd began to disperse, Su Yu remembered that two people had looked very familiar.

The first was a third-year girl. She stood at the back of the crowd, with dark brown hair in loose, lazy waves, naturally curled and full of volume, effortlessly alluring and fierce.

She said her name was Gemma Farley.

The second was a second-year girl. She stood not far from Gemma, but the two carried themselves completely differently. If Gemma was a blade sheathed in its scabbard, then this girl was a dagger already drawn—her gaze was sharp, and a half-smile hung on her lips. Her pale blonde hair curled slightly as it fell over her shoulders, and her features were delicate enough to look painted. But her eyes—those green eyes, sharp in a way that did not suit her age—reminded Su Yu of some kind of feline predator.

Cassandra Vole.

Why were the two of them here? Su Yu also noticed that whenever they looked at each other, something seemed to crackle in the air. There was a subtle confrontation between them, one that needed no words.

Sister Farley and Sister Cassandra, Su Yu muttered inwardly.

But he did not dwell on it. Since they were here, they might as well settle in. He stuffed the last bite of his burger into his mouth and fished Nine-Tailed Fox out of the wreckage of cheesecake. Nine-Tailed Fox let out a full burp in his arms, then contentedly buried her face in the crook of his arm as Su Yu wiped her clean.

Daphne simply sat quietly beside him.

The people in the Great Hall gradually dispersed. Every Slytherin with class greeted Su Yu before leaving. Holding Nine-Tailed Fox, he slumped over the Slytherin table and chatted idly with Daphne.

"Are you tired?" Daphne asked.

"Tired, because I can't lie down," Su Yu said.

"Then why not go back to the common room and lie down for a while?"

"It's close to the classrooms here. I don't want to walk."

Daphne looked at him. She said nothing more, merely sat quietly beside him, opened her textbook, and occasionally looked up at the time.

Before long, class was about to begin.

Su Yu straightened up from the table and stretched lazily. Nine-Tailed Fox was squeezed in his arms and let out an unhappy mumble, but quickly found another comfortable position and flopped back down.

"Come on," Su Yu said. "Let's go to the fourth floor."

He headed toward Classroom 401 on the fourth floor with Daphne, Malfoy, and several other Slytherin first-years. The corridor was packed with people—Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs—everyone rushing to their second class of the day. Some rummaged through their bags for textbooks, some chatted with friends, some ran, and some chased after others.

Su Yu pushed open the door to Classroom 401.

A powerful smell of garlic hit him in the face.

Su Yu wrinkled his nose. Nine-Tailed Fox abruptly raised her head in his arms, her nose twitching twice before her entire face crumpled up like a cat that had been force-fed lemons.

"What is that smell?!" Her voice exploded in Su Yu's mind. "Is this a classroom or a slop bucket?"

Su Yu did not answer. He found a seat by the window and sat down, setting Nine-Tailed Fox on the desk. Daphne sat beside him, took out her Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook, and opened it to the first lesson.

Not long after, Professor Quirrell entered.

He wore a purple robe and an enormous turban embroidered with some incomprehensible pattern in purple thread. He walked quickly, almost at a jog, and even stumbled as he reached the front of the classroom, nearly falling over.

"G-good morning, students," Professor Quirrell said in a halting voice, as though something was caught in his throat. "T-today we will discuss—an experience I had—in Africa."

"At the time, I was in a small African country—helping an African prince—drive away a troublesome reanimated zombie." He raised a hand to touch his turban. "Th-this was a gift from that prince—to thank me."

Daphne sat beside Su Yu with her hands folded on the desk, her body leaning slightly forward and an admiring look on her face.

"I want to experience something like that too," she whispered to Su Yu. "An African prince, a reanimated zombie, and presents..."

Su Yu leaned back in his chair, glanced at her, and whispered, "Africa is full of princes. A single village can have several."

"And those princes eat people too," Su Yu continued. "Because that place is still in a tribal-conflict stage. Just imagine—a guy wearing nothing but leaf-and-shell underwear, his face painted white, charging at you yelling and trying to hug and kiss you—"

Daphne's expression changed visibly.

Her eyes widened first, then narrowed. Her slightly parted lips pressed tightly together, and the admiration on her face seemed to be erased bit by bit with an eraser. Finally, she turned toward him and gave him a look that said, "Why would you do this to me?"

Then she reached out and pinched Su Yu's waist.

Su Yu bared his teeth in pain. He shrank to the side, nearly knocking Nine-Tailed Fox off the desk. Nine-Tailed Fox lifted her head, looked at Su Yu, then at Daphne, gave an inscrutable hum, and buried her face back in her paws.

Su Yu rubbed his waist. This girl really pinched hard.

When class ended, Nine-Tailed Fox stood up on the desk and shook out all her fur.

"Su Yu," she said to him, "that Professor Quirrell is full of malice."

"It isn't ordinary malice," Nine-Tailed Fox continued, her amber eyes fixed on the doorway through which Professor Quirrell had vanished. "It's thick, deep... like something is living inside him."

Su Yu did not answer. He had known already. He merely nodded, picked Nine-Tailed Fox up, and walked out of the classroom.

Third period was Herbology.

Su Yu, Daphne, and the Slytherin little snakes passed through the castle's rear entrance, following a stone-paved path toward the greenhouses behind the castle. Nine-Tailed Fox lay in his arms, occasionally lifting her head to look at the flowers and plants growing alongside the path.

The greenhouse was pleasantly warm, and the air was filled with the damp scent of soil and humus. Professor Sprout stood at the very front, wearing an old patched robe, her smile as warm as an apple roasted by the fire for an entire afternoon.

"All right, all right, children," she said in a loud, enthusiastic voice. "Today, we're going to learn about a very interesting plant—puffapods. Come on, everyone, gather around—"

Su Yu did not gather around. He and Nine-Tailed Fox lingered at the back of the group, strolling slowly along the edge of the greenhouse. Daphne walked beside him with a little notebook in hand, stopping now and then to jot down a few notes.

"This is wormwood," she said, pointing at a cluster of silvery-green plants. Her voice was light and natural. "It can be used to make Forgetfulness Potion. This is nettle, which can be used for swelling remedies. And this is—"

Su Yu followed her finger and nodded. He did not particularly care what these plants were called or what they did—there was something else he cared about more.

"Can these be eaten?" he asked.

Daphne froze for a moment. Of course only you would ask something like that...

"Most of them can't," she said. "But the raspberries planted along the path can be eaten."

She crouched down, plucked several bright red raspberries from the bushes by the path, and held them out to Su Yu.

Su Yu took them and popped one into his mouth. Sweet-and-sour juice burst across his tongue, carrying a clear, cool freshness that belonged to the morning. Nine-Tailed Fox poked her head out from his arms, sniffed twice, then opened her mouth with an expression that plainly said, "I want some too."

Su Yu put another raspberry into Nine-Tailed Fox's mouth. She chewed twice, her amber eyes narrowing as the tip of her tail lightly brushed Su Yu's arm.

Daphne crouched by the path and continued picking raspberries. Her hands were nimble and her movements quick. Before long, she had gathered a small handful in her palm. She passed them to Su Yu, stood up, brushed the dirt from her robes, and continued onward.

"This is mandrake," Professor Sprout said, pointing to a row of large flowerpots some distance away. The plants inside had broad leaves, with small, wrinkled root tips poking out from between them. "Next term, I'll have you transplant them. But you'll need earmuffs, or their cries can kill you."

The young wizards all backed away several steps in fear.

"This is dittany," she said, indicating a plant on the other side with thick leaves edged in a fine layer of fuzz.

"And this is..."

Su Yu followed Daphne the whole way. He did not take notes or ask questions; he merely listened quietly to Professor Sprout speak. Daphne even added an explanation for Su Yu about whether each plant could be eaten.

Su Yu figured that even if he could not remember the names and uses of these plants, at least he could remember which ones were edible and which were not. That was probably enough.

When class ended, Su Yu had eaten too many raspberries, so he wiped his mouth and hands on Nine-Tailed Fox's back.

He rubbed his hands against Nine-Tailed Fox's fur twice, smearing raspberry juice all over her golden-red coat. Nine-Tailed Fox's body stiffened, and then, slowly, inch by inch, she turned her head and entered Spinosaurus Form.

Su Yu looked at her expression, the corners of his lips curling upward.

Then he turned and ran.

"Su—Yu—!"

Nine-Tailed Fox let out a furious roar, sprang off the ground, kicked off with all four legs, spread her nine tails behind her, and charged after Su Yu.

Su Yu ran two steps, turned a corner, and circled behind Daphne.

"Y-you-get-back-here!" Nine-Tailed Fox shouted in broken bursts because she was running at full speed, each step squeezing out another syllable from her throat.

Su Yu ran circles around Daphne. Nine-Tailed Fox chased after him, her paws clattering across the ground while her nine tails whipped through the air behind her. Daphne stood in the middle with the little notebook still in hand, her expression shifting from surprise to helplessness, then from helplessness to a gentle amusement.

"You two..." she said.

Su Yu darted from her left to her right. Nine-Tailed Fox chased from her right to her left.

"Stop running!" Nine-Tailed Fox shouted.

"If you stop, I'll stop!" Su Yu shouted back.

"You stop first!"

"You first!"

Daphne reached out and blocked Su Yu's path. Su Yu came to an abrupt halt, but Nine-Tailed Fox could not stop in time. She slammed headfirst into Daphne's calf, rolled over, and landed on the ground belly-up.

Her nine tails spread beneath her in an uneven circle. Her four legs kicked twice in the air, then drooped weakly.

Daphne gently picked Nine-Tailed Fox up and carefully wiped the stains from her fur bit by bit with a handkerchief.

Su Yu stood behind Daphne and reached out to pat Nine-Tailed Fox's head.

Nine-Tailed Fox suddenly flicked her tail, smacking his hand.

"Don't touch me," she said coldly. "I'm angry. I'm really angry. This time, I mean it."

Su Yu did not pull his hand back. He reached out again.

Nine-Tailed Fox smacked him with her tail again.

"Don't touch me."

Su Yu reached out again.

Nine-Tailed Fox raised her tail, holding it in the air without bringing it down. She paused, then turned her head and gave Su Yu a look that said, "You win, but I won't admit it."

Su Yu's hand came to rest on her head, gently rubbing it twice.

Nine-Tailed Fox's ears twitched.

Daphne held Nine-Tailed Fox and watched the human and fox play around.

By the time Herbology ended, it was nearly noon. Su Yu carried Nine-Tailed Fox again and returned to the Great Hall with Daphne. Lunch had already been laid out on the Slytherin table—roast beef, fish and chips, shepherd's pie, and a large platter of lettuce that did not look particularly fresh.

Su Yu sat down and was just about to reach for the roast beef when a voice came from behind him.

"Su Yu!"

The voice was crisp and urgent, like someone scattering a handful of beans across a drum. Su Yu turned and saw a mass of fluffy brown curls moving toward him.

Hermione Granger had practically run over. Her face was brimming with excitement, her eyes shining as though lamps had been lit inside them, and she clutched a thick book in her arms—Su Yu glanced at the cover. It was Advanced Transfiguration for Beginners—and its corners had already been worn curled from use.

"Su Yu!" Hermione panted as she reached the Slytherin table. "You—you last night—I saw it—that—that fox—so huge—so amazing—you—"

She spoke as fast as a machine gun with its trigger stuck, every word crowding into the next until they became an indistinct blur of syllables. Her face was flushed from running too hard, tiny beads of sweat covered her forehead, and several strands of curly hair had sprung up in front of it like a dandelion scattered by the wind.

Su Yu looked at her.

"Slow down," he said. "One sentence at a time."

Hermione took a deep breath, then another, and then—

"Did you see it last night?!" Her voice was even louder than before. "I saw it! That fox! The huge one! Standing in the Forbidden Forest! The whole school saw it! Professor McGonagall said it was—what was it—she said it was from the East—but she didn't know what it was called—"

"Nine-Tailed Fox," Su Yu said. "Her name is Nine-Tailed Fox."

"Nine-Tailed Fox!" Hermione repeated. Her pronunciation was a little awkward, but surprisingly accurate. "How do you know? Is she your—your—pet? Familiar? Or—"

"She's my friend," Su Yu said.

Nine-Tailed Fox shifted in his arms, her ears perking up before she lay back down.

Hermione's eyes shone even brighter. She opened her mouth, about to continue questioning him, when Su Yu raised a hand and pointed to the seat beside him.

"Sit down and talk," he said. "You haven't eaten yet, have you?"

Hermione looked down at the Slytherin table, hesitated for a moment, then sat down. She placed Advanced Transfiguration for Beginners on the table, folded her hands over her knees, and leaned slightly forward like a bird ready to take flight at any moment.

"This is Daphne," Su Yu said, pointing to the girl on his other side. "Daphne Greengrass. She's in Slytherin too, in our year."

Daphne smiled and nodded at Hermione. "Hello, Miss Granger."

"Just call me Hermione," Hermione said, her words speeding up again. "You're in Slytherin too? Then you must know what happened last night as well? Did you see it? That fox—"

"I saw it," Daphne said, her voice gentle and calm. "I was in the hall at the time."

"Then you must have been terrified!"

Daphne smiled. "A little."

Su Yu pointed at Nine-Tailed Fox in his arms. "This is Nine-Tailed Fox."

Hermione lowered her head and looked at the golden-red fox in Su Yu's arms. Nine-Tailed Fox raised her head and gave Hermione a weary look that clearly said, You again? Her ears drooped, and her tail curled into a ball.

"She's the one from last night? But she's so cute!" Hermione said, reaching out to stroke Nine-Tailed Fox's head.

Nine-Tailed Fox tilted her head aside, avoiding Hermione's hand.

"She doesn't really like strangers touching her," Su Yu said. "Give her some time."

Hermione withdrew her hand and nodded. Then she started again.

She talked about finding an ancient book on Eastern magical systems in the library that morning. She talked about successfully casting the Unlocking Charm in Charms class and Professor Flitwick awarding her five points. She talked about meeting Peeves in the corridor, how he had thrown a bucket of water at her, but she had spotted it and hurriedly dodged aside, so the water had landed squarely on Filch instead—

Su Yu ate the roast beef on his plate as he listened to Hermione. Occasionally, he nodded. Occasionally, he gave an "Mm." Occasionally, he asked, "What happened to you afterward?" He discovered that he had already grasped the trick to talking with Hermione: he did not need to say much. He just had to give her an opening, and she could tell the rest all by herself.

Nine-Tailed Fox let out a long, pained sigh in his arms.

"She's started again," Nine-Tailed Fox's voice sounded in Su Yu's mind, filled with despair. "Since she sat down, her mouth hasn't stopped moving once."

"She's just excited," Su Yu replied inwardly.

"Excited? This is excitement? This is—" Nine-Tailed Fox seemed to search for an appropriate word. "This is noise pollution."

Su Yu did not respond.

Hermione continued talking for another ten minutes or so. Her voice grew louder, her pace faster, and her gestures more animated. Her entire body seemed to be driven by some invisible engine that simply could not stop.

Nine-Tailed Fox's ears perked up. She looked at Hermione, then at Su Yu, and then did something Su Yu had never expected.

She stood up from Su Yu's arms, stretched out a paw, grabbed a piece of cheesecake from the table—Daphne had apparently gotten it for her at some point—and stuffed the entire piece into Hermione's mouth with her paw.

Hermione continued speaking to Su Yu while saying thank you.

Then another piece, and another, and another.

Hermione's words came to an abrupt halt.

Her mouth was now stuffed full of cake, her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel storing nuts. Her eyes were wide, and she could not make a sound beyond muffled "Mmff, mmff" noises.

Nine-Tailed Fox withdrew her paw in satisfaction and lay back down in Su Yu's arms. She buried her face in the crook of his arm and let out a contented sigh.

"Finally, some peace and quiet," Nine-Tailed Fox said smugly. "Now we can eat properly."

Su Yu looked at Hermione. Her face had turned bright red, and she was choking on the cake. Her eyes were even wider than before. She opened her mouth, trying to say something, but the cake blocked her throat and no sound came out. Her hands flailed wildly in the air, as if begging for help and accusing someone at the same time.

Su Yu hurriedly picked up a glass of water from the table and held it to Hermione's mouth. Hermione took it and gulped it down, only gradually regaining her color after draining the glass.

"Cough, cough, cough—" Hermione coughed a few times, wiped cream from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, then took a deep breath. "I—I almost choked to death."

Su Yu reached out and patted her back. Hermione's back was narrow, and he could feel her shoulder blades trembling slightly beneath her robes.

"Are you okay?" Su Yu asked.

"I'm fine," Hermione said, much quieter than before because there was still cake in her mouth. "It was just—it was a little sudden."

Su Yu glanced at Nine-Tailed Fox. Nine-Tailed Fox buried her face in the crook of his arm and pretended to know nothing. The tip of her tail lightly swept across Su Yu's arm.

Hermione swallowed the last mouthful of cake and took a deep breath. Her eyes lit up again, and her mouth opened once more—

Nine-Tailed Fox's ears shot upright.

"So," Hermione said, "what classes do you have this afternoon? I have Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Nine-Tailed Fox buried her face even deeper. Why had she started again?

Su Yu laughed inwardly but did not show it. He listened to Hermione while finishing the last piece of beef on his plate. Daphne sat beside him, quietly drinking tea. Every so often, she nodded at Hermione, and every so often, she gave Su Yu a look that said, She really can talk.

As lunch neared its end, Su Yu noticed a commotion at Malfoy's table.

"Where's my cheesecake?!" Malfoy's voice came from the other end of the long table, filled with the outrage of someone who had been personally offended. "Who ate my cheesecake?!"

Nine-Tailed Fox's body stiffened.

She poked her head out from Su Yu's arms and glanced in Malfoy's direction. Malfoy was standing beside the table, both hands braced against it, his gray eyes sweeping over the tabletop with the irritation of someone whose order had gone missing. Crabbe and Goyle stood behind him, still unable to scrape together a single brain between them.

Nine-Tailed Fox shrank back into Su Yu's arms.

She wiped her mouth on Su Yu's robes—quickly, like a cat that had stolen fish erasing the evidence before anyone found out—then buried her face in the crook of his arm and closed her eyes.

Her breathing became even and quiet, like that of a small animal already asleep.

Su Yu did not expose her.

Daphne sat beside him and saw all of it. She took a handkerchief from her pocket, leaned over, and gently wiped the cream stains from Su Yu's robes.

"You and Nine-Tailed Fox," Daphne said softly, with a gentle smile in her voice, "are really alike."

Su Yu did not answer. He merely held Nine-Tailed Fox a little tighter.

History of Magic was held on the second floor that afternoon.

Su Yu carried Nine-Tailed Fox into the classroom with Daphne. The room was not large, but the desks and chairs were arranged neatly. The windows were high, and sunlight streamed through the glass, casting square patches of light across the desktops. The air carried the scent of old books and dust.

Professor Binns was already standing behind the lectern.

He was a ghost. His gray-white, translucent body floated behind the lectern beneath an old-fashioned robe. His voice was quiet, so quiet that it sounded like a bee buzzing faintly in the distance, intermittent and indistinct.

"Today—we will discuss—the first part of—Introduction to the History of Magic—"

Su Yu sat near the back and placed Nine-Tailed Fox on the desk. Daphne sat beside him, opened her notebook, and removed the cap from her quill.

Professor Binns began the lesson.

There was no rise or fall in his voice, no pauses, no emphasis—every word seemed to have been placed on a conveyor belt, delivered from the front of the classroom at a steady, monotonous, endless pace. He spoke of all kinds of people, all kinds of dates, methods of study, and patterns of development—everything mixed together like a pot of unsalted porridge. One spoonful was enough to tell what the whole pot tasted like.

Su Yu's eyes began to droop.

His head slowly dipped lower and lower, like a flower wilted beneath the sun. Nine-Tailed Fox lay on the desk with her chin on her paws, her eyes half-open and half-closed. Her tail swayed slowly across the tabletop like a snake drifting off to sleep.

Daphne sat beside him, her quill racing across the notebook with a soft scratch, scratch, scratch. Her handwriting was neat and graceful, line after line like a tidy little path laid across the paper. Every now and then, she paused, looked up at Professor Binns, then lowered her head and continued writing.

Su Yu's head finally dropped completely, his forehead resting against the desk.

"You've fallen asleep," Daphne's voice came from beside him, gentle as though she were calling to a sleeping kitten.

"No," Su Yu mumbled. "I'm listening with my eyes closed."

"You were snoring."

"I wasn't."

"You were. Quietly, but you were."

Su Yu did not answer. His breathing became even and deep, his shoulders slowly relaxing. His fingers slid off the desk and dangled beside the chair. Nine-Tailed Fox closed her eyes beside him as well, her nine tails curling into a soft cushion beneath her chin.

Daphne looked at them, then helplessly reached out and pushed Su Yu's textbook, which was about to slide to the floor, farther onto the desk. Then she lowered her head and continued taking notes.

"You'll definitely need these notes at the end of term. I'll write them down for you first," she whispered to Su Yu.

Su Yu did not answer. He was already in a dream. In that dream, there was no Professor Binns, no Introduction to the History of Magic.