Planning a Place to Settle Down

"Children, that's all for today's lesson. See you next class!"

Professor Sprout cheerfully bade farewell to the young witches and wizards from the two Houses.

Just as the students thought class was over and there would be no homework, she changed tack and said:

"After you return, please write a five-inch essay and hand it in before dinner tomorrow. I need to know how well you have mastered today's material."

The Gryffindor students had all been ready to let loose. Hearing there was homework after all, one particularly dramatic young wizard even dropped to his knees and howled, "No!"

Snowflakes drifted~ the north wind howled~ heaven~ and earth~ a vast expanse of desolation~

Li Wei unconsciously supplied background music for the dramatic student in his head!

Professor Sprout and the other students were all amused by his antics.

After everyone had laughed for a while, they took off their aprons and dragon-hide gloves, then gradually filed out of the greenhouse.

Li Wei had already arranged with Hermione to continue reading in the library, so the two headed toward the Great Hall together, intending to cut through it on their way back to the library.

"Li Wei, how could you jump in and answer questions during class?"

"Professor Sprout hadn't even given you permission to answer. That's unfair competition."

Hermione huffily criticized him, trying to make her smiling face look stern.

Judging by her expression, she seemed to find Li Wei's rushing to answer and showing off rather amusing.

"Hermione, the battle for the House Cup has always been like this!"

Li Wei said in imitation of Snape's grave voice, but before he could finish, he started laughing himself.

Seeing how Li Wei felt no shame but instead took pride in it, Hermione firmly declared that next time, she would beat him to answering a question as well!

"Then it'll depend on your courage, little lady," Li Wei said with a raised brow and a provocative grin.

His smug expression made Hermione directly brandish her enormous textbook and chase after Li Wei!

The two chased and fled, laughing and fooling around all the way back to the castle. Only after entering the library did they slow down under Madam Pince's nearly murderous glare.

As usual, they borrowed books and finished their homework.

Li Wei and Hermione were undoubtedly the first first-year students from Ravenclaw and Gryffindor to finish their assignments.

According to gossip Hermione had heard, some Gryffindor students would never remember they even had homework unless they realized it was almost due.

In their words, all they needed to gamble on was a Self-Writing Quill, a lamp, one night, and a miracle!

Li Wei could only comment: they were truly bold!

After casting Muffliato, the two remained in the library until dinner, when Madam Pince finally drove them out.

They said goodbye and returned to their respective House tables.

The moment Li Wei sat down, before he could even tap his plate and sample that evening's dinner, two arms draped themselves over his shoulders.

He looked left and right. They belonged to his two roommates: Michael, his Black friend, and Anthony, whose face was slightly red.

"What is it with you two?"

Li Wei looked at his two roommates in confusion.

"Resisting will be punished severely," Anthony said, deliberately putting on a stern expression.

"Confessing will be treated leniently," Michael said with a mischievous grin spread across his dark face.

"You brat, have you been secretly dating someone behind our backs???"

Michael and Anthony asked Li Wei in unison.

"What are you talking about?"

Li Wei's face darkened. Thinking it over carefully, were these two guys suspecting that he and Hermione were dating?

"Then why are you always together with that little Gryffindor girl?"

"Our informant has sent us a secret report. You two were chatting and laughing in the library. Even though you cast a spell so nobody could hear what you were saying, it was obvious you were sweet as honey and inseparable!"

The two troublemakers even ended with two idioms.

"What are you imagining? The two of us are just reading and doing homework together!"

Li Wei remained calm. Seeing through their true intentions, he deliberately steered the conversation where they wanted it to go.

"Then, Mr. Ravenclaw Notebook, have you finished your homework?"

Hearing Li Wei say that, the two immediately put on ingratiating smiles and asked with fawning expressions.

"You two, honestly!"

Li Wei shook his head helplessly, took out his homework essay from his bag, and placed it in front of them.

"Oh, wonderful! What a precious treasure!"

Like Gollum catching sight of the One Ring, the two reached out to grab Li Wei's homework.

But Li Wei pinned it down with one hand. Left with no choice, the two looked toward him.

"You can have the homework essay. After all, the Potions and Herbology essays are mostly about summarizing and memorizing. The real core lies in practical work."

Li Wei commented on the assignments for the two subjects, but did not forget to warn them:

"But when you use it as a reference, don't just copy it. The purpose of homework is to help you remember the material. Don't put the cart before the horse and focus only on finishing the task!"

"Got it, got it," Michael replied casually.

"Don't worry. We're real eagles," Anthony said, his little face slightly red. Clearly, it was his first time copying homework.

After releasing the essay, Li Wei hesitated for a moment before asking them:

"At the start-of-term feast, I heard you mention your family backgrounds. Michael, your family is mixed-blood, and Anthony, yours is pure-blood, right?"

Michael and Anthony were gleefully examining Li Wei's homework.

Hearing his question, they could not help exchanging a glance. Their expressions turned serious as they took the initiative to state their position:

"Li Wei, you don't need to worry!

The two of us may come from wizarding families, but we're nothing like those Slytherin lot, going on about blood purity and acting like pure-bloods are something special."

"Just look at you. You came from the Muggle world, and we still have to copy your homework!"

Li Wei was completely baffled by their response.

"Huh? What are you talking about? I wanted to ask you two to help me find out whether a young wizard like me has any way of gaining residency in somewhere like Hogsmeade Village or Godric's Hollow."

"You know I came from an orphanage in the Muggle world, but I don't want to go back there. I want to find somewhere to settle down."

"Besides, I can't possibly stay at Hogwarts during the holidays, can I? Though I'd be more than willing, the school doesn't keep students here!"

"So that's what it was," Anthony said with a sigh of relief, his face full of sudden realization.

"What a waste of emotion! I was all ready for you to throw yourself into my arms and cry with gratitude!"

Michael looked even more like his feelings had been wasted.

"Why are you two acting like the Gryffindor Weasley Twins?"

Li Wei was speechless as well. How had the two of them gotten so familiar so quickly? Their personalities clearly seemed completely different.

"Can't be helped. Our Mr. Ravenclaw Notebook only hangs around with the little Gryffindor witch."

Michael spread his hands as he spoke, and Anthony immediately added:

"So the two of us can only reluctantly pair up."

"You two?" Hearing the words "pair up," Li Wei immediately looked at them suspiciously.

"Nothing!"

Realizing Li Wei suspected the two of them, Michael and Anthony instantly shoved each other away in utter disgust, as though the other were a ball of dung!

After the three laughed and fooled around for a while, Michael and Anthony both promised Li Wei that they would write home and ask how one could obtain residency in the wizarding world!

After sending off his mischievous roommates, Li Wei finally got to eat dinner.

As he sampled the House-elves' cooking, he glanced toward the staff table. Dumbledore was still absent from dinner, while Professor Quirrell was nowhere to be seen.

Voldemort was probably overjoyed, taking advantage of Dumbledore's absence from the castle to frantically probe the Chamber of Secrets and search for a way to take the Philosopher's Stone.

Only Snape was to be pitied. As a double agent, he had to stop Voldemort and Professor Quirrell from obtaining the Philosopher's Stone while pretending not to know Professor Quirrell's true identity.

I need to be careful too. Before Professor Dumbledore returns to the castle, I absolutely cannot even think about sneaking out at night. It would be terrible if I ran into Professor Quirrell!

Even if he ran into Snape instead, he would lose a massive number of House points and have to serve detention!

Li Wei resolved to study diligently and lie low for the time being. After dinner, he returned to the Ravenclaw Common Room.