Trying to Clear Up the Misunderstanding

"You mean my half-wand... is alive?" Luo Bin asked in shock.

"Yes, it is! Who knows, young man? One day, your wand might grow into a great tree!"

Dumbledore gazed at the clear blue sky, imagining a towering tree brimming with life standing at Hogwarts.

Wait. If that happened, would his opponent draw a wand during a duel while he... hauled over a tree and crushed them with it?

The image was so absurd that Luo Bin broke out in goose bumps.

With a flick of the Elder Wood, a thick book landed in his palm. "Take this and study it well!"

Luo Bin ran his fingers over the title Care and Keeping of Flower Fairies. After bowing to thank Dumbledore, he left the Headmaster's Office and hurried outside the castle.

The match was coming up, yet their Seeker had arrived late. Flint was annoyed, but between Snape's backing and Luo Bin's skill, he did not dare say much.

When training ended, Flint gathered everyone to discuss strategy. "Bletchley, guard the Iron Hoops. Keep your eyes on their Chasers. Derrian... Luo Bin, once you're on the field, stay in a corner and save your strength. Don't move until you spot the Golden Snitch..."

After laying out the official strategy, Flint leaned in and lowered his voice to explain the unofficial one: collisions, feints, clever use of the Bludgers—anything that would disrupt the opposing players. If it won them the match, even injuring someone was fine!

A match was supposed to be fair and aboveboard. Luo Bin despised such dirty tricks, but he knew the drive to win at any cost ran deep in the players. Trying to talk them out of it would only make him unwelcome.

"Marcus Flint, leave me out of your dirty tricks. I have something else to do. I'm going."

"Captain, Robin Sear is too arrogant! He has no respect for you!"

Terence Higgs, who had gone from the team's star Seeker to a fringe player, spoke through gritted teeth.

"If you had his talent, you'd be even more arrogant. All right, let's keep talking!"

The Quidditch Matches began the following week. Snape had insisted Luo Bin report to the pitch every day. But unlike Harry, who copied all his homework from Hermione, Luo Bin kept up with every lesson. After training, he even slipped into the Forbidden Forest to conduct a little research!

The events of Halloween eve had put the school on alert. The professors had cast spells to drive away lurking magical beasts, so Luo Bin had no chance of finding a Troll for his experiments. He turned instead to Aragog's descendants and the Centaurs!

Unfortunately, even after his wand had stabbed a dozen Black Spiders the size of King Crabs to death, its tip showed no reaction. Soaking it in Centaur blood overnight did nothing either!

"Luo Bin, are you drawing blood again tonight?"

Ronan the Centaur stared at the bag in the boy's hand, his eyes shining.

"No. The experiment's over!"

Luo Bin tossed Ronan the bag. A moment later, the fragrant sausages inside were gone.

"Mmm. No more sausages from now on!" Ronan said, swishing his tail dejectedly.

"I'll bring you some next time I get the chance!"

The smoke cleared. Inside the cauldron, an emerald-green paste glimmered with points of light. Once Luo Bin had checked its feel, smell, and consistency, he poured it into a glass bottle!

"Mmm, that smells good. Is it pudding? Luo Bin, I want..."

How had he never noticed what a glutton Ronan was?

"Ronan, it's an ointment for wounds. You can't eat it. My match is tomorrow, so I need to get back early tonight!"

"All right!"

After Luo Bin left, Ronan trampled the scorch marks left by the heating cauldron. The two of them had agreed on that long ago!

Meanwhile, Luo Bin found his way out of the Forbidden Forest with ease. He played with Fang for a while before returning to the castle. As he passed the Staff Room, he found Harry pacing outside the door, his face tense!

"Oh, Luo Bin! It's you. Thank goodness. Could you do me a favor?"

Harry sounded as though he had found a savior.

"What favor? If you want tips on catching the Golden Snitch, you probably shouldn't bother asking!"

"No, that's not it. Professor Snape took Quidditch Through the Ages, the book Hermione lent me. I want to ask him for it back!"

Harry looked thoroughly embarrassed!

Asking for a book the night before the match?

Oh, right. Harry Potter had caught Snape looking strange and acting furtively several times. Each time, Snape had also been talking to someone about something vague enough to invite suspicion. Harry had grown ever more certain that Snape meant to steal what was hidden in the Chamber of Secrets!

"Then knock and go in."

"I knocked. No one answered. Luo Bin, my heart won't stop pounding. If I don't get that book back, I won't sleep all night!"

Misunderstandings often arose because no one asked and no one explained. "Actually, I need to see him about something too. Let's go in together!"

Creak!

When the door opened, the sight of Snape's mangled right leg sent a chill through them. "Get out! Get out! Who gave you permission to come in?"

The jagged wounds had plainly been made by a large canine magical beast. Harry quickly thought of the Three-Headed Hound on the Third Floor, but he did not dare question Snape. "P-Professor Snape, I wanted to know... could I have my book back?"

"Get out! Get out!"

The old bat was too proud to let students see him weak, especially first-years. His eyes narrowed as he roared at them!

"Mr. Filch, what injured the professor's leg?"

The old bat's lips were sealed tighter than steel. Otherwise, people would not have misunderstood him right up to his death. After a moment's thought, Luo Bin turned to the other person in the room!

Filch was a Squib: a Muggle unable to perform magic, yet expected to keep every student in line. He was also ugly, resembling a balding Qiu Qianchi. Neither students nor teachers showed him much respect.

Even so, his explosive temper and habit of taking grievances straight to the headmaster had helped him hold his ground at Hogwarts for years!

Luo Bin was unlike the other students. He did not avoid Filch. Instead, he greeted him politely, with none of a wizard's assumed superiority over Muggles in his eyes. Filch could see genuine respect there.

"If anyone else asked, I wouldn't answer. But you're a good kid, and Snape thinks highly of you! Listen, and don't tell anyone: someone slipped into the school to steal something. Snape fought them and was accidentally injured by the beast guarding it!"

"Oh, so Snape isn't the one stealing—"

Harry clapped a hand over his mouth and stared at Snape in alarm. He had no idea how he had managed to say what he was thinking out loud!

Luo Bin stepped forward and tended the wound with practiced ease. He removed the torn flesh, cleaned and disinfected the injury, applied an ointment to reduce inflammation and promote healing, then wrapped it in bandages. His movements were smooth from start to finish.

"Professor, someone saw you running toward the Third Floor Corridor on Halloween eve. Lately, there's been a rumor that you're plotting to steal the Chamber Treasure!"

"Utter nonsense!"

Snape fixed Harry with a venomous stare, like a snake about to strike.

"I think so too. But there's something I don't understand. All the other professors were heading for the basement. Why did you go to the third floor?"

"Hmph. All the first-years were heading for their common rooms. Why did the lot of you run to the girls' bathroom?"

Caught off guard, Luo Bin turned to Filch!