Hogwarts: Even Voldemort Can't Stop Me From Studying

Chapter 548: Chapter 172: Returning to School (2)

Vid’s eyes softened as he listened. He remembered the pale little girl who was as close as a sister to Mabel, and a warm feeling surged in his heart; he could very much understand Mabel’s current feelings.

He nodded and said gently, ”I’ll ask Dumbledore for you and arrange a time for you to meet... I don’t think it should be difficult.”

Upon hearing this, Mabel’s slightly tense body instantly relaxed, and she smiled in relief, gratefully saying, ”Thank you, Vid.”

...

It was already late at night when Vid returned to school.

Filch was standing by the gate with a dim lamp, and when he saw Vid, a rare smile appeared on his usually stern face.

”Finally back.” The key keeper turned slightly, walking heavily towards the castle, asking as he went, ”Got everything sorted at home?”

Vid was taken aback, then replied vaguely, ”Yeah, it’s all set... By the way, where’s Mrs. Loris?”

”Oh, she’s with those little ones!” Filch’s smile deepened, and he said affectionately, ”Sometimes the little crabs get stuck in the corners while cleaning, and someone always needs to rescue them.”

In his eyes, both Mrs. Loris and the Cleaning Crabs seemed like adorable children.

”No more malfunctions recently?” Vid asked.

”None... well, actually, there was.” Filch said, ”But they fixed it themselves. These little guys are getting smarter and smarter.”

Vid nodded.

The Cleaning Crabs were his early creation, initially functioning like basic AI, only capable of carrying out stiff commands. But they also had a simple ability to learn, naturally growing more intelligent over time.

Arriving at the castle’s entrance, Vid saw a few shadows moving in the corridor and turned to ask Filch, ”It’s already curfew, isn’t it?”

”Of course.” Filch also saw the shadows, and his face suddenly turned grim, saying angrily, ”There are always some little brats trying to break the rules. Just wait until I catch them!”

Remembering Vid was there, he added, ”Oh... you’re just back, so it doesn’t count. Hurry back to your common room!”

The key keeper sped up and rushed into the castle, ready to catch those rule-breaking students. At that moment, he ran so fast he seemed unlike a seventy-year-old man.

Vid shook his head, raised his magic wand, and uttered a spell, ”Come, broom!”

Even though Hogwarts might have hundreds of brooms, when Vid cast his spell, only one specific flying broomstick would come to his mind and be summoned by him.

”Whoosh—”

With a gust of wind, a slightly worn but well-maintained broom flew over, bouncing twice as it hovered beside Vid, seemingly cheerful as well.

”Feels like it’s been a while, buddy.”

Vid chuckled softly, gently patting the broomstick handle, then nimbly mounted the broom.

He flew around the castle and Black Lake once before slipping back into his bedroom through a window.

The house-elf had kept everything neatly arranged; the room was warm and clean, just as it was when he left last term, as if time had stood still here.

Vid exhaled comfortably, and as his feet touched the ground, he couldn’t help comparing this to Grindelwald’s Gray Castle.

Over there, the rooms weren’t as warm, the beds were a bit hard, the bare walls lacked decoration, and the view outside the window was too monotonous. Most importantly, the house-elves there weren’t as considerate, not keeping everything just right.

—It’s really nice to be back at Hogwarts.

Vid thought sincerely as he arranged the closet space, putting everything back in its place. While organizing the bookshelf, he suddenly heard a knock on the door.

”Come in,” Vid said, looking up.

”Hi, Vid!”

Michael entered, first locating Vid with his eyes, then slowly breaking into a smile of excitement.

”I just heard the sound of a flying broomstick passing through the window and figured it might be you... and it really was!”

Michael walked over quickly, saying with a sigh of relief.

”Long time no see, Michael.” Vid put down the book in his hand, went to meet him, and said with a smile, ”Actually, it hasn’t been that long... less than a month, right?”

”You’ve been gone for twenty-three days, buddy!”

Michael grabbed Vid’s arm, looking him up and down, showing concern but hesitant to ask directly, hesitantly inquired:

”What happened there... uh, is there anything you want to talk about? I promise I’m a good listener.”

”It’s not as bad as you think. I just went to handle a minor... technical issue.”

Vid closed the door, then sat down, briefly recounting his previous experiences.

”Strange... so strange...”

Michael propped his chin with one hand, his face thoughtful.

”Honestly, if you’d gotten beaten up, I would find it more normal. But... from past reports, Grindelwald is not exactly a kind and reasonable person, is he?”

”Since the Mysterious Man declared himself the Dark Lord, most wizards in Europe consider him the second generation, and that the first Dark Lord should be Grindelwald.”

”Someone like that being polite to you...”

As he pondered, Michael suddenly shivered, as if a cold wind passed behind him.

”Vid...”

He called out softly.

”What’s up?” Vid asked curiously while making tea.

”The Death Eaters have the Dark Mark on their arms.” Michael said slowly, ”And the Witch Pure Party... they didn’t leave you a strange symbol like a triangle encircling a circle, did they?”

He stared intently at Vid, as if trying to detect any change in expression.

However, Vid just paused slightly, then put down the kettle, candidly saying, ”If I’d really joined the Witch Pure Party, I wouldn’t have come back to school—surely you wouldn’t think that, given my alchemy, the Witch Pure Party would send me to Hogwarts as a mere spy?”

”Ah... that’s true.” Michael scratched his head awkwardly, apologetically saying, ”Sorry, I might have overthought it.”

”Actually, your notion wasn’t entirely wrong either.”

Vid pushed the steaming tea cup over, calmly saying, ”They did want me to join the Witch Pure Party, but Grindelwald didn’t use any coercive methods. In fact, you could say he voluntarily let Professor Dumbledore and me leave.”

”Would he be that kind?” Michael asked skeptically.

”Kind? No, perhaps it’s more like grace? As a leader, he at least has the basic breadth and demeanor—”

Recalling how Grindelwald had disguised himself as an ordinary old man on the street to ambush him, Vid added, ”—although sometimes he certainly does lack chivalry.”

Michael couldn’t help but laugh.

Ten thousand explanations didn’t prove anything more effectively than Vid’s natural complaint—showing he indeed faced no abuse or control from the Witch Pure Party.

Michael felt a heavy weight lift from his heart.

Having a friend taken away, being tormented day and night by responsibility, guilt, and disappointment in oneself, it wasn’t just Lupin who found it hard to forgive themselves; both Michael and Harry similarly struggled.

Now that Vid was finally back safely, he felt like he too had been freed from a cage.

”Michael, besides you, does anyone else know why I didn’t come to school on time?” Vid asked.

”No, Professor Flitwick told everyone that you took a few days off for some family matters... By the way, here’s your timetable.”

Michael suddenly remembered he had another task. From his pocket, he took out a sheet of paper, looking at the densely packed schedule with lingering anxiety, he said:

”There are five classes tomorrow morning alone... I’ve noted down last week’s assignments, but can you cope with that?”

”Oh, you might be disappointed.” Vid said calmly, ”Before coming to school, I communicated with the professors. They said since I’ve mastered the basic knowledge, it’s fine not to do last week’s assignments.”

Dusting off the parchment, Vid smiled, ”And now... time is the one thing I don’t lack.”