Half a month later, during a Herbology class, a Hufflepuff student had to skip class after breaking their arm during Quidditch practice. When it came time to form pairs, only El Elbow and Lys were left without partners.
Ignoring the uneasy glances from the other Hufflepuffs, El walked over with a natural air. "Oh, finally, a chance to stand beside you openly. I must say, Lys, you were really scary last year... But thankfully, this term you're like how you were in your first year—full of energy."
As he repotted plants and occasionally stirred dragon dung compost, El kept talking non-stop, right until the end of class.
"Lys, we're still friends, right?"
"Yes, we're still friends."
El caught the subtle difference in Lys's choice of words, but as a Hufflepuff, he believed in loyalty to friends. Besides, Lys hadn't done anything wrong—it was his own fault.
Digging into his pocket, El found only candies and snacks. Ignoring the dirt and compost on Lys's hands, he stuffed them into her hand. "As long as we're friends," he said, before carrying a flowerpot to turn in his assignment.
Lys shrugged and said nothing, but she did think of the Christmas gift he had given her last year—a rare, out-of-print family cookbook.
Now that she was back at Hogwarts, where the kitchen had everything, maybe she could try making a few of the more complicated dishes from the book to cook for her mother during the holidays.
When she wasn't in class, Lys focused on her Charms essay, as Professor Flitwick had once again criticized her work. "If this is the best you can do, the highest grade I can give you is an E (Exceeds Expectations)."
After class, Flitwick looked over Lys's essay and offered her another path, as he believed it was nearly impossible for Stalys Black to achieve an O (Outstanding) with her essays alone.
"A complete, innovative spell. If you can manage that, and your essay maintains its current standard, you'll earn an O by the end of term."
Seeing Lys's wide-eyed expression, Flitwick added from atop his desk, "Oh, child, don't get too excited. This is actually a very difficult task. I can give you and other students interested in Charms one evening a week to experiment with your spells under my supervision."
It was best for this child to practice spells under his watchful eye. She was a good kid, but over the years, her wand-wielding had caused plenty of harm to herself and trouble for others.
Better grades! Fingering the ring on her index finger, Lys was genuinely delighted to have another path to success. She eagerly headed off to her next class.
Last year's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor had settled in Knockturn Alley and resigned from teaching. This year, the new professor was even fatter than Professor Slughorn and also a Slytherin alumnus.
He wheezed as he walked and frequently apologized while wiping the sweat from his face with a handkerchief during conversations.
That day, he wore a plaid shirt whose buttons seemed ready to pop. While confirming the previous lesson's progress and wiping his sweat, Professor McGonagall knocked on the door and took a Gryffindor student away.
"Oh, of course, Minerva is her Head of House. She's perfectly within her rights to take her from my class; it's no problem at all," he said, flipping through the book in front of him to reassure the curious students.
This term, they began learning how to identify, counteract, and respond to Dark Magic.
"Yes, the dominant power structures—yes, their effects can last a lifetime. In the tombs of ancient Egypt, traces of such magic can still be found on mummies from a thousand years ago. What does this tell us?"
Hearing the scattered answers from the students, the professor almost answered his own question. "Yes, it's difficult to heal and has a prolonged effect. These spells are uncompromising in their consequences."
"Some schools of thought believe that Dark Magic doesn't just inflict physical pain; some curses or spells can even damage the soul. For more on this, you can refer to a book called…"
Pausing to wipe his sweat, the professor tried to recall, "Oh yes, The Conflict of Black and White Magic. It's out of print—yes, out of print. If you get the chance, you can visit my office to take a look. It offers a very unique perspective."
Lys remembered she had this book. She could review it when she returned.
"Next, I'll demonstrate some Dark Magic, focusing on the characteristics during and after casting, as well as the resulting damage and effects," the professor said, wiping his sweat again.
"If you encounter these in the future and aren't confident in your ability to protect yourself, I hope you'll run—yes, run."
The Gryffindor students erupted in loud laughter at the Slytherin professor's advice, with Sirius Black's voice being the loudest.
The professor acted as if he hadn't heard, wiping his face and turning on a magical projector. "Hmm, it's a bit blurry, but no matter—the main features should still be clear…"
Unfortunately, it seemed the professor had brought the wrong slides. He bent over with difficulty, rummaging through a stack of magical slides in his bag.
"Where is it?"
The growing jeers from the students seemed to fluster him, making his search even more awkward.
"Professor, could you explain what's on the current slide? It might interrupt your lesson plan, but I'm genuinely interested in this," came a voice.
Lys didn't need to look to recognize it as Lily Evans.
Glancing at the indistinct image on the slide, Lys couldn't imagine what Evans found interesting about a blob of shadows.
"Oh, oh, thank you, child," the professor said, gratefully accepting Evans's attempt to help him save face. Squinting at the slide, he continued with his lecture.
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