Chapter 323 — New Team Members
The ghostly banquet could be called a perfect success.
Both hosts and guests were satisfied—everyone, that is, except one person.
Alexander Smith.
In the days following the feast, he began seeing Myrtle almost everywhere.
As a ghost, she made full use of her unique advantages. Sometimes she peeked out of the floor beneath his feet, sometimes from the corners of the corridor, and sometimes she appeared upside down from the ceiling, her round glasses gleaming faintly.
Every time Alexander noticed her, she would vanish instantly, leaving behind a smile as crisp and sweet as the chime of a silver bell.
Still, there was one piece of good news.
Just as Nearly Headless Nick had promised, Myrtle truly could not enter the Ravenclaw Tower.
Because of that, Alexander returned to his usual routine—staying in the common room whenever he wasn't in class.
With Arthur Weasley's recent appointment as Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, coupled with Alexander's discovery of the Ravenclaw diadem, no one found it strange that he kept a low profile. The spotlight naturally followed him wherever he went.
Ron complained once or twice, but considering Alexander's situation, he didn't press the matter.
However, there was one thing Alexander couldn't avoid.
Quidditch.
As the captain of the Ravenclaw team, even though he had delegated the selection of new players to Roger Davis, the responsibility for training and final evaluations still fell on his shoulders.
So after dinner that evening, Alexander briefly returned to the common room before leaving the castle grounds.
"Alexander, I really think you should talk to Nick about this," Ron said as they walked together. "He's a ghost too."
"Between researching the diadem and managing the team, I haven't had the time," Alexander replied. "Besides… Myrtle may be annoying, but she's surprisingly perceptive. She doesn't show up when I'm genuinely in a bad mood."
"I think we should wait."
Then his expression grew more serious.
"And more importantly… Draco."
"I've barely seen him lately, except during meals or Herbology."
Ron snorted. "Probably because of Pansy. I heard they're getting engaged."
He paused, then sighed dramatically.
"And you might be able to endure it, but I can't."
"Because of Myrtle, I've been stuck in the common room with you this whole time. The hype around my dad's promotion is already fading!"
"I'm not the only Weasley, you know. Out of ten people who passed us just now, seven greeted you. I might as well have been invisible!"
"What do you suggest, then?" Alexander asked.
"Ah—hello."
Alexander was suddenly greeted by a passing Hufflepuff prefect. Ron watched with unconcealed envy.
"…Very soft, right?" Ron muttered as the girl walked away.
"What?" Alexander blinked.
"Good thing Myrtle didn't see that," Alexander said, wiping sweat from his forehead with the hand not holding his broom. "Otherwise she'd have made a scene again."
Ron shot him a sideways glance. "Don't you think you're talking about Myrtle like she's your girlfriend?"
"I'm telling you, she's chasing away every witch who shows interest in you."
"And didn't you notice? After that feast, the ghosts—their smoke-like bodies—they've all started looking… redder."
"Alexander, you'd better be careful. At this rate, you'll end up marrying Myrtle and having children with her. It'll be too late by then!"
Ron cobbled together his theory with frightening confidence.
Alexander finally stopped walking.
"…Then what should I do?"
For the past few days, the reason he'd stayed in the common room wasn't only to avoid harassment.
It was also because he occasionally caught sight of Helena—the beautiful Ravenclaw ghost.
What if Helena really distanced herself because of Myrtle?
And if ghosts could truly regain color… even marry the living…
Then Helena—
Alexander clenched his fist, determination flashing across his face, completely unaware that Helena only regarded him as a promising junior.
"Alexander, you've finally woken up!" Ron said solemnly.
"We can learn from the dead."
Alexander had never been interested in Ron's dramatic pauses.
But this time, already feeling a sense of danger, he stopped short.
"Dead people? What dead people?"
Ron was startled so badly he nearly tripped. "Y-You—fine, fine, I'll explain."
"The dead person I mean is Oliver Hornby. When Myrtle first became a ghost, she followed him obsessively—just like she's following you now."
"In the end, Hornby reported the matter to the Ministry of Magic. Myrtle was restricted to Hogwarts and finally… calmed down."
Alexander let out a long breath.
"Then all I need to do is write to Mr. Weasley!"
He nearly jumped with relief.
As they spoke, the two of them arrived at the Quidditch pitch.
"This is supposed to be a tryout," Ron frowned. "Logically, students from first to seventh year should be here."
"You forgot," Alexander said, glancing at him. "Ravenclaw is special. Last year, both the Beater and the Keeper were seventh-years."
"We've already identified most qualified candidates."
"Now it's just a matter of improvement—and deciding who becomes a regular and who stays as reserve."
"If I weren't worried about a first-year genius like myself," he added half-jokingly, "the team would've been finalized before term even started."
"Unfortunately, no such genius appeared," he concluded with a mix of regret and satisfaction.
Ron rubbed his forehead. "I really did lose my head because of my dad."
"Oi! Davis!" Alexander called toward the sky.
A figure in blue swooped down and landed lightly on the pitch.
"They're solid overall," Roger said, holding his broom. "But there have been some role changes. For example—Henry switched to Beater."
Alexander frowned. "He was doing well. Who replaced him?"
"It's me."
A clear, melodious voice answered from his right.
Alexander turned to see a petite girl with black hair stepping forward.
"Cho Chang?" he asked, slightly surprised.
This time, however, he didn't blush. Between Helena and Ginny, his heart was no longer as easily shaken as before.
"You know me?" Cho asked, tucking her hair behind her ear.
Ron rolled his eyes.
He's been with me the whole time—when did he meet her?
"Have you forgotten?" Alexander said calmly.
"The girl with the Tornado badge when we got off the carriage."
He explained briefly to Ron before turning back to Cho.
"Yes. Captain Johnny mentioned you."
"Can I really do it?" Cho asked nervously.
"I've seen you fly," Alexander said, extending his hand. "You train before seven every morning. Why wouldn't you be able to?"
Roger finally let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Ravenclaw's new season had officially begun.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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