Chapter 85. Mr Gulu and Harry's Speculation
Wesson had been chatting with Kettleburn in the Three Broomsticks for quite a while.
At last, the topic turned to Torch.
"How do you plan to deal with Torch, Professor?" Wesson tapped the suitcase on the table. "Torch has grown very large already—give it a few more months and this case won't hold it."
Perhaps it heard its name, because the suitcase suddenly twitched and cracked open a thin seam.
"Don't move!"
Wesson pressed the case down with his hand, then gave Kettleburn a helpless look. "You see? It's even naughtier than before."
Fortunately, the commotion didn't draw the attention of anyone else in the Three Broomsticks.
"I've had a plan for ages—only the person for it hasn't had the chance," Kettleburn nodded, then added, "I found one of my former students. He'll take Torch to Romania."
"International transport of a magical creature isn't easy."
"I know," Kettleburn said, confident. "That lad has some pull at the Ministry."
"Let me guess," Wesson pondered for a moment. "Would it be the Weasleys? Charlie Weasley—he works with dragons in Romania. I've met him."
"Ha! And here I thought you didn't know!" Professor Kettleburn blinked, then laughed. "Arthur's lad will be going to Romania this Christmas. I'll have him take Torch along. Charlie will see to it properly."
Wesson had heard that Charlie was one of Kettleburn's favourite students.
Mm…
Perhaps he himself was the more favoured one.
Nothing to worry about.
When they left the Three Broomsticks, Kettleburn took away the suitcase with Torch inside. He said he would handle it and told Wesson not to worry.
Wesson was only too happy to oblige.
He was sure Lupin would be delighted by the news. Only yesterday he'd complained that Torch's daily appetite was growing and he had to feed it constantly—it had been tormenting him quite enough.
By the time Wesson returned from the Three Broomsticks to Hogwarts, it was nearly dark, and he headed for the Great Hall.
The Great Hall had already been decked out with many Christmas decorations, but because most students had gone home, it felt a bit deserted.
Even so, a few stragglers were preparing to eat supper.
Whether because it was Christmas or because there was far less food to prepare, the meals the House-elves were making these few days were clearly much more delicate.
They were shaping the biscuits like Christmas trees.
Harry was sitting at the Gryffindor table, teasing a green figure with a biscuit. Beside him was a red-haired boy, who must have been Ron.
As for the green figure—only when Wesson drew nearer did he realise it was a Chinese Chomping Cabbage.
"Harry." Wesson called his name from behind.
Harry turned, surprise lighting his face. "Professor!"
Wesson nodded, looked at the Chinese Chomping Cabbage, and said, "You actually brought a Chinese Chomping Cabbage here."
"Do you permit me to do that?" Harry asked.
"Er… I don't particularly mind," Wesson shrugged, "but Mc—"
"That's enough, then, Professor," Harry said cheerily. "In fact, I've even given him a name—Mr Gulu."
Perhaps to humour Harry, Mr Gulu swallowed the biscuit in Harry's hand and made a "gulu gulu" sound.
Like a docile cat.
Wesson had no idea how a Chinese Chomping Cabbage could make that sound.
"Hermione says the name is dead lame," Ron sighed. "It's the first time I've ever agreed with her…"
"I don't quite think so."
As Wesson spoke, he linked with the Tree of Wisdom and had it analyse the Chinese Chomping Cabbage.
[Name: Gulu]
[Species: Chinese Chomping Cabbage]
[Level: 2]
[Trait: Gigantification]
[Status: Growing (95%)]
Harry's Chinese Chomping Cabbage had grown astonishingly fast, Wesson noted inwardly.
It seemed Harry had been looking after it very well, and he'd been using the feed Wesson had given him on schedule.
"By the way," Harry suddenly remembered, "I signed the list to stay at school over the Christmas holidays. You know I can't stand being in that house for even a moment."
"Hogwarts is much better," Wesson agreed with a nod. "I've heard that over Christmas the House-elves put even more thought into the food they make."
"House-elves?" Harry was puzzled.
"Yes. The food you eat at Hogwarts is made by them."
Only then did Wesson realise Harry didn't yet know of the House-elves' existence.
At that moment, something occurred to Harry. Wesson had said "I've heard," which meant Wesson likely hadn't spent Christmas at Hogwarts himself.
"All right, I should be going."
Wesson checked his pocket-watch and headed for the doors. He needed to get back to the plantation and tell Lupin that Torch had been sent away.
Because he'd left in a rush that morning, Lupin still didn't know.
After Wesson left, Ron belatedly said to Harry, "Why didn't you ask Professor Wesson about Nicolas Flamel? Doesn't he like you a lot?"
Yes—only yesterday, while they'd been chatting with Hagrid, they had accidentally learnt the name of the three-headed dog on the fourth floor—Fluffy—and that it was guarding something, something connected to a man called Nicolas Flamel.
"We've already asked loads of professors," Harry said around a biscuit. "None of them will tell us anything. I don't think Professor Wesson would tell us, either."
Hearing that, Ron could only sigh. "I hope Hermione gets back soon. She'll definitely be able to find something in those ridiculously thick books she borrowed from the library."
"Even if she can't, it's fine," Harry shrugged. "Once we find a way to get past Fluffy and down through that trapdoor, we'll know."
Ron thought of those three terrifying heads and couldn't help a shiver. "You're really going to do that?"
"Of course," Harry nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Putting that together with what Headmaster Dumbledore said at the start of term, I reckon it's a set of obstacles he designed for students who like a bit of adventure."
"You think so?" Ron asked, stupefied.
Harry sighed and explained, "If Headmaster Dumbledore truly wanted to hide something, he'd stash it somewhere no one could ever find it—not tell us to stay out of the fourth-floor corridor on the right."
"Fair point," Ron conceded, then asked, "But how do you plan to get past Fluffy?"
Harry spread his hands, and his gaze slid to his Chinese Chomping Cabbage.
Mr Gulu: "?"
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