Chapter 231: What's a Gun?
After an unknown amount of time, Wade's heart suddenly lurched, and he woke with a start. The surroundings were pitch black, with only a faint light filtering in through a gap in the curtains.
He felt as if an elephant had trampled all over him; there wasn't a single spot that didn't ache.
Wade checked the time; it was precisely sunset. As usual, he recited the Animagus spell. His voice seemed to startle someone nearby, and then he heard a voice say:
"Lumos."
A soft white light illuminated that corner of the ward. Wade saw two familiar figures sitting by his bed.
"Theo, Ryan?"
Wade propped himself up on the bed and asked, "What are you two doing here?"
"We heard you were injured and unconscious, so we stayed to keep watch tonight, just in case those Slytherin guys tried to pull something on you," Ryan said, gesturing with his chin. "Those lying over there are all Slytherins."
Wade looked over, only to find a thick curtain blocking his view.
Theo suppressed a laugh and whispered, "And at least half of them were sent here by you."
"So it's only natural for them to want revenge, right?" Ryan said, lighting a candle nearby.
"Michael and the others also wanted to stay overnight, but they were injured too, and there wasn't enough space, so we persuaded them to go back and rest."
Wade sighed helplessly. "If you can't win, just let it go. You couldn't even block a rebounding Spell. Is that my fault?"
"You can't compare others to our level!" Theo said. "I heard that even the fifth-year students haven't learned to use the Shield Charm yet!"
"Want something to eat?" Ryan asked. "We saved dinner for you—there's roasted meat, sausages, sandwiches, mashed potatoes, carrots, and hot chocolate."
Wade shook his head. The thought of food made him nauseous right now. He clutched his stomach uncomfortably and said, "I just want some water."
Theo immediately got up and poured a glass of clear water. Wade took it, finding it to be his usual preferred temperature—slightly warm to the touch.
He slowly drank a few sips and finally felt better.
Hot water had a miraculous, all-healing effect on Wade, much like chocolate did for Harry.
Then Wade noticed his two friends silently watching him.
After Wade set down the glass, Ryan finally said, "Wade, how did you end up fighting a professor to the point of unconsciousness?"
"Yeah, you're always telling us to weigh the pros and cons and act within our limits, aren't you? Why didn't you leave with Michael and the others during the day?" Theo also asked.
"Hmm…" Wade tilted his head, thinking. "Got a little carried away?"
"Oh… I see…"
Theo and Ryan simultaneously curled their lips and lowered their eyelids, silently conveying, 'That's a terrible excuse, but I'll pretend to believe it.'
Wade couldn't help but smile, then his expression turned slightly serious. "Actually, it's because… I think Professor Abigail is different from traditional Wizards. She seems to have undergone some professional, militarized training."
Theo tried to understand. "You mean, she might be an Auror from another country…?"
Wade shook his head.
"No, the training I'm talking about is the Muggle kind—unrelated to magic. It's about physical fitness, combat, reconnaissance, various weapons… and shooting practice."
Ryan understood. "You mean she might have been a soldier in the Muggle army? Then I understand why she teaches that way—she treats her students like her soldiers?"
"Is that the style of all Muggle armies? Sounds pretty brutal," Theo asked curiously.
Ryan recalled scenes he'd accidentally seen on television, nodding affirmatively. "Yes, exactly like that."
"Then Professor Abigail's hobbies are truly unique," Theo said incredulously. "As a Wizard, to actually go suffer in the Muggle army."
Ryan looked at Wade. "You took that beating just to confirm this?"
Wade was silent for a moment, then said, "She also seemed to be carrying a Gun… I wasn't entirely sure, and I couldn't get close enough."
He had used all the plant magic Professor Sprout had taught him, but he still couldn't dislodge that suspected handgun from Professor Abigail.
Theo was quiet for a moment, a hint of confusion on his face, and asked, "A Gun… what's that?"
Wade was speechless for a moment.
It was Ryan who explained first.
"A metal Wand," he stated definitively. "A weapon Muggles use to kill each other."
"…Is it dangerous?" Theo followed up.
"…If you're hit in a vital spot, you die."
Ryan tried to recall what his Muggle relatives had told him. "But if it hits an arm, leg, or stomach, it should be like just making a hole in the body?"
"Sounds no worse than Harry breaking his arm last time," Theo concluded.
"It's very dangerous," Wade said seriously. "A Gun is very dangerous, and it's extremely fast. Once it's fired, there's almost no chance to dodge."
Both Hufflepuffs' expressions became serious.
"Can the Shield Charm block it?" Theo asked.
"I don't know," Wade said. "And different types of guns have vastly different power levels."
Ryan took a deep breath. "It's not… not another Quirrell, is it? Someone sent by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named or some other force to cause trouble at Hogwarts…"
"But Hogwarts doesn't have the Philosopher's Stone anymore!" Theo exclaimed.
"The Philosopher's Stone isn't the only thing at Hogwarts that people covet," Wade said. "But Dumbledore must know something about her if he hired her. I think perhaps I can find time to talk to him…"
He just wasn't sure if the Headmaster would still be at school in the morning.
Abigail was a character not mentioned at all in the original plot, and Wade knew nothing about her, so he couldn't put his mind at ease.
Perhaps Dumbledore knew her background, but when it came to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Wade felt he absolutely could not trust the Headmaster's judgment.
—Dumbledore always seemed to pick out the most problematic person from a crowd.
Even Remus Lupin, though Wade trusted him and liked his older friend very much, still believed that a Werewolf was a ticking time bomb for ordinary Young Wizards.
What was Abigail's background? And what was her purpose in coming to Hogwarts? Wade was very concerned about this.
Of course, her "Battle Mage" demeanor, that straightforward "violent aesthetic," was equally attractive to Wade.
Skill and power were inscribed upon that body, upon the taut muscles, like an elegant cheetah, directly showcasing its strength.
Wade squeezed the muscles on his arm and sighed softly.
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