Even though Vid had enough Galleons in his Gringotts vault to buy ten of the latest model broomsticks, he still showed great joy at the gifts from the house-elves and shared candy he brought from home with them — he had casually grabbed a pack and stuffed it into his pocket when changing clothes to go out.
"These are Muggle-made, no magic, but they are very flavorful and delicious," Vid explained to them.
The house-elves wore expressions of being flattered, hesitating for a moment. But since this wasn't the first time they exchanged gifts with Vid, the house-elves calmed down quickly and accepted the candy, thanking him profusely.
"Is Vid Gray going to have breakfast?" Phil asked respectfully, "At this time most of the breakfast in the kitchen is ready."
"Sure," Vid said decisively.
Phil found a somewhat clean old mat from the pile of odds and ends, while Zoe and Habi left the Room of Requirement, returning soon with a large tray filled with food. The other carried a large jug of Vid's favorite orange juice.
Habi and the others kneeled on the ground, set up a tablecloth, placed the food and drink, and Vid also sat down. Then he saw the house-elves rise and stand beside him, still holding the candy, watching Vid with beaming smiles.
A thought flashed in Vid's mind, and he looked up, surprised, "Why are you standing? Sit down—this is our breakfast meeting."
"Sit—sit down!" Zoe stammered, "We—we?"
"Of—of course!" Vid imitated her way of speaking and then laughed, "Who else would it be here?"
The three house-elves looked at each other, more excited than when they first received gifts from Vid, as if "sitting down" was an unimaginable honor.
But they seemed bound hand and foot, unable to move for a long time, with big eyes showing some trepidation.
Vid slightly intensified his tone and invited again, "Please sit down—don't you all want to accompany me for breakfast?"
"Of course—we'd love to!"
Zoe seemed out of breath, trying hard to breathe, then cautiously sat beside Vid.
Next was Habi, who braved up a bit, sitting opposite Vid in a clumsy manner.
Then it was Phil, who wobbled, only managing to shrink into a corner after encouragement from his companions, his slender fingers unconsciously clutching at the tablecloth.
"So then—" Vid looked at the three house-elves and announced, "Let the breakfast meeting begin!"
He first picked up a meat pie, then distributed one to each of the house-elves, and started eating casually. Moments later, faint sobbing sounds filled the air.
Tears the size of tennis balls fell from the house-elves' large eyes.
"So bizarre—it's too bizarre—" Habi said while wiping tears, choking up, "Habi is so happy—why am I crying—"
Vid was silent, gently patting its ugly little head in sympathy.
Phil and Zoe swallowed the pies in large bites, mixed with bitter tears.
In the shadows of old furniture, a wizard and three house-elves sat together for the first time, eating their breakfast in the interplay of light and dark.
...
On Mondays for Ravenclaw, classes always began with the not-so-popular Magic Potion Class.
The Room of Requirement was on the eighth floor of the castle, while the Potions Classroom was in the basement. Vid didn't feel like climbing stairs, so he rode a broom down, circling around the castle twice before landing in the central courtyard.
As he landed on the ground, Vid's fingers were almost frozen stiff, and his ears and nose were red from the cold.
Turns out winter wasn't suitable for flying, as even with the Warmth Spell, the cold remained brisk in the wind.
"Pop!"
Habi suddenly appeared, handing Vid his bag, then eagerly took the broom from him, looking at Vid with adoration, saying excitedly, "Habi will help Vid Gray put the broom back in the dormitory!"
"Thank you for the help, Habi," Vid said with a smile.
Habi bowed deeply, his long nose almost touching the ground, then disappeared with the broom.
Vid had already eaten breakfast, originally intending to go directly to the Potions Classroom. But as he shivered with coldness, the damp basement suddenly felt loathsome, while the warm hall's fires were surprisingly appealing.
Vid ascended the steps, passed through the foyer, and sat in the hall for a while.
By now, some distressed fifth-year students were sitting at the long tables, mostly with messy hair, looking worried and helpless, eating breakfast while reading books... or rather, appearing to eat books while reading breakfast, looking nearly torn apart.
Vid dared not disturb these overworked seniors, silently sitting for a while, skimming a chapter of the Magic Potion Class content, warming up before quietly leaving the hall.
"Hey, Vid, long time no see!"
As Vid passed through the foyer, a familiar voice called out.
"Griffiths?" Vid looked over in surprise.
"Yeah, it's me." The red-haired wizard lounged on a tall picture frame, the original owner of the painting pushed to a corner, glaring from behind with a face full of anger he dared not express.
"Haven't seen you all break, missed me?" Griffiths said in his usual lively voice, "Hmm? Seems like you had a pleasant break! Your face looks a bit rounder... Not like me at all—"
He rolled up his sleeve, pointing to a bruise on his arm, saying to Vid, "See? Someone beat me! Just a few years apart, it feels like everyone's more distant, and tempers have become so volatile—"
—Are you sure it's not because of you that they've become volatile?
Vid murmured inwardly, glancing at the poor wizard whose territory had been overtaken by the bully, he asked Griffiths, "Weren't you in the corridor? How are you in the foyer now?"
"Nope, my painting's still in the corridor!" Griffiths wagged a finger, smiling, "They just said there's no space in the foyer, but didn't say I couldn't drop by other rooms! Checking on old friends after long absences, even Dumbledore wouldn't mind!"
"Hey, young lad!" In a nearby painting, an old man with a high top hat loudly called to Vid, "Are you the one who got this guy out of the Astronomical Tower? Be a sport and send him back!"
"Yeah, yeah!" Other portraits that seemed asleep woke up, shouting, "Send him back, send him back!"
"It was hard enough getting him up to the Astronomical Tower, why'd you bring him back out?"
"Do you know how annoying he is? My hair's falling out in clumps because of him!"
"—You're a portrait; you can't lose hair."
"That's an expression! A metaphor! Get it? Don't nitpick my words."
"I was just being honest... Why are you so mad? Can't we all just communicate nicely?"
"Ahhh—who's gonna get this guy out of here!!!"
Typically quiet portraits suddenly began bickering with each other, surprising the students who were up for breakfast, watching the scene with interest nearby.
Vid quietly left the foyer. Griffiths, indifferent to the chaos he caused, crossed through the portraits unapologetically, even waking a few that had fallen asleep, and followed Vid out of the foyer.
"Loud bunch, aren't they?" Griffiths smiled broadly and noted, "House-elves are much quieter than them."
Vid paused and looked at Griffiths.