Eyes met.
Moments later, Vid walked forward again, asking, "Did you see that just now?"
"Yes, yes." Griffiths nodded and said, "I was visiting when I saw you with that house-elf... A good house-elf is marked by being completely unnoticed by the wizard, and the house-elves at Hogwarts have always been the best—a lot of students graduate without ever seeing an elf!"
Griffiths commented with a mischievous smile, "Naive little fools, they think there's some magical household spell in the castle that cleans up their dirty clothes and shoes!"
"Whether they get seen isn't the standard for judging good or bad." Vid defended his little friend, "Habi is great too."
"You're right." Griffiths nodded in agreement, looking oddly unchallenging.
The corridor ahead was devoid of portraits, forcing Griffiths to stop and watch the Ravenclaw young wizard walk away.
"—A Ravenclaw who befriends house-elves?"
He muttered to himself and suddenly laughed, "Really just friends?"
...
Vid suddenly realized the professors were treating him more warmly—even Professor Snape uncharacteristically awarded him two points—knowing that before, in Magic Potion Class, even when Vid brewed almost perfect potions each time, Professor Snape rarely gave him more than one point out of ten times.
Vid wished he could capture the astonished expressions of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs filling the classroom with a camera.
The usually strict Professor McGonagall also kept Vid behind after class and handed him a book list.
"Transfiguration is the most magical form of magic," Professor McGonagall smiled and said, "If you thoroughly read and deeply understand these books, you will surely go much further in Transfiguration."
"Thank you, Professor." Vid glanced at the list, most of which he hadn't explored, but—
"These last few books seem to be in the Restricted Section of the library."
"That's right. Once you've finished the earlier books, you can come to find me—" Professor McGonagall gazed at him with a hopeful look, saying, "I'll sign your permission slip."
Professor Flitwick, naturally, promised Vid he could borrow any books from his private collection anytime, and each time Vid went to consult him, the candies and desserts on Professor Flitwick's desk were more plentiful than usual;
Professor Sprout's smile also became warmer, and she lent Vid several Herbology books after class.
Thus, Vid's schedule became increasingly hectic.
In the mornings, he would ride his broom directly from the tower to the eighth floor of the main tower, with one of Zoe's trio eagerly helping him return the broom to the dormitory.
He would conjure gym equipment or a swimming pool in the Room of Requirement to exercise, then turn it into a study for reading and preparing for lessons, before having breakfast. Meanwhile, a house-elf always stayed nearby, if someone was around, they would signal in the Friendship Book to avoid him encountering anyone when entering or exiting the Room of Requirement.
Afterwards, if there's class, he would go to the classroom first; otherwise, Vid spent most of his time in the Room of Requirement.
He needed to practice magic, and the Room of Requirement could provide the relevant books and targets for casting spells; for potion practice, it offered every size of cauldron, scales, fuel, measuring cups, etc., but he still had to prepare the materials in advance; for Alchemy studies and experimenting with the "gifts" and "challenges" from Professor Morry, it provided more comprehensive equipment than even Professor Morry's place.
After dinner until curfew, this was pretty much the fixed activity time for SSC. They gathered in Umbrella House, practicing spells, finishing undone assignments from the day, discussing issues and resolving them, or simply sitting and chatting.
In reality, with Vid's advanced learning progress, none in the SSC group could offer him substantial help with his studies, making it like Vid's personal, free tutoring session.
But not everything needs to be thought about from a mutually beneficial, profit-driven angle.
The time spent with these companions was extremely precious for Vid. Here, his mind and spirit received ample respite, allowing him to let go of certain lingering concerns, and amidst casual jokes and laughter, alleviating the day-long intense study fatigue.
Moreover, seeing awkward Neville and others make noticeable progress under his guidance brought him joy and fulfillment that surpassed the pleasure of mastering a new magic—for the latter was a norm for Vid, while the former always brought surprise.
Positive emotions are always infectious, and each time gathering ended at Umbrella House, everyone wore a smile.
"If we could suggest to the Headmaster to delay curfew by an hour, that would be great." Padma said joyfully while packing her books, "I never thought studying could be this fun before."
Even Neville nodded along, for in Umbrella House, even learning magic potions felt less painful to him.
He still made frequent mistakes, but his companions would correct him promptly, without anyone scolding him.
"The Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff is next week, right?" Michael looked at the members of both houses, searchingly.
"Yes." Hermione sighed with worry, "I heard Professor Snape is refereeing."
"You're doomed," Padma said sympathetically, "Professor Snape surely won't be impartial—everyone knows how much he detests Gryffindor, especially since your team includes Harry Potter."
Snape's animosity toward Harry Potter was well-known throughout the school.
But those who had visited the Headmaster's Office recently exchanged knowing glances.
By lunchtime the next day, Hermione signaled in the Great Hall, and they met at Umbrella House, discussing the matter—
"Professor Snape is likely sent by the Headmaster to protect Harry Potter in the arena," Leian said, "Though Professor Snape has a bad temper, Professor Dumbledore trusts him because he deserves it."
Michael fiddled with his Quidditch star model, watching the little figure topple down and stand up again repeatedly, laughing, "Of course, deducting points and protecting can happen simultaneously—no conflict—"
Leian sighed, "With so many professors in the school, why did the Headmaster have to send the one who dislikes Harry Potter the most?"