Vid noted Maki's warning, but this matter doesn't need to be considered just yet.
He used to practice magic potions in the potion classroom when it was empty, and he was seen by Slytherin students a few times. But they didn't know, since discovering the Room of Requirement, Vid had rarely gone over there.
As for who those people are, Vid naturally has an idea.
He decided to let them hang for a few days, but he couldn't drag it out too long—the longer it takes, the more likely those Slytherins might just give up on their own.
After class on Thursday, Vid went to the Astronomical Tower to find Professor Morry, unexpectedly running into several seventh-year students along the way. They were much taller, but each one seemed downcast, inexplicably appearing a bit shorter.
A girl was saying to someone beside her, "I swear I'm going to kill Jennifer! She used to tell me the alchemy class was fun and Professor Morry's requirements weren't high—is this what she calls not high?"
"Professor Morry used to be quite easy-going! Remember? In our sixth year." another student sighed, "But this year he just accepted a new student, and suddenly doesn't like us anymore—he used to like me a lot."
The girl ahead, full of resentment, said, "Self-studying Runic Language in first year? That's insane! If we weren't all at the school, I'd definitely think it's a lie!"
A student lamented, "Why doesn't he spend more time on Quidditch?"
"Has anyone tried studying the Friendship Book?" a boy suddenly asked.
"I tried."
"It's very difficult."
"Impossible to decipher."
"Using a Transformation Spell to generate heat or display text is easy, but to simultaneously show complex text or even pictures on such fragile parchment, ignoring spatial distance, that's a bit..."
The boy's enthusiastic talk abruptly stopped when someone nudged his arm.
At the corridor corner, they unexpectedly encountered Vid.
Both sides locked eyes. Seeing Vid Gray looking like a child, and remembering what they just said, they all felt extremely awkward. After a moment of stiffness, they nodded awkwardly and walked past each other.
After walking a long distance, the voices resumed.
"—That's Vid Gray?"
"Yes."
"—He actually looks quite good."
"Mm."
"...He shouldn't have heard us, right?"
"—He heard, I guess."
"Ahhh...why did you say that? Couldn't you just lie to me a bit?"
"Stop shaking...I really feel like dying now...truly."
...
"Oh?" Professor Morry looked at Vid and asked suspiciously, "Are you feeling a bit different today?"
Vid smiled and asked, "Professor, do you think I've changed?"
"Seems there's indeed a change... hmm..." Professor Morry touched his chin, scrutinizing Vid for a long time before uncertainly saying, "Seems like... you're looking better than before? But it doesn't appear to be the effect of a Beauty Potion..."
Vid smiled and took off a badge from his chest.
Immediately, the visual sense of flawless, almost luminous skin disappeared. Although he still had exquisite features and handsome looks, he no longer shone as before, making people's eyes involuntarily focus on him.
"Oh?"
Professor Morry was very interested and took the badge in hand to examine—it naturally didn't have any counter-detection spells applied to it.
"Lighting Charm... Reflection Curse... and Hardening..." Professor Morry looked at Vid with a smile in his eyes, "You used light?"
"Yes," Vid said, "You know I've been taking photos recently. During this process, I discovered that the core of photography lies in using light—properly using light can conceal facial blemishes, slim down, highlight facial contours for a three-dimensional effect, making a person look better. So I made this Soft Light Badge, which emits just the right light to reflect onto the wearer's body, making them appear more... radiant."
Simply put, it's the wizarding version of a beauty filter.
"You always have ideas that amaze me," Professor Morry praised, "Many people need to drink a Beauty Potion to sustain the effect for twenty minutes, which you've achieved with a tiny badge—how long is the lifespan of this thing?"
"Around ten days," Vid said.
"That's quite decent," Professor Morry casually remarked, not putting much significance on such a small item, "Some young girls will definitely like it—are you planning on having Machioni's Magic Workshop produce and sell it as usual?"
"Yes," Vid took out the application for Hogsmeade Village and frankly said, "Actually, I came to request your approval to visit Hogsmeade on Saturday for discussions with Mr. Machioni about the modifications to the Friendship Book and production of the Soft Light Badge."
"Just for this?" Professor Morry seemed skeptical.
During this time, he had gotten to know Vid very well—with Vid's personality, issues that can be resolved through letters would never require a special request for his authorization.
"Uh... actually, I want to see someone," Vid said with some embarrassment, "You know, my situation at school makes many things inconvenient. My father also isn't fit to frequently interact with wizards; I'm worried he might encounter danger because of this. So I found a proxy agent—this Saturday, I'm planning to meet him."
"A proxy agent?" Professor Morry shook his head in disapproval, "An unreliable proxy agent is more dangerous than none. Who's the person you found? Do you know them already? Or is there a relation to your parents?"
"I don't know him," Vid said "honestly," "I commissioned my father to place an ad in the newspaper, he wrote a cover letter. After meeting, my father thought he seemed like a gentle and reliable person, so he chose him as the agent—he's called Remus Lupin."
Vid knows he doesn't need to explain to his parents why he trusts a stranger—he doesn't need any excuses, they'd choose to believe him anyway, just like always. However, to Professor Morry, Dumbledore, and others in the Wizarding World, he should have a fitting reason to explain this.
Therefore, Vid slightly reversed the causal relationship—it's not that he targeted someone for recruitment, but someone saw the advertisement and applied, thus being hired.
"Remus Lupin?" Professor Morry slightly furrowed his brows, seemingly nostalgic, with a touch of reminiscence.
"You know him?" Vid asked curiously.
"Mm," Professor Morry lowered his eyes, his voice deep, "He and his three friends were once headliners at Hogwarts, causing quite a stir during school; few people don't know them. Unfortunately..."
"—Unfortunately?"
"Someone died, someone became a traitor, that's all—such events were common during the war times, no need to dwell on it," Professor Morry changed the subject, "You said you arranged to meet him on Saturday?"
"Yes."
"I can approve," Professor Morry said, fingers intertwined, with a serious expression, "but I also want to be present."