Chapter 142: This Is a Good Thing
Weeks later, in the Scottish Highlands, the sun finally became a little more generous.
Outside the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch, the crowd was boisterous.
Today was the match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.
Red and yellow banners fluttered in the wind, and cheers and screams could be heard even through several castle walls.
On the path leading to the Quidditch pitch, Draco Malfoy was excitedly waving the Omnioculars in his hand.
"Hurry up, Tamara! The match is about to begin!"
He turned his head and urged the slow moving figure behind him.
"I specifically asked Crabbe to save the best seats. Front row of the Slytherin stands!"
"We'll get a clear view of Potter being knocked down by those Hufflepuff idiots!"
Tamara stopped.
She looked up at the noisy Quidditch pitch in the distance, her eyes filled with undisguised weariness.
A group of overgrown little Trolls, riding broken broomsticks and chasing a winged walnut through the sky.
How could such a technically undemanding and extremely dangerous sport drive the entire magical world mad?
It was simply a waste of life.
"You go, Draco."
Tamara adjusted her robes, a hint of appropriate weakness and regret appearing on her face.
"I'm afraid I can't make it."
"Huh? Why?" Draco was stunned, his face filled with disappointment.
"Today is Madam Pomfrey's scheduled routine checkup."
Tamara sighed softly and pointed in the direction of the castle.
"You know, ever since I fainted last time, Madam Pomfrey has been very worried about me. If I miss my medication time for the match..."
At the mention of the invincible queen of the hospital wing, Draco's head drooped in disappointment.
"All right... that's too bad."
He mumbled, "Then I'll go by myself? I'll tell you all about Potter's miserable state when I get back."
"Mm. Have fun."
Watching Draco run toward the Quidditch pitch like a joyful rabbit, the smile on Tamara's lips vanished instantly.
She turned around, putting her back to the commotion, and walked alone toward the empty castle.
The world was finally quiet.
Tamara strolled through the cool corridors, only her footsteps echoing between the empty stone walls.
This silence not only did not make her feel lonely, but instead gave her a long lost sense of control.
Rather than watching those idiots fly around, she had more important things to plan now.
The summer holidays.
"Albania..."
Tamara silently recited the place name in her mind, her eyes becoming deep and unfathomable.
Although she had warned Quirrell last semester to guard her things even at the cost of his life, she would not place all her hopes on that useless man.
In fact, precisely because there might be another remnant soul there, she could not relax.
In the Dark Lord's logic, no one was more trustworthy than herself.
But no one was more dangerous than herself either.
The wandering remnant soul was currently in an extremely weak and hungry state. What if it squandered all the resources she had painstakingly accumulated just to prolong its existence?
What if it touched that dragon?
"No."
Tamara narrowed her eyes, her fingers unconsciously caressing her wand.
This uncontrollable sense of insecurity made her uneasy.
She had to go and confirm it herself.
Of course, in an absolutely discreet manner.
After all, her current body was still too weak, and her magic reserves were far from their peak.
If she appeared too ostentatiously now, she would not be able to establish authority. She might even be treated as prey by those brainless subordinates.
"As soon as school is out, I'll set off immediately."
"It will be enough to confirm that it has not been tainted by that damned wandering soul, and to recover some urgently needed resources."
Just as Tamara was immersed in pleasant holiday fantasies, even beginning to plan her route, Professor McGonagall's voice suddenly rang out.
"Match cancelled!"
Her voice, amplified by magic, was like a clap of thunder, instantly resounding throughout Hogwarts.
Even inside the castle, the sound made the windows hum.
Her voice trembled, revealing an unprecedented severity and panic.
"All students, return to your respective common rooms immediately! Now! At once!"
Tamara stopped.
She stood in the middle of the empty corridor, listening to the fearful discussions coming from the direction of the Quidditch pitch.
There was no expression on her face.
On the contrary, a faint, almost pleased sneer played at the corner of her mouth.
"Heh."
Someone else was unlucky?
It seemed that the reckless remnant soul was still continuing its revelry.
Who was it this time?
Another unlucky cat, or a lone Mudblood?
But what did it have to do with her?
Tamara carelessly straightened her wind blown cuff.
If the sky fell, Dumbledore, who always acted profound, would bear the brunt of it. Failing that, there was the so called saviour, Potter.
As for her?
She was just a delicate, innocent, and academically excellent second year Slytherin girl.
As long as the fire did not reach her, even if this school went bankrupt tomorrow due to too many deaths, she would only regret losing a free library.
"Perhaps... this might even be a good thing."
Tamara mused inwardly.
If things escalated and school let out early, she could go to Albania sooner.
With this almost gleefully light hearted mood, Tamara did not return to the dungeons as Professor McGonagall had ordered. Instead, she continued according to her original plan and headed toward the hospital wing.
After all, nothing could better demonstrate her strict persona as a good student than obediently going to Madam Pomfrey for her scheduled checkup.
The hospital wing door was ajar.
A strong smell of herbs perpetually permeated the air inside.
But today was different. There was also a hint of tension.
Madam Pomfrey was bustling about, holding various coloured potion bottles, muttering something under her breath.
"Oh, thank goodness you're here, Riddle."
Seeing Tamara push open the door, Madam Pomfrey wiped the sweat from her forehead as if she had seen a saviour, her tone urgent.
"Listen, the situation is chaotic right now, and I don't have time to give you those detailed Magic Circuit Checks. Here are your Blood Replenisher and Calming Draught for the week. Oh, and drink this cup of milk, then hurry back to the dungeons! You absolutely must not come out without a professor's permission!"
She shoved a clinking bag of potions and a steaming cup of milk into Tamara's hands, then turned to attend to other matters.
Clearly, she did not expect this second year student to be of any help. She only hoped Tamara would not cause more trouble.
"...Wait."
Tamara did not take the bag.
She had originally intended to take the medicine and leave. Her goal had been achieved anyway.
However, for some unknown reason, a strange intuition made her stop.
Her gaze drifted over Madam Pomfrey's shoulder and inexplicably fixed on a bed at the end of the ward.
The curtain there had not been fully drawn, revealing only a corner.
"Who is that?"
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