Kate had stood in the doorway of the Ravenclaw Common Room for a moment and was just about to turn back when she came face to face with Cho Chang, walking over chatting and laughing with her friends.
The instant she spotted Kate, the smile on Cho's face spread wide, and in two or three quick steps she trotted right up to her, delightedly clasping her hands. "Were you waiting for me?"
"No—I found something a younger student had lost, so I came specially to return it to her," Kate explained on reflex.
Cho's beaming face stiffened a little, but she quickly caught on. "The younger student you mean—it wouldn't happen to be that loony girl Luna, would it?"
"You think she's a loony girl too?" Kate asked calmly.
Probably only Peeves, whom she had tied up, could pick out the faint trace of anger in her words.
But Cho only tilted her head and thought it over. "I haven't had much to do with her. The people around her always used to call her the loony girl, and over time a lot of people couldn't remember her name anymore—only her nickname."
"Just because everyone calls her that doesn't mean everyone's right."
Kate's eyes flickered, and she asked softly, "Little Cho, may I ask you a favor?"
"Is it... that you want me to help look after Luna?" Cho curled her fingers on reflex and asked hesitantly.
"You don't have to go to too much trouble. That little girl is awfully naive—she won't even speak up when she's bullied. If you notice anyone picking on her, you only need to come and tell me. You don't have to take any risks sticking your neck out."
She wasn't the sort to meddle in others' business; it was simply that this fell well within what she could manage, so why not lend a hand?
What was more, that person was Luna.
Cho pressed her lips tightly together, studied her expression carefully for a while, then asked in a low voice, "That Luna—is she very important to you?"
"She's very special." Kate expressed her feelings without the slightest concealment. "If you spend a while around her, you'll find that although she seems a bit muddled on the outside, she actually sees through a great many things very clearly.
And I think a thing like school bullying shouldn't happen to any student of any House. It does enormous harm to a child."
Luna herself might not care about this outside bullying at all—she was like a fledgling living in her own world, content and very happily so.
But Kate wanted to help her be a little happier.
"I understand." Cho lifted a smile and gave her fingers a firm squeeze. "Don't worry, I'll help look after her."
Kate's eyes curved. "Thank you."
Cho spread her arms and raised an eyebrow at her. "Then—let's call this my reward."
And with that, she gently wrapped Kate in a hug.
Enveloped in the warm embrace, Kate froze for a moment. Out of the corner of her eye she caught Peeves covering his eyes with his hands, wearing an "I can't bear to watch" expression.
And Cho's friends had each turned away to talk among themselves, pretending they'd seen nothing at all.
Why did this feel a little strange?
She blinked blankly, and considering that she was the one who had asked the favor, she relaxed her body and lightly returned the embrace. "Thank you."
Cho let go of her and smiled mischievously. "You're welcome!"
It was only after she had watched Kate leave with Peeves that a faint flush finally rose on Cho's fair little face. Amid her friends' teasing laughter, she quickly finished answering their questions and went into the Common Room.
Once she'd led Peeves away, Kate released the fellow.
Luckily, although this one was a mischief-making troublemaker, he could read the situation and knew he couldn't do anything to Kate just now, so he flew off without a single word.
Kate believed he wouldn't go running his mouth.
After this little interlude, she finally made it back to the dormitory. Before she could even catch her breath, she planted her feet and cast the Grand Summoning Spell.
A stray cat? No.
A wild round-faced fat chicken? Not that either!
The third casting went off, and after a flash of white light, a familiar voice rang out.
"Miss Shafiq?"
Kate happily crouched down, grabbed a cupcake off the desk and handed it to him. "Dobby, try and see if you can eat something!"
The little elf, suddenly summoned over again, tilted his head oddly, tried touching the cupcake first, then clutched it and began wolfing it down in big mouthfuls.
Not bad—the creatures she summoned could eat now.
It looked as though her Grand Summoning Spell was about to level up again.
"Dobby, the reason I summoned you over this time is that there's something I'd like your help with."
While the little elf ate, she hurried to explain: "Harry Potter wants to take part in the Christmas study trip, but his aunt and uncle won't necessarily agree to it. If you could go to his house and secretly help him sort out the permission slip..."
Dobby's big ears pricked straight up, and in his trademark hoarse voice he asked, "Harry Potter? I can help Harry Potter?"
"Of course," Kate nodded. "You help Harry sort out this permission slip so he can leave school at Christmas, and then for this whole year he won't be in any danger.
Of course, you mustn't use forgery or threats to help him—but a little Confundus Charm wouldn't hurt—"
"Dobby understands!" The little elf immediately bounced up in excitement. "Dobby will definitely help Harry Potter! Thank you, Miss Shafiq!"
Kate smiled in relief, then, feeling the emptiness of the Mana inside her, frowned with a touch of discomfort. "Dobby, I'm feeling a bit unwell, so I'll send you back now. Remember, you absolutely must get this done tomorrow."
As she spoke, she waved her wand.
Dobby looked at her with some worry. "Miss Shafiq? Dobby will tell Lit—"
Before he could finish, he vanished.
Letting out a long breath, Kate rubbed her lower belly. An empty Mana reserve paired with the arrival of her period—it really was suffocating.
Oh well. In any case, the past two months of nonstop exercise had already earned her ten Attribute Points, so she'd take it easy and rest for these few days.
She got up unsteadily and flopped straight onto the bed. The Mana emptiness caused by casting the Grand Summoning Spell three times in a row left her spirits considerably wilted too.
"System... open the personal attribute panel."
[Host: Kate Shafiq]
[Profession: Wizard]
[Title: Lord of the Manor]
[Charisma: 40]
[Strength: 39]
[Agility: 39]
[Spirit: 39]
[Vitality: 72]
[Luck: 31+5]
[Mana: 66]
[Academy Reputation: 37]
[Family Reputation: 18]
[Wand Output Power: 2.0]
She was still nearly 50 Attribute Points short of this year's goal, and this year's Main Quest was already almost halfway done—by which point there should be quite a few rewards.
The secret of the diary should be solvable once she found the Chamber of Secrets; as for the Basilisk, well, she'd just have to cling to Old Man Dumbledore's leg.
Everything—she only had to wait for Christmas.
She mused on and on, and soon her eyelids drooped completely shut.
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