【Yo Deng】Badger and Snake

Turn on the faucet to wash your hands, but your mood sank little by little in the brisk sound of running water.

After the two left, Yu turned off the water and tapped three times on the innermost compartment door.After a rustle, the compartment door was pushed open, and a beautiful black-haired woman stood holding the door, her hands clutching her neckline, her forehead was covered with sweat, and she was still panting.

"Senior?" Yu was taken aback, "You recovered?"

"No, I—" Qi Hai just said two words before her knees softened and she slid down.You quickly supported her with eyes and hands, and said anxiously: "What's going on? What's wrong with you?"

Qihai grabbed her arm and was about to say something, but a clear female voice suddenly came from the door of the bathroom, making both of them freeze in place for an instant.

"—Dengzi, who are you talking to?"

Saeki Samika stood at the door leisurely, looking at them with raised eyebrows.Yu quickly glanced at Qihai, and found that the compartment door happened to block her; Qihai suddenly grabbed her arm, with a painful expression, as if he was enduring something.

what to do?She gestured with her eyes.

Qihai mouthed silently: Hold her.

Hold on?How to hold on?How many seconds can this last?Yoo suspected that he read the wrong mouth shape.Samika Saeki only needs to walk a few steps forward to see Qihai's face clearly. Why is this senior so stubborn and refuses to tell her the truth?

"Dengzi?" Seeing that the other party did not respond for a long time, Saeki took another step forward.Yu tried to calm down and said, "Sa Mixiang, why are you here?"

"Why, can't I come to the bathroom?" Saeki asked curiously, "Dengzi, who is in the cubicle opposite you? Is there any trouble?"

"I didn't say I couldn't come," Yu thought desperately, "I just think it's too coincidental. I didn't see you when I came out of the conference room just now, and I was wondering if you had already gone back—are you following me?"

Qihai let out a barely audible "poof", as if she wanted to laugh but couldn't make a sound.Yuu gave her a hard look, knowing that this person must have thought of what happened in the other bathroom.Raising her eyes, she saw that Zuobo's expression became very displeased, and even her voice became a little cold: "What do you mean by that?"

"It doesn't mean anything else," Yu tried desperately to recall Qihai's slightly rising ending, "I just wanted to make a joke-it seems that I am not suitable for this." She added a smile as she said.

Saeki's expression relaxed a little, and he stretched out his right arm to signal the compartment door opposite: "Is that your friend over there? Why don't you introduce it to me?"

"Hmm..." Yu made a troubled expression, and caught a glimpse of Qihai lowering her head again and panting.She was anxious in her heart, but she couldn't show it, so she had to prolong the syllable: "It's like this, she's a little uncomfortable, and I'm planning to send her back to the common room."

"Do you want me to help?" Zuobo walked towards this side, and Yu subconsciously stopped: "Uh, wait a minute—"

While she was talking, she secretly pushed Qihai in, but Qihai let go of the hand holding the door instead, pulled her robe collar, and threw herself into her arms—Yu bet that she must have shown a very exciting moment The look on his face, because Saeki's right eyebrow was so raised that it almost flew into his hair.

Yu: "..."

Saeki: "..."

The two looked at each other.

Yoo retracted the hands resting on Qihai's back, and adjusted the position of the back of her shoulders so that Qihai's face buried on her left shoulder could be more tightly covered.

"You don't need to bother Samika," she felt cold sweat dripping from her forehead, "I'll just take her there. Didn't you, Samika, have something to tell me before? Why don't you go back to the common room and wait for me? "

"No need," Zuobo said casually, but his eyes were sharp. "Anyway, I have nothing to do, so I'll take her there with you. Look at the color of this robe—is it Hufflepuff?"

My robes aren't haunted by Hufflepuffs.Yu glanced at the top of Qihai's head, and seriously began to think about the possibility of telling the whole story, but Qihai suddenly hugged her waist with great strength, and began to pant again.Yoo's heart jumped into her throat, and she couldn't push Qihai away to see the situation, so she could only pat her on the back and asked repeatedly: "Hey, hello, are you okay?"

Seeing this scene, Saeki also changed his expression.She stretched out her hand to touch Qihai to see the situation, but Yu blocked it reflexively.

"..." Sha Mixiang hugged her knocked-off right hand, narrowing her eyes dangerously.

"..." You Qiang maintained his composure, and took a small step back.

In this strange silence that could embarrass people to death, Qihai suddenly relaxed the strength on her waist, and slowly raised her head.

It was an unremarkable face: slightly plump cheeks, slender eyebrows and wide-set eyes, a short and collapsed nose bridge, and wide lips—Qihai Dengzi half-opened her eyes, her face was pale, and she turned back to the first person today. The way I saw her for the first time.

Yu opened his mouth wide in a gaffe, but Zuobo's attention was completely attracted by this face he had never seen before: "Your complexion is really bad, are you okay?"

Qihai shook her head weakly, and said in a hoarse voice, "I feel better...thank you." She straightened up, "I don't bother you to send me, I'll just go back by myself."

She let go of Yu's hand, and quickly stuffed something into the pocket of Yu's coat when she flicked it, and then began to walk out slowly.

You squeezed it, felt that it was a round coin, and knew immediately: it must be a communication Galleon.The transfigured coins are popular props among students, changing the pattern of the coin to convey a message.When she was in the second grade, the school banned students from carrying communication Galleons in school because too many people used them for cheating, but in fact, many people still used them.

After Nanami's figure disappeared, she pretended to be relaxed and turned to Saeki, only to find that he was looking at her with his head tilted.For a few seconds, Yu's scalp was numb, and he couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Saeki Shamixiang smiled and took the lead to go out, "Go back to the common room."

"Oh, good." Yu replied vaguely, feeling very uncomfortable.Qihai's departure not only did not relieve the stiff atmosphere, but instead pushed the atmosphere to a higher level.

Saeki walked ahead without saying a word, seeing that she didn't intend to talk, he secretly took out the communication Galleon and read the characters on the edge.

—Go to my room and get the purple potion from the desk drawer.I'll be waiting for you in the Hufflepuff common room.

After reading Nanami's message, Yu put the gold coin back into his pocket, and Saeki stopped immediately, as if he had seen through the actions of the people behind him.She turned around on the spot and happened to be standing next to the aisle window.The setting sun was shining outside the window, and Zueki's brown hair was also coated with a beautiful halo, which made his whole person look much softer.

"Actually, you are not a lamp."

She said in a very determined tone.

Yu was taken aback for a moment: "You...what did you say all of a sudden?"

"Don't force it, you and her feel completely different." Zuobo leaned against the window sill with his left elbow as a fulcrum, "You don't have her sense of alienation and guard. Others may not be able to see it, but I am very familiar with it." gone."

When it comes to this point, Yu no longer hides it, and said seriously: "Yes, I am not her."

Saeki read from those familiar blue eyes the focus and honesty she was not familiar with.Even though she knew that the other party was not Qihai Dengzi, she couldn't help being lost in thought for a moment.

Casting his eyes out of the window as if to cover up, Saeki sighed: "She must be in trouble. I guess it has something to do with that Hufflepuff girl just now, right?"

Yu was surprised by Saeki's keenness.But with a quick glance, she was able to roughly piece together the whole picture of the incident, and she finally understood why Qihai told her to avoid talking with Saeki as much as possible, but it was a pity that it failed.

Seeing that Yu didn't speak, Saeki's eyes were a little more appreciative: "It's quite calm, I kind of understand why she chose you to attend on her behalf. It's okay, I won't press you, since she doesn't want me to know, then I won't You know. You don't have to tell her I see through, okay?"

Yu was surprised, but nodded anyway.Zuobo looked at her carefully, and after a while he said again: "I'm curious who you are, shouldn't it be Slytherin? She's always not that close to Slytherin."

After a pause, she didn't wait for Yu to answer, and continued on her own: "Since she is willing to let you act as her, she must trust you. This is rare, you should cherish it."

The corners of her mouth slightly raised, showing a bit of loneliness under the reflection of the setting sun.Yu felt that she caught something fleeting in those emerald-like eyes, an emotion that she half understood, deep and fiery, making her chest tight.

Zuobo turned his head away from the window sill, and the monocle drew an arc: "Okay, let's stop the gossip. Since you have been following me and left without making excuses, she probably has something to explain to you?"

"That's right," Yu replied honestly, "She asked me to go back to the Slytherin common room to get something."

Zuobo's expression became a little subtle: "I'm still a bit...forget about letting outsiders into the common room." She shook her head, "I trust her judgment."

Saeki took another step, his body left the coverage of the sunlight outside the house, and a section of him was hidden in the shadow behind the curtains, but his emerald green eyes were still shining brightly when he turned around and pointed at Yuu.

This senior is known as the "Jade of Slytherin", and he deserves his name.Yoo thought wildly while following up.

Saeki Samika always stood behind Nanami Dengzi, but she received no less attention than the latter.As the first group of Japanese wizards to come to the UK, the Saeki family is a prominent and powerful family. Not only is Saeki's father the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the British Ministry of Magic, but the family itself is also closely related to Japan. The Ministry of Magic has a very close relationship, and has hosted high-ranking Japanese officials visiting Britain with the Department of International Magical Cooperation many times.

Obviously in such a highly anticipated position, Saeki voluntarily withdrew from the female prefect election in the fifth grade, and Nanami Toko, who was unknown at that time, had a chance to stand out from the remaining competitors.No one knows what happened at that time. What outsiders can see is that Saeki has since retreated behind the scenes and worked as Nanami Dengzi's staff.

How can a person like this be willing to help others?

Koito Yu stared at Saeki Samika's elegant back, feeling deeply that he was only one step away from the truth, but he couldn't find the missing piece of the puzzle no matter what.

—probably because it was something she knew nothing about, and had never set foot in.

She thought so, and gave up exploring.

Transforming (4)

Yu got the medicine according to Nanami's instructions smoothly.She left the Slytherin dungeon, waved good-bye to Samurai Saeki, and hurried all the way to the Hufflepuff basement.

On the way back, her Polyjuice Potion had expired, and Yu had to cast a Disillusionment Charm to keep herself from being seen in the baggy Slytherin robes.There was no one at the door of the basement, Qihai must have remembered the way to enter the basement when she followed her last time.Yu rolled up his overlong robe, knocked on the second barrel from the left according to the rhythm of the founder's name, and climbed into the entrance to the basement.

Today is Saturday, and there are only a few students reviewing mid-term exams sitting here and there in the lounge. They are all reading and writing without paying attention to anyone. No one noticed that the trap door was opened once.Yu climbed up to the second floor, inserted the key and turned the doorknob.

——It won’t move.

She tugged several times, making a lot of noise.Afraid of attracting attention, You didn't dare to yell, so he could only knock on the door with his knuckles, and began to slander while knocking: Entering someone else's room without authorization and locking the owner out, how can such a thing happen?

Her knuckles hurt, but there was still no movement inside.

Yoo had no choice but to take out his wand and cast an unlocking spell on his door.The deadbolt clicked open and she crept inside.

As soon as she entered, she saw the stately "break-and-enter" guy nestled in the armchair opposite her bed, with his head bowed and his legs folded, his arms around his knees.Yu's robe and sweater were thrown on the side table and piled up in a mess. The woman in the armchair was wearing only a thin, tight white shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbows, revealing her white and slender arms.

You lifted his illusion spell, and walked over with a bit of annoyance: "I said senior, take off your clothes and fold them anyway, and it's only early spring now, you don't have to be afraid if you just wear this—"

She stopped talking suddenly, and found that most of Qihai's shirt was wet with sweat.

"Senior?" She bent down worriedly, supported Qihai's shoulders and shook her several times, and the other party raised her head wearily: "Ah... Koito-san. You are back."

"Are you okay? You sweat a lot, do you want to take a shower?" You touched her forehead, her body temperature was low.Qihai gently pushed her hand away and asked, "Did you get the things?"

"Here." Yu handed her the bottle of purple potion, only to notice that Qihai had returned to her original appearance.

"Senior... are you repeatedly transforming?"

Qihai nodded: "The interval is getting shorter and shorter. I just changed back, and it may change again in a few minutes."

She unscrewed the lid of the medicine bottle and concentrated on casting a spell.A string of silvery bubbles emerged from the glass bottle, broke in the air, and formed a dense list.

Yoo realized she was using the Scarpin Appearance Charm to identify the potion's ingredients.This is a very difficult spell to cast. Many people, even after graduating from the Advanced Potions class, can only make the ingredients of the potion appear, and then manually identify them. It is impossible to manifest the list of words in one go like Qi Hai.

This spell surprised Yu enough, but what happened next made her realize how talented Nanami really is: the senior waved his wand smoothly and cast a Patronus Charm.

This is one of the most profound spells in the wizarding world. Most wizards and wizards will not be able to summon a decent physical Patronus in their entire lives; but there is a silver eagle on the tip of Qihai's staff that quickly condenses into shape, and each wing on each The feathers are clearly visible.

Yoo stared dumbfounded at her giving instructions: "Bring this list to 'Lao Zhou'."

The eagle rolled the mid-air silver text into its body, passed through the closed window, and disappeared into the air with its silver tail.

Nanami put away her wand, seeing Yu was still looking enviously at the direction where her patron saint disappeared.

"What are you looking at, Koito-san?" She asked knowingly, with a little pride in her heart.

"It's so beautiful," Yu retracted his eyes reluctantly, "I don't know the Patronus Charm yet, I don't know what my Patronus will be like..."

Qihai sized her up from head to toe, and said with a smile, "I think squirrels are quite suitable for you. They are small enough and can be eaten."

"Hey!" Yuu waved his fist in protest.This is a powerful movement, but because Qihai's robe is too wide, it looks very funny.The Slytherin prefect let out a chuckle, and the vials fell to the floor.

Before she slowly got up from the armchair, Yu had already picked up the vial: "This is the disguise potion you drank, senior?"

"Correct."

"Senior, where did you get these things...whether it is the disguise potion or the compound decoction, they are all super high-grade potions, right?"

Qihai thought for a while: "Have you heard of 'Old Boat'?"

Yu shook his head.

"This person is Hogwarts' shadow drug dealer. No one knows who he is or what he looks like. They only know that he has all kinds of potions, and the price is cheaper than the market, and the transaction is fast and safe."

"So you bought them all from him?"

"Yes," Qihai raised his head wearily, "I've been visiting his place for a long time, and it's been fine. I didn't expect such a thing to happen to me this time. He said he would give me double the refund, and he would pay me back later. The ingredients of the potion make the corresponding antidote—"

Nanami's last syllable was out of tune.She bowed suddenly, gasped violently, and her appearance began to change again.The movement of the skin surface spread from the lips to the cheekbones and eyebrows, and then stopped around the eyes strangely.

Jianyou looked at her in astonishment, Qihai seemed to have noticed something.She grabbed the teacup on the table next to her, and her face turned pale after seeing the reflection on the water.

——This is an incomplete transformation, indicating that the potion is on the verge of getting out of control.If Lao Zhou's antidote could not be delivered in time, Qi Hai might have to go to St. Mungo's Hospital to "rest" for several days.

"..."

The Slytherin prefect curled up in frustration, his head hanging lower and lower.You walked around the room several times, and turned out the last book "The Time Traveler's Lover": "Senior, read this! You haven't finished reading last time, do you want to continue reading?" She opened the table again. The sugar bowl on the top, "This toffee is also delicious, how about one? Sweets can cheer you up!"

Looking at the expectant Yuu, Qihai said weakly, "Koito-san, I've already passed the age where I can be happy all afternoon with a piece of candy and a book."

"Are you calling me naive in a disguised form?" Yu put on a straight face, quite dissatisfied.

"You said it yourself." Qihai was amused by the way she jumped, and laughed for a while before realizing that the girl did it on purpose.She felt warm in her heart, hugged her legs and said, "Okay, give me the book."

She really wanted to finish this book in peace, but unfortunately she couldn't.The transformation process that hit every ten minutes became more and more painful, and she lost more and more physical strength, so she had to lie down on the bed.

Yu rejected the dinner with Juri and Maki, went to the kitchen to get some food and came back, but Qihai felt like throwing up after two mouthfuls, and finally managed to drink some soup.

"Senior, you'd better go to the school hospital," Yu anxiously looked at Qi Hai who was leaning against the bed, "When will Lao Zhou's antidote come?"

"No." Qi Hai weakly refused.

"Senior, you really..." Yu was quite helpless, "Isn't it just that you were found using the disguise potion, what's the big deal? You really want to go to St. Mungo's Hospital for a vacation, right?"

Qihai bit her lip and said nothing.Her appearance has completely become the neutralization of two faces, the eyes and lips are real, and the nose and cheekbones still have the effect of medicine, which looks quite out of tune.

You sighed vigorously: "Senior, why on earth are you drinking the disguise potion?"

After being silent for a long time, Qi Hai quietly replied: "If there is a way, I don't want to do this either."

"What?" Yu looked at her suspiciously, but Qihai didn't continue.She leaned against the wall and huddled in pain again.Yu wiped the beads of sweat on her neck distressedly, and Xu Xu said: "Although I don't know what happened to you, is it that difficult to tell the truth? Whether it is Senior Zuobo or Goldstein, they will definitely help you. Yours, why do you have to carry it silently?"

"They can't help me," Nanami whispered, "no one will understand."

"If you don't say it, of course no one will understand," Yu retorted, "Not everyone is a Legilimency master who can read what's going on in your head."

Qihai was silent again.

Just when Yu thought the topic was over and was about to start another conversation, she suddenly said, "Koito's father... which college did he graduate from?"

Why do you ask this suddenly?Although puzzled, Yu replied honestly: "My dad didn't go to Hogwarts, he graduated from the Japanese Institute of Magic."

"That's it." Qihai closed her eyes, "That's great."

"???" Yu stopped twisting the towel, wondering whether the two were talking in the same language.

"... Koito-san, I come from a family that has studied in Ravenclaw for generations."

"Ah," Yu suddenly realized, "No wonder your patron saint is an eagle..."

"Yes," Nanami still closed her eyes, leaning against the wall, "my Patronus is the symbol of Ravenclaw."

"Wait," Yu suddenly realized, "Then why were you assigned to Slytherin? Aren't people from a family all in the same house?"

Qihai opened her eyes and stared at her lightly.

Yu doubted himself: "Did I say something wrong?"

"...No, that's right," Qihai smiled strangely, "it's usually like this. Before I entered school, I thought so too. I've even figured out how to arrange the eagle-shaped decorations I brought, how to get rid of Looking at the starry sky from the tower of Ravenclaw, how to answer the weird and tricky questions of the eagle head door knocker - I have heard many, many things about Ravenclaw from my parents and sister, and I have always yearned for it.

"But when I put on the Sorting Hat confidently and couldn't wait to run to sit down at the Ravenclaw long table, it was silent for a while and called out 'Slytherin'."

Nanami didn't look at Yu's expression.She squeezed her palms hard, thinking that she must have been overwhelmed by the pain to say these words-but she couldn't stop.

"I don't know what happened. I sat there stupidly. I forgot to take off the Sorting Hat. The professor next to me took it off for me. I went to the Ravenclaw table and they pushed me away. For a moment, say Slytherin is the table on the right."

It was the first time for Yu to see Nanami showing such a fragile expression.

"I'm Ravenclaw, how could I be sorted into Slytherin? My sister, my parents, everyone in my family is from Ravenclaw, how can I be Slytherin? A college where dark wizards, sinister and cunning people gather?

"I think the Sorting Hat must have made a mistake. I went to find professors and principals, but they all told me that 'the Sorting Hat can't make mistakes'. I didn't believe it. I turned the books, asked people, and looked up information, but No matter how hard I look, the answer is still 'the sorting hat can't go wrong'."

Nanami felt that her fingernails had sunk into her flesh.She gritted her teeth and wanted to stop herself, but the turbulent emotions in her heart swelled to burst her chest—she could only keep talking, talking, and talking, as if every word was spitting out with blood, and every word It is more enjoyable than cutting carrion with a knife.

"So I started thinking, maybe Slytherins aren't as bad as people say, or I wouldn't be sorted here. I think they're just left with the legacy of their founders and can't find a way to change. Facing outsiders They confront each other and hug each other for warmth, and this kind of self-enclosure further deepens the misunderstanding and rejection of the outside world, forming a vicious circle like ouroboros.

"Having figured this out, I decided that I would do it. It would be up to me to bring about change - something I thought only I, a Slytherin who wasn't a Slytherin, could do.

"I am determined to do whatever it takes to achieve this. I don't care that I am misunderstood, feared by Slytherins, or how heretic the outside world is to applaud me; I firmly believe that as long as Slytherins really change, there will always be For the better - Slytherin and the other three houses, no - not only Slytherin, but all four Hogwarts houses can truly see a day when there is no barrier between each other. Mutual denigration and house prejudice no longer exist, people No longer define and evaluate a person by the academy, but can look at the person himself outside of all labels.

"That's what I thought, so I embarked on this road without hesitation. I established my prestige with duels and conquered people with fear; I began to pursue strength and power; I wandered around in various situations like a snake, spreading Telling one smooth lie after another, learning to protect oneself and compromise in the face of reality, and even began to take advantage of the good intentions of others, turning a blind eye to the pain of the exploited——

"Have you noticed, Koito-san," she trembled, her brows and eyes frowned in pain, "I—— I'm becoming more and more like a Slytherin."

"I am becoming the Slytherin in the eyes of others. I am becoming the Slytherin I hate. I am proving step by step how correct the label attached to Slytherin is.

"The Sorting Hat can't go wrong, can it? It sees through me, deeper and deeper than I can see. I thought I didn't belong here, but I do. No matter how much I fight back. I'm not la Winclaw, I am Slytherin.

"Then, Koito-san, please tell me—what's the point of my hard work so far? Is what I firmly believe in just a clown's self-consolation?

"—No, I can't. For me, this is a conclusion that is too heavy. I have come to this point, and giving up will only leave me with nothing.

"So I started ordering disguise potions, and when I couldn't stand it, I transformed into someone else. I put on the uniforms of other houses and mixed in with them; I could still talk to them so naturally, and I could still feel the sun shining on me touch; I'm still me, and what I do doesn't mean nothing."

Panting, she spread her hands in despair: "Koito-san, that's why you see me sitting here like this."

Koito Yu was so shocked that he couldn't speak.The emotion contained in Qihai Dengzi's blue eyes was so strong that it almost swallowed her.

Her senior squeezed out a smile that was uglier than crying.

"I'm sorry, Koito-san, I'm just such a cowardly, cowardly and excessive person."

Transforming (5)

Koito Yu didn't say a word, just looked at her quietly.

Shame, remorse and fear intertwined, forcing Nanami to close her eyes.She clasped her hands on her knees, her white knuckles trembling slightly.

Why is she saying this?

Why did she say this to Koito Yuu?

It took her a long time to meet someone who might understand her, a hard time to find someone who might—

A warm, soft touch came from her hands, and someone gently but firmly opened her tightly clenched fingers bit by bit.She opened her eyes, and saw the girl's focused eyes as always, without the disgust or impatience she was afraid of.

"Senior, when I went to the meeting in your form, I ran into our prefect, Greed."

The girl's voice was soft and sandy, very pleasant.

"She is a very enthusiastic person. When she sees someone in trouble, she will take the initiative to ask her. It is the same when you ask her a question. She will not only tell you the answer, but also guide you to master the tricks of the answer. She is a very good person .”

Yuu sighed slightly.

"But today I was warned by her with a cold face. Not for anything else, just because she found a Slytherin haunting around Hufflepuff's basement. I think she meant me—the few times I went to class for you, senior, and when I came back, the effect of the medicine had not passed, so I wandered around near our common room and waited."

"……sorry."

"Senior, why did you apologize?" Yu smiled, "It should be Greed who apologized to you. If you want me to say, why can't Slytherin appear next to the Hufflepuff common room? Why can't he be with other colleges? The students chatted together? Why do you have to unite and you target me and I target you?"

These three questions pierced Qihai's heart more sharply than the other, making her nose ache with joy.

"I know what I saw and heard today is by no means an exception. 'Slytherins are all dark wizards', 'Hufflepuffs are full of idiots', 'Ravenclaws are nerds', 'Gryffindors are not Use your brains' - I've heard this comment more than once since I entered school, but I've never been able to understand the person who said it.

"In my opinion, the so-called college is just a symbol, a container, and the things contained in the container are the real connotation and meaning. Use the things that have been filled to label the container, and then use the label to judge constantly. Update alternate content—is there anything more ridiculous and self-righteous than this? Containers should not be defined by content, and content should not be defined by containers. No matter which college you are assigned to, you are still you , as if coffee is coffee no matter how many containers are changed, it will never turn into milk or water.

"Senior, you were indeed sorted into Slytherin, but so what? In my eyes, you are still more courageous than Gryffindor, more insightful than Ravenclaw, and smarter than Hufflepuff." Perseverance. You choose a road full of thorns, and you decide to go on at all costs; you look at the world that others cannot see, and work hard for goals beyond personal gains and losses; you are confused, confused, painful, and indifferent , not understood, but even so you never gave up."

Yu paused for a moment, then clenched those hands more tightly.

"Senior, I respect you and everything you have done. I am willing to do my best to help you, because I also look forward to your ideal day. If you feel lonely, tired, or misunderstood, please remember me All the time. Maybe I can't really help, but I'm willing to be the one who listens. So, no more disguising potions—"

Qihai's hands trembled a bit, and the fragility and helplessness in her eyes made Yu's chest choke, but she continued to speak cruelly.

"——That won't help you, senior, it will only continue to weaken your defenses and make you more uncomfortable."

Nanami's hands are slightly bigger than hers.Yu tried to move his fingers to cover those hands, trying to pass the warmth of the palms over.Her predecessor was illuminated by the flickering warm fire, but her whole body was as cold as if trapped on the bottom of an ocean as deep as [-] meters.

"...Is what you said true?" Qihai tried her best to control her voice so that it would not sound so trembling, "Is it true? Will you stay with me?"

—she has been waiting.She has been waiting for such a person.To be sure of her, to truly understand her, to look into the same distance as her.

"Really." Yuu replied without hesitation.

Qi Hai looked at those bright yellow eyes without blinking, trying to find any flaws in them; but all she saw was a magnanimous sincerity, which was crystal clear and touching.

A muffled sound came from outside the window, as if something hit the glass.Yoo got up to open the window, a gray and white owl landed on her shoulder, and a roll of parchment was tied to her foot.

Qihai recognized it. This black forest owl was the owl that Lao Zhou used to deliver goods.Yoo removed the thing from the owl's feet, and a black vial fell out of the parchment roll. The owl pecked at her and flew away.

Qihai watched as Yu walked slowly in front of her, sat down on the edge of the bed, then spread out her palms, and cast an encouraging look.

She reached out her hand hesitantly, instead of taking the medicine bottle, she pinched the girl's fingertips carefully.

"Koito-san," she took a deep breath, and the paleness gradually faded from her face, "You must mean what you say."

Yu smiled plainly.

"Of course. When did my words count?"

The Slytherin prefect smiled back at her, threw back his head and drank the antidote.

※※※

Qihai Dengzi lay on her back on the soft bed, counting the cobblestone reliefs on the ceiling for the first time.

It had been several hours since she said goodbye to Koito Yuu.After taking the antidote, she flew out, but was dragged back by the girl's wrist and cast a disillusionment spell.Koito Yuo was very considerate and didn't look up at her during this process, but Qihai still felt uncomfortably reddened at the base of her ears——after the pain disappeared and her emotions ebbed, she realized what she had just done.

He even talked nonsense and vented his emotions in front of the younger generation.

She even acted like a baby in front of the younger generation.

He was actually comforted by the younger generation in turn!

Qihai covered her face and kicked the quilt hard twice.

Shame clamored for her to stop thinking about what happened just now, but honey continued to seep from the cracks in the memory, dripping down to the tip of her heart one after another, driving her to take the mirror on the bedside table.

This is an oval mirror, only the size of a palm. The delicate and simple lines on the frame can be seen clearly by the candlelight at the bedside. It feels solid and thick to the touch, making people think of the giver himself.

After dragging her back from the door, Koito found the mirror in the drawer, and said that he could call her name to the mirror whenever he wanted to find her.

This is a pair of double-sided mirrors, a very rare magic item. When two people hold one side, they can communicate with each other just by calling the name of the other holder, which is much more convenient and quicker than communicating with Gallon. .Yu confessed that he originally bought it for his sister Xiao Lian, but in the end