"If it weren't for me, those old books would have probably been collecting dust up there for who knows how long. I spotted the one I needed among tens of thousands of books in an instant," Hermione remarked, a touch of pride in her voice.
"And what about us?" Ron chimed in with a mock hurt tone, then fell silent, busying himself by pushing his fork through the mashed potatoes.
The tips of Hermione's ears were slightly pink, and Neville, seated next to Artel, found his appetite dwindling.
Lunchtime rolled on, and Neville couldn't help but miss his grandmother.
In the coming days, Hogwarts' Quidditch teams went into intense training as they prepared for their upcoming matches, scheduled to take place after Halloween. Meanwhile, other young wizards and witches, guided by their prefects, got busy with preparations for the Halloween feast.
.....
Artel continued to brew Orc potions, organizing the centaur blood he'd collected a few days earlier, enough to create 400 bottles of potent Orc potions. While he hadn't collected all the necessary materials yet, he was in no rush.
After crafting three more bottles of Orc potions, Artel left the Room of Requirement. As he exited the room, he bumped into someone. Judging by her appearance, he had a guess about who she was.
"Hello," Cho Chang greeted Artel, clearly taken aback to encounter him on the eighth floor.
She recognized Artel, as did many other students from different grades. He was the talented young wizard from Slytherin, slightly unconventional but powerful.
"I'm Cho Chang, a second-year Ravenclaw," Cho Chang introduced herself with a hint of shyness.
"I'm Artel," he replied, observing Cho Chang.
"Isn't the Ravenclaw common room around here? Are you looking for something or someone specific?" Artel inquired, partly to discover why Cho Chang was here and whether she had seen him exiting the Room of Requirement.
"No, I'm here to find a friend," Cho Chang replied, appearing somewhat uncomfortable conversing with a stranger.
"Lee Jordan from Gryffindor. He's the Quidditch Cup commentator, and I wanted to ask him about the Quidditch Cup preparations. I'm an alternate for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, and my duties are fairly straightforward." She added.
"I see," Artel acknowledged with a nod.
All was well as long as she didn't suspect that he had just left the Room of Requirement.
"Then I won't bother you. I'll go first. I wish you a pleasant afternoon." Artel took his leave
"Oh, okay, bye."
Cho Chang was a bit puzzled by the exchange but still somewhat dazed, watched Artel's departure.
"He's a true gentleman, but what's he doing here ?" Cho Chang wondered.
Artel waited until Cho Chang had disappeared around the corner to ensure that she hadn't discovered the Room of Requirement. Then, he turned and left.
.....
During dinner, Harry handed Artel a large package.
"What's this?" Artel squeezed it gently, finding it light and assuming it was some sort of clothing.
"It's a white sheet, and I've cut a few holes in it... There are two days left until the Halloween party, and then we can dress up as ghosts," Harry explained to Artel.
"I think Professor McGonagall, Professor Sprout, and Headmaster Dumbledore should give us candy... especially Headmaster Dumbledore; they say he loves sweets..." Ron added.
"Also let's forget about Professor Snape; I don't dare to go there. If I did, I might just get scolded." Harry sighted.
.....
The following day was Tuesday.
In the morning, Slytherin and Gryffindor had a Transfiguration class together, and in the afternoon, the first-year Gryffindor students had a History of Magic lesson.
Transfiguration was relatively easy for Artel but posed more of a challenge for others. The lesson involved transfiguring slugs into rings, with the complexity of the ring's design determining the students' performance.
After a brief effort, Artel successfully transformed the slug into a beautifully crafted, hollow gold ring, featuring the Slytherin emblem, a serpent.
"Let me reiterate, Artel, you are a Transfiguration prodigy! Ten points for Slytherin!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed with satisfaction, her eyes filled with admiration.
At this point, Professor McGonagall had no concerns about Artel taking a dark path. Throughout his time at Hogwarts, Artel had adhered to school rules and maintained an impeccable record since his initial clash with Pansy. Artel's talents and gentlemanly conduct earned the respect and admiration of his professors.
.....
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