Chapter 10.

  After css, Soren was chatting and ughing with Daphne as they headed to the Great Hall for lunch wheiced a small group of people gathered oher side of the corridor. Through the gaps in the crowd, he caught sight of Meredith, who was surrounded by Pansy and several other Slytherin girls against the wall.

  Daphne also spotted the encircled Meredith, looking a bit worried. She muttered softly, "Oh no... she's going to get it really bad from Parkinson and her gang."

  Soren uzzled. "Isn't Meredith from the Shafiq family? Isn't that one of the Sacred 28 pureblood families?"

  "I mean, Soren, you're talented in magic, but you really don't uand the current state of wizarding families, do you? The Sacred 28 pureblood families were piled by tankerous Nott in the 1930s. Over the sixty years, they went through two wizarding wars sparked by Grindelwald and You-Know-Who, along with a lot of infighting among wizarding families. Sigh..." At this point, Daphone also grew a bit somber.

  "Many pure-blood families are gradually deing — the Shafiq family is one of them. The once vast and numerous branches of the entire Shafiq family now have only her left as a lone sprout," Daphne said softly, her expression somewhat empathetic. "And the fate of the Shafiq family is not an isoted case..."

  "As far as I know, the Crouch family is simir. Ever sitle Barty Crouch was senteo prison, old Barty's wife fell ill from grief and passed away. Once old Barty is go's likely the Crouch family will not st much lohe Gaunt family and the Crabbe family are also in dee, so now they have bee vassal families to your Malfoy family, trying to seek prote uhe Malfoy family's wings, struggling to tiheir bloodline and glory..."

  Soren replied, "So that's how it is. As far as I know, Hufflepuff's Hannah Abbott is a half-blood witch. Perhaps her Abbott family, as you said, has been forced by reality to withdraw from the ranks of pure-blood families, but it shouldn't have fallen to the level of Meredith..."

  Knowing about Meredith's predit, Soren sighed and walked over. Although he didn't want to draw attention, he couldn't stand seeing so many people bullying one person.

  Daphne closely followed Soren as they approached Pansy and her group. They heard Pansy's voice, "Miss Shafiq? Oh my god? I really 't believe it!" She squeaked, ering Meredith against the damp stone wall, exaggeratedly shouting, "But just look at the potions you made! You have absolutely no talent whatsoever! I'd to get scolded by Professor Snape because of you!"

  By the time Soren and Daph closer, Pansy was almost pressing her face against Meredith's. She sneered mogly, "Wow, look at your arrogant expression, Miss Shafiq! Haha, but what you do, you're the only Shafiq left!"

  Soren could see that Meredith's face was flushed, unsure if it was from anger or humiliation. It was clear she was trying hard to trol her emotions, her fists ched tightly, her fiips swollen from blood flow. But she still held her head high, maintaining her unique and strange pride.

  Soren's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears: "Hey, Pansy, we're all Slytherins here. Is it fun for so many people to bully anirl? Instead of bming others here, why not spend your time mastering potion-making to earn points and glory for our house, so that others know our strength? Don't you think I'm right?"

  Seeing that it was Soren who was stepping in, Pansy became silent, she k was to not have any flict with someone from a more prestigious family then her with remarkable magical talent like Soren and could only huff coldly, turning away with a few girls.

  Once Pansy's group left, only the three of them remained in the corridor, and the atmosphere fell silent.

  Meredith had already prepared herself to ehe humiliation from Pansy and the others because she had no friends in the school; she knew no one would help her.

  When the Shafiq family was down to just her, she remembered her parents' expectations before they died. The honor of the entire family seemed to rest solely on her shoulders. After that, although she once wao have fun and make trouble with her peers, the heavy responsibility of maintaining her family's honor felt like a shackle binding her. Over time, she became a solitary figure and gradually lost the ability to unicate with others.

  When Soren and Daphood in front of her, tears surged forth. Even when she received the news of her mother's death, she had never felt su urge to cry, but she gritted her teeth, desperately trying to hold back the tears, still holding her head high, maintaining her long-standing proud posture, not wanting these two to see her cry for some reason.

  "Uh... do you want to have diogether?" Soren scratched his head and quietly asked Meredith, feeling awkward seeing an 11-year-old girl on the verge of tears. Daphne also looked at her former childhood pymate with a hint of genuine smile.

  Meredith's face turned even redder than before. She held her head high, not looking at Soren or Daphne, her hands still tightly ched, as if holding onto something precious that o be gripped tightly.

  She was trembling a bit, shivering, but clearly trying hard to hold it in. She opened her mouth, her tone a bit strange, as if she wao cover up her g voice, "You, you two... really... meddle too much!"

  After pausing for a long time, she suddenly couldn't hold baymore; the st word came out almost in tears. After saying that, she hugged her textbook and forcefully squeezed past Soren and Daphne, rushing up the stairs.

  The subsequent life returo the dull aitive days of attending csses.

  Regarding the various courses set by the school, since he had already determined his future dire, Soren decided to focus on practical subjects: Potions, Charms, and Transfiguration were his main areas of attention, and he decided to study them diligently; as for Astronomy, Professor Quirrell's Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, and Flying csses, he treated them with indifference.

  The only exception was History of Magic, which he decided to study early purely out of personal i. As for the O.W.L. and . exams and future employment? He was going to defeat the Dark Lord; let the exams go to hell!

  The be of being a top student is that teachers grant some privileges, such as not having to do homework—this made Draco very envious. There was also the admiration from cssmates, and it was important to maintain a good retionship with a top student, as many would often e to Soren for help with their homework.

  If Soren had time, he was also willing to give some help, but he only lent his homework to Daphhis made Daphne quite pleased but left Draco a bit unhappy.

  However, Soren just forted his brother a bit, telling him it was to uphold the honor of the Malfoy family and also to give him more practice so he could bee stronger faster, which made Draco very happy.

  At the same time, Soren faced some challenges from others—like a certain fluffy-haired little lioness.

  Hermione seemed to have realized that Soren was her biggest obstacle to being the top student, so she was determio surpass him. Not only did she actively answer questions in css, but she also observed how he studied so well outside of css. So whenever Soren sat in the library reading, she would secretly watch how he studied.

  However, this proved to be of little use; Soren's theoretical knowledge was already very solid. What he cked ractical experiend the magical power to cast stronger spells. Both of these could only be accumuted over time; there was no way to rush it.

  As for Meredith, ever sihe st i, Soren had occasionally invited her to have meals and do homework together. Meredith seemed quite surprised by this; she thought that after rejeg him st time, Soren and Daphne would no longer pay attention to her.

  In the end, after Meredith's response of "Stop rambling a's eat," Soren and Daphne's little circle weled a new member, a daily aloof-faced Meredith, turning it into a trio.

  Although Meredith maintained her cold demeanor every day, the ers of her mouth would unsciously lift, and wheiced it, she would forcefully ftten it, causing Dapho ugh at her more than once.

  Flying lessons were set to start on Thursday—Slytherin students would be attending css with Gryffindor students.

  This was arguably the most anticipated css for first-year wizards. In the days leading up to it, Draco talked endlessly about flying. He loudly pihat first-year students were not qualified to join the house Quidditch team and shared mahy, self-aggrandizing stories, always cluding with a thrilling tale of narrowly esg a Muggle helicopter.

  Soren was left stunned, w if Draco had ever seen a heliciven the pressure around the helicopter, he was luot to be shredded by the rotor bdes. Of course, Soren wouldn't bother to burst his brother's bubble, after all, you 't expe 11-year-old to be too mature, you?

  During breakfast on Thursday, a majestic owl swooped down onto Soren's shoulder.

  "Hey, Ulysses!" Draco excimed excitedly as he uhe various packages from its feet, which tained cakes, snacks, and dies prepared by Narcissa for her two sons. Narcissa was always worried that the food at Hogwarts wouldn't be good enough for her two precious sons, so she frequently sent various high-quality dies and snacks from home, even including wizarding snacks she used to receive from her circle of friends, and she would send a package almost every week, with very few exceptions.

  Soren tore off pieces of bread from the pte to feed Ulysses while gently shaking his head. He always felt that Narcissa was overreag a bit, but deep down, he felt a hint of warmth towards his mother's iions. Draco, oher hand, was always impatient to un all his packages at the dining table and then proudly show them off to others.

  At that moment, a tawny owl delivered a small package to Neville. Excited, Neville ope and showed everyone a gss ball the size of a rge marble, which seemed to be filled with white smoke.

  "This is a rememberall!" he expined. "Grandma knows I always fet things—this will tell you if there's something you fot to do. Look, you hold it tightly like this, and if it turns red—oh," his face suddenly fell because the memory ball had turned bright red, but he had fotten what he had fotten.

  Neville desperately tried to recall what he had fotten, just as Draco passed by the Gryffindor table and suddenly snatched the ball from his hand. Harry and Ron jumped up. For some reason, they somewhat hoped to have a frontation with Draco. However, Professonagall was always more perceptive than other teachers when trouble arose, and she appeared in the blink of an eye.

  With Professonagall around, a fight was definitely out of the question. Draco could only leave in disgrace with Goyle and Crabbe.

  At three-thirty iernoon, students from both houses arrived on the wn in front, ready for their first flying lesson.

  The flying lesson was taught by Madam Hooch, who had shray hair and yellow eyes like those of an eagle. After everyone had their brooms ready, she shouted sternly, "Alright, when I whistle, you kick ys and take off the ground. Kick hard. Hold your brooms steady, rise a few feet, then lean slightly forward and e straight back down. Listen for my whistle, three, two…"

  However, Neville was too nervous; he was afraid of bei on the ground and might have been eager to prove himself—so he kicked off hard before the whistle even touched Madam Hooch's lips and flew up.

  "e back, child!" Madam Hooch shouted, but Neville soared straight up, like a cork popping out of a bottle—twelve feet—twenty feet. With a terrified faeville looked down at the rapidly reg ground, gasping with his mouth wide open, feeling all his strength disappearing as he started to slide off the broom…

  Soren timely used the levitation charm, and Neville barely stopped just before hitting the ground, then burst into tears. His broom tio rise higher and began to drift slowly towards the Forbidden Forest.

  Madam Hooch bent down to look at Neville, her face as pale as his. She turo the other students in the css and said, "I'm taking this child to the hospital for a check-up; none of you are allowed to move! Put the brooms back where they belong, or before you say 'Quidditch,' you'll be expelled from Hogwarts. Also, Slytheriwenty points, thanks to Mr. Malfoy's spell. e on, dear."

  After Madam Hood Neville left, Draco picked up Neville's memory ball from the grass and held it up; it sparkled in the sunlight.

  "Give it here, Malfoy," Harry said quietly. Everyoopped talking and watched.

  Draco grinned maliciously. "I think I'll put it somewhere for Longbottom to fetch—maybe on a tree—how about that?"

  "Give it back!" Harry shouted, but Draco had already jumped on his broom and taken off. Draco was indeed a good flyer—he hovered at the height parallel to the treetop of an oak tree and called out loudly, "e a, Potter!"

  Harry grabbed his broom.

  "No!" Hermione Granger shouted, "Madam Hooch told us not to move—you'll get us all in trouble."

  Harry ignored her, blood pounding in his ears. He mounted his broom and kicked hard off the ground, s upward, the air rushing through his hair, his robe billowing behind him—he felt a sudden thrill, realizing he had discovered a skill he could master on his own.

  Just as Harry was about to charge at Draco, a voice called out, "Aembrall!" Somehow, the ball which was in Draco's hand ended up in Soren's hands, who calmly said, "Who is Neville's roommate? help me return this memory ball to him?"

  Ron stood up with a face full of anger and said, "That's right, it's me, and Harry and I both are!"

  Sently tossed the ball, and Ron didn't expect Soren to return it so easily. For a moment, he was caught off guard and fumbled to catch the memory ball. Laughter erupted from the sidelines, and Roire face turned red.

  Soren ignored Ron's embarrassment and looked at the two still flying in the air, saying lightly, "Aren't you two ing down? I see Professonagall walking this way..."

  When Professonagall arrived and saw Drad Harry flying without permission, she deducted 10 points from each of their houses. However, after hearing about how Soren hahe situation, she fairly awarded Slytherin 10 points. This made the Gryffindor students—especially the rule-abiding Hermione—show displeased expressions at Harry's as.

  No one khat Harry had thus lost the ce to bee the you Seeker in Hogwarts history.

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