And so the Hogwarts entrance ceremony ended, and another tiresome semester began. The thought of Fred and George running wild again, leaving the classroom in shambles, made me sigh. By the way, I heard their younger brother got in this year too... Was his name Jeon Woong? Come to think of it, when am I ever going to memorize all the new students' names? I clutched my throbbing head with my large hands, and gripped the wall, lest I fall.
"Woojin, I have something to tell you. Could you look at me for a moment? It's about Daehwi..."
“Ah, Professor Dumbledore? I’m sorry, but could you elaborate?”
“Calm down, calm down.”
I tried my best to pretend I was okay, that nothing was wrong, but I never really calmed down. Lee Dae-hwi, what happened already?
“That’s right, Professor McGonagall recommended the Grand Vizier as a Gryffindor Quidditch Seeker…”
“Yes? But, isn’t it true that Quidditch players can only play from their second year?”
Quidditch is a magical sport played on broomsticks, but what if a flying ball called a "Quaffle" hits the Master? And what if you accidentally fall off your broom? Furthermore, if a first-year Quidditch player doesn't properly master the art of riding a broomstick, how dangerous is that?
That's why I hated Lee Dae-hwi becoming a Quidditch player. Putting aside the danger, I wasn't even trying to raise him like Lee Ga-eul. What kind of Quidditch player was he? I hated him to death.
But no matter how much I protested, Professor Dumbledore seemed to be able to convince me somehow. If he didn't, he wouldn't be Professor Dumbledore.
“I know why you’re so against it, but… riding a broom will be of great help to Dae-hwi later on.”
"What good is that? Breaking Dae-hwi's arm? Or, making him live like Lee Ga-eul?"
I shouted at Professor Dumbledore in excitement, and he looked slightly embarrassed. I was right, but I told him that it wasn't right for a real wizard to become a Seeker.
“···I’m sorry. But people will whisper behind my back that it’s Lee Dae-hwi’s privilege to survive.”
“I know what you mean, but I’m saying this in case it might be of some help to Dae-hwi in his fight against ‘that guy.’”
“···Do as you wish.”
Even if I said no, the odds of Dae-hwi becoming a Seeker were far higher than not, so I just gave up. What if he gets really hurt? No, what if he becomes arrogant like that kid? I wish I could see him as Bom-i's son.
When I entered the classroom for class, Dae-hwi was sitting in the middle of the second row. I walked forward and shouted.
"My time isn't spent waving wands and reciting foolish spells. I don't expect you to understand the scientific and magical nature of potion-making from the very first lesson. However, some of you are already gifted. Those who are will discover the power of potions to captivate the human mind and even dull the senses. You will create potions that will grant you wealth, fame, and even prevent death."
I was giving my first class introduction to the first-year students, just like I always do. Dae-hwi was writing down every word I said.
“On the other hand, among the freshmen at our school this year, there is a student who boasts of his great abilities and doesn’t even listen to me during class and just acts like a jerk.”
To establish the image of me disliking Dae-hwi, I wrote down every word I said and pointedly reprimanded him, who was listening intently. Dong-hyeon, sitting next to Dae-hwi, nudged his arm with his own, signaling him to look ahead.
Actually, I felt a little sorry. But I have to keep doing this for the seven years Dae-hwi goes to school? It's already painful.
"Lee Dae-hwi, you're the most famous of the freshmen. Answer my question: What happens if you add ground daffodil root to mugwort water?"
As soon as I finished speaking, Dong-hyun, who was sitting next to Dae-hwi, raised his hand and looked at me. However, Dae-hwi looked slightly embarrassed, looking back and forth between Dong-hyun and me before turning his head back and forth to me.
"Don't you know that? Then where should I go to find the stones that can be used as an antidote?"
Dong-hyun raised his hand again and looked at me with wide eyes. Dae-hwi looked back and forth between Dong-hyun and me before answering.
“I don’t know.”
I asked two more questions after that, but the answer was the same. It was as if someone was trying to listen to my lecture with an arrogant attitude, as if they were calling me Lee Ga-eul's son.
I sarcastically belittled Daehwi, saying he was only famous for being famous, not talented. Having lived with Muggles for so long, it was only natural he wouldn't know. Of course, you could learn more from now on.
I felt like something was bothering me. Still, thanks to that, I felt like I had finally established the image of myself as someone who disliked Dae-hwi.
I pulled a chair up to Dae-hwi, sat down, and answered his questions one by one. Dae-hwi nodded in agreement.
“By next time, write a three-page essay about the stone. If you don’t, each dormitory will have 10 points deducted.”
"yes-"
A bezoar, simply put, is a stone taken from a goat's stomach. It acts as an antidote to almost all poisons, even the most toxic, and can save lives. To use, simply insert the entire stone into the throat.
I wasn't sure if the kids would write it properly or not, but I still had an expectation that they would try hard since there would be a deduction of points.
Oh, by the way, Dae-hwi's eyes are truly beautiful. When I sat down in front of him, using Dae-hwi's inability to answer as an excuse, I saw that they were truly Bomi's eyes. Just looking at those eyes, the eyes of the woman I loved, made me feel so happy, like I was floating in the sky. I wanted to follow Dae-hwi around all day, looking at those beautiful eyes.
After a grueling class, it was already 11 p.m. Like any other day, I walked slowly down the Slytherin dormitory corridor, checking to see if any students were out. It seemed everyone was quiet today, the first day of the school year.
The window at the end of the dormitory hallway was open. It was wide open, and a cherry tree branch was visible through the gap. It was raining outside, and the cherry tree was soaking wet. I touched the branch.
“···Spring, how are you? I miss you so much, I can’t sleep well.”
I couldn't help but think of Bomi. Spring, the season when cherry blossoms bloom beautifully. Just a few years ago, whenever I thought of Bomi, I would burst into tears. But maybe I cried too much? Now, I don't even shed a tear. I just miss Bomi. No matter how much I miss Bomi, Bomi is dead. She will never come back to life. No, even if she does, she won't come back to me.
Boom! It was a sound coming from quite close by. Death Eaters? Or maybe a Slytherin student? I'd been muttering to myself that I wanted to see Spring, so unless the culprit was Professor Dumbledore, I was in the worst possible situation.
“Who’s there?”
I rushed to the frosty area, but there was no one there, and I heard no answer. And there, in its place, lay a small tumbler. I was uneasy. If the owner of that tumbler was Professor Dumbledore, he would have approached me and spoken to me. Even if I hadn't spoken to him, he wouldn't have run away. Who on earth was he? Why was he out at this hour? Why was he holding this tumbler, and why had he abandoned it?
“Fuck, who the hell is that?”
I couldn't sleep that night, wondering who owned that tumbler. My head felt like it was going to explode. I couldn't even begin to grasp who it was.