Harry Potter: Wizards Supersmacy

Chapter -13.

"Brian, I've really had enough of Pansy," Daphne said, frustration clear in her voice. "I mean it this time." 

"What happened?" Brian asked, a smile on his face, eager to hear more. 

"She lost my favorite bow, but she won't admit it was her! And she laughed, saying it was so ugly that even pigs wouldn't wear it!" Daphne's voice wavered as she fought back tears. 

Brian thought for a moment and then asked, "How did you figure out it was her who lost it?" 

"Peggy saw Pansy wearing it on her head that day, and then it fell into the lake." 

Brian was at a loss for words and could only comfort Daphne, joining her in bashing Pansy Parkinson. 

"Alright, let's not talk about her anymore," Daphne said, her spirits lifting a little. 

"By the way, tell me about your friends!" she asked. 

"Uh, Draco and the others? What do you think of Draco?" Brian replied. 

"Well, he… likes to brag a lot. He's not really very mature," Daphne said honestly. 

Brian couldn't help but laugh, "He's only eleven! So are you! Who's actually mature at that age?" 

"But you are quite mature," Daphne said, gazing at him with her bright blue eyes. "Your eyes remind me of my dad's." 

"...I'm different," Brian replied after a pause, shaking his head. "But yeah, Draco can be immature. Still, he really values loyalty and friendship. He might be a bit annoying sometimes, like Pansy, but he's actually quite kind and a good friend." 

"He has an interesting personality, a bit delusional, but more accurately, he's tsundere," Brian chuckled, finding the trait amusing. 

"Delusional? Tsundere? What do those words even mean?" Daphne asked, looking puzzled. 

"They mean he tends to think highly of himself and likes to show off, but deep down, he's really sweet and... um, lovable," Brian explained thoughtfully. "It's an awkward mix, but it's kind of cute." 

"I don't think he'd appreciate you calling him cute," Daphne giggled. 

"He's always hanging out with those two big guys," Daphne continued, "and they have issues with Harry Potter. It's so strange." 

"Yeah, that's quite the rivalry," Brian shrugged, not wanting to go into detail. 

"But Crabbe and Goyle are really a hassle," he added. 

Daphne simply looked at him with curiosity in her eyes. 

"Crabbe is fine, but Goyle really leaves me confused," Brian admitted. 

"He's so clumsy that he can't do anything right, and we worry he might not pass the exam." 

"But you'll help him, right?" Daphne asked. 

"Of course! But... the other day, I played a prank on him. I told him if he stood in front of the mirror in the empty classroom on the third floor at nine o'clock at night and peeled an apple with a silver knife without breaking the skin, then said 'Accio' to the mirror, he could summon a mirror spirit to grant him a wish." 

"That's so mean!" Daphne laughed, covering her mouth. "What happened next? Did he buy it?" 

"Oh yeah, he believed it so much that he's peeled tons of apples trying to get it right!" Brian said, shaking his head in disbelief. 

"Why? A normal person would catch on after trying once!" Daphne's eyes were wide. 

"Exactly! But the kicker is, he hasn't managed to do the ritual even once," Brian said, sounding exasperated. "He keeps breaking the apple skin halfway through." 

Daphne stared at him, then burst into laughter. 

"I keep trying to tell him it was a joke, but he refuses to believe me! He insists on trying again," Brian sighed. "He might end up peeling apples for an entire year." 

"I'm trying to figure out how to ensure that when he finally nails the ritual, our friendship won't be ruined," Brian concluded. "Any ideas?" 

"Nope, I think you should just peel apples with him," Daphne laughed so hard she almost couldn't stand up. 

... 

As the Christmas holiday approached, most of the young witches and wizards were completely uninterested in studying and just eager for the break. 

The weather turned bone-chilling cold, and the Potions classroom felt especially damp and chilly. 

Malfoy wrapped his clothing tightly around him, huddling close to the steaming cauldron for warmth. 

"You really should wear more clothes," Brian suggested, wearing a warm black cloak with silver clasps as he glanced at Malfoy's rather thin getup. 

"Don't say that! I didn't think this classroom would be so freezing," Malfoy complained. He really disliked looking bulky, worried it would ruin his image. 

To distract himself, he started to tease Harry Potter: "Oh, poor Potter and Weasley! Have your families abandoned you? Or is the Weasley family just too broke to support you, so you're all out begging together?" 

Crabbe and Goyle chuckled beside him but accidentally knocked over their cauldron in the process. 

Harry ignored Malfoy while Ron shot him an intense glare. 

This only fueled Malfoy's banter, and he wasn't going to let them off the hook until Potions class ended. 

He kept ridiculing the two unfortunate souls stuck at Hogwarts for Christmas, until Brian could no longer take it and pulled him away. 

"You know, I spent Christmas at Hogwarts too," Brian said helplessly. 

"Well, you're not like them," Malfoy muttered. "That's cool." 

"I'd actually love to spend Christmas at Hogwarts just once; it'd be so different from previous years," Malfoy said, lifting his chin in thought. "But my mom cried and begged me to come home, so I have to go back and comfort her." 

Soon enough, the Christmas break officially started, and most of the little wizards went home, leaving the school feeling quite empty. 

Brian held a letter sealed with a white rose; the lovely handwriting on the envelope was delicately scented, giving off a faint and elegant fragrance. 

It was a letter from his mom. 

As he unfolded it, Mrs. Walker expressed her support for his choice to stay at school during Christmas but also included some nagging advice, filled with longing and concern, which made Brian let out a slight sigh. 

He had never been in a situation like this and wasn't quite prepared to face her. 

Of course, this was just one reason he chose to stay; the more pressing one was he needed to check out the Mirror of Erised—the mirror that reflects one's deepest desires. 

He didn't just want to see it; he needed to see it. 

Perhaps it would reveal his true desires, helping him understand his own heart. 

This was significant. 

The mirror was meant to be there for Harry and only showed up during Christmas, so he had to hurry to find it. 

But it meant he'd likely be facing Dumbledore for the first time, who would definitely keep an eye on it. 

To prepare, he couldn't keep studying the Occlumency methodically; instead, he decided to focus on mastering it quickly. That should be enough to counter Dumbledore's potential use of Legilimency, since he wouldn't be able to use that magic directly on a student without getting caught—and it would be incredibly disrespectful too. 

When he stepped outside the castle, thick snow blanketed the ground. The Weasley twins, Fred and George, were engaged in a snowball fight, using magic to send their snowballs toward Quirrell, with several of them hitting him on the back of his head. 

Brian couldn't help but think that Voldemort, who chose to reside at the back of Quirrell's head, was truly unlucky. 

He secretly formed a snowball, gave it a tap with his wand, and tossed it into the Weasley brothers' pile, hitting Quirrell squarely on the back of the head. 

"That felt good," Brian remarked to himself. 

He twirled around a bit but ended up getting hit by a few of the Weasley brothers' snowballs as they magically chased after him. 

Brian pulled out his wand, trying to speed up his return fire, but it fell to the ground midway. The Weasley brothers just made goofy faces at him. 

Shaking his head and ignoring them, Brian turned back toward the castle, heading to Quirrell's office. 

He knocked on the door and stepped inside. 

Quirrell sat in a chair, flipping through a book, looking nothing like his earlier flustered self, though he did appear noticeably paler. 

"Professor Quirrell, you don't look well," Brian noted. 

"Oh, it's nothing, I just need a bit more rest," Quirrell replied, his voice trembling slightly. 

Brian nodded, not pressing the matter further. 

Perhaps the Dark Lord's possession was gradually draining his health, making him seem more and more weary. 

"I heard something from Porter that might help you. You know he's pretty close to Hagrid," Brian began. "Hagrid has always wanted to raise a dragon; he's quite obsessed with it." 

"If we could get our hands on a dragon egg, we might lower Hagrid's guard, then find a way to get him a bit tipsy, and maybe he'd spill some information," Brian proposed calmly. 

Don't be fooled by Hagrid's usual carefree demeanor; he can easily reveal too much when he's around those he's fond of. 

However, he's also very cautious with strangers. 

At least, he'd never allow anyone to get him drunk or reveal anything essential. 

But there's no denying he'd lose his cool when faced with something he desperately desires. 

And a dragon egg certainly fits the bill. 

"Well, that's one approach," Quirrell mused. "You've done well; keep your eyes peeled for any news."