Hogwarts: Voldemort, don't stop me from studying!

Slytherin students have never had a great reputation, but they are very united. Ever since Wade clashed with Malfoy and others in the hallway, other Slytherin students have stopped greeting them. Even in the classroom, the two groups keep a clear distance and don't mingle together.

However, the conflict between the two sides did not escalate to the level of the two houses. Nor did they engage in the kind of persistent trouble-making that occurred between Gryffindor and Slytherin.

“Get rid of that ‘couldn’t be,’” Wade said in a low voice. “They’re planning to ambush me!”

"Ambushing you... in the Potions classroom?" Michael suddenly realized. "No wonder you suddenly brought up potions yesterday... Were you planning to wait until they were ready before reporting to the professor? Or..."

His eyes darted around, and he said excitedly in a lower voice, "Lead Professor Snape over there—"

Chapter 89 Goodwill, Malice

Wade glanced at him and shook his head.

“Uh…” Michael paused, “You didn’t mean that? Then you’re planning to—”

“I’ll go myself,” Wade said.

"—Got it." Michael nodded. "I'll call everyone."

“No, Michael. I mean—I’ll go myself,” Wade emphasized again.

Michael's eyes widened instantly, his face filled with astonishment. After a moment, he frowned and said, "Who are you? You're not my friend Wade—you're some Gryffindor imposter, aren't you?"

Wade was speechless: "—I'm not kidding."

"Are you crazy?" Michael asked, his voice serious and anxious, almost shouting, "They're a group of people, and you're just one!"

"Ok, I know."

Wade patted his arm to calm him down—Michael's reaction was so strong that even Professor Binns, who lectured slowly, looked over.

Michael quickly lowered his head, held up "The History of Magic" to block the professor's view, then turned and glared fiercely at Wade, gritting his teeth as he said, "Any normal student knows that when a group of people want to bully you, the correct thing to do is to report it to the professor!"

“Yes, you’re right,” Wade whispered back. “But then the Slytherins will think we’re just cowardly nerds who only know how to tattle to the professor. They failed this time, and they’ll definitely be plotting their next scheme.”

“Then let’s teach them a lesson they’ll never forget!” Michael’s eyes were unusually deep. “Listen, I have an idea—Professor Snape has Potions class in the fourth year this afternoon. After class, you go ask him a question and use that opportunity to stall him. Then I’ll have someone pass a message to Slytherin, making them think you’re alone there, and they can throw a few dung bombs as a greeting…”

"And then Snape, who was overwhelmed by dung bombs, devoured them alive?" Wade retorted.

"How is it? Isn't it great?" Michael asked eagerly.

Wade nodded: "Great."

"Then we-"

“I’ve decided to go by myself,” Wade said stubbornly.

Michael paused for a moment, then said quietly, "Don't tell me—you were so moved by how hard Harry and Neville worked that you decided to gravitate towards Gryffindor?"

“How could that be?” Wade chuckled wryly. “I just… well… I can make sure I won’t be taken advantage of, and… I don’t want to take advantage of Professor Snape’s kindness and sense of responsibility…”

Michael fell silent.

He slumped onto the table, utterly exhausted, and sighed helplessly: "Wade—people who are too moral are bound to suffer—"

Wade couldn't help but laugh.

“At least not this time,” he said.

Wade was grateful that Michael had always thought of him, even at the cost of offending Slytherin and trying to take advantage of Professor Snape, but there were some things he couldn't say to Michael.

For example, Voldemort or the Death Eaters will visit the school every year in the future, and the situation they will face in the future will be much more brutal than it is now. Many people will die, including Dumbledore, who seems to be omnipotent in the eyes of the students.

For example, when Slytherin faces him, there are several house-elves in the school watching the situation closely, so he is actually not in any danger.

And... Michael's guess was correct; he was indeed somewhat affected by Harry and Neville.

Watching them get injured again and again in the umbrella house filled with cushions and pillows, and get up to train again and again, Wade would think of the little savior in the story who didn't even have the "Excalibur" weapon, yet went to face Quirrell and Voldemort alone.

Of course, Wade still thinks he was too reckless... but looking at it from another angle, is he being too cautious and lacking courage?

If even in an environment with a safety factor of over 90%, where any unexpected events can be resolved promptly, he still cannot directly confront the threat of several children, but instead has to resort to intrigue and trickery to obtain the help of others... then after Voldemort's resurrection, will he simply flee England with his tail between his legs?

Even if he were to leave this land one day, he should do so with dignity and integrity, rather than abandoning his friends and teachers, his dreams and future, and fleeing with his parents like a stray dog.

Moreover, it wasn't just Harry and his friends who were training in combat during this period; Wade was also observing, learning, and growing through the battles. He discovered that even the top performers, Harry and Hermione, were essentially stationary attackers—lacking flexibility and adaptability, possessing a limited number of spells, and the power of those spells was also quite limited.

When the opponent's spell came at them, it wasn't that they didn't want to move and dodge. But as soon as they moved, their magical hand gestures would change, making it easy for their spells to fail or miss—this was true for both of them, and Slytherin students couldn't be much better.

This is the normal level for first-grade students.

So even if he faced twice as many people, Wade couldn't imagine why he would lose.

……

Coincidentally, Ravenclaw and Slytherins again attended Herbalism class together in the afternoon. Although they maintained their distance, some of the Slytherins' malice almost materialized—

They weren't acting masters; keeping a secret all day was already their limit. But the way they conveyed their thoughts through their eyes and the smug, gloating look they occasionally gave Wade was enough to make even students who weren't involved realize what was going on.

“Wade, it seems like Slytherin is up to something bad.”

During the practical exercise, Anthony Goldstein specifically came over to Wade and said, "Let's all walk together after class so they don't cause you any trouble."

Wade glanced at him, then looked over his shoulder at the students behind him. Under their worried gazes, he shook his head and said with a smile, "Thank you—but no need. I know what I'm doing."

Goldstein turned to Michael and said, "Michael—"

"Don't try to persuade him," Michael shrugged. "When this guy gets stubborn, nobody can calm him down!"

When get out of class ended, several Slytherin students lingered outside the greenhouse, while the Ravenclaws, at Wade's signal, followed Goldstein away.

“Mr. Gray—” Professor Sprout suddenly said, “These sap-producing plants need to be moved to a different greenhouse. Could you help me get them?”

Wade, who was about to leave, paused for a moment, then said, "Of course, Professor."

He picked up a pot of sapwort, and Professor Sprout carried one for himself. As they left Greenhouse Number One, the Hufflepuff Headmaster looked at the Slytherins lingering around the greenhouse, his face darkening, and asked in a cold voice, "What else do you want?"

Don't be fooled by Professor Sprout's usual cheerful and easygoing demeanor; when she puts on a stern face, it's as if a volcano is about to erupt within her, which can be quite frightening.

Malfoy and the others hurriedly said, "No, no," and then ran away as fast as they could.

Wade almost burst out laughing.

Professor Sprout turned to him, his smile instantly becoming friendly: "Mr. Gray, I think you need some help?"

Wade smiled and shook his head. His eyes were clear and his smile was gentle. "Thank you, Professor. It's just a small misunderstanding—I can handle it myself."

Chapter 90 Ambush, Counterattack

Malfoy and his group hurriedly ran away, and when they returned to the empty Potions classroom, they were all somewhat dejected.

"Draco, we've already prepared all the mechanisms—what's going on?" Two girls carefully carried several glass bottles into the room, and they looked puzzled when they saw everyone's appearance.

“That’s enough, Pansy.” Nott frowned, his shoulders slumped, and he said weakly, “Grey is definitely not coming… Even Professor Sprout could tell; she kept Wade Grey.”

"You guys were too impatient! Now look what you've done, you've messed everything up!"

Malfoy angrily kicked over a stool and then sullenly sat down at the table. Crabbe and Goyle glared at the others, as if it were all their fault.

“Maybe next time.” Zabini shook his head, sat down, and sighed. “If you want to—you’ll eventually catch him.”

That being said, the initial momentum waned, and apart from Malfoy, the Slytherins' morale began to decline.

The blonde girl who followed Pansy in hesitated and said, "What should we do with these potions? Throw them away?"

The bottle contained a failed potion for scabies. Malfoy was a very good potion maker, but Neville's failed potion caused quite a bit of chaos in the first potions class, which left a deep impression on Malfoy.

In his opinion, that medicine was much more effective than any scabies treatment.

This time, in order to deal with Wade Grey, Malfoy secretly brewed a potion of scabies medicine and deliberately added porcupine quills before taking the pot off the fire, successfully obtaining a large bottle of green poison that could melt the crucible.

Unfortunately, this agent is constantly evaporating, and before long it will turn from a highly corrosive acidic solution into an ordinary liquid that will not cause any harm to people except for its unpleasant smell.

Malfoy waved his hand and said, "Throw it away... wait, give it to me, Daphne."

He suddenly had a bad idea. He took the glass bottles from Daphne's hand and carefully stuffed them one by one into the corner cabinet—Malfoy had inquired and found out that Wade often sat in that spot.

“I have some more here, Draco!” Pansy pushed Daphne aside and kindly handed her the potion she was holding.

Daphne hesitated, "What if someone gets hurt?"

"Who cares!" Malfoy said nonchalantly. "Consider them unlucky! Maybe the professor will even put Gray in detention! — Wade Gray, why did you put such a dangerous thing in your desk? Intentionally harming a classmate, Ravenclaw deduct fifty points!"

Malfoy's imitation of Professor Snape scolding Harry Potter immediately drew laughter from everyone. Nott even made a strange face and cried out in a high-pitched voice, "I didn't, Professor—I don't know what happened—"

"Hahaha—" The others laughed so hard they slammed their fists on the table, almost unable to breathe.

"He's here! He's here!" a boy shouted excitedly as he ran in. "Draco, he's coming this way!"

"Who?" Malfoy didn't react for a moment.

"Who else could it be?" Millison Burst jumped up and down in a panic, shouting, "—Wade Gray!"

“How could this be—” Zabini said in bewilderment.

"He probably thought that because the professor warned us, we wouldn't dare to make a move!" Malfoy jumped off his chair, took out another medicine bottle from the cabinet, and handed it to the group, urging, "Hurry up, do it the way we agreed before!"

Everyone sprang into action. The two girls moved a little further away, but Pansy couldn't resist moving closer to Malfoy, as if she were fighting alongside him. Several boys drew their wands and locked the classroom windows, then prepared to cast spells. Crabbe and Goyle were ready to throw scabies medicine out like they were holding grenades, while Nott even pulled out two hidden dung bombs from under the medicine cabinet.

Daphne peered out the window, hiding in a corner to avoid being discovered, observing cautiously.

“It is indeed Wade Gray,” the blonde girl said softly. “He came alone.”

"Didn't you bring anyone else?" Zabini asked, frowning.