NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 207: Niffler
The first morning of the new term at Hogwarts had begun with an explosion of laughter, and for once, it wasn't due to a prank by the Weasley twins—or at least, not directly.
Ever since the Daily Prophet article had gone viral, Gilderoy Lockhart had been receiving howlers. Dozens of them. Each morning, as he stepped into the Great Hall, his chair would be surrounded by floating red envelopes. Some screamed. Others sobbed. One even belted out an impromptu ballad about heartbreak and abandonment.
Apparently, Lockhart's fictional ex-lover, Lavinia Lovelace, had a legion of sympathizers.
That morning, a particularly shrill howler had declared:
"YOU PROMISED HER THE STARS, GILDEROY! SHE BELIEVED IN YOU! MONSTER!"
…and then exploded in flames on the staff table, narrowly missing his breakfast scone.
Cael, Fred, George, and Lee Jordan had taken to observing the chaos with professional pride.
But the prank was behind them now, and lessons had resumed. The snow still blanketed the grounds, and the sky hung low and gray as Cael made his way to the Care of Magical Creatures class, bundled in his Gryffindor cloak. Today's session was being held just beyond the paddock near Hagrid's hut, under the supervision of Professor Silvanus Kettleburn.
The eccentric professor—with one hand and several fingers missing from past "incidents"—was beaming with excitement as he unveiled a curious little creature.
"Nifflers!" he announced with a sweeping gesture. "Adorable little devils—unless you happen to have gold in your pockets!"
The small, burrowing creature immediately sprang toward Cael, its long snout twitching as it tried to dig into his robes.
Cael laughed, raising his hands defensively.
"Oh, little man, you don't get to steal from me. You've got no idea how much stuff is in these pockets."
He gently nudged the Niffler away as it grumbled in protest, still sniffing for treasure. That's when a soft, amused voice spoke from behind him.
"You probably shouldn't tell it that. Now it's just more eager to get in there. They're sneaky little fellas."
Cael turned and saw Cho Chang standing beside him, her Ravenclaw scarf snug around her neck, a warm smile on her face.
"Cho," Cael said, smiling back. "Yes, you're right. But they are cute. They've got the intelligence of at least a five-year-old, which is impressive for magical creatures."
Cho crouched beside him, watching the Niffler scamper. "They're clever, that's for sure. The only problem is their obsession with shiny things. Some of them have even learned to trade—imagine that."
Cael chuckled and nodded. "Smart, greedy little goblins."
As the class continued tending to their assigned Nifflers, Cho glanced sideways at him. "By the way… that prank on Lockhart the other day? That was hilarious. Honestly, thank you for that. Everyone needed a good laugh."
Cael raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Not a Lockhart fan then?"
Cho immediately made a face. "God, no. Absolutely impossible. His books are well-written, I'll give him that. But the man himself? Flamboyant. Fake. Full of himself."
Cael sighed in mock relief. "Finally. A sensible girl in Hogwarts."
Cho giggled. "Careful. Say that out loud, and you'll make enemies with half the female population of this school."
"Nah, don't worry," Cael grinned. "By the end of the year, they'll all see what kind of man he really is."
As class ended, students turned in their notes, said their goodbyes to the burrowing Nifflers, and began making their way back to the castle. Cael and Cho walked together through the snow-dusted path toward the Great Hall.
"I saw your Quidditch match last term," Cael said casually. "It was exciting. Shame it got canceled because of… well, the incident."
Cho gave a small laugh, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm glad you were there. And yes, it was unfortunate, but I'm sure the next match will go as planned. Against Gryffindor, isn't it?"
"Yup. Harry will be Seeker, as usual. So be more careful "
She grinned. "He's talented, no doubt. But I don't think I'll fall short. This time, I'm catching the Snitch."
Cael smiled. "Well, I'll be cheering you both on."
They entered the Great Hall together, still laughing as they walked toward their respective tables. Unbeknownst to them, someone had been watching.
At the Slytherin table, Cassandra Vole sat slicing her steak a little too aggressively. Her Green eyes narrowed as she caught sight of Cael and Cho stepping through the doors, talking and smiling like old friends.
She lowered her fork, watching as they parted ways—Cho to Ravenclaw, Cael to Gryffindor. The laughter between them echoed in her mind longer than it should have.
Why should it matter?
She stabbed another piece of steak.
It doesn't matter. It's none of my concern. He can talk to whomever he pleases. He's not my—
Her thoughts stuttered. She looked down at her food, then across the hall at Cho, who was now chatting with Marietta and Padma Patil.
Something about the sight tugged at her. A strange tightness twisted in her chest. She told herself she didn't care. She repeated it silently.
And yet… the steak had lost all its flavor.