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Chapter 14: Nerd
🕑 Added 2025-02-09 18:12:22 +0000 UTC
"Ms. Granger, are you a professor now, questioning us like this?"
Kenn frowned and replied to the girl in front of him without any politeness.
That's right—the one who had stopped Noah and his group was none other than Hermione Granger from Gryffindor. But her attitude was so arrogant that it was genuinely unpleasant.
Noah, however, understood why she acted this way. Her behavior stemmed from her deep-seated insecurity. As a Muggle-born witch, Hermione constantly felt the need to prove herself in the wizarding world. It was this insecurity that drove her to work so hard, and at the same time, made her come across as overbearing.
But in reality, she wasn’t as strong as she seemed. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have run off to cry in the girls’ bathroom over a few cruel words. Her bossy demeanor was just a shield to protect herself.
Still, just because Noah understood her didn’t mean he had to accept her attitude.
He had no intention of playing the role of a pushover. Even if he knew that "being nice" might bring rewards in the long run, the idea of groveling for someone's approval disgusted him.
So when Kenn snapped back at Hermione, Noah didn’t stop him.
After all, Kenn was his roommate—a good one at that—while Hermione was just an aggressive student from another house. Even an idiot would know who to side with.
"I—" Hermione stammered, momentarily lost for words. She quickly realized her mistake.
She wasn’t talking to her Gryffindor classmates or her usual acquaintances like Harry and Ron.
She was dealing with Ravenclaws—the house famous for producing some of the most brilliant witches and wizards in history. She knew how capable they were.
"Alright, Kenn," Noah finally said, shaking his head.
Then he turned to Hermione. "Ms. Granger, if you really want to know so much, you should read more books. None of this is a secret. And instead of standing here wasting time with us, wouldn’t it be better to go back to the Gryffindor common room and learn something new?"
Without waiting for her response, Noah turned and led Evan, Kenn, and Lance toward the eighth floor.
Of course, he didn’t mention that some books weren’t available to just anyone. After all, not everyone had a system and access to the Room of Requirement.
---
"That was a bit harsh, don’t you think, Noah?" Evan said as they climbed the stairs.
"Really? I don’t think so." Noah shrugged.
"She’s actually quite smart," Kenn admitted. "If she were a Ravenclaw, I’d have considered inviting her to study with us. What a waste."
"Well, personal choices have nothing to do with us," Lance added. "So, how about we practice some spells today? Maybe we can summon Professor Flitwick to teach us some advanced magic?"
Among the group, each of them had their own strengths.
Evan was quiet and reserved. He excelled in theoretical magic, especially Defense Against the Dark Arts, and was the fastest to master the Patronus Charm.
Lance was cheerful but only around familiar people. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of wizarding history and excelled in Transfiguration and Potions. His greatest passion was mastering new spells.
Kenn seemed serious with strangers, but once comfortable, he was full of sarcastic comments and mischief. He was the most talented in Defense Against the Dark Arts and spellcasting.
As for Noah?
This guy had already finished all the first-year textbooks and was far ahead of his peers. Thanks to his system and his natural talent, he had long surpassed even his own roommates.
Noah Finnell
Age: 11
Mage Level: Order 0, Rank 5
"I’m fine with that," Noah replied.
"Of course you are," Kenn scoffed. "You were the first to discover the Room of Requirement and the first to master advanced spells. Asking for your opinion is pointless."
"Alright, let’s drop it," Noah chuckled. "By the way, Quidditch season is starting soon. Any of you interested?"
"Not really. I’d rather spend my time mastering new spells," Kenn replied.
"Aren’t you worried people will think we’re just a bunch of nerds?"
"Aren’t all Ravenclaws nerds in everyone else’s eyes?"
…Fair point.
Laughing, the four of them continued toward the Room of Requirement.
On the way, they passed several Gryffindor students, but neither side made any attempt to greet each other.
After all, Gryffindor had lost a ton of house points in Potions earlier because of Harry, while Ravenclaw had gained 50 points thanks to Noah’s group. The difference was so stark that even attempting small talk would have been awkward.
So, without any interruptions, Noah and his friends arrived at the eighth floor.
They checked their surroundings to make sure no one was watching before slipping into the Room of Requirement.
---
Meanwhile, on the Quidditch pitch, Harry Potter was feeling far from excited.
He clutched his broom as he walked toward the training ground, lost in thought.
Behind him, Ron Weasley wasn’t looking too great either.
He felt terrible about not helping Harry earlier during Potions class. It made him feel like a lousy friend.
"Ron," Harry suddenly asked, breaking the silence, "in Charms class… were they the first ones to master the spell?"
"Huh?"
Ron took a moment to process the question. Then he nodded.
"Yeah. In our first Charms class, Finnell was the first to get Wingardium Leviosa right. And it’s been the same ever since. I heard they’re all from the same dormitory."
Harry’s face fell slightly. "I see… They really are impressive."
His voice was quiet.
Ron instantly recognized that Harry was feeling down.
After all, Harry had always thought he was naturally talented at magic. But reality was proving otherwise.
Aside from his skills in flying, everything else felt subpar.
Seeing his friend's mood drop, Ron quickly tried to cheer him up.
"Harry, don’t let it get to you. Those guys are total nerds. I bet if they had to actually duel, they wouldn’t even know what to do."
"Really?" Harry muttered. "Maybe… I just hope they’re really just nerds."
But deep down, he wasn’t so sure.
And the shadow of Snape’s cruel words still loomed over him.
---
