[Also I will be posting 8 chapters weekly (12000) words in total). 4 will be free available here, and 4 more can be accessed on my buy me a coffee or the patre-on.

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Enjoy! (Copyable link is in the Synopsis)

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After the first victory, taken by Gryffindor, the celebratory mood lasted for weeks, and the sourness of loss lasted even longer. The end of the year was upon them, and so were the holidays.

“You are staying?”

“Right. Mom said that she is very sorry that Dad can’t come and pick us up.”

“Ginny’s probably crying.”

“Probably,” Tifa sighed, “I sent her a letter and promised we would visit during the summer vacations.”

“Don’t worry about that one.”

“Right. She’s joining Hogwarts next year.”

“I bet she’s stick to the three of you.”

“Don’t include me,” Cloud replied to the twins, sitting with them at the table for the morning breakfast.

“No way, I am giving these two to anyone else,” Angelina put her hand around Tifa’s waist, seductively, challengingly looking at Cloud.

“Ohh!!!”

“Woof!”

Tifa’s eyes fluttered, embarrassed, and she raised them to meet with Cloud. Though he was somewhat focused on his food, he was lost in thought.

Lee Jordan nudged Cloud in the stomach, “Come on, man! What are you sulking about? Don’t tell me it’s like they say? Because Gryffindor won without you?”

Cloud glanced at Lee, who raised his hands as if desperately trying to surrender and save his life, saying, “Others! Other houses are saying that?!”

“It’s not that,” Cloud shook his head, only for Lee to blink and sneakily ask him the other thing.

“Then are you worried about what they are saying? That you were the one who cast the dark magic to make Harry almost fall off from the Broom?”

“Cloud would never do that!” “He didn’t do it!”

Tifa and Aerith stood up simultaneously, scowling at Lee, who was too shocked to say anything.

Though their declaration caused everyone else to stop talking amongst themselves and look over here.

Alicia slapped the back of Lee’s head, “You should keep your mouth shut.”

“Mr. Strife. If you would please follow me?”

Cloud raised his head, looking over to Professor McGonagall, who walked in and stood up. He disliked being the center of attention, and the attention and scrutiny he had been getting recently were annoying, especially when the System gave them a New Mission.

They only had three days but barely the time to get away and do it. Above all, if they didn’t, this would likely die.

He slowly stood up, walking towards Professor McGonagall, and every eye in the room followed him, silently watching him leave.

Professor McGonagall glanced towards Tifa and Aerith, who was already walking towards them while nobody noticed, “Not you two. Only Mr. Strife.”

Cloud used the party chat to send them a voice message, ‘Sit. I’ll keep the chat open so you always know what is happening.’

Tifa and Aerith exchanged a look, nodding towards him, and sat down.

Professor McGonagall wasn’t sure what stopped them, but she took Cloud and started moving towards the entrance she came from when three people stood up again.

“Mr. Potter, sit and finish your—”

“Professor! Cloud didn’t do it!” Harry looked up at Professor McGonagall, having heard it all from Ron and Hermione.

Once the match was over, many started wondering what happened to his broom, who charmed him. Even the barely had the time to think before Ron and Hermione told him what had happened.

A rumor started after a few days that someone saw Cloud casting magic, wandless magic, with hand signs, and maybe he did it. The rumor spread like wildfire, and it didn’t matter how many people they talked to that it wasn’t like that; no one wished to hear.

There were others, many who wholeheartedly believed that Cloud wouldn’t do something like that. But whenever these people confronted Cloud, he did not explain, and by now, even they had stopped trying.

“Right! We saw!” Ron and Hermione supported it, and Ron was about to declare who he saw.

“Shut up and sit,” Cloud lightly said, but his harsh words scared Ron’s mouth shut. His following sentence was barely loud enough for the three of them and a few around to hear, “You know nothing of what is truly going on. You are no different from the other idiots if you accuse someone without proof.”

“We saw it!” Hermione fiercely protested. She was sure she saw Snape maintain eye contact with the broom, which was needed to cast a curse of that magnitude.

“They saw something too,” Cloud gazed into her eyes and started walking away, leaving a stunned Hermione, Ron, and Harry behind.

“Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger. Keep whatever you saw to yourself for now. And do not spread rumors without proof. We already have our hands filled dealing with this one,” Professor McGonagall walked out with Cloud, traversing the corridors of Hogwarts.

While silently walking, Professor McGonagall said, “Thank you, Mr. Strife.”

Cloud kept walking forward, “He’s a good teacher.”

Professor McGonagall smiled, “I am sure Professor would be happy to hear such praise from his best student.”

She sighed, “He never boasts about anything, but just the last year, we heard him boast about you. We couldn’t believe for a moment that it was true. He probably regrets that you weren’t sorted into Slytherin when the Hat gave that option.”

“Hm,” Cloud hesitantly bat an eyelid, remembering when he had to sit under the sorting hat.

Unlike the others, when he put the hat on, it confused the hat intensely. It was probably the voices in his head; with every voice, there was another house, and he couldn’t decide which one was good for him.

But by then, Aerith had been sorted out into Gryffindor, so he chose to tell the hat to put him in that house, and it did. Though, he got along nicely with Professor Severus Snape.

Like him, Professor didn’t like to talk much; he was more about doing and showing than saying. And in the first year, he had to get a better idea about handling the ingredient than what was written in the book.

On too many occasions, Professor Severus Snape helped with that, “He’s truly a wizard with the potions.”

Professor McGonagall looked back at Cloud, who remembered who he was talking to, “It’s a Muggle saying. When someone does something that seems nigh-impossible, they compare it to a wizard.”

Cloud wondered for a moment, “For Wizards…the equivalent would be…He’s like merlin with the potions.”

“Ah,” Professor McGonagall smiled, “I guess that’s very true. Now, we should hurry. Professor Dumbledore is waiting.”

Cloud slightly nodded, walking with her, waiting for her to open the hidden stairs behind the statue, walking up to the Headmaster Dumbledore’s Room.

Dumbledore’s room was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. Several curious silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all snoozing gently in their frames. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and a shabby, tainted wizard's hat was sitting on a shelf behind it.

“Welcome, welcome. Sorry about the mess,” Dumbledore waved his hand, and the chair shifted back, allowing Cloud to sit without having to pull it back.

“Now, I am sure you are wondering why I have called you here.”

“Not really.”

‘Cloud!’

Cloud lightly smiled, hearing Tifa’s scolding voice, “What is it?”

Headmaster Dumbledore raised his eyebrows and stood up, nodding, “Do you know there are few Magics that could be considered Superpowers? Only a few people in history could use them, and never again? I always wondered if we should classify them differently, like turning into a Werewolf. It can’t be mastered like magic. Immortality. Parseltongue. And I have always wondered if we should classify them differently.”

Cloud shrugged, and Dumbledore stood up and walked around the room, adjusting a few things, “These Muggles, they have those comics with Superheroes. This might be embarrassing, but I tried to recreate those Superpowers. Laser eyes would look amazing if I were the one to do it, won’t they?”

“Probably, and flying would look good too? Though wearing underpants over your wizard robe might be going too far.”

An audible smile slipped from Professor McGonagall’s lips, and Headmaster Dumbledore adjusted his robe, clearing his throat, “Ahem. Right. I am trying to say is…these Superpowers are different from magic, far more destructive, and need one to be far more responsible for it.”

“Do you understand what I am saying? Mr. Strife?”

“Yes, I do,” Cloud lightly said.

“Well then, Mr. Strife. You are free to go and enjoy breakfast as for the rumors. Do not worry. I will handle it,” Dumbledore smiled at him, sitting down.

Cloud stood up and turned to leave, nodding at Professor McGonagall as he did, taking his leave.

“He’s like that,” Professor McGonagall said in his defense.

“Yes, that is what everyone says,” Dumbledore sat down, smiling, “I have little idea what is going on in that boy’s mind. Though I am sure that boy is in love.”

“Ah, you think so?” Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows.

Headmaster Dumbledore rubbed his beard, chuckling to himself, “Yes, that smile of him. I can be sure that boy is in love. Though what troubles me is what here reminded him of her in this room.”

“It’s probably not the room, but even I could hear Tifa’s scolding voice when he said not really.”

“Hahaha, wasn’t the first time?”

“No, it’s the usual,” Professor McGonagall shook her head, “By now, I think he does it on purpose to rile her up.”

“Ah, love,” Headmaster Dumbledore leaned back, “Beautiful thing, isn’t it?”

Before Professor McGonagall could nod, he announced his confusion, “Wait. Wasn’t Mr. Strife caught with Miss Gainsborough?”

“Don’t ask me,” Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows in defeat.

“Huh. If we assume that Miss Lockhart is the one he loves, they were nowhere near close to that place. How did they know?” Headmaster wondered for a moment, and a smile appeared on his lips, “They may have that.”

“What?”

“The thing that disappeared from Filch’s office?”

“That? No, they wouldn’t steal.”

“Probably not.”

She didn’t need him to speak when she knew, “Twins!”

“I’ll be right back.”

“Now, now, Minerva. We aren’t allowed to search the rooms of the students. It’d be better if we leave it alone for now.”

“Those two,” Professor McGonagall furrowed her brows, “Anyway, what do you suggest we do about these rumors. He’s just a boy. And now, he’s being portrayed as a Dark Wizard. I dread to think what would happen if this was too much for him and pushed him on a Dark Path.”

“Do not worry. I will be announcing that,” Headmaster Dumbledore said, narrowing his eyes, “And can you please leak some news to the papers.”

“That’s…there’s going to be blowback. A big one.”

“Nothing we can’t handle. I prefer the blowback to sacrificing a boy for it. Though, can you bring me, Mr. Potter? This would need his permission.”

“Yes, Headmaster.”

Gryffindor Common Room,

Cloud entered the common room, one of the few places where he wasn’t being bothered. Aerith and Tifa took each hand, walking with him to the room.

“Everyone is waiting there.”

“I’d rather we talk in private?” Cloud was worried that only two and a half days were left for the mission to be completed.

“Later,” Aerith stroked his upper arm, taking him to his dorm room, which was filled with their friends.

The first step they took, Lee Jordon held his ear, “I am so sorry! I didn’t mean it like that!”

“Yeah, yeah. He got his share of beating,” Fred and George patted Lee Jordon’s back.

“I made sure to teach him a lesson,” Angelina sat down on the bed, waving her hand, “What happened with Professor McGonagall? Why did she call you?”

“I don’t know. I met with Headmaster Dumbledore, and then I came back,” Cloud looked towards Hermione, Ron, and Harry, huddling together on one side, “What are they doing here?”

“Hermione saw who did it. So we are going to decide what we are going to do with that knowledge.”

“Nothing. We are doing nothing with that,” Cloud sighed, shooting a look towards Aerith, who shrugged and walked over from his back, hiding behind Tifa, looking from over her shoulder, mouthing, ‘All her.’

“I saw Professor Snape! You might not believe it, but it’s true! He was muttering, an incantation of sorts!” Ron jumped up, declaring what he saw.

Cloud breathed in annoyance, “Do you have a shred of proof? Do you know how long Professor Snape has been a teacher at Hogwarts? How much time has he given to this school? And you want to blame him in front of his peers and students without proof? He could be cursing. Or he could be hoping for Harry to fall for all we know; it doesn’t make a difference since we can’t prove it. You will make an enemy and get more minus points for the House and more scrutiny.”

He breathed out, shooting a look towards Tifa, “We don’t need scrutiny. Not any more than we have already garnered. They don’t understand that. You do, right?”

“I…” She parted her lips without explaining, “I was just worried.”

“To be safe. We are leaving,” Cloud walked towards the stairs to make way to Forbidden Forest.

“Wait, what is that supposed to mean? Where are you going?”

“Exactly my point,” Cloud glanced towards Angelina and left through the stairs.

Tifa clasped her hands together, apologizing, “Sorry. We’ll see you later.”

“You are not going to tell us where you three are going, right?”

“Yeah, sorry about that.”

Tifa hastily rushed after him, and Aerith leisurely waved her hand, grinning, looking towards Harry, Hermione and Ron with piqued interest.

“Hey, find his motive, other than disliking Harry, and then we can talk,” Aerith left right after.

Once they were out of the building, moving towards the Forbidden Forest, Tifa forced Cloud to stop, “Cloud. Explain to me.”

Cloud scratched his cheek, running his fingers through his hair, “Give me a moment. I’ll tell you once we are out of here. My head hurts right now.”

Tifa took a sharp breath and started hastened her step, “then it better be good. Because that can’t always be the excuse, Cloud.”

Cloud watched her walk away angrily, looking up at the morning sky, which seemed dull from the cold winter, “I know.”

Aerith pressed her lips, hugging him from the side, stroking his back, “I understand. I have an idea as to why they are so noisy. Tell her, and she’d as well.”

Cloud put his arm around her waist, pressing his lips, letting the shred of kindness become visible in his eyes, “I read a magazine that men don’t like smart girls.”

They had to go through numerous Magazines to know what was happening in the world and the norms of this world—Muggle and otherwise.

Aerith curved the corner of her lips, “Good thing you are still a boy, Cloud. A good boy.”

Cloud softly laughed, trying to hide it, hearing her comment, “Right. For now.”

“Oh, my,” Aerith blinked, “Though you are a good boy. Not an intelligent one. Flirting with another girl when yours is angry and waiting?”

Cloud worriedly raised his eyebrow, biting his lip, taking in a sharp breath, “Right.”

“Now you are just being painfully delicious,” Aerith licked her lips, “Maybe we should make haste as well?”

Cloud rolled his eyes at her, “Yeahh…should.”