Hogwarts: Voldemort, don't stop me from studying

Chapter 36 Griffiths
The red-haired wizard tapped the picture frame out of boredom, and from time to time he looked over to see what the other portraits were doing.

This tower is called the Astronomy Tower by students because they observe the stars and take astronomy classes on the top of the tower every week. Even most of the portraits in the corridor are related to astronomy. Most of them are quiet and silent, and no one wants to chat with him.

Suddenly he heard footsteps, and then saw a familiar student walking by, and hurriedly chased after him.

"Hey, are you better from your cold? Murray gave you the medicine, right? That old guy's stimulant is really good--"

He thought that the student would walk away without looking back like before, but unexpectedly, the other party suddenly stopped and looked at him thoughtfully.

"Your name is Griffiths?" Wade asked.

"Yes!" The red-haired wizard nodded happily, "Morry told you, right? Now he is the only one who chats with me occasionally."

"Aren't there many portraits here?" Wade gestured around.

"Oh, forget it," Griffiths said gloomily. "Did you see the old man in the portrait across the street?"

Wade looked over and saw an old wizard with stars painted on his robe and hat. He was standing in front of a large telescope, looking at the starry sky intently.

Griffiths said, "He has been holding a telescope for hundreds of years, observing the starry sky in the portrait that has not changed for hundreds of years. He just finds me annoying; and Salome, the one with glasses, is always writing and calculating on parchment, and never stops. In fact, the results of her calculations have been confirmed by Muggle scientists more than a hundred years ago, but she still keeps calculating."

Wade saw a skinny witch bent over her desk calculating, and she did not stop even after hearing what Griffiths said.

"And those little stargazers over there, see? They're just like Cornish goblins," Griffiths complained. "When they're not stargazing or sleeping, they're always making trouble - knocking over the old star man's telescope, tearing up Shalom's parchment, or pulling my hair and spilling ink on my robe! I've had enough!"

Griffiths sighed lonely and helplessly. Even though Wade was in a bad mood, he was still amused by him, and the gloom, heaviness and doubt in his heart seemed to be dispelled.

He asked, "How long have you been hanging here? Aren't you used to it yet?"

"Oh, you don't know, I was originally hung in the lobby on the first floor, surrounded by portraits. Every day I could watch the little wizards coming and going, and occasionally teach them pranks. It was so interesting." Griffiths said regretfully, "But later, in order to hang up Fusco's portrait, they moved me to the Astronomy Tower. I originally thought it would be nice to meet some new friends. I didn't expect this place to be so boring!"

"Can't the portrait be shown around?" Wade asked.

"Of course you can, but that's very laborious, and I'll just have to stay in my own portrait most of the time." Griffiths said expectantly, "Can you move my portrait back to the hallway? Or somewhere else that's more busy? I'll repay you!"

Wade did not agree immediately, but said: "I have to ask the professor first. As long as they don't object, I will help you move to another place."

Griffiths thought for a moment and asked, "--What if they object?"

"Then I'll secretly help you move it to another place, but it can't be placed in the hallway - that's too conspicuous." Wade said.

"Great!" Griffiths was so excited that he almost jumped up and urged, "Then go ask! Ask as soon as possible."

"……okay."

Wade smiled and turned away. He had originally wanted to ask Griffiths if Professor Murray had really come out of his office in the morning, and if Quirrell often came to this place. But after a few words, he gave up the idea.

The red-haired wizard was extremely talkative and didn't look like someone who could keep a secret; and he and Professor Murray must have known each other for a longer time, so why would Wade ask him to keep a secret for him?
It’s better to move the portrait to another place first… and then make plans.

……

Terrence Murray finally finished teaching the seventh grade students, and left angrily with his lesson plan, leaving behind a few quail-like students looking at each other with listless expressions as if they had just been baptized by a storm.

What does "first-year students are better than you" mean? Do first-year students know what alchemy is? Do they know how to write "0" in runes?

They were not convinced, but under Professor Murray's reprimand, no one dared to refute. They could only lower their heads and say submissively: "Yes, yes, you are right."

Professor Murray became even angrier.

After meeting Wade, he became more and more dissatisfied with these students whom he had carefully selected. When he looked at the alchemical works they had completed last time, he became even more dissatisfied. In the end, he assigned five times the usual amount of homework, and still felt that these students had it too easy.

Professor Murray returned to his office angrily, and heard an enthusiastic voice from afar: "Did the class go well today, Professor Murray? The little wizards must have learned a lot of knowledge, right?"

It is difficult to be truly indifferent to such an enthusiastic attitude. Professor Murray smiled unconsciously: "Oh, Griffiths!"

"Yeah, who else but me?" Griffiths said.

Professor Murray couldn't help but stand in the corridor and complain to him about his students: "-- Not only is he not as smart as others, he is not even as hardworking as others. Why is he learning alchemy? He might as well be a decoration in the Ministry of Magic!"

"So you've taken a fancy to that little wizard?" Griffiths asked with a smile, lying on the picture frame.

Professor Murray was silent for a moment, then suddenly sighed.

"Griffiths, talented wizards often behave differently from others since childhood. They are talented and attract everyone's attention as soon as they enter school. However, talented people always yearn to learn difficult and dangerous magic, master more powerful powers, and pursue greater benefits. Not many people are willing to settle down and study alchemy."

"But in my opinion, even if you master the most dangerous forbidden magic in the world, what can it do? Look at those people who were once famous! Some fell as quickly as a meteor, some became notorious dark lords, and some had nothing even though they had such a great reputation! The more powerful they are, the more death and killing they bring to the world!"

"Alchemy should be the only thing that can truly bring change to the wizarding world and bring happiness to people! Only by constantly learning from Muggles, innovating technology, and improving alchemical products can we make the wizarding world develop better and... only then can we prevent wizards from being wiped out by Muggles."

"But over the years... although I have made some achievements in introducing some Muggle-invented products into the wizarding world, I feel like a baby learning to walk. The harder I try to catch up with the giant, the more I find that the gap between the two sides is so huge that it makes me despair... and this gap is getting bigger every moment."

"And my students? All they think about is inventing some popular magic item and making a lot of money. All they think about is this—"

"But that kid's different, isn't he?" Griffiths asked suddenly.

"Yes..." Professor Murray smiled, "even though he is only eleven years old."

(End of this chapter)