Hogwarts: Voldemort, don't stop me from studying

Chapter 58: Last Quarter Moon

"So - your parchment -" said Ferdinand palely.

"The Friends' Book, my dear, it's the Friends' Book!"

Fiona corrected him dissatisfiedly - how could her son's outstanding and great invention be simply referred to as "parchment"?

"Well - Book of Friends -" Ferdinand corrected, staring at Wade with his eyes wide open: "After selling the patent - they gave you 50,000 Galleons - and there will be a steady stream of - patent royalties later?"

There was something wrong with his demeanor, which made the originally happy Wade feel a little uneasy. He subconsciously became serious and said seriously, "Yes, father."

"There was even someone who wanted to buy it out with 200,000 Galleons, but your professor didn't agree?"

"Yes."

Ferdinand seemed to be having difficulty breathing and said, "You are still following your professor--"

"——Professor Murray."

"Yes, it was Professor Murray—and a businessman—who went to Diagon Alley—"

"——It's Mr. Marco Marchioni." Wade thought for a moment and said, "They all take good care of me."

"And before your eyes—and a goblin's—eyes, he transferred all 50,000 gold Galleons?"

"Yes, father."

Ferdinand's expression was too strange. It didn't seem like he was simply proud or happy for him. Wade felt a little uneasy.

Only then did he realize that he should have asked his parents for their opinions - but under Marchionne's urging, everything today seemed to be accelerated, and he subconsciously ignored it.

Logically speaking, Professor Murray and Marchionne were not such careless people. But considering that neither of his parents knew magic, perhaps in their eyes, although Wade was only eleven years old, he was the only person in the Grey family with whom they could communicate and make decisions on an equal footing.

Wade felt a little uncomfortable after realizing this. He suppressed his emotions and tried to speak in a relaxed tone: "Because school is about to start, Mr. Marchionne is very anxious and afraid of missing this opportunity to make money, so everything seems to be in a hurry - sorry, Dad, I forgot that I should come back to discuss it with you first."

"Okay! Wade is only eleven years old, do you still expect him to do everything well?" Fiona pretended to be unhappy and pushed Ferdinand away, then hugged her son and kissed his forehead very hard: "Great, baby! Mom is so proud of you! How many eleven-year-old children can achieve financial freedom by themselves? And it's your unique patent! It's so shocking! I can't believe that I can give birth to such an outstanding son!"

She kissed him and pulled Wade up from the sofa, urging him, "What are you waiting for? Come and have dinner, I made a big meal! Ferdie - go wash your hands too!"

"--good."

Wade, who was pushed to the dining table, turned around and saw Ferdinand standing up with the help of the sofa back. He even staggered and almost fell when he walked towards the bathroom.

Fiona didn't see it, she hummed a song and happily opened the lid, the aroma of food immediately awakened the taste buds of several people. But Ferdinand couldn't eat the whole time, he almost poked the tomato into his nose, and after the steak on the fork fell off, he chewed it for a few times before he realized it.

"Your dad is so shocked!" Fiona was worried that Wade would feel frustrated or disappointed, so she whispered to him, "When he was eleven, he couldn't even figure out addition and subtraction within 100!"

This is too exaggerated.

Wade couldn't help but smile, for the non-existent, clumsy father his mother mentioned, and for the love shining in his mother's eyes.

"Dad..." After dinner, Wade asked tentatively, "Professor Murray helped me a lot today. Although he said it was not necessary, I still wanted to thank him, but I didn't know how to do it."

According to some "hidden workplace rules" he learned in his previous life, it was appropriate to give 20,000 to 30,000 Galleons to a "noble man" like Professor Mori at this time, otherwise it would be "ignorant". But Wade hesitated for a long time, still feeling that if he said so, Professor Mori might turn hostile on the spot.

Past experience cannot be applied to the present, at least not to Professor Mori, otherwise it is hard to say whether it is "thank you" or "insult". As an eleven-year-old child, Wade knows that he does not need to be too sophisticated or too smooth. But Wade also feels that he cannot accept Professor Mori's kindness as if nothing happened.

"Oh..." Ferdinand was a little stunned. After a long while, he said, "Write a thank-you letter, Wade..."

"write a letter?"

Wade didn't expect that the advice he gave Steven during the day was to write a letter, and this advice was sent back to him by his father at night.

"Yes, write a letter with sincerity and heart -" Ferdinand thought for a while and said, "On Professor Murray's birthday or holidays, remember to send him a small gift - most importantly, repay him with better grades..."

"I see." Vader nodded.

"Well, go write the letter, Wade. And--" Ferdinand smiled with some difficulty: "I'm very proud of you, son."

……

After watching his son return to his bedroom, Ferdinand sat down and put his hands in his hair, looking particularly dejected.

"What's wrong with you today?" Fiona hugged him from behind, resting her head on his neck, her long hair sliding down her shoulders. She muttered in dissatisfaction: "The little invention Wade made sold a lot of money, the professors at school were so kind to him, and the businessmen he met were honest and enthusiastic... Everything is good, why do you look like this? Wade didn't even smile when he returned to his room... Ferdie, no matter what the reason, don't be a parent who spoils the fun, okay..."

She muttered to herself, feeling her husband's tense muscles gradually relax.

"Yes, you are right." Ferdinand held his wife's hand and tried to smile. "Their professor is a good man... everything is fine... I was so shocked, I'm sorry..."

"I'm fine. Remember to apologize to Wade tomorrow morning... He happily shared his achievements with you, but you didn't even give him a good look..."

"--knew."

……

Late at night, after his wife was completely asleep, Ferdinand put on his clothes and went to the balcony. He wanted to light a cigarette, but his hands were shaking so badly that he failed several times.

After finally lighting the cigarette, he took a deep breath. The smoke blurred his eyes and also blurred the lonely London at night.

It was not until this moment that Ferdinand was completely overwhelmed by the overwhelming fear.

His Wade... his smart, sensible, well-behaved and kind son... his brain was worth at least a million pounds, and he had a huge fortune that could be cashed in at any time... he followed some strangers to a completely unfamiliar place... if Wade was in danger... if he was hurt... what could he do as a father...

The wizard came and went without a trace, and Ferdinand didn't even know where to find him...

He smoked one cigarette after another, and his body was shaking from his fingers to his toes.

The night was chilly and shivering.

……

Upstairs, Wade watched the smoke drift away in wisps and saw the faint flames flickering again and again.

He leaned on the railing, raised his head slightly, and saw the waning moon like a silver hook hanging on the top of a tall building.

(End of this chapter)