Hogwarts: Voldemort, don't stop me from studying

Chapter 999 Memory 3
On the table, thick slices of ham exude a smoky, salty aroma, and the tempting sheen of honey is visible; golden cornbread is soft and steaming hot; and a large bowl of creamy mashed potatoes sits beside it, its fragrance irresistible.

On the long table were roasted chicken legs, pickles, apple pie, and pumpkin porridge, each dish looking incredibly delicious—a taste that Abigail rarely gets to enjoy at home.

The little girl, her face and hands washed clean, sat timidly at the dining table, her mouth watering but not daring to touch any of the items.

During her time on the farm, she learned clearly that any "disobedient" or "lazy" behavior would result in a beating.

Old John, a stocky, ruddy-faced man from the farm, sat in the head seat, encouraging her with the gentlest of smiles he could muster:
"Eat up, child, don't be shy—this is to make up for it. You must have been scared today, right? Eat as much as you can to regain your strength."

His wife, Maya, smiled and nodded, placing a slice of ham on Abigail's plate and saying gently, "Don't be afraid, Sera, eat."

Their son, Adams, sat on the other side, glancing at her every now and then with what he thought was a subtle look, but which was actually quite obvious.

Abigail was starving. Encouraged by the warm invitation and smiles, she finally lowered her guard, carefully took a bite of ham, and then looked up.

There was no whipping or yelling.

Everyone looked at her with smiles on their faces, as if she were one of the family's children.

The unprecedented deliciousness easily captivated the hungry Abigail. She gradually became bolder and began to eat heartily, her cheeks bulging, and her heart seemed to be filled with something warm.

After dinner, Maya led her to a tidy little bedroom. As she lay on the soft bed and whispered goodbye to Mrs. Maya, she felt like she was dreaming.

This was the best bedroom she had ever slept in. Unlike her old home, which was filled with clutter, or the crowded and smelly dormitory for child laborers on the farm, this place was clean and warm, and the blankets smelled of sunshine.

But Abigail tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

It wasn't just because her stomach was full of food, but also because of a strange unease that prevented her from fully enjoying it all.

Suddenly, footsteps came from outside the door, approaching from a distance.

Abigail was startled and immediately closed her eyes, slowed her breathing, and pretended that she was already asleep.

The door opened gently, and the fragrance emanating from Lady Maya wafted out.

Carrying a dim lantern, she walked to the window, leaned down to look at Abigail, and tucked her in. After a while, she turned and left.

Hearing the door close, Abigail opened her eyes, stared at the ceiling for a moment, and then suddenly jumped out of bed without making a sound.

Barefoot, she carefully moved to the door, pressed her ear against the wooden door to listen, and then slowly pushed the door open a narrow crack.

There was no one outside the door.

Abigail tiptoed out of the house and cautiously approached the living room. She saw the firelight from the fireplace shining through the crack under the door. She stood by the door, too afraid to go in.

She didn't know why she chased after him. Perhaps subconsciously, she would have preferred a beating to a sumptuous dinner—that kind of preferential treatment terrified her more.

Faint conversations could be heard coming from the other side of the door.

Old John took a sip of his drink and asked, "Asleep?"

Maya put down the lantern, pulled her shawl tighter, and sat down, saying, "Of course, she's sleeping soundly. What happened during the day probably really exhausted her." Adams exclaimed excitedly, "So, the rumors are true, Dad? That girl really teleported hundreds of meters away in front of you this afternoon? Is she a superhero? Like the Flash?"

"What do you mean hundreds of meters? I can see it clearly, it's at most twenty meters!"

Old John retorted first, then said, "I haven't had a drop of alcohol for three days, so it's impossible for me to be seeing things. Besides, it wasn't just me; more than a dozen people on the farm saw it... She just vanished from under the blade in a flash."

Adams' eyes lit up even more: "Then can we keep her? Let's keep her as our family secret! She's our secret weapon! Who will dare to mess with us then? Or maybe we can even gain superpowers..."

"Nonsense!"

Old John interrupted his son without any politeness, his face darkening.

“Use your brain, Adams! We’re just an ordinary family. Raising a child like this is like raising a lion cub in our barn!”

"Do you think that once the lion cub grows up, it will stop eating us just because you fed it a few pieces of meat? Besides, what we gave her before wasn't meat, but whips! Do you dare bet that it won't retaliate once it becomes stronger?"

Maya, who was knitting, stopped what she was doing, looked up at her husband, and said worriedly, "What should we do? Should we continue to feed her well like we did today?"

Old John said cautiously, "Let's leave it at that for now. I'll make a call first thing tomorrow morning. I've heard someone mention this before..."

He couldn't help but lower his voice and say, "Some people seem to be specifically looking for these special children, and they're offering very high prices."

Then he straightened up, stroked the stubble on his chin, and said shrewdly, "I'll contact them and see if I can get a lot of money!"

“But, Dad—” Adams tried to object anxiously.

Old John waved his hand impatiently: "Stop dreaming! I'm not letting you keep a man-eating monster in your house! If you're free, go check on the stables! Annemony is about to give birth, someone needs to keep an eye on her tonight!"

Adams didn't want to go out: "Let the workers go!"

Old John roared even louder, “Those lazybones are all unreliable! You go yourself, now! If anything happens to Annemony while you're sleeping in, I'll give you a good whipping too!”

……

Behind the crack in the door, Abigail listened blankly, feeling as if the sweet food in her stomach had turned into heavy stones, making her feel nauseous.

She silently returned to the small bedroom, climbed into bed, and wrapped herself tightly in the blanket, but could no longer fall asleep.

Her parents sold her, and now the seemingly kind farmer wants to sell her too.

Perhaps from birth, her fate was to be treated as a commodity that could be measured in money.

Young Abigail stared wide-eyed at the dark ceiling, awaiting her unknown fate.

Old John made a phone call the next morning, and the buyer arrived quickly, much faster than the family had expected—they hadn't even started lunch when he knocked on the door.

"I've come to take the child away." The man outside the door took out a check, smiled, and said, "I heard it's a girl?"

(End of this chapter)