Chapter 8. Rivalry and rewards.

My studies went peacefully and quietly. There were no secret rooms with basilisks, werewolves, or philosopher's stones. All the adventures and wonders were only for the chosen ones and those close to the chosen ones. From the fact that there was no attempt to get me involved, I concluded that either I was not in Dumbledore's plans, or the headmaster would decide my question later, most likely when he was arranging adventures for Potter. I wasn't ready for such low attention to my person, but I wasn't offended either.

Dumbledore can delay my question until the very end if he wishes, given that he actually has plans to put his "bearded" hand on the Black riches. And if the director does not and did not have such plans, then he does not care about my fate at all... it should be. Even if there are plans and I threaten his plans, as long as I don't get into the Black heirs, I should be considered a backup plan rather than a threat. In short, Dumbledore's interest in me is very small.

The bad thing was that I was shunned in my own department. All this is not exactly bullshit when they say that Ravenclaw faculty is smart, but children remain children. It is so easy to succumb to the imposed image, to rely on the social status, the position of society in relation to this or that individual.

The only friendships I had were with Davis. But it was obvious that communication with me was burdening him. Obviously, he was worried that my reputation as a nutcase might affect his standing among the students.

- Davis, today we will finish the construction of the greenhouse, - I said to my friend.

"Actually, the dean has already given me a credit on this subject," Roger said.

- What does the credit have to do with it? — I was surprised. - I also have a credit for the topic, but I need to finish the construction as soon as possible and move on to the charms.

"I'm sorry, Arrakis, but I can't do this today, I have an... important conversation with the captain of our quidditch team."

"Quidditch?" — I was surprised. — Are you going to join the team? I didn't think you were interested in Quidditch much."

"What's Quidditch got to do with it?" Davis exclaimed. "It's just for the connections.

"All right," I said sadly, " if you have to, then go."

Most likely, our relationship with Davis, based on study and a simple interest in various everyday topics, would have finally collapsed, but Cedric Diggory intervened. He gave me a helping hand when no one wanted to deal with me. I was too small a fish for the Slytherin house, which, in general, was well aware of what was going on. Gryffindor is too narcissistic a faculty, where no one ever notices other people's problems. They would respond if there was an open conflict with the Slytherins, they would pat them approvingly on the shoulder, but there is no real help and friendship from there. My home faculty is made up of singles, but this is only an apparent trait on display. In fact, Ravenclaw is still a herd, and society means more to us than it may seem at first glance.

Diggory was from Hufflepuff, the friendly faculty. Oh, no, Hufflepuff was also not a model of friendship, mutual understanding and mutual assistance, but as one of the features that on the facade all these qualities in the form of friendship were present.

"Hey, Blair," Diggory said.

- Hey. Cedric Diggory, right? I asked.

"Yes, that's right —" he said. — You and Davis had a project, didn't you?" It's just that I've noticed that your friend has been having more free time lately.

I didn't know exactly where Cedric was going. But he was clearly probing my relationship with Davis. Question: for what purpose?

"After all the fuss about Bletchley, I have a peculiar reputation," I said. - No one wants to have anything to do with me, but just to communicate.

"Davis, "I continued,"didn't give in to public opinion at first, but' water sharpens a stone.' Now I feel that my company weighs heavily on him.

"Does water sharpen a stone?" Cedric asked, not expecting an answer. "I wouldn't call Davis a rock. Rather, its character corresponds to another material, such as wood or rubber.

"I'm not sure exactly what these materials describe Roger," I said cautiously, " and I don't want to discuss anyone with whom I still have any contact behind my back." Davis, of course, is not perfect, but everyone has their drawbacks. I was quite satisfied with him as a friend with whom you can talk about an interesting topic or just discuss something for life.

"A very unassuming look," said Cedric, somewhat pointedly. — But I came to you about something else. If your partner suddenly decided to abandon the project, then I would be happy to replace him.

I chuckled thoughtfully. — I'll talk to the dean, I can't decide for myself, it all depends on what he says. But I don't want to throw Roger out of the project. We started together, and the right thing to do would be to finish together. It was another matter if he refused, or if Professor Flitwick suspended him. But then again, I wouldn't want that.

"I understand," Cedric said, as if considering my words. — Your work will soon move on to a new stage, and I think if you talk to Flitwick, I'll be allowed to join your team." Transfiguration may not count for me, but charms, herbology, and potions are still ahead of you in your work. And it's important for me to know your personal opinion, " Cedric said with a pleading tone. — Would you mind?"

— I was surprised. — I'm all for it, especially now that Davis is working less and less for the project.

"Good," said Diggory. — You talk to Professor Flitwick, and I'll go over to my dean so she can talk to your dean and help me connect with your work."

After this conversation, my mood slowly crept up. Diggory was a freshman, just like me. But he was already respected in his department. For me, it meant that looking at Diggory and the other Huffs would stop avoiding me.

Flitwick did not have to be persuaded, he was already aware of the upcoming reshuffle and did not mind at all. Rather, he was even in favor of the upcoming changes. The dean himself held me up after my charms class. It was immediately clear to me that the conversation did not concern the topic of classes. According to the program, we only mastered "leviosa", and switched to other charms: colorum, aguamenti and compass spell.

"Mr. Blair," the dean said, stepping down from the makeshift book stand, " I've been approached by my colleague, the Dean of Hufflepuff, Pomona Sprout, and I'd like your opinion.

"You mean Cedric Diggory?" I asked. — I don't mind at all if he joins our classes and the project.

"Well," said the professor, smiling contentedly, " that's good to hear. Don't get me wrong, "Flitwick continued," but as the dean of the faculty, it's more profitable for me to have two good students than one excellent one. Mr. Davis is quite a strong wizard for his age and quick-witted, but his laziness and slackness can play a bad joke on him. Pomona and I decided that some competition would be good for everyone. Mr. Davis will take the project a little more seriously, you will get a new good acquaintance, and Mr. Diggory will be an interesting and worthy of his mind.

"You're right, Professor," I said, nodding my head in agreement.

"Your efficiency is very high," Flitwick decided to add — " but pulling the whole project on yourself is not the point. I deliberately lowered the difficulty, hoping that Mr. Davis would stretch and keep up well…

No, no — " the professor hastened to add, noticing my puzzled look, — I was not lying when I said that this complexity is quite enough for the training program. But to be completely honest, you would have handled the project better alone than with Roger. By and large, you don't need a company for the project. But you did look for company, and you brought in Mr. Davis. I think, "said Filius Flitwick, smiling," that Cedric will suit you well as a companion." He is a good student and as a person he is quite attractive, knows how to be courteous and delicate, but at the same time honest and sympathetic.

"Yes, Professor," I agreed again, " you're right about everything.

There was an awkward pause in the conversation.

"Well, that's all," Flitwick said, breaking the silence — " you can go now, Mr. Blair. You're going to have herbology now, aren't you?"

Roger immediately saw Diggory as a threat. Well, as long as he didn't have a competitor for a place in the project, he didn't really need the project, and as soon as there was a threat, he moved.

"Diggory?" Davis asked. — What are you doing here?"

Davis was quite surprised by the presence of the Hufflepuff student, not to the point of rudeness, but he was there.

"I was assigned to the greenhouse project at my request," Cedric said, smiling.

— How's that?" Davis was even more surprised. — Why didn't they ask us, or at least warn us?"

"Actually, Blair knows," Cedric said, " he was both asked and warned.

— Why didn't you tell me?" Roger looked at me reproachfully.

— I wanted to tell you — "I said defensively," but you've been so busy lately that you haven't had time to talk to me properly, and you've even given up on our training sessions.

"I'm sorry," Davis said, not feeling particularly guilty, " but this is important, you should have insisted.

"But, Roger, you wouldn't have come today," I said, " if Professor Flitwick hadn't warned you that you had to come today."

"Don't quarrel, boys," came Professor Flitwick's voice.

I didn't notice at all when he came up. He may have heard most of our recriminations.

"Mr. Diggory is here because I found his help on this project useful," Flitwick smiled. - Mr. Davis, would you mind? The

professor very skillfully and diplomatically used his administrative resource and with his influence extinguished the conflict that was flaring up out of the blue.

"No, no, Professor," Davis said, " I don't mind at all, it's just that it was unexpected.

"In that case, let's start our lesson!" the professor announced.

With Cedric's presence, my crumbling ties to Davis had regained their strength. Roger became more involved in the classes. I stopped skipping working out the material I passed. But I already have a little bit of sediment left. I knew that without Cedric to give me a helping hand in a difficult moment, Davis would have abandoned me. Let Cedric this assistance is worth nothing, but I was still grateful to him.

They started talking to me again. Not surprisingly, it was the Hufflepuffs who spoke to me first, not my co-students. First Mandy Day asked for help finding the right literature to write an essay, then Keith Blake praised after a lesson in herbology for the correct answer, nothing, but the general feeling has already changed. Later, Alice Russell from Hufflepuff asked for help to explain a couple of points in transfiguration.

Looking at Hufflepuff and the others became somehow warmer: Gryffindor did not giggle, their own did not keep silent, Slytherins did not grimace. Even Asia looked different. I thought for a moment that she would come up, explain what was going on, and still come back. But no, either her pride or her principles prevented her from taking the first step.

After considering all the pros and cons, I decided that I should not go to Asia. Why do I need a friend who refuses me for the first far-fetched reason, and then still waits for me to approach her and apologize? Isn't that what she thinks I should do? Having caved in now that I'm right about everything, I'll have to constantly make concessions. If I had no experience of my previous life, I might have gone because I liked it. But, having experience, I knew that nothing good would come out of such a relationship, apologizing once, I would have to apologize all the time, I would always be guilty without guilt.

In general, my failure from the first days at Hogwarts to find a worthy mate suggested different thoughts. I wondered if I had set the bar too high. But I remembered a moment from my past life when I spent several days trying to persuade my parents to buy me a toy I liked. The price was high, but not exorbitant. A red fire truck with a wired remote control, it beckoned and was so like a dream. Whining and cajoling, promising not to ask for any more toys for a whole year, no, two years, and never to ask for anything again, promising to obey and study well (as far as possible), and so, we go to the store.

There was no limit to my joy until the very moment when it turned out that the price for our family was exorbitant, just the price tag was incorrectly attached. And the price that I saw refers to another toy. I was both ashamed and uncomfortable. The parent's suggestion to buy a toy at the primary price, the one that I called, even if it was a completely different toy, to save face, I agreed. Then I thought for a couple of days: why do I need this uninteresting toy? I did not satisfy my desire, I spent money, I made a lot of promises. I even had to force myself to play with an uninteresting toy, just to justify my decision to myself. But it was a stupid decision, and no matter what I told myself, I knew the real situation.

Then, about three years later, I saw this fire truck again with a little boy who was playing in the sandbox. The remote was no longer there, the paint was chipped in some places, and in general, I had already outgrown the age when such toys are interesting. There was no envy, no anger, no resentment in my soul, only emptiness.

When this boy got my dream, he probably couldn't even talk coherently. That is, he did not promise anything to anyone, he got this machine easier than I was ready to give for it.

So, Asia for me became like that toy fire truck. It seems that the price was acceptable at first, but suddenly it turned out that I "do not pull" this price. What was more disappointing was that for someone this price would actually be lower. I did not want to talk about the injustice or any other social electoral duplicity of the female sex. From my previous life, I knew that there were exceptions, but, in general, for a woman to give herself to a rich man is in the order of things, such is the instinct. A rich man is a successful man, the best male.

Another thought was that I didn't need something simpler. There will be no satisfaction. It's like with that unnecessary toy that fills with frustration for wasted money, for promises that will have to be fulfilled, but also figs will be able to fulfill. But the conversation is not about a toy that you can just leave and forget, it's about a living person who has his own desires and feelings. You can't just leave a person in a corner in case you need them. The very thought of something like that was unpleasant to me. Although, women themselves like to give hope, create backup options and keep one or a couple of guys in the friend zone. Not all, there are exceptions, but for beautiful girls, this behavior is the norm.

I tried to put the whole subject out of my head altogether, to let my thoughts clear, and then look at it with a fresh eye. Now I am too touchy and not sure of the reasonableness of my own decisions and judgments. One thing is clear, the time to lower the bar has not yet come.

The Diggory project went by leaps and bounds. By the due time of delivery, we managed not only to build and enchant a greenhouse, work out the preparation of potions for accelerated plant growth and grow these very plants, but even sell products. Although, the implementation was not done by us, not by the students.

In addition to hellebore, valerian, castor, lovebird and spoonbill, we have grown a rather whimsical squealer. The proceeds will now have to be shared with Diggory, but I managed to grow more than I originally planned, and the quality of the product was higher. So I ended up with more money than I had hoped for. Instead of fifteen galleons, I got twenty. But despite my luck, I found the company unprofitable. There would be four or five harvests a year, which would yield an income of one thousand five hundred galleons, netting all expenses, and a net profit of one thousand two hundred galleons. This is a decent amount, but the fact is that I was in this company as a hired worker. Thanks to Flitwick for paying something. Goblins might be said to be greedy, but to me, Flitwick seemed more calculating.

You can't make all the money, I decided.

Yes, you can't earn all the money, it's not stealing, when there is excitement and it seems that all the money can be stolen. Work is a painstaking process that requires time and effort, often the work pulls all the juices out of the employee, giving only a salary in return. Therefore, the work should be shifted to others. Do you want to get paid? Find a job! But if you need money, you need to do something else.

However, the project fulfilled its main task, I learned a lot. In addition, I found a good friend, a friend of Diggory I have not yet called in my heart, remembering all the twists and turns with Davis.

As the song says: But do not call a friend, neither a coward nor a liar. And I did, so who's to blame? Okay, I was scared, scared, under pressure, but the fact that Davis began to find excuses for himself and did not hesitate to express them to me, it began to annoy me. Our relations have cooled.

The following year, I had already arranged with Madam Pomfrey to help her in the medical wing. Seeing my success with the greenhouse, she agreed to accept me as an assistant. Diggory followed my example. Davies refused, saying he would try out for the quidditch team and if accepted, he would not have time to do anything else beyond the usual program.

I was only too glad that Davis had broken away. In the med wing, it won't be possible to dump the job on someone else. For Davis, who has proved to be too non-committal to collective action, it would have become too burdensome.

There were a lot of questions about obscurus, too. It has changed once, but maybe it can change again. How likely is it that if he changes again, he won't kill me? What can it even mutate into? Obscurus is a little-known phenomenon, but also little-studied. So I was glad that my vital tone, simply put — "mood", rose, and obscurus dozed off again.