Chapter 69

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Cho was injured during Ravenclaw's Quidditch training just now. There was no malicious intent; no one was targeting Cho. She fell off her broomstick at full speed while attempting a difficult maneuver. The injury was quite serious, and she has been sent to the school doctor's office. "I'll go take a look first, and you can head back to the lounge by yourself." After assessing the situation, Wayne spoke to Cedric and hurried to the school doctor's office. Watching his departure, Cedric shook his head. 

"Tsk, she is the most beautiful girl in the second grade..." Since Wayne's last remark, Cedric too began to feel the urge for romance, hoping to find a girlfriend soon to avoid future responsibilities. Unfortunately, after much searching, nothing caught his eye. While Ravenclaw had some attractive seniors, they were already taken. Meanwhile, Wayne thought, "Forget it. Don't look back; it's too frustrating."

Cedric tapped his wand on the table resentfully. "A glass of lemon juice, please." Upstairs in the infirmary, after several examinations, Madam Pomfrey administered a foul-smelling potion to Cho, instructing her to rest well. She then addressed the group: "The situation isn't too dire: just three broken ribs, a fractured wrist, and various superficial wounds. Just take the medication and rest here for a few days until the bones heal. Such injuries would be severe in the non-magical world but are manageable here in the wizarding world where bones can regenerate." 

Ravenclaw's captain, Isaias Jael, sighed in relief, but Madam Pomfrey's following comment alarmed everyone. "However, she shouldn't perform any strenuous activities for the next two months." 

"But the Quidditch match is next month!" Isaias exclaimed. Last year's seeker has graduated, and Cho is the only current seeker. Without her, Ravenclaw would have to prepare for next year's tournament. 

Madam Pomfrey frowned at Isaias. "What's more important, her health or Quidditch? She could sustain further injuries that might lead to complications. I've always said such dangerous activities should be banned," she complained, hinting at discussions with Dumbledore. "We should replace it with a weekly medical class," she suggested. 

Madam Pomfrey clearly opposes any activities that risk harm. She is quite influential in the infirmary, commanding respect even from the headmaster. "Alright, let's give her space to rest," she ordered, clearing the room except for two young wizards. Guests were told they could stay but only for a short while. Cho had tears in her eyes, not from the injury but from missing the upcoming competition. Her dedication to training made the situation even more heartbreaking. Marietta tried comforting her, "Cho, it's just one game. We still have chances."

Hogwarts had two Quidditch matches scheduled for November and more in March and June. The team with the highest total points would win the school championship. Despite this, Marietta's attempts at reassurance seemed to have little effect. Recognizing the importance of every match, Cho was silent, and Marietta simply stayed by her side. 

Then, Wayne sneaked in. His sudden appearance startled everyone, prompting Cho to speak for the first time since her injury. "Wayne, why are you here?"

"I heard about your injury and wanted to check on you," Wayne replied, nodding to Marietta and another blonde girl as he sat down.

"How did you get past Madam Pomfrey?" Marietta inquired.

"I used a Disillusionment Charm; she didn't see me," Wayne explained. Seeing Cho's distress, he gently chided, "It's just training. Why push yourself so hard?" 

Cho admitted feeling unwell recently, which compromised her focus and energy. Under normal circumstances, she could have easily performed the move that caused her injury. The other girl, attempting to lighten the mood, joked that Cho spoke only when Wayne appeared, causing Cho to blush and turn away. Ignoring the teasing, Wayne asked her to introduce herself.

"Penelo Crevat, but call me Penelo," the blonde girl said, shaking his hand. "You don't need to introduce yourself, Wayne Lawrence. You're well-known as Hufflepuff's genius and Phoenix owner." 

Penelo and Marietta then left, giving Wayne and Cho some privacy. 

"What did Madam Pomfrey say?" Wayne asked, noticing Cho's pain.

She somberly replied that she couldn't play in next month's Quidditch match. 

"Do you still want to play?" he asked. 

"Thinking about it is pointless now," Cho said with a sad smile. "Just focus on healing and aim for no problems in March."

Moved by her determination, Wayne resolved, "I'll help you this time, but be more careful in the future. I won't always be here to fix things." Summoning the Phoenix King with a burst of fire, he instructed, "Use the sacred fire." The Phoenix King emitted a white flame that entered Cho's body, rapidly healing her injuries. In moments, she felt no pain, and her strength returned. 

"Am I really okay?" she asked in disbelief. The commotion caught Madam Pomfrey's attention. Entering the room, she was stunned to see Cho sitting up. "Quiet down! You need to lie back down; it takes two days for bones to reattach fully."

"No, madam," Cho protested, feeling completely healed. "I'm fine now."

"How is this possible?" Pomfrey began but hesitated upon seeing Phoenix King in the sky and Cho's freely waving hands. He felt his confidence wane.

"Did you do this, Lawrence?"

As the only young wizard known to raise phoenixes, Madam Pomfrey was already familiar with Wayne. 

The young man modestly replied, "The contribution was all Phoenix King's, not mine."

Phoenix King lifted his head with pride. Though still too young to resurrect the dead, healing minor injuries such as fractures was certainly within his capability. 

Pomfrey examined Cho skeptically; after a lengthy inspection, her expression showed disbelief. 

"It's actually healing... Is the Phoenix's ability this powerful?" She had seen Dumbledore's Fawkes save people before, but never with such pronounced effects. From her assessment, Cho appeared as if she had never been injured.

"Madam, may I leave the hospital?" Cho asked eagerly.

"No," Madam Pomfrey replied firmly, eyeing Phoenix King with suspicion. "Stay one more night, and if there are no issues, I will discharge you."

"Then Quidditch..." Though staying an extra night didn't bother her much, Cho was more concerned about participating in the upcoming game.

Madam Pomfrey gave no direct answer but reminded Wayne to keep his voice down and not overstay, before she left the infirmary. Her stance was clear, though.

"Wayne, thank you!" Once Madam Pomfrey had left, Cho hugged Wayne excitedly to express her gratitude.

"Soft, quite soft, though a bit small..." Feeling Cho's embrace, Wayne muttered quietly.

Cho overheard, her face flushing not with shyness but annoyance. "Wayne!"

"Ah!" Realizing his blunder, Wayne hurriedly explained, "I meant, the future holds much potential for you. There's room to grow."

"I... I'm only twelve years old, I can definitely grow more," Cho replied faintly, attempting to maintain her dignity.

The atmosphere in the infirmary took a subtle turn. Cho glanced up at Wayne's straight nose, bright eyes, and long eyelashes, finding herself short of breath.

Noticing the blush on her face, Wayne felt a twitch in his finger. Her eyes, moist like autumn waters, urged him closer, inviting a gentle touch.

Though young, experimenting with closeness wasn't out of bounds. Silence lingered, yet both understood what might happen next. Cho closed her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering, as Wayne leaned in.

But the moment was interrupted as the door burst open. "Cho, I heard you were hurt. You didn't... die, did you?"

Hermione stood at the doorway, her expression complex upon seeing them so close.

"Wayne, how's Cho Chang doing?" Back in the lounge, Cedric inquired casually.

"Nothing serious, just a couple of days' rest needed."

"And your odd expression?" Cedric probed, rubbing his chin in confusion.

"It's a pity, but also a bit... peculiar," Wayne confessed. "It would've been better if Hermione had come later."

Cedric looked puzzled. What did that have to do with Granger? Had she also been injured?

Late at night in the Room of Requirement, Wayne forgot the earlier encounter. He focused on the present, knowing opportunities might arise again in the future. For now, his main goal was to strengthen his abilities. In his system's evaluation, he was already ranking at professor level due to his talent, but his actual experience with magic was limited, as was his total magic power. This disparity was a challenge.

According to the system, his magical proficiency had improved from 0.8 to 0.9 through practicing spells. "Split into pieces!" he commanded, splitting a steel plate with a spell, slightly boosting his magical power. As Wayne prepared to leave, he was summoned by the urgent cry of Phoenix King.

"A unicorn is about to give birth. Shall I help?" Wayne discerned her need and responded without hesitation. Arriving in the Forbidden Forest, he found the unicorn under a tree, obviously in labor. Phoenix King hovered above, comforting her with sacred flames.

"How can I assist?" Wayne felt unsure, wishing Newt were there to help. But he quickly realized why he'd been summoned as rustling and faint lights preceded the arrival of a horde of giant spiders, Acromantula, surrounding them with a frightening eagerness. The largest Acromantula approached, sneering, "In addition to unicorns, little wizards make a fine addition to our meal."