CHAPTER 45

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CHAPTER 45

In the Room of Requirement, Elmi's mind raced as he contemplated his next move. The conundrum of acquiring a new cauldron took over his entire mind until, like a sudden revelation, a solution dawned on him. A frustrated slap to his leg punctuated the realization.

"You idiot!" Elmi chided himself, the echo of self-deprecation resonating within the enchanted space. It struck him that he didn't need any complex solution for a new cauldron. The solution was, quite literally, at his fingertips.

With a subtle grin, he considered the possibility of borrowing one from his friends, perhaps Daphne or Tracey, who might willingly lend a hand. Alternatively, he pondered the more challenging path—approaching Professor Snape. The Potions Master had taken a particular interest in Elmi's education, providing advanced lessons and unique assignments.

However, a shadow of hesitation flickered across Elmi's face as he contemplated the latter option. The prospect of explaining to Snape that he had obliterated a cauldron during a routine potion-making endeavor loomed ahead. While Snape's disapproving gaze and a lecture on arrogance were predictable outcomes, Elmi balked at the idea of handing Snape such ammunition. He shook his head; rather than seeing Snape's smug smile, he would ask for help from Daphe or Tracey.

...

Elmi emerged through the grand door leading to the fountain courtyard. A soft breeze carried the frigid air of the winter. It was almost time for the first semester to be over. Approaching the benches encircling the Wyvern Fountain, Elmi noticed the trio of Daphne, Tracey, and Zabini engaged in animated conversation. The rhythmic flow of their laughter permeated the air; it was apparent they were having a good time. 

"What's so funny?" Elmi inquired, his gaze shifting between Daphne, Tracey, and Zabini.

Daphne, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, exchanged a knowing look with Zabini and Tracey before bursting into laughter. Tracey, barely containing her amusement, finally managed to compose herself enough to explain, "Oh, Elmi, Zabini just a few minutes ago pulled a really good prank on Malfoy."

Intrigued, Elmi leaned in as they recounted their clever scheme. The trio detailed how they had cunningly replaced Draco's shampoo with an enchanted hair dye from Madam Elysia Bramblewick's shop, infamous for its near-impossible-to-remove coloring.

Daphne chuckled and leaned in, eager to spill the details. "You were not in the library the other day, so you didn't know it, but Malfoy called a Hufflepuff girl a Mudblood the other day? Well, I decided he needed a little lesson in manners."

Before being friends with Elmi, they wouldn't care about Malfoy bullying and acting racist. Daphne and Tracey would be disgusted by his actions, but they wouldn't have done something about it. As for Zabini, he was arrogant and looked down on people who did not have a deep-rooted lineage, but now they have changed. Tracey said, "We ordered a bubblegum pink hair dye, and Daphne convinced Zabini to change it while Malfoy was having a shower."

Zabini, smiling from ear to ear, said, "Malfoy strutted out of the bathroom, completely clueless. His sleek, golden hair had turned into the brightest shade of bubblegum pink you can imagine."

Laughter erupted again, and Daphne added, "The Slytherin common room was in stitches. Malfoy had to wear that hideous black hat until they could get a special lotion to fix it."

At that moment, Malfoy and his goons were passing by. Daphne pulled Elmi's sleeve and pointed at him. He was wearing a black beret. Elmi smiled and said,

"I don't think Malfoy has your sense of fashion, so he doesn't look bothered by the beret."

Daphne acted disgusted by the hat and said,

"It doesn't change the fact it looks awful. I wouldn't be able to show my face if I had to wear that hat, but on the other way, even pink hair would look cute on me."

 Then she pulled her wand and cast a levitation charm; the next second, Malfoy's hat flew off his head. He and his goons jumped and tried to catch the hat. Everyone around the courtyard started laughing. Draco realized it was Daphne doing this, and he shouted in anger,

"Greengrass! You will pay for this!"

He and his goons started to walk towards them, but Elmi stood before them and said,

"What are you going to do? How is she going to pay?" Elmi was trying to act serious, but he was cracking up. He couldn't take it anymore and started laughing. He held his stomach and said,

"Sorry, Draco, but it is a really hard thing to take you seriously when it looks like a giant bubble gum is sticking to your head."

Just as Draco was going to say something, Elmi cut him off and mockingly said,

"What?.. Your father will hear of this?"

Draco's mouth remained open for a second. Elmi had taken the word right out of his mouth; he didn't know what to do, so he turned around and left. While leaving, Goyle had brought his hat, so he hit him,

"Give me that!"

Elmi shook his head; Draco was only able to fight against people he was certain they couldn't fight back. He was just a little bully. After that, Elmi told his friends what he was doing, and he needed their cauldron.

...

Eager to share his newfound sanctuary for magical experimentation, Elmi led Daphne, Tracey, and Zabini to the Room of Requirement. As they approached the corridor leading to the enchanted space, Elmi said,

"Here we are."

The trio looked around. There was no room, just a wall. Zabini said,

"Are you messing with us? Where is it?"

Elmi smiled and said,

"It is a hidden room. What do you think? Its entrance is hidden."

He showed them how to open the door; in response to his intent, a door materialized on the wall, revealing the entrance to the Room of Requirement. Elmi opened the door, inviting his friends to step into the room.

 A space tailored to Elmi's needs appeared in front of them. Shelves lined with alchemical ingredients, two big-sized cauldrons, but again, there was not a cauldron the size he needed. Room of Requirement would create almost everything, and the first time he created this room, it even gave him a cauldron of almost every size, but after he destroyed it, the room didn't give him anymore; it was like the room was mad at him for destroying it.

Of course, Elmi knew that was not the case; it was most likely one of the limitations of the room; he had tested it before the room wouldn't give something unlimited times. It was like he had a quota for everything; it had only given him a cauldron of every size for once, and after he destroyed that size cauldron, the room wouldn't give him any more of that thing.

Also, the limited magical ingredients inside the room were not replenishing; Elmi thought they most likely came from the castle's gardens. The room was here to assist the student, but it most likely couldn't give everything to one student.

The ingredients could be barely counted as magical; if you collected all of them and sold them, they would, at best, be worth a few galleons. Elmi wanted to confirm this theory, took all of the ingredients out of the room, and summoned the room again. As he expected, there were no longer ingredients on the shelves.

Then they got out of the room, and Elmi told Zabini to summon the room for alchemy; like the first time Elmi summoned, the room Zabini summoned was fully stacked with cauldrons and basic ingredients. This confirmed his theory that the room would give the things a student needs, but it is not unlimited.