"What? Absolutely not!" Cedric jumped up from the bed, looking like a ruffled rooster. At this point, Cedric had already been untied, but he still couldn't figure out what his roommates were up to. He even thought they might be planning to carry out some traditional military ritual from their country. Little did he know, the truth nearly made him sprain his back.
They actually wanted to meddle in his love life!
Well, to be precise, they were just curious about their friend suddenly having a love interest and wanted to have some fun and cheer him on.
Cedric instantly felt like life had lost its meaning. Wouldn't it be better to just quietly enjoy the gossip? Why did they have to get involved?
Wait, no!
Cedric shuddered. He almost fell into their trap! Forget about quietly enjoying the gossip—these jerks should stay as far away as possible!
But here's the problem: he couldn't beat them in a fight.
Tears streamed down Cedric's face.
As if reading his mind, Robert grinned and slung an arm around his shoulder. "Ced, your expression is priceless. You don't want us involved in your little secret, do you?"
Cedric wanted to throw his shoe at Robert's face, but he held back, glaring at the annoying guy with a pitiful look.
"Hey, we're doing this for your own good!" Robert said dramatically. "Do you even know how to chase a girl?"
"How to chase a girl?" Cedric paused, confused.
"Invite her out?" Cedric hesitated. "Maybe go flying on a broomstick together?"
Robert looked stunned. "Which broomstick can fit two people?"
Cedric was equally confused. "No, I meant finding a quiet spot and doing some dodging drills together."
Robert stared at Cedric for a long time, making him feel uneasy, before finally sighing. "Ced."
"Yeah?" Cedric responded instinctively.
"Let me break it down for you. A Quidditch team has seven players. If each position has a substitute, that's fourteen people. In fact, Hufflepuff currently has over twenty players, including substitutes, though there are fewer keepers and seekers. I don't know about the other houses, but I'd guess they have around ten players each."
Cedric nodded.
Robert clapped his hands. "Dodging drills, buddy. Do you know how many rivals you'd have if you invited Cho Chang to train with you? Fifty or sixty! Every single one of them could ask her to train with them!"
"Huh?" Cedric was still confused, not seeing the connection between dodging drills and rivals.
Robert raised his eyebrows—a new skill he'd learned. "Ced, you need to crush all your competitors! Do you think you can take on fifty people by yourself?"
"But... there are female players in Quidditch too..." Cedric weakly argued. "And fighting is..."
Robert made an exaggerated face. "Ced, are you an idiot? It's 1990. Haven't you heard of same-sex relationships?"
Two of their roommates, who were drinking water, nearly choked.
Cedric was stunned, his mouth opening and closing as if the concept of same-sex relationships had hit him like a tidal wave.
Robert placed his hands on Cedric's shoulders and spoke earnestly. "Ced, you need to understand. You're up against all seven years of witches and wizards at Hogwarts!"
Cedric, now thoroughly derailed, started breathing heavily.
"So, how can you do this without allies?" Robert patted his shoulder. "We might not be able to help you win her over, but we can definitely take care of anyone who tries to interfere!" He even thumped his chest for emphasis. "I went to Flower Country over the summer and bought this magical item infused with Eastern secrets."
With that, Robert pulled out a roll of tape from his pouch. The pouch had been examined by a craftsman in Flower Country, who turned out to be quite skilled. He had reworked the pouch, making its interior much larger and allowing items to be stored in an organized manner, unlike the previous chaotic mess.
Robert had carefully stored all the items he brought back from Flower Country in a separate compartment.
"Do you know what this is?" Robert said mysteriously. "It's a talisman from Flower Country, with incredible powers!"
In reality, it was just a simple spell to ward off bystanders.
Cedric's eyes lit up. "Can it increase my chances of a successful confession?"
Robert paused, scratching his head. "Well, if you put it that way... sure?"
The young wizard rubbed his hands together, feeling a bit shy. "Um, well..." He swallowed, his mind racing, and finally came up with something to say. "Hey, buddy, can you lend me that thing?"
Robert blinked, realizing Cedric had misunderstood. But sometimes, misunderstandings weren't such a bad thing, right?
Cedric happily ran out the door. He had training today and no time to mess around with his roommates. However, not long after he left, their team captain appeared at the dormitory door.
"Please, Robert," the freckled captain said earnestly. "I heard you have a special method for training dynamic vision. Could you teach Cedric a bit?" He clasped his hands together and bowed slightly, looking like a cooked shrimp. "Just a little. He's really talented. Here, this is our thank-you gift."
He pulled out a gift box.
"Hey, are you underestimating me?" Robert raised an eyebrow. "It's just a small favor. No need to be so formal."
The captain scratched his head. "Well, it's just that we heard you're not too interested in Quidditch, so we were afraid you might say no."
Robert sighed, realizing his lack of interest in Quidditch was now common knowledge.
After thinking for a moment, he explained, "While I'm not particularly interested in Quidditch, I do value honor."
The captain got excited. "Really? That's great! I mean, it's great that you're willing to help! Cedric won't disappoint you!"
Robert's face darkened. Dude, don't say things that could be misinterpreted like that in this country!
"Do you need any equipment for the training? Quaffles and Bludgers are available anytime!" the captain said happily, his freckles seemingly dancing. "Feel free to go all out! We have the most comprehensive stock of healing potions!"
If Cedric knew you were this kind of captain, he'd definitely cry, I'm telling you!
(End of chapter)