“Lusa Riddle? Oh, I know your name—the pride of Slytherin, the top student who always dominates the grade rankings, the most beautiful girl at Hogwarts. I must say, you’re quite famous.”
“That’s quite an exaggeration, isn’t it? Are you teasing me, Senior?”
Lusa looked skeptical. Though she knew she was exceptional, she didn’t think she was that “renowned.”
The most beautiful girl at Hogwarts?
Lusa felt a bit embarrassed. She wasn’t even twelve yet.
At most, she was just a flat-chested, boyish middle schooler. Compared to the mature, elegant, and charming senior girls, there was still a clear distinction between a girl and a woman!
But Cedric looked sincere, kind, and honest—not the type to flatter without reason.
“Oh, I absolutely didn’t mean to tease or offend you. It’s just that everyone praises you like that. You’re beautiful and smart, and not arrogant at all. You’re a very friendly Slytherin.”
Cedric hurriedly denied it, his face flushing bright red. Though his face shape somewhat resembled a tender beef cube, it gave off the impression of a juicy peach—fresh, succulent, and seemingly quite delicious.
Lusa swallowed hard, trying to control her wandering thoughts.
“And, I also think you’re beautiful, the most outstanding girl I’ve ever seen.” Cedric, afraid Lusa wouldn’t believe him, blushed as he expressed his opinion.
Lusa tilted her head and gave him a serious look, then touched her own face. Oh, how could she forget she’d inherited her cheap father’s good genes?
Though she was still young, her beauty was already beginning to blossom.
Naturally lovely and quite charming.
Lusa saw herself in the mirror every day and didn’t feel much, but to anyone with normal aesthetic sensibilities, even as a not-yet-fully-developed young beauty, this face was enough to dazzle many people’s youth.
Well, she should be more confident! (ω＜ )★
Lusa smiled at the flustered Cedric. Alright, she’d misjudged him.
“Thank you for the praise, but what I need most right now isn’t fame—it’s how to fill my stomach.”
She had originally planned to go to the Great Hall for breakfast, but along the way, she encountered wave after wave of confessors. Given their shyness and politeness, Lusa couldn’t bring herself to be too cold and heartless. She had to say some tactful, indirect words of rejection, and back and forth, it delayed her mealtime.
“I can take you to the kitchen to have a look. The house-elves are very enthusiastic.” Cedric said with a smile.
Lusa agreed with this point. House-elves were a magical existence—loyal, humble, and passionate.
Even after being at school for so long, Lusa had never visited Hogwarts’ large kitchen. It was said that the Hufflepuff common room was right next to it.
“Then I’ll trouble you, Senior.” Lusa gave Cedric a sweet smile, feeling that his peach-like face had become even more adorable.
……
When Cedric led Lusa past the Hufflepuff common room, almost instantly, a chorus of gasps erupted.
Surprised or curious eyes were cast their way, accompanied by chattering whispers, some excited, some gossipy.
A girl in green Slytherin robes was actually walking closely with their house’s heartthrob!
The girls clenched their little fists, their burning gossip spirits instantly ignited, and many openly or secretly admiring little badgers grew vigilant.
Among them was a rather bold, cute-looking girl who couldn’t restrain her curiosity. Encouraged and egged on by her friends’ winks and nudges, she somewhat recklessly jumped out, bit her lip, and asked the question everyone was curious about: “Why is a Slytherin like you here with us? And what’s your relationship with Ced?”
Ced felt a bit embarrassed but still shielded Lusa, explaining, “She’s Lusa from Slytherin, Lusa Riddle. I’m taking her to the kitchen to get something to eat—she’s probably starving.”
The girl didn’t get the answer she wanted. Though somewhat unwilling, she still showed respect for her crush and muttered, “Alright, we mean no harm, just curious.”
Lusa didn’t take offense and simply smiled warmly at the little badgers sneaking glances at her, offering a friendly greeting.
Most Hufflepuff girls were cheerful optimists with lively, enthusiastic personalities and a love for gossip. Lusa once thought that if she had been sorted into Hufflepuff, her days might have been happier.
Of course, that was just a hypothetical.
“Woo-hoo~ Way to go, Ced!” A few clueless boys from the same year, seemingly acquaintances of Cedric, winked, whistled, and cheered, likely misunderstanding their relationship.
“Oh, Lusa, don’t mind them. Let’s hurry to the kitchen!” Cedric’s cheeks flushed, and as if possessed, he pulled Lusa toward the kitchen, walking briskly with a guilty, breathless demeanor that provoked hearty laughter from behind.
Lusa didn’t pay much attention to this, as her mind was captivated by waves of rich aromas: the crispy fragrance of fried chicken, the soft sweetness of cake, the refreshing sweetness of Pumpkin Juice…
And a crisp, pleasant “ding-ding” sound in her mind.
It was truly heavenly music!
Wow~ Ced seemed to have grabbed her hand in his haste.
“One Spicy Strip Gift Pack, in the right pocket of your uniform, please check!”
It was actually the long-awaited hometown specialty. Just thinking about the taste of spicy strips made Lusa’s mouth water.
“Sorry…” Ced belatedly released Lusa’s hand, apologizing sincerely, “I was just worried they’d misunderstand.”
Lusa understood perfectly. Cedric’s heart belonged to Cho Chang, so of course she wouldn’t entertain any wild thoughts.
Arriving smoothly at the back kitchen, small groups of house-elves enthusiastically crowded around, eagerly recommending the food they had prepared.
They had large, bulging eyes like tennis balls, long limbs, and though dressed in pillowcases, they were clean and tidy.
Lusa graciously ate an oversized ham sandwich, crispy pancakes, and drank a cup of hot milk, feeling about eighty percent full. She hurriedly took out the spicy strips she had won from the random prize draw.
“What’s this?” Cedric watched Lusa’s actions, somewhat puzzled.
“It’s a snack from the Muggle world called spicy strips. Want to try some together?”
Cedric hesitated slightly, then nodded. Though he wasn’t hungry at all, he never refused others’ kindness, especially since Lusa was smiling at him.
Besides, this snack called spicy strips looked bright red and oily, quite appetizing.
Unfortunately, Lucius had forgotten to check the label carefully. The spiciness level of these spicy strips was five stars, and they even came with a “twins” combo of super extreme heat. As a result, Cedric, not wanting to disappoint the gesture, only ate half a pack before his lips swelled up from the spiciness. His eyes turned red, with glistening tears welling up inside.
The sight made Lucius feel a pang of guilt.
Oh dear—clearly, he wasn’t cut out for spicy food.
Lucius wasn’t faring much better either. The spiciness brought tears streaming down her face, but it had been so long since she last had them, and her cravings were too strong. Plus, she had an addictive personality, making it impossible for her to stop eating…
When Lucius and Cedric emerged from the kitchen, they looked like a pair of battered siblings, their eyes brimming with tears and their lips swollen and bright red—a sight that was both eye-catching and ripe for speculation.
“Wow! What on earth were they doing in the kitchen?”
“Based on my personal experience, they must have been kissing way too passionately!”
“No way? That’s way too intense—they even cried from it!”
“Oh, I never expected Cedric to be so… appearances can be deceiving.”
“…The wild rose of Slytherin truly lives up to her reputation!”