Chapter 84: Leonard’s Malice
He definitely wasn't flashing a "peace" sign—in Britain, that gesture was pure provocation and contempt, the same as giving someone the middle finger.
Leonard paused, then slowly lifted his head toward Draco Malfoy. His eyes sharpened, the corners of his mouth curling in a faint smirk, while the shadow from his lowered brow darkened his gaze.
It was a look twisted with malice, even the curve of his lips carrying a chill that seeped into the air.
Draco Malfoy shot to his feet at the Slytherin table, only for his legs to give out and dump him back into his seat before he could steady himself.
Satisfied at once again scaring Malfoy with just a look, Leonard turned away and calmly resumed his breakfast.
He didn't even bother watching Malfoy's reaction. People like him never backed down until they suffered real consequences. And even then, his arrogant pride would only twist his resentment further against Leonard.
To deal with people like that, a scare wasn't enough—they needed a proper lesson, one that would stick.
But he couldn't go too far. Malfoy might be useless, but his father still carried weight as one of the Hogwarts governors. His authority inside the school wasn't overwhelming, but making life miserable for a squib's child would be all too easy.
This would require finesse.
Leonard's mood darkened. He tore viciously into a piece of toast, eyes cold.
What a nuisance. Just Voldemort's lackey, and yet Leonard still had to tread carefully around him. Disgusting.
Leonard never thought of himself as a good person. He didn't judge people by whether they were kind or cruel.
What he hated were the two-faced, the ones who swayed whichever way the wind blew.
Unfortunately, Lucius Malfoy was exactly that sort of man—or rather, most thriving pure-blood families were. They were the kind Leonard despised the most.
Just seeing them glide through politics with their polished manners made his skin crawl.
That irritation festered into a dangerous urge: to tear down the so-called Malfoy family.
Find a chance to take out Lucius Malfoy. The werewolf wizards' territory wasn't big enough yet, and rumor had it the Malfoys owned vast estates and manors. Seizing them would shatter the dignity of the so-called pure-blood line, crushing it as easily as the fragile reputation of a village beauty.
"Leonard."
Just as Leonard was brooding over how to ruin the Malfoys, Harry Potter appeared behind him and patted his shoulder.
Leonard smoothed over his expression, flashing a bright, sunny smile. "Oh, Harry. What's the matter?"
"I came to warn you," Harry whispered. "Neville told me he overheard Malfoy from Slytherin plotting to get back at you. He's even roped in a few upperclassmen."
"What? Upperclassmen are after Leonard?" Ernie, who had been sitting nearby, shot to his feet.
Harry blinked at the tall boy, baffled.
Who was this?
"Hi, I'm Ernie Macmillan, just call me Ernie. You must be Harry Potter? Thanks for the warning. I'm Leonard's roommate. Don't worry, I'll protect him," Ernie said earnestly.
"And me too!" Justin jumped up as well.
"Enough." Leonard glanced at them with a smile. "Sit down and eat."
Despite his cheerful expression, both Ernie and Justin shivered involuntarily.
"Leonard… you don't need our help?" Ernie asked, unwilling to let it go.
"No. If you help, it becomes a conflict between houses, and we'll lose a lot of points," Leonard said gently. "But if it's just me, then it's a conflict between students. And the side outnumbered is the weaker party—there shouldn't be any point deductions."
"But they're upperclassmen," Justin argued. "If they knock you down and run, the professors won't punish them without proof. I heard Slytherin's Head, Professor Snape—our Potions professor this afternoon—always shields his students."
"Yeah, let's tell the prefect. Maybe he'll know what to do," Ernie suggested.
Harry nodded quickly. "Yeah, better to let the prefect handle it."
The three of them looked genuinely worried, clearly afraid Leonard would be bullied.
Good kids, really.
Leonard only smiled and said nothing.
"Leonard, what are you thinking about?" Harry found Leonard's smile strange.
"I'm thinking I should answer more questions in class—earn the house a few extra points," Leonard replied.
"At a time like this, that's what's on your mind?" Ernie grumbled. "Wouldn't it be better to just go to the professor?"
"No need. You'll understand soon enough." Leonard went back to eating, clearly unwilling to explain further.
Harry left, looking troubled, while Justin and Ernie leaned in close, whispering to each other as if plotting something.
The meal had its ups and downs, but Leonard's appetite stayed strong—he ended up eating enough to cover lunch as well.
...
Half an hour later, a well-fed Leonard and the worried Justin and Ernie hurried to the Transfiguration classroom.
Though it was on the first floor, the classroom wasn't easy to find.
When the three passed through a side door of the Great Hall into the main hall, all they saw was the Marble Staircase leading up to the second floor.
Luckily, Leonard's sharp eyes spotted an inconspicuous door tucked into the corner by the stairs. Beyond it was a corridor that led to the classrooms at the back of the castle.
They made their way to the classroom. Quite a few students hadn't arrived yet, so the three found seats and waited for class to begin.
Leonard pulled out his textbook, A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, and flipped through it again.
Transfiguration was the only subject in which Leonard hadn't mastered a single spell. The textbook didn't include the detailed gestures or incantations needed for the magic.
He had already studied it while thinking about the werewolf problem, because he always felt there was a link between Transfiguration and werewolves.
But the book was painfully shallow. Most of it focused on the consequences of misusing Transfiguration spells. It read less like a textbook and more like a collection of horror stories—wizards turning themselves into monsters, unable or unwilling to change back.
For example, it described a creature called the Quintaped, a round-bodied monster with five deformed legs, covered in red fur.
It was said they were once wizards, transformed into beasts. Perhaps that was why they developed a taste for human flesh, making them extremely dangerous.
Transfiguration... its malice toward humanity—it was far too similar to werewolves.
There had to be a connection.
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