Тейлор Поттер и философский виал / Taylor Potter and the Philosophical Vial: Глава 11. День святого Валентина и прочие дела

Chapter 11. Valentine's Day and Other Things
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Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:19

Lately, Taylor had come to dislike weekends because they meant no classes and the days would drag on twice as long as usual. The dorm was empty, everyone had already gone somewhere, and Taylor, yawning gloomily and wondering why everyone couldn't sleep on Sundays, trudged off to do her morning chores. Something unusual was happening at Wormwarts — the increased activity of students, elfs, and professors, which Taylor sensed through the insects — and it all made her wary. Another attack? Another enraged tree? Alarm flared in her soul, and Taylor, instantly awake, began to prepare for battle.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:21

Halfway into the suit, she paused, struck by a sudden thought. Reflexes and subconscious, her body acted on its own, ready to rush to save her friends. The lessons of Wormwarts, especially Quidditch and DADP, had not been wasted on Taylor, and now she organized and clustered her thoughts like insects, forming dense rows, spinning webs of thought, aligning and organizing herself. Self-deception had no place in combat, and Taylor admitted that her friends were still her friends. Not ex-friends, not traitors, but people for whom she was ready to fight and defend without hesitation, against anyone.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:22

Taylor realized she was ready to accept and forgive what they had done, but were her friends ready to forgive her in return? Wouldn't this all turn into a pathetic act of pathetic self-abasement? And then Taylor braced herself, because her friends were in danger, which meant she could and should indulge in reflection later, after she had saved them or made sure they were all right.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:23

With that thought, Taylor, now fully prepared, rushed out the door.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:23

It felt like a young and inept Brute had punched her in the forehead. Wormwarts... had changed, everything was white and pink, hearts were flying through the corridors, and three of them immediately began circling Taylor's head, as if she'd landed in some cartoon where stars and hearts fly around the characters after being hit.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:24

"Send me to someone," sang the first heart.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:24

"I will convey your feelings," the second one immediately began to sing.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:24

"Better me, because I am a big heart!" Pushing them aside, the third one flew out.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:25

"Oh, Taylor, you're my idol, I adore you, and I'll see you off to school!" A whole music box floated down from somewhere above, knocking hearts to the floor. "Victoria Weasley sends you her regards and hopes for a quick reply!"

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:42

"What the hell is going on here?" Taylor muttered, retreating to the bedroom.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:26

The screens opposite flashed the words "Happy Valentine's Day!" and the line "Taylor Potter, follow the glowing line" ran down the wall.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:27

"What the," and then Taylor saw.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:27

A line glowed on the hallway floor. Made of hearts. Taylor inhaled, then exhaled with relief—no danger!—and followed the line.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:28

"I'm glad everyone responded to my call and came on this wonderful Sunday!" said Professor Niceguy.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:29

The Wormwarts students, filling the Great Hall, listened. Hearts and boxes flew through the air, swirling, singing, but very quietly, barely drowning out Lockhart's voice.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:29

"A huge thank you to Headmistress Fortuna Dumbledore for supporting my initiative, as we all need support and love, and that's what Valentine's Day is all about – it's a day for all lovers! Send gifts, declare your love, don't be shy about expressing your feelings, and help each other on this wonderful day!"

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:32

Taylor could have sworn that after these words, Niceguy winked at her personally, and she felt grateful. The professor had truly figured out how to help her. Express your feelings? Well, now she would go and express them. True, Taylor's feet were frozen to the ground for some reason, and her tongue felt like cotton wool, but she used one of her tricks: she imagined it wasn't her, but someone under her control, a puppet.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:33

She's a Master, after all, if she can control insects, so why not imagine her controlling her own body like some kind of giant beetle? No, a butterfly. That's right, a butterfly. Her soul immediately calmed, her Tactician skills kicking in. How to gather those who don't want to gather together? With maneuvers and cunning! However, a second later, Taylor discarded the second part – there had already been enough cunning this year, and nothing good had come of it.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:34

"Is it possible to plan love? I think Accord Flitwick can help you with that! Grow a tree of love? Ray Sprout will give you advice! A duel for a lady's heart? Hannah McGonagall will show you how it should be done!" Niceguy ranted in the background.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:35

Taylor didn't exactly freeze, but she briefly wondered if Cape society had laws against Masters who coerced and imposed emotions. The history books offered no answer, even the parts dealing with Zion de Mort, which was essentially modern history. The simplest solution seemed obvious: befriend Lisa, ask her advice, but for some reason, the thought nagged at her. Priorities, Taylor reminded herself: first, rebuild the friendship, then consider the rest.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:37

"Don't be shy about expressing your feelings!" Lockhart declared at the end. "Let the Love Feast begin!"

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 09:38

Leading by example, he immediately approached Headmistress Dumbledore and began speaking to her, judging by his gestures, lavishing smiles and compliments on "Fortuna's unfading beauty." Another fleeting thought occurred to Taylor: Fortuna Dumbledore had personally known the Founders and had been involved in the formation of Cape society. How old was she in 1908, when the Tunguska meteorite fell? And how old was she now, since it was 2023? One hundred and twenty? The Headmistress looked no more than thirty; to be precise, her age was impossible to discern from her appearance; a dark-skinned, middle-aged woman, that's all.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 10:32

"Victoria!" Taylor threw the thread, attracting the attention of the youngest Weasley, floating in the air.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 10:32

"Oh, Taylor! Did you get my box?"

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 10:35

"You should work on your rhyme," Potter smiled. "Can I ask you?"

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 10:35

"Anything!" Victoria exclaimed passionately.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 11:58

Taylor paused for a second, listening to the sensations. No, it wasn't pressure, not forced emotion, not an attempt... basically, it was simply a fan's delight in front of her idol. But why today? Where had Victoria been for a month and a half?

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 11:59

"Bring your sister, Amy Weasley, even if she resists."

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 11:59

"Amy?" Victoria asked in a low voice.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 12:07

"Amy. ​​Or is she no longer considered "anything"? Or are you saying she's not your sister?"

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 12:08

"But I..."

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 12:08

Taylor realized she needed to resort to the Tactician's tricks and stratagems again. Create a decoy, present a false target, so the enemy will come to where you want them to go and not interfere with your plans.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 12:09

"The next time we have an event like this, with dancing and everything, you'll be the first one I invite, I give you my word on that, my friend," Taylor said.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 10:35

Watching Vicky fly off, she blinked weakly, adjusted her glasses, and went in search of Lisa. However, in Taylor's case, the phrase "went in search" was nothing more than a figure of speech, as she already knew where Granger was. Despite all the systems and filters at Wormwarts, Taylor dragged the insects everywhere, planted them on people, kept an eye on them, set up "alarms" of web threads, and generally killed time as best she could.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 10:37

"You're serious," Lisa said as soon as Taylor was there.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 10:41

No "hello," no "excuse me," straight to the point and straight to the point with a superpower, and for some reason, Taylor found it incredibly sweet. It was like the old days were back.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 12:17

"And, of course, you attracted the Weasley sisters," Lisa sighed heavily.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 10:41

Victoria landed next to her, nearly dropping Amy. Amid the general hubbub, noise, shouts, and students rushing around the hall, no one paid any attention to the four girls. In fact, they might as well have been in an empty hall; no one cared about them, and everyone was busy with more important things. Taylor, realizing this, simultaneously thought it would have been better outside the Hall — the excessive concentration of capes was disconcerting.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 10:48

This was one of the reasons why a significant portion of capes lived among ordinary people, why cape society invested significant effort into socialization and support for its members, through schools like Wormwarts and other such things. Too high a concentration of capes generated conflict, awkwardness, uncertainty, disorientation, fear, and much more. From this perspective, life in schools served not only the purpose of socialization among humans but also taught them how to live among capes, how to cope, and smooth over the rough edges of a society where everyone has superpowers. Are you unwittingly spying on your neighbor with insects? But they can read your thoughts, or they can destroy your house with a punch, or blow up an entire pocket dimension if something goes wrong.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 10:58

Living among common humans was easier, even despite the need to make efforts to disguise and conceal one's superpowers. Fewer capes around meant less pressure and thirst for conflict, less competition, less of everything, except humans, of course. \\"Well, there's no need to go far," Taylor thought, biting her cheek. "We had a team of three capes, and it fell apart at the first problem."

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 11:21

"Is there something you don't like?" Victoria asked defiantly.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 12:14

“She probably understands that she won’t be able to manipulate us,” Amy nodded, and then frowned, as if she had said something wrong.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 12:14

"If you...," Granger began, but then a fly flew into her mouth.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 11:22

"That's enough," Taylor said calmly. "Thank you, Vicky, I'll honor the promise."

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 10:49

She nodded, ruffled her hair, briefly turning it into a blonde mohawk, and pretended to be off on business. In reality, she was lurking nearby, as Taylor could clearly sense, trying to eavesdrop, but that didn't particularly matter right now, and Potter didn't bother the youngest Weasley.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 12:16

"You're both my best friends," Taylor said, holding out her hands to Amy and Lisa.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 12:16

Almost immediately, it became obvious that instead of a triangle, it was an angle. Neither of them objected to Taylor extending her hand, but not to each other. More precisely, both Amy and Lisa were more inclined to return Potter's gesture (not without hesitation, as Taylor noted) than to extend their hands to each other.

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 12:16

Well, actually, it would be stupid to hope to fix everything in a second, wouldn't it?

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 11:24

"I've done bad and unforgivable things, even if I don't remember many of them," Taylor continued, "but I'm sure you wouldn't be angry with me over trivial things. I'm not talking about forgiveness, and I'm not asking for it, but you are my best friends, and I will always be there for you. That's it."

Camrad_RIP 23.01.26 в 11:36