บท 60: Chapter 60: Cornered

Peeves didn't respond to Luke's question right away. Instead, he began to wonder how his secret hideout, which hadn't been discovered for centuries, could be found.

No one's been here in hundreds of years!

Then he spotted the little cat behind Luke, licking its paw.

Booker, sensing Peeves' gaze, rolled his eyes at him before going back to grooming.

Peeves recognized the cat.

Since the beginning of the school year, Peeves had often seen this cat roaming the castle, especially in places where girls tended to gather. The cat was almost always there.

The girls would occasionally feed it little snacks, and the cat didn't even need to act friendly—just eat silently, and that alone would make them smile. A few boys had also joined in feeding the cat.

At first, Peeves thought it was a stray left behind by a student who had graduated, now scrounging for food on its own.

So, the great Peeves had 'kindly' played with the cat a few times.

Who could have guessed that this cursed cat was actually the little Slytherin's spy!

Damn, no wonder—Salazar's descendant, of course, would come up with using an unassuming cat as a spy. Even though it wasn't as direct as a snake, a cat could lower people's guard more easily.

This kid is terrifying; he even outwits ghosts!

Luke noticed the somewhat aggrieved expression on Peeves' face, though he wasn't sure why. He had a hunch that Peeves had misunderstood something, but seeing the ghost's reaction, he figured it wasn't necessarily a bad thing, so he let it slide.

"You've been hard to track down. Why've you been avoiding me?"

This question was deliberately vague, allowing Peeves to interpret it however he wanted.

Judging by Peeves' slightly dejected expression, it was clear that he believed Luke had planned this from the start. Little did Peeves know, Luke had simply followed his cat's lead.

"Why do you think? Your current attitude explains perfectly why I've been avoiding you," Peeves grumbled.

Realizing he'd been caught, Peeves flipped over mid-air, lying flat with his legs crossed and hands behind his head, looking utterly defeated.

"Put that wand away. I'm not running anymore."

He glanced at the wand in Luke's hand and sighed, "The great Peeves keeps his word. I lost the game of hide-and-seek, so I won't run."

If Luke were the typical protagonist of some anime, he might have believed Peeves.

But Luke knew better. Though he didn't know Peeves extremely well, none of the ghost's traits seemed remotely related to keeping promises.

Although the wand couldn't cause Peeves any fatal harm, it could definitely make him suffer a little.

"First, tell me why exactly you've been avoiding me."

Luke had plenty of time, and he didn't mind asking again. He at least wanted a more genuine answer this time.

To be honest, threatening Peeves here didn't hold much weight. Unless Luke used the spell given to him by Voldemort, he doubted he could do any significant damage to Peeves.

Peeves could take a hit, quickly escape, and then Luke would be stuck in a never-ending game of cat-and-mouse. That would be a waste of time.

Although Luke didn't know what Peeves was thinking, it was probably along the same lines. After all, it was more fun to mess with people who couldn't harm him, rather than someone who actually could.

Seeing Luke press the issue, he had no choice but to sigh and explain, "Because your family, the Gaunts, aren't exactly easygoing. Each one of you is always filled with plans and schemes. Even the children have ambitions"

He looked at Luke with an almost contemptuous gaze. "No matter how much you try to appear gentle and kind, everyone around you is just a stepping stone for your dreams"

"To become the most powerful wizard, to seek the ultimate truth in magic, to amass the greatest fortune, to rule the entire world."

"The Gaunts, they had everything, except the will to live a quiet life."

"Even those with no talent still tried to make waves, hoping they might spark some change. The downfall of your family isn't surprising. After all, true geniuses are rare."

Luke stood in silence, seemingly unaffected by the words.

"You mentioned before, what exactly is Gryffindor's Talent?" he asked coldly.

Peeves' ghostly gaze lingered on him, then a sudden grin appeared. "I'm starting to find you interesting. Tell me, kid, are you the child of Slytherin and Gryffindor?"

"Incendio!"

An orange-red fire bolt shot from the tip of Luke' wand, striking the wall behind Peeves.

Peeves went silent, eyeing the wand in Luke's hand and grim look on his face.

"If you'd like to see my ruthless side, Peeves, I'm more than willing to show it to you." Luke relaxed his stance, gripping his wand as he pointed it at Peeves.

"If you refuse to be my friend and keep acting out in front of me, then you're just my enemy."

"I've practiced the next spell a few times on disobedient serpents and Dark wizards who dared to enter my forest. I'm not sure how it will affect a ghost, though."

As he finished, Booker, his loyal companion, suddenly jumped up onto a nearby pedestal, then leaped onto Luke' shoulder, his intense gaze fixed on Peeves, as if rallying to Luke' side.

It was clear that jokes involving someone's ancestry were no laughing matter, especially to pure-blood families who valued lineage. They grew up with legends of their ancestors' greatness, and their ancestors' honor formed part of their core.

Luke's kindness and gentleness were reserved only for his friends—or for useful pawns. The former would always have his loyalty as long as they didn't betray him; the latter were granted a temporary favor, lasting until their value ran dry. Not that Luke would throw them aside when they were no longer useful.

Perhaps Peeves' words held some truth. The Gaunt bloodline drove its members to seek greatness and glory, which made them somewhat cold and crazy. As for how to balance ambition with everyday life, Luke didn't know yet, but he was searching for the answer, step by step.

At the very least, he didn't want to become a slave to ambition and ideals.

Peeves was silent for a long while before speaking. "You misunderstand; I didn't mean to insult Slytherin… His last research was on the merging of bloodlines. Gryffindor's blood and his own—there was likely an experiment, though I don't know the outcome."

"It could have failed, or it could have succeeded."

"Your existence could be a coincidence, or it could be a plan set in motion a thousand years ago."

"A child with Slytherin's Parseltongue and Gryffindor's Talent for 'Emotion Control'"

*****

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