Having missed the opportunity once, twice, Tom Riddle naturally did not want to miss it a third time.
He hoped to find a chance to communicate with Garfield again.
However, although the students had bought the newly published moral education textbook, they found that there was no corresponding class scheduled for it.
Tom Riddle was very clever.
He cleverly inquired with his prefects and found out the reason.
Garfield Pando Godzilla Pendragon was very busy and it was uncertain how long he would stay at Hogwarts.
To ensure everyone could receive an education, the course schedule needed to be reorganized.
He might be able to showcase his talents in a small classroom and regain Garfield's favor.
But if he followed the prefect's suggestion and taught in a large classroom in the dining hall, his time and talent might not be fully utilized.
He might also do something that backfired.
His only option was to find Garfield's resting place at Hogwarts and visit him late at night.
However, the result was disappointing.
He gained nothing by the end of the day and even received warnings from some teachers.
They were not allowed to disturb the new professor's rest.
"Damn it. I, Tom Riddle, aspire to become a great wizard. My fame must surpass that of my ancestor Salazar Slytherin. Now I am stumped by a mere housing problem. I am not one to give up easily."
"Tom Riddle is not one to give up easily. He will try to find the most suitable solution in the shortest amount of time."
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Garfield, however, was completely clueless about young Voldemort's determination.
After dinner, Garfield followed the instructions from the original books.
In front of the portrait of the Fat Lady, walk back down the corridor, down six floors, up the marble staircase into the foyer, turn left into a wide stone corridor, find a painting of a silver bowl full of fruit, scratch the pear, and the pear will laugh and turn into a large green handle.
Grab it and pull open the door.
The kitchen is inside.
Following his memory, Garfield first found the portrait of the Fat Lady.
To be honest, she was quite plump.
Then he went down the corridor to the sixth floor, followed the marble staircase into the foyer, and found the portrait in a wide stone corridor.
Garfield naturally could not reach the pear without flying.
He flew up, flicked his paw, and gently teased the pear.
The pear chuckled and then transformed into a green handle.
Garfield waved and opened the door.
The moment the door opened, Garfield saw a long kitchen where house elves were magically cleaning the stoves.
Magic was convenient.
All the pots and pans were cleaning themselves.
Some stoves were still busy, as if preparing food for tomorrow morning.
When Garfield entered, the house elves were initially surprised.
They thought it was an ordinary cat, but then they realized how a cat could fly.
Only one orange cat at Hogwarts had a special ring on its paw and could fly.
"Your Majesty King Pendragon, welcome to the Hogwarts kitchen," Shrek said as he stepped out from among the house elves. "Your Majesty, what do you need?"
"Shrek, do you cook Eastern food?"
Eastern food was not common in this era.
Hogwarts did not have any students from China.
Unfortunately, the house elves did not know how to cook it.
Shrek lowered his head in embarrassment and apologized to Garfield.
"I am sorry, Your Majesty. We did not know how. We are very sorry, and we hope you will punish us."
Garfield knew what house elves were like.
Their minds were twisted by centuries of servitude.
He needed a special way to enlighten them.
"Alright, Shrek. It is normal for you not to know how. This is England, not China. I will demonstrate for you later. Now I need some ingredients."
Given that chives were not widely cultivated at this time, and it was September, the wrong month with no chives available, Garfield could only choose to make scallion pancakes, hot and sour soup, tea eggs, and meat buns first.
He went to a Easter restaurant in England to get some special seasonings, then returned to the Hogwarts kitchen.
The house elves had already cleaned all the stoves.
The basic ingredients needed for scallion pancakes, hot and sour soup, and tea eggs were gradually prepared.
These included pepper, chili, bone broth, beef, cornstarch, vermicelli, peanuts, tofu skin, and wood ear mushrooms.
Garfield, wearing a chef's hat, addressed the house elves.
"First, I will make some hot and sour soup."
The ingredients included pepper, chili, cooked beef, broth, gluten, flour, vermicelli, scallions, ginger, salt, MSG, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
Garfield first put water and broth in a pot.
Then he added the hot and sour soup ingredients, pepper, and chili.
He brought it to a boil over high heat.
Once boiling, he added lamb and gluten.
After the lamb and gluten were cooked, he poured in some gluten water and cooked until the soup thickened.
Then he added vermicelli, scallions, salt, MSG, and soy sauce, and simmered it for five minutes.
Finally, he ladled the soup out and added sesame oil and vinegar to taste.
A small pot of delicious hot and sour soup was ready.
Garfield ladled out the soup and instructed Shrek, "You all should have some to try."
Shrek trembled.
"Your Majesty, how dare we..."
His timid appearance made even Garfield feel a pang of sympathy.
Garfield gently reassured Shrek.
"Alright, try it and see what it tastes like. From now on, you will be in charge of breakfast at Hogwarts."
Shrek was very excited.
He bowed to Garfield, almost prostrating himself.
"We will definitely live up to your expectations."
Garfield then demonstrated how to make several special breakfast items, such as scallion pancakes, tea eggs, meat buns, and wontons.
Since he could not get sesame paste, he did not demonstrate how to make hot dry noodles, a breakfast staple from Wuhan.
However, thanks to chili oil, beef, and sauce, Garfield made a Sichuan style beef noodle soup for Shrek and his friends to try.
As for classic dishes like braised pork, sweet and sour pork ribs, beef stew with potatoes, and Pao chicken, he would save those for later.
After all that work, Garfield naturally would not leave empty handed.
He stuffed his pockets with many European style snacks to eat as a late night treat.
Garfield's work in the kitchen naturally did not escape Headmaster Armando Dippet's notice.
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The next morning, Garfield's table was set with spicy soup, scallion pancakes, and a stack of large scallion and meat buns.
The same was true for Dippet.
McGonagall and Dumbledore, who had rushed back in the middle of the night, found the bread and milk in front of them suddenly less appealing.
The old bee, however, was incredibly sly.
He leaned close to Garfield and asked with a smile, "What is this? Is it good? Let me try some."
Thinking that little Voldemort would be taking his classes in a few days, Garfield thought it better to play along with Dumbledore.
"Want some? Promise me one thing..."