《Return of Salazar Slytherin》 01- Resurrection 01- Resurrection "What is this place? Who am I?" The young man with a handsome face and pale skin held his forehead with one hand, his face looking painful. Memories flooded into his mind like a tide, and then quickly receded, leaving only some basic frameworks and impressions, which just reached the upper limit of the capacity of the young boy''s immature brain. "I am Slytherin, Salazar Slytherin." The boy finally remembered his name - he is the greatest wizard in the world and one of the founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Thousands of years ago, Salazar Slytherin, who was about to come to the end of his life, accidentally found a mysterious stone. Inspired by snakes, he prepared a potion from the powder of this stone. After taking the potion, he fell into an eternal snake-like sleep. According to the plan, while in hibernation, he will shed his skin like a snake every hundred years. With each layer of skin he sheds, his body will transform into a younger state. Slytherin wasn''t able to wake up until his body became the appearance of a ten-year-old boy. His bold experiment succeeded. After waking up, Slytherin fell into confusion after a brief period of joy: he didn''t know what to do. According to the plan before sleeping, he only needs to wait for this body to grow into an adult before he can retrieve all his memories and restore his peak strength. But should he find something to do for himself during this time? Why don''t you go back there and have a look? An idea appeared in his mind, and then grew like a weed inside him, out of control. He wanted to go back to Hogwarts to see what the school he and his friends founded was now like. Fortunately, the condition of my body just meets the admission standards, and I can go back to Hogwarts as a student. However, since it will be a "private visit" as a student, the name Salazar Slytherin must not be used, and he needed a new name. After Slytherin thought for a moment, he stretched out a finger and drew a few times in the air. The name "Salazar Slytherin" appeared in the air, and then the letters changed positions on their own, creating a brand new one. The name appears- "Rhys Chassala Lint" Being an ancient old man, Salazar thought the new name was a good one. From today on, my name will be Rhys. After choosing a name, Rhys began to pack the things in the stone chamber and used magic to transform the chair into a white linen robe and put it around him. A few minutes later, Rhys saw the sun again. Rhys, who had not seen the sun for a thousand years, couldn''t help but close his eyes and enjoy the warm sunshine. The entrance to the stone chamber slowly closed behind him and finally disappeared. Everything belonging to Slytherin was completely destroyed. Buried deep underground. The gentle breeze blew through his hair, bringing a few distant voices. "Are you lost?" "..." "Speaking of which, we don''t know each other''s names yet. My name is Hermione. Hermione Jean Granger. What''s your name?" "Rhys Chassala Lint." After asking a few simple questions, although Rhys did not respond to most of the questions, Hermione made her own inference: Rhys was probably a child who had been separated from his parents. Out of a simple sense of justice, Hermione decided to take him to her parents and let them help Rhys find his family. Rhys didn''t refuse and followed the talkative little brown-haired girl back to the camp. Mr. Granger had already pitched the tent, and Mrs. Granger was boiling water on the fire¡ªthey had brought charcoal and solid alcohol blocks, so there was no need to gather firewood to light the fire. "You are back already? Did not you find-" Before Mrs. Granger could finish her sentence, she saw Rhys following Hermione. Her daughter didn''t need to explain, she roughly guessed what happened. She took the initiative to walk up to Rhys, leaned down, and showed an amiable smile. After thinking that she could definitely gain the trust of the little boy in front of her, she began to ask Rhys. "Where''s your mother?" "Dead." Rhys told the truth. Mrs. Granger: "..." Hermione: "??" "So, what about your father?" In a panic, Mrs. Granger, who felt she had said the wrong thing, quickly changed the question. "Dead too." Mrs. Granger, Mr. Granger, Hermione: "..." Mrs. Granger, who was constantly deflated, really didn''t know what to say, and her smile froze on her face. Finally, she choked out a sentence: "Let''s drink some tea first." ______ How was the first chapter? Was it any good? 02- Didn’t we exterminated the werewolves? 02- Didn¡¯t we exterminated the werewolves? Rhys was sitting by the campfire, holding a rather strange drink in his hand, which Muggles called "black tea". This is a drink obtained by boiling some dry leaves in water. The color is a bit like wine, but the taste is different from all the drinks he has drunk before. Its taste is rich and unique, with a sweet fruity and deep taste and a woody aroma. Every time you take a sip, you can feel its rich layers and delicate taste, like a silky ribbon dancing gently on the tip of your tongue. After just one small glass, Rhys fell in love with this magical drink. Mrs. Granger on the other side gradually came back to her senses after her brief panic. She was keenly aware of the loopholes in Rhys''s words: How did he come to the Forest of Dean alone without his parents? Therefore, there is a high probability that she had failed to gain the child''s trust, so that he refused to disclose his family background. It''s not Mrs. Granger''s fault. Even if she tried hard, she couldn''t imagine that the boy in front of her was actually an old antique who had been sleeping for a thousand years, and his parents were indeed dead. This forest is, in a sense, his graveyard. After a brief exchange of glances with her husband, the couple reached a consensus: let Rhys stay in their own camp for now, and maybe his parents would come over after a while. If the parents don''t show up by the end of the camp, they''ll contact the police and have professionals contact the child''s parents.Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com After thinking about it, the couple started preparing dinner, and Rhys and Hermione also walked to the edge of the camp, chatting while collecting firewood. "Who is the lord of this land?" After hearing this question, Hermione was stunned for a moment. After thinking for a moment, she answered hesitantly: "Elizabeth II?" "Which family does she belong to? What title does she hold?" Hermione: "? ? ?" After some communication, Hermione was shocked to find that Rhys didn''t even know about the Normandy dynasty, let alone the Plantagenet and Lancastrian dynasties that followed. He seemed to be someone who lived a thousand years ago! Rhys was even more shocked than she was: Someone could really unify the British Isles? The Roman Empire in the east actually perished? ? And most importantly.... the wizards disappeared from this world!? He tentatively asked Hermione about her attitude towards wizards. As a result, he got to know that Hermione actually believed that magic did not exist at all. Compared with common wolves, its muzzle is slightly shorter. If you look closely, you can actually find a bit of human charm. Saliva dripped from its lower jaw like threads, and its deep green eyes were full of murderous intent and madness. The giant wolf twitched its nose a few times, and the human smell from the tent not far away filled its nasal cavity, making it salivate. Driven by desire, it rushed towards the tent. In just one second, it can rip a hole in the tent like a bag of potato chips and rush inside for a feast. It could already imagine the sound of chewing and breaking bones of its soon-to-be victims, and the taste of steaming blood seemed to have filled its mouth... ''Eh?'' But the giant wolf found that the soil under its feet seemed to come alive, binding it firmly in place, even after a while he couldn''t even take a small step. The greed in the giant wolf''s mind was suppressed by this sudden change, and was replaced by fear from the heart. It no longer cared about the delicious fat meat in the tent, and now it just wanted to escape. But the more it struggled, the stronger the suction force of the soil became. At first, only the soles of the feet were stuck, and soon the entire paws, and then the calves... By the time the tent door curtain was opened, the four legs of the giant wolf were almost completely submerged in the ground. Rhys walked out of the tent, stared at the giant wolf expressionlessly for a while, and then muttered in a low voice: "I remember that we exterminated the werewolves, did we not clean them up entirely?" Yes, tonight''s uninvited guest is a werewolf. When the werewolf saw someone approaching, he couldn''t help but open his mouth wide, exposing his dagger-like teeth as a threat, and made a grunting sound in his throat. It was a horrifying scene, but given its circumstances, it was undoubtedly a bluff. Rhys waved his hand, and the werewolf''s mouth closed instantly. He could no longer make any sound and could only sink quietly to the ground. After easily dealing with the uninvited guest, Rhys wanted to go back to the tent and continue sleeping, but the moment he lifted the tent curtain, he suddenly changed his mind. He slapped his thigh fiercely: Before dinner, he was still worried about the disappearance of the magic from this world. Now, didn''t clues about the magic come to his door? I almost wasted this precious opportunity due to my negligence. He immediately turned around and terminated his earth trap spell. ______ Little Hermione really confused our boy. 03- The Humanoid Restoration Spell 03- The Humanoid Restoration Spell "On second thought, I remember there is a spell that can force a werewolf to return to human form..." Rhys put his fingers on his forehead, frowning and thinking. "Oh yes, it''s the humanoid restoration spell!" Finally, in the corner of his memory, Rhys recalled the spell. This is a spell for werewolves developed by his old friends Helga Hufflepuff and Rowena Ravenclaw, which can force the transformed werewolf to return to human form. However, he is not proficient in this spell. In his opinion, if he encounters a werewolf he just kills it, is there any need to change back to human form? But now he needs answers. He carefully recalled the details of the humanoid restoration spell and then cast it several times on the werewolf stuck in the mud. Since he didn''t have much magic power at his disposal, he didn''t have a wand in his hand, and he wasn''t particularly proficient in this spell. Rhys failed seven or eight times before he successfully cast the Restoration Charm to turn the werewolf he controlled back into its original form. The human form! The thick hair faded little by little, the limbs gradually became thinner, and the body shortened little by little. After about a minute, the wolf on the ground turned into a pale brown-haired woman. The madness in her green eyes was gradually replaced by reason, and the murderous intent slowly turned into shock. She raised her head blankly, and when the bright moon came into view, she lowered her head suddenly, as if it was not the moon, but a red-hot iron. Then she heard a boy''s voice. "You are lucky. You are still of some use to me, so I am willing to give you a chance to work for me." She looked towards the source of the sound and found a pale-skinned boy looking down at her. The boy had a pair of black eyes, as deep and cold as a lake. She had the illusion that she had no clothes on. Her intuition told her that in the eyes of this boy, all her secrets had nowhere to hide. "You...are you?" She spoke, her voice very hoarse, as if she had just been singing at the top of her lungs for several hours. "Rhys." "My name is Lupet." After giving her name, Lupet was silent for a moment. After understanding her situation, she said thank you from the bottom of her heart. This thank you is absolutely sincere. After confirming their destination, Lupert and Rhys stood there, staring at each other. Rhys: "?" Lupet: "? ? ?" "Please raise your wand, high above your head." After realizing that her "master" seemed to lack common sense, Lupert hurriedly told him how to summon the Knight Bus. What''s the use? Rhys frowned. He couldn''t remember any teleportation spells that could be cast just by raising the wand - if there were, it could only mean that the magic level of wizards had changed qualitatively in the past thousand years. But he didn''t think Lupet would do anything silly, so he raised the wand above his head as she said. The next second, a dazzling light suddenly lit up in the dark camp site, followed by a deafening "bang" sound. , and then a huge and terrifying beast with a pair of big eyes as dazzling as the sun rushed into Rhys''s field of vision. Rhys: "?!!" What kind of monster is this??? He was really shocked by the sudden appearance of this "giant monster". With such a huge size and terrifying power, it looked not much worse than a fire dragon. Rhys subconsciously mobilized the magic power in his body and used all his strength to send a wind blade to the thing. "Master Stop!" Lupett realized her mistake the moment the Knight Bus appeared. She threw herself at Rhys with all her strength, causing the wind blade he released to miss. The wind blade summoned by Rhys swept past the body of the Knight Bus, leaving a ravine half a meter deep and more than ten meters long on the ground. "Lupet!" Rhys turned his head suddenly and stared at Lupet who dared to hinder him. "It''s not an enemy, it''s a ''vehicle'' that takes us to Diagon Alley!" Lupet explained to him in the simplest terms what the Knight Bus was. Although he didn''t know what a car or vehicle was, Rhys understood what Lupet meant. The big guy in front of him was not a monster, but a means of transportation similar to a public carriage. "Merlin..." A voice like a drake interrupted the conversation between the two with a trembling tone. Rhys looked over and saw a pale young man sitting on the steps extending from the car door. "You scared the conductor." Lupet spread her hands and said helplessly. _______ 04- Rowena Ravenclaw who can’t drive 04- Rowena Ravenclaw who can¡¯t drive Knight Bus conductor Stanley "Stan" Shunpike''s first day on the job was a disaster. Being unable to sleep on the night shift was already very unpleasant. He was almost cut in half when he opened the door. After he came to his senses, Shunpike was already considering revising his resume and running away with a bucket. Looking at the two people walking in front of him, Shunpike wanted to grab them by their collars and ask them: What are they so mad about that they attacked the bus? But after seeing the scale of the ravine on the ground, he decided to pretend that nothing had happened. Shunpike cleared his throat: "Welcome to the Knight Bus, which is an emergency passenger transport for witches or wizards in distress (are guys like you really in trouble? Thank you Merlin), as long as you hold out your magic wand and get in the bus and we''ll take you wherever you want to go (I''d love to refuse you a ride if possible), people call me Stan Shunpike and I''m your tonight''s conductor (I''m so unlucky) - so where do you want to go?" While rumbling in his mind, he completed the opening remarks specified in the work manual, and then Shunpike looked at the two of them and asked about their destination. Rhys gave him a meaningful look and told Stan that he and Lupet were going to Diagon Alley. Shunpike immediately began to calculate the fare for the two of them based on their destinations. Since he was not very proficient in business and was not very good at mathematics, it took him a while to calculate the total fare that the two of them needed to pay one Galleon and a Sickle. "But if you pay an extra six knut, you can get two chocolates, and if you pay an extra eight knut, you can get a hot water bottle and a toothbrush in any color." Stan vigorously promoted the small commodities on the bus. Galleons? Sickle? It seemed to be the currency used by wizards today. He was very interested in this because, in the era when he was active, the currencies used by wizards were extremely confusing. Some used precious metals directly, and some used Muggle coins. There were also those who made money from the leaves of the Sniffing Fantasy Grass... Galleons and Sickles sound much more reliable than these things. Similarly, Rhys was also very interested in these chocolates, toothbrushes, and hot water bottles that Stan mentioned, but Lupet directly said that only two tickets would be enough. There was no other way, the werewolf was so scared of poverty that she didn''t dare to spend more than a knut. Lupet glanced at Rhys quietly, and after seeing him standing there motionless, she sighed secretly: Sure enough, it was unrealistic to expect him to pay for the ticket. She took out a shriveled money bag and poured out the knuts one after another after another and after another. "....." "....." Stan Shunpike and the curious glances from deep inside the carriage made Rhys''s face feel hot. He quickly reached into his waist bag and took out two big gold coins. "Take it, it''s definitely enough." Throwing the gold coin into Stan''s hand, Rhys and Lupet walked into the knight bus together. Stan looked at the gold coins in his hand and was stunned for a moment: There were tourists paying with foreign currencies, but why didn''t he recognize the money at all? It''s neither the U.S. trout nor the French Galleons. Could it be the currency from Central Asia or Africa? But after all, it was two real big gold circles, enough to pay their fare. "I will definitely fix it!" A blush appeared on Rowena''s face, and she repeatedly assured him that she could fix Salazar''s cart in the blink of an eye. "It doesn''t change the fact that you are a bad driver even if you fix this cart!! And my horse has a dent on his forehead!!!" "I will cure it, but Rowena, you are really not suitable for driving." Ravenclaw''s good friend, Helga Hufflepuff, stood up to smooth things over and began to give the injured horse in the accident the necessary treatment provided for children. After being deprived of the right to drive for two days, Rowena suddenly started to "shake" again. After some days, casting a spell on the carriage, she forcefully grabbed the reins from Gryffindor and started racing as usual. But this time when the cart was about to hit the tree, the tree jumped away on its own as if it had legs. Rowena smiled proudly. "I can''t hide from the tree, so why don''t I just let the tree hide from me?" "I think there seems to be room for improvement in your spell." Looking at the tree that ran into the middle of the road, Salazar couldn''t help but complain. "I''ve been too busy these days, let''s talk about it later," Ravenclaw said casually and speeded up the cart. Until the day Salazar left, he was unable to see Rowena''s optimization of that spell. Looking at the obstacles that automatically avoided and then returned to their original positions, Rhys smiled with relief: Rowena, someone has helped you improve this spell. ______ Is Lupet an AU version of Lupin? What do you guys think? ______ Advance chapters- @->a Chapter 07- already uploaded there, I''ll upload 08 in an hour. My goal is to make it 10 chapters ahead of Scribble Hub by tomorrow so please consider joining? Thankyou~ 05- Diagon Alley 05- Diagon Alley Renee Bruffett and Terrance Smith ! Thanks a lot for becoming the first-ever supporters and joining the patreon of this book! ____ After watching the night view outside the window for a while, Rhys found a bed by the stairs and lay down, while Lupet chose the bed opposite him. Lupet lay on the bed and closed the bed curtains. There was a rustling sound, and then the bed curtain lifted a corner, the boots that were taken off were placed under the bed, and the robe was hung on the hook at the head of the bed. After a while, Lupet''s voice rang: "Sir, have you not had any contact or communication with the outside world for a long time?" "Yes." Rhys, who was lying on the bed with his eyes closed, replied to her question. "Then who are you?" Lupet couldn''t restrain her inner curiosity. She wanted to know the origin of the ''adult'' she was following. "Aren''t werewolves all dealt with in the previous era, how did you become a werewolf?" In order to prevent Lupet from continuing to ask questions, Rhys took the initiative to change the subject. Lupet was silent for two seconds and then told Rhys that she had been attacked by a werewolf when she was a child. Although she was lucky enough to survive, she was still infected and became a werewolf. Hmm? At a young age? Rhys opened his eyes instantly. He thought Lupet was accidentally bitten and infected by a werewolf as an adult, but turned out to be a werewolf since she was a child. So how did she get a wand and become a wizard? This is so confusing. "When I was eleven years old, I received the admission notice to Hogwarts. I was also surprised, but Hogwarts, or Professor Dumbledore, will always give people like us a chance."Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com "Ah, that''s right," Rhys sighed: "I guess this Professor Dumbledore must not be from Slytherin House." "Yes, he''s a Gryffindor." The carriage fell into silence, and there were no words all night. When the sun rose from the horizon again, the Knight Bus came to a sudden stop in front of a shabby little bar. After their heads came into close contact with the metal bedrail, Rhys and Lupet woke up out of sleep at the same time. The humble bar in front of you is called the Leaky Cauldron, which is the entrance to Diagon Alley in the wizarding world. Rhys suddenly felt a little moved. He really needed a crucible that could stir automatically. However, considering the two people''s difficult financial situation, Rhys felt that he should change some money first. He also knew that the currency from thousands of years ago must be unable to circulate now, and he had to first exchange it for the galleons used by wizards today. After telling Lupet that he wanted to exchange items for Galleons, Lupet suggested that he should go to Gringotts Wizarding Bank. "Gringotts, wizarding, bank?" Rhys could understand these words, but when combined together, it was a bit confusing. Goblin, wizard, bench or river bank? What the hell is all this? "Gringotts is the only wizarding bank here. It is operated by goblins. You can save money and keep valuables. You can also exchange Muggle money for magical currency. You can also sell any valuables you have to them ¡ªBut once you sell it, you basically can''t get it back." "And ...If you want to sell ''that'' kinds of items also, I suggest you go to Knockturn Alley. After all, Gringotts is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Magic and cannot openly acquire magic items related to black magic." Lupet considered The owner''s background was added. "Oh, it''s like a bench merchant!" After Lupet''s explanation, Rhys immediately understood what the so-called ''bank'' did. The bench merchant mentioned by Rhys was an institution specializing in money business that appeared in Italy in the early 11th century. At that time, Italian business was increasingly prosperous, and Venice and Genoa became the trade centers of Europe. Stimulated by trade, many merchants specialized in currency exchange, and small loans were introduced. These merchants would sit on benches in the market center to conduct transactions, so they were called "bench traders", and the word "bench traders" became the etymology of the word "bank". As for what Lupet added later, Rhys could understand it. As early as the era when he lived, black magic was a symbol of evil. Even his three friends had deep prejudices against it. So people still think of those items as evil and are against it. No wonder. There were indeed some items in his hand that were related to dark magic, so he will go to Knockturn Alley to sell them. After coming back from Gringotts. The two of them rushed directly towards Gringotts. _____ Advance Chapters- /HornyFBI ch 10 has already been uploaded there! Will make it 10 chapters ahead of WN by tomorrow! 06 – The goblins are still as annoying as a thousand years ago 06 ¨C The goblins are still as annoying as a thousand years ago _____ "It''s interesting." Rhys glanced at the goblins in the hall and raised his eyebrows: The wizards of later generations are really full of martial virtue! Thousands of years ago, the unruly king of his own tribe and the goblins who had fought several wars with the wizards were willing to work for the wizards and run the bank for them?? It was obviously not a sign of conscience. Heh, the youngsters really one-uped them! After secretly giving a thumbs-up to his successors, he walked to the bank counter and explained his purpose to the goblin behind the counter. The goblin behind the counter was wearing glasses to examine gems. When he saw a girl in shabby clothes and a child with no hair on her face, she couldn''t help but feel a little cold. It didn''t bother to take off the eyepiece, and while observing the gems in its hands, it just asked Rhys and Lupet to put the items for sale on the counter, and then it heard a crackling sound. The goblin raised his head in annoyance and wanted to scold the two of them for not scattering biscuits and other sundries on the counter, but a pile of colorful gems came into view, choking all its dissatisfaction and complaints in its throat. "Let''s estimate it," Rhys said calmly. The little expression of the goblin in front of him naturally cannot escape his eyes, but he can completely understand it - greedy and despicable, snobbish and stubborn, this is the nature of the goblins. It is better to say that it is this attitude that makes people understand that the one sitting in front of them was a greedy goblin, not a house elf. Distant memories surfaced in his mind, and he recalled a past incident between Gryffindor and the Goblin King Ragnuk I. Gryffindor once found Ragnuk, the king of goblins, and commissioned him to forge a sterling silver sword decorated with rubies for him.Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com However, the greedy goblin changed his mind after making the sword and wanted to take it for himself. He had to give it to Gryffindor at the moment but his heart was still greedy for that sword, Ragnuk had sleepless nights and finally came up with the bold idea of ??stealing the sword back from Gryffindor. Ragnarok claimed that Gryffindor had stolen the sword from him, and used this lame lie to drive his subjects to go to Gryffindor to ask for the sword. Gryffindor fought off all the goblins and enchanted them, asking them to go back and tell Ragnuk that if he dared to do such a thing again, Gryffindor would kill him and that too with this sword made by him. Ragnuk was cowarded and never mentioned the sword, but the legend that Gryffindor had stolen the sword began to spread in the goblin society... Thinking of this, Rhys couldn''t help but snort. The pursuit of decency and pomp was almost imprinted in his soul. Even when he traveled and adventured with his friends, he tried his best to be perfect in all aspects: clean accommodation, delicious and hygienic food, decent clothes... these are what he insists on. Pushing open the door, accompanied by a pleasant ringing, a beautiful woman wearing a gray silk robe and a gold brooch walked out from behind the counter quickly, and enthusiastically and elegantly called the two to enter the store to buy. Without showing contempt for the two people''s shabby clothes, the woman first introduced herself to the two. "I''m Isabel, the store manager of the Diagon Alley branch of Twilfitt and Tattings Clothing. Welcome to both of you. Twilfitt and Tattings Clothing is a symbol of refinement, luxury, and elegance. Whether it''s high-end custom-made fashion or handmade accessories, from classic timeless styles to the latest popular robes, they all represent our ultimate pursuit of quality and a unique understanding of fashion. Whether you are looking for daily wear or need to choose the corresponding clothes for special occasions, we can provide you with the most perfect choice. Welcome to experience the unique charm of Twilfitt and Tattings Clothing¡ªthis is your wisest choice! And we look forward to bringing you an unparalleled shopping experience." Faced with Isabel''s enthusiasm, Lupet was a little at a loss. She had never seen such a scene before. Second-hand robe shops would not have such thoughtful service. Rhys was not at all shy. He told Isabel that he wanted to buy a few sets of clothes for himself and Lupet. Rupert: "? !" She didn''t expect that she could also benefit from the master''s light and buy a set of clothes in a clothing store of this level. To Rhys, Lupett was his attendant anyway. If she was dressed in rags and looked shabby, would he look very proud? Of course not. He wanted his attendants to dress more decently than the daughters of wealthy families. This was true elegance. "Okay, please wait a moment." Isabel waved her wand without any hesitation and summoned a ruler. Just as she was about to ask Rhys to stand on a footstool so that she could measure his height, the doorbell of the store rang again. _____ Advance Chapters- ch 13 has already been uploaded there! It''ll be 10 chaps ahead by tomorrow! I promise heheh 07- MacMillan family? What’s that? 07- MacMillan family? What¡¯s that? A man''s voice rang together with the doorbell. "Isabel, hurry up and make me a dress. I''m in a hurry." A man with curly brown hair pushed open the door and strode to the counter. The man was tall, wearing a silver silk robe with gold trim, and a golden chain hanging around his neck. He seems to like wearing all kinds of jewelry very much, because he wears a total of seven rings on his ten fingers. Seeing Rhys already standing in front of the footstool, he was stunned for a moment. After briefly observing the two people''s clothes, a look of contempt flashed in his eyes, and then he made an action that was completely unexpected by Rhys. : He put his hands on Rhys''s shoulders, moved him aside, and stood on the footstool. Rhys: "? ? ?" Looking at the man standing calmly in front of him, Rhys had a thought: Was he being jumped in line? Who gave him the courage?!Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com Seeing that Rhys seemed very unconvinced, he directly stated his identity: ¡ªHe is a member of the MacMillan family. His time is much more precious than that of other guys who don''t know how to behave in front of a pureblood, so he should enjoy the service first. When Isabel saw this, she felt a pain in her temples: These descendants of the pure-blood family didn''t know what was going on. They were just as trouble-making as if they had brain problems. Just as she was about to call out the other waiters in the store to smooth things over and resolve the conflict, Rhys spoke. "I''ve never heard of the McMillan family, but didn''t your family elders teach you the principle of first come, first served? Obediently come down and line up." Rhys shook his head and ordered McMillan in a disciplinary tone. MacMillan''s face had turned the color of pig liver, and he felt like his lungs were going to explode. Isabel, who had witnessed the whole process in front of her, was very worried: she knew the virtues of these pure-blood wizards very well. That kid would definitely be severely punished for speaking like that. Unable to bear to see the ignorant young man suffer, Isabel decided to risk offending MacMillan to stop the conflict between the two. However, the situation changed far faster than she could react. "You damn slugs, I have long said that I will enact a law so that you mud bloods with dirty blood flowing in your veins should kneel down and salute after seeing a pure-blood wizard. Fudge, Lucius They didn''t listen, but now it''s better, these bugs dare to talk to me like this¡ª¡ª" The man bent down, stretched out his index finger, and stabbed Rhys on the shoulder. His other hand reached for the wand on his waist. He decided to leave some "unforgettable" memories for the young man and let him understand that there are hierarchies among wizards. But¡ª"Aaaahhhhh!" Rhys is also in a hurry. After buying clothes, he also needs to buy two magic wands that he has handy, and then sell a few magic props. If there is still time after selling the props, then he still needs to buy some other odds and ends. He has a lot to do. Still standing in shock, under the blow of a series of changes, Isabel was completely confused. When she heard Rhys calling her, she walked to Rhys blankly and measured his height based on muscle memory. At the same time, MacMillan''s screams continued, which made Rhys feel bored. He waved his wand lightly, and "..." MacMillan''s lips stuck together tightly like two magnets, absorbing all the sounds. His cries were all stuck in his throat! After finishing ''cooking'' MacMillan, Rhys turned his attention to Isabel, who was measuring her waist. Seeing that Rhys was no longer paying attention to him, MacMillan on the ground quickly endured the pain and ran out of the TT Clothing Store without even having time to pick up his wand. After the screams disappeared, Isabel came back to her senses and realized how big a trap the boy had just stabbed. She quickly advised in a low voice: "Run away quickly, the MacMillan family will not give up. Judging from your age, you should still be in school? Are you from Hogwarts? If so then you must stay in Hogwarts'' Castle obediently this year, with Dumbledore being the headmaster there, the MacMillan family won''t dare cause trouble." From Isabel''s point of view, although the young man was somewhat extraordinary, he was still alone. How could he be a match for a pure-blood family that had been rooted in the magical world for hundreds of years? However, the young man just shook his head and did not take the MacMillan family, one of the sacred twenty-eight pure-blooded families, seriously. Seeing that the boy did not listen to the advice, Isabel could only sigh and speed up her hands, hoping that he could leave this place of right and wrong as soon as possible after buying the clothes. "Three sets of black plain work robes, two plain black peaked hats, one winter cloak, three sets of women''s robes..." Isabel wrapped the clothes Rhys selected into a package and handed it to him. After choosing some suitable shoes for himself and Lupet, the two left the TT clothing store. Most of the Galleons exchanged at Gringotts have been used up. "Let''s go buy a wand first." Rhys decided. Naturally, Lupet will also get a new wand. ______ Read 10 chapters ahead at my Patreon! Thanks to Alvaro Miranda and Liam OCW for becoming new patrons!? 08- Goods overdue for a thousand years 08- Goods overdue for a thousand years _____ After walking out of the Twilfitt and Tattings clothing store, Rhys couldn''t help but complain to Lupet about what he had just experienced. In his opinion, the MacMillan just now was like a giant baby, with a completely immature mind. He really didn''t know how he grew up to be so big without being beaten to death. "What''s going on with today''s wizards? They are weak and have no sense of honor. They only brag about their family when they open their mouths, as if this is all they have to talk about. They are just as virtuous as Muggle nobles." "There''s no way. Pure-blood wizards are like this. There are many people who fanatically support pure-blood theory and are not very clear-headed. There is something wrong with them at the root. If you want to blame them, blame Slytherin." Slytherin? Me? Um? How does it still have anything to do with me? Faced with the sudden accusation, Rhys looked confused. "What does this have to do with ...Slytherin?" "Slytherin is the founder of pure-blood theory. If he hadn''t promoted pure-blood supremacy at Hogwarts, how could those pure-blood wizards be so rampant?" Rhys: Huh? Lupet''s words shocked him. When selecting students for his house, he would select students with characteristics just like Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Slytherin values ??students who are resourceful, strong-willed, defy secular laws, shrewd, ambitious, and pure-blooded - knowing Parseltongue is a plus. He does prefer students from wizarding families, but in his admissions criteria, this is only one of the conditions. How could he become the ancestor of pure-blood supremacy? Later generations seem to have some misunderstandings about themselves. To put it bluntly, what kind of pure-blooded family is the MacMillan family? He remembered very clearly that his old friend Hufflepuff had accepted a Muggle-born student named MacMillan... "Your understanding of Slytherin is too superficial." After saying this in a muffled voice, Rhys closed his mouth and walked silently towards the wand shop. After a conversation with Lupet, Rhys was determined to visit Hogwarts. He really wants to know what image he has in the minds of future generations, and also wants to know what the current state of Slytherin House is. If the room is full of junk, Rhys narrowed his eyes, sweep it out! ... The small shop selling wands is located in an inconspicuous corner of Diagon Alley.ViiSiit for latest novels Gryffindor''s share of the bounty was all turned into sweet wine and sizzling grilled meat. The conversation of his friends flowed in and out of Salazar''s ears, and his mind was entirely on Helga. He watched the girl stop in front of a roadside stall. After talking to the stall owner, she handed him a piece of wood and a thin yellow thread. The wood came from an apple tree. The fruit of that tree was large and sweet. The thin "threads" were the dragon''s brain nerves that they had obtained from hunting the fire dragon a few days ago. The stall owner accepted the deposit and asked Helga to pick up the wand in three days. Helga has great expectations for her applewood wand. She thinks that with its help, her food magic will be even better. "I just saw a wand shop when I was buying wine. It is said that the craftsmanship was passed down from Egypt. Why don''t you go there to customize a wand?" Gryffindor pointed to a large shop not far away where people were coming and going. said. Helga blinked: "But that store is not lacking in business!" After hearing her words, Rowena Ravenclaw couldn''t help but sigh: This girl is good at everything, but she is too soft-hearted. In the end, Hufflepuff didn''t get the applewood wand she so desired. The day after paying the deposit, the four received news: a crazy dragon attacked Southport and turned it into a sea of ??fire. They hurriedly left the small town where they had stayed for two days and rushed to Southport. Unexpectedly, this trip caused so much trouble, and the four of them did not return to this small town to take away Helga''s custom-made wand. ... "Mr. Ollivander is the best wandmaker in Britain and even the world. My wand and the wands of all the little wizards studying at Hogwarts were bought from him." Lupet''s words brought Rhys back to reality. His eyes wandered to the dusty display window, where a wand lay alone on a faded purple cushion. ____________ Read 10 chapters ahead- Our Daphne has become friends with the MC! 09- It’s the wizard who chooses the wand 09- It¡¯s the wizard who chooses the wand "This wand is not for sale." An old man walked out of the shop and came to them. His steps were light and almost silent, but his big, light-colored eyes were very bright, like two moons. Rhys glanced at the old man. His old face was almost 70% similar to the staff maker from thousands of years ago. It was as if he had stepped out of Rhys''s memory. "You must be Mr. Ollivander." No need to tell his name, Rhys was convinced that the person in front of him was a descendant of the Ollivander family. From this point of view, their family has at least a thousand years of wand-making history, and the words on the sign may not be an exaggeration now. "Of course." Garrick Ollivander was not surprised. After all, this was the entrance to Ollivander''s Wand Shop, so it was not difficult to guess his identity. He reiterated to Rhys that the wands in the window were not for sale. If Rhys wanted to buy a wand, he had thousands of ready-made wands in his store for him to choose from, except this one. Rhys pointed to the wand in the window and asked: "Applewood, dragon''s brain nerve?" "Yes, twelve and a quarter inches, apple wood with dragon brain nerves, a rare choice." Ollivander''s tone was full of surprise and admiration.ViiSiit for latest novels ''How did he know?'' Mr. Ollivander was really surprised. The young man in front of him could actually see the material and core of the wand through the display window. This was really an enviable talent. Which wand maker was he the descendant of? For the sake of Rhys''s superb wand-learning talent, Mr. Ollivander explained to him the ins and outs of this wand: This wand was customized by a customer in the shop of Mr. Ollivander''s ancestor thousands of years ago. , but on the day of delivery, the girl did not come to pick up the wand. His ancestor had been waiting for her as she was one of the kind customers who believed him that day, but she did not show up until her ancestor passed away. The ancestor made a rule before his death that this wand could only be sold to those who took the initiative to report the remaining balance of the wand and pay in the correct currency at the time he died. In Mr. Ollivander''s opinion, this is an impossible condition. It is extremely difficult to ask for payment using currency from a thousand years ago. What''s more, no one except the Ollivander family knows about this currency. Not to mention the remaining balance after the downpayment of the wand. This wand will remain in the Ollivanders Wand Shop window as always, becoming a symbol of their family''s history. "The final payment is 37 ?thelstan silver pennies. Please keep it. I''ve taken this wand." Rhys took out a small bag full of silver coins from the small bag on his waist and put it in Ollivander''s hands. Contrary to the stereotype, one ?thelstan silver penny weighs less than two grams, and the thirty-seven silver pennies together with the bag containing them weigh less than three ounces. Mr. Ollivander can naturally carry the bag. When it was placed in his hand, his arm didn''t even tremble. Ollivander was stunned on the spot. He couldn''t figure out why this boy knew the remaining price of the wand and even prepared silver pennies that were only circulated a thousand years ago. Could it be that he is the descendant of the girl from before? But if their family knew this, why did they wait a thousand years to get this wand? Garrick Ollivander was confused. "Why?" he asked subconsciously. "Because I have a fate with this wand." A faint smile appeared on Rhys''s face. He was curious and wanted to see the wand so he had paid attention to Helga and the old man while ignoring his two friend''s banter, secondly, he had only exchanged rubies and crystals with the goblin and had these silver coins, wasn''t this the fate of the wand to be his? "No wand can deny a great wizard. It is I who chooses the wand, not the wand that choses me." Rhys spread his hands. Along with his movements, the "wall" of wands trembled, and each wand trembled in the box as if it had come alive. During this process, Rhys could clearly sense the emotions of the wands: fear, surrender, unyielding, anger... and joy. He could choose any wand from among the thousands, and as he said, no wand would refuse him. After he noticed the movement, he stretched out his hand. A wooden box flew out from the wand wall and landed firmly in his hand. "Thirteen inches, elderberry, fire dragon''s heart nerve." After seeing the appearance of the box clearly, Ollivander subconsciously reported the properties of the wand. "A pretty good wand, how much does it cost?" Rhys took a fancy to this wand. "Seven Galleons." "One more." Rhys waved again and summoned a twelve-inch long wand with laurel wood as the body and unicorn tail hair as the core. This one is for Lupet. When Rhys paid and was about to leave, Mr. Ollivander spoke, and there was even a vibrato in his tone. "..Sir, who are you?" The young man left Ollivander''s Wand Shop with Lupet, who was already dumbfounded by surprise, without looking back, leaving only his voice echoing in the small shop¡ª¡ª "I am the greatest wizard in this age and ''time''." " ...The greatest wizard", this statement is so arrogant, but Mr. Ollivander felt for a moment that this boy who was no taller than his chest was not bragging or lying, because the scene just now was still deeply imprinted in his mind. And this day and scene, cannot fade away for a long time. Does the wand choose the wizard, or does the wizard choose the wand? Ollivander didn''t notice a crack in his ironclad faith, all because a teenager walked into his wand shop and picked out a wand for himself. _____ The story has just started and I really need your support! Please support with Likes/Hearts (????) 10 Advance Chapters- 10- Just a few inconspicuous gadgets 10- Just a few inconspicuous gadgets "My lord, you¡ª¡ª"ViiSiit for latest novels "Here, take it." Rhys put the laurel wand into Lupet''s arms. "This is the first time I have seen someone actively choosing a wand." While putting the wand in his pocket, Lupet said with emotion that today was really an eye-opener. In other words, ever since she decided to follow this ''adult'', her horizons have been constantly refreshing. "So what is the normal process?" Rhys'' curiosity was also aroused, and he wanted to know what kind of "the wand chooses the wizard" scene would happen if there were no interruptions. "Mr. Ollivander would have selected a suitable wand for us based on his experience after measuring our body data, and then let us try it. If the wand chooses us, that''s fine. If we are not chosen by the wand or Mr. Ollivandor says it doesn''t fit, we get another one." "..." In his opinion, the essence of this operation is still that the wizard chooses the wand, and the wand maker plays an overly strong role in the process, which requires extremely high levels of the producer himself. He himself was not very optimistic about Ollivander''s persistence. In his opinion, using only unicorn tail feathers, phoenix tail feathers, and fire dragon nerves to make the core of the wand is an overkill. Just like beef, honey, and wine are great ingredients, but which restaurant only uses them? Cooking with only these three ingredients is a bit too extreme. But in general, Garrick Ollivander is still making progress. The three wand cores he chose are indeed extremely powerful magical substances, and more importantly, they only cost seven Galleons - Rhys is really doubtful. Can Ollivander make money at this low price? Rhys just passed by the drugstore and noticed that the price of an ounce of dragon liver almost exceeded one galleon. If he really was that kind of charitable wandmaker and was helping the younger generation like that, Rhys wouldn''t mind giving Mr. Ollivander any help he could. After looking up at the position of the sun and realizing that it was still early for lunch, Rhys decided to go to Knockturn Alley again for new knowledge, sell some of his unused magic props, and use the money in exchange to buy some books. Knockturn Alley and Diagon Alley are actually connected. As a werewolf, Lupet is naturally a frequent visitor to Knockturn Alley. She expertly led Rhys around an inconspicuous corner, through a twisting alley, and then arrived at Knockturn Alley, a gray area in the magical world. Unlike the glamorous Diagon Alley, the overall tone of Knockturn Alley is dark and gloomy, and the shops in the alley seem to be inseparable from black magic. The shop window near the entrance displayed a pile of shrunken human heads, while the shop diagonally opposite had a large cage crawling with huge black spiders at the door. After entering the store, a hunched man appeared in front of the two of them and said in a smooth accent: "Welcome to Borgin and Burkes." After taking a look at the two people''s clothes and seeing clearly the shopping bags with the Extraordinary Clothing logo on their hands, the smile on his face became stronger. "Borgin and Burkes is a shop that specializes in providing secret valuation services for rare and ancient magical artifacts inherited from ancient wizarding families. Believe me, there is no one more professional than us in Knockturn Alley. Welcome, I can help! What do you two do?" "I''m here to sell something, a few inconspicuous gadgets." Rhys took out three boxes and placed them on the counter. "Oh?" Seeing that the two of them were here to sell things, Mr. Borgin''s smile faded slightly and his expression became more serious. If the two of them came to the store to buy something, Mr. Borgin would have the initiative, but if it was the other way around, the initiative would not be with him. He may be able to buy a precious collection at a low price through his own deception, or he may make a mistake and accidentally receive a fake. Mr. Borgin became serious and put on a pair of pince-nez glasses, spread a piece of black velvet on the counter, and finally took out a pair of dragon leather gloves and put them on his hands. He opened three boxes in turn. The first box contained a bracelet strung with white beads, the second box contained a light yellow candle, and the third box contained a brown peach pit-sized seed. There was a strange look in Mr. Borgin''s eyes. He looked up at Rhys, hoping that he could introduce these three magic items. Naturally, Rhys would not refuse. He picked up the bracelet in the first box and flicked the yellowed beads on it. "The beads on this bracelet are taken from the skull of the goblin. Wearing them is very helpful in making magic props. Adding one in when making metal products can greatly improve the quality of forged weapons." Borgin: "? !" Lupet : "! ! !" ___ 12 Advance Chapters at my Patreon ? 11- The Ancient Greengrass Family 11- The Ancient Greengrass Family This first prop surprised Mr. Borgin. He could tell at a glance that the bracelet was made of some kind of animal bones, but he didn''t expect it to be the skull of a goblin. Looking at the size of the beads, one goblin can only make one bead, but there are thirteen beads on this bracelet! This means that in order to make such a bracelet, at least thirteen goblins must be hunted. It would be impossible to make this bracelet now, and not to mention the difficulty of hunting goblins, the pressure from public opinion alone can mess up everything. This is no longer the time in the Middle Ages. Although there is no "goblin life is precious" atmosphere, the Ministry of Magic prohibits wizards from hunting goblins. Although the bracelet that Rhys took out was very precious, Mr. Borgin couldn''t praise it all, so how could he lower the price? How can he make money without lowering prices? He runs a "black" store after all. After a moment of silence, he conceived the reason for lowering the price: "To acquire this bracelet, I have to take a high risk... After all, it took thirteen goblins to make it. I don''t have the confidence to buy it and then sell it to another. Not many people have collections these days.Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com In the current magical world, there are only a few people who engage in forging - fairies often forge, but this thing obviously cannot be sold to them, so its special effects can only be said to be better than nothing, not to mention that this type of item comes with the people''s prejudice like- ''your resentment towards those creatures is also very strong'', right? How about ..ten galleons? " After looking for a lot of flaws in the bracelets, Mr. Borgin had a pained look on his face, slapped the table, and quoted an astonishing price in a tone of "You got a big advantage." He was talking to Lupet as she was clearly an adult. Lupet''s two slender eyebrows immediately stood up when she heard the quotation. Before she could get angry, Rhys revealed his own price. "130 Galleons, even one sickle less." "It''s hard-" Rhys made a direct gesture to put the box away. "Wait a minute, I won''t make any money from this deal, so let''s just make friends." Mr. Borgin burst out with agility that shouldn''t be expected at his age. He grabbed the small box and touched it with a speed that was difficult to distinguish with the naked eye. A bag of gold galleons comes out Two girls with one silver hair, fair skin, and other brown hair, dressed like exquisite dolls walked out of the carriage accompanied by a well-dressed middle-aged man. "Merlin, it''s Mr. Greengrass! Sorry, I need..." A guilty smile appeared on Mr. Borgin''s face just right now. "You guys talk first." Rhys showed amazing patience when facing the descendants of the Greengrass family. "Mr. Jamison, it''s so nice to see you again. Your presence makes the shop so bright - what can I do for you?" "Still the same." The middle-aged man named Jamison Henry Greengrass glanced at the other customers in the store, and his eyes fell on Rhys and the three open boxes on the counter. "Ohh, you were in the middle of a transaction?" "Uh..." Mr. Borgin was stuck for a moment. Restocking in front of other customers was obviously not a good idea. And what Jamison just said reminded him even more, making him realize that the two remaining magic props in Rhys''s hand seemed to be very valuable. Greed is the nature of businessmen, and Mr. Borgin is no exception. He immediately began to think of ways to make money from it, but he soon realized that there was no way he could make money from it. Mr. Borgin wanted to buy those two items and took them out to sell them after a while for a much higher price. But now Mr Greengrass looks interested in them. How could he not realize that he was reaping the price difference? Do you really think Jamison is stupid? Now if Mr. Jamison wants those items, he can''t buy them in front of him and sell them for a profit. In a flash, Mr. Borkin made up his mind: this business would not make any money, because Mr. Greengrass''s friendship was above all else. ____ 10 Advance Chapters- 12- Kindness from Greengrass 12- Kindness from Greengrass When Jamison Henry Greengrass looked at Rhys, Rhys was looking at his little daughter. Mr. Jamison''s two daughters were both well-behaved and lovely. Their skin is white and tender, as plump and elastic as a peeled egg. They both wore white robes and were almost identical, except that one had silver platinum hair and the other brown and that the lace on the sister''s cuffs was green, while the other sister''s cuffs had no pattern decoration. Two energetic and beautiful girls are a lovely sight wherever they are, but Rhys felt a strange fluctuation of magic power the moment they entered the door. After a little discernment, Rhys targeted his gaze solely on the younger girl. Her soul state was not stable enough, and her flawless soul was contaminated by something dirty. As if aware of Rhys'' gaze, the girl gave Rhys a slight smile. "Daphne and Astoria, my daughters." Seeing the child Rhys staring directly at his little daughter, Mr. Jamison decided to remind him that her father was still here! "Rhys, Rhys Chasala Lint."T/his chapter is updated by Rhys glanced at Henry and then at Borgin. Mr. Borgin cleared his throat: "Mr. Greengrass, Mr. Rhys may have something you want." After he introduced the two magic props that Rhys had not yet sold, Mr. Greengrass''s eyes suddenly lit up. "Candles that can calm the nerves and fruits that can cure diseases?" This description sounded very suitable for his daughter''s illness, and Mr. Greengrass was immediately moved. It may seem unbelievable, but Astoria Greengrass, the legitimate daughter of the Greengrass family and beloved by her family, was a miserable person. When she was born, she was found to be carrying a curse called the Blood Curse. This is a curse attached to the soul. It gives Astoria the ability to transform into an animal. The price is that she will eventually become an animal irreversibly and permanently, and will even lose all memories of her life as a human. Becoming a complete beast. But since it was the head of the Greengrass family who spoke, they could only stand aside and stare. The Greengrass family was not something they, the stinky fish and shrimps in the sewers, could afford to offend. Fortunately, to his relief, Rhys declined Mr. Greengrass''s invitation. Mr. Greengrass was a little surprised by Rhys''s refusal. After he repeatedly confirmed that Rhys didn''t need a ride, he stopped worrying and left the store with his daughters. After Mr. Greengrass left, Rhys chatted with Mr. Borgin for a few more words and verbally promised him to come here to sell things next time making friendly impressions with him. After coming out, Rhys immediately felt a few unfriendly eyes sweeping over him and Lupet. He couldn''t help but sigh: If the wizards a thousand years ago had only this kind of quality, they would have been exterminated by races such as werewolves and goblins. However, this also reflects from the side that the living environment of modern wizards is not bad. The two of them deliberately walked in a remote direction, and did not stop until they reached a dead end deep in the alley. Looking at the four people following us, Rhys spread his hands and said helplessly: "If I were you guys, I would definitely not follow me in such a way. Look at you even trying to act discrete. But almost everyone with a brain better than a tool can see that you are following us. Don''t you think that you are not very suitable for this kind of business?" Seeing the mocking smile and hearing what Rhys said, the four wandering wizards looked at each other, and finally, the wizard who seemed to be the leader spoke. "Stop being so verbose, don''t you understand the situation you are in? It''s the four of us versus the two of you. The advantage is that I''m not here to kill you. If you give up the resistance and come quietly, we can go back to the business as soon as possible - if you''re to blame someone, blame yourself for messing with someone above you." From the information revealed by the other party, Rhys understood the root cause of the conflict¡ªthe MacMillan''s younger generation was causing trouble again. This made him feel a little angry: some people are really ungrateful, and it seems that he have to teach him a profound lesson. When the four of them confronted Rhys, a transparent string slowly wriggled on the ground. The transparent color was its best cover, and Rhys didn''t seem to notice the inconspicuous string at all. Just like that, it slowly swam to Rhys''s feet, suddenly accelerated, and flew toward his neck while he was talking to the four people. _______ 10 Advance Chapters- 13- Not every magic school is Hogwarts 13- Not every magic school is Hogwarts Snapp! The transparent string was tightly tied around Rhys''s neck, but Rhys didn''t even blink, because an extremely thin but extremely strong mini-shield appeared on his neck, supporting him where the rope was tied up. At the same time as the wizard hiding in the dark took action, the other four wizards each took out their wands and attacked Lupet. In their plan, Rhys would definitely be killed instantly by the hidden boss, and he only needed to deal with Lupet. But it happened that something went wrong with the strongest member of the gang, and their previously invincible tactics failed, which also led to their defeat. Facing the enemy''s attack, Lupet, who was experienced in combat, jumped to the side astutely and avoided all the incoming magic spells. Lupet, who had dodged the attack, pulled out her newly acquired wand, but before she could fight back, a blinding flash of light accompanied by a loud explosion exploded in the dead end. The four people on the opposite side rolled their eyes and all fainted. After easily knocking out the four people, Rhys shook his wand again, and a stream of black smoke spurted out from the tip of the wand and drifted towards the corner of the alley. "Stupefy!" A figure wrapped in a black robe instantly appeared from under the wall, raised his hand and cast a stun spell on Rhys. After casting the stun spell, he didn''t even look at the impact of the spell, and directly began to imagine the place where he wanted to apparate in his mind. In the brief confrontation just now, he had realized how powerful his opponent was. Now he had no intention of continuing to fight with Rhys and Lupet like the others. He just wanted to escape from this ghost place. The teleportation spell Apparition requires you to focus on conceiving the destination in your mind, and then you can teleport to the place you want in your mind. This process is very short, and a skilled wizard doesn''t even need a second. ''Give me a second, just one second! As long as we can reach that place!'' the black-robed wizard roared hysterically in his heart. Fortunately, the Apparition was performed very smoothly this time. He could feel strong squeezing force from all directions, and the scene in front of him gradually dimmed. The black-robed wizard knew that his Apparition was successful, and his inner uneasiness began to subside little by little... Suddenly, a different feeling appeared. The surrounding air seemed to have solidified, "locking" him in mid-air. His Apparition failed! h..how..? The black-robed wizard raised his head at a loss, and then met the young man''s deep, cold eyes. The young man looked at him without any emotion in his eyes, just like a tourist looking at a fish stranded on the beach generally. The wizard couldn''t help but shuddered, and his intuition told him that he was finished this time. After casting the anti-Apparition spell, Rhys slowly put down his wand and patiently untied the string around his neck. The black mist condensed and formed little by little as it flew toward the black-robed wizard, turning from a cloud of mist into a piece of black gauze. By the time it flew in front of the wizard, it had become as tight as a steel needle. Soon, the black mist bound him tightly, making him unable to move. Lupet ran to the place where he had been hiding and found a transparent cloak there. The cloak is transparent and almost blends into the ground. It can''t be noticed without bending down and taking a closer look. "This guy actually has an invisibility cloak!" Lupet felt incredible. Why do these down-and-out wandering wizards have such expensive things as invisibility cloaks? How can they afford it? "Just keep it." For wizards who can use the Disillusionment Charm, things like invisibility cloaks are very useless, and only half-empty guys like Lupet will regard them as treasures. Therefore, Rhys was not interested in the invisibility cloak. He was more curious about the condition of the string. After studying the rope in his hand, Rhys discovered that it was a delicate prop with a steel wire as its inner core and an invisible beast''s hair wrapped on the outside. After seeing this, Rhys couldn''t help but applaud this wonderful idea in his heart. The hair of invisible beasts is usually used by wizards to weave invisibility cloaks. This is the first time that Rhys has seen the operation of wrapping steel wires. It can be said that it is very creative. It is indeed miraculous when used for sneak attacks. If it weren''t for the magic power fluctuations attached to the rope, Rhys might not be able to detect it. Even when Hogwarts was founded, it would not control the students after graduation like the Secret Order. This "alumni record" sounds like the bulletin board used to publish bounty missions in the mercenary guild. After asking for a while, Rhys learned that the invisibility cloak of the guy in front of him was earned through "helping" and saving points. And what he does is very simple: intelligence gathering. He wanted all kinds of information about the Secret Order, so he subscribed to several newspapers and submitted them every day after refining the news in the newspapers and the news he heard in Knockturn Alley. The rewards given by the Secret Order are not bad either. In addition to magic props such as invisibility cloaks, there are also rewards of varying values ??such as potion materials, potion formulas, and magic spells. After prying everything out from the black-robed wizard, Rhys''s understanding of the Secret Order has undergone earth-shaking changes. His experience told him that this organization was anything but simple. So he decided to strengthen his connection with this organization, and it would be best to break into this organization and figure out their purpose. And the key to joining the organization is right in front of me. Rhys easily obtained a book from the black-robed wizard. It was a small booklet with a black leather cover. The name of the black-robed wizard was written on the title page: Serge. The booklet looked inconspicuous, no different from the ten diaries in the stationery shop in Diagon Alley. As for how to use it... Serge''s authority was surprisingly low. He didn''t even have the means to actively contact the Secret Order, and could only passively wait for contact from his superiors. This made Rhys a little speechless, but he soon felt relieved: it was precisely because Serge was insignificant that he could easily extract information from him. After squeezing out the last drop of information, Serge lost all use value. Rhys took away his wand and belongings, loosened his restraints, and let him leave. "Are you too lenient with them? After all, they-" Lupet was about to persuade Rhys to be more cruel and not to be too lenient, but Rhys'' next move blocked her mouth. The transparent rope was tied around the necks of the four people one after another, and then tied to the bulges on the walls on both sides of the alley, one on the left and one on the right, just like a clothesline. "Have you ever killed a mouse?" After dealing with the four wandering mages like hanging a few pieces of laundry, Rhys asked Lupet a question. "I should have caught it when I transformed." Rhys: "..." He almost forgot her identity as a werewolf, but that didn''t matter. "Swatting the rats to death directly is not the most effective method of eradicating rats. Experienced Muggles will seal the back door of the captured rat with thread and then put it back. The rats that return to the nest will eventually fall into the trap because they are unable to defecate. That rat will go crazy and kill all the rats in his nest." Rhys said meaningfully. . . . MacMillan met Serge again. "How''s it going? Is everything done?" As soon as he saw Serge, he couldn''t wait to ask. "Yeah, it''s done." Serge responded with a dull expression. "That''s great¡ªugh!!?" Before MacMillan could finish speaking, Serge slapped him in the face. Miraculously, this slap did not make any crisp sound. Serge''s palm seemed to have melted and stuck to MacMillan''s face. The next moment, his whole body except that hand turned into a piece of fresh mud. The mud on the beach merged with the dirt on the ground in Knockturn Alley, and no one could tell that a living person had ever stood there. The hand he left behind also quickly softened, sealing MacMillan''s eyes and ears like dough, taking away his hearing and vision. What happened in the corner of Knockturn Alley had nothing to do with Rhys and Lupet. The two had returned to Diagon Alley and bought books worth some galleons from Flourish and Blotts Bookstore and the second-hand bookstore next door. According to Rhys''s original plan, he had to spend at least two hundred galleons to buy other books, but he gave up after Lupet told him that most of the books could be borrowed from the Hogwarts library. Next, he and Lupet opened two rooms in the Leaky Cauldron and lived in Diagon Alley for a long time. _____ Read 10 chapters ahead: 14-No need to bring your own armor to school now? 14-No need to bring your own armor to school now? Lupet has never lived such a comfortable life since graduating from Hogwarts. When she gets up every morning, she doesn''t have to worry about today''s food rations as before. Rhys was responsible for the living expenses of the two of them, and the money in his wallet seemed to be endless. It took her several days to get used to it. Eat whenever you want, sleep whenever you want, and move anywhere in Diagon Alley with Master''s permission of course. This kind of life was something that Lupet never dared to think about before - she even had time to visit all the shops in Diagon Alley that she hadn''t visited as a student and then didn''t had the money to visit. As for her owner Rhys, apart from occasionally going shopping with her in the shops in Diagon Alley, he rarely left Florean Fortescue''s Ice-Cream Parlour- a shop selling ice cream and cold drinks in Diagon Alley. , the boss is an interesting little old man with extensive knowledge of all aspects of the Middle Ages. What Rhys likes to do most is to hold a few books, order a sweet cold drink, sit under the umbrella outside the elegant Ice Cream Shop, and then order a box of ice cream every half hour and chat with the shop owner. Florean talks about the Middle Ages. Most of the time, Rhys was the one telling Floroen, but there were also times when he was rendered speechless by Floreon. Often at this time, Rhys would close his mouth and lower his head to read, while Floroen would laugh and give him some milk-flavored ice cream. He only returned to the Leaky Cauldron when it was time to eat or when the ice cream parlor was closing. Of course, "Serge" did not give up his "career". He asked Lupe to specify a few newspapers, summarize the news on them every day, and then send them to a specific address via owl mail. Yes, he was making it like Serge was still in the information business. (Serge is the one who turned into mud in the previous chapter) It''s just that there has been no news or feedback from "Classmates", and Rhys is not in a hurry. He has plenty of time to wait for the fish to take the bait. As the days passed, Rhys''s understanding of the modern world gradually deepened. He learned a lot of things from books, and the most discussed among them was Harry Potter, the "Boy Who Lived". "Counting the days, that boy is going to go to Hogwarts." "Which boy?" "Who else could it be, Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived!" Such conversations could ring in Rhys''s ears several times a day. In his impression, he and his three old friends were not as "popular" as Harry is when they were at the height of their fame. Who is Harry Potter?, that was what Rhys had thought at that time Rhys''s confusion was quickly answered, and he read books published in recent years - such as "Modern History of Magic", "The Rise and Fall of Dark Magic", "Important Magical Events of the Twentieth Century", and various children''s books like - "The Boy and the princes", "the Savior and Cinderella", Harry Potter''s name is often mentioned. From these books, not including the children''s stories, Rhys learned what the savior did - he defeated a Dark Lord. Dark lord meant Demon king in Rhys'' mind. Salazar Slytherin stroked his beard: "This is indeed a bit stupid..." "Right, right!" Gryffindor''s eyes lit up: They must be old friends from another life also, although he and Slytherin argue sometimes, good friends should back each other up! "I chose to let the quill write the letter by itself, just take a look." Slytherin showed his friend the automatic writing quill he had developed a few days ago. [Dear Miss Greengrass: We are pleased to inform you that you have been admitted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Attached is a list of required books and equipment] Looking at the quill writing on the parchment, the three founder s looked shocked. Can you still play like this? ! We all wrote the admission notice by hand honestly, but you are the only one using magic to be lazy? Although they said that the written notice was not sincere, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff still silently chose to take an automatic writing quill from Slytherin - to write an acceptance letter to each student. The workload of issuing notices is simply too much. A letter was written and then sent to the student''s home via an owl raised on campus. At the insistence of the four founders, this behavior became a tradition at Hogwarts. Eventually, every child born in the British Isles with magical talents will receive a letter from Hogwarts at the age of eleven. . . . After Lupet completed today''s intelligence-gathering mission, she brought a piece of pudding to the Floroen Ice Cream Shop. Then she saw the master staring at a piece of parchment attentively and muttering something in his mouth¡ª¡ª "Eh? Now you don''t need to bring your own armor and sword to enroll?" Lupet:"? ? ?" _____ 10 Chapters ahead at my patreon! 15- The journey starts from Platform 9? 15- The journey starts from Platform 93?4 Time always passes inadvertently. In the blink of an eye, the weather in London goes from cool to hot, and then from hot to cool again. As the temperature switches, the first day of school arrives. "In our time, wizard apprentices who wanted to come to Hogwarts had better bring their own set of armor. If they couldn''t afford the armor, they should at least prepare a long sword. Magic is important, but good skills Swordsmanship is equally important." "Yes, that''s what you said." Lupet picked up the suitcase and agreed casually. Lupet had long been immune to her master''s weird words. In her eyes, the master should be a wizard who has lived for a very long time, but for some reason, he has become as young as he is now. Immortality or rejuvenation? It doesn''t matter, anyway, it doesn''t affect the master who is a very powerful wizard. "I''m looking forward to the legendary Platform 93?4 and the Hogwarts Express. In the Middle Ages, students went to school by their own means, which also led to some students arriving at school half a month after the school started. And this was not safe either. The letter will contain the school''s address, which is a hidden danger..." Rhys was a little excited today because he was finally going back to that place. Although all my old friends have left, it is still the place where I have left indelible memories. "It''s going to be a fantastic trip." . . . After a lot of trouble, Hermione Granger and her family finally found Platform 93?4 between 9 and 10 mentioned in the admission notice. Just as she was looking at the red steamtrain with surprise on her face, a familiar figure broke into her eyes. "Rhys?!" The little girl still remembered the boy she "picked up" at the campsite. At this time, he, like himself, looked longingly at the steam-belching train not far away. A fashionable and beautiful woman stood next to him, holding a small suitcase in her hand. The woman wore a peaked cap and a silk scarf tied around her neck. She wore a brown coat on her upper body, and tight-fitting pantyhose stretched on her round thighs. Together with the mid-calf boots on her feet, her legs were beautiful and slender. ''Rhys'' mother is so beautiful! '' This was the first thought that came to Hermione''s little head. "You are cute too! Hurry up and get on the express. If you get there late, there will be no seats available¡ªAh, are they your parents, Hello Mr. and Mrs, Granger!." The "adults" started to chat, while the "children" gathered together to chat. "Have you also received the admission letter to Hogwarts?" After blurting out the question in her heart, Hermione suddenly realized that this question was a bit stupid, so she quickly added: "I mean ..you knew before that you would receive one. A letter from the magic school?" "Yes." Not only did Rhys know, but he also knew exactly how such letters were sent. "Then she..." Hermione''s eyes glanced towards Lupet. "Yes, she is a wizard." Hermione:"!!" She glanced at Rhys with envy. In her opinion, having a wizard mother was simply too cool! Moreover, a child like Rhys who comes from a wizarding family has been influenced by the magical atmosphere since he was a child. He is definitely far ahead of her in magic. ''Fortunately, I read a lot of books during the summer vacation, so the gap between me and these children from magical families should not be that big.'' Before Hermione started to introduce the books she had read during the holiday to Rhys, the "parents" of both parties finally ended their greetings, took their children on the Hogwarts Express, and luckily found an empty compartment. "Okay, Now we leave. Hermione, you have to..." While Mrs. Granger warned Hermione in a lengthy manner, Rhys was also arranging Lupet''s tasks. "Find a place to live in Diagon Alley, collect intelligence as usual every day, and send me an mail from Owl directly if you have anything." Rhys took out a bulging money bag from his arms: "You can use the money for those tasks. If you don''t have enough, just ask for more by Sending me a letter. The effect of the humanoid restoration spell is still there. If it fails, you must contact me as soon as possible..." Both parties are explaining matters to each other, but the roles of parents and children on Rhys''s side have been reversed. The shrill whistle sounded, and the train was about to start. The Grangers spoke faster, said their final goodbyes to their daughter, and then quickly ran out of the train with Lupet. The whistle sounded again, the train started slowly, and the journey starting from platform 93?4 began. ______ Read 10 chapters ahead at my Patreon? 16- A little bit about magic 16- A little bit about magic The train picked up speed little by little, and the lovely couple of Mr. and Mrs. Granger as well as Lupet standing on the platform gradually turned into three little black dots whose faces were unclear. Then the train turned a corner and all three people disappeared. Hermione sat back in her seat and took out a heavy tome from her bag. "Hogwarts: A History, is about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and its history. I love reading it. You can read it if you have time." "I''ve read it, and it''s very interesting to understand what happened after the four founders founded the school and after that how it is going." Rhys didn''t lie. He bought this book without even a second''s hesitation after seeing it in Flourish and Blotts Bookstore. This book was also the first book he read in Diagon Alley¡ª¡ª Although the book contains more than a thousand pages, Rhys finished the tome in just two days and one night. While reading this book, the thousand-year history of Hogwarts unfolded in front of him like a scroll, giving Rhys a glimpse of what Hogwarts looked like after he and his friends left. It is like a sapling, growing up little by little and becoming what the planter wants it to be. "Really? That''s great -" After learning that Rhys had read "Hogwarts: A History", Hermione was so happy that she couldn''t suppress her desire to discuss the contents of the book with Rhys, but before she could speak, their conversation was interrupted by two uninvited guests. The door of the carriage suddenly opened, and a silver-haired girl as delicate as a doll appeared at the door of the carriage pushing a pile of boxes. It was Daphne, the older sister of the Greengrass sisters whom Rhys had met at Borgin and Burkes. "Ah, excuse me. Every other place is full, can I sit here?" Although it was a question, Daphne didn''t think she would be rejected at all. She pushed the pile of boxes into the cabin without waiting for Rhys and Hermione to agree. It wasn''t until she walked in that she noticed that the person sitting in the cabin was The man she had met in Knockturn Alley before. "It''s you!?" She was extremely surprised. In Daphne''s opinion, there are only shady people in Knockturn Alley, and the same is most likely true for Rhys and Lupet, but who would have thought that Rhys was actually a student at Hogwarts? What''s even more outrageous is that he is still a freshman! How ridiculous is it that a man who was chatting with her father in a shop that specializes in selling dark magic items in Knockturn Alley has not even reached the age of going to school! Her mouth was open enough to fit a baguette into it. "The world is such a small place, isn''t it?" Rhys welcomed Daphne''s arrival. It is better to have a cabin full of acquaintances than a large group of strangers with strange origins. After Daphne finished speaking, she couldn''t wait to ask: "Have you previewed the spells you will use this semester? I feel like you know all kinds of spells very well..." "No, I just know a little bit." This sentence is completely unconvincing. Seeing Rhys admit that he "understands" magic spells, Hermione suddenly became interested: "I also tried to learn a lot of magic spells during the holidays. Is there any magic that you are particularly good at?" Rhys blinked: "You ask me what I am best at, and my answer is that I am best at the magic of preserving ice cream." "ah?" Hermione thought there was something wrong with her hearing for a while, but when Rhys took out three large boxes of ice cream with a hint of white steam from somewhere, she suddenly felt that she had heard correctly. "Wanna give it a try?" Rhys picked up a box of yogurt ice cream and pushed the other two boxes towards Hermione and Daphne. "How did you do it? I remember it was clearly mentioned in Gamp''s five basic Laws of elemental transformation that food cannot be transformed out of thin air." Faced with Rhys''s operation, Hermione exclaimed, feeling that she was well-informed. Daphne''s eyes widened as well - she had never seen such magic before. The basic principles of the wizarding world were overturned in front of them. "It''s not conjured out of thin air. I simply combined a few not-so-complex spells to achieve this effect. I said I know a little bit about magic, had I not?." The freezing spell is just a simple application of the traceless expansion spell. A series of shocks made Hermione and Daphne numb. They carefully picked up the ice cream from the table and each tasted a little. The cold sweetness told them that all this was true. Most importantly, this ice cream is really delicious!!!! Hermione and Daphne: "(,,? ? ?,,)" ____ Support with hearts/likes?! 10 Advance chapters at my Patreon 17- The Malfoy family? I remember they liked ‘doing it’ with muggles 17- The Malfoy family? I remember they liked ¡®doing it¡¯ with muggles For a moment, the only sounds in the carriage were the sound of ice cream tasting and the roar of the train. After all three portions of ice cream were swept away, Rhys conjured up a pile of puffs, puddings, and cream cakes. Hermione & Daphne: ¦²(¤Ã¡ã§¥¡ã;)¤Ã, ?(????????)? How many desserts did you bring?! Which dessert shop did you rob?!!! At this, Rhys smiled a little sheepishly: the desserts of this era were so good that he simply couldn''t resist their temptation. Chefs a thousand years ago could only use honey and lead sugar for flavoring, and the types of sweets were much more monotonous than modern ones. Any kind of modern dessert would have been a dimensionality reduction attack a thousand years ago. It''s no wonder that Rhys is addicted to all kinds of desserts and can''t extricate himself. Although it is said that eating too much sweets will lead to dental disease and body weight, how can any little girl resist the temptation of sweet desserts? So after a while, everyone in the carriage had an extra dessert in their hands. "Did you know that the Boy-Who-Lived is coming to Hogwarts this year?" When tasting dessert, if there is no chat to accompany it, the taste of the dessert will be greatly reduced. Daphne knew this well, so she took the initiative to stir up the conversation and open up the topic. "Oh, it''s that Harry Potter! He has been mentioned in many books!" Hermione took stock of the books that mentioned the name "Harry Potter" and had been read by her. Just as the conversation among several people was gradually getting more exciting, there was a knock on the door of the carriage. After opening the door, a round-faced boy with red eyes stood timidly outside the door and said in a crying tone: "I''m sorry, I want to ask, have any of you seen my toad? " Daphne and Hermione shook their heads at the same time. Hermione stood up from the stool and said that she could accompany the round-faced boy to find his toad. toad? Rhys raised his head and glanced at the round-faced boy. He learned from the Hogwarts admission letter that Hogwarts now has strict restrictions on the pets that students can bring to school. Choose one among, Owl, toad, and cat. Maybe they were scared by those students who kept magical animals like fire dragons, hippogriffs, and acromantula as pets? However, even in that era when there were no taboos, there were very few students who chose toads as pets. This thing is ugly, the slimy look on it makes people feel sick, and it doesn''t have the magic of other magical animals - it''s not as functional as an owl, and it''s far less cute than a cat. If students can choose between an owl and a cat, why would they choose a toad? However, toads have an advantage that the other two pets do not have: drug resistance. Many potion masters will raise a toad to test their new medicines. The mucus secreted by the toad itself is also a common raw material for magic potions. Depending on the feeding ingredients, the mucus will also show different effects. So potion masters really love toads. She actually wanted to see the legendary Harry Potter, but she didn''t want to go with these three people. But Malfoy''s suggestion is good. She will hear Rhys''s tone later. If he is interested, then she can go to find Potter with him. "Okay," Malfoy said angrily, having hit a soft spot. He turned his attention to Rhys and Hermione, who were in the same carriage, "Who are these two?" "Hermione Jean Granger." "Rhys Chasala Lint." Two unfamiliar last names. Seeing that they were not from a pure-blood family, Malfoy didn''t even bother to say hello to these two people. He did not conceal the look of contempt in his eyes, and said condescendingly to Daphne: "For the sake of the family friendship between the two families, I will give you a piece of advice: avoid dealing with bad people, so as to avoid the Greengrass family''s downfall in the future to the extent of families like Weasley and Longbottom." "Shut up, Draco Malfoy! Get out of here, your voice makes me sick to my stomach!" An angry flush flashed across Daphne''s face. Although they didn''t get along for long, Daphne already regarded Rhys and Hermione as her friends as she has been shamelessly eating sweets with them for a long time. She couldn''t accept Malfoy humiliating her friends in front of her. She screamed at Malfoy with the worst words she could think of. "Malfoy?" Rhys heard a last name he was familiar with. However, unlike the Greengrass family, the reason why he was so impressed by the Malfoy family was that the ancestors of the Malfoy family once hired him as a witness at their wedding. As for the marriage partner, it may be a bit embarrassing to say it. She was a wealthy French lady and a Muggle. "That''s right!" Seeing that Rhys seemed to have heard of the reputation of the Malfoy family, Draco immediately started to tremble with excitement, "Since you have heard of the family name ''Malfoy'', then you must not be a Mudblood." "Are you referring to the Malfoy family who used to marry Muggle nobles in the ancient times?" Malfoy: "? ! !" _____ Support with likes/hearts?! Read 10 chaps ahead at my patreon? 18- Rhys: You have too much misunderstanding about Slytherin 18- Rhys: You have too much misunderstanding about Slytherin Draco Malfoy was convinced that there was something wrong with his hearing, otherwise, he couldn''t explain why someone dared to say such a thing in front of him. The impact of Rhys'' words on him was so strong that he froze on the spot and his thinking came to a standstill. After Rhys spoke, the entire box fell into silence, and Daphne looked at Rhys as if he was a madman. As a core member of a magical family that has been inherited for thousands of years, Daphne certainly knows the ''details'' of the Malfoy family. The courtship letter written by the ancestor of the Malfoy family to Queen Elizabeth I is still stored in her family''s vault! But there is a saying that goes well: even if some things are true, you can''t just talk about them everywhere. Rhys''s words perfectly fit this principle. As one of the most powerful families in the wizarding world today, not everyone can speak of the history of the Malfoy family. If Rhys''s words were spread, he might cause a big disturbance and be wildly retaliated against by the Malfoy family. Thinking of this, Daphne couldn''t help but sweat for Rhys. The definition of a pure-blood wizard can be divided into two categories: A broad sense and a narrow sense- In the broad sense, as long as the family has a long history and are all wizards, they can call themselves pure-blood wizards; in the narrow sense, pure-blood wizards abide by a drop of blood. Principle: If there are Muggles in the family genealogy, and the family that has intermarried with Muggles and the person has not been expelled from the family in time, then the next generation should not be a pure-blood family. The Malfoy family has always prided itself on being a "pure-blood family" and certainly cannot accept the fact that its ancestors married Muggles. When Rhys said this, he immediately broke Draco Malfoy''s defense. After a few seconds, his consciousness gradually returned to his mind, and with it returned endless anger. Malfoy, overwhelmed with rage, roared and threw himself at Rhys, who was sitting in his seat. He swore on the name of his surname that he would teach this guy who had slandered the Malfoy family an unforgettable lesson. Rhys had never seen anything like that. Faced with the angry Malfoy, he sat in his seat and calmly knocked on the table with his wand. Several colorful ribbons flew up into the air, tying Malfoy''s hands and feet tightly. "You Mongrel! Crabbe, Goyle -" Malfoy, who had lost the ability to move freely, did not shut up. He directly ordered his two followers to attack and reverse the situation. However, although Crabbe and Goyle look dumb, they are actually not stupid. The two of them just moved back subconsciously, and then stood still. After witnessing Malfoy being apprehended instantly, they lost the courage to confront Rhys. Seeing that Crabbe and Goyle did not obey his orders, Malfoy became even more angry, but before he could continue to speak, a small cake floated up from the table and went into his mouth with a swishing sound. His mouth was tightly blocked. "Calm down first." Rhys sighed, looking at Draco Malfoy lying on the ground speechless, with pity in his eyes. These guys are really crazy. Does he don''t even know his history.. Rhys was a little regretful that he did not carry those letters with him from back then, otherwise he would definitely show Draco how the Malfoy ancestor invited him to officiate at his wedding to a Muggle noble. "Why are you still standing there? It''s time for you to go back to your box - do you also want me to treat you two to a dessert like him before you leave?" Looking at Malfoy who was "tasting" the cake, Crabbe and Goyle put Malfoy on their shoulders without saying a word, and carried him out of the carriage. "If you have any doubts about what I said, then write a letter to your father or grandfather, or look through your own family tree and family history, and everything will come to light." Before Malfoy was carried out, Rhys did not forget to shout something at his back, which made Malfoy shake with anger.ione: (?????) After easily dismissing the three troublemakers, Rhys was greeted by Hermione''s admiring gaze and Daphne''s concerned questioning. "Are you crazy? I''m afraid you''ve offended the Malfoy family to death now!" Daphne''s eyes were full of anxiety, "Draco''s father is Lucius Malfoy, a popular figure, according to my father, Mr Malfoy is also close to Minister Fudge, not to mention one of the board of directors of Hogwarts! if he wants to take revenge on you..." "He won''t, ? ?l?? ?? ?" Rhys said very firmly. Daphne was shocked. She didn''t understand why Lucius Malfoy, the contemporary head of the Malfoy family, would ignore Rhys'' words that challenged the Malfoy family''s bottom line. "It''s very simple. What I''m saying here is what only the three of us and Malfoy and his minions heard. But if Lucius pursues the matter in a big way, then it won''t be just the six of us who know about it. Judging from your appearance, you should know that I am telling the truth, right?" "Of course, but-" After taking the chocolate frog from Daphne, Rhys found that the magic spell on it did not change its essence as chocolate, and the temperature of Daphne''s fingers even caused it to melt partially. But the magic also gives this chocolate frog its instincts. It can kick its legs, move around, and has the same survival instinct as a living frog. From this chocolate frog, Rhys could feel very weak magic fluctuations. Based on his own experience, he judged that this chocolate frog could jump around for at most 30 seconds, and after trying to jump one or two times it would turn into a lump of stiff chocolate, no different from the chocolate candies sold on Muggle shelves. Rhys pinched the chocolate frog''s hind legs and put it into his mouth. The chocolate frog struggled twice and then stopped moving. As for the taste, it tasted like ordinary milk chocolate, no different from the chocolate he bought before. While Rhys was tasting the chocolate frog, Hermione picked up the picture in the box and stared at the characters on it. "Salazar Slytherin, medieval (exact date unknown), one of the four famous founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was one of the earliest recorded Parselmouths and was good at many kinds of spells." After hearing Hermione''s words, Parselmouths raised his head directly: What, there is actually a picture of himself in the chocolate frog''s box? Recalling that Daphne had said that only famous witches and wizards could appear in the chocolate frog picture, Parselmouths suddenly felt a little happy. "Did you draw Slytherin? Let me see it." After seeing Hermione draw the Slytherin picture, Daphne immediately put down the snacks in her hand and borrowed the picture from Hermione. After just one glance, she returned it with disappointment. "It''s just a regular gold card, not a bonus card. It''s a pity." From Daphne''s mouth, Parselmouths was surprised to learn that the chocolate frog pictures were divided into three types: gold, silver and bronze, as well as some rare hidden models. This was a gold card, and there are also hidden pictures called "reward cards". Rhys himself opened a box of Chocolate Frogs. Perhaps it was fate, but the picture in this box of chocolate frogs turned out to be Salazar Slytherin as well, and according to Daphne''s identification, it was actually a reward card! "You see, this is the difference between the ordinary gold card and the reward card. There will be an additional sentence in the introduction of the reward card: "He is also a supporter of pure-blood supremacy." Daphne patiently told Rhys and Hermione. Difference Between Card and Rewards Card. Rhys: "..." "I don''t quite understand why Slytherin is called a supporter of pure-blood supremacy" He couldn''t help but ask. "Because he only recruits pure-blood wizards as students." Even Hermione knew the answer to this question. Rhys felt as if something was stuck in his throat, choking him and his eyes turned black. "You have a deep misunderstanding about Slytherin. It is a rumor that only pure-blood students are recruited. There are also mixed-blood wizards among Slytherin''s students..." Isn''t the son of Malfoy and the Muggle he took considered mixed blood! He tried hard to defend himself, but with little success. He discovered that after thousands of years of fermentation, future generations'' understanding of him had been severely distorted by the amplification of caring people. The Slytherin in the eyes of modern wizards was not him at all! They just made a statue named "Salazar Slytherin" according to their own preferences and then enshrined it. As for what the statue looks like and what clothes it wears, it is up to future generations to decide for themselves. They used Slytherin''s mouth to speak their own words. Listening to Rhys''s explanation, Hermione shook her head and just told him: This is what is recorded in the book. Daphne couldn''t accept Rhys''s statement either. In her opinion, the name Slytherin is bound to pure blood. Rhys himself is helpless. "You have to consider the environment when Hogwarts was founded. Isn''t it possible that Slytherin wanted to recruit pure-blood students because they were more reliable?" This statement was very novel and successfully aroused the interest of Hermione and Daphne. They asked Rhys to expand on it in detail because it was the first time they had heard this kind of statement. ____ Support with likes/hearts?! Add to your reading list! Read 10 chapters ahead at my Patreon 19- Revisiting the old place 19- Revisiting the old place Under the expectant gazes of the two girls, Rhys began to try to "whitewash" his image. He took this matter very seriously. In his opinion, if he couldn''t convince even the two little girls, then he wouldn''t be able to convince others, and he would probably have to bear the infamy imposed on him by future generations. This is too bad! Why do those guys who have nothing but their bloodline insist on using my own name to talk things out? Can''t they find someone else to pick up the wool? "First of all, I must explain one thing to you. The definition of pure blood from a thousand years ago is different from the definition of pure blood now." Rhys found an entry point and began to explain Slytherin to Hermione and Daphne about the reason for insisting on recruiting pure-blood wizards as students. In the era when he was active, a family with three consecutive generations of wizards could be called a pure-blood family, which was very different from today''s strict certification conditions. The living environment of wizards was also very different from modern times. In the era when Slytherin was active, the boundaries between Muggles and wizards were not as clear-cut as they are now, and the opposition was more intense. Back then, it was really possible to kill you for being a wizard. What''s worse is that some wizards do not stand on the side of their own community. They choose to join the Muggle camp, help the Muggle lords hunt down wizards, and get deeply involved in Muggle politics to save themselves and earn wealth and recognition at the time. "Using the ''freaks'' to defeat other ''freaks'', those muggle lords.. ha!" Rhys let out a weird laugh. After describing the situation at that time, Rhys looked at Daphne and Hermione: "Can you understand Slytherin now? Only pure-blood wizards were reliable enough, and the actions of the other three founders were very risky. In fact, there has been civil strife in Hogwarts - this is something you won''t see in Hogwarts A History." "What civil strife?" Hermione asked quickly, while Daphne looked doubtful. She had never heard her father say that there had been a civil war in Hogwart. "After the founding of Hogwarts, the four founders recruited their favorite students on this land. In order to teach, the founders collected a large number of magic books and stored them in the Hogwarts library. In addition to books, various magic potions and a lot of raw materials were also stored. Hogwarts''s reputation grew, eventually attracting the covetous attention of local lords. The greedy lord colluded with several young wizards from nearby Muggle families in an attempt to capture the castle. In his plan, even if he could not capture Hogwarts Castle, he would force Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to pay him taxes, provide him with combat mages, and make Hogwarts his vassal. " "What about the final result?" Hermione asked impatiently, and Daphne also pricked up her ears, eager to hear the follow-up story. "We''d better change into our robes, we''ll be there in thirty minutes at most." Rhys cast his gaze out the window, trying to find the outline in his memory among the rolling hills. He failed. Even the undulating contours of the mountains were so unfamiliar that he could not find any trace of familiarity. When he turned around, Hermione and Daphne had already changed into their robes, and Rhys noticed a silver-green pattern on Daphne''s cuffs. "Have you decided to join Slytherin House?" Rhys was a little curious because he remembered that the sorting process was not like this. Students were not supposed to know which house they would be sorted into before the opening ceremony. "Although I don''t know the result yet, I think I will definitely go to Slytherin." Daphne didn''t think she had the possibility of being sorted into other houses, "My whole family graduated from Slytherin." Rhys nodded. Students like Daphne did meet his admission requirements. Even if he was asked to choose, he would pull Daphne into Slytherin. "The train will arrive at Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on the train. The school staff will take you to school." The driver''s voice echoed on the train, and the speed of the train seemed to be decreasing, and finally stopped. Students pushed and shoved in the narrow aisle, rushed to the door, and finally arrived at a dark and small platform. Rhys followed the flow of people and came to the cold platform with Hermione and Daphne. He looked around and finally found a sense of familiarity with the surrounding scenery. This is Hogsmeade. Now, Salazar Slytherin has set foot on this land again after a thousand years. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 10 Chapters Ahead on Patreon? 20- Ah, Hogwarts! 20- Ah, Hogwarts! When he left, he vowed never to set foot on this land again, but now he has broken his promise. No, it was Salazar Slytherin who swore never to set foot in Hogwarts territory again. What does this have to do with me, Rhys Chasala Lint? Rhys comforted himself. He had also imagined before what kind of scene it would be like if he came back, under what circumstances he would come back, and what he would say to Godric and the others when he came back. As a result, even the biggest fantasy he had imagined None of it is as magical as the current situation. A full thousand years have passed since the last time I came here, and my three old friends from back then have also left here. But to say that the three of them turned into a handful of loess, Rhys didn''t believe it. Even if he can find a way to extend his life, will his three old friends really welcome death calmly? Rhys thought it was unlikely. Maybe the three of them had woken up from a long sleep just like him and returned here anonymously? or maybe they were still sleeping? Or maybe they really didn''t find a way to extend their lives¡ªNo. Rhys shook his head. Rhys would never admit that they were dead until he saw their bones. A gust of cold wind blew by. Although the thick robes on his body blocked most of the cold, the exposed head, face and hands were unavoidable. The three of them all trembled. A light suddenly appeared above the crowd, and a rich voice shouted: "First years, first years come over here! Harry, come over here, how do you do?" """ Harry? ..Harry Potter? So was it the truth that he was in this train?!""" Hushed voices came from other little wizards. Like the students around him, Rhys looked in the direction of the lamp and saw a thin little wizard wearing a wizard robe and with messy black hair coming out.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com ''That''s Harry Potter? '' This is the thought that pops into many people''s minds. Everyone was a little disappointed when they saw Harry, because the person who appeared in their field of vision was an ordinary child, about ten years old, thin and small, with a hint of timidity. But if you think about it carefully, Potter should be like this. Take away the aura of the savior from him, and he is only an eleven-year-old child. Rhys met the boy who survived without any precautions. Daphne tugged at the corner of Rhys''s clothes and whispered to him in a low voice: "He looks so... ordinary?" She was at a loss for words, but finally found the adjective that best suited Potter. ... Before that, the four of them had been arguing for a long time about the location of the school. Perhaps they were thinking about it day and night. Rowena Ravenclaw dreamed that a warthog led her to the lake. It led her to a land with abundant water and grass. After dawn, she and her friends followed the guidance in the dream and finally found the place in the dream. There are swamps, lakes, valleys, and mire here. Each founder can find a place they are satisfied with here, so everyone unanimously decided to build their own magic school here. Of course, Rhys felt that Rowena''s so-called "dream" was nonsense. She must have used some method to find this piece of land that she was very satisfied with, and then she was afraid that the other three people would have objections, so she made up such a story. Giving everyone a psychological hint to like this place even before seeing it. If she really had such a dream, Rhys thought that the four of them should clean up the surrounding lakes and forests as soon as possible and find the ghost-like monster who lored them here, can such a dream be done casually? It contains too strong prophetic hints, and Rowena Ravenclaw is not good at predicting the future. After seeing the Hogwarts Castle, everyone was shocked by the scene in front of them and couldn''t help but let out a loud "Oh". ... "Ah, Hogwarts..." Rhys couldn''t help but sigh, and all kinds of emotions and feelings were condensed in this sigh. There was a row of small boats by the lake, and the students boarded the boats one by one under the guidance of Hagrid. A boat can seat up to four people, and Hagrid has one boat by himself. Rhys, Hermione, and Daphne boarded a small boat closest to them, and Neville followed. Rhys noticed that Harry Potter and a red-haired boy sat on the boat next to him. Once everyone was aboard, Hagrid shouted, "Go!" Yup, Rhys could see how those boats were moving or what was carrying them. The boat immediately glided across the mirror-like surface of the lake and headed for the huge castle that towered into the sky. As they approached the cliff where the castle stood, the castle seemed to tower over their heads. The boat slowed down as it approached the cliff, carrying the freshmen through the ivy curtain covering the front of the cliff, into a hidden entrance, through a dark tunnel under the castle, and finally to an underground dock. The students climbed up a patch of gravel and pebbles, followed the tunnel in the rock, and finally reached a flat, wet meadow in the shadow of the castle. A huge oak door appeared in front of them, and Hagrid walked up the steps and knocked on the door three times. The door opened. _____ 10 Advance Chapters- 21- The wealth of Hogwarts 21- The wealth of Hogwarts A/N: Please don''t judge by the standards of other fanfics. Money was a major problem. Not to mention, the ancient times where Wizards had to live in a constant state of hiding and warfare. Magic was more focused on disastrous spells, not fancy stuff, people were still using swords to fight- Even Gryffindor. If money wasn''t important and anything could be done through magic then right now, the Weasleys would not have to think about electricity, food, and clothing and Minister Fudge would not act like a dog in front of money. _____ Behind the oak door is a tall black-haired witch wearing an emerald green robe. Her hair is tightly tied back and she has a serious look on her face. She gives the little wizards a feeling that she is not easy to deal with at first glance. "First-year freshmen, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said. "Thank you, Hagrid, leave it to me." After completing the handover, Hagrid left in a flash, while Professor McGonagall opened the door wide, revealing the foyer at the back that could accommodate a three-story villa. As the facade of the castle, the foyer is grand and majestic, like the main building of a cathedral. Facing the door is a luxurious marble staircase, and the ceiling is so high that you can barely see the top. Just like the Muggle castle, the walls of the foyer are made of huge stones. The stone walls are filled with blazing torches, illuminating the hall as if it were daytime. After looking at the furnishings in the hall, Rhys smacked his lips and his eyes were full of admiration: The successors have taken care of the castle very well, and judging from the decoration of the hall and the number of torches, the school should not be short of money. That reassured him. When he thought about the number of torches, Rhys couldn''t help but blush. The little wizards around them had no life experience. They only knew how to look at the tall entrance hall and make exclamations of unknown meanings such as "oh" and "ah". In fact, the most luxurious thing was the inconspicuous torches inserted on the stone wall. It didn''t cost much to build the magnificent castle, because the four of them built it all with magic - the cutting spell cut out the boulders from the surrounding mountains, and then used the teleportation magic to teleport them to the hillside, and finally, they were like building blocks. Putting them together doesn''t cost anything at all, just a bit of Gryffindor, heh. If you don''t know how expensive the firewood and oil were at that time ...these little guys have no idea how much fuel so many torches would burn in one night! As one of the four founders who once held the financial power of the school, Rhys said that this is really an astronomical figure. Even with the financial resources of the four of them, looking at the expense bills at the end of each month would give them a headache.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com The cost of torch fuel, food and drink for teachers and students, the cost of heating the castle, the cost of potion materials, the salaries of professors and staff... Each consumption made everyone''s wallets deflate at a speed visible to the naked eye. Rhys once wanted to impose high tuition fees on all students, but in the end, Hufflepuff stopped him from taking action. ... "Helga, do you have any idea about money? The money we spent last month could buy a fire dragon. This is still an ongoing expense - we must find a way to make money!" "So you want to levy tuition fees on students? Are you crazy or am I crazy?" Helga blushed with rare anger. She slapped Slytherin''s desk and said fiercely: "Many students can''t even afford the money. How will they pay fees!" "Then we can lend them money first and they can pay them back slowly after they graduate." "Ha, I didn''t see it. Salazar, you actually have goblin blood?!" "Hufflepuff, don''t go too far!" Seeing Hufflepuff humiliating himself like this, Salazar was furious like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Isn''t it? Let the children take out loans to go to school, and then work for you for half their lives after graduation. Haha, even the greediest goblin didn''t expect such an operation." Seeing that the two were about to fight, Rowena and Godric hurriedly stood between them to separate the two, and then came up with a compromise plan: they contacted the parents of the wealthy students and asked them to donate to the school. If you donate enough, even if your child is not qualified to the standards of getting admitted, he can still come in and learn magic. At the same time, they also decided to reduce school expenses through various means. For example, Hufflepuff teaches herbal medicine and also takes the students to grow vegetables together; Gryffindor''s fighting class adds the content of hunting in the forest next to the castle. Don''t forget to collect firewood after hunting; When Rowena taught everyone alchemy, she had to make some alchemy props and sell them; Slytherin also had to find a reliable way to sell potions. The potions that the students and he prepared in the potions class must not be wasted. ... In order to get through that difficult time, they came up with a lot of ideas. For a while, even the torches used for lighting at night were conjured by Slytherin. It''s not that the four founders are too stingy, but that people who don''t have long-term concerns must have immediate worries. Now it can still be supported by the savings of the four people. In the future, the school will become bigger and bigger, with more and more students, and the four people will eventually be gone. What will Hogwarts do then? A successful school must be able to balance its revenue and expenditure, otherwise it will end up sitting on nothing. "Every academy has given birth to very outstanding wizards," Rhys predicted what Hermione would say and shot her words back. "Listen to me, don''t look at the famous people the academy has produced. It''s meaningless. The one that suits you best is the best. Brave and fearless students can go to Gryffindor; students who are upright, loyal, and uncontested can go to Hufflepuff; those who are smart and are more interested in knowledge can go to Ravenclaw; those who want to be enterprising can go to Slytherin. Each house has its own advantages and disadvantages. "Hufflepuff, for example, is the warmest place. The relationship between classmates is very harmonious. Their lounge is very close to the kitchen. Ravenclaw is suitable for children who decide to study academics. The learning atmosphere there is very strong. If you want to develop in the Ministry of Magic in the future, Slytherin is definitely the best stage. Your classmates and seniors are your best helpers, but such a life is destined to be very tiring. Think carefully about what kind of house you want to go to and what kind of life you want to live. " Rhys''s voice was slightly higher, and many people heard his words, with thoughtful gleams in their eyes. The red-haired boy who had just been chatting with Potter also blinked: He just vaguely heard that the Hufflepuff lounge seemed to be very close to the kitchen? But given the choice, he would still prefer to go to Gryffindor. Neville heard the words about the harmonious relationship between Hufflepuff classmates, which made him feel a little moved... Suddenly, there was a burst of exclamations and screams from the end of the line. Rhys looked up and saw about twenty translucent pearl-white ghosts suddenly emerging from the wall behind the freshmen. They were arguing about something and almost didn''t notice the new life in the room. "I say we should give it another chance¡ª" "My my, haven''t we given Peeves enough opportunities? But what''s the result?" Rhys''s eyes suddenly widened because he saw someone familiar to him in the ghost. He saw his student, Waldo. He was a very talented young man with a good background. His only shortcoming was that he had a somewhat impatient temper. After graduating from Hogwarts, he refused a well-paid job and stayed at the school. Almost everyone thought he was Slytherin''s successor. After Slytherin left, he took over the management of Slytherin House. Who would have thought that the two of them would meet again in this way? Old and young, life and death, the two people who were originally closely related are now completely opposite sides. It is an unexpected reunion. There was almost no difference from the appearance in his memory. He still looked as thin as before, but he looked haggard and no longer had the high-spirited feeling he had when he was alive. He had wide-open black eyes, and his body was covered with silvery blood stains. Rhys noticed that the other ghosts kept their distance from him, seeming to be afraid of him. The ghosts filed out and disappeared through the opposite wall. Professor McGonagall also returned. She asked the students to line up in single file to attend the sorting ceremony. The sorting ceremony was held in the auditorium. After entering, not to mention the new students, even one of the founders of Hogwarts was shocked. How could there be such a magical, wonderful, and magnificent place in the world? Students from other grades of the school were already at four long solid wood tables. There were gold plates and goblets on the table, sparkling and illuminated by thousands of candles floating in the air - judging by Rhys''s eyesight, they were all made of gold. There is another long table on the table at the top of the auditorium, which is where the teachers sit. It is also equipped with gold tableware. Rhys'' breathing quickened. The financial situation of the school is really good. It is so good that the founders could not even imagine it. In their time, only the four of them used gold tableware, ordinary professors used silver plates, and students all used copper plates. As wealthy as Slytherin was, he never thought that one day nearly a thousand teachers and students at Hogwarts would be able to eat with gold tableware! He couldn''t help but look up and saw stars twinkling on the velvet-black ceiling. This starry sky dome was exactly the same as it was a thousand years ago. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Support with comments and likes! 10 Chapters ahead on my Patreon 22- Sorting Hat 22- Sorting Hat Professor McGonagall led the first-year students near the teacher''s stage and asked them to line up in a row facing all the senior students. Rhys could feel the professor''s eyes on them from behind. At this moment, all the students and ghosts in the auditorium were also looking at them. Caught between thousands of eyes, many freshmen began to sweat from behind. Not only did Rhys notice that the dome of the auditorium was unusual, Hermione also looked up to observe the ceiling for a moment, and then she whispered: "The ceiling here has been enchanted and looks like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History". "Yes," Rhys agreed, "there is an extremely profound spell cast on the dome, which was cast by the four founders together. It can be consistent with the outside sky, and powerful wizards can also change the weather conditions on the dome. " He squinted his eyes, looked at the dome, and added: "If someone with ulterior motives enters the castle, the weather on the ceiling will also worsen." "Really? It''s never mentioned in the book!" Hermione was surprised. She didn''t expect that the ceiling of the auditorium could have such an effect. "If it''s just an ordinary synchronized weather, then why bother the four founders to do it together? This is confidential, and only the Headmaster and vice headmaster level know about it." Rhys said with a smile on his face, this was given by the four of them. One of the precious legacies left by future generations is part of the defense system of Hogwarts Castle.T/his chapter is updated by "Then how did you know?" Rhys:"..." While Rhys and Hermione were chatting, Professor McGonagall walked up to them. The stern-faced witch holds a square stool in one hand and a pointed wizard hat in the other. She gently placed the four-legged stool in front of the first years and placed the wizard''s hat on the stool. Rhys looked at the patched and tattered old hat with a complicated expression. ''My days... has no one washed this hat in a thousand years? '' He almost couldn''t hold back the desire to complain. The thought of putting this hat on his head that had not been washed for hundreds of years gave him goosebumps. It''s no wonder that the successor doesn''t dare to clean the sorting hat. If the hat is damaged, who will sort the new students? The Sorting Hat, which carries the will of the four founders, has never assigned students to the wrong house. It is the embodiment of the will of the four founders. Not all of the succeeding Headmasters have the ability to recreate the Sorting Hat, and the will of the four founders contained in the original Sorting Hat cannot be reproduced. Over time, not cleaning the sorting hat has become a Hogwarts tradition, inherited by generations of headmasters. After the Sorting Hat was placed on the stool, a wide crack opened in the brim, and then the hat sang. ?? "Oh, you may not think I''m pretty, But don''t judge on what you see, I''ll eat myself if you can find! A smarter hat than me. You can keep your bowlers black, Your top hats sleek and tall, For I''m the Hogwarts Sorting Hat And I can cap them all. There''s nothing hidden in your head! The Sorting Hat can''t see, So try me on and I will tell you¡ªWhere you ought to be! You might belong in Gryffindor, Where dwell the brave at heart, Seeing that even a die-hard Slytherin like Daphne felt that the Sorting Hat was not lying, Rhys couldn''t help but sigh. Why is the House''s reputation so bad? After waking up, Rhys didn''t have a clear goal. Now that he has one, he decides to reverse the reputation of Slytherin House. At this time, Professor McGonagall held a roll of parchment in her hand and took a few steps forward. "Whoever''s name I call now will put on the hat, sit on the stool, and wait for the sorting," her voice echoed in the auditorium: "Hannah Abbott!" "Hufflepuff!" The hat shouted. "Susan Bones!" "Hufflepuff!" "Terry Boot!". One name after another came out of her mouth, and the queue in front of the staff table gradually narrowed. Neville Longbottom was called forward. There was silence for a while after the sorting hat was placed on his head. The hat seemed to have some conflicts with Neville, and it began to communicate with Neville. After Neville blushed and shook his head firmly, the hat called out the name ..Hufflepuff! The Sorting Hat''s decision did not surprise those who knew Neville. Isn''t it normal for him to go to Hufflepuff? If the conversation between the Sorting Hat and him was exposed, many people would be shocked - the Sorting Hat actually thought he could choose between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, and it was Neville who insisted on going to Hufflepuff House, so the Sorting Hat sorted him into Hufflepuff. Hermione Granger and Daphne Greengrass are in front and behind each other. The Sorting Hat made the decision to sort Daphne into Slytherin almost as soon as it touched her head, but it was slower to decide on Hermione. About three minutes later, the Sorting Hat sorted her into Ravenclaw House. Perhaps it was an illusion, but Rhys felt that the little girl winked at him before walking to the long table in Ravenclaw House. Rhys could tell that Hermione initially felt that Gryffindor was the best because of Dumbledore - she wanted to enter Gryffindor, perhaps because it was the best house. Now she can face her own heart and choose the house that suits her best, which makes Rhys very happy. Gradually, the student''s last name transitioned from "Granger''s G" to Lint''s "L" "Rhys Lint!" Seeing Professor McGonagall calling out his name, Rhys walked over to the four-legged stool and sat down. Professor McGonagall walked towards him, and just as she was about to put the hat on his head, Rhys stretched out his hand to her, took the Sorting Hat from her hand, and put the hat on himself. Hat, I don''t know if you still remember me. I even rubbed your body when you were a kid! Before putting on his hat, a nasty thought suddenly flashed through Rhys''s mind. _____ 10 Advance chapters- 23- Slytherin in the House of Slytherin 23- Slytherin in the House of Slytherin Although in ancient times, founders didn''t discriminate on the basis of age. But most of the little wizards joined 1st year after their coming of age ceremony i.e. 14 y/o which was considered a good age for muggle noble kids to go for their academies also. The size of the Sorting Hat was a bit too big for Rhys, who was not yet an adult, not to mention the kids in ancient times were much taller and bulkier so the hat was designed like that. After putting on the Sorting Hat, the hat slid down and covered his eyes. Darkness came over, cutting him off from eye contact with the outside world. After putting on the hat, Rhys found that it was not as dirty as it looked and was even quite comfortable. He even faintly sensed the residual scent of Godric from it, which almost made him fall into old memories again. A weak voice sounded in his ear: "Hmm...a familiar feeling, very familiar...huh?!" Even if it was a whisper, it didn''t prevent Rhys from hearing the shocked tone in the Sorting Hat''s voice. "It''s good to be familiar with it." Rhys thought silently. "Oh my gosh..." The hat became a little stiff, and the originally soft brim became as tight as a headband, which made Rhys'' head hurt. "Unbelievable, unbelievable..." The Sorting Hat seemed to have become a repeater, only repeating one sentence. Huh? Rhys noticed something strange about the Sorting Hat. It seemed to have changed a lot from when he was one of the professors. Rhys did not hide his thoughts, so this idea was naturally known to the Sorting Hat, and it quickly responded: "Several other adults gave me some... training." "Train you how to speak ill of Slytherin House?" Sorting Hat: "..." "Please forgive my ignorance." It began to apologize without hesitation. "It doesn''t matter. The reputation of Slytherin is the fault of future generations. Everything will end here because I''m here." Rhys did not blame all the blame on the Sorting Hat. After all, it was just a talking hat. That''s all. "Slytherin''s reputation will definitely change." The Sorting Hat immediately agreed. As long as you are here, Slytherin House will be great again! "Do you still want to look at my memories to decide which house I want to go to?" It would be easy for Rhys to seal his heart with magic, but he chose not to do so and instead opened his heart to the Sorting Hat. You can look at it as you like, I don''t mind. But how could the Sorting Hat have the courage? The memory of the big man in front of him was beyond his own ability to pry into. Then if I get to know him better, will I be able to get more precious props? Maybe my sister''s disease can be cured? this was what she thought after seeing Rhys on the train. It would be great to be a classmate with a wizard like Rhys. This is her thought now. Some indescribable emotions were brewing in her heart. Seeing Rhys walk down from the stage, she quickly squeezed aside to make a space for him. "Thanks." Rhys walked to the space Daphne made for him and sat down, and then watched the Sorting Ceremony with the surrounding Slytherin students. Weasly, Parkinson, Patil ...Harry Potter! The students at Hogwarts suddenly cheered up and turned their attention to the thin black-haired boy. "Do you think he will come to Slytherin?" Daphne asked in a low voice. "Why do you think he will come to Slytherin?" Rhys was a little surprised. He didn''t see any temperament in that Potter that fit the Slytherin House. "Well, it will be a good thing, if we have Potter. Students from other houses won''t always say that Slytherin is the cradle of dark wizards." Daphne pouted her mouth and muttered in a low voice. It was obvious that she also had a grudge against the poor reputation of the house. Actually, who doesn''t mind? What little wizard would want to go to a house with the reputation of being a "potential Death Eater"? If the "Boy Who Lived" was also a Slytherin, the house''s popularity might improve. Unfortunately, the beautiful idea was completely shattered with a loud "Gryffindor!". Looking at the cheering Gryffindors on the other side of the auditorium, many Slytherin students couldn''t help but have disappointed looks on their faces. Many Slytherin students even loudly told the new students the legendary story of the school''s seven consecutive House Cups. When the last new student named Blaise Zabini was sorted into Slytherin, the sorting ceremony finally ended. After Professor McGonagall rolled up the parchment, picked up the Sorting Hat, and left, Headmaster Dumbledore stood up. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Support with comments & Likes ! Read 10 advance chapters at my Patreon 24- Daphne is a good friend 24- Daphne is a good friend Seeing the Headmaster stand up, many freshmen from Muggle families couldn''t help but tremble. Fortunately, the Headmaster of this magic school did not behave like the Headmasters of Muggle schools and didn''t bother them with a boring speech. Headmaster Dumbledore''s new semester speech was so short that it could hardly be called speech. "Welcome!" He said, "Welcome to Hogwarts to start the new school year! I would like to say a few words before the banquet begins" "That is: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!! Thank you and enjoy your meal!" He sat back down. "I feel like Professor Dumbledore is a weird person!" Daphne did not understand the meaning of Dumbledore''s words. She couldn''t help but want to complain to Rhys about this weird old man. "Yeah." Rhys nodded. He was about to say something but was dazzled by the sumptuous dishes that suddenly appeared in front of him. In the blink of an eye, the plate in front of him was filled with food: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, sausages, steaks, boiled potatoes, baked potatoes, potato chips, Yorkshire puddings, pea shoots, Carrots, gravy, ketchup, even peppermint hard candies that didn''t fit in with the rest of the food. Even Salazar Slytherin, who paid attention to pomp and luxury, rarely holds such a grand banquet. The various spices introduced to Europe over the millennia made these dishes even more delicious than the dinners of the Slytherin era. Rhys was even a little dazed for a moment. "Is this the financial strength of Hogwarts?" He couldn''t help but be impressed by the richness of Hogwarts again, and he felt happy at the same time. He felt as if the fruit trees planted in the past were full of fruits. "Of course, and this is normal." A senior sitting diagonally across from Rhys heard Rhys''s sigh and couldn''t help but show off to him, "In the future, you can eat ingredients like this every day - sooner or later you will start to feel bored by it. It''s boring because the school only cooks British food most of the time." As he spoke, he made a face, causing a burst of laughter. Everyone knows the gold content of British cuisine, which is something only rare for old antiques like Rhys who only enjoyed it a thousand years ago. "What a pity. The kitchen only knows how to cook these." The senior smacked his lips, looking extremely regretful. "I will write to my father to respond. My father is one of the board members of ''the school directors''. His words have some weight. He will definitely make the kitchen cook more dishes from the US or add some Indian spices." Malfoy wanted to boast, The word '' board member of School Directors'' was emphasized, and he secretly observed Rhys''s reaction - he wanted to see the annoyance and fear on the guy''s face. Draco thought in his heart that if Rhys sincerely apologized to him, as the heir of the Malfoy family, he would certainly forgive him generously and give him a chance to follow him. Talent is rare, and a wizard like Rhys is qualified to stand behind him, provided that he is at least a half-blood. "Me?" Rhys raised his head, slightly confused. The reason for his confusion is simple. He is indeed a pure-blood, but his real last name is "Slytherin", which makes him a black-blooded existence. "Rhys is also a pure-blood wizard. He sold two very rare magic items to my father before. My father said that they can only be found in wizard families that have been passed down for a long time." Daphne knew the secrets of the Slytherin House''s Tradition, so she took the initiative to save Rhys. is that so? The surrounding Slytherins were quite surprised. They thought about it in their minds for a long time, but could not find any trace of the family named Lint. But with Daphne''s endorsement, they could only believe that the Lint family was a low-key, reclusive family, maybe from some remote place...? "What props? I''ll go back and ask my dad. Maybe I have one at home." Malfoy, who was sitting not far away, poked his head out. He was determined to do something. He didn''t believe that Rhys could take out any precious magic props. Since Daphne mentioned it, he would break the casserole and ask to see what kind of treasure it was that could make the head of the Greengrass family praise it so much. However, the words "It can only be found in wizard families that have been passed down for a long time" really aroused his vanity. If his own treasure house happened to have it, wouldn''t it be a huge gain in the face? "Removing evil spirits and calming candles." Seeing that everyone seemed to be very interested in this topic, Daphne briefly described the names and functions of the two props. After listening to Daphne''s words, Malfoy''s brows knitted together: he had never even heard of these two things. "So Master Malfoy, do you have these two things in your family''s storehouse? My little sister has been sick since she was a child and needs these two magic items to relieve her pain. If you have any in store, I hope you can part with her." Malfoy''s face gradually turned red like a crab on a steamer. He took a deep breath, and in the end, he could only hold out one sentence: I''ll write and ask my father. After that, he concentrated on his dessert. He didn''t finish the piece of cake on his plate until the dessert was removed. _____ Support with Powerstones, comments & reviews 10 advance chapters- /HornyFBI 25- The school song that made the founder despair 25- The school song that made the founder despair After the desserts were removed, Dumbledore stood up again, and silence returned to the restaurant. Headmaster Dumbledore briefly talked about some precautions in the school, and emphasized that " this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death." Some students thought Headmaster Dumbledore was joking, but judging from the serious expressions on most students'' faces, they took what Dumbledore said seriously. While Professor Dumbledore was speaking, Rhys carefully looked at the professors on the faculty bench. In his opinion, the teaching staff at Hogwarts this year is quite good. There are several professors who exude strong magic fluctuations, which were enough to help in the civil war between wizards and muggles even a thousand years ago. Professor McGonagall who led them to the sorting; another short professor who looked part goblin blood; a middle-aged witch who looked very Hufflepuff-like at first glance; and a man with greasy black hair and a hooked nose; A middle-aged wizard with sallow skin wearing a turban. Apart from Dumbledore, these four people are the wizards with the most powerful magic circulating around them inside the hall. As for Dumbledore, when Rhys looked at him with his naked eyes, he could only see a smiling and amiable old man with a white beard. Once you use magic detection, you will have a stinging feeling like looking directly at the sun. He is the strongest wizard he has met since his recovery. Even if he faces the Gryffindor of the past, he may not be at a disadvantage - in the sense of magic power of course- but considering his age and physical condition, there is almost no need to worry about who will be the winner. Rhys had eye contact with Dumbledore once during the banquet. At that time, he saw a pair of blue eyes as deep as a lake. They seemed to have some kind of magic, attracting people to fall deep into the eyes. This contact only lasted for a moment before it was interrupted. Professor Dumbledore tapped the goblet in front of him with a golden spoon as a toast to Rhys. Among the professors, except for Dumbledore, the hook-nosed teacher and the professor sitting next to him wearing a purple turban impressed Rice the most. The magic power exuded by the hook-nosed professor had a cold and indifferent feeling. However, after careful tasting, Rhys found that his magic power could give people the illusion of burning fire. The professor with the purple turban surprised Rhys the most. He gave Rhys a vague sense of discomfort, but he couldn''t tell what the problem was. He decided to look for an opportunity to observe him closely in the future. While Dumbledore was telling the school rules, there were also enthusiastic busybodies at the long tables in each house introducing the school''s professors to the new students. Due to her noble surname, Daphne received a very warm reception, and Rhys, who was sitting next to her, also benefited from the privilege and heard a lot of information. "That''s Professor Severus Snape, the head of our house. Although he seems difficult to get along with, he is the best to the students in his house. As long as you don''t contradict him face-to-face and do the work he gives, you will be fine. And even if you make a mistake, being a Slytherin, you won''t be punished too harshly." "Also, don''t underestimate Professor Flitwick. It is said that he once won the duel competition when he was young..." "That''s Professor Quirrell. He used to teach Muggle Studies in school. According to reliable information, he is going to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts this year!" "Huh? He looks quit timid for being a Dark Arts professor, and you said he used to teach mugg¡ª" Dumbledore also announced that it was bedtime and everyone could return to the dorms to rest. Students from each House stood up from the table unsteadily and headed towards the common room of their Houses under the leadership of their respective prefects. A girl with fashionable curly hair and delicate light makeup stood up from the end of the long table in Slytherin House and said loudly in a clear voice: "First-year Slytherin students, please follow me." After all the freshmen gathered behind her, she led them out of the auditorium. "The Slytherin''s common room is tucked away in the castle dungeons, and I hope you will remember the way to it. Dear Merlin, if one day I meet a Slytherin student wandering around the dungeons looking for the entrance to the lounge, I will definitely suggest Professor Snape to expedite the transfer procedures for you. " The first-year students of Slytherin followed the prefect named Gemma Farley out of the auditorium hall, and along the marble stairs into the underground space of the castle. The underground space of the castle is extremely complex, giving people a sense of familiarity like a maze, but in Rhys''s eyes, the road here is so familiar to him that he can walk with his eyes closed. As for the infrastructure here being like this? It is certainly not because the four founders were idle and bored. When Hogwarts was first built, along with being a school, it also served a military role for a period of time. It was just that as the days gradually settled down, the military purpose of the dungeon was gradually abandoned and forgotten. But until now, the depths of the castle dungeon were still forbidden areas, truly forbidden areas, the kind of forbidden areas with magical barriers to prevent naughty little wizards from entering. Gemma led the freshmen to a plain stone wall. "Pureblood." As the password was spoken, the stone wall of the dungeon suddenly cracked in the middle and trembled apart to both sides, revealing two large snakes entwined together. After the stone wall was completely separated, the big snakes also loosened their entangled bodies, forming an arch. The Slytherin House common room appeared in front of the new students. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ? The story is still in its initial stage, please don''t forget to support by likes/hearts/stars/comments ? Read 10 chapters ahead on my Patreon! 26- The real reason why the lounge was built at the bottom of the lake 26- The real reason why the lounge was built at the bottom of the lake Behind the snake door is a long, narrow dungeon. The walls and ceiling were made of rough stone, and a round, glowing green lamp hung from the ceiling on a chain.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om There are dozens of carved chairs in the common room, as well as many sofas and coffee tables for students to rest on, decorated with skulls of various unknown creatures. The dungeon extends all the way down to the bottom of the Black Lake. As a common room located in the dungeon, the Slytherin common room has a view of the Black Lake from the window. Reflected by the lake, the room takes on a green hue. Despite the roaring fire beneath an ornately carved mantel, the common room seemed dark and cold. The layout of the lounge has not changed much from a thousand years ago, except that the light is a little dimmer because it is night now. To be honest, Rhys finds it a little too humid every time he comes here. It''s okay to come in with a young body now, but it will be really painful to come to such a humid place when you are older. But there is nothing I can do about it. Who told me to have bad luck in drawing lots in the first place? ... ..... "This tower is nice, with a wide view and good lighting. The common room of Gryffindor House should be here." "My students have a need to observe the stars, it is only natural that the Ravenclaw lounge should be placed in the tower." "So you two decided to go for the tower, so the front and underground of the school have been abandoned?!" Slytherin glared at Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, his beard standing on end with anger. "Look! The floor pattern really looks nice." "Ah, how did I not notice the grandness of the ceiling all this time!?" Rowena and Godric: (?§Ù?) Rowena and Godric turned their attention elsewhere. One of them became very interested in the floor pattern, while the other suddenly paid attention to the splicing of the ceiling. "...There are some things you may need to know. Bloody Baron is the ghost of our House. He is a good man, or a good ghost *ehm*, but please remember not to ask about the origin of the blood on him" (Rhys: I definitely want to ask ) "The password for the common room changes every two weeks, so please keep an eye on the notice board. Bringing anyone from other houses into the common room is a no-no! It has not been broken for over seven centuries. !" Hearing this, Rhys couldn''t help being extremely shocked. He remembered clearly that this was not the case when Hogwarts was first founded. It was extremely common for students from the four houses to hang out in each other''s common rooms. Some young men and women who had reached their age would even visit each other. They did things they should do at that age. Godric even cast a spell to prevent boys from entering the girls'' dormitory at night but they were spared to join in the mornings. But based on the feedback given to him by his students, Rhys found that Gryffindor''s spell seemed to be of little use - would any boy really go to the girls'' dormitory to ''date'' his girlfriend? Most of the time, there are a few enthusiastic little wizards who "volunteer" to guard the vacant rooms of the castle at night while the couples ''meet''. Rhys had never thought that unexpectedly, a thousand years later, the gap between the various houses would be so great that no one has visited the common room for seven hundred years, and it would be regarded as something worthy of showing off! Although it''s good for the little kids to not go dating and focus on studying... but seriously? No one has visited the Slytherin common room for the past seven hundred years. Isn''t this really being isolated? What Rhys didn''t know was that Slytherin''s situation was not an isolated case. Hufflepuff next door was even more outrageous. They claimed that no outsider had ever visited their common room in thousands of years - They really didn''t know that Helga invited other grown-up students over for a drink to their common room. Rowena Ravenclaw also invited other houses for a tea party and was classified as a tea goddess by them. "Okay, that''s all I want to say. I believe you will like our common room. Good night everyone, and I wish you a good sleep." The rumored drama of "a duel between freshmen to separate shadow prefects or Leaders for the first-year class" was not carried out. Prefect Gemma ended her speech calmly and began to lead the freshmen to their dormitories. Gemma first led the girls to their dormitories and then led the boys to the other side of the common room. After going around a few times in the not-so-wide corridor, they finally arrived. _____ Support with Likes/Hearts! Read 10 Advance Chapters at 27- Night walks are a fine tradition of Hogwarts 27- Night walks are a fine tradition of Hogwarts Hogwarts has a six-person dormitory for first-year Slytherin students, with silver lanterns hanging from the roof to provide lighting. There are six four-poster beds in the bedroom. Green silk bed curtains are hung around the beds, and the beds are covered with silver embroidered bedspreads. As for their luggage, it has been placed under their respective beds! The ancient stone walls are covered with medieval tapestries, and the blankets are outlined with delicate pictures in gold and silver threads. After Rhys took a closer look, he suddenly felt his blood pressure begin to rise, because the picture depicted the adventures of the great wizard Slytherin. Looking at the story on the tapestry, Rhys''s face gradually became a little hot, because the story above can be summarized as "The Bizarre Adventures of Slytherin and His Three Automatic Casting Wands." Fortunately, the other little wizards couldn''t see what was on the tapestry, otherwise, Rhys would have to run away again. After finding his own bunk, Rhys took off his robe and hung it on the bedside. Then he saw Malfoy and his two followers, Crabbe and Goyle, staring at him. "What? Do you still want to taste some cake?" Rhys looked at Draco Malfoy with a half-smile, but the latter moved his eyes to the side, not daring to talk at all. If he was force-fed cake in front of his classmates, he would really have to consider going to Durmstrang. "If you have nothing to do, go to bed early." After saying these words, Rhys jumped onto the bed and closed the bed curtains, leaving Malfoy standing outside, his face changing colors between green and red. Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott, who followed into the room, looked at each other: The atmosphere in the dormitory seems a bit bad? But it doesn''t matter if the atmosphere is not so good, as long as there is no fighting. The two of them unintentionally intervened in the fight between roommates and went to bed silently. Seeing this, Malfoy could only take two deep breaths to endure the anger. After lying on the bed, he began to silently imagine the scene in the future when Rhys would apologize to him. Needless to say, the soft mattress is indeed a breeding ground for sweet dreams. With the sound of the lake water lapping at the window, Malfoy fell into a deep sleep. ~In the dream, he defeated the arrogant Rhys with his own strength in front of everyone. Looking at Rhys lying in front of him, he laughed happily...~ Soon, the dormitory was filled with a heavy sense of sleepiness, and the little wizards who had been working hard all day slept particularly soundly. However, Rhys opened his eyes while his roommates were sleeping, gently opened the bed curtain and got out of bed. There will be plenty of time to sleep in the future, but I can''t waste my time on this kind of thing - I slept for a thousand years before, so I should sleep less after waking up. But Rhys didn''t just get up secretly at night to study. The first-year wizards didn''t need to worry about what they were going to learn the next day. He had to do something important. He wanted to make sure that the succeeding Headmasters had fulfilled their obligations and strengthened the dungeon''s seal. Listening to the snoring one after another, Rhys''s mouth curved: Look at them! Young people have such good sleep quality and they sleep so peacefully. "Rhys Lint... you can''t escape today... you have to... " Malfoy''s vague sleep murmurs reached Rhys''s ears, making his face darken. It''s endless with you huh? You won''t let me go even in your dreams?! Are you having an argument with me there? Rhys took out his wand and with a flick of his wand, the excess moisture was removed from Daphne''s hair. "Ah!." Daphne looked at her dry and smooth hair, "Thanks!" "Okay, now you can go back to sleep." Daphne looked at Rhys: "So what are you going to do? The route in the dungeon is very complicated. It would be bad if you get lost. I heard that there are night watchmen patrolling at night. If you are caught, you will be deducted a lot of points and will be put in solitary confinement. " "Night walks are a fine tradition for Hogwarts students," Rhys said with a smile. Anyway, when he was running the school, the students liked to get up at night and wander around the castle. There was even a famous saying among the students: [Having never seen Hogwarts at night is equivalent to not having attended Hogwarts] The founders also turned a blind eye to this kind of behavior. Only wizards who dare to take risks can survive in this cruel world, not to mention that students who wander at night can also play a night watchman role. Rhys turned and walked towards the Common room''s door. However, as soon as he went out, he heard footsteps behind him, and when he looked he saw Daphne silently following him. Seeing that Rhys wanted to say something, Daphne said first: "Night walks are a fine tradition for Hogwarts students, right? (????)" Rhys: "..." You''re so good at breaking school rules, you might as well get transferred to Gryffindor! "The probability of two people getting lost is always smaller, and I am the daughter of the Greengrass family. If we are caught, you will definitely not be expelled with me here! ?(???l?????? ?)?" Daphne began to analyze the pros and cons. Seeing the expectant look in the girl''s eyes and imitating an adult''s negotiation, Rhys couldn''t help but sigh. "Follow me, don''t get lost." Sooner or later, he will eventually leave. Some things must be passed down, and some younger generations should also know the secrets hidden in the school. The little girl from the Greengrass family in front of me is young and reasonably savvy, so telling her about these inheritances would not be a bad thing. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ? Support with Likes/Hearts! ? 10 Advance Chapters at my Patreon 28- Godric Gryffindor 28- Godric Gryffindor Seeing that Rhys agreed to take her on the adventure, a bright smile broke out on Daphne''s face. She quickened her pace, trotted over to Rhys, and then asked him what his purpose was for sneaking out of the dormitory tonight. He isn''t up just to go to the kitchen and find something to eat, right? "You may not know why this area is called a dungeon." Rhys glanced at Daphne who was following him and said softly. "Isn''t it because it''s in the dungeon area of ??the castle?" Rhys: "..." It''s almost the same as "Your name is Daphne, so you are called Daphne!!". He pursed his lips, "Because this place has really imprisoned and sealed some enemies of the four founders and evildoers who tried to get involved in Hogwarts'' business." "Why not kill them?" "Are you a child because you were born 10 years ago or Is it because you were born 10 years ago that you are a child?" Rhys slapped her back. He suddenly felt that he had made a mistake? Rhys'' forgot he wasn''t a teacher, he.... should not have hit her back. But Daphne didn''t mind, instead, she was bewildered about what Rhys had just said. She needs to observe more and not make any hasty conclusions! Daphne obediently closed her mouth. Rhys continued, "They didn''t kill them because many creatures cannot be killed, we can only seal them. The dungeons of Hogwarts have sealed many dark creatures that the Big Four defeated during their adventures - you have always heard of dark creatures, right?" Daphne thought about it for a moment, remembering the Dementors who guard the Azkaban her father had mentioned to her. "Yes, they count too." "Then we are going to check the seals of these bad guys to prevent them from escaping?" "That''s right!" Without wasting time, Rhys explained the purpose of the trip to Daphne and led her deeper into the dungeon. Daphne wondered why Rhys knew this, but she knew there was no way Rhys could or rather would answer the question. She felt more and more that the young man in front of her was extraordinary. He might really be the heir to an ancient magic family that she had made up while eating. Daphne suddenly covered her mouth. Is it the caretaker Filch that the Headmaster had mentioned at dinner? Her first reaction was that she and Rhys were going to be expelled, but she immediately realized that this was deep in the Hogwarts dungeons. How could there be staff patrolling here? Rhys had already guessed the opponent''s true identity, which made him a little worried: he had encountered this kind of monster on the surface, and if he went deeper, he might encounter something else! The white mist gathered towards the figure, solidifying little by little, and the figure gradually became clear. Finally, a tall and strong middle-aged man appeared in front of Rhys and Daphne. This man has a lion-like mane and exaggerated wavy red hair and a beard that is no less than hair in scale. But the most eye-catching thing is his eyes. Even the thick hair cannot cover these green eyes. They are piercing and bright, like two emeralds in a ball of flame. "You know what to do." The man''s voice was rich, like a bass in a stage play. He looked down at the "short and thin" Rhys and grinned. "Yeah." Rhys sighed. A bright light emerged from the tip of his wand, and with a whoosh, it pierced the man''s chest, leaving a hole as big as a fist. The smile on the man''s face froze for an instant, and then his facial features became distorted. White mist rushed towards the hole as if it was not a big deal, trying to fill it up. However, the bright light came one after another until the man''s upper body was blown into pieces. After being "broken" by the bombardment, the man returned to his white mist form and fled away from Rhys. At this time, the wall of air conjured by Rhys moved. It trapped the fleeing white mist like a fishing net, and then slowly closed it without letting go of a wisp of mist. Rhys slowly turned the wand, shrinking the scope of the air wall little by little, compressing and re-compressing the white mist. Finally, the white mist that covered half of the corridor was crushed by him into a white bead the size of a fist. This desire demon has not made any progress in thousands of years. Rhys smiled and weighed the beads in his hand. The demon of desire is a monster that changes into the appearance of the person in the memory by reading the memory. Under normal circumstances, it takes a lot of trouble. Unfortunately, today this ignorant monster chose to become Godric Gryffindor. Its transformation did not fail. On the contrary, it was so successful that it even copied Gryffindor''s character, which resulted in it being directly forced to surrender. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Support with likes/comments 10 Advance chapters- 29- You want to learn? I’ll teach you 29- You want to learn? I¡¯ll teach you "Is this a Boggart?" After Rhys solved the strange fog, Daphne''s heart dropped to her stomach again. Now she is interested in exploring the true identity of this strange mist. Judging from the characteristics it showed, Daphne felt that it looked a bit like the Boggart mentioned in the bedtime stories told by her father. After hearing this, Rhys was almost glaring in anger at Daphne. "Not a Boggart at all!!!" Rhys immediately retorted. He couldn''t accept this statement at all. Boggarts would become the most feared thing in people''s hearts. If the monster just now was a Boggart, wouldn''t it mean that what he fears the most is ''Godric Gryffindor''?! "It''s called the Desire Demon." Rhys gave Daphne a good introduction to what the Desire Demon is. After holding the bead-turned-Desire Demon in his hand for a moment, Rhys regained his composure. He took out a crystal bottle from his arms, scraped some chips from the beads, put them into the bottle, and then sealed the mouth of the bottle with fire paint. After the debris fell into the crystal bottle, it "sublimated" all of a sudden, and the bottle was instantly filled with white mist. While Rhys was doing these things, Daphne stood aside silently, staring at him. The image of Rhys standing in front of her just now, neatly and expertly dealing with the demon of desire, was deeply imprinted in her mind, making her mood agitated and unable to calm down for a long time. Powerful and mysterious, this is Daphne''s impression of Rhys. She dared to bet on the honor of her last name that Rhys was no ordinary student, and his identity as a first-year student was most likely a disguise. As for his true identity, Daphne believed that he would take the initiative to tell her after she got along with him for a long time. She won''t take the initiative to ask until the time is right. "Although these dark creatures are quite dangerous, their bodies are magical raw materials with a wide range of uses. For example, the desire demon can assist wizards in reading other people''s memories, and can also be used to make potions. I have knowledge of over a dozen different types of potions that utilize it.." After taking the samples, Rhys began to introduce the uses of the desire demon to Daphne. "Wait a minute, you just said that dark creatures cannot be killed, but it - the demon of desire - can be used as a potion. So if we make it into a potion, can''t we kill it?" Daphne''s eyes sparkled, as if she had discovered a new world. From Daphne''s overjoyed look, Rhyssaw the innocence and purity of a child. He laughed. "It''s the right idea to have, but this creature can only be killed in theory, but can''t be done in practice." Before Daphne could ask why, Rhys shook the crystal bottle in front of her face. "It''s only this big now because I used magic to compress it tens of thousands of times. You see, it began to restore its original shape as soon as it was in the bottle. If you let it expand, I''m afraid it won''t be able to fit in the entire corridor. So, Miss Daphne. How many pots of potion do you think it would take to consume this desire demon? " Daphne froze. "You don''t need to worry, I''m just a little sleepy, just wait a second... I can do this.. I won''t tell you to carry me or something." Daphne had a determined look in her eyes. Rhys: Huh? What are you thinking about? ? ? He chuckled and cast a Feather-light charm on Daphne. This spell is a derivative of the levitation charm Wingardium Leviosa that first-year students at Hogwarts must learn. It can create a buoyant force under the person, making it easier for people to walk, especially when climbing hills. He could also use a spell to forcibly restore Daphne''s physical strength, but this would lead to an overdraft, which would be like destroying one wall to make up for the other. Rhys is not inclined to adopt this method. Daphne suddenly felt light under her feet, the lead "filled" in her legs disappeared, and she no longer struggled to climb up the slope. "It''s amazing!" She praised from the bottom of her heart. The two of them walked back to the common room under the leadership of Rhys. Perhaps because today was the opening ceremony, they did not encounter professors or the castle''s caretaker patrolling at night along the way. In the common room, Rhys bids farewell to Daphne and wishes her a good night and sweet dreams. "Please wait!" Looking at Rhys who was walking towards the boys'' dormitory, Daphne couldn''t help but call him. "What''s wrong?" Rhys turned back and looked at her calmly. "Today, those spells you used..." Daphne was a little embarrassed to say it. These spells seemed very profound, and she had never heard of most of them. They were probably the secret magic of other families, and she wanted to learn them as soon as she opened her mouth. She wanted to learn ''The Magic spells of some mysterious Family'', which they must have guarded from generation to generation, isn''t that too presumptuous? "You want to learn?" Daphne took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay, I''ll teach you." Rhys agreed immediately. Daphne met his requirements for being a disciple and was a student of the Slytherin House. As the founder of Slytherin House, Rhys believed that it was only natural for him to teach her some practical spells. When she succeeds in her studies, she can help him with chores such as strengthening seals. So why not? _____ Support with Likes! Read 10 Chapters Ahead! 30- The ‘Ever’ Popular Professor Binns 30- The ¡®Ever¡¯ Popular Professor Binns ____ "Yeah, right, you wouldn''t. Sorry, I was too presumptuous - eh?"Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com Daphne was ready to apologize for her recklessness, but she heard that Rhys agreed to teach her these spells. The good news that fell from the sky stunned her. When she woke up from the joy, Rhys had already returned to the dormitory to rest. After returning to the dormitory and lying on the bed, Rhys was not in a hurry to fall asleep. He made a plan for the next dungeon adventure. Everything was done in advance, and failure to do so was applicable to everyone. . . . The little wizards of Gryffindor and Slytherin houses are happy because they have no classes on Monday morning and can sleep leisurely until they wake up naturally - the first years of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw are miserable, they have two potions classes in a row on Monday morning. On the first day of school, the first class is Potions taught by Professor Snape. The person who arranges the timetable knows how to put the bitterness first and then the sweetness. However, not everyone wakes up naturally. Daphne was woken up by her roommate. "What''s wrong, I remember there were no classes in the morning." The sleepy Daphne yawned and looked at her roommate Tracey Davis with confused eyes. "Can you accompany me to go see Potter?! I was so nervous during the sorting yesterday that I didn''t even look at him." Daphne was speechless. "What''s so good about Potter? You can see ''it'' every day from now on - Hey, do you think I should wear this butterfly hairpin or this winter jasmine headband?" Pansy Parkinson was quite concerned about Tracy''s behavior. Ah! I slept so late last night and now I''m awake! "I''m going to eat." Daphne couldn''t sleep after being woken up. She got up from the bed and prepared to go to the auditorium to have breakfast. "Wait for me!" Pansy shouted quickly. She didn''t want to have breakfast alone. After dressing up, the little girls walked out of the dormitory together. As soon as she entered the auditorium, Daphne''s eyes locked on a figure at the long table of Slytherin House: Rhys was sitting in the corner enjoying a hearty breakfast: stewed beans, bacon, sausages, fried eggs, delicious pudding, and paper cups Cake... Rhys seemed to be trying to make up for all the calories he had burned on last night''s night out. "There''s only one class today. It''s great." Daphne came towards Rhys. After all, this was a Potions class, which was Slytherin''s specialty. Slytherin House itself was also rich in Potions masters. If the Head of Slytherin House is not good at making potions, then he must not be a pure Slytherin. Hermione''s expression was a little complicated. She glanced at the Slytherin students around her, and finally chose to be tactful: "The things taught there are very interesting, but the professor is a little stricter on the students." More than harsh! If Hufflepuff freshmen were asked to evaluate Snape, they would definitely receive "a flood of negative reviews." If Hogwarts had a professor rating network, Snape would surely top the list of negative reviews all year round. In the morning class, Snape almost deducted Hufflepuff House''s score into negative points. Neville Longbottom was almost frightened to tears by him. Even Hermione from Ravenclaw was shocked because she was sitting so close. She failed to stop Longbottom''s stupid operation and was deducted five points. Rhys sensed something strange in Hermione''s words. He raised his eyebrows and no longer struggled with this topic. Instead, he entered the History of Magic classroom and found a seat to sit down. Hermione wanted to sit next to him, but a little silver-haired girl suddenly appeared and sat in the empty seat next to Rhys as if there was no one around. Then she raised her head and greeted her with a bright smile. "Ah, Hermione, good afternoon!" Rhys is still looking forward to Binns'' class. He has already read "History of Magic", but the words in the book can only show the tip of the iceberg. If there is a teacher who can explain it, then he must pay attention as there will be more gains to his limited knowledge after going to seclusion. What''s even better is that this professor has "lived" from the Middle Ages to the present. He can be called a walking history book. Rhys believes that he will definitely benefit a lot from this afternoon''s class. . . . Half an hour later, Rhys shuddered suddenly and came out of the edge of the dream, looking confused. _____ Support with likes? Read 10 chapters ahead on my Patreon 31- Looking forward to Professor Quirrell 31- Looking forward to Professor Quirrell (Mass release 1/3) ___ what''s the situation? Why is this class so hypnotic? ! After Rhys pushed the sleepiness out of his mind, he was confused. He really couldn''t understand how someone could make the lectures so bland, boring, and hypnotic. Professor Binns'' sound like a ventilator, paired with the afternoon sunshine, has a hypnotic effect that exceeds the hypnotic spell. Rhys raised his head and looked around: Daphne''s head was lowered as if she had fallen asleep. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were sitting in the corner of the classroom, looking very awake, but the three of them were not looking at the professor but the chess board on their table. Seeing them playing chess, Rhys understood why they had stayed awake. At Ravenclaw''s table row, which is known for its intelligent students with a love for learning - almost no one is listening carefully. Even I can''t understand what everyone writes in their notes after half an hour. Hermione was the only one who successfully withstood Professor Binns'' hypnotic sound waves and took notes carefully and was amazed by Rhys. Rhys decided to borrow some notes from Hermione after class. Although he didn''t think Professor Binns had anything valuable to say, he still wanted to take a look. What if he could find "gold"?Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com Thinking of this, Rhys couldn''t help but sigh: How did Binns become what he is now? Turning into a ghost doesn''t necessarily mean your personality will change drastically, right? Could it be that... Rhys had a terrible suspicion in his mind: Had Professor Binns'' teaching quality deteriorated to this level before his death? Is there something wrong with the tenure system for professors at Hogwarts? Finally, the course is over. Professor Binns picked up his lesson plan and went directly through the blackboard behind him to go back to the staff lounge to rest. The little wizards in the classroom gradually woke up. Unforgettable course! After borrowing the notes from Hermione and looking through them, Rhys determined that today''s History of Magic did not contain anything of value. He couldn''t hold himself any longer: With such a history of magic professor, can the young wizards at Hogwarts really learn the history of magic well? It''s better to read the book "History of Magic" by yourself in the dormitory. Starting today, Rhys''s class schedule will be closed for Monday. Taking this kind of water lesson is simply a waste of life! Normally, if you borrow your notes before the end of the semester and read them, you are complying with the school rules. It is difficult for people like Rhys to be bound by secular rules. If you let him sit in the classroom and be in a daze like other students, it''s better to go to bed as soon as possible. He will have everything in his dreams. There is a very evil power within his turban, comparable to the ''pollution'' in the soul of Daphne''s sister Astoria. Maybe that''s the real Quirrell, or maybe it''s some crooked means Quirrell used to gain power. This was very common in the magic world a thousand years ago. Wizards could do all kinds of crazy things in order to become powerful. No matter what, Rhys believed that Professor Quirrell would never look like the doormat he is now in a real life-and-death fight. Rhys was looking forward to this. Unfortunately, it is said that the professors who teach Defense Against the Dark Arts in recent years only have one-year terms, so he may not be able to see them anymore. On Friday, the Slytherin students will have Potions class with the new Gryffindor students, which is what Rhys is looking forward to the most. Can you really be Head of Slytherin if you''re not good at Potions? I don''t know since when the headmaster of Slytherin House has been bound to Potions. Professor Snape is a master of Potions, and it is said that the previous generation of Head, Professor Slughorn, was also a prodigy in Potions. After Salazar Slytherin, going forward, there are also endless potions masters in Slytherin House, which have become the label of Slytherin. The roots here may be traced back to Salazar Slytherin, the founder of Slytherin House, who was the top potions master of that era. Perhaps he planted the gene that made Slytherin House good at potions. Potions classes are located underground, like the Slytherin House common room. The students were taught by Snape in a damp and dark underground classroom. Not only is it colder than the main castle building on the ground, but there are also many glass jars placed on the walls of the classroom, with many ferocious-looking specimens soaked in them. Even students from Slytherin House couldn''t help but get goosebumps when they walked in here. After the bell rang, Snape picked up the roster at hand. He started calling names one by one. He paused when Harry''s name was called. ____ ?Support with likes!? Read 10 Chapters Ahead 32- Snape 32- Snape (Mass release 2/3) ____ "Harry... Potter - the Boy Who Lived, a famous figure." Snape stopped in front of Harry''s desk and stared at him. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle, who were sitting next to him, covered their mouths and chuckled with a wink. However, Snape did not immediately attack, but continued to name names. After calling the names, he scanned the whole class with his cold, empty black eyes, forcing everyone to focus on him. The classroom was in order, and then he began his pre-class speech. "You''re here to learn the precise science and craft of potion-making. Since there is no stupid waving of a wand here, many of you will not believe in the magic of potions. I don''t expect you to really grasp the beauty of the smoky and fragrant cauldron that simmers, and you don''t really understand the magic of the liquid that flows into people''s veins, the magic of the mind, and the will that is blurring. I can teach you how to increase your prestige, brew glory, and even stop death¡ªbut one thing has to be, and that is that you should not be fools, and fools I often encounter. " This is a master who knows magic potions. Rhys wholeheartedly approved of what Snape said. Potions is a delicate, precise, and exquisite subject. It is impossible for someone who is distracted and careless to learn this subject well. Potions science is quite similar to Muggle chemistry. In fact, in the Middle Ages, the three disciplines of potions, chemistry, and alchemy were almost indistinguishable. They are all disciplines that mix a variety of processed materials through a series of processes to obtain a final product with specific properties. After Snape finished his short opening remarks, the whole class fell silent. "Potter!" Snape said suddenly, "Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" "I don''t know, Professor," Harry said. Snape pursed his lips disdainfully. "Tsk, tsk ¨C it seems that fame doesn''t mean everything. " No one else raised their hands. "Let''s try again. Potter, if I asked you to find me a bezoar, where would you find it?"Snape asked another question, but Harry had no idea what a bezoar was. "I don''t know, sir. " "Potter, what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" "...I don''t know," Harry whispered and then looked at Draco''s mocking face, "but I suppose Draco knows and that''s why he is laughing" "I just said that Asphodel and Wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. Taking a small amount of Draught of Living Death potion can play a sleeping and analgesic role, but taking too much of Draught of Living Death potion will cause the user to become drowsy. This symptom will not disappear with the passage of time. Now I ask you, how to rescue patients who overdose on the Draught of Living Death potion?" Rhys put himself in his shoes and thought about how he would respond if he encountered this situation, and then he had the answer. "Feed Erosion Fruit to remove the dark effect. The essence of the water of Draught of Living Death is a poison that reduces brain activity. After taking it, people will fall into a state of poisoning. The Erosion Fruit can be used to detoxify." Snape frowned upon hearing Rhys''s answer. The correct way to deal with it is to give the patient an emetic and a stimulant. The former expels the unabsorbed water of the potion from the body, and the latter forces the patient''s brain to become active, thus breaking the dormant state. But Rhys''s answer cannot be said to be wrong, because removing dark effect can indeed cure this disease. The only disadvantage of this plan is that the Erosion Fruit is very rare and difficult to find. Even the mainstream view in the wizarding world believes that the Erosion Fruit is extinct, and even Snape himself does not have a collection of it in his storage room. "Okay." Snape nodded, considering Rhys passed the test. He asked another question: "Let''s try again, Lint. If you see a person''s skin turning blue for unknown reasons, his hands and feet twitching uncontrollably, and foaming at the mouth, what should you do?" After Rhys said the term "dispelling dark effects", Snape gave up the idea of ????making things difficult for Rhys. The second question he asked seemed to him to be a scoring question, and the answer was very simple. It was the bezoar he just mentioned, which has a strong detoxifying effect. As long as your brain is a little more flexible, you can answer correctly. "Take the Erosion Fruit!" Rhys was also very surprised. Is there any difference between these two questions? It''s all about detoxification, so why not eliminate bad effects? Snape: "..." That''s the extinct Erosion Fruit! Not a common apple we are talking about! Why do you think modern pharmacists don''t use the all-purpose antidote, which is the Erosion Fruit? Don''t you want to study seriously? ______ ?Support with likes!? Read 10 chapters ahead /HornyFBI 33- Why is he so skilled? 33- Why is he so skilled? A/N: I forgot to connect to wifi when I was uploading it before and only now I see that this chapter is yet to be uploaded. Sorry and as compensation I''ll upload another chapter in 5 minutes ? (Mass release 3/3) ____ "Lint, it''s not that easy to find that fruit!" Snape decided to help Rhys change his bad habits and stop using the elixir fruit all day long. It''s unrealistic to use this thing''s name to prescribe medicine. It''s not that it can''t be used to remove evil effects, but bezoar is more cost-effective. It''s just like when someone is sick and the doctor prescribes medicine: "Take one small elixer fruit after meals." If you can get the flat peach in the palace of heaven, it can indeed cure the disease, but the question is, can you get it? It can''t be done. "Professor Snape, Rhys also sold an anti-evil fruit to my father during the summer vacation, so I can still find it!" Daphne raised her hand and said loudly. Snape''s body became slightly stiff. He believed that Daphne was not telling lies because he had also heard about the situation of the Greengrass family. Her father, Mr. Greengrass, had also approached him, hoping that he would prepare an extremely complex potion for his daughter. So this boy Rhys really has the ability to eliminate dark effects!Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om The moment he heard the news, Snape was a little moved: This is an extremely rare evil-repelling fruit. If he could get one and study it, he might be able to develop several new potions... Unfortunately, he couldn''t bear to ask Rhys if he had any left shamelessly. "Okay, it''s time for class now." Snape walked to the blackboard expressionlessly and started writing on it. Malfoy almost had the word "disappointment" written on his face: That guy Rhys even withstood Professor Snape''s attacks, what else could he do? Today''s tutorial is about preparing a simple potion to treat boils. Snape wrote down the materials and steps needed to prepare the potion on the blackboard, and after explaining the key points of the operation, he divided the students into pairs and asked them to start the experiment. "Dried nettles, snake teeth, slugs, porcupine quills..." Standing in front of the public material cabinet in the Potions classroom, Rhys put the potion materials he selected from the cabinet into the box held by Daphne. The operation was so smooth that most of the little wizards who were looking at the scene were all dumbfounded. Rhys was still helping Daphne and solved this problem without even seeing what was happening. It was as if nothing had happened! Only the twisted crucible, the corroded table, and the stained floor silently told of the recent changes. Why is this kid so skilled? Although Snape was confused, his reaction was extremely swift. He roared: "Idiot boy! "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire, didn''t you?" After scolding Seamus, he ordered Seamus'' partner Dean Thomas to take Seamus, who was stained with a lot of potion and grimacing in pain, to the infirmary. "5 points to Slytherin for Mr. Lint''s quick response" After finishing the emergency response, he looked at Rhys and praised his quick handling without hesitation, and gave Slytherin five points. Of course, it is also appropriate to deduct points from Gryffindor who made the mistake. "Everyone has to write a one-foot-long paper introducing the process and key points of preparing the potion for boils. It is due before class next week." After leaving an assignment of "large quantity and full control", Snape announced the end of class and kicked all the little wizards out of the Potions classroom. He had to seize the time to deal with the potions and garbage left by the little wizards, put the unused potion materials back to their original places, and replenish the supplies needed by the students in the next class. The tables and floors burned by Seamus were also waiting for him to be fixed. Only after finishing all this will he have time to have lunch. Perhaps this was the reason for his grumpy temper. But these have nothing to do with the little wizards after class. The Gryffindor wizards had no more Potions lessons after surviving these two, and the Slytherin students still needed to take an Herbology lesson. They stepped on the stone steps out of the underground classroom and quickly left there. Even without Snape''s declaration, they would leave as quickly as possible. Rhys also heard the Weasley boy comforting Potter with his brother''s example, and then reminding him that he had to visit Hagrid. "Are you free on the weekend? I think I can teach you some spells on the weekend." Rhys calculated the time and set an appointment to teach Daphne the spells. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ????Support with likes!???? Read 10 chapters ahead at /HornyFBI 34- Who is Lockhart 34- Who is Lockhart "Should we eat first or go to the library first?" After the herbal medicine class, Rhys picked up his schoolbag and walked out of the greenhouse. "Let''s eat first and then go. I''m a little hungry." Daphne replied a little embarrassedly with a blush on her face. "Sure enough." Rhys didn''t force it. In his opinion, learning is actually a physical job, and you have to eat well to have the strength to do it. "Wait a minute!" Suddenly a voice sounded, interrupting the conversation between the two. Rhys turned his head and saw that it was Hermione who had come over from nowhere. "Did you just say you were going to the library? Do you want to go together? We can discuss about each other''s notes." Hermione looked at Rhys expectantly. Rhys never hesitated to teach studious students, even if they were not students of Slytherin House, so he naturally agreed to Hermione''s "team request", but he still had to go to fill his stomach first. The senior of Slytherin House at the opening ceremony was right, the delicacies at the opening banquet can also be eaten in normal times. Every time he saw the sumptuous dishes on the table, Rhys felt a sense of peace of mind, which meant that the school was still running normally. "Speaking of which, you were really skilled in handling the potion that just spilled. How did you do that?" When Daphne thought of Rhys''s skillful technique in Potions class, even the steak on the plate was unattractive. "It''s nothing. You''ll get used to it after you come to learn a few times." Rhys sighed, and there was a hint of inexorable vicissitudes in his eyes. Snape may not know that the person in Hogwarts who can empathize with him the most is Rhys. During his time as Head of Slytherin House and Potions Professor, Rhys felt that his mental endurance had been greatly enhanced. The situation encountered in the Potions class today was really a small scene. Those little wizards who were suspected of having troll blood were really capable of getting into any trouble. What''s the point of burning the crucible? In his times as a teacher, after witnessing the entire underground classroom being filled with the poisonous potion vapor that could bring you to the God of Death in one puff, Rhys had felt that there was no difficulty that he could not overcome. Rhys was able to rescue all the students in the class, and he thought it was a miracle afterwards. After the incident, Rhys and the other three founders got into a heated argument. The other three people couldn''t figure out why Slytherin wanted to abolish the anti-disapparation spell on the Hogwarts campus, until he showed the other three people the "grand occasion" of the underground classroom. But in the end, everyone still retained this spell, making it impossible to use the Apparition spell inside Hogwarts Castle. In contrast, the four of them revised the potion textbook together and eliminated some potion formulas that were too dangerous. "What are you reading?" Hermione stretched after finishing writing a paper, and then her attention was attracted by the book with a fancy cover in Rhys'' hand. "Break with a Banshee, written by Gilderoy Lockhart, tells the story of his efforts to expel the ghost from Bandon. It''s a very interesting novel." "Break with a Banshee?" "Lockhart''s book?" Hermione and Daphne caught different keywords from the words. "A Banshee or a female spirit is a dark creature active in Scotland and Ireland. It looks like a woman, but her cry is as deadly to humans as a mandrake." Rhys explained to Hermione what a Banshee is. "Who is Gilderoy Lockhart?" "A novelist." This is the definition Rhys gave her. "A very powerful adventurer!" Daphne''s positioning of Lockhart is somewhat different from Rhys''s. Rhys had noticed this best-selling author when he was at Flourish and Blotts before, but his books were too expensive, one book was worth three other books. He weighed the pros and cons for a long time and finally gave up buying them. Unexpectedly, he saw these works in the library of Hogwarts. These books of Lockhart were most likely purchased by the librarian Madam Pince on behalf of the Hogwarts school. This is a very common operation. Hogwarts will regularly purchase books on the market to enrich its library collection. It is this operation that has been going on for thousands of years that has made the Hogwarts library the largest magic library in Europe. In Rhys''s eyes, Lockhart''s adventure story is quite interesting, but many details are not quite consistent with the real situation, but it is understandable, after all, novels need to be processed literary. He is a novelist with rich experience and can write interesting stories. This is Lockhart in Rhys'' eyes. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ?( ?(¥¨) ?)? Read 10 chaps ahead at my Patreon! ?( ?(¥¨) ?)? 35- Teaching Venue 35- Teaching Venue After hearing what Rhys and Daphne said, Hermione also became interested in the writer Lockhart. She decided to go back and look for a few of his works. After a brief rest, the three of them started doing their own business again. Once a person starts to do something seriously, time passes very quickly, and it''s library closing time in the blink of an eye. It wasn''t until the librarian, Mrs. Pince, passed by the three-person table with a stack of books in her arms and told them that the library would close in a quarter of an hour that they were shocked to find out how late it was. Hermione put the inkwell, parchment, and textbooks on the table into her bag. When she looked up, she saw Daphne handing the Potions paper she had written to Rhys. Hermione: "!" "Rhys, you should do your own homework!" She lowered her voice and glared at Rhys angrily. "I just asked Rhys to check it for me!" Daphne jumped out to help Rhys explain without even needing a response from Rhys. "You-" Hermione was at a loss for words. From her perspective, Rhys was a lazy student who borrowed his friends'' homework and copied it. But the person who was copied was not in a hurry, so there was nothing she could do. "Don''t make that face, since you were not there you don''t know how wonderful Rhys was in Potions class today! Even Professor Snape praised him..." Seeing Hermione''s look, Daphne proudly told Hermione about Rhys'' amazing performance in the potions class. "What? That''s great! but students should do their own work¡ª" "But I really gave that for correction!" While the two were chatting, Rhys had already helped Daphne correct the paper. "Let''s go." Rhys pushed the revised paper into Daphne''s hand and tapped the book "Gadding with Ghouls" with his wand. The thick hardcover book floated up and flew back by itself toward the bookshelf in its original position. Daphne''s essay is really good. It would be great if Rhys could fool her - he meant to persuade this child to write one for him also. After returning to the dormitory, Rhys lay down directly on the bed, pulled the bed curtains, and became "isolated" from the outside world. It was really isolated, because Rhys cast a spell on his bed curtains that blocked the noise and could only be opened from the inside. The dormitory atmosphere of different houses is different, and there is quite a feeling of "no contact between other houses and no fun talks with ghosts" among the first-year Slytherin students. Malfoy and his two henchmen usually stick together and are hostile to Rhys, but they are frightened by the powerful strength displayed by Rhys, and the three of them dare not act rashly. This is definitely the location! But what kind of bastard built a women''s toilet above my sacred and exclusive classroom? ! This was the angriest moment he''d been since waking up. But it''s not without good news. This bathroom looks like it has been abandoned for a long time, otherwise he would really not be able to bear it. Daphne looked at Rhys, with a strong feeling of doubt in her heart: Rhys said he would take her to a secret base to teach her magic but ended up wandering around on the second floor of the castle. Why is that? Her confusion reached its peak when Rhys twice led her to an abandoned girls'' washroom. Is he going to teach me magic in an abandoned women''s bathroom? ! Daphne was startled by the thoughts that came to her mind. This is really a bit... If others find out, my face and the honor of the Greengrass family will be completely ruined. Then she saw Rhys step into the bathroom with a solemn expression. Daphne: ((.¡ä?_¡ä?.)) She seemed to have been struck by lightning. After struggling for a moment, she followed Rhys in with a pale face. "Actually... why don''t we change places? T-The cubicals are quite small here and there''s not enough space...(There is a lot of space)" Daphne stammered to persuade Rhys, but Rhys only responded with silence. Do you think I want it? Miss Greengrass! At this time, Rhys hated the man who built the toilet on top of his exclusive classroom''s door, but there was nothing he could do about it - because based on the time it was built, this man would have been buried long ago. Rhys ignored what Daphne said and carefully observed every corner of the bathroom. Finally, on the side of a copper faucet, he discovered a small snake-shaped carving with weak magic fluctuations on it. Ah! My mark on this tap? I guess this must be it. Rhys couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Seeing this mark, he knew what to do next. "Xhedzz Xhaxssca~," he said in Parseltongue. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 10 Advance Chapters- 36- The Chamber of Secrets 36- The Chamber of Secrets Today has been the most tumultuous day in Daphne''s life. Her friend Rhys, who is steady and mysterious in his heart, agrees to teach her a powerful magic spell, but the class takes place in the school''s women''s bathroom. Just when she was seriously thinking about whether her friend had a mental problem, he found a secret entrance hidden in the bathroom. She only saw Rhys open his mouth, but what came out was not a human voice, but a strange hissing sound. Daphne: ( O.O ) As an heir to the ancient Greengrass family, Daphne was knowledgeable, and she instantly recognized that Rhys was using Parseltongue. Thanks to the contribution of a certain Dark Lord, Parseltongue has a very bad reputation in the modern magical world. It is almost tied to the concept of dark wizards. Many people are prejudiced against Parselmouths. After Rhys gave the order, the faucet emitted a dazzling white light and began to spin rapidly. Then, all the basins started to move. It slowly cracked open and sank into the ground, revealing a water pipe large enough for a man to crawl through. Looking at the tube, Rhys fell silent. This was completely different from the entrance to the exclusive classroom he had built, but his intuition and reason told him that this was the place he was looking for. What would be the impression, this way of entering is too disgusting, right? ! This was Rhys''s first reaction when he saw the water pipe. He is one of the founders of Hogwarts and the great wizard Salazar Slytherin. How could he enter his own exclusive classroom in this way? He was extremely eager to find the culprit who built the entrance like this inside the bathroom, pull him by the collar and have a good ''chat'' with him about what "Salazar Slytherin" was in his eyes. He does like snakes, but that doesn''t mean he has the same habit with snakes, or that he''s willing to get into a pipe full of hair and mud. If only the outstanding students of Slytherin House were aware of the existence of this classroom, Slytherin would definitely think that this was a trick done by Gryffindor students. Looking at Rhys standing silently by the pipe, Daphne felt a little scared. She took two steps forward and asked in a trembling voice: "Rhys, are you a Parselmouth?" "Mhm," After receiving a positive reply from Rhys, Daphne fell silent. After a moment, she asked: "So Rhys, you are the heir of Slytherin?" Rhys stared at Daphne and said seriously: "Miss Granger is a student of Hogwarts. She has not betrayed the wizarding world and Hogwarts. Even the Headmaster Dumbledore had no power to execute her - even if the four founders were resurrected, they would not support your idea." Rhys didn''t understand. Daphne, a little girl who usually seemed quite normal, had such extreme thoughts in her mind. Want to kill a student just because he is a Muggle-born? What a crazy delusion! He couldn''t help but want to use Legilimency to see what she was thinking. Yes, although he is a master of Legilimency, he hardly uses this ability in daily life. Looking at the serious Rhys, Daphne''s brain was also stuck. She didn''t understand why Rhys would stand on the moral high ground and say such righteous words to herself - you are the heir of Slytherin who wants to open the Chamber of Secrets! Didn''t you come here just to eliminate the Muggle blood in Hogwarts? What''s with that look? How do I act like I''m a pure-blood supremacist? "But, uh, aren''t you going to open the secret room?" She stammered in response. Rhys: "So ?" "Does this have anything to do with the conversation just now?" "It is said that the Chamber of Secrets was built by Salazar Slytherin before he left school, and was sealed after he left school. Only he and his heirs can open it. He placed a terrifying monster in the Chamber of Secrets, and only the heir of Slytherin can control it. When it is put into use, it can "purify the school" and remove all those who Slytherin deems unworthy of learning magic." Daphne told Rhys the legend about the Chamber of Secrets that she knew. Rhys fell into a long silence. Now he finally understands why Slytherin House is like a villain in public reviews - how can it not look like a villain if it promotes this crap every day? ! This rumor is half true and half false. You can''t say that it is pure nonsense because Rhys really built a "secret room" and raised a monster in it. But if you say that ''this'' was the reason he raised the chamber''s monster, Rhys will be very happy to hit someone with a killing curse. "This is slander." Rhys said categorically, "There is no such thing as purifying the school. Slytherin didn''t do it when he was in school, so a beast he left behind after he left can do it? Ridiculous! What''s more! Slytherin has no such crap intentions of ??purifying the school." At the end of the sentence, Rhys did not forget to add something to avoid misunderstanding. _____ Read 10 chapters ahead at my Patreon? 37- Daphne would rather die than obey 37- Daphne would rather die than obey Daphne froze. What Rhys said conflicted with the legends told by her ancestors. One side believes that after the Chamber of Secrets is opened, the heir of Slytherin will purge the school of those who are not worthy of learning magic, while the other side says that this is not the case at all. The new perspectives impacted her old cognition, leaving her speechless for a moment. "Daphne, listen to what I''m telling you." Rhys wanted to break the whole thing apart and analyze it with Daphne. "You are also a member of the Greengrass family. The quality of the so-called pure-blood families in the modern magical world. I believe you also understand. According to that statement, how many people must be killed to purify the school? Does Draco Malfoy qualify to not be purged? Does Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff qualify? ¡ª¡ªHis pure bloodline can only be traced back nine generations! If we zoom in, what about professors? Should half-goblins like Professor Flitwick be purified? The legend of the Chamber of Secrets is fundamentally untenable! "What''s more, what can Slytherin leave behind? What kind of monster can do such a difficult operation and is willing to be left in a dark secret room all the time just for that cause?" Rhys said sincerely, "This legend is completely false." Daphne nodded silently, she felt that what Rhys said made sense. "Don''t think so much. Even if the news left by your ancestors is true, I am the descendant of Slytherin now!" Rhys almost wanted to break the pot. He was really speechless: He was obviously one of the founders of Hogwarts, but how could he become the villain behind the scenes in the eyes of future generations? It was as if he had done all the bad things. You shouldn''t have left back then. God knows how those people reconstructed your image after you left. Rhys reprimanded himself. It''s over, I''ve become a villain! Rhys had to accept this cruel reality. Under Rhys''s earnest persuasion, Daphne gradually believed what he said. In her opinion this was a good thing, no one would be harmed by the opening of the secret room. Compared with other "pure-blood" saints, the Greengrass family is much more "Buddhist". They don''t have the common problems of pure-blood families, and they don''t discriminate against wizards from Muggle families. Perhaps This is the confidence that true pure blood brings to them. In Rhys''s opinion, the legend of the secret room was most likely made up by a certain family to intimidate others and benefit their own family. While pretending to be a descendant of Slytherin, he said that his ancestors left a "secret weapon" for him in school, so as to gain the respect of others. Rhys looked down upon such people and hated them for damaging his reputation. Daphne was a bit at a loss as she didn''t know how to control her floating body. Fortunately, Rhys knew her situation, and while he was flying down, he also controlled Daphne to fly down with him. Inside the tube is a dark, slimy, endless slide. Rhys controlled himself not to think about the composition of the sludge on the pipe wall, and at the same time was glad that he had used two bubble spells first. The pipe he was in now was the main pipe. The pipe was twisted and almost vertical all the way down. After falling for a long time, Rhys and the two finally emerged from the mouth of the pipe and landed on the ground. The moment he landed, Rhys transformed into a ball of flame, lighting up the underground space. The feeling of being grounded was reassuring, and Daphne had the energy to observe her surroundings: she was now standing in a dark, wide stone tunnel. There is no external light source in the tunnel, so even with the flames conjured by Rhys, the view is not very clear. There was a crisp snap, and Daphne looked down and found that she had stepped on a mouse skull. A closer look revealed that there were bones of small animals scattered everywhere on the ground. Daphne felt like her scalp was exploding, and Rhys had a similar reaction to her. Before Daphne could scream, Rhys waved his wand and cleaned up all the remains within his field of vision. As for the bones being out of sight, Rhys thinks it''s better not to think too much about it, as it''s good for your physical and mental health. Rhys tried to comfort himself: This was just the corridor outside the secret room, and he hadn''t really entered the room yet - it would definitely be better inside, he thought optimistically. "I can teach you this cleaning spell, so..." "I would rather die than obey." Daphne was very smart, and she understood Rhys'' intention as soon as he opened his mouth. He wants to teach her the cleaning spell and then will order her to clean this hallway all by herself! ! ! She flatly rejected Rhys. _____ 10 Advance chapters at my Patreon? 38- The Ultimate Magic 38- The Ultimate Magic "I can teach you about the bubble magic." Daphne, who didn''t want to learn the cleaning spell, was quite interested in the bubble spell that could put a protective cover on her body. If there wasn''t this layer of bubbles... she would reach Merlin while cleaning this horrifying place! Daphne couldn''t help but shudder as she recalled the scene she just saw. "Yes, teach me" Rhys gave her a meaningful look and said no problem. If she learns the bubble spell, she can also clean the corridor outside the secret room with him. "This is also your exclusive classroom from now on, you can''t just keep it so dirty, right? And cleaning it by myself is a bit too..." After walking a few steps forward, Rhys suddenly stopped and extinguished the flame for lighting in front of him. "What happened?" Daphne asked. "I think you need to be mentally prepared. There is a remnant slough left by a Basilisk in front of us." Rhys told Daphne that he would clean up the slough if she was afraid. With just one glance, Rhys recognized the snakeskin. It was the snake king he had left in the secret room before. Naturally, leaving a basilisk in Hogwarts is not to "purify the school." According to Rhys''s conception, this basilisk is one of the heritage he left for Hogwarts. The basilisk lives long enough to protect Hogwarts for thousands of years. If one day, Hogwarts is invaded by a foreign enemy and reaches a critical moment of life and death, the heir of Slytherin who can speak Parseltongue will open the secret room, summon the basilisk inside, and purify the intruders. As a result, his intentions were twisted into this so-called slanderous roumer. Purifying the school from the intruders became purifying the school from the muggle-born wizards... However, although the Snake King is the ultimate weapon of Hogwarts, Rhys still felt that if Daphne suddenly saw the Snake King''s remains, she would be frightened and faint. Entering Slytherin House did not mean that she was not afraid of snakes, so he warned her in advance. . As soon as she heard that there was a snake slough in front of her, Daphne subconsciously wanted to follow Rhys''s suggestion, but when she thought that it was the snake king Basilisk''s slough, her heart suddenly shook. Basilisk! That''s the legendary Snake King! A magical animal that can kill just by looking at someone. ''Ah, its probably because of the dust and lighting'' "Please wait a moment." Rhys snapped his fingers, and the secret chamber that had been dusty for thousands of years started to operate again. Illuminating spells, astrology spells, weather spells, exhaust spells... Rhys snapped his fingers, and a series of spells in the secret room began to run: the originally dark ceiling changed and turned into the sky outside the castle; the bright sunshine outside poured into the secret room, directly replacing the green mist. The fluorescence swept away the eerie atmosphere in the secret room; the stale air was also driven away, and fresh air from outside poured in, even with the smell of flowers, grass, and earth. "The spell mechanism here hasn''t expired yet!" Daphne was stunned by the completely new secret room in front of her. A glint of pride flashed in Rhys''s eyes: This was the spell mechanism he had personally arranged back then. "Okay, just don''t worry about some small details." Rhys said pretending to be modest, "We have to hurry up and start today''s teaching, but before teaching you the magic spells, I have to ask you a question - Have you heard of the Ultimate Spells?" "The ultimate spells?" Daphne''s voice was full of confusion. ''What is the ultimate spell? A powerful spell? But what kind of spell is considered powerful? My father said that Grindelwald almost burned down half of Paris with a spell. This should be considered powerful, right?'' "It seems that you don''t know." Rhys nodded, thinking that this was normal. The magic world today is very different from a thousand years ago. Wizards don''t have many opportunities for actual combat, and naturally, there is no chance to see the best wizards of an era go all out. "But it doesn''t matter. It''s good that I brought you here to teach." Rhys showed a slightly mysterious smile. In the past, for better teaching results, Rhys worked hard on this secret room. Here, according to his memory, the scenes in the memory can be restored as realistically as possible, giving people an immersive feeling - the whole secret room can be used as a meditation basin. Rhys waved his wand gently, like a conductor of a band. He tapped the tip of his wand, and ripples began to appear in the air. The face of the Slytherin stone sculpture also moved, and white smoke poured out of his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, gradually filling the entire secret room. In an instant, Daphne was shrouded in a white mist, but the smoke soon dissipated. And when the white mist dissipated, she found herself on a rough sea! _____ Support with Likes! There''ll be another chapter in a minute! ___ Read 10 chapters ahead at 39- Slytherin and the World-Eating Serpent 39- Slytherin and the World-Eating Serpent "Oh, Merlin!" The cold seawater surged, and the waves jumped up from the obscure and dark sea surface. With a hint of chill, they slapped on the edge of the wooden boat and broke into thousands of small sprays, soaking the hem of Daphne''s robe. Daphne was stunned. She leaned down and touched the slightly damp robe. Combined with the fishy smell of the sea that she could smell at the tip of her nose, a trace of confusion flashed in the girl''s eyes: Wasn''t she just in Slytherin''s secret room with Rhys?? Why was she suddenly teleported to the sea? The feeling was so realistic that Daphne couldn''t distinguish between illusion and reality. She didn''t calm down until Rhys patted her on the shoulder. "Everything is all right," Rhys''s voice seemed to have magic power, soothing Daphne''s anxious heart like the sea. She observed the surrounding environment, and then a person standing on the bow of the ship attracted her attention: it was a middle-aged wizard wearing a green robe with silver trim, holding a stick¡ªno¡ªa Snake staff that was about as high as his body in his hand. The face of the middle-aged wizard has a bit of Rhys''s shadow and is somewhat similar to the statue in the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets. The ship was driven forward slowly by the waves. boom!!! A piece of blood-red lightning flashed across the horizon in the distance, followed by a burst of dense thunder-like raindrops. The light of lightning briefly illuminated the dark sea, and Daphne noticed a small island not far ahead. The island is not big, with a diameter of only more than a hundred meters. The entire island is covered by dark rocks, with no grass growing on it except for some mottled green moss. The thunder and lightning in the distance heralded the coming storm. In this case, driving a small boat on the endless sea is undoubtedly a bad idea, so it is good to encounter a small island. As the only living person on board besides Rhys and Daphne, the middle-aged wizard was naturally the helmsman of the boat. After seeing the small island in the sea, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, looking quite relieved. He did not sail to the small island and stop on it to take shelter from the rain. Instead, he knocked on the deck of the ship with the staff in his hand. The boat under him immediately stopped moving. No matter how windy and cloudy the weather, it seemed to be stuck to the sea with glue. Still motionless.all raindrops floated in the sky. Daphne looked like she wasn''t a fan of the sea''s smell. Rhys raised his hand, and a transparent barrier appeared above him and Daphne, shielding them from the wind and rain. Rhys would use magic spells to help block the rain, but the middle-aged wizard just let the rain wet his robes like a Muggle without magic. As time passed, the thunder in the distance became more intense, and the raindrops falling from the sky became more and more dense. Finally, when a red lightning bolt pierced the clouds and a roaring thunder exploded in the sky, the situation changed. Transparent colloidal liquid splashed everywhere, and the giant snake twisted in pain. In an instant, as if the end of the world had come, the entire North Sea roared, and violent winds were born out of thin air on the sea, sweeping everything around it into the sky. *Criiiiiiiiik**Criiiiiiiiik**Criiiiiiiiik* *Thunder* The giant snake was so angry that the sky and the earth changed color. The lightning and thunder in the sky were drowned out by its momentum. A storm descended on this sea area, and the sky and the sea were connected by rain. At this moment, the giant snake turned into a moving natural disaster. In front of it, the middle-aged wizard was so small... But just because he injured the giant snake and damaged its eyesight, even if he was buried under the sea the next moment, he was proud enough. The wizard then frowned on his thought just now, it was clear that the wizard was not satisfied. He didn''t come all the way to the East just to give acupuncture to the world-devouring snake. He waved the wand in his hand, and some of the rainwater around him suddenly began to defy gravity and hover around him. The raindrops that betrayed gravity became more and more, and finally formed an area of ??100 meters in diameter around the wizard. In this area, the rain seemed to have become a part of the wizard''s body, and the shocking momentum of the giant snake could no longer affect him in the slightest. After floating and then standing on the air itself, the tip of the wizard''s staff lit up with a little green light. "H???-?¨»? ??¨»??¨»???" He waved the staff in his hand, using the staff as a pen and the sky as a scroll, and quickly sketched out the prototype of a magic circle. As if it felt threatened, the giant snake began to attack the wizard, but the wizard was more flexible than it. As it moved around, several powerful attacks fell into the air - one tail flick even split the seawater, leaving the seafloor exposed to the air. The magic circle finally took shape, and the space between the sky and the sea began to twist. A green light like thunder passed through, dyeing half of the sky green. The giant snake twisted its body, trying to avoid the blow... But¡ª*BoooooOoooooooOOOOmMMmmMmm* *Roar!!**Thunder!* ... The storm gradually dissipated, and the sea returned to calm, but the color of the water was dyed red. The middle-aged wizard found his boat and continued to drift on the sea as if nothing had happened, but in his hands, there was a white ''rope?''... _____ Support with Likes, Star Ratings & Comments! Read 10 chapters ahead at my Patreon? 40- Mana Control? 40- Mana Control? "Huh... ha..." The mist rolled in again, bringing Daphne, who was still in shock, back into the secret chamber. After her feet landed on the solid marble floor, Daphne''s legs softened and she collapsed directly onto the ground. After taking a breath, she touched the hem of her robe and found that it was very dry and showed no sign of being wet by the seawater. She gradually regained her composure. The scene just now was actually Slytherin''s memory?! What kind of monster was he fighting back then? At this moment, Daphne''s respect for Slytherin, the founder of her house, reached its peak. According to the last fragment in the memory, Slytherin won the battle, which is outrageous! Anyway, Daphne felt that if she were in such a condition, she would be able to boast about it for the rest of her life if she could escape alive. ''What are the other three founders doing at the time? Was it because Slytherin hadn''t met them yet?'' A small doubt flashed through her mind, and then was thrown away by Daphne, because Rhys asked her what she thought after reading/watching that memory. ''Of course, it was extremely shocking!'' For the first time, Daphne saw what "the ultimate magic" is. A wizard who can practice magic to the extreme can be called a "moving natural disaster." "He changed my understanding of magic." Daphne said, "Before this, I never knew that magic could be so powerful." Rhys nodded with satisfaction: This is the purpose of what he did, to open Daphne''s eyes and let her understand where the upper limit of magic is. Before teaching students, you have to let them know what this industry is really like, right? Especially students like Daphne who can choose their own "major". "So what type of spell do you want to learn?" After laying the groundwork, Rhys asked Daphne what type of spell she wanted to learn. "You can teach me anything?" "Yes, there are almost no spells I can''t teach." "I want to learn how to refine the Philosepher''s stone. If I can refine that magic stone, my sister''s illness may be cured." Compared with a thousand years ago, the modern magic world has made great progress in wand-making and magic spells, so much so that some seemingly outdated concepts have been eliminated. Such as mana control. Just as the emergence of calculators in the non-magical world has swept calculations and abacus into the garbage heap of history, the improvement of wands and spells has also made mana control no longer a required course for wizards. Wizards hadn''t even heard of the concept. Why use your brain when you can simply follow a formula? You only need to follow specific gestures, intonations, and sentence fragments to cast a charm or curse. And after a long time, no one will think deeply about why after he/she waves and shakes his/her hands and chants "Wingardium Levi-O-sa" it makes the feathers float. Knowing what to chant and how to move, but not knowing why such movements and chants are done is a common problem in the modern magic world. It is also the reason why in such a large modern magic world, very few wizards can fly without a broom. The one who is best at flying is actually the Dark Lord Voldemort! Well, Rhys doesn''t know this. Think more, wizards. So they just follow the formulas, Rhys sighed: "I think we should start practicing by controlling your magic power first." Fearing that Daphne would be impatient, he also explained: "If you don''t understand mana control or the principles of magic, you can''t become a wizard like Slytherin even if you master 10,000 spells." Then he began to explain to Daphne how to mobilize the magic power in her body and release it. Because the content he talked about was too basic, Rhys was quite awkward when talking about it - he really didn''t expect that one day he would talk about something this basic to a young witch from a pure-blood family. Fortunately, he had listened to a few enlightenment lessons about patience from Helga Hufflepuff, otherwise, he would have been in trouble. With Rhys''s guidance, Daphne succeeded after a few tries. A tingling warmth flowed in her left arm, eventually gathering at the fingertips of her palm, and then¡ª¡ª puff! A small cyclone was born from Daphne''s palm and then dissipated. "Congratulations, you have learned how to release your magic power." Rhys praised her from the side. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 10 Chapters ahead at my Patreon? 41- Who changed my password? ! 41- Who changed my password? ! Learning to release magic power is only the first step. Next, Daphne must learn to control the mana. The goal that Rhys set for her was to maintain the small cyclone formed by the external magic power for a long time before dinner today. After finishing the key points, he left Daphne aside and let her practice on her own. "The more you practice, the more you practice, and the more you practice, the more you can make up for your weakness," Rhys said three times to emphasize. This principle is universal even in the Wizarding world. Daphne''s talent is good, and her progress is much faster than what Rhys expected. Before it was lunchtime, she was able to control the magic output and keep the cyclone in her palm stable. "Very good, next you try to change the location of the magic power to the soles of your feet. It''s very simple, there is no difference from releasing it in the palm of your hand." Rhys recalled Helga''s teaching method of ''patience'' and taught her the most basic things step by step. Daphne nodded and began to try further. In order to better control the magic output, she simply took off her obstructive boots and socks and stood barefoot on the marble floor. The stimulation brought by the cold ground made her curl up her toes, but the coolness also made her mind clearer. Under her control, magic power gathered in the center of the foot, forming two stable magic power groups. Under the influence of magic, Daphne floated up, hovering an inch above the ground. Wow, would you look at that? this kid has talent. Looking at Daphne''s rapid progress, Rhys was stunned. After a moment of silence, he continued with the next step of guidance. He split the flying magic into a dozen independent points. As long as Daphne masters these points skillfully and then releases them in one go, she will be able to fly successfully. In the following time, Daphne was completely immersed in her own world. Even lunch was packed by Rhys in the auditorium and brought back to her to eat in the secret room. During the learning process, she showed great talent, and in just one day, she roughly mastered the magic of flying. "Be careful to control the magic output when flying for the first time. Don''t fly too fast and too high -" Looking at Daphne floating in the air, Rhys gave guidance to avoid wasting all previous efforts due to eagerness for success. At this time, Daphne turned a deaf ear to Rhys''s words because she was experiencing an unprecedented experience. Human beings have never concealed their desire to fly freely in the sky, including wizards. In order to fly into the sky, Muggles invented airplanes, while wizards chose broomsticks. These methods all rely on external forces. But this sensation is what flying truly means! So, not using any hindrance and only by using your own self can you experience this feeling of freedom. Unlike being held and floated like a balloon, Daphne was really flying according to her own will this time. The excitement made her heart beat rapidly, and the blood was driven by the heart to flow at high speed in the blood vessels, causing her eardrums to ring loudly. The air blew through her silver hair, and her robe fluttered behind her. The feeling of flying was so wonderful that joy filled her brain. She is free and can soar freely in the sky like a bird. A two-meter-square tile rose from the ground, slowly holding the two of them up until they were leveling with the statue''s face. Rhys looked at the statue and said in Parseltongue: "Open." One second passed, two seconds passed, three seconds passed... Nothing happened. Rhys: "?" "Open!" He repeated the operation again, and nothing happened. Rhys was a little confused: Why did the password he set become invalid? But the problem is not big. As the real owner of the secret chamber, Rhys has the highest authority here, and he will not be blocked by a password code. "The password reveals itself." Rhys gave the order to the statue. One of the statue''s eyes lit up, and a beam of light shot out from the pupil of the eye and landed on the marble slab at his feet, showing the statue''s current password. ¡¾Speak to me, Slytherin¡ªthe greatest of the Hogwarts Four¡¿ Rhys was silent for a moment, and then he felt his blood surge, dizziness, and chest tightness: This sounds too narcissistic! Who? Who changed my password to something like this!? What''s even more desperate is that this password was also seen by Daphne... Rhys''s face felt hot: This is flattery! Fortunately, his other three old friends couldn''t see this password, otherwise, they would laugh at this ass-licking password for the rest of their lives. Rhys even had auditory hallucinations. Godric''s voice seemed to ring in his ears, and he shouted happily: "Yeah! The greatest of us all! The greatest founder of Hogwarts!" Rhys''s eyes darkened. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 10 chaps ahead on my Patreon? 42- Malfoy, the meat paste 42- Malfoy, the meat paste After quickly turning off the projection of the password, Rhys glanced at Daphne with red cheeks. Fortunately, there was nothing wrong with the little girl. Maybe she didn''t see the whole password clearly, or maybe she thought that sentence was correct. After using his authority to change the password back, Rhys said the statue''s password for the third time: In Parseltongue: open. This time there was movement. The huge stone face moved, and its mouth opened, forming a huge black hole. After the entrance to the cave appeared, there was a rustling sound inside, as if something was moving in the mouth of the statue. Rhys''s expression changed, and he immediately recognized it. This was the Basilisk he had left in the secret room that had been awakened. He immediately gave new instructions: "Go back and hide," and then the sounds in the cave gradually stopped. "What is that?" Daphne was not deaf, so she naturally heard the sound of the Snake King moving. After Rhys gave her a brief explanation, Daphne fell silent. ''So the Basilisk whose skin we saw is not dead and is hiding inside the mouth of the statue?'' Daphne didn''t want to get in now. It''s a matter of opinion whether sewer pipes harboring filth and dirt are more disgusting, or whether a tunnel hiding a giant snake is more psychologically uncomfortable. Rhys didn''t notice the change in the girl''s mentality and led Daphne straight into the statue''s mouth. Different from the first impression given by the appearance, the tunnel inside the statue is spacious and flat, and there are even candlesticks installed on the wall every few steps. But now that the candlesticks were empty, Rhys could only summon a sun-flame for lighting. There were traces of large snakes crawling on the ground, obviously left by the snake king. Daphne was still a little worried, fearing that she would encounter the terrifying monster at a certain corner. Fortunately, the Basilisk hid very thoroughly, and she could not find any trace of the Basilisk until she reached the end of the tunnel. "Actually, the spell here is similar to the spell on the wall in the backyard of the Leaky Cauldron. In the future, you will be able to detect it when you master the magic more deeply." Rhys stood in front of a thick stone wall and talked to Daphne. After he said this, Daphne became curious about what the world looked like in Rhys'' eyes. "From my eyes? Just like ordinary people, but my perception of magic power is more acute. Of course, if I notice something strange and focus the mana on my eyes, what I see will indeed change, and I can see the flow of magic around me. For example, now, in the eyes of ordinary people, this is an ordinary wall, but in my eyes, the whole wall is shimmering with magic. " Daphne opened her eyes wide and stared at the wall seriously, but her eyes were sore from looking at it and she could not sense the flow of magic in the wall. "You''re still a little underheated now, but you''ll be fine in the future." After a little comfort to the little girl, Rhys pressed the wand against a stone brick. "Just count seven blocks down and seven blocks horizontally. And¡ª" Draco Malfoy, who had had conflicts with him before, seemed to have complained to his father, but Lucius Malfoy seemed to have no intention of standing up for him for the time being. Malfoy, who failed to get his father''s support, quickly forgot about the small friction between him and Rhys and turned to target the child named Harry Potter. Rhys could see that he wanted to be friends with Potter at first, but the reputation of Slytherin House dragged him down, directly strangling the budding friendship between the two in the cradle. Of course, the bad reputation of the house was only a secondary factor, and Malfoy''s pompous, high-pedestrian character was the main reason. He was high-profile, flamboyant, and sometimes disgustingly narcissistic. If he didn''t have a powerful father, he would have been locked in the toilet and beaten by the senior students in the house. In the first week of school, Malfoy kept showing off his "distinguished" family background to the people around him. In the second week, the topic became Quidditch. He talked about flying all day and complained loudly at the dining table that first-year students were not eligible to join the college Quidditch team. He liked to run near Daphne and brag loudly about his childhood flying stories. The content of the stories changed a lot, but the result was always the same: Draco Malfoy, who was good at flying, narrowly avoided a Muggle helicopter. Daphne, who had already experienced the beauty of flying by herself, didn''t care about it at first, but Malfoy was so annoying, so she finally couldn''t help it. "At that time, my hair was only a few inches away from what they call a helicopter''s propeller, and I could even feel the strong whirlwind..." Malfoy''s story was coming to an end as usual, but was interrupted by a girl''s voice. "Are you sure it was only a few inches?" Daphne glanced at him. "Of course!" Malfoy patted his chest and assured. Daphne didn''t say anything. She had heard of helicopters, a Muggle vehicle. After she and Rhys briefly discussed the structure of the helicopter, Rhys turned a pair of knives and forks on the table into the shape of a helicopter and turned a piece of grilled steak into a little man riding a flying broom. "Even though the broom has some defense, mere inches away from the blades, how did you avoid the Suction effect" "What effect?" In Malfoy''s confused eyes, Daphne controlled the little man to fly to the helicopter floating in the air, and then... Pah! The little man was sucked in by the propeller and was instantly turned into meat sauce. The meat sauce and grease splashed everywhere, and a drop directly smeared on the face of Malfoy, who was completely stunned. "So how did you manage to hold on? Or has the Malfoy family''s medical technology advanced far enough to restore the meat paste to a human body?" Daphne looked at Malfoy with a smile on her face. Malfoy: "..." "Humph!" Daphne killed the discussion. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 10 chapters ahead 43- History of Quidditch 43- History of Quidditch "Quidditch, I didn''t expect this sport to become so popular." After helping Daphne deal with the noisy Malfoy, Rhys only felt that nothing was normal in the world. "Did you know? Quidditch and Slytherin are closely related." On a whim, Rhys decided to tell the young wizards around him a story about the origin of Quidditch. In Slytherin House, there will never be a shortage of listeners when you tell stories about Salazar Slytherin. As soon as Rhys finished speaking, he noticed several eyes directed at him, either openly or covertly. "There is no doubt that Quidditch is the most popular sport today, but do you know that in the eleventh century when the Big Four were active, Quidditch was an extremely unpopular sport? Catching Stones, mid-air collisions...these were sports that were more widely known." More and more people are pricking up their ears. Several of the sports mentioned by Rhys were popular sports that once flourished in the Middle Ages but have now disappeared. Their extinction is related to their danger. For example, catching stones is an extremely violent and dangerous game. Each contestant had to tie a cauldron to his head with a leash and use the cauldron on his head to catch enchanted stones falling from a height of one hundred feet! It is conceivable how high the casualty rate of this game was. The literal translation of the name of this game was even called "Injured Head" - people with no brain problems will not play this game. "The birth of Quidditch is inseparable from a witch named Gertie Kidder." Rhys began to tell the little wizards the story of what happened that year. ... "Ha! Godric, look, the broom is flying!" Salazar Slytherin drove his broom in a circle in the sky. "What kind of broomstick is this? Oh, is it a new prop for flying? But aren''t your balls hurting sitting on that!?" Godric Gryffindor took a jab at his old friend. "I think it suits to the females more" "Oh just shut up, will you? Don''t you want to give it a try/" Slytherin was a little annoyed - Although the mana control is basic and there is flying magic to assist players in flying and playing, using this as a vehicle to play is still a nuanced idea. "Okay, okay, do you want to come together to play Catching Stones on that thing?" Godric was eager to give it a try. Slytherin fell silent. He felt that a positive feedback loop seemed to be appearing in front of him: only a person with a brain defect would play catching stones. After playing catching stones, his brain would become even more damaged, and then he would want to play catching stones even more... Slytherin decided to fulfill his duty as a friend and save Gryffindor''s precarious head, so he made up a game on the spot. This game is somewhat similar to the duck-bashing game often played by Muggle children. Two people throw balls at each other, and points are deducted if they are hit. "What''s so difficult about this, we just have to watch the ball!" Godric was very excited and directly conjured a ball and hit Slytherin in the face. The two were having fun until Godric''s conjured ball accidentally fell into Gertie Kidder''s vegetable patch. Gerty confiscated the offending ball and fired several curses at the two men. Feeling justified, Salazar and Godric left in despair. But the game between the two is not over yet, they haven''t had enough fun yet. So the next day, they came back again, Godric made a new ball, and Rhys changed the rules of the game. In order to prevent what happened yesterday from happening again, he decided to change the scoring method by throwing the ball into the woods at one end of the swamp - this was the prototype of the Quaffle and the scoring ring. Later, in order to make the game more interesting, they also cast magic on two stones so that they could fly around in the sky and interfere with their throwing. This was the predecessor of the Bludger. Since the swamp was called Quidditch, Slytherin named the sport Quidditch. .... "This is where Quidditch comes from!" Rhys naturally left out some details. But there are only a few such obedient brooms. Daphne''s broom just rolled on the ground, and some little wizards'' brooms didn''t move at all. ''Do I really need to ride this thing.... It looks dirty.'' Unlike Malfoy, something else was going on inside Rhys'' mind. All brooms look shabby and dirty. Hogwarts is so rich now, why doesn''t it use more money? Increase the budget to update the brooms used in school flying lessons? This is where Rhys thought it over. Who are on the Hogwarts School Board of Directors? As an organization responsible for donating money, most of the members of the school board are from pure-blood families, otherwise, it would be difficult to cope with the constant expenses. This also makes the Hogwarts School Board of Directors have a very high proportion of people from Slytherin House. The School''s director bord is generally biased towards Slytherin House. In their eyes, Slytherin House winning the House Cup and Quidditch Cup is a joy to see. Then it is very necessary to weaken the other three Houses as much as possible. So how can they do that? No matter how rich the school directors were, they couldn''t hire a few professional players to participate in the school competition, so they came up with the idea of ??broomsticks used in the competition. For most students, a broomstick is a luxury item. Except for the wealthy young children from Slytherin House, most students borrow brooms provided by the school during competitions, but there is no rule in the school rulebook to not use your own brooms! It''s like a Muggle racing competition. One group of people uses a 500-pound scooter, and another group of people uses a supercar. The person who uses the supercar must have the upper hand. As a result, the free broomsticks provided by Hogwarts have never been updated. They are all old models of Cleansweep and Comet, and the Slytherin Quidditch team uses the best-performing broomsticks. This is one of the reasons why it is so easy for the Slytherin team to achieve results. Mrs. Hooch was at the front of the line showing the new students how to mount a broomstick without falling off their heads. "There are two mainstream ways of riding a broomstick: side straddle and straddle..." Rhys eventually stopped this chain of thoughts and decided to call for the broom below him. However, he will soon understand where the flying broomstick has achieved technological breakthroughs in the past thousand years. The medieval flying broomstick was an ordinary sweeping broom with a levitation charm attached to it, allowing it to fly under the control of a wizard. Broomsticks thousands of years later are very different. Rhys overestimated these new brooms and underestimated the magic power of his calling, "Up!" He simply said in a whisper. Whoosh whoosh! More than twenty broomsticks around him were all disturbed by him. "!!!" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 10 chapters ahead on Patreon 44- Daphne shocked everyone! 44- Daphne shocked everyone! Whoosh whoosh! Only wizards like Madam Hooch, Malfoy, and Harry, who had talent and had grabbed their brooms earlier or whose brooms were of relatively good quality, held the flying broomsticks in their hands. The rest of the people''s brooms all lost control and flew into the sky like rockets. In just one moment, more than twenty broomsticks flew twenty feet into the sky. Rhys: "!!!" He really didn''t expect the school''s broom to be so fragile, "Ah, I made the nice going class into a mess!" Rhys reflected for a moment, he had used some of his magic while calling the broom and if the power of the spell was reduced to one-tenth, there would be a high probability that this would not happen. Rhys''s reflections can''t make the broomsticks fall. As the broomsticks went berserk, the whole class fell into chaos. Madam Hooch no longer cared about the students. She hurriedly got on her broomstick, rushed into the sky, and began to "catch" the escaping broomsticks. In the chaos, Malfoy noticed Harry, who was holding a broomstick like himself. ''Um? He managed to hold onto his broom. This is incredible, wait a minute...'' Malfoy had a flash of inspiration, and a bad idea crossed his mind. "Hey, Potter, do you have the guts to challenge me?" He raised an eyebrow and looked at Harry with a provocative look. "What do you want to say, Malfoy?" Harry was very disgusted with Malfoy. He had never thought that anyone could disgust him more than Dudley, until he met Draco Malfoy. "How about we compete to see who can grab more brooms?" Malfoy pointed at the broomsticks that were flying into the sky. "Show some shame!" Ron, who was standing aside, couldn''t help it after hearing Malfoy''s words. He said angrily: "Comparing your flying ability with someone who has just touched a broomstick for less than five minutes is really stupid!" "Okay, pretend I didn''t say that." Malfoy shrugged his shoulders, with an "you''re right" look on his face, got on his broom, and took off directly. Looking at Malfoy rushing into the sky amidst the screams, Harry felt a fire burning in his chest. "Don''t listen to his nonsense, Harry, he is just deliberately irritating you." Ron knew his friend relatively well, so he quickly tried to persuade him. However, Ron''s words didn''t work. Harry was usually a very friendly and easy-going person, but when he decided on something, no one could change his mind. He directly rode on the broom in the posture taught by Madam Hooch, kicked the ground hard, and rushed into the sky like Malfoy. "Harry!!!" Ron''s face instantly turned pale: Harry had been living at his aunt''s house before and had never even touched a broomstick. If he flew up like this, the consequences would be disastrous. Harry and Malfoy flew into the sky one after another, shocking the freshmen of Gryffindor and Slytherin. The sound of gasping and screaming could be heard clearly even dozens of feet away. At this time, Madam Hooch had already caught two out-of-control brooms. Originally, she didn''t pay much attention to the exclamations on the ground - the little wizards had never seen a big scene, and it was normal to be startled. She had to hurry up. Catch the broomsticks, otherwise, with the urinary behavior of the school board, don''t expect to have flying broomsticks in flying lessons this semester. But when she caught a glimpse of a black and green shadow out of the corner of her eye, she realized the seriousness of the problem. She turned her head suddenly and found that there were two little wizards flying into the sky on broomsticks. She held the wand in her right hand, her left hand hanging down by her side, and she was looking back at him expressionlessly. "I can get it myself." After saying this, she turned around and flew high into the sky. Everyone present except Rhys was stunned. In their understanding, wizards who want to fly must rely on the power of magic props such as broomsticks. How can any wizard or witch fly independently on his/her own? Malfoy also froze on the spot, looking at Daphne''s back in a daze. "You! Stop! And You! Get off! Now!" Suddenly, an angry shout came to Draco''s ears, followed by a sharp pain from his right ear. Madam Hooch had rushed to him on her broom, grabbed his ears, and brought Malfoy and his broom back to the ground. Mrs. Hooch''s face was pale with anger as she landed back to the ground, and her hands were shaking with anger. Not only was Malfoy caught by her from the sky, but Harry, who had already calmed down on the ground, and Daphne, who had just returned to the ground, were also caught by her. "You, you, and you! How dare you three?! You''ll break your neck!" Harry was a bit better, obediently bowing his head and being scolded, while Daphne and Malfoy were dissatisfied. In Malfoy''s eyes, how could he possibly slip and fall off the broom? ''I have been playing with brooms since I was five years old.'' Daphne was even more confident in herself, because the other two still relied on the external force of their brooms to fly, while she relied entirely on the flying magic she had learned by her hard work. However, no matter what they did, the two of them did not dare to contradict the teacher face to face, so they both closed their mouths and stood there silently. "Harry Potter!" Professor McGonagall''s voice interrupted Mrs. Hooch''s scolding. Harry looked up and his heart suddenly sank: Professor McGonagall was running towards him with long strides. "Ten points from Gryffindor! Potter, follow me." "Professor, Harry, he-" "Stop it, Mr. Weasley." Seeing that Harry had been deducted points by Professor McGonagall and had to be taken away, Malfoy almost laughed out loud, but he couldn''t laugh anymore the next second. "Twenty points from Slytherin. Miss Greengrass, Mr. Malfoy, you two also come with me." ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 10 chaps ahead on my Patreon? 45- Detention 45- Detention After hearing Professor McGonagall''s punishment for him, the look on Malfoy''s face became ugly. Professor McGonagall was famous, and of course, he had heard how unkind this professor was. She will never favor students, she always treats her House equally with other houses, and will not consider their family background when punishing students. In other words, it is useless to think of fewer consequences because of his father''s name, he can only accept the punishment obediently. Malfoy was simply depressed, but Harry''s face was pale. He felt like he was going to be expelled. He had been at Hogwarts for less than two weeks, and he would be packing up and leaving in ten minutes. He didn''t know what the Dursleys would say when they saw him appear at the gate, but it certainly will not be anything cheery. Daphne was also a little uneasy, but after thinking that Malfoy and Harry had made much more serious mistakes than herself, she immediately regained her composure. "Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter, since you seriously violated the teaching rules during the flying lesson, I will punish you with detention at Mrs. Hooch''s place. Do you have anything to say?" After hearing that he had only been detained and not expelled from school, Harry nodded repeatedly and expressed that he had no objection. Malfoy wanted to defend himself, but he knew that it was useless and he could only admit that he was unlucky. After dealing with Harry and Malfoy, Professor McGonagall looked at Daphne. "Miss Greengrass, can you explain how you did it just now?" Malfoy and Harry also pricked up their ears. They were also curious about how Daphne could fly. "That''s flying magic." Daphne''s answer had a sense of de?ja? vu in nonsense literature. Although Rhys never told her to keep his secret, Daphne still consciously covered up for him. This may be due to her selfishness, she wants to monopolize the knowledge in Rhys''s mind, or she does not want to cause trouble to Rhys. "Where did you learn it from?" Professor McGonagall couldn''t help but ask. Her instinct told her that Daphne would not tell her the truth, but flying magic was too rare, and she wanted to find out the source as much as possible. After hearing the word "flying magic", Malfoy''s expression suddenly changed. He had heard from his father that the Dark Lord had a unique secret method called flying magic. He was an extremely rare wizard in the magic world who could fly without a broomstick. Harry and Malfoy sat in opposite corners of the room, as far away from each other as possible. It can be seen that Malfoy did not ask the house elves to maintain his broom for him when he was a child. His movements were so skillful that by the time Harry finished one broom, Malfoy had already maintained three. "Can you hurry up? I still want to go back early." After looking up at Harry''s progress, Malfoy couldn''t help but darken his face. If Malfoy took the initiative to take a few brooms from Harry to repair them and try to apologize to him, then the bad relationship between the two might be repaired. It''s a pity that Malfoy is not such a person. Right now, he only cares about whether he can return to the common room early. Repair part of Harry''s broom? Not even if he is his father''s illegitimate son! "Don''t worry, you can leave straight away after you finish your work and go back to have fun with your animal-looking friends!" Harry rolled his eyes and sped up the speed of pruning the broom branches. "I''m not leaving. What if I leave and someone stains my broom again? Do you think I can''t see your thoughts?" "Stop it Malfoy!" Harry slammed the broom in his hand on the ground, "Do you think everyone is the same as you?" "You.." Malfoy shut his mouth and went to maintain the broom in silence. But with his mouth closed, his thoughts became more and more active. "Potter, have you ever heard of wizard duels?" After getting the last broom fixed, Malfoy started the conversation again. Harry lowered his head and silently applied polish to the broom. He had never heard of wizard duels, but it was not difficult to understand literally. He just simply didn''t want to deal with Malfoy. "It doesn''t matter if you haven''t heard of it. You can go back and ask that Weasley, and he will tell you what a ''wizard''s duel'' is. In short, if you two are brave, then come to the trophy room at twelve o''clock tomorrow night. We can have a fair duel to decide the winner - today''s game has not yet been decided. " Support with likes/comments/ratings Read 10 chapters ahead at my Patreon. 46- I want you 46- I want you Everyone''s destiny is different. When Harry and Malfoy accepted Mrs. Hooch''s "judgment" with depressed expressions, Daphne was in the spotlight. The story of her flying directly into the sky has spread throughout the academy, and everyone wants to know how she did it. ¡ªAsk around from the little girl, maybe you might have a chance to learn this spell too? ¡ªYou can fly up to the sky with a broomstick, but after all, it is a broom that is almost as tall as your height, so it is not suitable for carrying around. It would be great if you could learn the magic of flying - astronomy classes, divination classes, and other classes where the classrooms are located in the tower. You can fly up directly! These were some of the popular topics among the students. After separating from Professor McGonagall, Daphne met Rhys who was waiting for her in the corner. Recalling the rhetoric that Rhys taught her, Daphne revealed to the school that the spell came from a scroll found in her attic. Miraculously, after reading the contents recorded on the scroll, the scroll was automatically destroyed, and Daphne also automatically mastered the spell. Since Daphne''s bloodline and origin are among the best in Slytherin House, even if she said that this spell was taught to her by the portrait of Slytherin, everyone would believe it. Isn''t it normal for an ancient magic family to have some collections that no one understands or has heard of? Some "understanding" students also jumped out and said that in ancient times, earlier than the Middle Ages, ancient wizards would indeed use this method to pass on the magic spells they invented. The scroll Daphne mentioned is most likely the flying magic inheritance of an ancient wizard. The ancestors of the Greengrass family obtained an inheritance scroll by chance, but due to various reasons it was not used as the scroll didn''t find a suitable person and later generations forgot its existence, so it was passed down from generation to generation, and was finally opened by Daphne, a destined person. Listening to the clear and logical analysis of the little wizards, Rhys couldn''t help scratching his head: the performance of these little guys made him doubt that even if Daphne said that Slytherin taught her this spell, they could find a reasonable explanation. explain. [Slytherin uses magic to communicate with the gods, and it is unusual for him to be able to do this] [Isn''t it normal for a pure-blood family like Greengrass to be favored by Slytherin?] [Gryffindor can leave the Sorting Hat, so why can''t Slytherin leave the flying inheritance?] ... "That''s what happened, Albus." At the staff table on the other side, Professor McGonagall told Dumbledore everything she had witnessed this afternoon. After listening to Ron''s explanation, Harry frowned. "You can only use the wand? After I die, you will take my place and continue to fight?" "Don''t panic, you two know too little magic to really hurt each other - Malfoy can only use his little stick to shoot sparks, and his fists are more effective than your wands." Ron Calmly analyzed Malfoy''s sinister intentions for Harry. "He must have thought that you would refuse, so that he could laugh at you everywhere." Ron analyzed Malfoy''s thoughts very thoroughly. "Fortunately, you don''t know much about wizard duels. If it were me, I would have dueled him then and there!" "Then I will accept his invitation?" "Certainly!" Ron''s analysis was correct. After Potions class the next day, Malfoy was obviously a little surprised when he knew that Harry had accepted the decision invitation he sent. After two seconds, he said: "Very good, let''s go to the Trophy room tonight. You see, the door is never locked there." He left in a hurry before he and Harry could confirm the candidate for his assistant. "I envy you, Harry. You finally got a chance to beat Malfoy upright." Ron showed an envious expression. Thinking of that scene, Harry couldn''t suppress the smile at the corners of his mouth. Under the training¡ªehm¡ªBullying of his cousin Dudley, he is quite good at fighting (Blocking punches). The reason why he was always at a disadvantage was because Dudley was several weight classes ahead of him. Instead of turning to his minion for help, Malfoy found Rhys in the library. "Rhys, I want you!" "What¡ª" "I mean I want you to be my duel assistant." He directly explained his purpose before Daphne next to Rhys could speak. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 10 chapters ahead at my Patreon? 47- No one knows school rules better than me 47- No one knows school rules better than me "Duel assistant? Me?!" Rhys was in a daze for a moment when he heard Malfoy''s request. The last time someone asked him to be a duel assistant was a thousand years ago. "Malfoy, you-" Daphne wanted to refuse on behalf of Rhys, but Rhys raised his hand and told her not to rush. "Draco Malfoy, are you sure you want to participate in the duel?" Rhys''s interest was completely lifted by Malfoy. Duel, this is a duel! But with whom did Malfoy have such a big hatred that he had to fight to the death? Malfoy swallowed, nodded, and added: "But it''s not a life-or-death duel. It''s just that I plan to resolve some personal grudges with the Gryffindor''s Potter." Rhys nodded: This is in line with his speculation. It is reasonable. It would be strange if Malfoy had to fight to the death with others. Moreover, it is very difficult for wizards of this age to use magic to kill people. "One hundred galleons, give me one hundred galleons and I will be your dueling assistant." "You want a hundred galleons for this?!" Malfoy''s eyes almost popped out of his head. One hundred galleons! This amount of money is almost as much as the annual expenses of an ordinary wizarding family of three and is enough to drain Draco''s small pouch dry. "This is already a preferential price." Rhys spread his hands, indicating that the price is already extremely favorable and cannot be more favorable. A thousand years ago, could you hire him as a duel assistant for a hundred gold coins? What are you dreaming about? Of course, one is fighting a life-and-death fight with a powerful dark wizard, while the other is supporting children. The difficulty of the tasks is very different. But his identity was here, and his relationship with Draco Malfoy was not very close. After comprehensive consideration, Rhys decided to charge a fee of one hundred galleons. If Malfoy could afford it, he would just go through the motions. If Malfoy didn''t have the money, there would be no need to talk. Malfoy''s facial muscles twitched twice, indicating if it could be cheaper? After being rejected, he gritted his teeth and agreed to Rhys''s offer. "But I will pay afterwards!" Rhys again flatly rejected him because it was against the rules. "Then, can I pay half of the money first? I''ll give you the rest after the duel." Malfoy''s voice was almost squeezed out from between his teeth. "Look, I didn''t lie to you." Rhys shrugged. "Yes.. you didn''t lie.." He is really lying! He was relying on his knowledge of school rules to fool Hermione. The prerequisite for using a duel as an excuse to break the curfew was that the headmaster or the Head of the student''s house must know about the duel, and Snape would not be so corporative if he knew about such a duel. Rhys''s truth, which concealed some of the facts, deceived Hermione, and she left with the feeling "I don''t understand, but I was shocked." At half past eleven in the evening, Rhys rolled over and sat up in bed. Draco had already set off. He said he wanted to go to the duel location in advance to familiarize himself with the terrain. Rhys put on his robes, picked up his wand, and quietly walked out of the common room. He climbed the stairs and walked through a corridor that shielded the trophy room. Malfoy isn''t here. There was a sound of footsteps behind Rhys. He looked back and saw that it was Harry and Ron. Rhys''s face darkened instantly, and he probably guessed what happened. "Is it you, Rhys?!" "Why isn''t Malfoy here?" Seeing Rhys standing alone in the trophy display room, Harry and Ron also looked shocked. The two of them didn''t have a deep impression of Rhys. They only remembered that he was good at potions and had a good level of studies. "Let''s wait for a while, I think Mr. Malfoy has diarrhea." Rhys took a deep breath to calm Harry and Ron. Time passed by, and Malfoy did not appear, but the voice of the castle''s caretaker Filch rang next door. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Support with Likes, Comments & Ratings 10 Advance chapters at my Patreon? 48- No one is allowed to tarnish the glory of wizards 48- No one is allowed to tarnish the glory of wizards "Sniff around, dear, where they might be hiding." It was Filch talking to his cat, Mrs. Norris. Harry and Ron were frightened, but before they could react, Rhys walked up to them and tapped their heads with his wand. Harry felt as if someone had cracked an egg on his head, and he couldn''t help but shudder. "Shh!" Rhys said softly: "I have cast a disillusionment spell on you two, keep quiet!" As he spoke, he suppressed his inner emotions and pulled the two of them to stand in the corner of the Trophy room. Harry looked down at his hands and saw that they had become transparent. ''This is an extremely mysterious experience. I am clearly standing here, but I can''t see my body.'' "They''re here somewhere, probably hiding." Filch''s mutter became clearer. Soon a light came at the door and Filch came in with his cat. Harry''s heart began to beat faster, but Rhys''s Disillusionment Charm worked very well. Filch''s eyes passed through him several times, but he didn''t notice his existence at all. Filch carefully checked every hiding place in the trophy display room, but the result disappointed him: it was empty, not even a ghost. Unlike people with dull senses, Mrs. Norris noticed something unusual. She wandered near the corner - where Rhys and the two little wizards were hiding - looking a little confused. Harry''s heart was already in his throat. If Mrs. Norris continues to look this way, her unusual behavior will attract Filch''s attention to this corner sooner or later. Even if they had the Disillusionment Charm cast on them, they would probably accidentally bump into Filch. And got caught. Just as Harry was sweating profusely, Rhys took action: he stretched out his wand and turned a medal in the corner into a big rat. The rat swooped out of the corner, startling Filch. "Who?!" Malfoy suddenly woke up and saw Rhys''s face. "Ah! Rhys, it''s you!" After seeing Rhys appear in the dormitory safe and sound, Malfoy immediately knew that something was wrong. While he was yelling at Filch for his incompetence in his heart, he forced an ugly smile on his face: "Thank you for your hard work. I will settle the remaining fifty galleons for your hard work now¡ª¡ª" "It''s not necessary, you don''t have to give it." Rhys interrupted him directly. He put a hand on Malfoy''s shoulder, which made Malfoy tremble. "A wizard''s duel is an extremely sacred matter. Since you initiated the duel, you must complete it. Now, immediately, write a letter to Potter and Weasley to reschedule the duel time." Malfoy avoided Rhys''s cold and piercing eyes and did not dare to look directly at him. But as time passed, he gradually realized: Rhys and I are both first-year Slytherin students. Why should I be afraid of him? After figuring this out, Malfoy instantly became more courageous, and he confidently stated that he had not arranged a duel with Harry at all. "Duel? With that Potter? Heh! Did you see me arrange a duel with him? Are there any witnesses? Don''t talk nonsense without evidence." Malfoy''s voice returned to its original sloppy and glib tone. Rhys was quite emotional. Some people are really good at spouting nonsense with their eyes open, but Draco seemed to have overlooked one issue. This is the magical world. Rhys could find five or six ways to make people tell the truth. He originally wanted to extract Malfoy''s memory from his mind, but then he changed his mind. "*Sigh* You don''t deserve to be a student at Hogwarts." Rhys took out his wand and said softly. Two balls of light emerged from the tip of his staff one after another and flew into Malfoy''s body. "Reflect carefully, and you can become a wizard only after I think you can become a wizard." After leaving such a strange sentence, Rhys left Malfoy''s bed. ____ like, comment & give your ratings! 10 Advance chapters- /HornyFBI 49- Squib Malfoy 49- Squib Malfoy Malfoy was startled when a ball of light drifted into his chest. But after he recovered, he found that nothing had happened. He touched his body and found nothing unusual. Malfoy instantly judged that Rhys was bluffing. ''What? isn''t he just a little talented in potions? Does he really think of himself as someone special?'' He looked in the direction of Rhys''s bed and cursed in his mind. At the same time, he comforted himself in his heart: Yeah, I am a pureblood! No one can deprive me of my right to be a wizard. After he calmed down, Malfoy lay back on the bed and fell asleep. When he woke up early the next morning, Malfoy felt refreshed after a good sleep. Looking around the dormitory, he found that Rhys had gone somewhere, and his mood couldn''t help but get better. Rhys was as annoying and unwanted as the small bones in Malfoy''s chicken soup. Malfoy was so annoyed after being targeted several times that he simply found it pleasing to not see him after waking up and didn''t care. As if he had heard Malfoy''s thoughts, Rhys had really left early and had come home these two days, leaving Malfoy unable to see him for most of the weekend. Malfoy had a happy weekend. But this joy came to an abrupt end during the Transfiguration class on Tuesday. "Before today''s class starts, I need to check on your learning last week." Ignoring the disdainful glances from Harry and Ron, Malfoy calmly placed his wand on the table and waited for the arrival of Professor McGonagall to his table. The content of the test is very simple, turn a match into a needle. Professor McGonagall even relaxed the requirements, as long as the appearance of the match can change significantly, because this is a qualitative change from scratch, and the rest is just a matter of practice. When she walked in front of Malfoy, Malfoy picked up his wand and looked at the students around him very proudly. "Look, I''ll only demonstrate it once!" He mastered this transformation technique last week, which allowed him to perfectly transform a match into a needle shape. He had just observed that no one in the class could do it, and that was his chance to shine. He pointed his wand at the match, and a moment later it was still the same match. "Maybe after the ''appointment'', the magic power will come back with a ''whoosh''?" After hearing what Rhys said, Malfoy''s face turned as red as pig''s liver, and he left the Charms classroom angrily. Duel? In his current state, he couldn''t participate in a wizard''s duel. He couldn''t even produce sparks. If he went to duel with Harry, wouldn''t he be beaten one-sidedly? Malfoy went straight to the school hospital wing, believing that Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse, would be able to cure his "illness". "So you said you suddenly couldn''t perform magic? Have you encountered any changes recently?" Madam Pomfrey looked at Malfoy with suspicion. The wizard''s ability to cast spells is innate. This is the first time Madam Pomfrey has heard of the situation where a kid after undergoing his magic riot and being declared to be a wizard loses his magical ability and becomes a squib. Malfoy opened his mouth, wanting to tell what Rhys had done to him that night, but he was horrified to find that his tongue seemed to be stuck in his mouth with glue and he couldn''t make any sound at all. "It''s unprecedented for wizards to suddenly become squibs -" "I''m not a squib!" After hearing the word "squib," Malfoy protested angrily as if someone had whipped him. "Okay, okay, you''re not a Squib." Madam Pomfrey''s patience was finally exhausted when she was interrupted while speaking, and Malfoy was misunderstood by her as a prankster or a little wizard who wanted to fake a sick note. This is really not the first time she has seen this situation. Compared with the symptoms of other magical diseases, pretending to have lost all mana is obviously easier for a childish brain as it does not cost anything. "You can go now and attend your classes, don''t think about what you have and what you don''t have." Madam Pomfrey began to drive Malfoy out. "I''m really sick!" Malfoy shouted anxiously. "Okay, then I''ll give you some medicine." Madam Pomfrey took a bottle of potion to promote digestion and restore strength and energy directly from the cabinet and stuffed it into his hand, and then pushed him out of the infirmary. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Vote with Ratings! Read 10 chapters ahead on /HornyFBI 50- Harry vs Malfoy 50- Harry vs Malfoy "So what did you do to Malfoy?" After Neville left with a notebook full of writing, Daphne couldn''t help asking Rhys about Malfoy''s situation. The way Malfoy looked just now, even a fool could tell that he had something to do with Rhys. "He became a squib." Daphne: "!" Her eyes widened in shock. "How is this possible?" She couldn''t believe her ears. "How is it impossible? Do you want to try it?" A small light appeared from the tip of Rhys'' wand. Daphne thought about it for a moment and agreed to Rhys'' proposal. She felt that this might be her only chance to experience being a squib. When the faint light entered her body, Daphne felt something strange that she couldn''t describe. She tried to cast a cleaning charm but found that she couldn''t use this super simple charm. She tried two more times, and then found that the magic power in her body always turned back when it reached her wrist, as if there was something blocked there. "So that''s it! You used your magic to block the path of my mana, making it impossible for me to complete the spell!" Daphne understood immediately. "That''s it, I interfered with the operation of mana in your body. However, this blockage cannot exist for long. A witch like you who understands the operation of mana flow can easily understand what''s happening and force the flow of your mana to shatter this blockage after a few more attempts. The same goes for Malfoy, but he doesn''t know how to operate mana flow. I input more magic on his blockage, so it will take longer - I estimate it will take about one to two weeks." Rhys couldn''t help but admire Daphne''s talent again. "Then he must have suffered a lot in today''s classes." Daphne covered her mouth and laughed. People''s joys and sorrows are not connected to each other, and Malfoy is already on the verge of despair and collapse. As the future heir of the Malfoy family, he could not accept the fact that he had become a squib. Madam Pomfrey''s potion has no effect, and judging from her appearance, she doesn''t even believe a punctuation mark in her own words, ''So what should I do?'' Malfoy''s first thought was telling his father, and then he immediately gave up the idea. He did not dare to let his father know the fact that he had become a squib. Then the name Snape appeared in his mind, making Malfoy grasp at straws like a drowning man. But as soon as he took two steps into Snape''s office, he realized a problem: he couldn''t say anything about the incident with Rhys. "Three, two, one, start!" After Rhys and Ron counted down three times, the duel began. Harry was a little nervous at first. He was worried that Malfoy, who came from a pure-blood family, had mastered some strange spells. But to his surprise, at the beginning of the duel, Malfoy threw his wand aside and moved forward with an indomitable spirit. The momentum rushed towards him. Harry had the same concerns as Malfoy, and unlike Harry, Malfoy really couldn''t use magic, so he chose to use physical attacks. The experience gained from fighting against his cousin for many years made Harry subconsciously duck to the side and avoid Malfoy''s attack. Seeing Malfoy taking action directly, Harry simply threw away his wand and struggled with Malfoy. What followed was a mixed martial arts fight. Harry, who had seen how to punch and dodge, quickly gained the upper hand. He rode on Malfoy and suppressed him condescendingly. Malfoy also completely let go of his reserve as a wizard and punched him to counterattack. As he swung his fist, the fear, worry and other negative emotions deep in his heart caused by becoming a squib were also vented. After a few minutes, both of them were exhausted, and they lay on the floor panting heavily. Their noses were broken, and blood flowed from them. Harry was very happy because he really beat Malfoy hard many times. However, he felt a little regretful. When Malfoy pounced, he should have dodged a few more times to consume his energy, so that he would probably win more easily. Malfoy felt pure regret: What was the purpose of asking Potter to duel in the first place? Not only he was unable to trick them into being punished by Filch, but he also got himself beaten up. However, he didn''t suffer too much because he also taught Potter a good lesson. What he didn''t know was that while the two were fighting each other, the magic power that interfered with the flow of mana in his body had quietly dissipated. "I''m willing to use all my pocket money to buy this duel spot from Harry, really." Ron, who was watching the battle on the side, whispered to Rhys. Before the duel started, he was still worried about Harry, but after seeing the duel between the two, he really hoped that Harry would just admit defeat and then he''ll go as Harry''s assistant and beat Malfoy. Rhys almost laughed. He came to Harry and Malfoy''s side, helped them stop their nosebleeds, and restored the duel venue to its original state. After doing this, he, Harry, and Ron left the classroom together. Malfoy silently picked up his wand and waved it nervously, and a string of sparks emerged from the tip of the wand. Looking at the sparks on the tip of the staff, Malfoy breathed a sigh of relief: he could finally be a wizard again! ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ?Support with likes!? 10 Advance chapters- 51- Practical Training 51- Practical Training After encountering the first setback in his life, Malfoy''s arrogance became much more restrained. He even spoke less frequently in the auditorium, let alone took the initiative to trouble Harry and Rhys. He didn''t take the initiative to provoke Rhys and didn''t look for trouble with Ron either, and the campus life at Hogwarts suddenly became calm and harmonious. Taking classes, reading, and teaching while enjoying delicious food and desserts became Rhys'' daily life at Hogwarts. His life is sorted now. He skips classes on Mondays, attends professors'' classes from Tuesday to Friday to learn more about the modern magical world, and teaches Daphne magic on Saturdays and Sundays. Although he was enjoying life, Rhys did not lie down doing nothing. He did two major things: First, he cleaned the corridor outside the secret chamber. Second, he added a seal in the sealed area of ????the dungeon to prevent any monster from actually breaking through the seal and running out. Adding a new seal is a helpless compromise, similar to knowing that the bottom of the ship is leaking, but due to limited conditions, we can only add a watertight door to the bilge. Anyway, it''s better than doing nothing. "Your talent amazes me." Looking at the feathers floating in mid-air, Rhys couldn''t help but praise his deskmate. Today Professor Flitwick taught the levitation charm to the little wizards. This is a magical spell that can make objects levitate through specific gestures. The spell can drive everything from feathers to human bodies to float. But Rhys dared to bet with all his honor that Daphne did not rely on this spell to make the feather in front of her float. "You didn''t even listen to the incantation, did you?" "That''s not it, I know the incantation - Wind Garden Sephosa!" Daphne muttered a spell while playing with the feathers in the air. Rhys: "..." "I''m begging you, please keep your voice down. Even if you can''t remember the pronunciation, at least remember the spells correctly!" He said in a dumbfounded voice: "It''s Wingardium Leviosa." Daphne: "Just tell me whether the feathers are floating or not?" Rhys felt that Daphne seemed to have been led astray by him. She had stronger shadows of ancient wizards than modern wizards. Fortunately, Professor Flitwick didn''t notice Daphne''s version of the levitating spell, otherwise it would have been so much fun. "Modern magic still needs to be learned. Only by reflecting each other can we gain more." Rhys advised her. Therefore, the Celts would light bonfires and lights and celebrate all night to drive away evil spirits and spend time with their loved ones. After being reunited with their relatives for the night, the souls would return to the underworld at dawn. This festival did not disappear with the demise of the Celts. The Roman Empire and the Christian Church later inherited this tradition. It was not until the boundaries between the human world and the underworld were artificially drawn that Halloween gradually changed beyond recognition and became a " Trick or Treat" entertainment festival. The underworld mentioned by Rhys aroused the interest of the students. They chattered about whether the underworld existed, but Rhys, the instigator of the topic, returned to silence, huddled aside, and smiled. Halloween became what it is now due to various hardships, and the four of them also made a small and insignificant contribution back then. The Halloween dinner at Hogwarts did not disappoint Rhys. The entire auditorium was decorated with a very atmospheric feel. Thousands of bats were flapping their wings on the walls and ceilings. Thousands of dark clouds were hovering above the dining table. The wind brought pumpkins into the air. The flames of the candles in the lamps flickered, giving the auditorium a somewhat less scary and gloomy atmosphere. As for the food, it was as good as ever, and Rhys was desensitized to it. Just as Rhys picked up a bowl of sweet coconut milk corn, Professor Quirrell suddenly rushed into the hall with a look of horror on his face. He stumbled to Professor Dumbledore''s chair, leaned on the table, and gasped: "Troll -- in the dungeons -- thought you ought to know" After yelling that loudly, he fell to the floor and passed out. Troll? Everyone heard it, and the hall suddenly became a mess. Professor Dumbledore had to use a spell to make several piercing fireworks explosions before everyone fell silent. "Prefects," he said in a low voice, "lead the students from your houses to their respective dormitories immediately." Well-trained prefects immediately organized the evacuation of students from the hall to their common rooms. Listening to the noisy sounds, Rhys raised his eyebrows. "Hmm~ What a great timing!" Regardless of how the giant monster came in, he smelled a great scent of experience. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 10 Advance Chapters at my Patreon 52- Hunting a Troll 52- Hunting a Troll After sharing his thoughts with Daphne, a complicated emotion flashed in Daphne''s eyes. Naturally, she had heard of magical animals like trolls. It has a huge body, rough skin and thick flesh, and extremely low intelligence. To say it is as stupid as a pig is an insult to a pig. The worst score in the wizard exam is even represented by its name. To fight a monster that''s twelve feet tall and weighs over a ton, you''d be lying if you said you weren''t afraid. ''But isn''t it that I learned such useful and magical spells from Rhys just to come in handy at this moment?'' Daphne took a deep breath, nodded vigorously, and was ready to participate in the actual combat trial. The two of them followed Prefect Gemma silently, but gradually slowed down their pace, falling to the end of the crowd little by little. Then they found an opportunity to break away from the crowd and hid in an uninhabited corner. "The question is, how do we find the giant monster?" Daphne was mentally prepared and realized that Hogwarts Castle is so big, where would they find the giant monster that broke in? If you blindly walk in circles in the castle, the probability of encountering a professor is much greater than the probability of running into a troll, and you will be caught by the professors as a ''little troll''. "This is simple." Rhys took out his wand, and in the next second dozens of small snakes as long as his index finger emerged from the tip of the wand, fell to the ground, and started twisting around. Looking at the scene in front of her, even though she was a student of Slytherin House, Daphne couldn''t help but get goosebumps all over her body. "A very practical spell. If you want to learn it, I will teach you later." "No need!" Faced with Rhys'' "kindness", Daphne frantically shook her head.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com Rhys was silent for a second and then defended his magic: "The spell has much more to offer. The conjured creature doesn''t have to be a snake, you can also turn it into a sparrow, a crow, etc." Daphne reluctantly accepted Rhys''s spell. Moments later, Rhys found the troll that had broken into the castle. However, while searching for the troll, he also made some interesting discoveries, such as what he saw at the entrance of the corridor on the right side of the third floor of the castle. It seemed that there was something unusual hidden behind that corridor, otherwise, his head of the house would not have rushed to guard it. Rhys narrowed his eyes slightly. It reached out its hand toward Daphne but before it could touch her, Daphne flew away. The giant monster looked around blankly on the ground. It didn''t understand why the delicacy that was here just now disappeared in the blink of an eye. "OOOggghh!" At this time, a condescending flash of light hit the giant monster''s broad back, leaving a wound that almost ran across the back but was no more than two inches deep. The smelly blood oozed from the wound accompanied by the monster''s scream. The wounds looked horrifying, but to the troll, they were really just flesh wounds. The troll suddenly raised its head, and its small head the size of a cocoa bean looked at Daphne floating in the air, its small eyes shining with hatred. *Roar* *Swish!* The next moment, the wooden stick in its hand swung towards her, making an explosive sound that pierced the air. Daphne narrowly avoided the blow and then left another wound on the troll''s body. Unfortunately, the wound left by this attack was not as big as the first one. The giant monster was completely enraged and its attack became even more violent. Rhys watched the battle between Daphne and the troll without any emotion. In his opinion, Daphne still has a long way to go. If the first shot had been aimed at the troll''s head, the battle would have been over long ago. Daphne, who was fighting for the first time, still performed abnormally due to nervousness. But to be fair, Daphne has done quite well. How many young witches and wizards have the courage and ability to confront trolls at her age? Not to mention that Daphne seemed to have the upper hand. "!!" Suddenly, the battle situation changed, and Rhys''s hand hidden in his robe couldn''t help but grasp the handle of the wand. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 10 Chapters ahead at my Patreon ? 53- Professor McGonagall’s Judgment 53- Professor McGonagall¡¯s Judgment A sudden turn of events - this is the most appropriate word to describe the battle situation. The crazy troll no longer dodges Daphne''s attack and slaps Daphne with the big stick at the cost of an extra wound on his chest. If she hadn''t been good at flying, she would have suffered a big loss. But even if she dodged the blow, the negative impact of this mistake was not eliminated, and she suddenly lost the initiative. The troll''s attack became more and more fierce, and Daphne was struggling to survive. At this time, the disadvantages of using flying magic were exposed. In order to avoid the troll''s attack, Daphne could only focus all her attention on controlling the flying magic, leaving almost no time to fight back. However, such a violent attack was naturally unsustainable. The speed of the giant''s swinging stick slowly decreased. Daphne finally found a chance to distance herself from it and pointed the wand in her hand at it. Who would have thought that the slowed-down wooden stick in the troll''s hand would suddenly accelerate, forcing Daphne to hastily cast defensive magic. Several hexagonal transparent shields emerged in front of her, forming a barrier in front of her. Daphne''s accomplishments in defensive magic were obviously not as good as flying magic. The barrier she deployed was shattered by the giant monster, and she also hit the wall of the corridor. The next moment, the troll''s free hand grasped her ankle and lifted her head down. "Save me!" Daphne subconsciously looked at the corner where Rhys was standing, hoping to be rescued by him, but found only indifference in his eyes amidst her panic and anxiety. Rhys stood there quietly, his hands wrapped in the sleeves of his robe, like a spectator. Stand by and watch - the term could not be more appropriate here. After meeting Rhys'' cold gaze, Daphne instantly regained her composure as if she had been splashed with ice water. "Wind blade!" The troll''s head, the size of a cocoa bean, was directly opposite her. Daphne took advantage of the troll''s success and when it was relaxed, raised her wand and cast an attack spell on its head. The wind blade formed by the spell slashed across the giant monster''s face and hit the bridge of its nose. The wind blade cut off the bridge of its nose, scratched two eyeballs, and almost cut off half of the monster''s head. The same two-inch wound had a completely different effect on the head than on the back. *RooOOOArrr* The troll threw away the wooden stick from his right hand and Daphne from his left hand, held the wound on his head in vain with his hands, and let out an earth-shattering scream. Daphne, who was in shock, immediately used all her strength to maintain her balance after being thrown out and then flew back dozens of feet to distance herself from the troll. Standing in the distance, waiting for this dying giant to drain out the last bit of life in its body. From the temperature of the corpse, he concluded that the giant monster was very "fresh". "Revelio!" Professor McGonagall made a prompt decision, trying to reveal hidden objects, people, or clues that might be useful to know what happened here a few minutes ago. There was a faint phantom floating in the air, but when the phantom was about to take shape, a puff of smoke suddenly appeared in the corridor, disturbing the formation of the phantom. "I was disturbed." Professor McGonagall sighed. The wizard who killed this giant monster was indeed no ordinary person. She carefully observed the corpse of the troll, hoping to analyze some useful information from it. From the size and shape of the killed Troll, it is not difficult to tell that it was an adult Mountain Troll. It was killed by someone using a cutting curse or other spells, and the fatal wound was on the face. But the depth of the wound on its body is too shallow. Only a blow to the head can give the troll a fatal blow with such deep trauma. Hitting other parts of the body will completely irritate it. Professor McGonagall was lost in thought. She kept thinking, trying to make sense of the situation. Slowly, a blurry image of the wizard who killed the giant monster emerged in Professor McGonagall''s mind: Facing the approaching giant monster step by step, the man was not nervous, but instead casually cast a few magic spells for fun, leaving several wounds on the giant monster''s body. The man was playing with it. When it was enraged and rushed towards him, the man casually used a cutting spell to kill the giant monster. He is an opponent worthy of attention! After sharing her speculation with Professor Flitwick, Professor Flitwick also narrowed his eyes. "Using a Mountain Troll as his plaything, he must not be an ordinary man, he could have killed it with just a spell but he tortured it before draining all the blood. This kind of person is lurking in Hogwarts only for that thing." Flitwick reminded Professor McGonagall that there is still something hidden under the corridor on the third floor. For the stone! Professor McGonagall''s expression suddenly became solemn. "How this mountain troll came inside Hogwarts is also very suspicious. It has never happened like this in so many years. If it was put in artificially, it means that there is more than one force coveting the stone and sneaking into Hogwarts." The worry lingered in Professor McGonagall''s heart. She was actually a little dissatisfied with Dumbledore''s arrangements. When the Philosopher''s Stone was stored in Gringotts, someone tried to break into Gringotts to steal it. But predicting that to happen, Dumbledore had already moved it to the school even though he knew that someone was concerned about the Philosopher''s Stone. This act of Dumbledore was like inviting the other party to Hogwarts for the stone. This action endangered the safety of the students. Professor McGonagall decided to have a good chat with Dumbledore. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 10 Advance chapters- 54- I swear in the name of Lint 54- I swear in the name of Lint Rhys and Daphne hurried along and finally made it back to the Slytherin common room before anyone else noticed. The common room was packed with students, students gathering in groups of twos and threes, enjoying Halloween meals from the kitchen and discussing the troll that had broken into the school. Malfoy''s condition had recovered somewhat. He held a glass of iced pumpkin juice in the same manner as a champagne glass and sat by the fire in the lounge to talk. "It''s so depraved that a troll sneaked into the school! I''m going to write a letter to my father and ask him to strengthen the security of the castle-" For the sake of Lucius Malfoy, most of the senior Slytherin students did not come to trouble this young master and even cheered him up. As soon as Rhys entered the door, he heard Malfoy''s words, and his eyes suddenly lit up: Huh? If you say something like this, I can''t help but feel gratefull! Draco Malfoy, although you are timid, despicable, and have no bottom line, and I am very sorry to say - not a good pick to be a student of Slytherin House, but if you can persuade the talking wallet¡ªI mean your father to make more contributions to Hogwarts, that will be considered a success. The merit has been redeemed. Malfoy suddenly felt something furry on his back. When he looked back, he found that Rhys was looking at him with a strange look. He couldn''t help but shudder, closed his mouth, and ate the dinner at the table. Seeing that Malfoy no longer talked about donating money to the school, Rhys could only find an empty seat to sit down angrily and continue to enjoy the interrupted Halloween dinner. "So, you really didn''t plan to save me just now?" Daphne couldn''t suppress her curiosity and asked reluctantly. She could have sworn that she saw Rhys pull the wand out of his sleeve with her own eyes. He would not normally put the wand in that position, right? There is only one reason for his abnormal behavior, and that is that he was actually ready to take action at any time. Daphne believes that she has discovered the truth. "Of course, do you want to try this pudding? There''s a lot of extra caramel in it." Rhys really didn''t want to dwell on this topic, so he tried his best to change the subject. "Then you swear on your last name!" Daphne used her trump card. "Okay, I swear on the name Lint that I, Rhys Chasala Lint, had no intention of intervening in your fight just now." Daphne frowned. ''He actually dares to swear by his family name? Could he be telling the truth?'' "Y-You swear on the honor of Slytherin, and I will believe you." Daphne suddenly remembered that Rhys opened the chamber and claimed to be the heir of Slytherin, so she added. "Eh? I think I just saw vanilla ice cream. I''m going to get some." As if he didn''t hear her, Rhys got up from the table and ran to the big table to get the ice cream. Daphne: "Hey, you-" After a long time, she picked up the pumpkin juice and took a sip, suppressing her inner surprise with the sweet pumpkin juice. "Do you think..." She asked immediately after her emotions calmed down a little. "He was never dead, Minerva. There is no point in deceiving yourself." Dumbledore took the silver pot and poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice. He discussed the whereabouts of the Dark Lord as if he were discussing a trivial matter in life with a close friend. This time, Minerva McGonagall remained silent for longer, and finally, a smile that was uglier than crying appeared on her face. "You''re right." She accepted this cruel reality calmly. There is no point in lying to oneself. Wizards who have experienced that dark moment all understand that the mysterious man only temporarily lost power. Sooner or later, the terrible devil will make a comeback. Fortunately, they still had Dumbledore. The old man led them to defeat Grindelwald and survive the Dark Lord''s most rampant days. Even if the mysterious man comes back, he will definitely be able to lead the members of the Order of the Phoenix and the Ministry of Magic to defeat him again. "So the Philosopher''s Stone is the bait to catch him?" Dumbledore nodded. Professor McGonagall felt relieved. If it was to deal with a mysterious man, she was willing to unconditionally believe in Professor Dumbledore''s arrangements. After Minerva left, Dumbledore ate the rest of the cake alone. He was hiding something from Minerva. The bait hanging on the hook was not only the Philosopher''s Stone, but also Harry Potter, who entered school this year and reappeared in the wizarding world. Otherwise, why didn''t he borrow the Philosopher''s Stone from his good friend Nicolas Flamel this year, sooner rather than later? But the problem is not big, everything is under control, and Dumbledore can even use the existence of the Sorcerer''s Stone to conduct an interesting and harmless little trial. But there are variables. Who is the person who killed the troll? Dumbledore fell into thinking. Minerva said that it was an external force that coveted the Philosopher''s Stone. This was certainly possible, but he was more likely to think that it was a bold little wizard who did it. What a courageous kid! Dumbledore secretly praised the child. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª A/N: Can you guess who Dumbledore is praising? Read 10 Advance chapters at 55- In the name of Slytherin 55- In the name of Slytherin The young wizards of Slytherin House enjoyed delicious food and chatted with friends until late at night. When the hands on the clock jumped to "eleven", most of the students in the lounge had dispersed, and only a few scattered couples were still chatting in the corner. "Good night." "Sweet dreams." Rhys and Daphne said good night to each other and returned to their respective dormitories. About half an hour later, Rhys returned to the common room - tonight was Halloween, and he couldn''t sleep at all. In Rhys''s time, there was no obvious barrier between the world of the sun and the underworld as it is now. Every Halloween was a bitter battle between the living and the undead. Over time, Rhys also developed the habit of staying up all night on Halloween. Now that he was suddenly asked to go to bed on time, he couldn''t sleep. Rhys, who was suffering from insomnia, wanted to come to the lounge and read for a while. But after walking out of the dormitory door, he suddenly remembered that every Halloween, the dark creatures imprisoned in the dungeon would become active and become more hostile. Although no monster has broken through the seal in thousands of years, he should go to the seal to fulfill his obligations. Even if it is just to clean up a few monsters that escaped from the cell, it would be great. At this time, the lounge was empty, only the fire in the fireplace was crackling. After making the decision, Rhys did not set off in a hurry, but first used the remaining fire of the fireplace to boil a pot of tea. After drinking the tea as quickly as possible, Rhys used the remaining tea leaves to do a divination for tonight''s itinerary - this was something he learned from divination "Looking Through the Fog to See the Future" Tea Fortune Telling. Looking at the divination results in the teacup, which symbolized "ominous", Rhys raised his eyebrows: Ominous? Then it is even more necessary to go there. The poor divination results did not dampen Rhys''s interest but made him even more excited. ''If the divination result is accurate, it means that there is a big mess within the dungeon''s seal, and it is my duty as one of the founders of the school to suppress the seal.'' But before going to the dungeon, Rhys felt he needed to leave something behind. He spread out a piece of parchment on the table, and after writing a few paragraphs, he felt that it was a bit verbose, so he simply balled it up and threw it into the fireplace, and rewrote a very brief note. After putting the note into his own purse and sealing the purse containing all his wealth with a spell, Rhys left the purse on the table and left the common room. The Slytherin House common room was very close to the dungeons, but instead of going directly to the dungeons, Rhys headed upstairs - he wanted to bring a few helpers with him. The current headmaster of Hogwarts, Dumbledore, is very capable, but Rhys has no intention of calling him over. The reason is simple. Dumbledore has a very special meaning to Hogwarts and the wizarding world. If an accident occurs in the dungeon, Dumbledore''s sudden disappearance will also have a very bad impact and make the situation out of control.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m Several gray wolf-like creatures were cut in half by Rhys and quickly turned into handfuls of ashes. Behind him, traces of ashes were everywhere in the corridor. ¡ªPut the stone beast in front of you as a human shield, and then use the basilisk''s gaze to exert strong control on the monster. With this two-pronged approach, most of the monsters that encounter Rhys were killed instantly. However, this guy in front of him is a little bit tricky - unless the core of the Ash Demon is defeated, it will be useless to destroy any number of clones. At this time, the Ashes on the ground are already showing signs of regrouping. Rhys closed his eyes and carefully sensed the magic fluctuations in the air, trying to find clues left by the monster''s core. Soon, he thought about it and caught the key clue from the chaotic magic fluctuations. He immediately drove the stone beast and the basilisk in the corresponding direction. Before taking action, he waved his magic wand violently, and a whirlwind immediately rolled up in the corridor, and the ashes that were slowly merging were scattered again. However, when tracking the core of the ash, Rhys had a strange sense of familiarity in his heart. He stopped and carefully identified it, and then he really found a familiar magic rhythm. It was the feeling of wind. Specifically, Rhys felt a sense of an old friend from it. A trace of surprise flashed in Rhys''s eyes, and he couldn''t help but speed up his pace. The closer to the hiding point of the ash magic core, the more obvious this familiar magic fluctuation became. Finally, when Rhys came to an underground cave, the familiar feeling reached its peak. When Rhys and his three friends had built the dungeon, they did not use 100% artificial mining, but cleverly used part of the naturally formed underground caves and the naturally formed cracks between caves. They widened these narrow passages and reinforced the caves to build a huge dungeon. So when you really go deep into the dungeon, you will occasionally encounter a very open space, and this is one of them. Rhys raised his wand and stepped into the cave in front of him with the stone beast and the basilisk, and then he felt shocked from the bottom of his heart. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª A/N: They weren''t the big stone guardians we saw in the movie but other smaller statues. Read 10 Chapters ahead at my Patreon? 56- Ravenclaw? …Ravenclaw! 56- Ravenclaw? ...Ravenclaw! Rhys had a very colorful life, and the scenes that can shock this old grandpa are indeed extremely shocking. What appeared in front of him was a cavern the size of a Quidditch pitch, filled with gray mist that occasionally twisted and formed into dark creatures or magical beasts, rushing towards the center of the cave. Dragons, giants, thunderbirds, goblins... Rhys initially thought the Ash Monster or the Ashen Demon was nothing extraordinary based on the intensity of their earlier battle. However, upon entering this vast space, he realized he was gravely mistaken. The Ashen Demon hadn''t even been focusing on him before; it hadn''t used even a tenth of its power. Its full attention was here, attempting to crush the monster in the center of the cavern. But things weren''t going as the Ashen Demon wished. Those powerful creatures made of ash were torn to shreds by several wind blades before they could even get close to the center of the cave. The one who released the windblade was a mummy standing in the middle of the cave. The mummy was covered with a tattered blue robe. From the sparse hair remaining on the top of the corpse and the accessories on the robe, it was easy to tell that this was a witch''s remains. Next to the mummy, stood a haggard ghost of a witch. Unlike the other ghosts of the castle, this ghost''s body was much more solid, as if she was alive. The accessories on her robe were exactly the same as those on the mummified corpse next to her. It was this ghost that had shocked Rhys¡ªdespite her ghostly state, Rhys recognized her at a glance. "...Rowena.." It was Rowena Ravenclaw. Rhys''s arrival caught Ravenclaw''s ghost''s attention. While she continued to manipulate the wind blades, forcing the Ashen Demon into retreat, she looked up towards where Rhys was standing. As she raised her head, her crimson eyes were revealed, eyes that had once been so familiar to Rhys but now seemed utterly foreign. Only the instinctive emotions of beasts remained in the once smart and gentle eyes - bloodthirsty, madness, violence... The moment Rhys saw those eyes, he didn''t hesitate. He turned, And ran. The sudden attack by the unknown creature disrupted the ghost''s plans. She shifted her target, commanding the mummy to cast spells from within the creature''s stomach. By the time she dealt with the creature and emerged from its belly, Rhys had already run out of her attack range. However, the "gift" from his old friend still gave Rhys quite a "surprise," making him feel Ravenclaw''s passionate welcome. When the wind blades were still nearly a hundred meters away, Rhys sensed something was amiss. Familiar with Rowena''s magic, Rhys knew running was pointless. He stopped and had the stone beasts line up in front of him, quickly casting protective spells. Compared to Daphne, Rhys''s protective spells were much more robust. If Daphne''s spell was a shield, then Rhys''s was a wall. Looking at the stone beasts and the seemingly thick protective spell in front of him, Rhys frowned and silently brought the basilisk in front of him for additional protection. Having made these preparations, the wind blades howled toward him, leaving deep gouges on the corridor walls, floor, and ceiling. The stone beasts were swept into the storm created by the wind blades, instantly shattered into pieces. The wind blades, mixed with the debris, crashed into Rhys''s magical barrier like a tsunami hitting a seawall. Rhys took a deep breath and channeled as much magic as he could into the barrier. After a brief stalemate, Rhys''s protective spell shattered. However, the windblade storm was also exhausted, leaving only numerous small and large cuts on the basilisk. Rhys himself was only lightly injured, with a few small cuts on his arms. "Ok, Ok~ Everything is all right¡ªOuch!" The basilisk, in pain, let out a series of hisses, its tail thrashing wildly and striked Rhys in the chest, making him see stars. He estimated that at least two of his ribs were broken. Ironically, the most severe injury Rhys suffered in this attack was caused by the basilisk. _______ Support with Likes! Read 10 Advance chapters at 57- Ravenclaw’s Prison 57- Ravenclaw¡¯s Prison Under the stimulus of pain, the basilisk became less obedient. Rhys had to give several commands before it calmed down. After soothing the basilisk, Rhys didn''t take time to treat its or his own wounds. Instead, he continued to retreat towards the surface. Knowing Rowena as well as he did, Rhys was certain that she would not let her target escape this easily and would strike again. The second or third waves of attacks were likely on their way. Without the stone beasts to buffer the blows, Rhys would have to use magic that would severely damage both his body and soul to block the attacks. He could always find a way to break through, but he wouldn''t be able to protect the basilisk. It was only at this moment that Rhys understood the source of the "ill omen" his tea leaf reading had predicted. A crazy Rowena Ravenclaw was indeed a lethal threat to him in an 11-year-old body.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) However, after running for a while with his injuries, the anticipated second wave of attacks never came. Had she changed after becoming a ghost, or was she delayed by something? Rhys leaned towards the latter. That was fortunate. He silently thanked the unknown dark creature for its sacrifice. Otherwise, facing off against Rowena Ravenclaw, who was nearly at the peak of her magical prowess, would have been a death sentence. Having shaken off Ravenclaw''s ghost, Rhys had time to carefully review the recent events. As he treated the basilisk''s wounds, extracting the embedded stones, he analyzed the information he had gathered. Seeing Ravenclaw''s ghost, Rhys finally understood why the seal in the dungeon hadn''t deteriorated significantly over the past thousand years: Rowena had been guarding it from within. Periodically, she would clear out the powerful dark creatures that escaped confinement, like cutting down overgrown weeds. Even death couldn''t stop her in preventing any creatures from breaking through the seal. Judging by her current state, she didn''t show any signs of exhaustion. This dynamic equilibrium within the seal was likely to continue: dark creatures would proliferate, Ravenclaw would suppress them, and the dark creatures would then lie dormant to regain their strength... Before her death, Rowena must have performed some special treatment on her body and voluntarily gave up the possibility of rebirth, becoming a ghost instead. Eventually, the Halloween Eve incident gradually faded from the conversation, and the students'' attention shifted from the troll to the upcoming Quidditch match. As November arrived, the weather turned exceptionally cold. The mountains surrounding the school were blanketed in snow, and a thick layer of ice formed over the surface of the Black Lake. The fish in the lake began to frequently gather outside the windows of the Slytherin common room, seeking the warmth there. Some curious young wizards speculated that the plump fish might attract the merpeople from the lake, allowing them a rare sight. However, they were disappointed; no matter how dense the fish shoals were, neither the mermen nor the mermaids appeared, as if they didn''t exist at all. Someone, whose identity remained unknown, sent Harry Potter the latest model of the Nimbus 2000. This instantly made him a sensation in the school. The Nimbus 2000 was akin to a supercar in the non-magical world, and many people were green with envy over Harry receiving such a gift. However, the school''s buzz had little to do with Rhys. These days, he was busy brewing potions. He had sent a letter to Lupet in Diagon Alley, commissioning her to purchase a large number of potion ingredients¡ªthanks to a generous donation from young Malfoy. Using the materials sent by Lupet, Rhys was concocting a series of potions so complex that merely explaining the steps could give one a headache. Rhys believed that his potions would be able to cleanse Rowena of her taint, even in her ghostly form. Moreover, if this potion worked on Rowena, it might also cure Daphne''s sister of her illness. Astoria Greengrass''s curse bore some resemblance to Rowena''s affliction; both involved the soul being tainted by darkness. The difference lay in Rowena''s ghostly form and stronger soul, allowing for more aggressive treatment, whereas Astoria required a gentler approach. However, Rhys still had a long way to go before his potion was complete, as he was missing a few rare ingredients. Time slowly passed, and the year''s first Quidditch match quietly approached. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 10 Chapters ahead 58- Magical Waves in Quidditch Match 58- Magical Waves in Quidditch Match "Gryffindor versus Slytherin?" Rhys put aside the maple cake in his hand. Daphne''s words successfully aroused his interest. Daphne looked at him like she''d seen a ghost. "Did you just hear about this?! Everyone has been talking about this game for a long time!" "Uh..." Rhys has been very busy recently. He listens to lectures during the day and goes to the secret room to prepare potions at night. He also teaches Daphne on the weekends. He was excited to see Professor Quirrell''s Defense Against the Dark Arts but.. It would be nice if Professor Quirrell who taught the class was really as good as he appeared to be in his stories of defeating a vampire or aiding the prince, but unfortunately, he wasn''t. Rhys was very sure that Quirrell was pretending to be a weakling fool in front of the world, as Rhys detected some dark aura concealed in his turban. However, there is one thing to say, Quirrell''s teaching in this class is really bad! What makes Rhys even more dissatisfied is that Quirrell is not a bad teacher, he deliberately messes up. The attitude problem is more hateful than the ability problem! In Rhys'' view, with a teacher like Quirrell teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, how could the young wizards be able to defend against the Dark Arts? However, judging from the looks of the students, it seemed that they didn''t have much objection to a bastard like Professor Quirrell. This also made Rhys sigh secretly: The environment was still too comfortable. A thousand years ago, such a teacher would be kicked out of the castle by none other than the students. Because students at that time were very concerned about whether they could learn useful magic from school that could help them settle down and their decision would be supported by the headmaster. Today''s students only care about whether the professor gives a lot of homework and whether it is difficult to pass the exam. This is a sign of peace in the wizarding world and a sad fact. But it will pass if you endure it for a while. After all, a person like Quirrell who is carrying a secret will most likely not stay at Hogwarts for a long time. In addition, because of the jinx that Rhys thinks is a bit outrageous, he believes that the school will replace him with a new one next year. I hope they appoint a reliable Defense Against the Dark Arts professor next year! Based on Quirrell''s various abnormal behaviors, Rhys determined that he should be plotting what Dumbledore had hidden in the corridor on the third floor. He was also a little curious about this and decided to go find out after he was done with the things at hand. "....I said, you should at least pay attention to the recent major events in the school." Daphne also wanted to complain about Rhys''s state of being "blind to the outside world." It seems I''ve already won! "No matter what, it''s always good to beat Gryffindor on the field," Rhys said, feeling quite pleased. Game day arrived soon, and the stands around the Quidditch pitch were filled with students. Many students even brought their own binoculars to see the game better. "Here, I have one more." Seeing that Rhys didn''t bring a binocular, Daphne planned to lend him her spare one. "No need, Eagle Eye Charm is enough." Rhys pointed his wand at his eyes, significantly enhancing his vision. With the charm, he could even read the lips of the Gryffindor students across the pitch. After the game started, as expected, the Slytherin team had the upper hand and used the Quaffle several times to score. Just as Rhys was applauding goalkeeper Bletchley for a wonderful save, something unexpected happened - Harry''s broomstick suddenly shook violently, as if the broom was trying to throw him off. Rhys stopped clapping and narrowed his eyes. He discovered that someone was casting a spell on Potter''s broom! despicable! The Slytherin team does not need to rely on such underhanded tricks to win. Such dirty methods tarnish the glory of the house. Rhys immediately started searching for the source of the curse and quickly identified it as coming from Professor Quirrell. During this process, he also noticed that Professor Snape was trying to use a counter-charm to stabilize the broom in the sky. This is the real Slytherin! After giving Snape a thumbs up, Rhys took action without hesitation. His magic and Quirrell''s spell collided in the air, instantly defeating Quirrell''s curse and restoring stability to the broom. Having learned the lesson from the flying lesson, he restrained the intensity of his spell this time and did not use too much force, but he still defeated his opponent and made the broom stable. However, as soon as Quirrell''s spell was defeated, it came back again, and this time there was an extremely evil aura attached to the magic power. Oh? Is he showing his true skills now? Rhys raised his eyebrows and boldly took action with all his strength. However, just as the two magic powers met, the magic power from Quirrell suddenly disappeared. The sharp broom was now firmly fixed in the sky. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 10 Advance Chapters- 59- Professor Snape takes the blame 59- Professor Snape takes the blame Faced with Quirrell''s sudden retreat, Rhys felt a bit puzzled. Why didn''t he continue the attack? Did he give up because he sensed he would surely lose? Or was he afraid of being discovered and thus stopped? Perhaps he realized it was pointless; even if he threw Harry off the broom, it wouldn''t affect the match or Harry''s health significantly? But why is he trying to help Slytherin? He looked towards Quirrell and then burst out laughing. The reason was not as complicated as he thought. Quirrell was knocked down. The straightforward reason was that Quirrell had been physically defeated by a collision. The person who knocked Quirrell over was a familiar face¡ªHermione, a first-year from Ravenclaw. She had also keenly noticed that Harry''s broom was having problems and identified the culprit in the crowd... Severus Snape. Snape stared closely at Harry in the sky, his expression gloomy, and the way he muttered words looked so much like a villain who was doing bad things that Hermione did not hesitate to regard him as an enemy. Once she spotted her target, Hermione hurriedly headed towards Snape, intending to expose his villainy in public. Fortunately, as she navigated the crowded stands, she accidentally knocked over Professor Quirrell, unexpectedly achieving her goal. Her method was correct, and her algebra was wrong, but the accident led to the correct answer. This was an accurate description of Hermione''s actions. Snape had no idea he had taken the blame. All he knew was that Harry''s crisis had been resolved. He quickly closed his mouth and pretended he hadn''t done anything. He couldn''t be discovered casting a spell on Potter''s broom. If it were known that the Head of Slytherin House had cast a spell on the Gryffindor Seeker''s broom during a Quidditch match, especially a Slytherin versus Gryffindor match, it would be an unshakeable scandal. Even though proving his innocence would be easy, but the damage to his reputation would be severe because the students wouldn''t believe it. Meanwhile, Harry found himself in an awkward predicament in the sky. Rhys and Snape''s spells stabilized the broom, but their combined magic had an unexpected effect¡ªHarry''s Nimbus 2000 "froze," stuck in the air, and wouldn''t move no matter how Harry tried to control it. The two culprits, Rhys and Snape, soon realized the situation. Snape''s face darkened, while Rhys couldn''t help but facepalm. Rhys didn''t attempt to restart Harry''s broom with another spell. He knew the problem was the three competing spells on a single broomstick, causing it to temporarily fail to receive external signals. The best course of action was to do nothing; in a minute or two, the broom would reset itself. They had to hope the referee noticed the anomaly and stopped the match. Where was the referee? Madam Hooch, do something! At that moment, Madam Hooch''s attention was elsewhere, not noticing Harry''s predicament. Then, a golden glint flashed before Harry''s eyes, making his breath catch. He was certain¡ªthat was the Golden Snitch! Rhys motioned for her to go ahead. Hermione recounted everything she had seen during the Quidditch match. "Rhys, Snape tried to kill Harry!" She looked anxious. "I need your help to gather evidence." Rhys sighed: Tsk Tsk. Professor Snape, see what happens when you don''t manage your image well? He could understand, if he were in her shoes and didn''t know the truth, he would also think of Snape as a villain. "Hermione, it''s not what you think. Professor Snape is innocent." And so am I, Rhys silently added in his mind. "Rhys!" Hermione became agitated when she saw that Rhys didn''t believe her. "Snape was helping Harry, not harming him. If you don''t believe me, you can ask Professor Flitwick. He can verify the truth for you." For Professor Flitwick, such an investigation would be a simple matter of casting a spell. Rhys'' suggestion made Hermione''s eyes light up, but then they dimmed again. "But I don''t have any evidence..." Reporting a professor without evidence was an extremely dangerous act in Hermione''s mind, so she had instinctively sought out Rhys, whom she considered the most reliable classmate, hoping he could help gather proof of Snape''s guilt. "Then write an anonymous letter. Seriously, I can''t believe you didn''t think of that." Rhys was genuinely concerned about the modern little witches and wizards'' lack of decisiveness. He took out a piece of parchment, and with swift, fluid strokes, quickly wrote a letter detailing what Hermione had seen. After showing it to Hermione to confirm that it accurately described the events, Rhys tapped the letter with his wand. The letter transformed into a small paper bird and flew off toward the staff table. "Professor Flitwick will provide an answer. Snape really is innocent." ___ Suppoet with Likes! Read 10 Advance Chapters at my Patreon? 60- Dumbledore’s game is well planned 60- Dumbledore¡¯s game is well planned The atmosphere at the staff table was quite tense. Professor McGonagall wore a stern expression, exuding a strong aura of unapproachability. The other Heads of Houses understood why: Gryffindor''s loss to Slytherin due to external factors had left her very displeased. At that moment, a small paper bird flew in, landing directly in front of Professor Flitwick. He opened it, and his expression changed immediately. He handed the parchment to Professor McGonagall, then cleared his throat. "Severus, Minerva, I believe you two need to see what''s written here." Professor McGonagall took the parchment, and after a quick glance, she narrowed her eyes, throwing the parchment down in front of Snape. "Severus, don''t you think you owe us an explanation?" "Yes, I did cast a spell on Potter''s broom." To everyone''s surprise, Snape admitted it after reading the letter. In fact, if he had just denied it outright, there wasn''t much the other Heads could do. But if he admitted it... Professor McGonagall coldly stated that Snape owed them an explanation. "I was using a spell to protect Potter, ensuring he wouldn''t fall off his broom, land on his head, and get an excuse to act like a troll in my potions class. I was battling someone who was cursing the broom. You can check the residual magical traces on the broom; they will attest to my actions." Snape spoke calmly. Hogwarts professors were different from those little wizards whose heads were full of dung. They could communicate and understand themselves. A simple check of the magical traces left on the broom would reveal the truth. "Another magic trace in favour of Potter? It seems there was another person protecting him" Flitwick''s focus was slightly different. "Wasn''t it you? Pomona?" Professor Sprout, Head of the Hufflepuff house, shook her head.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) "This is a bit strange." Snape frowned. ''Whoever saved Harry, could they be related to the one who killed the troll on Halloween?'' ... Rhys had managed to send Hermione away with a random excuse. He only offered her some advice because she was hardworking and smart, hoping to correct her stereotype of Slytherin House. Casting a levitation charm on himself, Rhys leisurely floated down through the trapdoor. "Tsk." Seeing the mass of tangled vines below, Rhys clicked his tongue in annoyance. ''Devil''s Snare here, really? Is this supposed to be a shock absorber? What kind of defense mechanism is this?'' The further he went, the deeper his frown became. He initially thought that the three-headed dog was just the beginning, but it turned out to be the peak of all the defenses. The final obstacle, with its distinctly Snape-esque flair, amused Rhys to no end. You use a fire-protection potion as the antidote and a diarrhea potion as the poison??? Only first-year wizards and those with a lost sense of smell would be stumped by this barrier, Severus Snape!!! Rhys couldn''t even take these obstacles seriously. As he stepped through the fire door, a sudden realization hit him: were these simplistic defenses really intended to prevent theft? Beyond the fire door was the final room. Rhys conducted an extremely thorough search, expending considerable effort, only to reach one conclusion: it was empty. There were no traps, spells, or secret doors; it was empty in the literal sense. Dumbledore hadn''t set up any mechanisms here, nor had he hidden anything. Rhys''s exploration of the corridor ended there. Regarding the security measures behind the door, Rhys''s assessment was: Dumbledore''s obstacle course was quite the fun game. Indeed, in his opinion, apart from the guard dog, the following barriers were akin to simple puzzle games. Even a regular first-year student, as long as they followed the rules, could safely reach the final stage. This was very unusual. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Support with likes! Read 10 chapters ahead at 61- Thank you, Dumbledore. 61- Thank you, Dumbledore. Rhys silently left the secret space beneath the third-floor corridor and returned to the common room of his house. Leaning back in an armchair, Rhys fell into deep thought. In Rhys''s view, most of the obstacles seemed deliberately easy. If it were up to him, the lethality could easily be increased tenfold. For instance, instead of placing the Devil''s Snare below the trapdoor, he would replace it with sharpened stakes and line the passage walls with hallucinogenic magical plants. The hundreds of flying keys would be enchanted to attack intruders on sight, with the correct key not mixed among them but carried by the person who designed the barrier. Similarly, the giant wizard chess pieces should attack intruders instead of playing by the rules. Why negotiate with a thief, right? Rhys easily thought of several improvements that would significantly increase the difficulty of protecting that mysterious item. He couldn''t believe Professor Dumbledore wouldn''t think of them. Combined with the empty room at the end of the level, the answer is obvious. Dumbledore likely never hid that item in the secret room beneath the third-floor corridor. He probably carried it with him. Those puzzle-like obstacles seemed more like a game maze for the children to play. If Dumbledore truly believed these flashy obstacles could stop intruders, Rhys would seriously consider whether he had dementia. A game for children... a test for the students! Rhys''s thoughts suddenly paused on this idea. If we follow this conjecture, the levels in the secret space are very reasonable. Moreover, if we think about it carefully, the design of this secret space is really good, with moderate difficulty and guaranteed safety. It is very suitable for children to play a game of courage.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.combledore may have other purposes. After all, it is very time-consuming and laborious to build such a space. Rhys thinks it is probably used to catch "fish". ''Which child does Dumbledore want to cultivate after spending so much effort? ''As soon as this thought came up, Rhys had the answer. The Boy Who Lived, the savior of the wizarding world, Gryffindor''s rising star¡ªwho else could be more suitable? Rhys put himself in Dumbledore''s shoes and gradually dispelled the fog obscuring the truth. Dumbledore first made people with ulterior motives believe that he had hidden a treasure in the school, and then designed a bunch of puzzle levels for this treasure - the difficulty was just suitable for first-year wizards. The three-headed dog at the entrance was intended to keep the villains at bay, preventing them from seeing the mechanisms below the trapdoor prematurely, which would ruin Dumbledore''s nurturing game. As for the suspicious villain, it''s most likely Mr. Quirrell. Rhys felt that with his current state and frequency of contact with Quirrell, he could sense something was off. How could Dumbledore, who sat at the same table with Quirrell every day, not notice? Rhys didn''t believe Dumbledore was in the dark. Dumbledore''s next move might be to gradually guide Harry into discovering the item hidden in the school, uncover Quirrell''s plot, and at the crucial moment, allow Quirrell to breach the defenses of the three-headed dog, officially beginning Harry''s trial. Following this line of thought, Daphne came to a conclusion: Professor Dumbledore must have hidden something in the corridor on the fourth floor and placed a three-headed dog to guard it. Her curiosity was piqued. "Is it just the three-headed dog?" "I didn''t really check. I just satisfied my curiosity and then left," Rhys said, a statement that fits perfectly with the image Daphne had of him. "Hey, wait, three-headed dogs are very dangerous magical animals. You--" Daphne remembered something, but she closed her mouth halfway. In her opinion, even if there is a dragon behind the door, a wizard like Rhys can escape unscathed. "It''s this, a ''calming'' potion" Rhys showed her the bottle of desire potion. "Just one breath of this, and even a three-headed dog would fall into a beautiful sleep." Daphne looked at the potion, thoughtful, but too embarrassed to ask directly. "Can... I mean, um, can this potion be used on people?" Rhys looked at her. Daphne quickly added, "My sister often has nightmares at night. If this potion can help her sleep..." Rhys shook his head. "This potion is too strong. It''s hard to control the dosage for humans. If you need, I can make a suitable calming potion for Astoria." "Thank you." Daphne closed her mouth embarrassedly. Her sister indeed had suitable calming potions at home. Daphne, knowing she couldn''t handle a three-headed dog, simply wanted to get her hands on Rhys''s potion. The girl wanted to find out what the three-headed dog was guarding very much. If she knew something Rhys didn''t, he wouldn''t look down on her, right? In future adventures, she surely wouldn''t be left behind! Rhys saw all of Daphne''s expressions clearly. He took a large gulp of pumpkin juice, using the cup to hide his slightly upturned mouth. Now he has an obstacle course for his little student. Dumbledore, thank you, Rhys offered his heartfelt thanks to Dumbledore. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Support Please! Read 10 Advance chapters- 62- Meteor Shower 62- Meteor Shower After mentioning the corridor on the third floor and the three-headed dog inside that day, Rhys never took the initiative to bring up the topic again. Daphne didn''t mention it again either, but she began paying attention to books and materials about three-headed dogs while studying in the library. Hermione was of great help in this regard¡ªthe young girl spent almost all her free time in the library, making her more familiar with it than most graduates. "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, this book definitely has records on three-headed dogs, and Magical Creatures and Plants of the Mediterranean Coast also mentions them¡ªthey are magical creatures native to Greece." "Thank you!" Daphne said with genuine gratitude. "So why are you suddenly interested in looking up information about three-headed dogs?" "My family wants to raise one," Daphne lied as naturally as she breathed. Hermione fell silent. In her understanding as a muggle born, three-headed dogs are the creatures used to guard the gates of hell. But thinking of those Middle Eastern tycoons who kept lions and leopards as pets, she found it understandable.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) The rich among Muggles raise lions, and the rich among wizards raise three-headed dogs. This is reasonable. The young girl wisely refrained from asking if this was against wizarding laws. Watching Hermione, who was sitting at a nearby table with a stack of books, Rhys remarked, "She really is diligent. I feel like the chances of finding her in the Ravenclaw tower are much lower than running into her in the library." This remark seemed to spur Daphne into action, and she stubbornly studied until the library closed. Watching her, Rhys mused that while educational books often suggest using encouragement, occasionally praising a child''s peers can also have a remarkable effect. As he stepped out of the library, a snowflake carried by the cold wind landed on Rhys''s hand. Feeling the chill in his palm, he realized that winter had arrived. With winter came Christmas and the eagerly anticipated Christmas holidays for the young wizards. Rhys was also looking forward to Christmas. Although Christmas is not like the Halloween it''s still a holiday that; what mattered were the festive atmosphere and the break. If Hogwarts celebrated Holi, Eid, or Lunar New Year and gave holidays for them, Rhys would be just as excited for their arrival. The biting cold wind arrived even before the Christmas holidays. Although the castle was filled with roaring fires, the corridors were still cold enough to chill one to the bone. As they chatted, the meteor shower began. Hundreds of stars streaked across the night sky, as if the north wind had blown them down from the heavens. The phrase "stars falling like rain" became a reality in that moment. "It''s said that the origin of magic comes from the stars. A few stone tablets fell with a meteor shower in the Nile region of North Africa, giving ancient Egypt the first wizards in human history. The splendid and prosperous ancient Egyptian civilization was born from this. The night sky truly holds infinite secrets and possibilities," Rhys remarked, deeply moved as he watched the meteor shower, unchanged from a thousand years ago. A thousand years ago, he and his friends had stood there gazing at the night sky, the brilliant starlight reflecting on their faces. Now, returning to the same spot, his friends were nowhere to be found, leaving only the meteors to traverse the cold, empty sky.... "Hmm. Rhys, are you going home for Christmas this year?" Daphne interrupted Rhys''s thoughts. The legend about the origin of magic hadn''t captured her attention. She was more interested in knowing whether Rhys would be going home this year. "No, I''m staying." "Great!" "Hm?" ... A few days later, when Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall began compiling the list of students staying at the school over the holiday, Rhys was surprised to see Daphne''s name on it. "Why aren''t you going home for Christmas?" "Going home means being dragged around by my dad to meet all sorts of random relatives like a puppet. I''d rather stay at school and learn magic. Come on, think of some spells you can teach me over Christmas!" Daphne declared. Rhys had no objections to a student eager to learn. He had an abundance of spells to share. Daphne had already mastered her control over magic and had practiced the most basic offensive and defensive spells to a proficient level. Rhys thought it was time to teach her some potion recipes and let her practice potion-making. After all, she was a Slytherin student; it wouldn''t do for her not to excel at potion-making. ____ Read 10 Chapters Ahead at my Patreon? 63- Christmas Gift 63- Christmas Gift During Christmas, there are fewer students in the school, which makes it much easier to grab the best seats by the fireplace. With his back to the fireplace, Rhys prepared Christmas gifts for the little witches and wizards he had met and gotten to know over the past few months. At Hogwarts, you only need to put the gifts in the common room before going to bed at night, write the name of the recipient on it, and the recipient will receive the gift the next morning. It is much more convenient than the Muggle world. The next morning, when Rhys woke up, he saw a small pile of gifts piled outside the bed curtains. "Gifts, it''s been so long since I''ve received any. Let''s see what we have here," Rhys said, drawing back the bed curtains and sitting on the edge of his bed to open the presents. Gift-giving is an art, and Rhys had put considerable thought into his gifts. First was Lupet. For the first witch he met upon awakening, Rhys prepared a pot of sunflowers. These flowers resembled sunflowers but emitted a faint sunlight after blooming, perfect for nighttime illumination. More importantly, according to legend, sunflowers could lessen the pain werewolves experienced during their transformations on full moon nights. Though Lupet no longer had to bear this curse, having a pot of these flowers in her room would certainly lift her spirits. Of course, Daphne was also on his list. He prepared a pure silver necklace for her. The pendant was shaped like a snake, coiled into the shape of the letter "G," representing the Greengrass family name, with two emeralds set into the snake''s eyes. While wearing a pure silver necklace might seem beneath the status of a Greengrass, the necklace Rhys gave was no ordinary piece of jewelry. It contained three carefully prepared spells for Daphne: two could be triggered multiple times and one, a passive spell, could be used only once. The actively triggered spells on the necklace could cast an attack or deploy a defensive barrier once a day. The passive spell was more sophisticated; when triggered, it would create a shield that absorbed and reflected spells back to the attacker. However, due to the necklace''s ordinary material, even one use of this high-level spell would cause the necklace to break apart, and Rhys would be notified. This necklace was an alchemical tool Rhys prepared for Daphne, ensuring she wouldn''t meet an untimely end while growing up. This kind of thoughtful gift was a tradition dating back to the founding of Hogwarts, with the other founders occasionally giving similar gifts to their favored students. For Hermione, Rhys compiled his notes and reflections from the past few months into a booklet and gave it to her. He believed the studious young witch would appreciate it and hoped she would gain some insights from it. Rhys also prepared gifts for other familiar young wizards like Neville, even though they didn''t interact much. The goal was to be thorough and considerate. Christmas morning was the time for opening presents. Gryffindor had the most students staying over the holidays, with Harry, Ron, and three of Ron''s brothers all present. After the meal, Rhys found a sheltered corner on the first-floor corridor, watching Harry and the others having a snowball fight in the courtyard. He couldn''t help but laugh when he saw Ron''s twin brothers charming snowballs to chase after Professor Quirrell. ''Quirrell, this is what you deserve. People with ulterior motives deserve this fate, being a professor at Hogwarts and not taking the teaching job seriously!!'' He made a fist-sized solid snowball with the snow by the window, and then controlled it to hit Quirrell''s turban hard, making him stagger. "Ah! Oh, c-children playing s-snow b-ball, g-good good!" "Great shot!" cheers echoed from the courtyard, and Rhys laughed gleefully. ''Consider this a bit of interest, Quirrell.'' Rhys had no mercy for someone harboring ill intentions towards Hogwarts. He hadn''t taken more direct action yet, primarily out of consideration for Dumbledore''s developmental plan. He thought this kind of teaching project was excellent and believed his own student should participate¡ªconsider it a cross-house collaboration between Gryffindor and Slytherin. While Rhys amused himself with Quirrell, Daphne seemed troubled. He had given her such a valuable necklace, and she had been continuously accepting his gifts and kindness without reciprocating. This imbalance didn''t sit well with her. Feeling increasingly compelled to help Rhys, she finally couldn''t hold back and asked, "Rhys, is there something I can help you with?" ______ End of Chapter! ______ You can read 10 Chapters ahead of SH at my Patreon? 64- Daphne was implicated 64- Daphne was implicated "Hmm?" Rhys withdrew his gaze from the playground and looked at Daphne. The little witch was wearing a thick winter cloak, a silver-green scarf around her neck, her face flushed, and a complex look flashing in her eyes, as if she owed him a lot of favors and a lot of money. "I mean, we are friends, right? But I feel like I have been asking for benefits from you unilaterally, whether it''s magic, medicine for my sister, or that necklace - I-I''m wondering what I can do to help you?"Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com Rhys laughed dumbly. Does he need help? Indeed. He wanted to dispel the pollution attached to Rowena Ravenclaw''s soul, he wanted to know the whereabouts of Godric Gryffindor and Helga Hufflepuff, he wanted to suppress those dark creatures, let Hogwarts and the wizarding world survive well, he wanted to reverse the reputation of the Slytherin House... He wanted to do too many things, but how could a young witch like Daphne, who had just entered school, help with these things? "Helping me with my homework assignments is enough." After thinking about it, he felt that this was the most reliable favor. As for Daphne''s thoughts, he also roughly understood that the child was well-educated, even though sometimes childish - as a child should be - she had a sense of shame, and knew how to repay a favor, which was a good thing. However, the necklace was a gift from him as a teacher and friend, and Astoria''s medical materials were bought from him by her father with real money. He taught her magic just because he couldn''t bear to waste her talent - her family background also played a very large role. Rhys had a natural affinity for hardworking and diligent students, but he wasn''t as invested in Hermione as he was in Daphne. This was something deeply ingrained in him; he found it difficult to completely trust Muggle-born witches and wizards, though he wouldn''t go as far as the pure-blood families with their obsessive discrimination. Moreover, when Daphne completed her studies, she was expected to contribute to Hogwarts, Slytherin, and the magical world at large. Magic wasn''t learned without purpose. Listening to Rhys, Daphne rolled her eyes. "I''m already helping you by writing your papers! Do you think those History of Magic and Defense Against the Dark Arts essays grow on trees? Pick something else." Daphne''s words sparked a twinge of guilt in Rhys. How old was he, making a young girl write his assignments? But writing those pointless things was a waste of life! "Daphne, for subjects like this... next time, have someone else write your papers too. You''re different from them; don''t waste your time on these useless assignments," Rhys decided. Assignments were important, but not every subject held equal weight. She was stunned by the sudden turn of events. The next moment, she had no time to stand there in shock, as she heard the chaotic sounds of footsteps coming from both sides of the corridor. The castle caretaker and the night-watch professors! The blood drained from Daphne''s face. She regretted deeply that in the three months of learning magic from Rhys, she hadn''t learned his Disillusionment Charm. With no way out and both ends blocked, Daphne had no choice but to enter the library, hoping to find a hiding spot inside. She had barely taken a few steps after opening the door when she collided with something. Daphne: ??? Suddenly, Harry''s head appeared out of thin air. Before Daphne could scream, his entire body materialized. "Shh!" Harry gestured for silence and then threw a very strange-feeling cloak over her. Daphne felt like her brain had shut down, but Harry didn''t have time to explain. He mustered unprecedented strength, practically dragging Daphne as they ran. At the library entrance, they brushed past Filch, whose furious pale eyes looked straight through their bodies. Harry and Daphne carefully evaded the enraged Filch and ran down the corridor like headless chickens. Harry''s peripheral vision caught a glimpse of Snape''s shadow, spurring him to run even faster. After a wild dash, the two finally skidded to a halt in front of a locked door at the end of the corridor, gasping for breath. "Harry... Potter... what are you up to?!" Daphne, having caught her breath, almost shouted in a mix of shock and anger. "Uh... I opened a book in the library and then..." Daphne''s eyes went black. "Why on earth were you messing around with books in the Restricted Section?" "Curiosity." Daphne: "..." She felt a throbbing pain in her temples. ____ Read 10 Chapters ahead at my Patreon? 65- Harry is led by the boss 65- Harry is led by the boss "Books in the restricted area need the professor''s written permission to be opened, otherwise it will trigger the alarm. I thought it was common sense." Daphne said faintly. Harry was silent. Is this really common sense? Why has no one ever told me? Then Harry thought about which classmates he often played with, and he was relieved.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com Whether it was Ron, Seamus, Fred, or George, they didn''t have the habit of hanging out in the library, so it was normal that they didn''t know some common sense about the library. Daphne sighed. She was really tricked by Harry. She actually broke a sweat in winter. At this time, a low conversation came from a distance. "Professor, I''m sure someone broke into the restricted area of ??the library just now." "I know, but it doesn''t matter." Damn, Filch is chasing him! And judging from the sound, Snape is also with him! Harry and Daphne''s faces changed at the same time. Harry subconsciously turned his head and looked at the door and the lock on the door. An idea appeared in his mind. "Alaho--" Daphne was quick to press down his wand. "Is your head for a decoration?" Daphne felt that she was about to faint from the idiot beside her. Not to mention whether there would be danger behind the door, what would you do with the door lock after you went in? Filch and Snape would have to be blind to avoid the click sound or the unlocked lock. "Is your invisibility cloak pay-per-use? Put it on!" She quickly picked up Harry''s invisibility cloak from the ground, and the two of them wrapped the cloak around themselves. Less than ten seconds after the two put on the cloak, Filch and Professor Snape appeared together. Filch ran to the locked door in two steps, and said to Snape loudly as if to take credit: "The door lock is intact, professor, don''t worry!" Daphne put her wand against the keyhole, and a stream of magic flowed out. The lock tongue made a crisp sound and the lock was opened. The door slowly opened, and the three-headed dog behind the door was instantly alert. Its three big noses twitched quickly, and its six small eyes rolled around, looking at the position where Harry and Daphne were standing. It felt that someone was standing outside the door, but it could not see the existence of this person. For the first time in its life, the three-headed dog was so confused. In the end, it remembered the owner''s instructions and decided to stay put and never leave this place. Of course, if the smell came close to here, it would attack without hesitation, even if there seemed to be nothing there. Harry was stunned by the scene in front of him: the three-headed big dog filled all the space from the ceiling to the floor, and the saliva was like a sticky rope, hanging from the yellowed dog teeth and dripping on the ground. Its six eyes stared straight in the direction where they were standing, and its eyes almost pierced their chests. Harry now even wanted to kneel down to Daphne - she really saved his life. Daphne gently closed the wooden door and locked it again. During this time, the three-headed dog did not move. For the three-headed dog, the strange guy outside the door leaving tactfully was the best choice. It did not want to cause trouble. It just wanted to complete the task left by its master. "Now you know what''s inside, right?" Daphne looked at Harry with great pride. The shocked look on his face made her very happy. More importantly, she had just observed that the three-headed dog was standing on a trapdoor. Obviously, the secret that Rhys wanted her to investigate was under the trapdoor. "So why did Dumbledore keep such a thing in the school?!" After Harry came to his senses, he could not help but confide in the only intelligent creature around. Daphne was silent for a moment, and could not suppress the desire to complain in her heart: "Didn''t you see what it was standing on? It was standing on a trapdoor. It was obviously guarding something." She was sure that Harry''s head was a decoration, and his eyes were also decorations! After hanging out with Rhys for a long time, Daphne was no longer able to adapt to the stupidity of other little wizards. "Guarding something... Oh!" Harry''s eyebrows twitched suddenly. His expression change did not escape Daphne''s eyes, and she immediately smelled the clue. "You know what is hidden in there, right?" She asked, staring into Harry''s eyes. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 10 Advance Chapters at my Patreon! 66- Sorry Snape! 66- Sorry Snape! "I..." Harry hesitated. His expression almost showed that he knew what he was saying. "Please tell me, I really want to know what''s hidden underneath!" Daphne almost couldn''t wait to ask her question. It''s a rare opportunity to get the answer to the puzzle without forcing through the three-headed dog! But Harry didn''t answer her right away. Daphne''s behavior puzzled him: "Why do you want to know what Dumbledore has hidden in the castle?" "Because I''m curious too!" Daphne tried to act like a curious baby. But Harry still felt suspicious. Daphne''s various actions were really suspicious. Coupled with her identity as a Slytherin and her performance in the first flying class at the beginning of the school year, Harry thought he couldn''t tell her what he knew - before figuring out her motives. "Did you know that there was a -" "Three-headed dog." "Yes, a three-headed dog." Harry was also carefully studying Daphne''s face, hoping to see a clue from her face. "I actually had a similar experience before, and by chance I knew what was locked inside." "Ah?" Harry was stunned. "Well, it''s not a coincidence that you can meet me tonight. I often sneak out of the common room at night to wander around." She paused and added: "Night walks are not the patent of Gryffindor." Daphne''s words eliminated the gap between Harry and her, and she gained Harry''s trust. "Is that so, but I don''t know what''s in it. I only know that it is a small package that was previously in Gringotts and was moved out by Hagrid on the same day Gringotts was invaded!" Daphne had some impression of this news. The invasion of Gringotts was widely circulated among pure-blood families, which brought Gringotts a lot of trouble. Many pure-blood wizards chose to extract the treasures in their vaults. Although Gringotts kept announcing that nothing was stolen from them, there was still a crack in the trust between the two sides. Although, Harry also provided her with a very useful clue. ''My descendants used my potion ingredients, which means that they didn''t treat me as an outsider. So why should I be polite to those who inherited my potion storage room?'' Rhys figured it out. So during dinner time, Daphne noticed that Rhys had a faint smile on his face. "Rhys, you seem to be in a good mood." "That''s natural. I''m proud of the heirs of Slytherin House. They have kept the fine traditions of the house very well." After opening Snape''s potion storage room, Rhys was sure that Snape had inherited at least part of his spirit. The raw materials for potions there were all amazing. Except for those that require specific dark creatures, other potion materials can easily be found there! Snape''s efforts for this moved Rhys. So he took some of each to show his respect. Interestingly, Rhys found that Snape was using the potion storage room he left behind, but it seemed that he didn''t know the various anti-theft mechanisms inside. The kind-hearted Rhys opened a few less damaging mechanisms before leaving, so that Snape would understand that there were still many secrets in this storage room that he had not discovered. Daphne was confused by Rhys''s incoherent words. She scratched her head and took herself a piece of beef kidney pie. She also gained a lot today. Harry was good at getting Hagrid to talk, and Hagrid accidentally revealed part of the truth - the item was related to Nicolas Flamel. This name was unfamiliar to Harry, but it was a household name for Daphne. Nicolas Flamel, the owner of the Philosopher''s Stone! Now she knew what was hidden under the trapdoor. Both of them were in a good mood. No one noticed that Snape was absent from today''s dinner. However, when the young wizards of Hogwarts and other professors who stayed in school saw him the next day, they were all shocked by the murderous intent on his face. "Severus, you seem to be in a bad mood?" After a moment of hesitation, Professor McGonagall took the initiative to ask about Snape''s condition. Click! The fork in Snape''s hand was broken by him. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 10 Chapters ahead on my Patreon? 67- A Gryffindor Did It!! 67- A Gryffindor Did It!! Theft! And leaving traps in the storage room while at it!!! Snape swore that if he could catch the potion thief, he would hang them by their limbs from the ceiling of the Potions classroom. He had already narrowed down the suspects to a certain group¡ªthose mischievous Gryffindors! Snape, a master in Potions, could deduce the thief''s intentions based on the missing ingredients. For instance, if African tree snake skin were missing, the culprit was likely trying to brew Polyjuice Potion. However, this time, a bit of every ingredient was missing! According to his calculations, each type of ingredient was reduced by roughly the same proportion¡ªabout a third. Clearly, the thief wasn''t stealing to brew a specific potion. This was a blatant act of provocation! Someone had leisurely removed a third of every ingredient from his storeroom, as if treating it like their own kitchen. Snape considered his reputation within the school. He was quite unfriendly, scary, and gloomy¡ª*ehm* the fact remains that every student is somewhat afraid of him. So this act required extraordinary nerve, boldness, and foolishness, traits synonymous with Gryffindor students. And only those Gryffindors, with their uncontainable energy and troll-like mind, could pull off such a daring prank. Moreover, this wasn''t just any Gryffindor¡ªit had to be those troublemakers... "Ug.. wow, I suddenly felt cold.." "Yeah, me too.." Fred and George Weasley, feeling a sudden and inexplicable chill, shivered as they sensed a wave of malicious intent directed their way. After Snape suppressed his anger and shared his experience with Professor McGonagall, she was taken aback. "Every single potion ingredient was stolen by exactly one-third?" "Yes, indeed. From unicorn stomach stones to ordinary ox bezoars, every item is precisely one-third gone, and now I wonder who might be the culprit?" Snape responded, a cold smile playing on his lips. Professor McGonagall was at a loss for words. Just hearing the description of the problem, she knew this had to be the work of someone from Gryffindor! The sheer brazenness of the act suggested an utter disregard for Severus Snape''s authority¡ªas if the thief were raiding their own mother''s refrigerator. "By the way, Professor Minerva McGonagall, do you have any ideas?" Snape inquired icily. Snape agreed with her on this point. He had already contacted several potion shop owners he was acquainted with. If those rare potion ingredients appeared on the market, he would make sure the culprit spent some time in Azkaban. The potion shop owners had to give him some respect; after all, Severus Snape was a master potion maker, capable of creating highly complex potions, and had a favorable position in the society of the pureblood families as the head of the Slytherin House which had their children. "Cheer up, look on the bright side, you still have two-thirds left," McGonagall said, her posture straightening with newfound confidence now that her students were cleared of suspicion. She even felt bold enough to tease Snape a little. Snape''s face darkened so much it was almost as if he had been cheated by his wife¡ªnot that he had one. Late at night, as Snape meticulously organized and counted his remaining collection in a mood of bitter resentment, he suddenly noticed a very shallow snake-shaped relief at the bottom of a shelf he had never paid attention to before. ''Was this always here?'' Snape thought back but found no memory of such a detail. He had never bothered to examine the bottom of his storage shelves¡ªwho would? He gently stroked the small snake relief, and something magical happened: his storage shelf "grew" an additional layer. Snape, having taken precautions, cautiously opened the newly appeared drawer at the very bottom. Inside, he found several small boxes, their surfaces shiny and new, as if they had just been placed there yesterday. He opened the boxes, each containing seeds. The inside of the lids was inscribed in Latin, detailing the names and uses of the seeds. Snape''s breath grew heavy. It seemed like he was having an orgasm. The boxes contained seeds of extremely rare or long-extinct magical plants! This was very likely a treasure trove left from the era of Salazar Slytherin! Suddenly, Snape wasn''t as distressed about the stolen potion ingredients. In the Slytherin first-year dormitory, Rhys was happily inventorying his "harvest" in the empty room. "Mutual exchange fosters mutual progress!" he thought with a smile. "Look at these African tree snake skins, sitting idle in your cabinet. Better for me to put them to use. And my seeds, they''re of little use to me, but they might be invaluable to you." As for certain mechanisms in the school, Rhys thought it might be beneficial to remove the "Parseltongue required" restrictions, making them accessible to everyone. For the two Potions Masters of Slytherin, today had been a day of great gain! ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Join my Patreon to read 10 chapters ahead of all sites! 68- An Unprecedented Invisibility Cloak 68- An Unprecedented Invisibility Cloak The potions master after finding out about Slytherin''s cupboards was very pleased. But there were two joys in one morning: As Daphne was also very happy while she reported her findings to Rhys. "The Philosopher''s Stone?! Are you sure?" Rhys was extremely shocked to learn that Dumbledore was going to hide such a stone in the last empty room after all the hurdles. The Philosopher''s Stone, or the Sorcerer''s Stone, represents the pinnacle of alchemy¡ªwithout a doubt. This was a technique that none of the four founders had mastered in their time. Any alchemist who managed to create the Philosopher''s Stone would instantly be regarded as the greatest alchemist of their era, regardless of any other accomplishments.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com It is the brightest gem on the crown of alchemy. Many alchemists claimed they could make the Stone, but Nicolas Flamel was the only one who had actually proven he could do it. Rhys had considered searching for Nicolas Flamel when he had the time, but he abandoned the idea after learning that Flamel had long since retired. Finding a wizard who had decided to live in seclusion was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Knowing that the treasure Dumbledore was hiding with himself and was going to place in that last level of his game was the Philosopher''s Stone made Rhys admit that he was tempted. He desperately wanted to get his hands on the legendary Stone to study it. Perhaps I can reverse-engineer the method to create it? Rhys wasn''t just boasting; he genuinely believed in his ability. If he could get his hands on a real Philosopher''s Stone, he was certain he could uncover some significant results. "That''s the Philosopher''s Stone, granting eternal life," Daphne said, her eyes filled with longing. If she could get a Philosopher''s Stone, her sister''s illness could be cured. The Philosopher''s Stone could turn any metal into gold and produce the Elixir of Life, making the drinker immortal. However, to Daphne, the former seemed almost like a joke. Gold? Do I really need that? Her only priority was her sister. "Immortality isn''t necessarily a good thing. It only ensures you won''t die; it doesn''t guarantee anything else," Rhys said calmly. To him, the Stone''s two abilities were quite mundane. He wasn''t lacking in gold and could achieve immortality by other means. The Stone held value only for research. Rhys had a gut feeling that immortality might not be a blessing. It didn''t promise eternal youth, did it? That thought alone was terrifying. Asking for an Invisibility Cloak would make it obvious that she intended to sneak out at night, something her father would never allow. It was better to learn the Disillusionment Charm; it was more practical than an Invisibility Cloak. Standing still, Rhys, who was feeling a bit sleepy, suddenly squinted his eyes. Although he couldn''t see anything, he could still sense the presence of people nearby. For those who are sensitive to magic, the effectiveness of an Invisibility Cloak is limited. However, with the evolution of modern magical education, such individuals had become increasingly rare. Rhys concentrated his magic in his eyes and looked towards the source of the disturbance. Two clusters of magic appeared in his vision, and a whispered conversation reached the ears of both him and Daphne. "Do you think that Greengrass will be like Malfoy? Agreeing on the surface but secretly snitching to Filch..." Ron''s voice made Daphne clench her fists. "Daphne isn''t like that," Harry whispered in her defense. He simply believed that anyone who disliked Malfoy couldn''t be a bad person. At that moment, Rhys lifted the Disillusionment Charm from himself and Daphne, startling Harry and Ron with their sudden appearance. "Rhys, what are you doing here?" Harry asked, surprised as he pulled off the Invisibility Cloak. He had only invited Daphne, after all. "I caught her daydreaming outside the common room," Rhys replied casually, using an excuse to brush off the question. Daphne raised her fist at Ron, "Weasley, how dare you compare me to Malfoy?!" Ron gave a sheepish smile, realizing he was caught talking behind someone''s back. Quickly changing the subject, Ron asked Rhys, "Was that the Disillusionment Charm you used just now?" "Not quite," Rhys replied, "I took a shortcut, borrowing an alchemical tool." He didn''t want to reveal too much in front of the other little wizards. After some casual conversation, Rhys, seemingly offhandedly, expressed his interest in seeing Harry''s Invisibility Cloak. It was a reasonable request, and Harry handed over the cloak without hesitation. The moment Rhys touched the Invisibility Cloak, he could sense its extraordinary nature. _____________ Read 12 Chapters Ahead at my Patreon? 69- Ravenclaw’s Dressing Mirror 69- Ravenclaw¡¯s Dressing Mirror The cloak looked like shimmering silver in his hand, truly feeling as if he were holding a handful of water. This material reminded Rhys of the robes worn by those pseudo-gods in the Nordic regions¡ªrobes with a similar texture. However, it wasn''t the material that amazed Rhys the most; it was the enchantment imbued within the cloak. It wasn''t enchanted with something as "ordinary" as a Disillusionment Charm, but rather a complex set of spells that even Rhys found somewhat challenging to decipher. What puzzled Rhys was that this intricate combination of spells ultimately only achieved an invisibility effect, and one that he could see through. It was like assembling a top-tier computer only to use it for playing poker. At first glance, the Invisibility Cloak seemed unimpressive. To uncover its secrets, Rhys would need to study it over a longer period, but he wasn''t close enough to Harry to make such a request. Trying it on, however, was still an option. With Harry''s permission, Rhys draped the cloak over himself. Yet, even with the cloak on, Rhys didn''t discover anything extraordinary about it; it seemed no different from a regular Invisibility Cloak, except perhaps more comfortable to wear. Using rare materials and complex magic to create a mere piece of art? Rhys felt there was something off about it. Now wasn''t the time to delve into the mystery. Delaying any longer might make Harry think he was running off with the cloak. Rhys took off the Invisibility Cloak and handed it back to Harry. "It''s different from any other Invisibility Cloak I''ve seen before." Harry smiled, "Indeed, Ron also said it was quite unusual." Ordinary Invisibility Cloaks typically lose their effectiveness within months to a few years, but Harry''s cloak, said to be his father''s relic, had lasted at least eleven years. Perhaps its extraordinarily long-lasting enchantment was one of its special attributes, Rhys mused, while also planning to look up information on Harry''s father. After some casual conversation, the unusual combination of two Gryffindors and two Slytherins began their exploration of the castle. "Come on, let''s squeeze in; the cloak is quite big," Harry said, spreading the cloak and motioning for them to join. To be honest, the cloak clearly couldn''t accommodate four people comfortably, even if they were first-year students. Daphne tried to control her expression but couldn''t hide her disdain. She didn''t want to squeeze under the same cloak with those two. The airtight cloak would block air circulation, meaning she''d be breathing in their exhaled air. The thought of their warm breaths on her neck gave Daphne goosebumps. Harry felt a bit awkward, unsure of what to do. He couldn''t exactly kick Ron out from under the cloak, could he? It wasn''t difficult. They brought Harry to the place where he had encountered Filch and then analyzed his escape route, prioritizing the locations with abandoned classrooms. When they opened the door and saw the mirror inside, Rhys froze. He felt an extremely familiar sensation emanating from it. Unable to resist, he walked up to the mirror and placed his hand on it. Memories flooded back like a tidal wave.... ... A carriage ambled along the road, the four occupants reclining in the most comfortable positions they could find. "Is there a way to see how clothes would look on us without actually wearing them?" Rowena suddenly posed this question. The other three people in the carriage were speechless. "How troublesome can wearing clothes be?" Godric frowned. Why was Rowena always thinking of ways to be lazy? First, she invented a spell to make the carriage drive itself, then she came up with the idea of capturing candlelight in containers to automatically illuminate at night. "Some formal attire is really complicated to put on!" Rowena explained. "You could make a magic mirror. The mirror could read your thoughts and then display them on its surface," Salazar Slytherin suggested. "That way, you could imagine the outfit in your mind, and the mirror would show how you look after wearing it." "Great idea! I''ll make such a mirror right away." When Rowena Ravenclaw showed the framework of her mirror, even her friend Helga Hufflepuff couldn''t help but tease her for having a few screws loose. They had thought that Ravenclaw would just make a simple vanity mirror, but she ended up crafting a massive copper plate that could reflect a full body, and then polished it into a giant mirror. "Polishing it myself saves money!" she said, confidently. However, Ravenclaw''s magic mirror didn''t achieve the effect she had envisioned.... _____ Read 10 Chs ahead of everyone at 70- Effortless 70- Effortless Looking at the new clothes she had just bought and put on, Rowena Ravenclaw frowned deeply. "This outfit doesn''t look as good as I imagined..." she murmured, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She fell into deep thought. When she used the magic mirror to simulate it earlier, it looked great. So why did it look so awful now that she was actually wearing it? Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin came over and both agreed that the outfit didn''t suit her. Rowena rubbed her chin with her fingers, contemplating for a moment, and then asked Godric and Salazar to try the mirror. The two stood in front of the mirror, and mysterious smiles appeared on their faces. "What are you two thinking?" she asked. "Hey, this armor looks really cool," Godric replied. Rowena: "..." Salazar didn''t say anything, but his expression indicated that he saw something similar to what Godric did¡ªpleasing and satisfying scenes. After seriously pondering the issue, Rowena figured it out: the mirror reflected what they wished to see in their minds, but the images in their brains were automatically beautified. This led to a huge discrepancy between reality and imagination. Her magic had a flaw; the mirror couldn''t achieve the effect she desired. However, Rowena couldn''t help but suspect that these two guys had discovered an additional use for the mirror. She couldn''t believe that just trying on clothes could make them this happy. After a thorough interrogation, Rowena was astonished to find that the mirror could simulate not only scenes of oneself wearing clothes but also other visions. For instance, by imagining it, she could see herself surrounded by a pile of magical scrolls in the mirror. Magic worked in mysterious ways. By a stroke of luck, Rowena had designed a mirror with a more wonderful function than intended. Following this line of thought, Rowena modified the mirror repeatedly, eventually making it capable of reflecting the deepest desires of one''s heart. She even added a rather formidable anti-theft curse on it. ... "Hey, Rhys, are you okay?" Daphne and Harry''s soft calls and a few pats on Rhys''s shoulder broke his reverie. "I just spaced out for a moment," Rhys quickly regained his composure. The mirror had stirred up many memories, and he had made a small mistake just now, inadvertently falling for the curse Rowena had left on it. Fortunately, it wasn''t a big problem. If he were alone, he would certainly applaud Dumbledore for the cleverness of this final protective measure. He quietly joined the queue with Harry and the others, waiting his turn to look into the mirror. When his turn came, Rhys took a deep breath and cleared his mind. He knew the operation he was about to attempt would be challenging, as it involved trying to deceive the enchantment left by Rowena. The scene in the mirror shifted rapidly, twisting and changing. After five or six seconds, the image stabilized, revealing Rhys''s reflection. In the mirror, Rhys was standing next to a table laden with various desserts. Seeing this scene, Rhys smiled contentedly; he had successfully concealed his true desire. Then, he began to fabricate his inner thoughts based on the characteristics of the newly added enchantment on the mirror. ''I am a pure person.'' ''I have no extraneous desires.'' ''I want the Philosopher''s Stone, but I do not wish to use it.'' The image in the mirror gradually changed. The table laden with desserts faded away, leaving only Rhys. At this moment, the magic mirror seemed to lose its power, appearing no different from an ordinary dressing mirror. Suddenly, the Rhys in the mirror moved. It was a rather eerie sight, but Rhys felt nothing but joy. The Rhys in the mirror reached into his pocket, took out a bright red stone, then blinked and put the stone back into his pocket. At that very moment, Rhys felt a heavy object fall into the inner pocket of his robe. The pinnacle of alchemical achievement now lay quietly in his pocket. He gently rubbed his fingers over the stone. After a moment, the Rhys in the mirror reached into his pocket again and took out the Philosopher''s Stone. Rhys''s pocket felt lighter and the Philosopher''s Stone was put back in place by him. ________ Read 10 Advance chapters at my Patreon? 71- War Potion: Polyjuice Potion 71- War Potion: Polyjuice Potion After Rhys took the Philosopher''s Stone out of the mirror and put it back, he gave up his ''seat'' and walked aside obediently, no longer joining the queue. Although Harry behind him felt a little strange, he immediately threw away this emotion and stared at the mirror intently when he thought that he could see his family again soon. Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, Rhys took out a small crystal bottle and shook off the red dust in the cracks of his nails into the crystal bottle. He even had time to use a spell to clean every nail. Now is not a good time to move the Philosopher''s Stone. ''After all, the gun that appeared on the wall in the first act of the play must be fired in the third act.'' Adhering to this concept, Rhys believed that this mirror would definitely be moved to the secret space under the corridor on the third floor to serve as the last level of the level-breaking game. That means Dumbledore will definitely touch this mirror again, so it would be unwise to take the Philosopher''s Stone in the mirror. How big of a heart does Dumbledore have to have to send it into the secret space without even looking at it? It is impossible for this headmaster who was born in Gryffindor to inherit Gryffindor''s thick nerves, right? It''s not as long as a thousand years for the intergenerational inheritance! ''So I can take some "samples" to study first, and it won''t be too late to take it away in the future.'' ''It''s a coincidence that Dumbledore chose to put it in Rowena''s mirror. No matter where it is moved, I can find it.'' .... [So why do we learn this spell] [In case someone steals this mirror one day, we can take it back] [Heh, look! I''m ''convinced'' by you - does anyone really dare to steal your things?] ..... After doing these things, Rhys was idle again. Harry and the other three were diligent, taking turns to look at the picture in the mirror, and there was no intention of stopping. When they all finally walked out of the room where the mirror was placed, the faint sunlight could be seen on the horizon. "So what did you see in the mirror?" Even after staying up all night, Harry still looked energetic. "I saw myself grow up a little, become the Head Boy of Hogwarts, and hold the house cup and the Quidditch cup in my hands." Ron was excited when he talked about himself in the mirror. He can find two fireplaces in private to connect them together. If he wants to do it more secretly, Rhys can even imitate the Floo Network to build a network himself, but it takes more energy. The Floo Network invented by wizards also opened Rhys''s eyes. Space magic is a very advanced spell, but the Floo Network has popularized this advanced magic. Even the most crappy wizards can use the teleportation magic easily with the help of the Floo Network. This is the progress of the times. Rhys chose the fireplace in an empty dormitory. Because no one lives there, the fireplace has been abandoned, but you only need to light the fire to connect to a fireplace in the secret room and achieve teleportation. After sprinkling a handful of homemade Floo powder into the fire, Rhys and Daphne were teleported to the secret room one after another. "Today I plan to let you get in touch with something different." After Daphne stood firm, Rhys revealed his teaching plan for the day. He felt that while teaching her spells, he should also try to cultivate her ability to make medicine. It happened that the kind-hearted ''little'' wizard Severus Snape donated some raw materials for the potion, so he could start his own plan. "Have you heard of the potion called Polyjuice Potion?" Daphne nodded. She had heard of this magical potion that could turn a person into another person. "Tell me briefly." Daphne told Rhys about her understanding of Polyjuice Potion. After listening, Rhys nodded. Daphne was right in general, and there was nothing wrong with it. "Do you know what the Polyjuice Potion was used for when it was first invented?" "To change into someone else''s appearance?" Rhys smacked his lips. "The Polyjuice Potion is a potion created for war. It is (or should I say was?) used very frequently in wars. The Shredded Boomslang skin is so hard to find now because this potion has been used too much." ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 12 Advance Chapters- 72- Wizards Have No Faith 72- Wizards Have No Faith In Rhys''s time, African tree snake skin was not as hard to find as it is now, and wizards circulated some spells and potions to break this potion privately. But in modern times, African tree snake skin can only be found in the storage cabinet of the potion master, and the potion to break the spell and restrain the polyjuice potion has been completely lost. Why is this? Because the use of polyjuice potion was too frequent before, and the main ingredient African tree snake was almost extinct. After the main ingredient was difficult to obtain, the frequency of use of polyjuice potion was forced to decrease. Over time, the means to counter polyjuice potion were also lost. "I understand, wizards in the past would use polyjuice potion to pretend to be characters from hostile forces, and then sneak in to steal intelligence?" Seeing that Rhys called the polyjuice potion a war potion, Daphne felt that she had grasped the key point of the problem at once, and hurriedly spoke up in an attempt to get Rhys'' praise. Unfortunately, she was wrong, and Rhys shook his head. "This situation is relatively rare." If you want to pretend to be someone else through the Polyjuice Potion, you need to know that person very well, otherwise you may be exposed as soon as you open your mouth. For example, someone pretended to be Rhys, and when Daphne pushed the door in, she found that "Rhys" was writing a paper on the history of magic. Wouldn''t this expose the other party instantly? "The sole purpose of the Polyjuice Potion was to mimic another person - initially, pharmacists wanted to achieve more than just becoming another person''s appearance, but also to imitate the magic that the person is good at." "How can such a potion be made?!" Daphne exclaimed. If there is such a potion, wouldn''t it be better to directly batch-copy the strongest wizards on your side before the war? She even had dozens of Dumbledores fighting side by side in her mind. Rhys''s mouth curled up. He really knows a potion formula that can simulate the spell that another person is good at. Rhys'' words made her half-believe and half-doubtful. She was a little hesitant. Should she ask her father to get some letters from ancient wizards? The next pharmaceutical process was boring - before starting to make the polyjuice potion, a lot of repetitive preparations were required. Daphne was doing these tasks with her hands, and she kept chatting with Rhys. "Will you stay in Hogwarts until graduation in the future?" "Probably? I haven''t thought it through yet, but I can go out and find a job after the fifth year." "It''s not easy to find a job with only an OWL certificate - but I can ask my father to give you a letter of introduction, which will be much easier." "Then I really thank you." "So.. The big snake in Slytherin''s memory before, was it a god? That kind of creature is almost beyond the limit of human imagination." Hearing Daphne''s question, Rhys frowned. "I guess so. According to the Muggle standards, that big snake can indeed be called a god." "It''s amazing. I didn''t expect those legendary gods to actually exist!" Daphne''s fascination for that era was almost written on her face. "That''s not bad," Rhys said with a nonchalant look, "There have never been any gods in the world. Gods are just stronger people or creatures." Wizards have no faith, or their faith is themselves. Muggles will shout "God" when they are in danger and extremely shocked, but wizards never do that. If they are forced to choose a name, wizards choose Merlin, the name of a legendary magician. Rhys'' words would sound very rebellious in the ears of a little wizard from a Muggle family, but they sound like common sense in the ears of a little witch from a noble house like Daphne, because real witches and wizards will not have faith in gods, only respect for the legend Merlin and a strong believe in themselves. Listening to Rhys'' words, Daphne nodded. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 12 Advance Chapters- 73- We personally opened the prelude to Ragnarok 73- We personally opened the prelude to Ragnarok "Indeed." Daphne agreed with Rhys'' words from the bottom of her heart. "Such a big snake," she rubbed her hands, shook off the powder of the two-horned beast''s horn on her hands, and began to imagine: "There must be a lot of meat on its body, right?" "Huh?" Daphne''s thoughts were so jumpy that Rhys couldn''t even react to what she was saying. "I mean, in my memory, its head alone was as big as a small island. If such a snake is slaughtered, the meat after slaughtering is probably enough for the entire British wizarding world to eat for a year." Rhys subconsciously calculated that if there were 10,000 wizards in the entire British wizarding world, and each person ate one pound of snake meat every day, it would only be more than 3 million pounds a year, but only 3,600 tons. Little-known fact is that a blue whale can produce 50 tons of meat and 25 tons of oil, and it is only a little guy with a body length of more than 30 meters, not even as big as Jo?rmungandr''s head. Daphne''s estimate is conservative. If the meat from that snake is really taken out, it will be enough for wizards all over the world to eat for several years. Rhys: "!" Wait, why did I start calculating this ridiculous thing seriously? That thing is really not edible for humans! "Forget it, its meat must be very old. Even a siege crossbow can hardly pierce its skin, and the meat underneath is harder than stone." "Yes, but it must be valuable for potion research, right? The various parts of the snake must be valuable for research - didn''t Slytherin take something from it after the battle?" "That''s right." Rhys looked at Daphne with a "teachable" look. After the battle, he did take away Jo?rmungandr''s brain nerves and used it as the core to make a very powerful wand. That wand inherited Jo?rmungandr''s magic power and its brutality. Even Slytherin at that time was unwilling to keep it by his side, otherwise he would be affected and his brain would be distorted by the wand sooner or later. The other old friends were similar. They all gained some benefits from those false gods and used their bodies to make extremely powerful magic props. The four people used the blood and flesh of the false gods to prove that the so-called gods are just a stronger species. "It was essentially a duel on a larger scale." Rhys told Daphne about some past events that happened a thousand years ago as if he was talking about something insignificant. Daphne nodded blankly. Born in a wizard family, she didn''t have so many filters for "God". She was not surprised by the feats of the four founders. From her perspective, it felt like a wild boar from the next village tried to dig up the cornfield of this village, but was hunted by the righteous village chief. "Where did the wand made by Slytherin from Jo?rmungandr''s brain nerve go?" Daphne asked to herself. She didn''t expect to get an answer from Rhys. I''m afraid only Slytherin himself knows the whereabouts of this kind of "artifact" level treasure. Rhys smiled but said nothing. When you grow up, I will take you to see it. Now this thing is not suitable for children to touch. "Tell me, which one is more powerful, Slytherin''s wand or the elder wand?" "What is the Elder wand?" Rhys was stunned for a moment after listening to the adjective "elder" in front of the wand. It was the first time he heard such a name. Daphne was even more shocked than Rhys: You haven''t even heard of the legend of the three brothers, are you sure you are a wizard? This is as absurd as a child from a Muggle family who has never heard of Sleeping Beauty or Snow White. "The story written by Beedle the Bard, collected in The Tales of Beedle the Bard!" Daphne couldn''t help but wave her hands, unable to hide her inner shock. The only response she got was Rhys''s deafening silence. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 12 Advance Chapters- 74- The Strongest Wand 74- The Strongest Wand Looking at the silent Rhys, Daphne frowned: This guy always gives people the feeling that he came out of an isolated mountain village. However, considering his usual behavior, Daphne felt that this seemed to be possible. A wizard family that has been in seclusion since the Middle Ages? Then why did he return to the magic society? Considering that he was so concerned about the seal deep in the Hogwarts dungeon, Daphne felt that she had figured it out. It is very likely that there was something wrong with the seal underground, so he "came out of seclusion" and returned to Hogwarts to reinforce the seal, solve the problem inside the seal, and get in touch with the modern magic world. During the silent time, Rhys quickly recalled, and then remembered that he seemed to have seen the book called "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" in Flourish and Blotts Bookstore. I didn''t read it because it was a story collection. Thinking of this, Rhys couldn''t help but feel helpless: I have been cramming knowledge of the modern magic world for the past few months, but I still made a fool of myself on some common sense issues. But it is understandable that a person who was active in the eleventh century would find it incredible to hear stories from the fifteenth century. "So can you tell me this ''legend of the three brothers''?" Rhys chose to let Daphne tell him the story directly. "Huh?" Daphne was a little surprised, because the narrator of the interesting stories before was always Rhys. "¨t( ?o?)¨r Of course!"Naturally, she didn''t want to miss this precious opportunity! Daphne put the tools in her hands aside, wiped her hands and robes with a handkerchief, and found a stool to sit down. She seemed not to be telling a story, but to be performing a sacred religious ceremony. After everything was ready, Daphne cleared her throat and began to tell the legend of the three brothers in a vivid way. According to the setting in the story, the Elder Wand is the strongest. But if you look deeper, the Elder Wand was made by the Death God, while his own snake wand was made with the brain nerves of Jo?rmungandr as the wand core and the mistletoe branches that killed the God of Light Balder as the wand body - the materials alone consumed the lives of two false gods, so it should not be weaker than the one made by the Death God, right? However, the wand I made does have a big negative effect. If the Elder Wand of Death has no negative effect, it is indeed more suitable for daily use than my own snake wand. "Cool!" Daphne didn''t think too much about it, but was simply very excited. Compared with the illusory old wand in fairy tales, the wand left by Slytherin is much more real. "Then do you have any record of where Slytherin hid his wand before he died?" Rhys''s face turned black: How can you talk like that, little girl?! He cleared his throat and pointed out the fallacy in Daphne''s words: "The whereabouts of the four founders, except Rowena, I mean Ms. Ravenclaw, are unknown, so it is not rigorous for you to conclude that Slytherin is dead. On the contrary, I am more inclined to believe that the ...four founders have continued their lives in some special way. After all, as long as you want to live, there is always a way." For a powerful wizard who is proficient in magic, continuing life is not a very difficult thing, but how to continue life decently is the difficulty. If you really don''t want your face, you can still make a Horcrux. However, this is the lowest form of longevity, and Rhys sneered at it. For those wizards who seek immortality through Horcruxes, Rhys simply despises them. "How can someone live for a thousand years? Nicolas Flamel invented the Philosopher''s Stone and has only lived for more than six hundred years." Daphne didn''t believe what Rhys said, but she soon noticed that Rhys did not deny her question. "Do you really know the whereabouts of that wand?!" Daphne was shocked: How could Rhys know everything? Could it be that, as he said, he was the true heir of Slytherin, and the Gaunt family was just a lineage of an adopted child? "It''s not something you can touch now." Seeing that Daphne seemed to have some bold ideas, Rhys quickly poured cold water on her to wake her up. If she rashly touched the snake wand now, she would definitely go crazy. "When you grow up, I''ll take you to find its whereabouts." Rhys wrote a check for the future. Daphne: "!" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 12 Chaps ahead at 75- Hagrid’s Little Secret 75- Hagrid¡¯s Little Secret Daphne felt like she was in a dream. She just asked casually, but who would have thought that Rhys would actually agree to take her there?! If she could get that wand... Daphne couldn''t help but start to fantasize. "But don''t have too high expectations. A wand is just a wand after all. What will happen in the end depends on the wizard who holds the wand." Rhys felt that Daphne seemed to have overestimated the role of the wand. What she had in mind was not a wand, but a wishing machine. "Now that the small talk is over, it''s time for you to continue your preparations!" Rhys''s two words brought Daphne back to reality from her fantasy. She began to continue to prepare the Polyjuice Potion. While Daphne was struggling with the bicorn horn, Rhys narrowed his eyes and thought about the three Deathly Hallows that Daphne had just mentioned. He had never seen the Elder Wand or the Resurrection Stone, but didn''t he have seen the Invisibility Cloak?! "Daphne, do you know where Potter came from?" He planned to ask Daphne before checking the files. Daphne recalled her father''s introduction to Harry''s family. "The Potter family had been settled in Godric''s Hollow before that incident. Later... you know, Harry was raised by his Muggle aunt until he was eleven years old." "Godric''s Hollow?" Suddenly hearing a familiar name here, Rhys felt a little sad. That was where Godric was born. Whether Godric''s Hollow was named after Godric Gryffindor or Godric Gryffindor was named Godric because of the valley, even he didn''t know. This was already an unverifiable history. I don''t know if that Potter is a descendant of Gryffindor, maybe? It''s normal for a long-standing magic family to have some relationship. "Why are you talking about him suddenly?" Daphne felt a little strange because of the jumpiness of the topic. "Don''t you think that Harry''s invisibility cloak fits the description of the invisibility cloak in The Deathly Hallows?" "Not really?" "But his invisibility cloak is indeed unusual, isn''t it?" "But the story of the three brothers is just a legend." "Legends always have prototypes, don''t they?" Rhys has decided to investigate Harry''s life experience. ... A young witch who can make a polyjuice potion at this age should be proud of it, even if she is being guided by me. Daphne''s transformation also shows that her body has really turned into Rhys'' body. Daphne, who has become Rhys, looks at her hands, then lifts her feet and looks at her heels, as if she is extremely curious about everything that happens to her. This is indeed a novel experience for her. After wandering in the secret room for half an hour, Daphne turned back to her own appearance. "The amount of potion you take will affect your transformation time. You really need to pay attention to this. And this is the remaining of your polyjuice potion. Take it." Rhys poured the remaining polyjuice potion that Daphne had used into a large jar and handed it to her. "Eh? Can I keep it?!" Daphne was quite surprised. She knew very well that it contained extremely precious magic ingredients. To put it bluntly, if this potion is put on the market, the money earned will definitely fill up this jar. "Of course, keep it safe." After the two left the secret chamber, Rhys went straight to the library. He needed to investigate the legend of the Potter family and the three Deathly Hallows. While searching for information, he passed by the school''s gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid. Rhys noticed that the gamekeeper was holding several books in his arms. After noticing Rhys''s gaze, Hagrid covered the books in his arms with his moleskin coat. Hmm? This suspicious action piqued Rhys''s interest. He remembered that he had just glimpsed that the outermost book was called "A Guide to Raising Dragons", so it was obvious what the gamekeeper wanted to do. Raising dragons seems to be illegal now, but Rhys didn''t care, because in his time, it was still a legal operation, and some young wizards at Hogwarts would even bring their pet dragons to school. This is why the school later stipulated that only owls, cats, and toads were allowed to come to school. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 12 Advance chapters- 76- Yes, this wound was caused by a dog bite 76- Yes, this wound was caused by a dog bite "What''s wrong with him?" Daphne also noticed Hagrid''s odd behavior: he seemed to be avoiding Rhys and her, looking quite sneaky. "Hmm.. He wants to raise something that''s not allowed in the magical world." "What?" "A dragon. The book he was holding just now is related to dragon care. If you''re curious, you could investigate the books he''s borrowed. You might find more evidence." Daphne immediately got up and dashed out. A few minutes later, she returned with Hagrid''s borrowing list. ", , ¡ªjust by reading the titles on Hagrid''s borrowing list, Daphne confirmed that Hagrid was indeed planning to raise a dragon. Regarding Hagrid''s desire to raise a dragon, Daphne''s reaction was: oh. The Greengrass family had raised dragons centuries ago; it wasn''t a big deal. The Ministry of Magic now banned wizards from raising dragons only because they were too easily spotted by Muggles, violating the Statute of Secrecy. Hagrid living on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, raising one shouldn''t cause too much trouble. But could he really handle such a big creature? Daphne and Rhys had remarkably similar attitudes towards Hagrid''s plan to raise a dragon: if he wants to, let him. Rhys was even a bit excited: no need to buy dragon blood and other potion ingredients anymore! To this end, he eagerly prepared a few potion recipes, all dragon nutritional supplements, aiming to get on good terms with Hagrid and obtain some dragon materials. After this brief interlude, Rhys finally found the book he needed amidst a pile of dust-covered volumes. "''An Examination of Medieval Fairy Tale Prototypes¡ªEvery Legend Has Its Source,'' this book looks reliable." Rhys opened the book and quickly found what he was looking for.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) Daphne leaned in and read the title: *The Origin of the Three Brothers ¡ª The Peverell Family from Godric''s Hollow.* "Godric''s Hollow?!" she exclaimed, immediately thinking of the Potter family living in Godric''s Hollow and the invisibility cloak Harry possessed. "Merlin!" Daphne exclaimed, expressing her deep inner astonishment. "That Potter is actually a descendant of the Three Brothers, and the cloak he holds is one of the Deathly Hallows!" However, after the brief astonishment, came the shattering of the filter. "But that cloak doesn''t seem all that special¡ªI admit it has near-eternal magic imbued in it, but so what? When an ordinary invisibility cloak loses its effectiveness, you just buy another one." To Daphne, the Invisibility Cloak was far less appealing than the other two Hallows. If she wanted to become invisible, she could either buy several invisibility cloaks or use the Disillusionment Charm that Rhys had taught her¡ªit wasn''t that she couldn''t afford a lot of invisibility clocks, but the Disillusionment Charm was simply more cost-effective. The Elder Wand and the Resurrection Stone, on the other hand, were in a completely different league; you couldn''t just buy those with money. "Any alchemical artifact that involves eternity can''t possibly be mediocre," Rhys had a broader perspective than Daphne. He knew that the invisibility effect of the cloak might be its most insignificant function. Just like a wizard''s wand could be used to roast meat skewers, but that was obviously a secondary function. The two began to discuss Harry''s Invisibility Cloak, almost forgetting about Hagrid''s little antics until someone came to remind them... "So you''re saying this was caused by a dog bite?" Rhys looked at Ron with a "Are you kidding me?" expression. Ron''s complexion shifted, his ears turning red. He stubbornly insisted that the green-tinged wound on his hand was from a dog bite. "Oh, then there''s no cure. Just wait to die. Goodbye, I have to write my History of Magic essay," Rhys responded with a three-hit combo, dealing a critical blow to Ron''s spirit. Ron: Huh?! ____ Read 12 chapters ahead of everyone at 77- Nutritional supplements 77- Nutritional supplements Hearing Rhys''s words, Ron''s face turned a color similar to his wound. He shakily raised his hand, nearly pushing the wound under Rhys''s nose. "Rhys, take a closer look. It''s just a bite, how can you say there''s no hope?" Ron''s voice trembled. "If it''s a rabid dog bite, there''s indeed no hope. Seems like this wound has been left untreated for a while?" Rhys calmly pushed Ron''s hand away. Anyone with eyes could see Ron''s condition was dire; the bitten hand had swollen to twice its normal size, and the flesh around the wound had turned green. "It was yesterday, but it''s only been a day!" Ron''s face contorted with distress, on the verge of tears. "Rabies, or what they call ''mad dog disease,'' have you heard of it? If bitten by a rabid dog and not treated promptly, it''s certainly fatal," Rhys said flatly. In the non-magical world, rabies is incurable once symptoms appear. In the magical world, it''s also a highly troublesome disease. Rhys believed that Hogwarts'' medical facilities alone might not be enough to handle it. However, Ron wasn''t infected with rabies. His wound was a dragon bite, which had nothing to do with rabies. Daphne chimed in, agreeing that it was a very difficult condition to treat. Ron''s face turned the color of liver. After a minute of hesitation, he lowered his voice and said, "Can you keep the cause of my injury a secret?" Trusting Rhys and Daphne, given their shared disdain for Malfoy, Ron decided to confide in them. If it weren''t for his prior interactions with Rhys and Daphne, during which he found them to be among the more reasonable Slytherins, Ron wouldn''t have sought help from them. But he was out of options. Among the people Ron knew, only these two exhibited exceptional talent in Potions. He and Daphne were the only duo who had never been criticized by Snape in Potions class. If they couldn''t help, he''d have no choice but to go to the school nurse. But once he was in the hospital wing, how would he explain the origin of the wound? If he couldn''t provide a satisfactory explanation, Madam Pomfrey would escalate the matter to Professor McGonagall, and that would be disastrous. So, Ron decided to confide in Rhys, trusting they would keep his secret. "Of course, we won''t tell anyone." With Rhys''s assurance, Ron admitted, "Alright, it''s actually a dragon bite, from a Norwegian Ridgeback. Is there anything you can do to help?" To Ron''s surprise, Rhys and Daphne didn''t seem shocked by this explosive revelation. Instead, they remained remarkably calm, as if he had merely been bitten by a stray dog. Shortly after drinking the potion, Ron realized he couldn''t feel his limbs. After Ron had ingested the pain-relieving potion, Rhys pointed his wand at Ron''s wound and used a precise cutting spell to remove the necrotic tissue. Once the dead tissue was removed, he applied a layer of salve to the wound. The white salve quickly turned green upon contact with the wound. When the salve turned green, Rhys removed it with a wave of his wand and applied a fresh layer. He repeated this process until the salve turned blood-red. Finally, he poured a few drops of Dittany on Ron''s wound and bandaged it. Ron''s wound was treated. "Good, the toxins in the wound have been completely removed¡ªhere, eat this." Rhys molded some of the salve into a ball and indicated that Ron should eat it. Ron was puzzled. "This will help draw out the toxins from your body. You didn''t think the toxins stayed just near the wound, did you?" Seeing Rhys''s seriousness, Ron obediently ate the ball of salve. "Thanks, Rhys, you''ve really helped me out a lot," Ron expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Rhys. "You''re welcome. Lead the way." "Huh?" "I want to meet Hagrid." "What do you want to see him for?" Ron asked, feeling a bit guilty. "I want to see if he''s interested in some nutritional supplements for dragons." Ron was once again bewildered; Rhys had thoroughly confused him. Do dragons even need nutritional supplements? ______ 12 Advance Chapters- 78- I’m actually quite knowledgeable about dragons 78- I¡¯m actually quite knowledgeable about dragons To Rhys, this was a perfect opportunity to strengthen his relationship with Hagrid. Once their bond was strong enough, he could freely obtain materials from Hagrid''s dragon and even share some tips on dragon care¡ªbenefiting both parties. Moreover, as the gamekeeper, Hagrid must have accumulated a lot of valuable items over the years. With a good relationship, Rhys could access these items, expanding his potion ingredient collection. Truly precious potion ingredients are hard to find on the market, like African tree snake skin for Polyjuice Potion. These items are quickly snapped up by potion masters and rarely make it to the open market. They can only be acquired through trades with other potion masters. Thinking of these benefits, Rhys quickened his pace. No potion master can refuse the chance to expand their materials collection. If they do, it means they aren''t passionate enough about potion-making. Led by Ron, Rhys and Daphne soon arrived outside Hagrid''s hut. All the curtains were tightly drawn. After Ron knocked on the door, Hagrid first confirmed his identity before opening it. He was stunned to see Rhys and Daphne behind Ron. "Hagrid, they can be trusted!" Ron quickly vouched for Rhys, seeing Hagrid''s hesitation. He raised his bandaged hand, indicating that Rhys had helped treat his injury. With Ron''s assurance, Hagrid allowed Rhys and Daphne inside. Once they were in, he promptly shut the door tightly behind them. Rhys walked into Hagrid''s hut and was immediately struck by the overwhelming stench of blood. The floor was littered with feathers and empty bottles. Rhys immediately saw the culprit: a dragon about the size of a large dog, furiously tearing at something under Hagrid''s bed. Judging by its scales and tail fin, it was indeed a Norwegian Ridgeback. Once he confirmed the dragon''s status, Rhys began to observe Hagrid''s living conditions. Hagrid''s hut was rather cramped. The small wooden house had only one room. The ceiling was adorned with ham, pheasants, and rabbits. A fireplace was built into the wall, with a kettle hanging above it where Hagrid usually boiled water. His bed was in a corner of the room, and the patchwork quilt had been shredded by the dragon. The magical energy in the room was strong, even slightly stronger than that in Snape''s potion storeroom, which made Rhys secretly alarmed. He looked around and was eventually drawn to something hanging among the ham and pheasants. It was a tuft of silver hair, hidden among the smoked meats and easily overlooked. Rhys took a closer look and his pupils dilated: it was a large bunch of unicorn hair! This bundle of unicorn hair, which could fetch a bag of Galleons, was casually hung from the ceiling, almost ignored by Rhys himself. Hagrid pursed his lips, and the room fell into a long silence, broken only by the sounds of Norbert and the crackling fireplace. "I, I..." Hagrid opened his mouth, unsure of what to say. "I can contact my brother Charlie. He researches dragons in Romania and would surely be willing to take Norbert," Ron quickly interjected to defuse the tension. Rhys glanced at him. He had initially intended to suggest that Hagrid release Norbert into the Forbidden Forest. Given its size and resources, the forest could easily accommodate several dragons. "Training a dragon isn''t that difficult," Daphne added. "My family has some old records on it. I''ll bring them to you later." "That''s great, that''s great!" Hagrid''s spirits lifted, and he thanked them repeatedly, though his excitement left him at a loss for words, repeating himself over and over. "Good." Rhys smiled and looked at Hagrid, asking if he minded if Rhys gave Norbert a checkup. "To be honest, I actually have quite a bit of experience with dragons." Rhys wasn''t lying. When they had first moved here, the Forbidden Forest next to Hogwarts was home to many dragons. These energetic creatures often came out to attack the livestock that Helga kept. To expand the potion storeroom and protect the livestock, Rhys had dealt with the dragons in the Forbidden Forest thoroughly. Through this process, he had indeed gained a deep understanding and knowledge of dragons. "Really? That''s great, go ahead!" Hagrid, unaware of these old stories, waved his large hand and agreed to Rhys''s request. "Thank you." The smile on Rhys''s face sent a sudden chill down Hagrid''s spine. He was a bit puzzled: had he forgotten to close a window? It seemed the fire needed to be stoked more. As for Norbert, the dragon lifted its head alertly, sensing something unusual. ______ Read 12 Chapters ahead of everyone at 79- Holding the Wings of Destiny 79- Holding the Wings of Destiny "Roar!" Norbert, who was enveloped by an inexplicable sense of crisis, chose to use roars to dispel his inner fear and possible danger. But this could not scare Rhys away. In his eyes, adult dragons were just potion materials. How could he take a dragon cub that was only a few weeks old seriously?ViiSiit for latest novels He quickly moved to Norbert''s blind spot, seized the opportunity, and grabbed the roots of his wings, lifting him up. Hagrid was shocked. He jumped up, intending to stop Rhys to prevent him from being bitten by the dragon. To his surprise, the usually aggressive and unruly Norbert was now as docile as a chicken, allowing Rhys to handle his wings without resistance. "Although dragon hatchlings stay in their mother''s nest until they reach adolescence, adult dragons sometimes need to move or relocate their young. During such times, they grab the young dragons by the wings and carry them in their mouths. This habit creates a ''switch'' at the base of the wings. Touching this spot can calm even the naughtiest dragon hatchling." Rhys explained as he held Norbert, giving Hagrid a mini "dragon taming guide." Hagrid was intrigued by Rhys''s explanation. Watching Hagrid''s eager expression, Rhys sighed inwardly: How could he dare to hatch a dragon without knowing these basic facts? "Alright, it''s time for a check-up." Given Hagrid''s lack of expertise, Rhys took over his role, thoroughly checking Norbert''s health. Fortunately, the little dragon was quite healthy with no major issues, except for one thing... "So why did you give her such a masculine name?" Rhys asked, puzzled. The dragon in his hands was clearly female, yet she had a boy''s name. Considering Hagrid''s situation, he had a pretty solid guess. "What? Norbert is a girl?!" Hagrid''s eyes widened in shock. "What?" Daphne and Ron exclaimed in unison, equally taken aback by Hagrid''s reaction. "Hagrid, you''ve had her for over three weeks..." Ron struggled to articulate his feelings, and Rhys and Daphne felt similarly at a loss for words. Hagrid chuckled awkwardly, running his scarred, half-burnt beard through his large hand. "I wanted to check, but Norbert wouldn''t let me. I didn''t want to force her, so I kept putting it off." Rhys sighed, exasperated by Hagrid''s unreliability. Before Hagrid added the mushrooms to the pot, Rhys carefully inspected the types he had gathered. Just by looking at Hagrid, Rhys could tell he had giant blood, and giants have a remarkable resistance to toxins. Mushrooms that are harmless to giants might not be safe for ordinary wizards, so Rhys made sure to check them thoroughly. Fortunately, Hagrid was reliable in this area; all the mushrooms he had gathered were safe and edible. With the stew simmering, Hagrid invited Rhys, Daphne, and Ron to sit at the table. He poured each of them a cup of tea and served a plate of rock cakes. Ron kept his eyes downcast, pretending not to see the plate of rock cakes. Rhys and Daphne, unaware of the hidden dangers, each took one. After taking a bite, they quickly understood why Ron had avoided them. The cakes were as hard as rocks! Daphne nearly chipped her perfect teeth on the cake. Hagrid, oblivious to their discomfort, sat down at the table and started munching on a rock cake himself. Rhys: ... Giant blood, truly terrifying! "Hmm..." Hagrid chewed on the rock cake, seemingly deep in thought. Eventually, he spoke up, not to reflect on the hardness of his cakes but about Norbert. "Since Norbert is a girl, it''s not suitable to keep calling her Norbert. How about renaming her Norberta?" Rhys and the others naturally had no objections. When it was time to eat, Hagrid made sure not to neglect his little dragon. He picked up a bottle filled with chicken blood brandy from the floor, preparing to feed Norberta. Seeing the suspicious-looking mixture, Rhys frowned, "Hagrid, you feed her this?" _______ 12 Advance Chapters- 80- Let’s exchange the local specialties from the Forbidden Forest 80- Let¡¯s exchange the local specialties from the Forbidden Forest "What''s wrong? The book says to do it this way," Hagrid replied, a bit nervous. Rhys demonstrated through his actions that he was indeed the expert in dragon care. Hagrid took Rhys''s advice seriously, determined not to miss a single word. "A three-week-old dragon can already start eating meat, raw or cooked. Chicken blood is just a transitional food for when their teeth haven''t fully developed," Rhys pointed to Ron''s hand. The fact that Norberta had bitten Ron that badly indicated she was more than ready to eat meat. "Also, your ratio is off," Rhys said, frowning as he looked at the mixture in the bottle. "The purpose of mixing brandy with chicken blood is to knock out the newly hatched dragon, making it easier to transport. So you need to choose a high-proof brandy, and the ratio to chicken blood should be at least three to one. The amount of brandy you have in there will only make her tipsy¡ªthough it does help her breathe fire." Hagrid suddenly realized, "So that''s why they mix it that way, to make transportation easier!" In medieval times, dragon traders would give young dragons large amounts of high-proof alcohol, sometimes even sleeping potions, to keep them docile in boxes, making them easier to transport and sell. Hagrid didn''t need to do that. Norberta''s irritable behavior could be related to being perpetually tipsy. Following Rhys''s advice, Hagrid cut up some chicken meat and tossed it under the bed for Norberta. She sniffed at the chicken, then started gobbling it up, clearly enjoying her meal. "Ha, she even roasts the meat herself!" Hagrid watched his little dragon eat with the joy of a child. Ron and Daphne couldn''t resist joining him, taking chicken strips from Hagrid and tossing them toward Norberta. When Norberta was full, Hagrid''s stew was ready as well. The combination of chicken and vegetables filled the air with a mouth-watering aroma. Not a drop of water had been added to the pot; the ingredients'' juices alone made the broth exceptionally flavorful. Hagrid wasn''t wrong; the chicken he raised tasted excellent, so much so that even Daphne ate several large pieces without concern for her image. "Not really, not really, just a bit of talent in potion-making." Listening to Rhys''s modesty, Daphne struggled to resist the urge to roll her eyes¡ªthis guy clearly had ulterior motives! Amid Hagrid''s heartfelt thanks, Rhys agreed to provide Norberta''s nutritional supplement. However, in exchange, he needed Hagrid to prepare some "specialties" from the Forbidden Forest¡ªsuch as unicorn tail hair and other rare items. As the sun set, Rhys left Hagrid''s hut carrying a bag filled with Hagrid''s collections from the Forbidden Forest over the years. The bag even contained a vial of fresh dragon blood! "A substantial harvest!" Daphne couldn''t help but comment as she looked at the bag in Rhys''s hand. "It''s mutually beneficial, isn''t it?" Rhys''s lips curved into a slight smile. "These items would just gather dust in his place, but in my hands, they can be turned into valuable potions¡ªeven if Gryffindor himself rose from the grave, he couldn''t blame me." In Rhys''s view, Hagrid hanging valuable potion ingredients alongside smoked meat was a clear waste of resources. Rather than letting them gather dust and rot in a corner, it was better to give them to him, allowing them to be used to their full potential. With Rhys''s knowledge and supplements, Norberta grew up healthy and strong, but this didn''t change the fact that she had to be sent away¡ªa consensus reached by everyone, including Hagrid. Ron sent a letter to his brother Charlie, arranging a time for the handover. The day finally arrived. Under Hagrid''s reluctant gaze, Norberta was given the sleeping potion Rhys had prepared, placed into a large wooden crate, and then taken by Harry, Ron, and Daphne to the agreed-upon meeting place mentioned in the letter. Daphne''s involvement in this was due to the bond she had formed with Norberta during the rearing process. On the day Norberta was to be sent away, she felt quite reluctant to see her go. Rhys, on the other hand, had less emotional attachment to Norberta. Before she left, he collected some more of her blood. As for the farewell, he left that to Daphne and the others; he had other matters to attend to. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 12 Advance Chapters- 81- Daphne is extremely unlucky 81- Daphne is extremely unlucky Watching Charlie and his friends riding on brooms, carrying the box where Norberta was, rising into the night sky, and gradually turning into a few small black dots, Harry and Ron suddenly felt relieved: the burden on their hearts finally disappeared. Keeping a dragon in secret was against the laws of the magical world. If they had been caught, Hagrid would undoubtedly face imprisonment. Although they hadn''t been discovered so far, it had always been a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment. Now that this time bomb had been defused, they could finally breathe easy. The three of them walked down the spiral staircase from the Astronomy Tower, with Harry and Ron in high spirits. They were so relaxed that they even forgot to take the Invisibility Cloak. Daphne, with her sharp eyes, noticed it and took it along. She was curious to see when they would realize they had left the cloak behind. "So how did Hagrid get that dragon egg?" Harry asked. "No idea, we''ll have to ask him when we get back¡ª" "What are you two doing here at this hour?!" A voice full of anger rang out from below, making the three of them freeze. Professor McGonagall appeared, her face flushed and breathing heavily as if she had been running for a long distance. Behind her were Professors Flitwick and Sprout, both in their nightclothes. Professor Flitwick held his wand tightly, and Professor Sprout had her wand in one hand and a pot with a bizarre plant in the other. As the duty professor for the night, Professor McGonagall happened to see Charlie and his friends'' dark silhouettes landing in the castle courtyard. Mysterious individuals landing at Hogwarts at night? This was no small matter. She immediately connected this incident with the Halloween troll incident, suspecting that these were dark wizards trying to infiltrate Hogwarts to get the Sorcerer''s Stone. Concluding this, Professor McGonagall hurried towards the Astronomy Tower where the unknown individuals had landed, summoning her Patronus to wake up Professors Flitwick and Sprout. She believed that with the three of them working together, they could capture these intruders. Instead of finding dark wizards, they encountered Harry and Ron wandering the castle late at night.Findd new stories at novelhall.com "Minerva..." Professor Flitwick tugged on McGonagall''s sleeve, reminding her of the more pressing matter. The crucial task was to find out where those intruders had gone¡ªthey might have hidden upon hearing Harry and Ron''s voices. The three of them huddled in a corner of the tower like frightened chicks, trembling as they awaited Professor McGonagall''s judgment. After using magic to complete her investigation, Professor McGonagall ruled out the possibility of intruders at Hogwarts. There had indeed been outsiders, but they had quickly left with a large box. Suppressing her anger, Professor McGonagall addressed the most pressing issue before turning her gaze to the trio. Following this, Professors Flitwick and Sprout had the feeling they were witnessing the opening of a Howler. McGonagall''s furious roar echoed throughout the Astronomy Tower. After about three minutes, Professor McGonagall regained her composure. "I can hardly believe this. It is one o''clock in the morning, and instead of being in your dormitories asleep, we have two Gryffindors and a Slytherin up in the Astronomy Tower. Explain yourselves." Professor McGonagall''s question was followed by her own puzzled thought: since when did Gryffindor students start acting together with a Slytherin? Harry and Ron were stunned, and even the usually sharp and clever Daphne had no idea how to respond. Seeing the three of them silent as mutes, Professor McGonagall felt her anger rising again. "If you can''t answer that question, then tell me who you met. And don''t tell me it was a coincidence." "It was my brother, Charlie, and his friends," Ron said in a very low voice. Professor McGonagall narrowed her eyes. Charlie Weasley, a name she was very familiar with. She knew that after graduating, he had gone to Romania to study dragons. Putting together a few key pieces of information, a shocking truth emerged. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Daphne Greengrass were very likely hatching a dragon inside the castle! There was no other way to explain why the three of them would be meeting Charlie Weasley at the Astronomy Tower in the middle of the night and having him take away a large box. It was certainly not because Ron had made some pies for his brother, right? _____ Read 12 Chapters ahead- 82- Don’t hang out with some questionable students, Miss Greengrass 82- Don¡¯t hang out with some questionable students, Miss Greengrass Hearing Charlie''s name, Professor McGonagall felt a sudden realization. She glanced subtly at Professors Flitwick and Sprout, then decisively changed the subject. She couldn''t allow the matter of "someone raising a dragon inside the castle" to come to light. If the issue of illegally keeping a dragon were investigated thoroughly, someone would surely end up in Azkaban, and that was not what Professor McGonagall wanted¡ªwhether it was a student present or some other reckless individual. Detention would be punishment enough. With the most crucial risk eliminated, the remaining issues were inconsequential, and she trusted that her two colleagues would also remain discreetly silent on the matter. "Regardless of your intentions, wandering the castle at night is always a mistake," Professor McGonagall declared, glossing over the reason for their outing. Hearing this, Daphne felt her courage and wisdom returning. She boldly said, "But the four founders actually encouraged students to patrol the castle at night. I believe if they were alive, they wouldn''t blame us." Rhys''s words echoed in her ears, and though his evidence was little more than whimsical "ancient wizard correspondence," Daphne firmly believed him. "The era of the four founders had its unique circumstances, but times have changed. The founders'' era has passed with them, and the rules should change accordingly," Professor McGonagall said, looking at Daphne. She had a strong impression of this child¡ªhighly talented without the generally annoying traits of most Slytherin pureblood students. Her opinion of Daphne was even better than of many Gryffindor students. Quiet, gentle, elegant, with excellent academic performance, respectful and polite to teachers, she had never seen Daphne argue or fight with other students. In her free time, unlike other mischievous young wizards, Daphne spent her time reading in the library. With so many admirable qualities in one person, Professor McGonagall liked Daphne even though she was a Slytherin. However, seeing her at the same "crime scene" with Harry and Ron today caused a small crack in McGonagall''s favorable perception of her. To "save" this good girl, Professor McGonagall decided to offer some advice. "And Miss Greengrass, I advise you not to associate with certain unsavory students. Behave like a proper lady and don''t break school rules every day like some students do." Losing a hundred points at once! For the young Gryffindors, this was a shocking blow, but what comforted them a bit was that Slytherin had also lost a significant amount of points. In their distress, just thinking about the state of Slytherin made them feel a lot better¡ªthey had only dropped from second to fourth place, while Slytherin had fallen from first to third, with the potential to lose the House Cup they had held for seven consecutive years. With this perspective, it didn''t seem so bad after all. Fred and George even came up with a theory of "it''s not a loss" to alleviate the public pressure on Harry and Ron. Surprisingly, the idea of "bringing Slytherin down with us" resonated with many Gryffindor students, and given Harry and Ron''s generally good relationships, the public opinion about them started to improve. In contrast, Daphne''s situation was much worse. Gryffindors could console themselves with the notion of dragging Slytherin down, but there was no such consolation for Slytherin. Daphne had truly brought them a lot of trouble. In this case, even her prestigious background was of no use. The students of Slytherin suddenly didn''t want to talk to Daphne, and some girls would even make sarcastic remarks when they encountered her. Seeing Daphne looking so haggard, Rhys took out a piece of chocolate, broke it, and handed it to her. "Eat this, it''ll make you feel a bit better." "No, thanks..." Rhys didn''t withdraw his hand, so Daphne reluctantly took the chocolate and began to eat it in small bites. To her surprise, as the chocolate melted into sweet syrup, some of the gloom in her heart began to lift. "Don''t take these things too seriously. The House Cup and the like are insignificant. Slytherin would also agree with me if he was here." After a little thought, Rhys prepared a draft to comfort Daphne. "I have a story here, do you want to hear it?" _____ Subscribe to to read 12 Chapters ahead of everyone!? 83: Rhys’ Little Story 83: Rhys¡¯ Little Story Hearing that Rhys was about to tell a story, Daphne perked up immediately. She couldn''t help but tease, "Is it one of those stories mentioned in the old letters?" "Not at all," Rhys said, keeping a straight face. "It''s a tale I heard from a little snake yesterday¡ªthe snake told me it''s a story passed down through its family for generations." Without waiting for Daphne to say anything else, he began his tale. "Long, long ago, even before Hogwarts was established, in the western wilderness of the British Isles, there was a swamp. In that swamp, there was a small village made up of a few wizarding families..." Such an ancient story, rarely told even by her father, immediately captured Daphne''s attention. She listened intently, savoring the chocolate as she focused on Rhys''s words. ~Life in the swamp was difficult, and to make matters worse, there was an evil dragon deep in the swamp. A group of goblins served the dragon willingly, acting as its minions, causing trouble and committing misdeeds under its banner. The villagers both hated and feared the dragon and its goblin minions, but they were powerless against them. As the wizarding families grew in number, the goblins feared that one day they might unite, kill the dragon, and settle accounts with them for their complicity. So the goblins came up with a sinister plan and suggested it to the dragon¡ªthey proposed that the village should offer a person to the dragon each year as a sacrifice. If they failed to comply, the dragon would fly over the village, drying up their fish ponds with its fiery breath and slaughtering their livestock with its sharp claws. The goblins believed this would keep the wizard population in check, ensuring they remained under their oppressive control. But the wizards had their own methods. They decided to capture passing travelers and offer them as sacrifices to the dragon. One day, a sturdy young man with red hair passed by the swamp, just as the time for the annual sacrifice approached. The villagers welcomed him warmly, got him drunk, and locked him in the village chief''s cellar. He was destined to become the dragon''s lunch, but his eloquence during the feast had impressed the chief''s son. Believing such a person shouldn''t meet such a grim fate, the chief''s son seized the opportunity while delivering food and freed the red-haired youth.~ This felt like a last-minute reprieve, and the trio''s spirits were lifted. Filch seemed to notice their shift in mood, so he warned them a few more times and even tried to berate Hagrid, but Hagrid quickly retorted, "I''m in charge here." Filch left sullenly. Looking at the three small figures standing before him, Hagrid''s face showed a hint of guilt. "Sorry, I got you into this mess," he said, scratching his head awkwardly. They were in this situation because of him, and Hagrid couldn''t help but feel remorseful. However, even though Hagrid was in charge of their detention, Daphne, Harry, and Ron''s punishment would not be lessened in the slightest. There was a certain dark humor in this, as Professor McGonagall had specifically chosen Hagrid to enforce the punishment for the trio... After briefly apologizing, Hagrid began explaining the background of their detention. Due to being preoccupied with Norberta, Hagrid had neglected his patrols of the Forbidden Forest, and as a result, something terrible had happened: he discovered a dead unicorn in the forest. A unicorn, such a rare and magical creature, had been hunted and killed by an unknown entity in the Forbidden Forest. This was a significant incident, and after sending Norberta away, Hagrid couldn''t afford to be negligent any longer. He immediately began searching the Forbidden Forest for the culprit responsible for killing the unicorn. Though he didn''t find the culprit, he did discover another unicorn with signs of injury. Their detention task was to enter the Forbidden Forest, find the injured unicorn, and help it. This was undoubtedly a challenging detention. The Forbidden Forest was inherently dangerous, and now there was a creature within it preying on unicorns, making the mission even more perilous. Professor McGonagall''s intention was clear: the trio liked wandering around at night, so she was giving them a chance to explore¡ªthis time in the Forbidden Forest. She hoped this detention would cure them of their habit of nocturnal wandering. After explaining the task, Hagrid led the three young kids into the Forbidden Forest. _______ Read 12 Chaps ahead- 84- Daphne the blood collector 84- Daphne the blood collector Hagrid, accompanied by his dog Fang and three little friends, led them into the Forbidden Forest. After they disappeared into the woods, a figure slowly emerged from the shadows near Hagrid''s hut. Rhys watched the group of four humans and one dog from a distance, raising an eyebrow in surprise. Minerva McGonagall had some nerve sending first-year students into the Forbidden Forest. Even a thousand years ago, such a move would have been incredibly bold. First-year students were not equipped to handle the various dangers lurking in the Forbidden Forest. However, with Hagrid, an experienced gamekeeper, accompanying them, it was unlikely that anything too serious would happen. Rhys cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself and quietly followed them. After all, it was the Forbidden Forest¡ªthey needed someone to watch over them to prevent any accidents.The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) Additionally, this would give him an opportunity to observe Daphne''s performance in the forest and evaluate her abilities. Daphne maintained a calm exterior, but her heart was racing with anxiety. Unlike the clueless Harry and the straightforward Ron, she was well aware of the risks involved in venturing into the Forbidden Forest. Rhys had often told her stories about the four founders of Hogwarts and their efforts to clear the Forbidden Forest when they first established the school. This vast forest, adjacent to the natural water source of the Black Lake, was a haven for magical creatures. Although Hogwarts was situated on a cliff, it was not geographically isolated from the Forbidden Forest. So why had no magical creatures ventured from the forest into the Hogwarts castle over the past thousand years? The answer was that all magical creatures bold enough to attempt such a move had been eradicated by the four founders and their students. Not only were the aggressively territorial magical creatures eliminated, but also those with a strong territorial instinct that could pose a threat to the castle were killed. Even intelligent beings were not exempt from this purge: the goblin tribes at the edge of the Forbidden Forest were exterminated by Slytherin, Ravenclaw destroyed the merpeople kingdom in the Black Lake, and Hufflepuff eradicated the werewolves near the castle. Only the centaur tribe was somewhat fortunate, as they encountered Gryffindor, who, after a few duels, made them swear never to step out of the Forbidden Forest proactively. Thanks to the founders'' efforts, Hogwarts Castle had remained peaceful for a thousand years. Harry and Daphne walked quietly along the dark path, with the faint glow of their wand tips and the moonlight illuminating their way. Finding the light from the Lumos charm too dim, Daphne extinguished it and instead summoned a small ball of fire, similar to what Rhys had shown her. "It''s brighter and warmer," she explained succinctly. Harry had no objections. As they ventured deeper into the Forbidden Forest, they both stopped simultaneously: a beam of moonlight shone through the branches, illuminating a patch of silvery-blue blood on the grass. "Is that...?" Harry hesitated. "Unicorn blood," Daphne said with certainty, having learned about this magical substance from Rhys. "What kind of creature would attack a unicorn? Is it the werewolf you mentioned?" Daphne shook her head. "I made that up to scare Ron. Werewolves are mostly like ordinary wizards, except during the full moon when they transform. And it''s not a full moon tonight. Even if it were, why would a werewolf attack a unicorn?" "Plus, unicorns are intelligent creatures and have very powerful magic... Whatever can injure or kill a unicorn is not something to be taken lightly." After hearing what Daphne said, Harry felt goose bumps all over his body. "Let''s, let''s go quickly." He couldn''t help but urge her, but Daphne not only didn''t move, but squatted down in front of the bloodstain. Under Harry''s puzzled gaze, she pointed her wand at the bloodstain and patiently used magic to "extract" it from the bushes. The silver-blue blood floated in the air, giving people a metallic texture. After completing this operation, Daphne took out a crystal bottle from her arms and put the blood in it. After collecting the blood smoothly, Daphne carefully sealed the mouth of the crystal bottle with a stopper, and then put the bottle back into the pocket lining of her robe. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead at 85- The Battle in the Forbidden Forest 85- The Battle in the Forbidden Forest Harry felt his mind struggling to keep up. After Daphne put away the crystal vial and took a few steps forward, he finally snapped out of his daze and caught up to her. "What are you doing?" he asked. Daphne gave him a strange look. "This is unicorn blood. It''s very precious and rarely seen. Now that we have the chance, of course we should collect some." Perhaps sensing Harry might want to follow her lead, she added, "Unicorn blood obtained through hunting carries a terrible curse. Drinking it is a heinous crime, and those who do will be forever cursed." Harry suddenly understood. "So, because you didn''t hurt the unicorn, you can use this blood without being affected by the curse, right?" Daphne paused for a moment, then shook her head. "When a unicorn is harmed, the curse seeps into its blood. So, the blood in that vial is already cursed, regardless of who hunted the unicorn." "Then why..." "There are ways to remove the curse, but they''re very complicated." With that, Daphne refused to say more. Harry figured it must involve some secret method passed down in the Greengrass family. He couldn''t help but feel a bit envious. Daphne was about the same age as him, yet she knew so much more and had mastered advanced magic far beyond their peers. ''Is this the depth of a pure-blood family?'' Harry instinctively attributed Daphne''s success to her privileged background, but he quickly dismissed the thought. After all, not all pure-blood students were as exceptional as she was. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were perfect examples, even his friend Ron and Hufflepuff''s Neville Longbottom. They all came from pure-blood families but weren''t any different from him, a wizard raised in a Muggle family. Some, like Crabbe and Goyle, might even be worse off, with their "pure" bloodline potentially linked to trolls. After explaining her reasons for collecting the blood, Daphne and Harry continued deeper into the Forbidden Forest. The appearance of the hooded figure had sent a piercing pain through his head, making his scar feel as if it were on fire. The pain blurred his vision, causing him to stumble backward. Daphne couldn''t worry about that now. Under the cover of her Disillusionment Charm, she rose into the air and launched a counterattack against the hooded figure. A spell shot down from above, but the hooded figure quickly cast a Shield Charm to deflect it. At the same time, the tip of its wand produced a black rope that fell to the ground, transforming into black beads which then morphed into sharp black spikes aimed at the source of the attacking spell. All the black spikes missed their mark because Daphne had already changed her position after casting her spell. She lightly landed on the ground, her wand pointed at the hooded figure. It was as if the hooded figure could see through her Disillusionment Charm. As soon as Daphne''s wand pointed towards it, it turned and conjured a shield in mid-air. The ground beneath its feet rippled like liquid, forming a defensive earthen wall beneath the shield. In the next moment, the shield shattered with a thunderous explosion as a powerful spell struck it, tearing it apart and slicing through the wall behind it. The weakened spell continued through the defenses, hurtling towards the astonished hooded figure. In a desperate attempt to dodge, it twisted its body, but the spell still struck its right arm. The spell severed the arm cleanly, causing it to fall to the ground with a smooth, mirror-like surface where the arm had been. As the attack spell broke through its defense, the blood of the unicorn scattered on the ground seemed to be reborn, and shot towards the hooded man like bullets - this was Daphne''s attack. The powerful attack spell just now was the spell stored in Daphne''s necklace, and these dozen blood bullets were her real killer move. Daphne''s original plan was to use the attack magic in the necklace to attract the hooded man''s attention, and then take the opportunity to launch a sneak attack with the unicorn''s blood. However, the power of the attack magic that Rhys left for her exceeded her expectations, and the feint attack turned into the main attack. Bullets made of blood hit the hooded man, splashing a few blood flowers. After being injured many times, it no longer wanted to tangle here. With a bang, a thick black fog emerged from the open space. When the fog dissipated, the hooded man had disappeared, and even the broken arm that fell on the ground disappeared. _______ Be 12 days ahead of SH! Join Patreon! 86- It’s a complete slander! 86- It¡¯s a complete slander! The hooded figure fled. After it disappeared, Daphne remained on high alert. She sent a burst of red sparks into the sky and swiftly changed her position several times, wary that the hooded figure might be feigning retreat to prepare a sneak attack. While Daphne was cautiously outmaneuvering the air, Harry gradually recovered. His headache had been so intense during the fight between Daphne and the hooded figure that he could barely keep his eyes open. Only after the figure fled did the pain in his scar begin to subside. At that moment, the sound of hooves pounding the ground echoed nearby. Harry sprang to his feet and pulled out his wand from his robe. Though he knew only a few spells, holding his wand brought him a sense of security. Daphne also gripped her wand tightly, silently praying for Hagrid to arrive quickly. However, amidst the anxious waiting, a question popped into her mind: Why were the approaching beings riding horses? This seemed highly unusual. It was the twentieth century, not the twelfth, and cavalry had become ceremonial. Even the traditionally conservative wizarding world no longer used horses. So who were these riders? Soon, Daphne''s confusion was resolved. Two centaurs, armed with bows and arrows, charged into the clearing. From the waist up, they resembled humans, but from the waist down, they had the bodies of horses, complete with tails. Two centaurs stood before them. One had a head of black hair and a pure black horse body, while the other had platinum blonde hair and the body of a silver-maned horse, appearing younger than the black-haired centaur. Daphne''s eyes widened as she observed every detail of the centaurs. This was her first time seeing these magical creatures, who were said to possess intelligence equal to that of humans, much like house-elves and goblins. After circling the clearing to ensure the danger had passed, the two centaurs stopped running. The black-haired centaur examined the unicorn''s corpse and the surrounding battle marks with a grim expression. The platinum-haired centaur approached Harry to check on him. "Are you alright?" "I''m fine, thank you¡ª" "You don''t look fine," the blonde centaur remarked, his gaze lingering on Harry''s prominent scar. Hagrid and the others, including Rhys, who had been hiding, were stunned. Hagrid and the others hadn''t expected Daphne to receive additional attention from the centaurs. The overlooking Rhys chuckled hearing a familiar name after a thousand years. "Yes, he was one of my ancestors," Daphne nodded. "That explains it. As expected of Dragonheart''s descendant," Firenze praised. "Dragonheart?" Harry looked puzzled. This was the first time he had heard such a strange title. "The ancestor of the Greengrass family, who was once a student of Salazar Slytherin, famously tore out a dragon''s heart with his bare hands during a battle with the creature. Hence, he was honored with the title Adrian Greengrass the ''Dragonheart''. Even after a thousand years, his legend is still passed down in this forest," Ronan explained to Harry. Daphne added a few more details, giving everyone a deeper understanding of this Greengrass ancestor. Adrian Greengrass had once studied magic under Slytherin. However, unlike his teacher''s nature, he was hearty and straightforward, displaying traits more akin to Gryffindor. When Hogwarts was first founded, the four founders had cleared the Forbidden Forest. But over time, some powerful magical creatures were attracted to the rich land and migrated here. Among them, a black dragon was the most powerful and savage, causing significant trouble for the inhabitants of the forest and the staff and students of Hogwarts. Upon learning of its existence, Slytherin, aiming to provide training, sent his student Adrian. In the end, Adrian lived up to his teacher''s expectations and successfully dealt with the dragon in the Forbidden Forest. "It wasn''t training at all," Bane interjected disdainfully. "It was because Slytherin had a conflict with the other three founders. They were so busy with their infighting that they didn''t care what was happening here. So they sent this little guy, who didn''t fit the Slytherin mold, to his death. But who would have thought, he succeeded." Rhys, who secretly listened to the whole process, was so angry that his eyes turned black: This is a complete slander!!! ______ Read 12 Chapters ahead at 87- I use necromancy ≠ I am a dark wizard. 87- I use necromancy =? I am a dark wizard. Listening to the centaur Bane, Rhys felt his blood pressure rising: What do you mean by "busy with infighting" and "sent to his death"? Slytherin''s reputation is ruined by people like you! The worst part was that Hagrid and the others seemed to think the centaur made sense! This centaur is slandering me! Rhys was quite displeased. As for the truth of the matter... Adrian had actually sneaked off to hunt the black dragon on his own. By the time Rhys found out, Adrian had already returned to the castle with the dragon''s heart. He paid a heavy price for it, and Rhys gave him a month''s detention. However, the reason for his detention was posted on the castle''s notice board. "Adrian''s descendant achieving this isn''t surprising," the centaurs concluded, giving Daphne a few curious glances: this little witch had the courage to fight such an evil creature and the strength to do so without getting hurt. Her future was boundless. The centaurs chatted a bit more with Hagrid, and inevitably, the conversation shifted to the night''s significant event. "The injured unicorn is dead," Firenze said with a tone of regret. Upon hearing this news, Hagrid and everyone else present fell into silence. "Did you find, or do you know what did it?" After a long pause, it was Hagrid who broke the silence. The three centaurs, led by the red-haired Ronan, did not directly answer Hagrid''s question. Instead, Ronan looked up and pointed at the sky above them. "The Mars is very bright tonight." Hagrid: ? He didn''t understand what Ronan meant. Despite repeated inquiries, Ronan''s only response was, "The Mars is very bright." Ronan was unwilling to directly share his thoughts, and Firenze and Bane remained silent as well. "Alright, alright!" Hagrid waved his hand impatiently, complaining, "You lot always act this way, knowing so much but keeping it all to yourselves." The centaurs, being very familiar with Hagrid, didn''t take his words to heart. Unicorns, as powerful magical creatures, were extremely rare. Even a thousand years ago, they were animals of legend, with many wizards never encountering one in their lifetime. Rhys was sure that Mr. Ollivander must have had a close relationship with Hogwarts, or specifically with Hagrid, otherwise, there would be no way he could use unicorn tail hair so abundantly as wand cores¡ª the same applied to phoenix feathers. Rhys had heard that Dumbledore kept a phoenix, which was likely the source of all the phoenix tail feather wand cores Ollivander used. However, tonight''s focus was not wand making, but the necromancy Rhys had once delved into. He had conducted some research in this area, although most of his findings had likely been lost over time. While the results were gone, the knowledge remained. With the right materials, Rhys could naturally recreate his necromantic magic. ''If Gryffindor and the others saw this, they''d probably label me an evil wizard again.'' Rhys couldn''t help but mock himself as he drew his wand. The disagreements between him and his friends, besides their students'' family backgrounds, also included his research into magic. Gryffindor and the others were strongly against his studies, citing the simple reason that they believed dark magic would corrode one''s soul, causing a gradual but significant change in one''s nature. They thought it best for Rhys to stay away from such things. But Rhys held an opposing view. He believed that the notion of black magic was nonexistent. Magic was merely a tool for wizards; tools themselves are neither good nor evil. The key lies in the user. Muggles can use a fruit knife to cut fruit or to kill someone¡ªshould fruit knives then be categorized based on their use? The same logic applies to magic. Does using necromancy make me a dark evil wizard? Rhys didn''t think so. All magic, all spells, are potentially useful; some spells just require extra caution in learning and usage. It''s like certain ingredients used by alchemists, which require proper safety measures¡ªblaming the materials as "evil" for injuries sustained due to lack of precautions is quite laughable, isn''t it? Without any psychological burden, Rhys began preparing the ritual to cast spells on the unicorn''s corpse. ______ Read 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 88- Nightmare 88- Nightmare In Rhys''s eyes, not all corpses are suitable for casting necromancy - first, they must be "fresh" enough, second, they must be strong enough, and finally, they must conform to his aesthetics. The troll that Daphne had killed before was quite fresh, but it was so dirty and ugly that Rhys didn''t even like it. Plus, trolls were not rare creatures, and several professors from the school were on their way. Time was running out, so he gave up on the troll''s body. The situation today is different. What is in front of him is the corpse of a unicorn, which has just died. This perfectly meets Rhys''s requirements. He took out his magic wand and placed it against the unicorn''s heart. With a push of magic, the magic wand sank into the unicorn''s body. Next, he cut his palm, letting the blood drip onto the ground. He used his blood to outline an equilateral triangle magic circle with a simple pattern and the unicorn''s corpse as the center. From the perspective of others, Rhys''s behavior is pure black magic, but in Rhys''s eyes, isn''t this a sacred spell that gives the dead a new life? There is no magic brighter than this!Vissit for updates It didn''t take long to draw the magic circle. Rhys''s face turned pale due to blood loss, but his eyes became bright with excitement. Rhys now has light in his eyes. After treating the wound and stopping the bleeding, Rhys began to look carefully for traces left by the hooded man in the open space. Fortunately, the hooded man fled in a hurry and only took away the broken arm, without cleaning up the blood on the ground. Rhys waved his hand, and the dirt stained with the hooded man''s blood floated up from the ground and gathered into a ball. Rhys placed the blood ball on one corner of the triangle. At the other two corners, he placed some dirt stained with the unicorn''s blood and some dirt stained with his own blood. At this point, the three key elements: the enemy''s blood, one''s own blood, and the caster''s blood are all ready, and the most important preliminary preparations for necromancy have been completed. In order to ensure the success rate, Rhys took out some essential oils and potion materials that he had prepared earlier from his small bag and placed them next to the unicorn''s corpse. When everything was ready, Rhys stood next to the unicorn''s body and chanted a spell to it. After the phantom and the skeleton merged, two small balls of white flames appeared in the empty eye sockets of the unicorn''s skull. The flames flickered for a moment, and the skeleton stood up from the ground, kicking the ground a few times with its hooves emitting blue flames. The resurrected unicorn still needed to adapt to its new body. At this point, Rhys''s undead magic was considered successful. Rhys patted the unicorn''s bony head and said to it, "After being reborn, you naturally need a new name. What do you think of the name ''Nightmare''?" To be more precise, Nightmare is the name of its race, but looking at the unicorn''s appearance, it doesn''t seem to object to being called "Nightmare". After Nightmare adjusted to his new body, Rhys took out a crystal ball from his bag. This crystal ball was very similar to the ones sold in Muggle gift shops, with a small platform inside and some small decorations on it. The decoration in Rhys''s crystal ball was a small forest. He pressed the crystal ball on the nightmare, and the nightmare''s body began to shrink gradually. When it became smaller than the crystal ball, it was sucked into the crystal ball and continued to shrink inside the crystal ball until it became half the size of the decorative trees. Looking at the nightmare walking in the crystal ball, Rhys smiled with satisfaction. He cleaned up the scene a bit and then left. After a while, the two centaurs who were knocked unconscious by Rhys gradually woke up. They hurried to the open space, only to find that the unicorn''s body that was originally lying there was gone. Bane and Ronan''s expressions suddenly turned ugly. "Damn it, that guy came back! Why didn''t I think of that!" Bain angrily stomped his hoof twice on the ground, feeling annoyed by his carelessness. Bane believed that the demon who killed the unicorn stole the unicorn''s body. As for the purpose, it was probably for dirty money and to prolong the life that was destined to be cursed. Ronan looked at the night sky worriedly, sighed, and said, "The dark clouds are about to cover the stars." After hearing what Ronan said, Bane also raised his head and looked at the starry sky. He remained silent for a long time, and finally just shook his head. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Remember this necro horse, he''ll appear in future chapters. Read 12 Chapters Ahead of everyone at 89- Dumbledore shouldn’t set the levels alone 89- Dumbledore shouldn¡¯t set the levels alone What is the culprit who killed unicorns and stole unicorn bodies according to the centaurs doing now? Professor Quirrell is crawling in the dark corner of the Forbidden Forest. Daphne and Rhys'' pendent''s spells caused him severe damage. After he managed to run for a distance, he was completely exhausted and couldn''t even walk upright. "Waste!" A muffled roar came from Professor Quirrell''s turban. "If you can''t even handle such a small matter, what use are you?" Although the turban somewhat blocked the sound, the anger and hatred in the voice were still clearly exposed. No one who heard this voice would in their right mind think that the one shouting like a child who was punched in the face and had their candy taken was the once-feared Dark Lord. If they had known that the source of the voice was the infamous Voldemort, one can only imagine how terrified many people would have been. Quirrell shuddered and tried to defend himself: "Master, I..."NewW novels updates at novelhall.com "Let me do it!" Without giving Quirrell a chance to speak, control of Quirrell''s body was taken away by Voldemort behind his head. Voldemort used this body that did not belong to him without any mercy. After Quirrell was injured, many of his movements became cautious, fearing that he would aggravate his injuries, but Voldemort did not have such concerns, and his movements were wide and open, as if he was not injured at all. Pain? Voldemort had long been accustomed to it. Every minute and every second after becoming a wandering spirit was like a thousand cuts of torture. This little pain was nothing at the moment. As for what would happen to Quirrell''s body, what did that have to do with him? Ever since he possessed Quirrell, Quirrell had been a living dead. All the promises Voldemort made to Quirrell, all the beautiful visions he had drawn for him, were lies. Quirrell''s ending was no different from those of the poisonous snakes and rats he had possessed. When he drained the nutrients from this body, Quirrell would die, and any action he took would only delay the arrival of that day. Under Voldemort''s efforts, dozens of drops of silver-blue blood slid out of the wound. Although Daphne''s act of turning unicorn blood into bullets also injured Quirrell, it accidentally provided him with some unicorn blood, prolonging his life. After taking the blood, his complexion improved a lot. "Unfortunately, we have attracted too many people''s attention. We can no longer hunt unicorns in the Forbidden Forest." Voldemort said with regret. Since possessing Quirrell, Voldemort has been planning to seize the Philosopher''s Stone hidden in the castle by Dumbledore. All signs indicate that Quirrell, or the thing inside him, can''t bear it any longer, and Rhys thinks he should do something before him. After all, it''s not just Harry Potter who''s taking part in the "game", there''s also Daphne, and Dumbledore shouldn''t be the only one setting the "levels". "By the way, shall we go to the library later? The finals are in a few weeks, shouldn''t we make a review plan?" Rhys stared at Daphne as if she were a strange creature until she lowered her head. ''Final review? Me?! Miss Greengrass, are you even listening to what you are talking about?'' For Rhys, there is no difference between getting full marks in all subjects and getting zero marks in all subjects. If it weren''t for the fact that his absence was too conspicuous, he wouldn''t even want to take the exam. If only someone could take the exam for him... Eh?! Rhys narrowed his eyes. "I have something to do in the afternoon, so I''ll leave first. You go do your thing." Rhys pushed the plate aside and left the hall straight away, and at the same time stopped Daphne who was trying to follow him - he wanted to act alone this time. Acting alone, Rhys returned to the Chamber of Secrets and entered a secret room within the Chamber of Secrets. This was his own makeshift potion laboratory, where some potions that he didn''t want Daphne to know about were prepared. If Quirrell accidentally stumbled into this place, he would be shocked, because at this moment, there were five stones that looked very much like the Philosopher''s Stone on Rhys''s laboratory table! In the crucible on one side, there was a pot of blood-red liquid boiling, and in the liquid there was a stone that looked exactly like the real Philosopher''s Stone floating up and down. Rhys walked into his laboratory, took the stone out of the crucible, then squinted his eyes and observed it carefully. In Rhys''s opinion, this stone cannot have any flaws. ____ Read 12 Chapters ahead at my Patreon! 90- Different Levels, Different Tests 90- Different Levels, Different Tests Rhys took out a piece of wiping cloth and gently wiped off the remaining red liquid on the surface of the stone, revealing a blood-red stone. Visually, it was no different from the Philosopher''s Stone Rhys had obtained that day, but it was far from enough to just look the same. He had to make a replica that could deceive Dumbledore''s eyes. As the strongest wizard he had met after waking up, Rhys would not take Dumbledore lightly. He was willing to treat this junior who was born nearly a thousand years later than him as an equal. In other words, he needed to make a replica that even he himself could hardly distinguish. There are many counterfeiting methods popular in the Muggle antique world. For example, making a plate of ancient style and putting a mark of the corresponding era on the bottom is the most crude imitation method; a slightly more advanced method is to use physical or chemical methods to make it look old; the most powerful method is to combine and splice antiques from different eras to create a counterfeit with a longer historical background and high value, or simply split an antique into two pieces. Rhys is going to use the most advanced counterfeiting methods. The reason why he took such great pains to imitate the Philosopher''s Stone was naturally because Rhys wanted to get the real Philosopher''s Stone for research but did not want Dumbledore to find out. He had previously obtained some fragments from the Philosopher''s Stone, and although the sample was not large enough for research, it was enough for him to make a sufficiently realistic imitation. Rhys used his magic power and found nothing unusual about the fake in his hand. After failing several times, he finally made a fake that was good enough to deceive his own eyes. After selecting the magic stone in his hand, Rhys began to make further imitations.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com He evaporated the liquid in the crucible until only a lump the size of a fingernail remained. He then used magic to control the gummy substance and evenly spread it on the surface of the fake Philosopher''s Stone. Finally, he waited for it to dry naturally and the job was done. The fake in Rhys''s hand was so good that even he couldn''t tell it apart: the real Philosopher''s Stone powder was evenly dispersed inside the stone, and even if he used magic to detect it, he would never find anything unusual. What''s even better is that Rhys used the real Philosopher''s Stone as the raw material and coated the fake with a very thin film, which made the fake even have some of the functions of the real Philosopher''s Stone - if the real Philosopher''s Stone can extend life for a year, then this one can probably extend life for a few hours. This operation ensures that even if the counterfeit is really used to make the elixir of life, it can still pass for sale. Putting the fake in his arms, Rhys left the secret room and headed straight for the corridor on the fourth floor. Harry didn''t want to talk to Ron for the time being, so he stood up and decided to go find Rhys and Daphne and have a good chat with them. To Harry''s surprise, when he found Daphne, he discovered that Rhys, who always stayed with Daphne in Library, was gone. "Where''s Rhys?" "I don''t know, he said he had something to do, so he asked me to review here alone." Daphne pouted. Of course she knew that Rhys was going to tinker with his extremely complicated potion, but what obligation did she have to tell Potter? You can''t take him to the Chamber of Secrets to find Rhys. That''s the territory left by Slytherin for his heir. What does it have to do with him, a Gryffindor? Harry was getting more and more upset because he didn''t see him. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration came to Harry, and he felt that he had grasped the truth. He pressed his palm against Daphne''s notebook and took it away from her. Faced with Daphne''s shocked and angry eyes, Harry just begged her to go with him to see Hagrid. Calling the bored Ron, the three of them went straight to Hagrid''s hut. "You''d better give me an explanation." Daphne followed the two men with a dark face. She swore that if Harry couldn''t give a reasonable explanation, she would definitely teach him a lesson. "Don''t you think some things are too coincidental?" Harry counted on his fingers and told Daphne the doubts he was aware of one by one. "Hagrid is the owner of the three-headed dog on the third floor. Then, when he was playing cards, he met a wizard with a dragon egg. What kind of wizard would bring a dragon egg to play cards?! The key is that he lost the dragon egg to Hagrid in the end! Add to that the Halloween trolls and the monsters in the Forbidden Forest. No, I have to go find Hagrid to verify some things." Harry''s face turned pale: "If it''s consistent with my guess... that''s terrible!" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 12 Advance Chapters¡ª Rhys Vs Voldy is going on! 91- Daphne’s Anger 91- Daphne¡¯s Anger When the three found Hagrid, he was sitting at the door of the hut processing the prey he had shot from the hunting ground. It was obvious that he was in a good mood, humming an unknown little song while he was gutting the rabbit. After seeing Harry and the other two, Hagrid was surprised. "How come you have time to come here? Don''t you have to review for the final exam?" Harry didn''t exchange pleasantries with Hagrid. He got straight to the point: "Hagrid, I have something to ask you. Do you remember the details of the night you won the Norberta at cards? For example, who lost it to you?" Hagrid frowned and searched his memory carefully. "A weirdo who refuses to take off his cloak and hood, but almost everyone in the Hog''s Head Inn behaves like this. Guys like me who show up in public are the weirdos there, haha!" Hagrid laughed heartily. Hearing the words "cloak" and "hood", Harry felt his scar begin to ache again. He hurriedly asked, "Then how did you two... uh, get to know each other? He can''t just go around shouting about the dragon egg and looking for someone to gamble with, right?" Speaking of dragon eggs, Hagrid became even more interested. He threw the rabbit in his hand aside and told Harry and the other two the story of that night. "After a day''s work, ordering a mug of hot beer and playing a few cards in the bar is the ultimate enjoyment for adult wizards. That''s how I met the dragon vendor." When Harry heard the word "dragon vendor", he almost fainted: Hagrid was good in every way, except that he was too careless sometimes. Hagrid explained as if he was not talking about a unique ''profession'' such as Dragon Vendor but a Dragon Fruit vendor. Not realizing how outrageous his words were, Hagrid continued to tell his story: "We played a few games together, drank a lot of wine, and ordered some barbecue. At that time, the mood came up. You know, playing cards and gambling are inseparable - don''t learn from me - then I was lucky and won several times in a row. In the end, he got angry and bet a dragon egg, which is Norbeta, on the gambling table..." As if to keep people on suspense, Hagrid paused for two seconds before announcing the answer that everyone knew: "And he lost again!" "After losing, he became more sober and regretful. He hoped that I would give him some time to raise some money. He was unwilling to hand over the dragon egg to me because he felt that I could not control the dragon well. If the dragon got out of control and caused trouble, it would bring him trouble. I couldn''t let this godsend opportunity slip away from me, so I told him that I was the gamekeeper of Hogwarts the hunting ground''s caretaker, and I could even control the three-headed Fluffy. A dragon was nothing..." Harry felt as if a basin of ice water was poured on his head. "And then? Was he very interested in Fluffy¡ª¡ª" "You don''t have any evidence at all?" Facing Harry and Ron''s constant slander against Professor Snape, she couldn''t help but say, "You think Professor Snape is going to steal the Philosopher''s Stone based on your subjective conjecture? Also, I need to remind you that the You-Know-Who was wiped out ten years ago!" Harry and Ron looked at each other, their eyes full of helplessness. "But think about it, Snape has been targeting Harry for a whole semester¡ª" Ron also joined the ranks of trying to persuade Daphne. "So what? Where is the evidence?!" Daphne raised both of her long eyebrows, and the flames of anger in her eyes almost burst out. "At the end of the previous game, I saw him talking with Quirrell and it seemed he was threatening him..." Harry repeated to Daphne the conversation between Snape and Quirrell that he had overheard. "See! He is threatening Professor Quirrell. He wants Professor Quirrell to help him get the Philosopher''s Stone!" Daphne: "???" "A professor threatening another professor appointed by Dumbledore to get the thing Dumbledore is keeping safe in the castle, is that what you are saying?! Do you really think Professor Quirrell doesn''t know where Dumbledore''s office is any more than you do?!" "..." Sure enough, it''s impossible to reason with a Slytherin. It turns out that it''s impossible to reason with two Gryffindors. The three of them sighed in unison. "So what? What are you going to do? Go to Snape and report us?" Harry looked at Daphne with a rather unfriendly look. Daphne nearly jumped up like a cat whose tail was stepped on: "Who do you think I am?! I will go to the corridor on the third floor with you right now! I will not stop until you see with your own eyes who the intruder is!" At this time, Daphne, who was angered by Harry, had made up her mind to intervene in this matter, and the three of them ran towards the castle together. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 12 Chaps Ahead¡ª 92- Rhys fainted from poisoning? 92- Rhys fainted from poisoning? The three of them ran for a while, and after they rushed into the castle, their blood gradually returned to normal, and they calmed down. Harry thought that he must go to Professor Dumbledore first, rather than rushing into the corridor on the third floor. But the question is, where is Dumbledore''s office? The little wizards stood at the corner of the corridor on the second floor, confused. Daphne also had no idea where the principal''s office was, and they had never seen any students being taken there. At this moment, Professor McGonagall''s voice suddenly rang out: "You three, make way. If you have time to stay here, you might as well go back and review for the final exam!" Professor McGonagall appeared with a serious face, she walked hurriedly, and a stretcher was floating behind her. When she saw Harry and the other two, she frowned and gave Daphne an extra look, as if blaming her for hanging out with Harry and Ron again. It''s rare to see Slytherins hanging out with Gryffindors every day. "We want to see Professor Dumbledore." Courage surged from Harry''s heart. He looked into Professor McGonagall''s eyes and stated his request. Professor McGonagall was surprised by his idea. She was stunned for a moment, then told Harry that Dumbledore had received an urgent letter from the Ministry of Magic and was no longer in Hogwarts. "He''s gone?" Harry asked anxiously. "At this time?" He felt like the sky was falling. Professor McGonagall was obviously dissatisfied with what Harry said: "Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard -" "Rhys?!!!" an exclamation interrupted Professor McGonagall''s words. While Professor McGonagall was talking to Harry, the stretcher slowly floated over, allowing Daphne to see the face of the person lying on the stretcher clearly, and then she couldn''t help but scream. It was no wonder she was so surprised, because the person lying on it was actually Rhys! This really shocked Daphne. At this moment, Rhys''s eyes were closed and his face was ashen. If it weren''t for the slight rise and fall of his chest, he would be no different from a corpse. "Someone found him in an underground classroom. Judging from the potion residues scattered around him, Mr. Lint tried to make potions to enhance memory and luck in an attempt to get good grades in the final exam. However, the difficulty of making these two potions was beyond his imagination..." Professor McGonagall glanced at Rhys lying on the stretcher and sighed, "I''m afraid Mr. Lint will miss his final exam." "Why did he make this kind of potion?" Daphne glanced at him, refusing to answer the question. Her attitude made Ron a little unhappy, but he couldn''t do anything to Daphne. When Harry heard Daphne say that she could deal with the three-headed dog Fluffy, he felt that Daphne was emitting holy light all over her body. "Great!" He almost jumped up, his eyes sparkling, "Let''s go to the fourth floor now and stop Snape!" Daphne: Huh? Her reason told her that there seemed to be a lot of things to complain about this operation. Although she had just shouted that she would take Harry and the others to prove Professor Snape''s innocence, it was just an angry remark when she was angry. She felt that it was not a good idea to directly break into the forbidden area on the third floor. What if they run into the guy who wants to steal the Philosopher''s Stone? Although the encounter in the Forbidden Forest made Daphne feel that she was very good at fighting, she was not sure of winning if she fought again. The same move would be much less effective the second time. And Potter has no substantial evidence! He thinks someone went in to steal the Philosopher''s Stone, but where is the evidence? It can''t be based on pure speculation! "Have you guys finished your review?" Snape''s voice sounded behind the three of them, causing Harry and Ron to gasp. The three of them turned their heads and saw that Snape was really standing behind them. Daphne smiled: "Potter, Professor Snape''s suspicion can be cleared now, right? He didn''t steal the Philosopher''s Stone!" "Professor, Rhys--" "I know." Snape showed a strange smile on his face. "He still overestimated his own pharmaceutical skills, but I admire his courage and talent for challenging such a difficult potion in his first year. Well, I have to go treat Mr. Lint. I just happened to have developed a new antidote." He pushed aside the three people and walked towards the school hospital wing. After walking two steps, he turned around and looked at Daphne and said, "Miss Greengrass, I have a piece of advice for you. It would help if you didn''t get along with people who are not your friends. You need to be cautious when making friends." After saying this, he flicked his sleeves and left in a daze. Daphne turned and looked at Harry, and said proudly: "I told you, Professor Snape is definitely innocent!" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 93- Feeling Targeted 93- Feeling Targeted "Great! Snape is not ready to steal the Philosopher''s Stone yet!" After Snape walked away, Harry was excited. Daphne: "?!" Her eyes widened with anger and shock. She felt that it was really difficult to communicate effectively with someone like Potter - if Potter didn''t see Professor Snape, it meant that Professor Snape had gone to steal the Philosopher''s Stone, and if Potter saw Professor Snape, it meant that he was not ready to steal the Philosopher''s Stone. So Professor Snape must be a villain no matter what?! She felt herself getting angry again. "Can you please stop being unreasonable!" Daphne didn''t want to play house with these two kids anymore. She just wanted to go to the school hospital wing to check on Rhys''s condition. She thought it was ridiculous that Rhys was poisoned by the potion she had prepared. The probability of Dumbledore choking on a mint candy and entering St. Mungo''s was greater than this! There must be some hidden secret, and she wants to find out. Seeing that Daphne seemed about to leave, Harry quickly ran up to her and blocked her way - if she left, he and Ron wouldn''t even be able to get past Fluffy. "Wait a minute, Daphne, please believe me!" Harry said earnestly, "I am very sure that Voldemort is planning to get the Philosopher''s Stone. I must enter that room. I can''t watch him take the Philosopher''s Stone away from me." "Daphne, if the Philosopher''s Stone falls into Voldemort''s hands, he will definitely make a comeback. By then, all the prosperity of Hogwarts and even the entire wizarding world will be destroyed. Voldemort and his lackeys will raze the school to the ground, or turn it into a school dedicated to teaching dark magic. In the process, countless people will die - if you want to survive, you must kneel down for him and become his servants and dogs! If I fail, I will just be killed by him. If I didn''t stop him, wouldn''t I be killed by him? I''ll just die a little later than now, because I will never go to him. Voldemort killed my parents! Can you understand this hatred? I must go through that trapdoor. I will bear any responsibility alone!" Daphne couldn''t help but be moved. Harry''s words really touched her and made her rationality waver a little. The last bit of her rationality drove her to ask, "What if you get the Philosopher''s Stone, but that person intercepts you and steals it? It is now under the protection of Professor Dumbledore and is very safe." "Then I will guard the last level of the checkpoint. Voldemort will have to step over my body if he wants to get the Philosopher''s Stone." Harry said in a decisive tone. Harry''s determined look successfully convinced Daphne, and she felt that she should help Harry - since he had made up his mind, she should not waste his awareness. "Daphne, you don''t have to get involved. I only ask you to do me two favors: First, lend me this bottle of potion - if it''s hard to explain to Rhys, I can offer a price for it. My parents left me a large sum of money, ten times or a hundred times the market price. Second, when Professor Dumbledore comes back tomorrow, please tell him that Ron and I entered the third-floor corridor room. Please, just these two things. Do these two things for me, and I can repay you with anything in the future!" Daphne pursed her lips, and after a few seconds of hesitation, she gave her answer. The trapdoor opened to reveal a hole. Harry looked down through the hole. It was pitch dark and he couldn''t see clearly what was going on at the bottom. Harry directly supported the edge of the hole with his hands. Watching his movements, Daphne had a bad feeling: Was he going to jump in directly? "Hey, wait--" Harry jumped down before Daphne could finish her sentence. Daphne felt a little suffocated: What if it was very deep down there or there was a trap at the bottom? Harry would be dead! She didn''t dare to delay, and cast a levitation magic on herself and floated down along the cave entrance. As she slowly fell, Daphne was on high alert. Her energy was not in vain. About four or five seconds later, there was a swishing sound in the air, and several crossbow arrows with cold light shot towards her from all angles. Daphne waved her wand and used a protective spell to deflect them all. "Sure enough, there is a trap." Daphne narrowed her eyes, and now she began to worry about what would have happened to Harry - did he get smashed into a mess, or shot into a sieve by a crossbow arrow? As a result, when she landed, Daphne was shocked: not only was there no trap on the ground, but there was a soft thing on the ground to cushion the shock for the person who jumped down! Harry was standing on the mass, jumping around and looking completely unharmed. "Is it because Harry''s fall was so fast that the crossbow trap on the wall was not triggered?" She suddenly realized something. She got shot at because she descended slowly by the levitation spell..? Daphne felt as if she was being targeted - the trap here only targets experts?! ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª A/n: Let''s see what traps Rhys has created for Daphne! Read 12 Chapters ahead of everyone 94- Under the Trapdoor 94- Under the Trapdoor For the first time, Daphne began to waver as to whether it was necessary for her to learn such advanced magic. Before jumping down, she was worried about Harry''s safety, but upon seeing that he was unharmed and had accidentally avoided the traps under the trapdoor, Daphne''s mindset subtly changed: Who set up these traps? Do they have any basic knowledge of setting up defensive mechanisms? Is the cushioning on the ground to prevent thieves from getting hurt? Harry didn''t think that much. He shouted up to the hole, telling Ron to jump down as well. With a thud, Ron landed flat on his back next to Harry. "What is this stuff?" he asked. "Not sure, seems like some kind of plant, feels like it''s here to cushion falls." Daphne was speechless when she heard Harry''s words: Don''t you think it''s strange to have cushioning plants here? Suddenly, she felt something grab her ankle and quickly crawl up her shoe, wrapping around her arch. Daphne suddenly realized what it was. She struggled desperately, finally shaking off her shoe to escape. Once she reached a safe clearing, Daphne took a moment to observe what had just attacked her, and then she recognized it¡ªit was Devil''s Snare covering the ground. Daphne was quick to react, so she managed to escape. Harry and Ron were not so lucky. One had fallen early, and the other was lying directly on the Devil''s Snare. By the time Daphne noticed the anomaly, both of them were already entangled and unable to break free. "Help! Help us!" "What is this stuff¡ª" Harry and Ron struggled desperately, but the vines only tightened their grip. Despite their best efforts, they could only temporarily hold off the vines from wrapping around their necks. Without outside help, as their strength gradually waned, the two young wizards would eventually be strangled to death. First, she tried the simplest method: pushing it. Since someone had broken in before, perhaps the door was already open. However, the door didn''t budge. She then tried the Unlocking Charm, but it had no effect. Looking at the wooden door, Daphne had a bold idea. She stepped back a few steps and then cast an attacking spell at the door. The sturdy oak door was chipped a little with a small hole. Although the power didn''t meet her expectations, it was still quite good. Daphne began casting spells continuously: wind blades, ice arrows, fireballs... She used all forms of attack magic she had learned from Rhys on the door. She thought that the spell stored in her necklace could probably blow the door open in one go, but that spell was her trump card and couldn''t be used casually. She decided to blow the door to pieces bit by bit. Harry and Ron, floating in mid-air, were dumbfounded and almost forgot their mission. However, Daphne''s efforts ultimately ended in failure. When she blew a large hole in the outer layer of the wooden door, she discovered a thick iron door underneath. Blasting through the iron door would take an unknown amount of time, and more importantly, she couldn''t guarantee that there wouldn''t be another door behind it. Fortunately, Harry and Ron brought good news¡ªthey had locked onto a key and were intercepting it. Ron dived down while Harry closely followed the key. With the two closing in, the key swiftly flew towards the ground. Daphne raised her wand and swung it upward¡ª A small wind blade shot out from her wand tip, precisely hitting the escaping key and slicing off one of its wings. With half a wing missing, the key plummeted to the ground, where Daphne swiftly grasped it. She brought the key to the door, inserted it into the lock, and turned it. With a click, the door swung open on its own. Looking at the one-foot-thick iron door, Daphne was relieved that her spell hadn''t damaged the mechanism inside the door. Otherwise, the three of them might not have been able to push it open. _______ 12 Advance Chapters- 95- Speed Running!? 95- Speed Running!? Behind the door was a pitch-black room. As the three of them stepped inside, the room suddenly lit up, revealing a breathtaking scene. They stood at the edge of a giant chessboard, with towering black stone chess pieces in front of them. On the opposite side of the room were similarly sized white chess pieces. None of the pieces had carved faces, and they stood tall, exuding an intimidating presence. Ron tried to take a step forward, and the soldiers among the white pieces immediately moved. "Bloody hell!" They drew their weapons and blocked Ron''s path, forming a "chess" wall. "It looks like we have to play a game of chess against the other side and win to pass through. And, unsurprisingly, we probably have to act as the pieces, replacing three of the black pieces," Ron speculated. He asked a black knight for confirmation and received a positive answer. This made Ron sigh; he knew that being a chess piece was far riskier than being a player. Pieces could be sacrificed; players could not. If possible, he would have preferred to be the player, but that wasn''t an option. Ron invited three black pieces to leave the board, then he, Harry, and Daphne took their places. "I''ll do the commanding. Not to brag, but my wizard chess skills are among the best at Hogwarts," Ron said, trying to take command before the game started. "Oh?" Harry, who was often beaten by Ron in wizard chess, didn''t mind, but Daphne, who had never played against Ron, raised an eyebrow, feeling somewhat unconvinced. Given Ron''s previous performance, she found it hard to trust this freckled Weasley boy. "Alright, how about we both command together?" Seeing Daphne''s change in demeanor, Ron''s confidence deflated like a balloon, and he decided to compromise, suggesting they co-command. However, this unintentionally committed a major chess blunder: multiple commanders. Playing chess with two comanders can often be less effective than playing alone, as not every player can follow their partner''s strategy, and sometimes they might even hinder their teammate. This was the case with Ron and Daphne. Both were skilled at wizard chess, but when combined, they had a peculiar negative impact on each other''s performance. The white pieces charged aggressively on the board, putting the black pieces at a severe disadvantage. Almost every wind blade she cast left a one-foot-long gash on the pieces, spreading numerous cracks. Striking a piece in a weak spot, such as the neck or limbs, would break it instantly. Even for thicker areas, an additional strike would suffice. Daphne''s attack caught the pieces off guard. By the time they reacted and began to attack her, most of the white pieces had already been destroyed. At this moment, Harry finally understood what Daphne meant by saying, "The outcome doesn''t necessarily have to be decided on the board." "That was cunning¡ªAh!?" As Harry pondered this, Ron suddenly tackled him, knocking him to the ground. It turned out that the black pieces had started attacking them¡ªwhen Daphne decided to break the rules, the black pieces no longer considered them allies but enemies instead. Thanks to Ron''s quick action, Harry avoided the black king''s attack, but Ron wasn''t as lucky. He took a heavy blow to the thigh, screaming in pain. Before the black king could strike again, a wind blade severed its head. Daphne had floated into the air by this point, unleashing a barrage of wind blades like raindrops, clearing the remaining pieces from the board in a matter of seconds. After the last chess piece fell with a crash, Daphne landed beside Ron, pursing her lips as she examined his injury. She regretted not coordinating with Harry and Ron beforehand; otherwise, they could have achieved a flawless victory. "It''s broken. Smell this quickly," Daphne said, opening a vial of sleeping potion just enough to let Ron catch a whiff. He promptly passed out. With a sigh, Daphne remarked that they would have to leave Ron there temporarily. Without any pieces in their way, the two of them easily crossed the second door. Beyond the third door was a giant troll, which Daphne defeated effortlessly¡ªthanks to her previous experience, she dispatched the troll in an instant. In the room beyond the troll, there was a table with seven bottles of various shapes. Daphne picked up the note left on the table. For her, the puzzle on the note was not difficult to solve. The problem arose when she picked up the inconspicuous little bottle and found that the potion inside had already been consumed. Daphne and Harry fell silent. ________ Read 12 Chapters ahead at 96- Rhys’s Action 96- Rhys¡¯s Action Daphne tightly gripped the empty bottle, biting her lower lip hard. She never expected to be stopped for such a ridiculous reason! The person who arrived first had drunk the potion, leaving those who came later unable to proceed even after solving the puzzle. It was absurd! Staring at the flames blocking their path, she had a bold and crazy idea: why not brew a fire-resistant potion and take a chance? She knew how to brew potions but lacked the materials and tools. Her fingers clenched the small bottle tightly. At that moment, she felt something raised on the surface of the bottle. She picked up the bottle and found an inscription on its body: "No way above, a door below." Daphne narrowed her eyes, placed the bottle back on the table, and carefully examined the floor. She noticed that a tile under the table seemed slightly uneven. Pressing down on one corner of the tile and giving it a firm lift, she revealed what lay beneath: a complete set of cauldrons and a package of potion ingredients. Daphne retrieved them and, upon opening the package, knew immediately what they were: all the ingredients needed to brew a fire-resistant potion. ''OK!'' She immediately set to work. The amount of potion ingredients in the package was limited, enough for only one mistake at most. Even worse, she had no recipe or guidelines this time. All she could rely on were her brain and hands, but this did not affect her confidence in the slightest. She even felt that there were more than enough ingredients. While Daphne was brewing the potion, a treatment was underway in the castle''s infirmary. "Mr. Lint''s condition has stabilized," Snape said as he straightened up after administering a newly developed potion to Rhys, delivering the good news to Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey, who stood nearby. "So when will he regain consciousness?" Madam Pomfrey observed Rhys''s improved complexion, finally feeling relieved. Now, her primary concern was how long the boy would stay in her ward. A fleeting look of embarrassment crossed Snape''s face. Although the protective measures set up by Dumbledore were quite "puzzle-like," the final villain was still somewhat dangerous. Rhys believed that with Daphne''s strength and the tools he had left for her, she could handle Quirrell easily. But dealing with the one behind Quirrell would be a bit more challenging. He needed to follow and make sure nothing went wrong. Rhys was confident that Dumbledore would be watching over Potter from the shadows, so he had to make some additional preparations. Rhys first opened the cabinet by the wall of the infirmary, took out a set of clean bedding, and rolled it up on his bed. Then he pointed his wand at the rolled-up bedding, and it transformed into his likeness. This wasn''t a simple transformation; the Rhys made from the bedding could even breathe and take medicine, enough to fool Madam Pomfrey and the school professors. After this, Rhys took out a small bottle from his pocket, filled with a thick, muddy liquid¡ªhe had also prepared Polyjuice Potion beforehand, which was now coming in handy. To avoid revealing his identity, besides physical disguises like wearing a hood, Rhys would also use the Polyjuice Potion to ensure foolproof concealment. Rhys rummaged through his small leather pouch for a while and found a small leather bag containing several bunches of hair, each tied with a ribbon labeled with Roman numerals. Rhys selected a bunch marked "XXV," carefully took out a single strand, and placed it into the Polyjuice Potion. The potion turned into a silver-green color. After drinking it in one gulp, Rhys transformed into a young man with a head of black hair. ''Quite impressive, dashing indeed. Keeping some of my hair from back then was a brilliant decision,'' Rhys thought, showing a satisfied expression as he looked at himself in the mirror¡ªhe had used hair from when he was twenty-five years old. Transforming into his twenty-five-year-old self made many things much more convenient. After casting a Disillusionment Charm on himself, Rhys walked straight out of the infirmary and headed for the third floor of the castle. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 97- Dumbledore, here I come, where are you?! 97- Dumbledore, here I come, where are you?! Rhys opened the door in the fourth-floor corridor and found the three-headed dog Fluffy sleeping soundly. "Not bad," Rhys nodded. Although they used the sleeping potion he droped behind, at least it proved that Daphne could identify the type of potion and use it correctly. Continuing deeper, Rhys noticed something unusual about the Devil''s Snare. Upon closer inspection, he couldn''t help but chuckle: Daphne had apparently had a bit of trouble here. When he saw the dilapidated door behind the swarm of flying keys, Rhys''s facial muscles twitched. He felt he needed to be concerned about Daphne''s mental state. For some reason, some of her actions seemed very Gryffindor-like, which worried Rhys. A carefully tended field sprouting a weed named Godric was unacceptable. ''Could it be from spending too much time with that Potter and Weasley?'' Rhys''s thoughts began to wander. While absentmindedly thinking, he conjured a rope to capture the key, which had lost half its wing and could barely fly. He could forcefully open the door, but such behavior was too Gryffindor. Rhys chose to pass the test the correct way. Along the way, besides observing the traces left by the three young wizards and deducing their methods, Rhys also carefully searched for signs of Dumbledore. He believed Professor Dumbledore should be secretly watching over the young wizards during their adventure. But the more he searched, the more puzzled he became: there were no traces of Dumbledore here at all. He couldn''t sense Dumbledore''s magic. The few mechanisms Rhys had set upon entering hadn''t been triggered, indicating no one had entered after him. This was extremely strange. With his insight, almost no one could escape his notice, not even his three companions. Had someone invented some advanced invisibility spell in the past millennium, making it impossible for him to detect them? ''Dumbledore, I''m here, but where are you?!'' A crazy thought flashed in Rhys''s mind: Could it be that Dumbledore didn''t come at all? This idea shocked Rhys when it crossed his mind. When arranging a trial for young wizards of Harry and Daphne''s age, two key points must be grasped: first, the participating young wizards must believe they are truly undergoing the trial alone; second, they must never actually be left to face the trial alone. If they were truly left alone, even if wizarding families maintained the Weasley family''s birth rate, it wouldn''t be enough. Rhys sincerely admired Dumbledore''s courage. Perhaps Dumbledore already knew it was Daphne who repelled Quirrell in the Forbidden Forest, which wasn''t hard to guess: it wasn''t Harry, Hagrid wasn''t there, and the centaurs arrived late. Using the process of elimination, one could deduce it. He quickened his pace. When Rhys arrived at the room with the chessboard, he saw the black and white pieces had returned to their original positions, ready to play, with Ron lying in the middle of the board, fast asleep. "Young people do sleep well, falling asleep at the drop of a hat." Rhys chuckled as he moved Ron off the board, then took out his wand. "If I had more time, I wouldn''t mind playing a game with you, but unfortunately, I''m in a hurry," Rhys smiled at the chess pieces. "Besides, I''m not confident I can win against you. You''re not like Daphne, willing to let me have a few pieces." Looking at these chess pieces, memories of playing wizard''s chess with Daphne came to his mind... "Wait a minute, I just moved to the wrong spot!" "You remembered wrong; this knight was black from the start!" "Cheating?! What do you take me for?" "Three pieces handicap?! Daphne, you''re too much. Letting me have a knight and a bishop is enough... Add a pawn this time..." Rhys couldn''t help but laugh. After a moment of reminiscing, he had a clear understanding of his chess skills, so he chose to use an out-of-board trick to win, saving time. A thin, long stream of water emerged from the tip of Rhys''s wand. He hadn''t used water element magic for a long time. Now that he was using it, he felt really nostalgic. "I guess not many people know now, but what I am best at is actually water element spells..." Rhys muttered to himself, then shook his wand, and an inconspicuous water line lightly crossed the entire chessboard. The next second, all the chess pieces on the board, whether black or white, the king or the bishop, were cut into pieces by the waterline. "Sorry, I''m in a hurry. I''ll use the water magic that I''m best at as compensation to you." Rhys shook off the water droplets on the tip of his wand and strode towards the room opposite. ______ Read 12 Chapters ahead of everyone 98- That’s a crystal ball made by Ravenclaw herself!!! 98- That¡¯s a crystal ball made by Ravenclaw herself!!! "Did the flames behind the door just flicker?" Harry squinted his eyes, asking uncertainly. Embarrassingly, Daphne completely ignored him. The preparation of the fire protection potion had reached the most critical moment. If there was any stray thought in Daphne''s mind aside from making the potion, it was why she hadn''t stuffed Harry''s mouth shut before starting. "Alright, maybe it was just my imagination." "Sigh, I wonder what the next challenge will be¡ªdo you think the fire protection potion can really get us through that firewall?" "How much longer until it''s ready?" "..." Finally, Daphne''s fire protection potion was successfully prepared. "Awesome! Fantastic!" Harry didn''t hold back on his words of praise. Daphne squinted her eyes and gave a sweet smile, "It''s nothing. But, Potter, I have something to tell you." "Go ahead." Facing Daphne, who had just finished making the fire protection potion, Harry wished he could replace the portrait of the Virgin Mary in Devonshire Church with Daphne''s photo. Whatever Daphne requested, Harry was ready to comply. "Next time you talk while I''m making a potion, even if it''s just one word, I''ll cut out your tongue and use it as an ingredient." Harry: "..." "Alright, drink the potion." Daphne divided the potion into two small bottles and handed one to Harry. They both drank the fire protection potion together and shivered. The potion felt like ice water, making them feel as if they had stepped outside in their pajamas on a winter''s day. As they passed through the fire door, the black flames actually brought a bit of warmth. Beyond the black flames, they smoothly entered the final room. A person who caused Harry''s pupils to dilate in shock was standing in that room. "Tut. tut. What a pity..." Voldemort shook his head, no longer hiding the cruelty in his eyes. The unwrapped turban moved like a snake, slithering towards Daphne. Seeing Daphne in danger, Harry panicked. He wanted to do something, but Voldemort casually conjured a rope, binding him. He didn''t even bother to speak to Harry. Voldemort felt both humiliated and amused: how could he have lost to such a person? No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn''t understand. Daphne flew into the air, attempting to avoid Voldemort''s attacks. "Oh?" Voldemort was even more surprised now. He hadn''t expected this little girl from the Greengrass family to have mastered flying magic. He casually shot a few spells at Daphne, watching her dodge them awkwardly, feeling like a cat toying with a mouse it had caught. Daphne had only one thought in her mind: she really wanted to blast that disgusting face with a spell, even just once! While dodging, she saw herself in a mirror¡ªher hair was disheveled, her face pale, looking like a lost dog. A thought flashed in Daphne''s mind: There was actually a mirror here? She hadn''t noticed it at all before. At that moment, she saw her reflection reach into a pocket, pull out a crystal ball, wink at her, and then put the crystal ball back into the pocket. Then, Daphne felt something heavy drop into the inner pocket of her robe. She reached in and found that the crystal ball was indeed in her pocket. A purple spell whizzed past her, nearly hitting her, and Voldemort''s sinister laughter echoed from the ground. "Pay attention, you mustn''t get distracted!" Daphne ignored him. She took out the crystal ball and looked down at it, discovering a skeletal horse pacing in a forest. A sense of clarity arose within her. The next moment, she smashed the crystal ball heavily against the ground, shattering it. ''What The..!!!'' Rhys, who had been observing in the shadows, nearly blacked out: That was handcrafted by Rowena Ravenclaw, the only one of its kind in the world! ¡ª¡ª¡ª 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 99- The Disappearance of the Killing Curse 99- The Disappearance of the Killing Curse "Space magic is truly amazing, isn''t it?" Gryffindor, with his red hair and beard, sincerely marveled at the convenience of space magic as the four of them suddenly appeared in a desolate wilderness. What would take ordinary people tens of days to walk, they had accomplished in a single morning. "To ordinary people, we must seem no different from the so-called gods," Hufflepuff remarked with a smile. "Gods are nothing special either; one sword strike can kill them," Gryffindor scoffed at the notion of "gods," as he always did. Unlike Godric and Helga''s leisurely attitudes, Slytherin and Ravenclaw were engrossed in an academic discussion. "But using this spell is very uncomfortable; I nearly suffocated midway," Slytherin said. Although he liked snakes more than the others, he did not enjoy crawling through tubes like one. "That''s an inherent issue." "What if we created a magical item large enough to accommodate several people, and then had someone carry this magical item while using space magic? Would the people inside feel any pressure?" "Interesting thought." Ravenclaw fell into contemplation. She found Salazar''s idea quite reasonable. "Shall we try it?" Slytherin and Ravenclaw were both action-oriented, and the next day, they brought a crystal ball to Gryffindor.Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com Looking at the seemingly ordinary crystal ball in front of him, Gryffindor frowned. "Can this thing really hold a person?" Slytherin beamed brightly. "Precisely because your body is strong enough, we dare to let you try." Gryffindor: "..." Good news: the crystal ball could indeed hold a person. Bad news: it held dead people¡ªliving people who entered quickly turned into dead ones. "At least it requires fifty percent of Godric''s physical strength to survive in there for a short time." "How about trying this improved version?" Voldemort knocked down several trees around him, clearing out a patch of ground. The surrounding forest and the clearing in the middle reminded him of some unpleasant memories, but he quickly smirked: he was not Quirrell, that useless fool, who couldn''t even handle a little girl. "Come out," his deep voice echoed in the room, "it''s time to end this tiresome game." Soon, Voldemort''s words were answered¡ªa nightmare and Daphne charged out from the woods together, launching their attack. The nightmare darted swiftly around the clearing, occasionally seizing the opportunity to charge at Voldemort with its horn, while Daphne stood at the edge of the forest, continually launching long-range attacks to harass Voldemort, preventing him from focusing solely on the nightmare. For a moment, the fight was evenly matched. The nightmare took on most of the offensive role and bore the brunt of Voldemort''s attacks. More importantly, the magical flames it carried inflicted significant damage on Voldemort, making him hesitant and restricted in his movements. Without the nightmare, there was no way Daphne could hold her own against Voldemort. Both sides were locked in a fierce battle, unaware that the ground beneath them was becoming somewhat soft. Voldemort grew increasingly agitated: he couldn''t believe he was being held off by a first-year witch and a necro horse. Even though he was in a weakened state, relying on Quirrell''s body, this was an utter humiliation. Anger surged through Voldemort, making his attacks more ruthless. With a loud bang, his curse hit the nightmare, blasting it away. Seeing the situation turn dire, Daphne prepared to retreat into the forest for cover, but a nearby hanging branch suddenly transformed into a python, wrapping around her and immobilizing her. "Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort''s face twisted into a sinister smile as he cast the Killing Curse at her. In that moment, time seemed to slow down for Daphne. She watched the deadly green curse fly towards her, and a single thought occupied her mind: if she got hit by that curse, she would probably die. ''Rhys mentioned that wizards go to an in-between place after death¡ªwhat would that be like?'' Daphne closed her eyes, but death didn''t come. The Killing Curse vanished abruptly just an inch from her nose, evaporating like morning dew in the sunlight. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 100- I Was Also Called God†100- I Was Also Called ¡°God¡± (???)? Daphne waited for a long time, but death did not come. hmm..? Her long eyelashes trembled, and then she opened her eyes to find a tall wizard in a green robe and a wizard''s hat standing in front of her. Daphne noticed that the cuffs of the wizard''s robe were embroidered with silver trim. As for the killing curse, it had vanished without a trace. Standing in the middle of the clearing, Voldemort''s facial features twisted in horror¡ªhe couldn''t comprehend what had just happened. How could someone erase his Killing Curse?! Was it space magic? Some kind of illusion? Or had he used a spell to interfere with his senses? His brain worked furiously, almost smoking from the effort. At that moment, the mysterious wizard spoke. "I''ve always had a small disagreement with my friends. They believe I''ve been researching dark magic, while I think that magic itself is neither good nor evil; it''s the user who makes the difference." His voice was pleasant, mature, and steady yet retaining a youthful warmth. Daphne even sensed an inexplicable familiarity in it. The wizard in the green robe was, of course, Rhys! He had caught up with them while Daphne was brewing the fire-resistant potion and had been following closely behind. Finally, when Daphne was in mortal danger, he revealed himself. He felt it was time to put an end to this trial. "Oh?" Voldemort lowered the tip of his wand towards the ground and squinted. Although there was still a hint of moral decay in this person''s words, it was intriguing enough. Just the first part of the sentence confirmed for Voldemort that this man was indeed a dark wizard, and a highly skilled one at that. The Nightmare''s movements weren''t restricted. It quickly ran to Daphne''s side, let her climb onto its back, and then retreated to a safe distance. The central battlefield now belonged to Rhys and Voldemort, not to small fry like Daphne and the Nightmare. "Tut. Tut. Your generation seems to never consider the relationship between spells and magical power. Your spellcasting is excellent, but your understanding of magical power is superficial. In this room, wizards like you are no different from Muggles in front of me." "Arrogant!" Voldemort was furious that the other dared to compare him to a Muggle. But after a few curses, his expression suddenly changed. "Do you feel it? Your magical power is running out¡ªare you surprised that the seemingly endless magic you''ve had since becoming a wizard can actually be exhausted? Don''t worry, if you can''t figure it out, you have plenty of time to think." Rhys smiled and snapped his fingers. "Impossible!" "Impossible?!" Voldemort screamed hysterically. He couldn''t comprehend what was happening: the vanishing Killing Curse, the bizarre swamp beneath his feet, or the sudden disappearance of his magical power. It all shattered his understanding of magic, creating a vast chasm with his past experiences. Rhys stood quietly, listening to Voldemort''s raving¡ªVoldemort had gone mad. He wasn''t even trying to attack with magic anymore. Perhaps due to his extreme agitation, a fine layer of sweat appeared on Voldemort''s bald head. The droplets grew rapidly, from the thickness of a hair to the size of rice grains, and finally to the size of soybeans, falling to the ground. The body that Voldemort occupied, Quirrell''s, was like a water bottle punctured with holes, rapidly leaking water. Voldemort quickly noticed something was wrong and tried to use magic to stop the loss of moisture, but it was futile. When the sweat was gone, it was followed by blood. Voldemort couldn''t even speak anymore, only letting out incomprehensible howls. "Why impossible? After all, long, long ago, those ignorant Muggles also called me a [God]." Rhys tilted his head, casually extracting the last drop of moisture from Quirrell''s body. Quirrell turned into a complete mummy, drier than even those found in the Egyptian desert. Boom! After realizing that the person in front of him was beyond human power, Voldemort acted decisively and detonated all the magic power in Quirrell''s body, causing an astonishingly powerful explosion. He then restored himself to the state of a residual soul and desperately escaped to the outside world. "As long as I can escape, as long as I can escape--" Now he only wants to return to the dense forests of Albania and linger there. However, even this humble wish is difficult to achieve. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 12 Chapters ahead of everyone at my patreon 101- Contribution to the treatment 101- Contribution to the treatment Rhys waved his left hand, and the mud on the ground rose into the air, forming a large sphere around Quirrell''s body, completely containing the explosion''s shockwave within the ball. With his right hand, he beckoned to Voldemort''s fleeing soul, and Voldemort suddenly felt the air around him become viscous, pulling him uncontrollably towards Rhys. He was utterly disenchanted: he no longer had a physical body, so how could that monster still restrain him?! If Rhys knew Voldemort''s thoughts, he would surely smile and say: Without a body, don''t you still have magic? Indeed, I cannot easily manipulate the magic within your soul, but I can use the interaction between magical forces to "retain" you with the magic under my control. In this area, unless you have neither a body nor magic, you will always be within his control and influence. Voldemort was thus gradually pulled back towards Rhys. Now, Voldemort appears as a dusky yellow phantom, with a grimacing face occasionally emerging from it. Rhys could hear its indistinct, incomprehensible howls. He ignored Voldemort''s howls and focused on studying the nature of the entity before him. Unlike Harry and Daphne, Rhys knew very little about him. He didn''t even know this was Voldemort¡ªhe only knew that the main villain was Quirrell and the entity on the back of Quirrell''s head. However, to Rhys, who this thing didn''t really matter. He wasn''t particularly concerned about it. After studying for a moment, Rhys saw through the essence of Voldemort. "Foolish thing." After seeing through Voldemort''s nature, Rhys couldn''t help but make a sharp comment. The yellow phantom in Rhys''s hand makes even louder noises. "No form, just a shadow and some vapor, even less than a ghost or a wandering soul. What meaning does such immortality have? You people who make Horcruxes, do you even deserve to call yourselves immortal?" Rhys''s face showed a hint of disdain. To him, these wizards who achieved immortality through Horcruxes had simply lowered the prestige of the term "immortality." Although Rhys didn''t think much of the Voldemort fragment before him, it was still a piece of a soul and could be useful. A bold idea formed in Rhys''s mind. He thought that this soul fragment might help with Ravenclaw''s "illness." Ravenclaw''s problem was that her soul had been polluted from staying in the depths of the seal for too long. Rhys''s initial treatment plan involves using potions to wash away the "dirt" attached to her soul. He had prepared several types of potions: some might loosen the bond between the pollution and the soul, some could fuse with the pollution to strip it away, and some could directly purify the dirt. The core difficulty of this treatment plan is that the insane Ravenclaw will likely not cooperate. The cleansing of the soul is painful, and even if she didn''t have a high desire to fight, she might instinctively attack the healer. Rhys''s task was akin to pulling a decayed tooth from a strange lion without anesthesia. With this soul fragment, the difficulty will be reduced. He could directly merge the fragment with Ravenclaw''s soul, letting the fragment absorb the pollution. As for whether the fragment would in turn corrupt Ravenclaw''s soul, Rhys thought that was overthinking it¡ªhe didn''t hold the fragment in high regard. Rhys had a new treatment plan. Looking at Voldemort in his hand, Rhys''s lips curled up slightly. He really had to thank this gentleman for his outstanding contribution to Ravenclaw''s treatment. And the specific content of the contribution? Who said being used as a medicinal ingredient doesn''t count as a contribution? ____ Read 12 Chapters ahead¡ª 102- Containment 102- Containment After moving at a snail''s pace for a while, Daphne finally arrived beside the green-robed wizard. The reason why she did this was because she had an extremely bold guess: she believed that the mysterious green-robed wizard in front of her was most likely Rhys. Wasn''t it strange? Would "potion poisoning" really happen to Rhys? Daphne was skeptical about this; she even thought Rhys had done it on purpose. As for the reason for doing so, it might be to provide himself with an alibi. Daphne knew Rhys had secrets and he didn''t want to expose himself openly to the school professors. This did make him seem like a villain, but after spending a year with him, the girl felt he wasn''t a bad person. However, there were still some things Daphne couldn''t figure out. She hadn''t even sought Rhys out yet, so how could he have known in advance to prepare an alibi? There were many suspicious points. There were also many areas for debate, such as the fact that the green-robed wizard''s figure didn''t match Rhys''s. But this could also be explained if Rhys had taken Polyjuice Potion; if Daphne could make such a potion, Rhys certainly could¡ªand he even had the ability to guide her. ''A little to the side, just a bit more.'' Daphne cautiously moved her steps, trying to catch a glimpse of the face under the green-robed wizard''s hood. Unfortunately, the edge of the hood was too long, completely obscuring his face. So why not blow a gust of wind to knock his hood off? Daphne had a very bold idea. Daphne dared to be so bold because the green-robed wizard had shown a friendly attitude toward her ever since his appearance. He could have done nothing and let Voldemort kill her, but he chose to save her instead, which indicated that he wouldn''t really make things difficult for her. If the situation were analyzed dichotomously, it could be simply divided into two possibilities: either the green-robed wizard was Rhys or he wasn''t. If he was Rhys, knocking off his hood wouldn''t be a big deal compared to their relationship. If he wasn''t Rhys, then he was a highly skilled elder wizard in the magical world, like Dumbledore. Such a person wouldn''t trouble a mischievous little girl, right? In short, Daphne realized that she was in a position to do whatever she wanted¡ªif he wasn''t Rhys, she would just apologize sincerely. So she acted. Daphne gathered a burst of magic and knocked off the hood of the green-robed wizard. Rhys was deep in thought about how to use the soul fragment in his hand for a potion and hadn''t paid attention to what Daphne was doing. As a result, he was caught off guard, and Daphne succeeded. "Well.. It takes some time to set up, and it can only fool those who don''t understand it," Rhys explained briefly before falling silent. He rolled up his sleeve, revealing his left arm, and pressed Voldemort''s residual soul against it. As soon as it made contact, countless root-like tendrils sprouted from the soul fragment, connecting to Rhys''s arm. In no time, a grotesque face appeared on Rhys''s left arm. Daphne: "!!!" "No!!! What are you doing!!!" She was utterly shocked. That was potentially a fragment of Voldemort''s soul! Even if it wasn''t, it definitely wasn''t something good, so how could he attach it to his arm? "Don''t worry, I know what I''m doing. I''m just temporarily ''imprisoning'' it here. Otherwise, it would be quite difficult to find a suitable container for it at the moment," Rhys said, extending his right hand to poke the ugly face. Voldemort, having just found a new host, was about to open his eyes, only to have a finger angrily jab into his face. Voldemort: ''Eh..? W-What¡ª!'' The next moment, a surge of magic enveloped Voldemort''s soul fragment like a vacuum seal, tightly sealing him. The sealed Voldemort fell into a deep sleep - this was a good thing for him, because in this sleeping state, he would not have to feel the endless pain. Daphne swallowed, she still felt it was a little creepy. After doing all this, Rhys was ready to leave. He first found the unlucky Harry in the corner of the swamp. After Daphne broke the crystal ball, he was knocked unconscious by a tree that popped out. But fortunately, there is nothing serious wrong with my body. When Rhys leaned over and picked up Harry from the swamp, Daphne noticed that Harry, like herself, was in the swamp, but there was not a trace of mud on his robe. After putting Harry on Nightmare, the swamp in front of Rhys surged and several pieces of crystal ball fragments appeared in front of him. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 12 Advance Chapters at 103- Dumbledore’s Trouble 103- Dumbledore¡¯s Trouble Seeing the crystal ball fragments, Daphne couldn''t help but feel a bit embarrassed. She whispered, "I didn''t know how to release the Nightmare inside. At the time, Voldemort was pressing hard, and in a moment of desperation, I smashed it. Was it very expensive?" Expensive?! Rhys felt the temperature on his forehead rising. The value of the crystal ball couldn''t merely be described as expensive. But in the end, all his thoughts were reduced to a sigh: what else could he do? He couldn''t get angry with her, after all, it was his own fault for not telling her how to operate such an item in advance. He had to take at least eighty percent of the responsibility, and for various reasons, he couldn''t even explain everything to Daphne. If he kept bottling it up, Rhys felt he might just explode. So he decided to tell Daphne about the origin of the crystal ball¡ªalthough he didn''t plan to make her pay for it, she should at least know what it was that she had broken. "This was a treasure left behind by one of the founders of the school, Rowena Ravenclaw." Daphne: "..." She was even more relieved that it was an unowned treasure. Otherwise, taking this crystal ball outside, given its unique background and the magical properties attached inside, it could probably rival Gryffindor''s Sorting Hat. She bowed her head in shame, studying the patterns on her socks. After putting a bit of pressure on Daphne, Rhys turned his attention to the remains of the crystal ball. Perhaps Ravenclaw could help repair it once she regained consciousness? This thought popped into his head, followed by a rather absurd idea: the crystal ball should still be under warranty, right? Because he remembered that Rowena had promised that if it broke, she could fix it. Isn''t that essentially a lifetime warranty? However, he couldn''t rely on Rowena right now could he? He decided to try fixing it himself first. If it worked, great. With this thought in mind, Rhys pointed at the crystal ball fragments and tried a simple repair spell. The fragments of the crystal ball immediately came together. "It''s fixed!" Daphne exclaimed, lifting her head. Rhys shook his head. He had only repaired the outer shell; the internal enchantments were already destroyed. The crystal ball might still be able to hold objects, but what would happen inside was uncertain. for new novels Suddenly, Rhys felt one of his markers being triggered. He raised an eyebrow and turned to Daphne, saying, "Someone''s coming. You can leave now." ... Dumbledore was in trouble. The Ministry of Magic had indeed sent him a letter, but contrary to what he had arranged, this letter was truly urgent¡ªMinister Fudge''s tone was nearly in tears. As Dumbledore hurried out of the castle gates, he was astonished to find Cornelius Fudge waiting for him outside. As soon as they met, Fudge delivered a shocking piece of news: Gringotts'' curse-breakers had gotten into serious trouble in the northern part of Scotland. The curse-breakers are employees of Gringotts, tasked with finding and excavating the ruins left by ancient wizards, effectively acting as the daredevils of the wizarding world. The incident began with the discovery made by several senior Gringotts curse-breakers in northern Scotland. They had found a site that was highly likely to be a relic left by the founders of Hogwarts. After years of relentless deciphering, they finally opened the entrance to the site. Unfortunately, the ruins did not contain the treasures left by the founders. Instead, they were met with a mindless monster¡ªit was clear that this site was a seal left by the founders. By the time the Ministry of Magic received the news and arrived at the scene, all the curse-breakers were dead, and over a hundred Muggle villagers had witnessed the battle. This news was a massive blow to the Ministry of Magic. After mobilizing all available forces, Fudge came to Hogwarts for reinforcements. He hoped Dumbledore could help them deal with the monster now roaming free. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Dumbledore immediately set off for the accident site. This is why he was truly absent from Harry''s "trial"¡ªit wasn''t because he was overly confident in Harry or indifferent, but because he was genuinely unable to come to see Harry. The situation worsened. Dumbledore eventually found the monster that had escaped from the seal, and after engaging it in combat, he was shocked to discover that the creature''s strength exceeded his expectations. Moreover, it could use a strange, domain-like magic, allowing it to escape from Dumbledore. At this point, Dumbledore''s plans were completely disrupted. In his haste to pursue the monster, Dumbledore could only send a message to Professor McGonagall using his Patronus, hoping she could fulfill his duties. When Professor McGonagall received the message, she felt utterly overwhelmed. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead at my Patreon! 104- Busy Dumbledore 104- Busy Dumbledore "Minerva, I need your help¡ªHarry Potter is currently in the room under the third-floor corridor. Please go there." Dumbledore''s phoenix Patronus delivered this message, immediately overwhelming Professor McGonagall''s brain. After hearing the full explanation, she felt her blood pressure rising. "Albus!!!" Professor McGonagall slammed her desk, toppling the ink bottles on it. Even Albus Dumbledore could not do this!!! Professor McGonagall decided she needed a serious conversation with Dumbledore when he returned. After a flick of her wand to clean up the spilled ink, she prepared to leave¡ªaccording to Dumbledore''s instructions, she was to observe whether Potter could handle Quirrell, who was possessed by Voldemort, and ensure his safety. She found this request absurd and unreasonable. Just then, a flash of gold and red light appeared, and a large gold-and-red bird, the size of a swan, materialized in her office, holding a worn-out hat in its beak. Dumbledore''s Patronus had mentioned bringing his phoenix, Fawkes, and the Sorting Hat. Now that both had come to her, she didn''t need to make an extra trip to the headmaster''s office. Clamping the Sorting Hat under her arm and grasping one of Fawkes'' outstretched claws, the next moment, she and the bird flew to the forbidden corridor on the third floor. As soon as Professor McGonagall opened the trapdoor, she heard a strange sound: it seemed like the sound of water¡ªbut why would there be the sound of water here? She jumped down, and upon landing, she saw a shadow with blue flames beneath it rushing toward her. "Professor, run!!!" Just as she was about to cast a spell, she heard Daphne''s voice. Luckily, her hearing was sharp enough to recognize it and put away her wand just in time. "Miss Greengrass, you¡ª" Professor McGonagall began to ask what had happened but was interrupted by Daphne. After being busy all day, his words carried a hint of anger. But after speaking, he realized he shouldn''t use such a tone with Dumbledore¡ªespecially since he still needed Dumbledore''s help to deal with the creature. The Aurors at the Ministry of Magic were no match for it. "Cornelius, it was severely injured and won''t be causing any trouble in the short term. We have plenty of time to track it down. More importantly, although it isn''t very intelligent, it had regained human form when we fought. Even if Muggles see it, it won''t cause much of a problem." Dumbledore left one thing unsaid¡ªthat creature was highly lethal, and any Muggle who encountered it wouldn''t be left alive. "Ah, that''s really great!" Fudge forced a smile, though his true feelings were hard to discern. At this point, Fudge knew that the incident was mostly settled. It was time to consider the aftermath and the potential risks. His mind raced with calculations: the creature was wearing a robe with a Nordic style¡ªcould he shift the blame onto the Finnish or Norwegian Ministry of Magic? But the creature was found on Scottish soil, which complicated things. Should Gringotts be held responsible instead? Or was it possible to suppress the whole matter? Fudge thought his immediate priority was to cover up the incident. He could put some pressure on the Daily Prophet to ensure they didn''t mention it for now. If things blew up in the future, he could throw Gringotts under the bus as a scapegoat for everyone to vent their frustrations on. As for the curse-breakers who died here, Fudge didn''t care at all. They had caused him so much trouble that if it weren''t for the bad optics, he would have wanted to grind their bones to dust himself. They were just a few foreigners, not British wizards. Fudge really didn''t care about their deaths. Oh, right, wasn''t there a Weasley kid working as a curse-breaker? Next time he saw old Arthur, he''d advise him to get the boy a position in the Ministry, even if it was a minor one. Fudge now had a very poor impression of curse-breakers. At that moment, a cat-shaped Patronus appeared at Dumbledore''s feet. It didn''t speak, just sat there quietly, looking at Dumbledore. Dumbledore: "..." His expression turned stiff. Sighing, he said to Fudge, "I have some matters to attend to. Please excuse me for a moment." _______ Read 12 Advance Chapters- 105- Dumbledore, you will regret it! 105- Dumbledore, you will regret it! Dumbledore knew very well that Minerva McGonagall was angry. Sending only a silent Patronus was purely to save his face¡ªif he didn''t show understanding or couldn''t provide a satisfactory explanation, the next thing that would arrive might be a Howler! So, he hurriedly bid farewell to Fudge and rushed back to the school, where he found Professor McGonagall standing in the school infirmary, her face stern. Daphne stood beside her, head bowed, but her eyes kept glancing at a hospital bed in the corner of the room.Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com Behind them, a magical creature made entirely of bones, with flames flickering from its four hooves, was standing idly. When Dumbledore saw the Necro Unicorn(?) behind Daphne, he couldn''t help but be a bit surprised, but he quickly collected himself and focused his attention on Professor McGonagall. "Minerva, I''m back," Dumbledore said, a gentle smile on his face as he greeted Professor McGonagall. The response to his warm greeting, however, was a cold reception. She looked at Dumbledore with a blank expression and then pointed to the bed where Harry and Ron were lying. "Mr. Weasley has a broken thigh bone. Madam Pomfrey has already given him some medicine. Potter hit his head and has a bit of a concussion." "Oh! It''s good that there''s nothing too serious," Dumbledore said, still smiling warmly. In his view, the outcome wasn''t too bad. But judging by Minerva''s expression, he realized that a serious conversation was necessary. He walked quickly to Daphne''s side and gently ruffled her hair. "You''re a very brave young girl¡ª" "If Potter and Weasley hadn''t kept slandering Professor Snape, I would never have gone down there with them!" Daphne''s words were firm, leaving both Dumbledore and McGonagall a bit embarrassed. "Now that the truth is out and Professor Snape is innocent, I hope you can correct Potter''s misconceptions. Not every Slytherin is as bad as he thinks!" Dumbledore gave an awkward but polite smile. He was well aware that over the years, the rift between the four houses had deepened, particularly between Gryffindor and Slytherin¡ªanimosity that had only worsened after Tom Riddle emerged from Slytherin, turning the two houses into bitter enemies. "I didn''t know how to use it, and Quirrell and the monster possessing him were pressing me. What could I do?" Dumbledore couldn''t help but sigh, a trace of regret flashed in his eyes. He comforted Daphne and told her that she was glad that she was okay. "Does that crystal ball have any special origin?" Professor McGonagall, who was listening quietly at the side, was also intrigued. "I have read a manuscript left by a medieval wizard, which contains a story." Daphne: "??" Did you also get information from medieval wizards'' mails and manuscripts? Dumbledore did not notice Daphne''s change of mind. He told Professor McGonagall that the letter recorded that Slytherin once bought a crystal ball from Ravenclaw with a room full of books. The manuscript of the writer was: [She (Rowena) threw away the books she had read and only kept the ones she had not read and wanted more books she hadn''t read. For this reason, Salazar sent me a letter and bought hundreds of books from everywhere to make up the number of books to exchange for the crystal.] From Daphne''s description, what she got was the crystal ball that Slytherin had gone to great lengths to exchange from Ravenclaw. Professor McGonagall couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow. After listening to Daphne''s story, Dumbledore understood what happened under the trapdoor. Daphne didn''t need to participate in the next thing. So he stood up and asked Daphne to go out and find Madam Pomfrey for a detailed examination. If there was nothing wrong with her body, she could go back to the lounge to rest. As for the nightmare that Daphne got from the crystal ball, Dumbledore suggested that she give it to Hagrid and let him take care of it. After Daphne led Nightmare out of the ward, Professor McGonagall could no longer bear it. She walked quickly to Dumbledore and said sternly, "Dumbledore, you will regret this!" Dumbledore couldn''t help but take off his glasses, sighed, and rubbed his sore temples. "Minerva, please allow me to explain." Rhys, who was lying in the corner of the ward, pricked up his ears silently and listened carefully to the conversation between the two. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 12 Advance Chapter¡ª 106- You can’t wake someone who’s pretending to be asleep 106- You can¡¯t wake someone who¡¯s pretending to be asleep "So? Do you have anything to explain?" Professor McGonagall crossed her arms. "Potter nearly died down there!" "But he didn''t, did he?" "..." Professor McGonagall seemed at a loss for words. What Dumbledore said made perfect sense, yet she felt that something was off. "Harry has the magical protection left by his mother. With that magic''s blessing, Quirrell wouldn''t have been able to harm a single hair on his head before he comes of age." "But that magic is specifically against You-Know-Who." "Quirrell was possessed by Voldemort. I''m sorry I hadn''t told you that before." "Possessed by Him...!?" Professor McGonagall''s breathing grew heavier, clearly shaken by this revelation. Listening to Dumbledore and McGonagall''s conversation, Rhys suddenly understood the source of Dumbledore''s confidence: Harry had the magical protection of his mother''s love, and the Voldemort-possessed Quirrell wouldn''t have been able to harm him. ''The magic of love has such astonishing effects, it''s truly unbelievable!'' Rhys couldn''t help but marvel at the magic cast by Harry''s mother after hearing Dumbledore''s explanation. Though he hadn''t witnessed this magic firsthand, Rhys could understand its principles. The key to casting this kind of magic isn''t a wizard''s power but pure love¡ªthe kind of love willing to sacrifice everything. With the strength of such emotions, even a weak wizard can cast a spell with terrifying effects¡ªone strong enough to destroy a Dark Lord of unparalleled power and keep its protective effects on a child until they come of age. However, this spell isn''t as miraculous as it seems. Its effectiveness was largely due to the Dark Lord''s arrogance and lack of clarity, which led to his downfall. If he had chosen mercy and spared Harry, he wouldn''t have ended up in his current state. Putting himself in that situation, Rhys believed he wouldn''t have harmed little Harry¡ªat least not personally. But the Dark Lord was different; he cruelly refused a mother''s last request and wouldn''t even spare a baby in swaddling clothes, ultimately suffering the consequences. Rhys also gained a crucial piece of information: the extremely evil entity possessing Quirrell was none other than the infamous Voldemort. The name of this Dark Lord was legendary to Rhys, mentioned in every contemporary magical history book he had browsed since waking up¡ªnot even by his true name, but through terms like "Dark Lord," "You-Know-Who," and "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." This piqued Rhys''s curiosity. He was eager to understand what kind of person could achieve such notoriety that people feared to even utter his name. He had never encountered such a figure before. And yet... Is that it? The one I just fought, or rather the one I beat up single-handedly, is the Dark Lord whose name wizards dare not speak? Isn''t this a bit of dark humor? But judging by the reactions of the other wizards, their fear of him seems genuine, which is puzzling. The sealing magic they had set up, even after a thousand years of weathering, shouldn''t have been so easily broken. As soon as he heard this, Rhys understood that those curse breakers had mistaken the seal they left to handle the corpse of the Norse false god for a treasure site. While it''s true that a processed divine corpse could indeed be made into powerful magical artifacts, they simply didn''t have the capability to process it! He really didn''t know how to evaluate these curse breakers. If you called them incompetent, they managed to break the seal he and his friends had set up together. But if you called them sharp and capable, they somehow mistook such a seal for an ancient relic... Rhys sensed something unusual. He wasn''t sure whether the current magical world even had the ability to break the kind of seal they had left behind in their time¡ªespecially since they didn''t even know how to manage the flow of mana anymore! He decided this was something he needed to investigate. After listening to Dumbledore''s explanation, Professor McGonagall reluctantly accepted his reasoning, and the two of them left the infirmary together. No sooner had they left than Daphne slipped in. "Hey, Rhys, wake up!" She nudged Rhys, who was lying in bed, hoping to wake him up; she suspected Rhys was only pretending to sleep. But clearly, she hadn''t heard the saying: You can never wake someone who is pretending to sleep. Rhys lay in the hospital bed, looking exactly the same as Harry and Ron, who were actually unconscious beside him. After a brief moment of thought, Daphne decided to take a more daring approach. Just as she was about to put her bold plan into action, Madam Pomfrey appeared just in time and promptly pulled her out. "Out! Don''t disturb the patients!" "Please wait a moment¡ª" "No way!" Rhys silently praised Madam Pomfrey''s sense of duty. ________ 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 107- Don’t you have Polyjuice Potion? 107- Don¡¯t you have Polyjuice Potion? The events that took place in the dungeons with Harry and the others somehow spread like wildfire throughout the school, causing a massive uproar. Everyone quickly learned that two remarkable first-year students had successfully thwarted Professor Quirrell''s plot to steal Dumbledore''s secret treasure. For a while, the school was abuzz with discussions. However, many people were puzzled as to why a Slytherin would team up with two Gryffindors to go on an adventure. Then, more details emerged: before their mission, the young wizards hadn''t known who was after the treasure. Daphne had entered the dungeons voluntarily to clear Professor Snape''s name. In the end, she was recognized by an ancient wizard''s artifact from a mirror, and with this artifact, she defeated the villainous Quirrell. Daphne''s reputation within Slytherin skyrocketed instantly: of noble birth, wielding mysterious magic, and boldly facing dangers to defend the honor of her House, she had also gained the loyalty of a rare magical creature. This was the epitome of what Slytherin students admired. In no time, Daphne''s reputation rivaled that of Harry Potter when he first entered school, before he was "demystified." To be honest, even if Slytherin students themselves had to choose a villain between Quirrell and Snape, they would pick Snape. Quirrell simply lacked the aura of a proper antagonist¡ªhe was too much of a nobody. The story of Daphne and her companions'' adventure in the dungeons helped to lift the cloud of anxiety that had been hanging over the school due to the looming threat of final exams. However, it couldn''t prevent the exams from arriving. After the initial excitement, the students had to return to their dull notes and prepare for the upcoming tests. But this time, they finally had a story to comfort themselves with during study breaks. While the young wizards at Hogwarts were busy preparing for their final exams, Rhys was not idle either. On the surface, it seemed he was in a coma, lying unconscious in the hospital wing long after Harry and Ron, who had been admitted later, had already recovered and been discharged. In reality, that was Rhys'' simple illusion clone while Rhys was spending his days immersed in his secret chamber, studying the Philosopher''s Stone he had obtained and brewing various potions. In his efforts to treat the crazy Ravenclaw, he had concocted over a hundred different potions and had even collected a key ingredient for her treatment. It wasn''t until the morning after the final exams had ended that Rhys, who had appeared to be in a deep coma, finally woke up. The timing was so suspiciously perfect that Professor McGonagall briefly wondered if Rhys had staged the whole thing just to avoid taking the final exams. However, when Rhys proactively requested to take the make-up exams as soon as possible, her doubts vanished completely, leaving only guilt for having unjustly suspected a good student. "Don''t worry too much; the professors will arrange a make-up exam for you¡ªjust don''t go drinking any strange potions this time," Professor McGonagall said, uncharacteristically gentle as she offered Rhys a few words of advice before leaving the hospital wing. Not long after McGonagall left, Daphne walked in carrying a box of sweets. "I brought you some of your favorite pastries. You finally woke up, but the exams are already over," Daphne said, her suspicion about Rhys never fully dissipating. He genuinely didn''t want to involve Daphne in treating Ravenclaw because it was extremely dangerous. Treating the current Ravenclaw would be like pulling a tiger''s teeth and planting new ones without anesthesia. However, with some preparation, it might not be impossible. For Daphne, witnessing this ''treatment'' firsthand would be an incredibly valuable experience. After carefully weighing the pros and cons, Rhys finally decided to agree to Daphne''s request. "I guess I can do that." "???( ?? ?)??? Really?!" Daphne jumped up with excitement, nearly knocking over Rhys''s basket of sweets. She knew that Rhys had been focusing most of his energy on that matter throughout the semester, and now she finally had the chance to get involved! And so, when the make-up exam started, "Rhys" walked into the classroom that the professors had set up for him, right on time. Exams at the magic school generally consist of two parts: a written test and a practical exam. As "Rhys" stepped into the examination hall, the professors smiled warmly and informed him that he could arrange the order and content of the exams as he liked. Without hesitation, "Rhys" went straight through the practical exams for Charms, Transfiguration, and Potions all in one go. After completing the practical exams, "Rhys" received the written test papers from the professors. He then sat down and worked on them for the entire afternoon. Aside from occasionally sipping ''water'' from a flask, he didn''t take any breaks, not even to use the restroom. Unlike the practical exams, which were identical to the final exams, the written tests had different questions¡ªthe professors had replaced them with questions from last year''s exams. This presented a challenge for Daphne¡ªehm*¡ª"Rhys," but it didn''t prevent him from achieving exceptionally high scores. As soon as he finished a paper, the professors would take it and grade it on the spot, so by the time he completed all the exams, his scores were already out. Rhys was the last to take the exams, but his results were the first to be released. ______ Read 12 Chaps ahead of SH¡ª 108- Inferior to Dumbledore 108- Inferior to Dumbledore After the final exams, the young wizards finally welcomed the happiest time of the semester. The period between the end of final exams and the announcement of grades is the most relaxing and carefree time of the year. During this time, students don''t need to worry about their studies, and there''s no homework. They can freely play around the castle with their friends. Even better, the professors take a lenient approach during this period, allowing the students to blow off steam. Even someone like Snape would restrain his temper and avoid picking on the students¡ªprobably because Slytherin had already lost the chance to win the House Cup, and he had a mountain of papers to grade. The more free time the students had, the busier the professors became. They had to grade exams, calculate scores, and determine overall grades¡ªa tedious and time-consuming process, even with the help of magic. If they were unlucky enough to be a Head of House, they also had to prepare report cards and worry about students'' O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T. exam results. For these professors, work was relentless and McGonagall had it the worst since she also had to take over the assessment of students'' Defense Against the Dark Arts skills after Quirrell was gone, effectively doubling her workload. On top of that, she was the Deputy Headmistress and the Head of Gryffindor House! In terms of training an assistant and then working them to the bone, Dumbledore was far ahead of Rhys, at least by three Diagon Alleys plus a Hogsmeade Street. After getting a brief understanding of the professors'' workload, Rhys felt immensely grateful that his current role was "student." If he had made the mistake of joining as a professor, he would probably have already resigned by now. Other Defense Against the Dark Arts professors left after one year because they were cursed. If Rhys had left after one year, it would have been because of the overwhelming workload. As for why he wouldn''t have quit mid-year¡ªwell, it''s because he was a responsible person who would see out the entire year before leaving. The professors were busy, and the headmaster wasn''t idle either. After explaining everything to Professor McGonagall that day, he set off with Fawkes, the phoenix, and Gryffindor''s sword. He brought Fawkes for faster travel and search capabilities, and taking Gryffindor''s sword was a spur-of-the-moment decision¡ªhe thought that since the seal was left by the four founders, carrying a relic of one of the founders might be effective. Then something miraculous happened: when he found the creature, it merely glanced at him and fled in panic, a stark contrast to its previous frenzied behavior when it saw him. Ultimately, Dumbledore used Fawkes'' speed to catch up with the creature and completely annihilate it. He even brought its remains back to Hogwarts. Rhys suddenly had a thought: If they both had perfect scores, what determines the ranking? Is it alphabetical order? In that case, Daphne would still be ranked below Hermione! Pulling the exasperated Daphne out of the crowd, Rhys walked with her back to the table by the window. There, he noticed two letters on the table: [First-Year Summer Homework List] Rhys felt his blood pressure rise. "Why do we have homework over the holiday?!" Rhys slammed the table in frustration as he read through the list of assignments from the professors. Back in his day, they never gave out so much homework during the holidays! And really, who would want to spend their summer doing all these assignments? Seeing Rhys so indignant, Daphne, who had been furious about only getting second place, started to laugh. But her laughter quickly faded when she realized that all this homework would likely fall on her shoulders. The girl was momentarily on the verge of breaking down. However, it was just a momentary lapse, as she quickly remembered that she could "outsource" the most boring and tedious History of Magic assignments. After all, there were plenty of students at Hogwarts who could use some extra money. If you want the latest cosmetics, beautiful new clothes, or fun new toys but don''t have enough money, what can you do? Wealthy first-year Daphne is more than willing to solve her older classmates'' problems¡ªall they need to do is help her complete a few insignificant History of Magic essays. At this point, she seemed to have forgotten the pain of losing to Hermione Granger in the final exams and decisively chose to hire others to do her homework. However, to her surprise, Rhys didn''t simply toss his own homework list at her as she expected. Instead, he kept it for himself, leaving Daphne confused and uncertain. Could it be that because I didn''t score higher than Granger, he doesn''t trust me with his homework anymore? For the first time, Daphne felt a sense of crisis. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 12 Advance Chapters at my Patreon! 109- Dumbledore’s Accurate Score Control 109- Dumbledore¡¯s Accurate Score Control Rhys, of course, wasn''t planning on asking Hermione to help him with his History of Magic assignments, as Daphne had imagined. In his view, some assignments were just a formality¡ªenough to get the professors off his back. The reason he didn''t ask Daphne to help was that the automatic quill he had been working on was finally completed. All he needed to do was "feed" it a large amount of assignments, and it would be able to automatically write out homework and essays. With the end of the term approaching, he could now purchase assignments and essays from older students at a very low price, and use them to train his quill''s ability to write essays. "..Should I go ahead and order an essay for you, just like before?" Daphne, worried about becoming "unemployed," subtly tried to probe Rhys about his plans. "Heh~ No need. This time, you don''t have to write the essay," Rhys replied confidently. He was eager to test his automatic quill on the History of Magic essays in the summer homework and had no intention of outsourcing the work. Daphne''s face instantly turned pale¡ªher worst fear had come true. "You really don''t need Granger to write it for you... She''s the type who strictly follows school rules, a complete bookworm. She''d never agree to it, and you don''t know how the Ravenclaws¡ª" "What?" Rhys was puzzled. He didn''t understand what this had to do with Granger. "Huh?" Daphne also realized she might have misunderstood something. After Rhys gave her a brief explanation, Daphne was utterly amazed. "You actually invented something like that!" She could hardly believe her ears. "Now all I need to do is buy some essays from the fifth and seventh-year students, then ''feed'' them to my quill, and it''ll be all set," Rhys explained the principle behind his automatic writing quill to Daphne in simple terms. The quill works by recording a vast amount of homework and essays and then, when given a task, it can produce a new essay based on the previous records. Such an essay could be a blend of dozens of different essays, and all Rhys would need to do is polish it up once it''s written. After hearing Rhys''s explanation, Daphne frowned. Every year, graduates and fifth-year students who have completed their O.W.L.s do sell their textbooks, notes, and assignments at a low price, but low price doesn''t mean free. According to Rhys''s plan, he might need to buy the assignments of every graduate in the entire school, which wouldn''t be a small expense. In that case, she thought, she might as well hire someone to write her essays! Daphne''s comment left Rhys in silence. "Ugh!" Daphne let out a disappointed sigh. The end-of-term feast arrived soon after. The Great Hall was newly decorated in blue and bronze, the colors representing Ravenclaw, in celebration of their victory in the House Cup. A massive banner depicting the Ravenclaw eagle hung on the wall behind the staff table. The students were buzzing with excitement, discussing their plans for the holidays, until Dumbledore''s arrival. Once the noise in the hall subsided, he began speaking: "Another year has come and gone! Before we indulge in these delicious dishes, I must first conduct the House Cup award ceremony. The final standings are as follows: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with 376 points; in third place, Hufflepuff, with 382 points; Slytherin, with 426 points; and Ravenclaw, with 472 points." Upon hearing Dumbledore''s announcement, the Ravenclaw table erupted in thunderous cheers and applause. Even though the Gryffindor and Slytherin students had mentally prepared themselves, they couldn''t help but feel disheartened. "However, there are a few other things that must be taken into account, and I have some final points to award," Dumbledore continued once the cheers had subsided. "First, to recognize the bravery shown by Mr. Harry Potter, Mr. Ron Weasley, and Miss Daphne Greengrass in the dungeons, Gryffindor will receive one hundred points, and Slytherin will receive fifty points!" The two houses erupted into cheers once more, while Rhys frowned. In his opinion, Daphne deserved the full one hundred points for her contributions. Damn Gryffindor! After the cheers died down, the students in both houses began to realize that they might have tied for the House Cup. Could it be that there would be two winners this year? But then Dumbledore spoke again, and the Great Hall fell silent: "Miss Hermione Granger¡ªshe is the first student in a century to achieve full marks in all her exams as a first-year. To reward her diligence and intelligence, Ravenclaw will receive ten points!" With this final award, Ravenclaw, which had been overtaken by Gryffindor and Slytherin, surged back into the lead, securing their championship. Rhys couldn''t help but marvel at Dumbledore''s skill in point allocation. The Headmaster had given just the right amount¡ªno more, no less¡ªrewarding the brave trio while maintaining his own sense of balance. It was quite the calculation! ________ 12 Advance Chapters at my Patreon? 110- Wish-fulfilling Potion 110- Wish-fulfilling Potion Rhys''s intuition told him that if it weren''t for Daphne''s exceptionally outstanding performance, Dumbledore might have shamelessly awarded the House Cup to Gryffindor. This guy, he wasn''t exactly like the Gryffindors Rhys had known. He was about to share this thought with Daphne, but Dumbledore''s next words caught his attention. "Miss Granger''s achievements are undoubtedly linked to her talent, but we cannot ignore her diligence," Dumbledore said. "Madam Pince informed me that Miss Granger has spent over a thousand hours in the library this year. I believe this is a significant reason for her success. I encourage everyone to follow Miss Granger''s example and spend more time in the library." Dumbledore''s words made Hermione blush deeply. She had never imagined that her actions could influence the outcome of the House Cup. Meanwhile, the rest of the students in the Great Hall were stunned by the phrases "full marks in all subjects" and "over a thousand hours." To put it into perspective, students arrive at Hogwarts on September 1st, and the term ends in mid-July, with a three-week Christmas break in between. That leaves less than 300 days at school. For Hermione to have spent over a thousand hours in the library means she spent nearly four hours there every single day!Re?a? latest cha/p/ters on The figures were astonishing¡ªespecially considering she had seven classes to attend as well! Rhys raised an eyebrow in surprise. Over a thousand hours¡ªthat was no small feat. Even Rowena Ravenclaw, who loved reading, couldn''t achieve that because she was often entangled with "worldly matters" and rarely had time to sit down and read quietly. She had tried to make more time for herself, but in the end, her efforts had failed, and she''d inadvertently caused some trouble for her old friends as well. And so, the end-of-term feast concluded amid twists and turns. As the students savored their last moments at school, Rhys once again ventured into the dungeons, this time accompanied by Daphne. Unlike before, Rhys had made thorough preparations for this visit. "I think it''s necessary to explain the purpose of our mission before we begin today," he said softly. "Today, I''m here to save a fallen soul¡ªthis mission is extremely dangerous. You can turn back at any time; this is not a test or a joke." Daphne laughed, completely disregarding Rhys''s warning and instead changing the subject. "That sounds familiar. When we went with Hagrid to rescue the unicorn, he said something similar." She then asked, "Who is this person we''re supposed to save? If it''s really dangerous, should we bring your big snake and my nightmare creature? If things get too intense, they could at least buy us some time." Now it was Rhys''s turn to laugh. In no time, the mist left outside solidified, and a chubby rabbit appeared before them. It had gray fur and eyes like rubies, resembling the rabbits often seen nibbling on pumpkin leaves in Hagrid''s pumpkin patch. The rabbit didn''t seem particularly intelligent. After glancing at Rhys and then at Daphne, it simply sat down and began grooming itself with its front paws. "Amazing!" Daphne exclaimed, attempting to pick up the adorable rabbit. However, she startled it, causing the rabbit to dart away. But after only a few steps, it abruptly burst into a cloud of silver mist, dissipating rapidly. "Objects created by the potion are tied to our presence," Rhys explained. "When they move too far away, they dissipate¡ªso the food conjured by the potion won''t truly satisfy hunger. It only tricks your brain into feeling full." Daphne hesitated, but Rhys anticipated her thoughts, telling her that using the potion to conjure food to eat wouldn''t work. "Then wouldn''t this be the ultimate weight-loss tool?!" Daphne exclaimed, thrilled at the idea. "Just conjure a feast with the potion, eat it, feel full, and not gain any weight¡ªthis is like a dream come true!" "This little bottle could easily sell for fifty Galleons," Rhys reminded Daphne to be a bit more realistic. If she wanted a weight-loss potion, he could easily make something that accelerates metabolism and burns energy¡ªthose kinds of potions are cheap and cost just a few Sickles to produce. "The price is actually quite reasonable..." Daphne muttered under her breath, clearly contemplating asking Rhys to teach her how to brew such a potion. Rhys, accustomed to Daphne''s extravagant tendencies, wasn''t surprised. The Greengrass family had always been this way, ever since her ancestor "Dragonheart." He extracted a memory from his own temple with his wand and added it to the remaining potion mist. This time, the purple mist didn''t transform into any specific object. Instead, it turned into a mass of sky-blue fog, appearing more solid than the purple mist from before. _________ Read 12 Chapters ahead of SH at my Patreon! 111- Saving Ravenclaw 111- Saving Ravenclaw "What were you just imagining? A blue cloud?" Daphne asked curiously after seeing the cloud Rhys had conjured. She reached out a finger to poke at the mist. ( ? ??? ??)¦Ò" Poke! Poke! Poke! Rhys watched her with a cold expression, not stopping her. "Ah!" ©c?(o?§¥?)¥Î Daphne yelped as a drop of bright red blood welled up on her fingertip. As she poked the mist, she felt a sharp, needle-like pain and immediately pulled her hand back, finding that her finger had been sliced in several tiny cuts. The mist seemed to be made up of countless razor-thin blades that could slice skin upon contact. "Why didn''t the Sorting Hat place you in Gryffindor? Haven''t I told you to be cautious with unknown things?" Rhys pointed out Daphne''s mistake without any mercy. "B-But it''s something you created! How was I supposed to know?" Daphne responded, her voice full of grief and betrayal. Rhys paused for a moment and then sighed.Re?a? latest cha/p/ters on "Haah.. Just be careful next time. Don''t touch things you don''t recognize," he added. "This is the manifestation of that person''s magic. I can use this cloud to track their presence." What Rhys had imagined was the essence of Rowena Ravenclaw''s magic, and with the help of the wish-fulfilling potion, he had simulated a tangible form of her magic. The sky-blue, razor-sharp mist was the manifestation of Ravenclaw''s magic. The mist would instinctively drift toward the area with the densest concentration of Ravenclaw''s magic, leading them directly to her. After explaining the mist to Daphne, Rhys slightly relaxed his control over it, allowing it to drift on its own. The mist floated deeper into the dungeon, and Rhys and Daphne followed closely behind. While he worked, Rhys explained to Daphne the reasoning behind his actions. However, when they reached a second site of magical conflict, Rhys abandoned the idea. At this rate, it would take forever to find Ravenclaw. Over the past thousand years, Ravenclaw had left her mark all over the dungeon, engaging in countless battles with the creatures sealed within. Clearing them out piece by piece would take so long that he might not even be done by the start of the next school year! He switched to the second plan. A flurry of wings filled the underground chamber as thousands of bats appeared. With a wave of his wand, Rhys sent them flying through several of the dungeon''s exits. Some of these bats were caught by the carnivorous creatures lurking in the dungeon, while others fell victim to monsters that had escaped their seals. Whenever the number of bats spread throughout the dungeon dwindled too much, Rhys would release another batch. Not long after sending out the third wave of bats, he suddenly sensed a familiar fluctuation. In the next moment, he pinpointed Ravenclaw''s location. As expected, she was engaged in yet another battle with a monster. One of Rhys''s small bats had inadvertently gotten caught in the crossfire, turning to dust. He hurried toward the last known location of the bat''s signal, but as he neared the spot, he came to a halt and began pulling out various potions from his cloak. "Apply all of these, don''t skip a single one," Rhys instructed Daphne, gesturing for her to follow his lead. "Odor Elimination Potion, to remove your scent; Heat Concealing Potion, which will mask your body heat after drinking; Magic Suppression Potion, to help you conceal your magic. This will effectively prevent anyone from detecting your presence through magical means..." Rhys handed Daphne five or six different potions, which she dutifully consumed. Rhys didn''t need most of these for himself. For instance, he didn''t require the Magic Suppression Potion¡ªhis control over his own magic was so precise that he could perfectly disguise himself. Daphne, on the other hand, still lacked the finesse and could easily be detected by someone as powerful as Ravenclaw during their mission. After completing their disguises, Rhys cast a Disillusionment Charm on both himself and Daphne before continuing their advance. Soon, they reached the end of the corridor. By this point, there was no need for any detection methods to sense Ravenclaw''s presence¡ªshe was currently engaged in a fierce battle with a monster that had broken free from its seal. However, once they arrived at this location, Rhys refused to let Daphne accompany him any further. He handed her a crystal ball, adjusted it, and the crystal ball displayed the scene through his eyes, allowing Daphne to see what he was seeing. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead at: 112- Rhys Comes Well Prepared 112- Rhys Comes Well Prepared "This...!" Daphne''s eyes flashed with a hint of disappointment. She hadn''t expected Rhys to pull out such a crystal ball, completely shattering her chances of following him. She didn''t refuse to use the crystal ball or complain about the quality of the view within it, as that would have been unreasonable. She understood very well that Rhys had already done too much for her, going above and beyond what was necessary. While Rhys himself might not care about his own sacrifices, Daphne''s upbringing made it impossible for her to accept such generosity without feeling uneasy, and she certainly couldn''t take advantage of Rhys''s kindness. Sometimes, in the quiet moments of the night, Daphne would feel a sense of panic: she couldn''t understand what Rhys was after by doing all of this for her. Daphne even thought that it would be easier if Rhys one day asked for the Greengrass family fortune¡ªit would at least put her mind at ease. She wouldn''t even mind giving him half of it. If Rhys knew what she was thinking, he would definitely suggest that Daphne stop being his student and learn from Gryffindor, as that is exactly what that fucker did, wasting his own money from the missions on booze while relying on his three friends for life expenses. Once Daphne accepted the crystal ball, Rhys adjusted the monocle on his eye, making sure it fit more snugly. This lens would reflect everything Rhys saw back to the crystal ball, providing Daphne with a "live broadcast." At the same time, the ground beneath his feet softened, becoming a mixture of liquid and solid, just like the quicksand that had appeared in the dungeon earlier. This time, Rhys was well-prepared and wouldn''t be as helpless as he was last time. With his preparation complete, Rhys, along with the patch of quicksand beneath him, silently slipped into the corridor around the corner¡ªwhere Ravenclaw awaited. After the corner, a downward passageway led to a vast, open platform. At the center of this platform, Ravenclaw''s ghost was controlling her physical body, locked in battle with a monstrous creature. The scene was almost identical to what Rhys had witnessed the last time, except the creature she was fighting was different. It was a massive, transparent dragon, with an occasional flash of silver across its scales, affirming its existence. With each movement, the air around the dragon would tear with black cracks, and whenever it breathed, a narrow dimensional rift would appear in front of Ravenclaw, forcing her to either change her position or use other spells to mend the ruptured space. ''A space dragon? How did this thing end up here?'' Rhys was astonished to witness a space dragon, a creature he had only heard of in legends. Rhys: "???" He couldn''t understand why he had been exposed, but years of battle experience left no room for unnecessary thoughts. He immediately manipulated the mud, raising a wall of sludge between him and Ravenclaw, and submerged himself into the mire. Woosh! Boom! The next moment, the wind blades struck where he had just been. The mud wall he had summoned held for only an instant before it was blasted back into a shapeless mass. The residual force of the wind blades carved marks into the wall, leaving traces of Ravenclaw''s lingering magical power. Ravenclaw seemed to have the upper hand, but the ground near the platform had turned entirely into a quagmire after this round of attacks. Rhys emerged from the swamp, flinging a series of potion bottles toward Ravenclaw''s position. These bottles, of course, posed no real threat to Ravenclaw. They were shattered mid-air by her wind blades, their contents spilling onto the ground. What followed was almost like a game of "whack-a-mole" between Rhys and Ravenclaw. Rhys would occasionally pop up from the mire to toss a few potion bottles, while Ravenclaw would effortlessly shatter them and counterattack with wind blades. However, those wind blades, capable of slicing through dragon scales and cleaving iron and stone, were nearly powerless when they hit the swamp. All they managed to do was splash some mud, their strength entirely diminished. Even more astonishing, as the wind blades entered the swamp, their magical energy was rapidly assimilated by the mire, becoming nourishment for the quagmire and causing it to spread even faster. When Ravenclaw had first defeated the space dragon, Rhys'' quagmire had only occupied a corner of the platform. But after just a brief exchange, the swamp now covered nearly a fifth of the platform, and the entire corridor outside had turned into a marsh. The spilled potions on the ground were quietly taking effect... _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead of SH at my Patreon!? 113- Wake up, Ravenclaw! 113- Wake up, Ravenclaw! Long before the confrontation, Rhys had anticipated the difficulty of dealing with Ravenclaw. He knew that even in her lucid state, Ravenclaw had been highly resistant to his potions. It was unlikely that the now-insane Ravenclaw would willingly drink any of his concoctions. So, the challenge was how to get these potions to affect Ravenclaw''s soul. Rhys''s solution was to make the potions volatile. By ensuring that the battle would likely take place in a confined space, he could guarantee that Ravenclaw would be exposed to the effects of the potions through inhalation. As Rhys and Ravenclaw clashed, the potions scattered on the ground had fully evaporated, gradually increasing the concentration of the potion fumes in the enclosed area. Rhys continued to smash bottle after bottle on the ground, as if the valuable potions inside were as cheap as bottled water. His actions were so extravagant that it was as if the potion ingredients cost him nothing. If Ravenclaw had retained her intelligence, she would have noticed the peculiarity of Rhys''s behavior. Unfortunately, in her current state, she was just as easily deceived as Gryffindor. The potion fumes in the air began to cling to Ravenclaw''s soul. At first, she didn''t notice anything amiss, but as the amount accumulated, wisps of black smoke started to rise from her ghostly form. The soul-deep pain caused Ravenclaw''s attacks to pause momentarily. Rhys, of course, wouldn''t miss this opportunity. He threw the remaining potions in one swift motion. As the potion bottles neared Ravenclaw, one of them suddenly exploded, the shrapnel shattering the other bottles and drenching Ravenclaw in a deluge of potion. This time, Ravenclaw could no longer maintain her "composure." She let out a scream of agony. The potions that drenched Ravenclaw were like scalding oil poured onto a living person, causing her immense pain. To enhance the potions'' adhesion, Rhys had deliberately made the last batch particularly thick and viscous, so they clung to Ravenclaw, enveloping her completely. The potions had a singular purpose: to corrode the soul and eliminate magic. For an ordinary ghost, these potions would undoubtedly be lethal, but for a soul as corrupted as Ravenclaw''s, they worked like white vinegar on tarnished silver, stripping away the decayed parts. However, the noise soon stopped. After a few screams echoed from the corridor below, everything fell silent. Fortunately, the screams sounded like a woman''s; otherwise, Daphne might have rushed down to check on the situation. Unlike Daphne, who was filled with anxiety, Rhys was overwhelmed with joy¡ªRavenclaw''s awakening was now only a matter of time. At this point, more than half of Ravenclaw''s ghostly form had returned to that of a normal spirit. The remaining portion of her body had also seen a significant reduction in corruption, with only a small amount left deep within her form. In contrast, Voldemort''s soul fragment had turned as black as ink. The pain caused by the corruption had twisted his features so grotesquely that it was barely recognizable as a face. This pitch-black, hideous lump resembled a tumor, growing on Ravenclaw''s shoulder. Judging by its appearance, the Voldemort fragment was nearing its saturation point with the corruption it had absorbed. Ravenclaw''s ghostly form grew quiet, as if she had fallen asleep. Rhys stood by, waiting expectantly. Suddenly, he remembered something and quickly conjured a note, sending it up the corridor¡ªhe needed to reassure Daphne so she wouldn''t be worried. When Daphne received Rhys'' note, she breathed a sigh of relief¡ªeverything was fine. However, she couldn''t help but wonder: who was this person important enough for Rhys to go to such great lengths? Why were they sealed away? What connection did they have with Rhys and his family? Considering the purpose of the dungeon within the seal, Daphne speculated that the person Rhys had come to rescue was likely an ancestor or some former guardian of the seal. More than half an hour later, when Daphne outside the corridor began to draw a chessboard on the ground and play chess with herself, Rhys noticed that the Ravenclaw ghost''s hand trembled. She suddenly emerged completely from the swamp, and the mud slid off her body without getting a single speck of dirt on her robes. Ravenclaw''s eyes rolled a few times under her eyelids, and suddenly, she opened her eyes. ______ 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 114- Conversation after a Thousand Years 114- Conversation after a Thousand Years What Rhys saw was a pair of bewildered eyes. A thousand years ago, those bronze eyes had been as sharp as a hawk''s, but now they had lost their former sharpness, looking almost dazed. Ravenclaw seemed as if she had just woken up from a deep sleep, suddenly shaken awake, her mind momentarily blank. However, she recovered quickly, and within a minute, a spark of clarity returned to her eyes. She remembered her identity, her location right now, and the duties she bore. Recalling all this, Ravenclaw''s gaze naturally fell upon the young Rhys standing before her. ''A child? Why would there be a child in the dungeon seal?'' "This place is dangerous, not somewhere you should be. You should leave quickly," she said instinctively to Rhys. Rhys: :??" Seeing his old friend regain her clarity, Rhys had a thousand words stuck in his chest, but Ravenclaw''s first words shattered the atmosphere¡ªdid Rowena mistake him for a student of the castle? Seriously, she might not recognize him since she never saw him when he was this young, but could she not notice the unique mud domain? This was his signature move! Rhys thought for a moment, then stomped his foot. Instantly, the ground rippled as if a stone had been thrown into a pond. The change in the ground caught Rowena''s attention. She looked at the floor, which was now surging like the surface of the sea, and a flash of realization crossed her face. "You are Salazar''s¡ª" Rhys nodded, satisfied. "¡ªdescendant, right? Not bad, this domain shows you''ve inherited some of his true skills. Are you here to atone for his sins?" Rhys: "..." ''What the..'' He felt like he was about to lose control of his blood pressure. Not to mention "inherited some skills," what was this talk of atonement? Was he the one supposed to be guilty? He decided not to keep up the charade any longer¡ªwho knew what else Ravenclaw might say if this continued. Taking a deep breath, he said in the calmest tone he could manage, "Rowena, it really has been a long time." Ravenclaw was taken aback. Those words, that tone, that expression... She squinted, carefully examining the young man standing before her, and her eyebrows gradually arched higher. "It''s you, Salazar?!" He stirred the swamp beneath his feet. Rowena shook her head. "A domain like that can be inherited, it can be learned. It doesn''t count¡ªbesides, this domain differs significantly from what I remember." "Hmm..." Rhys nodded, pulling out the shard of the crystal ball from his pocket. Rowena''s eyelid twitched, and she coldly shook her head. "This only proves that you are not Salazar. Salazar would never have shattered this." Rhys felt his blood boiling, rising up in a surge. He immediately drew his wand and pressed the tip against his temple. ''Rowena Ravenclaw, you''re forcing me to do this!!!'' "You''re right. I have a memory, Lady Ravenclaw, that you might want to see¡ªthere was this witch who asked me for a potent Dreamless Sleep Potion and then mixed it with a stimulant. Here''s what she looked like a quarter of an hour after taking the potion." As he spoke, a silvery wisp of smoke began to wind around the tip of his wand, about to be pulled from Rhys''s mind. A sense of foreboding flashed through Rowena''s heart. {Oh~~~ I am¡ª} A faintly female voice could be heard singing from within the silvery smoke. Then a female silhouette came in view, it seemed she was nake¡ª"Ok! Alright!" "Stop!" Ravenclaw interrupted Rhys''s spellcasting. "I believe you are indeed Salazar." "Heh~" Rhys''s lips curled into a slight smile: Wouldn''t it have been easier if you''d just agreed earlier? Through their brief exchange, Ravenclaw had gleaned the information she sought: her old friend''s method of achieving immortality seemed flawless on the surface, but his personality had subtly shifted over time, likely due to his physical transformation into a child. After confirming each other''s identities, the two fell into silence. After a while, Rhys finally spoke, "You''ve really had a hard time all these years." Ravenclaw remained silent. Her last days had indeed been incredibly difficult. In those final moments, she had often fantasized about what she would do if she ever saw her old friends again. At the very least, the idea of beating Salazar up had now been realized. After a long pause, she finally began to speak slowly, recounting what had happened after Rhys left the school in a calm tone. ____________ 12 Advance Chapters at my Patreon 115- The Trick of Fate 115- The Trick of Fate "After you left, Godric fell seriously ill. Shortly after his recovery, he too left the school. Later, Helga wanted to find both of you and decided to travel the world as well. She never returned, leaving only me here." Ravenclaw''s tone was calm and gentle, but Rhys could sense infinite sadness and loneliness in her words. He suddenly recalled the night Hogwarts Castle was completed. On that day, the top of the last tower had finally been sealed, marking the castle''s full completion. All that remained was for students to arrive, drawn by the castle''s reputation. The four of them had gathered on the newly flattened lawn outside the castle, gazing at their masterpiece. "It feels like we could add something more. Perhaps another tower in the middle?" Helga had some ideas about the castle''s structure. "But then what was the point of designing the courtyard? A tower would take up too much space, and if we made it float, it would block the courtyard''s light." Salazar had immediately rejected Hufflepuff''s suggestion. He believed the castle''s design was already near perfect and didn''t need any unnecessary additions. "Let''s not mess with it anymore; these past few days have really worn me out." Godric was strongly opposed to any more changes. He had been playing the role of laborer during the construction, often being the one to gather materials whenever anyone had a new idea. Even with the aid of magic, it was still a taxing job. So when he heard Helga wanted to alter the castle''s structure again, he was genuinely annoyed. Ravenclaw silently nodded in agreement, also feeling that adding another tower in the middle would make the castle look ugly¡ªeven though the concept of a floating tower that Salazar mentioned was cool, it wouldn''t change the fact that it would look terrible. "..Alright then." Seeing her suggestion unanimously rejected, Helga didn''t insist further. Gryffindor stretched and then suddenly said, "I must say, this castle is quite magnificent!" The other three agreed with him. From a distance, Hogwarts Castle resembled a mighty dragon perched on the cliffside, overlooking the surrounding forests and lake. "This is our school!" Helga proudly puffed out her chest. Rowena fell silent again. What she was about to say was difficult, but after a moment''s thought, she found herself relieved: so many years had passed¡ªwhat could possibly be too hard to speak about now? "I have something to tell you." Rhys nodded¡ªonly to have his pupils widen in shock a few seconds later. "Helena ran away with my diadem." "Ran away?! And she stole your diadem too?" "Yes," Rowena confirmed, indicating that Rhys had heard correctly. "Ungrateful wretch!!!" Rhys was genuinely furious this time. "If it weren''t for you, she would have starved to death long ago, and this is how she repays you?!" He wanted to lash out at her lineage but managed to hold back. It was this very issue that had led to the falling out with his friends and eventually to that conflict. Now, he saw no need to reopen old wounds. "Don''t blame her. She had her difficulties too. I know she always wanted to be smarter and more famous than me. She... she just longed too much to step out of my shadow. You know, the pressure on her was always immense." Rowena uncharacteristically said a lot, hoping to dissuade Rhys from being too harsh on Helena. "You shouldn''t have kept this from us all this time. We could''ve at least helped you retrieve the diadem. That thing shouldn''t be left out in the world¡ªit''s too dangerous," Rhys shook his head. While he found it hard to judge Rowena''s family matters, losing the diadem and not reporting it was clearly her mistake. Rowena''s diadem, like his own wand, was made from that sacred material, and losing control over it posed a significant risk. "There are protective spells I placed on it; it''s safe. I believed Helena would eventually return," Rowena sighed, her expression growing more complex. "Later, there was trouble at the school, and I was severely injured. I knew young Barrow had always had feelings for her, so I sent him to find Helena. The next news I received about them was the news of their deaths. Barrow killed Helena and then took his own life." Rhys: ''What???'' ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 12 Advance Chapters at my Patreon? 116- Old Friends 116- Old Friends Hearing Rowena Ravenclaw''s words, Rhys was completely stunned. Helena had stolen Rowena''s diadem, and after Rowena fell gravely ill, she sent Barrow to find Helena, only for Barrow and Helena to end up in a fatal conflict? ''What the..'' This news hit Rhys hard, leaving him momentarily unable to react. But soon, he noticed something was off. The whole situation seemed strange and full of unanswered questions. ''Most importantly, where did the diadem go?'' "Even if you put a seal on it, you shouldn''t have let Helena carry it around, Rowena. You should understand the dangers of the items we created¡ªI''m not even willing to carry my wand for extended periods," Rhys said. "My spell is flawless," Rowena''s tone was firm. She glanced at Rhys and added, "If you had followed my advice back then, you could use your wand freely now." "..." Rhys was momentarily at a loss for words. Of course, someone as proud and confident as Rowena would never admit that her spell had flaws. To her, the diadem was foolproof¡ªif Helena had the ability to break the seal on the diadem, then her magical skills had inherited a significant portion of her adoptive mother''s talents, and she would naturally be able to handle the diadem''s influence. He took a deep breath, hoping that everything was indeed just as Rowena had described¡ªa series of unfortunate coincidences: an enraged Barrow accidentally killing Helena and then taking his own life out of shame. Rowena Ravenclaw didn''t want to dwell on the topic any longer. Instead, she continued telling Rhys about the changes at Hogwarts after Barrow''s death. After the four founders established Hogwarts, they each recruited students according to their own preferences. Their plan was to pass the responsibility of managing the school to these students once they had matured and could handle the duties on their own, allowing the founders to retire in peace. As the students grew, their ambitions, character, and talents gradually became evident to the founders. Through a process of elimination, the most talented and virtuous young individuals caught the founders'' attention and were given special training. Except for Hufflepuff House, the other three houses had some exceptionally talented individuals emerge. For example, Helena from Ravenclaw House, Barrow and Adrian Dragonhart Greengrass from Slytherin House, and Mary de la Motte, the Crimson Witch, from Gryffindor House. However, she quickly changed the subject, stating that she couldn''t go above ground. "I placed a spell on this body of mine that prevents it from leaving the sealed area of the dungeon¡ªI''m well aware of the contamination here. I feared that if I lost control, I might unknowingly wander into the castle." "Can''t it be undone?" "No, it''s the safest measure to prevent any accidents." Ravenclaw glanced at Rhys. "How could I have foreseen that someone who swore never to return would come back to help cleanse the pollution in my soul?" Rhys immediately explained, "I go by Rhys Chassla Lint now; Salazar Slytherin hasn''t returned." "Heh." Ravenclaw let out a cold laugh. Rhys quickly switched the topic. "But it seems the contamination within you hasn''t been fully removed," he said, pointing to the lingering stains on Ravenclaw''s spirit. "Perhaps this thing''s absorption capacity has reached its limit," Ravenclaw replied, casting a disdainful glance at the distorted form of Voldemort on her shoulder. "Couldn''t you have thought of a different solution? Did you really have to attach this thing to me?" Rhys glared at Ravenclaw fiercely. "Rowena, why don''t you take a guess at what you did to me before? There was no better option than this!" "No choice, cleaning up trash is just in my nature. You should reflect on why you were deemed something that needed to be cleaned up." Rhys: ''I regret waking you up. Such a great witch, too bad she has a mouth.'' The two old friends chatted for a long time before Ravenclaw finally brought up the topic of Daphne, who was playing chess with herself outside the corridor. "So, who''s that young girl outside? Don''t tell me she''s..." _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead of SH at my Patreon 117- Say something nice to that old lady 117- Say something nice to that old lady Seeing Ravenclaw''s gaze, Rhys raised an eyebrow. "She''s a child of the Greengrass family, a very talented young witch." "Oh?" Now Ravenclaw was interested. If Salazar praised someone for their talent, it meant they were truly exceptional. And with the Greengrass family background... Could she be the chosen successor of Salazar after his rebirth? Now she wanted to meet this little girl. ''But can your successor outlive you?'' she silently mocked. Leaving aside Salazar''s strange method of immortality, just the fact that his physical age matched that of his apprentice was intriguing enough. Who would outlive whom was really anyone''s guess. Ravenclaw wanted to meet Daphne, and Rhys certainly wouldn''t stop her. However, before leaving, he asked, "How do you plan to present yourself to her?" Ravenclaw understood Rhys''s hint. After a brief consideration, she decided to meet Daphne as Ravenclaw. "Given my current state, there''s no need to hide," she said. Rhys kept his identity hidden because he didn''t want to scare the child and preferred to act discreetly. Ravenclaw, on the other hand, had no such concerns. "Alright, but please remember, my name is Rhys Chassla Lynt." "Alright, Salazar Slytherin." Rhys: "..." His steps faltered, hesitant and uncertain. "Is there something else on your mind?" Ravenclaw immediately noticed that her old friend hadn''t said everything. "Could you help me fix this crystal ball? A mischievous kid broke it," he asked carefully, taking the shattered pieces of the crystal ball out of his pocket. Ravenclaw frowned. "The damage is quite severe, and the spells on it are extremely delicate. Considering my current condition¡ª" "So, it''s a no?" "¡ªI can do it, but you''ll have to agree to one condition." "Never mind, then." Rhys rejected her outright, without hesitation¡ªagreeing to a request from Ravenclaw was not something to take lightly. Accepting it could lead to serious trouble. What had she done on this journey? Her only contribution had been chatting with Rhys and using up his magical potions. Even the crystal ball Rhys had given her for live updates lost its signal at the start of the battle¡ªmeaning she wasn''t even a spectator. Yet Rhys said that they had rescued Ravenclaw together, making her feel like she had just "teamed up with a pro and scored eighty points." And that was Ravenclaw! The Ravenclaw!!! The idea that she, in her lifetime, could meet one of Hogwarts'' founders was something she wouldn''t have dared to dream of. "You seem to have a lot on your mind?" A gentle female voice interrupted her thoughts. Daphne quickly looked up and saw a ghost standing alone on the platform. Even as a ghost, Daphne could tell that the witch''s robe was exquisitely crafted. The fabric must have been top-quality in life, and combined with her well-maintained face and those deep, wise eyes that occasionally sparkled with intellect, Daphne instantly believed that she was indeed standing before Rowena Ravenclaw. As Daphne looked at Ravenclaw, Ravenclaw was also observing Daphne. After her conversation with Salazar, she had learned that the language of the current era had changed significantly. So, she cast a translation spell on herself. While Rhys was busy elsewhere, Ravenclaw had also transformed the platform back into a flat surface and concealed her physical body. In just a few seconds, Ravenclaw had thoroughly observed Daphne from head to toe. She had to admit, Salazar''s apprentice certainly looked presentable; now, she just needed to see if Daphne''s talent was truly as exceptional as Salazar claimed. "..Hello," Daphne greeted the ghost in front of her timidly, her voice tinged with nervousness. She couldn''t help but feel nervous¡ªafter all, she was standing before the legendary witch, Rowena Ravenclaw! Daphne took two deep breaths, her eyes involuntarily drifting to the side, hoping to catch a reassuring glance from Rhys for some encouragement. But to her surprise, she realized that Rhys hadn''t come in with her. At that moment, Rhys was poking at the glowing barrier at the entrance to the passage, shaking his head helplessly. He had expected Rowena to do this. She wanted to meet Daphne alone. "Hello, child, there''s no need to be nervous. Come closer," Ravenclaw said with a warm smile, beckoning Daphne forward. The smile melted away Daphne''s tension, and she took a few steps closer to Ravenclaw. As she did, a table and two chairs appeared out of thin air before her. "Please, have a seat. We can sit and chat," Ravenclaw gestured kindly, indicating for Daphne to take a seat first. ___________ 12 Advance Chapters- 118- Ravenclaw is overjoyed 118- Ravenclaw is overjoyed "So why do you want to see me?" Daphne asked this question urgently as soon as she sat down. In her opinion, she was ordinary and had not contributed much to Ravenclaw''s "resurrection", so why should she be received by her? "Just think of me as being too bored and looking for someone to chat with." Ravenclaw said with a kind expression and a smile on her face. "Oh." Daphne sat upright in the chair and nodded obediently. Although Lady Ravenclaw didn''t say it explicitly, she felt that it was still related to Rhys. After all, the reason she got was far-fetched. Ravenclaw''s eyes swept across Daphne''s face, and Ravenclaw said from the bottom of her heart, "You Greengrasses are so good-looking. When Adrian was studying at Hogwarts, he often received love letters from students from other houses, and the little witches who accompanied him changed frequently. My students wrote me several letters of accusation, telling me that he was a real scumbag." Daphne was embarrassed: How could our ancestors have played so extravagantly? However, she was secretly excited to hear gossip from thousands of years ago. "Do you know why boys can''t enter the girls'' dormitory?" "..." "It has something to do with Adrian!" Daphne: Stop it, stop it! "I did complain to Salazar, but guess what he said? He actually thought that if the wizarding world wanted to grow, they had to have more children, so he supported what Adrian did." Daphne: "!!" Rhys: Stop it, stop it Ravenclaw! Although he couldn''t get in, Ravenclaw was considerate enough to use magic to transmit the audio of her conversation with Daphne. Ravenclaw easily dispelled Daphne''s nervousness with a "little" anecdote from when Hogwarts was first founded, and also caused Rhys'' body temperature to rise as he stood outside the corridor. "You really have inherited your ancestors'' good looks." The first reason is that it is difficult to learn and really depends on talent. The second reason is that there are very excellent substitutes, which directly make this knowledge lost. It is like the telegraph among Muggles. With the popularization of telephones, faxes, and the Internet, the telegraph gradually faded out of the historical stage. Ravenclaw sighed and said, "It''s a pity, but Salazar was quite good at this back then. You can learn from that Rhys." Daphne blinked, quite curious about what the connection between Rhys and Slytherin was. "He does have some connection with Slytherin." Ravenclaw played a word game - Salazar was indeed from the Slytherin family, and everything she said was true. Daphne understood: As expected, Rhys is the legitimate heir of Slytherin. No wonder he came here to try so hard to save Lady Ravenclaw. After this, Daphne invited Ravenclaw to walk around the castle grounds and see how Hogwarts had changed over the past thousand years. Ravenclaw shook her head, a trace of loneliness that was very easy to observe flashed in her eyes. She explained to Daphne the importance of guarding the seal and her current situation that was restricted by it. "However, if you are willing to do me a favor, I can return to the ground in some way." Ravenclaw changed the subject and made her request to Daphne. "Please go ahead!" "Please take this crystal ball up there for me and put it in the Hogwarts library." Ravenclaw waved her hand, and a mini crystal ball the size of a plum appeared out of thin air on the table. This crystal ball contains a trace of Ravenclaw''s magic. In this way, Ravenclaw can bring her own magic out of the seal and trigger the backup plan she left in the school. She could only use this stupid method. After all, the seal she had set up back then was too perfect. "No problem." Daphne was not as sensitive as Rhys and agreed immediately. "You''re a good child." Seeing that Daphne was willing to help her, Ravenclaw raised a smile. "This is a little bit of my experience. I think you may find it useful. Take it." She winked at Daphne, and a booklet appeared next to the crystal ball. "This!" Daphne''s heart was suddenly moved. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 12 Chapters ahead of SH at my Patreon~ 119- Rhys: It’s over, I fell into her trap! 119- Rhys: It¡¯s over, I fell into her trap! "She gave me a booklet!" Upon seeing Rhys, Daphne didn''t even wait for him to ask and blurted out everything she had received from Ravenclaw in a rush. But she hadn''t received much¡ªjust a mini crystal ball and a very thin booklet. Even a Muggle radio manual was thicker than this booklet. "Did she tell you to keep it to yourself?" Rhys asked as he took the items Daphne handed over. Daphne''s cheeks turned slightly red. "How... how did you know?" ''Because I heard it.'' "I guessed," Rhys replied. He took a glance at the crystal ball in his hand and immediately understood Ravenclaw''s intentions. It was indeed a clever trick¡ªto use the crystal ball as a medium to carry magic outside, triggering the spell she left behind. As for what would happen next, that was anyone''s guess. ''So this was what Ravenclaw wanted me to introduce her to Daphne? If I had known she wanted me to do this, then I... definitely still wouldn''t have agreed. At the very least, I would have made her reveal her true intentions.'' Rhys knew that, at her core, Ravenclaw probably didn''t want to do anything harmful to Hogwarts. But just because someone''s intentions aren''t bad, does that mean their actions will be harmless? Not necessarily. A few unpleasant memories surfaced in his mind. Rhys remembered the "little experiments" Ravenclaw had conducted behind their backs. When Ravenclaw did something, it was either silent or resulted in a huge mess. The most serious incident had even required the three of them to clean up her mess together. ''So, should he take the crystal ball or not?'' Rhys hesitated for a few seconds before deciding to take it with them. After all, it was just a bit of magic being brought out this time, and the entire "experiment" was under his supervision. There was no way it could spiral out of control. After figuring out what to do with the crystal ball, it was time to deal with the booklet. Under Daphne''s expectant gaze, Rhys opened the booklet and found that there wasn''t a single word inside. Daphne looked puzzled. "So, did she just give me a diary?" she asked blankly. "If you''re asking that kind of question, you''ll never get into Ravenclaw," Rhys said, pulling out his wand and gently tapping the first page of the booklet with it. Next, it seemed as if an invisible hand was writing on the booklet. On the smooth surface of the first page, beautiful cursive Latin letters began to appear: "The wind has brought my goodwill, but please do not place this book in a swamp." "This is my idea of relaxing," Hermione responded contentedly, patting the book next to her. Dumbledore''s praise at the end-of-year feast had caused her some trouble¡ªbecause of her performance, Gryffindor and Slytherin had lost their near win of the House Cup. The Gryffindor students weren''t too bothered, as they hadn''t won the Cup for several years anyway, and with the added pleasure of seeing Slytherin lose, they had let it go. However, many Slytherin students were quite upset, and it wasn''t uncommon for them to make snide remarks when they ran into Hermione. If the holidays weren''t just around the corner and most students weren''t already thinking about their vacation plans, Hermione might have faced even more trouble. To avoid all the commotion, Hermione had simply taken refuge in the library with her books, which, for her, was the ultimate form of enjoyment. Rhys had to respect that. After a brief chat with Hermione, Rhys and Daphne moved to a corner of the library. This time, Daphne didn''t clumsily break the crystal ball; Rhys had already taught her the key to activating it. Daphne lightly brushed her magic over the crystal ball, and the magic of Ravenclaw trapped inside was released, sinking into the walls of the library. Then... Nothing happened. Rhys lingered in the library for a while longer, but still, nothing happened. He couldn''t help but frown: he could sense the presence of the magic within the library, but he couldn''t pinpoint its exact location. ''Damn it!'' Rhys''s expression changed¡ªhe had fallen into Ravenclaw''s trap after all! She had calculated that he would undoubtedly keep a close eye on the magic''s movements and the subsequent effects; that was exactly what she wanted. He had become her unpaid labor, having to monitor the progress of her "experiment." Given his distrust of Ravenclaw, Rhys couldn''t just release the magic and walk away. This was Ravenclaw''s open scheme. ____________ Read 12 Chapters ahead of SH at my Patreon? 120- I don’t think the Sorting Hat has the guts to do this 120- I don¡¯t think the Sorting Hat has the guts to do this "Then why can''t I take these books home to read over the summer?" Seeing that his observations were fruitless, Rhys was about to leave when he heard Hermione arguing with Madam Pince. "Those are the library''s rules, Miss Granger. Please put the books back," Madam Pince''s voice sounded cold and unyielding. The librarian had an obsessive love for the books in her care. She adored the collection of books in the library, and as a result, she greatly disliked the young witches and wizards who borrowed them, believing that each turn of a page caused harm to her beloved books. In her view, the ideal state of the library was having the shelves filled with books and the tables devoid of people. Ironically, Hermione, who loved to spend time in the library and read a lot, was not favored by Madam Pince. For those students who borrowed books, she strictly enforced the rules and carefully checked the condition of the books when they were returned. Hermione''s attempt to borrow books for two months was almost impossible for Madam Pince to accept. "But¡ª" "No buts. The maximum borrowing period for students is one month." "Then I can send the books back by owl before the due date." "The library is closed during the summer holidays, and books are not allowed to be taken off campus. Books must be returned in person by the borrower. Miss Granger, you can find these books at Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley." Hermione: "..." After dismissing all of Hermione''s excuses, Madam Pince walked away with her head held high, as if she had won a battle, leaving Hermione alone to place a large stack of books to their original places with a sullen expression. Rhys clicked his tongue in disapproval. He thought Madam Pince''s approach went against the original intention they had when they first established the library. Back then, the four founders, led by Ravenclaw, donated a large collection of books, forming the basic framework of the Hogwarts library. Over the next thousand years, the school''s staff and students worked hard, accumulating a vast collection, making Hogwarts Library the largest in Europe. But books are meant to be read, not just to sit on shelves as decorative items. If these books were just gathering dust in the library without anyone borrowing them, Rhys would genuinely feel sorry for them. Although Rhys disliked Madam Pince as a person, he also acknowledged that she wasn''t entirely without reason. As the school developed and grew, it was normal for rules to become more comprehensive and strict. Madam Pince''s actions were all backed by school regulations, whereas Hermione''s stance wasn''t justified. The fact that a rule might be unreasonable doesn''t give her the right to ask others to break it for her. She could write to Dumbledore and ask him to amend the school rules. But considering everything, Rhys didn''t mind helping Hermione out. "Can I borrow a few sheets of parchment?" he said, approaching Hermione. Hermione didn''t understand Rhys''s intention, but she still handed him a stack of parchment. With a wave of his hand, Rhys transformed the parchment into replicas of the books Hermione had been holding. "Oh?" Rhys perked up. He was very interested in finding out whether he had the Trace on him. Technically, he shouldn''t have it since he wasn''t truly a part of the modern magical world, and he''d never noticed any locating spells on himself. But then again, there could be exceptions... "Do you know what the Trace is all about?" Daphne shook her head. "I only know that wizards under seventeen will be detected if they use magic outside of Hogwarts. As for the mechanics of the Trace, that''s a secret of the wizarding world¡ªif you''re really curious, I can help you find out. But all underage wizards who''ve attended Hogwarts have it, so you''re probably no exception." Daphne was aware that Rhys had always been in a near-reclusive state before, but she was convinced that Rhys wouldn''t be an exception to this rule. Listening to Daphne, Rhys suddenly felt that the Trace seemed to have something in common with the school''s acceptance letters; the principles behind them were likely the same. Inside Hogwarts Castle, there was a book called the Book of Admittance, which was the basis for Hogwarts'' student enrollment. It was an "artifact" he and his three old friends had crafted for the purpose of admissions. The book contained a spell that covered the entire British Isles, capable of detecting newly born young wizards through magical fluctuations and pinpointing their names and addresses, generating an admission list according to their age. Back in the day after his resurrection, Rhys had also fooled the Book of Admittance by releasing a magical signal, getting his name onto the new student list. Rhys felt that this large-scale group magic of the Trace might have something in common with the Book of Admittance. ''However, could those rookies really create a magical artifact of this level?'' The "Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery" was enacted in 1875, and Rhys doubted that wizards of that time still had the capability to make something on par with the Book of Admittance. ''Wait a minute, trace on children that attended Hogwarts...'' ''If that''s the case, there seems to be a shortcut ¡ª could they be attaching the Trace to all the new students arriving at Hogwarts? Then it wouldn''t be a large-scale detection spell; it would fall under the category of contract magic.'' Adding a contract magic to young wizards so that whenever they cast spells, the Ministry of Magic would receive location feedback ¡ª that''s much simpler than monitoring magical fluctuations across the entire British Isles. ''The specifics might vary, but this should be the general principle. So, what is something all young wizards have done?'' The answer popped into Rhys''s mind instantly. All new students have worn the Sorting Hat and participated in the Sorting Ceremony. In the future, when he has time, he can ask the Sorting Hat to confirm this ¡ª it''s normal that he doesn''t detect the existence of the Trace on himself. After all, he doesn''t believe the Sorting Hat would have the audacity to do anything to him. _________ Read 12 Chapters ahead of SH at my Patreon 121- I Casted Your Family’s Fidelius Charm 121- I Casted Your Family¡¯s Fidelius Charm "What are you thinking about?" Daphne couldn''t help but ask when she saw Rhys lost in thought. Rhys then shared his speculation with Daphne. "Huh? But if that''s the case, those young wizards who don''t attend Hogwarts..." "They wouldn''t be under the Ministry of Magic''s control in the first place, would they?" Rhys revealed the truth with one sentence. There are only two ways for young wizards to learn magic: either they are taught at home by their parents or they attend a magic school. If neither is possible, a very grim future awaits them. And on this land of Britain, no one can resist the allure of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry ¡ª it is one of the top magic schools in the world. As long as you have magical talent and are born on this land, you will receive an acceptance letter. To compare with the Muggle world, it would be like saying that as long as you have a permanent residency card, you can attend Harvard ¡ª and for free, no less. With conditions like this, anyone who chooses to study at home would have to be out of their mind. So for those living in Britain who don''t go to Hogwarts, it''s hard to say what their deal is. They are most likely marginalized individuals of the magical community or even wandering wizards or dark wizards. Expecting them to follow the rules would be very difficult, and the Ministry of Magic doesn''t have any expectations of them either, only arresting them when they break the law. "I see." After listening to Rhys''s analysis, Daphne thought that what he said made a lot of sense. However, she wasn''t too concerned about the Trace, as it had little to do with her. She was more interested in whether Rhys would come to spend the holiday at Greengrass Manor. After receiving a positive response, she could no longer suppress the upward curve of her lips. She took out a piece of parchment with writing on it and handed it to Rhys. "This is the address of my family''s summer villa. Remember it, and don''t tell anyone else," Daphne said, winking at Rhys. "The estate is protected by¡ª" "The Fidelius Charm, right?" Rhys glanced at Daphne, feeling quite touched. He hadn''t expected this little girl to be willing to share even this with him. A building protected by the Fidelius Charm cannot be found by anyone other than the Secret Keeper. When the Secret Keeper dies, everyone who knew the secret becomes a Secret Keeper. So being willing to share the address of a house is akin to giving someone a copy of the key, an act that signifies immense trust. "You know about the Fidelius Charm too?" Daphne''s surprise lasted only a moment before she relaxed, thinking it was only natural for him to know such things. "Who should we ask?" Knock! Knock! "Professor, this is my written promise. I will never trespass into Gryffindor Tower again," Adrian limped in, holding a roll of parchment, and then noticed that both his professor and Professor Ravenclaw were staring intently at him. Adrian immediately broke into a cold sweat. Could it be that they found out about him asking Helena to join him at the Astronomy Tower to watch the stars last night? That shouldn''t be possible! He really just wanted to learn some astronomy this time. Where was the trust between people? "Adrian! Would you like to add a Fidelius Charm to your family''s estate?" "Professor, I was really just... huh?" Adrian was momentarily stunned, then realized that his professor wanted to use his family''s property for another experiment! "Professor, this spell won''t blow up my house, will it? Last time¡ª" "That was then, this is now. This spell was personally improved by Professor Ravenclaw. You have to trust her!" Salazar said earnestly, examining his student. Adrian: "..." ''It''s precisely because it was improved by her that I''m worried!'' Ravenclaw cleared her throat, "If Mr. Greengrass is unwilling, we won''t force it. However, in that case..." Before she could finish, Adrian agreed. His intuition told him it was best not to let Professor Ravenclaw finish her sentence. } Rhys sighed and turned the note in his hand into ashes. "I will keep this secret." ''Just as it had been for the previous thousand years.'' ___________ Read 12 Chapters ahead of SH at my Patreon 122- Lupet’s Dessert Shop 122- Lupet¡¯s Dessert Shop "Dear passengers, the train is about to arrive at King''s Cross Station. Passengers who are preparing to get off the train, please take your belongings with you, get off the train in order, and leave the station in an orderly manner." As the broadcast sounded from the carriage''s loudspeakers, the little wizards stood up from their seats, changed their wizard robes into Muggle clothes, and took their luggage down from the shelves. When the train arrived, they all rushed to the platform and were blocked there because the Ministry of Magic sent people to allow only a few people to pass at a time, so that students would not come out of the wall in large numbers at the same time and attract the attention of Muggles. "Why don''t they cast an illusion spell on the students leaving the station? That way they can go faster." Looking at the long line in front of him, Rhys couldn''t help but complain. He also felt that this method was not very reliable. He only needed three minutes to think of five or six faster and safer ways to enter and exit the station. For example, they could set up some fireplaces in the station and use the Floo Network to transfer students; or, they could place the entrances and exits of the platform underground to avoid being seen by Muggles; having a wizard who is proficient in the Disillusionment Charm cast a mass disillusionment charm on students leaving the station also seems to be a good option. "Is it possible that the Disillusionment Charm is a very advanced spell, and there are too many students going home for the summer vacation, so the Ministry of Magic cannot cast the Disillusionment Charm on everyone?" Daphne glanced at Rhys and said in an uncertain tone - if the Disillusionment Charm is as simple as the Levitation Charm, then the Invisibility Cloak would not be sold so expensively. If it was a year ago, her tone would be very firm, but now she is a little unsure. Because Rhys taught her the Disillusionment Charm, and she learned it. She felt that this spell didn''t seem very difficult, and didn''t understand why so many people couldn''t learn it. "Using the Disillusionment Charm also has great disadvantages. For example, parents who go out to pick up their children at the station won''t be able to see their children. Another example, if the Disillusionment Charm wears off and we suddenly appear, it will cause more chaos." A voice came from behind the two of them. Rhys looked back and found that it was a red-haired boy talking to him. Next to him stood a person who looked exactly like him, who was also looking at them with a smile. He recognized them immediately; they were Ron''s twin brothers, Fred and George. Obviously, the long wait made these two overly energetic guys feel bored, and they just followed Rhys''s words and started chatting with him. "I''m Fred." George greeted Rhys, and Fred, who was standing next to him, winked at him. "Hi George, I''m Rhys." "Huh?" George raised his eyebrows, not understanding how he was exposed. "That''s the filthiest thing you''ve ever said to Harry," George quipped. Not far from the Weasley family stood a well-dressed gentleman. A pretty little girl with brown hair was standing behind him, holding the corner of his suit with her hand. The man was Daphne''s father, Mr. Jamison Henry Greengrass, and his daughter, Astoria. What is very interesting is that a middle-aged fat man with a purple face and a big beard is standing next to Henry and talking to him happily. The Greengrass family is different from other pure-blood families. They still retain some industries in the Muggle world, which are managed by the Squibs in the family, such as several wine estates. This is also the reason why he successfully attracted Vernon Dursley. "You can try to pick grapes with our company''s harvester. The efficiency is first-class, and we have a complete after-sales warranty service." "Mr. Dursley, my family''s wine estate has been adhering to manual harvesting and picking since the 10th century. I have no intention of changing the tradition that has been maintained for thousands of years... Oh, sorry, my daughter is here." Jamison Henry walked quickly to Daphne, hugged her in his arms, and kissed her forehead. Harry also walked out of the station and came to his uncle, happily telling him that he had just been chatting with a wizard of astonishing blood purity. Harry was delighted (?) to see Uncle Vernon''s fat face turn pale in an instant. Rhys also found Lupert who was waiting for him at the station. After handing his luggage to her, Rhys waved goodbye to the new friends he met at school and set off on his way home. He said he was going home, but in fact he was going back to Diagon Alley. Both he and Lupet were homeless, so they had to rent a house in Diagon Alley. But when Lupet brought Rhys to the front of the house she rented in Diagon Alley, he was stunned. "Lupet''s Dessert Shop?" Rhys read out the words on the shop sign in an incredible tone: "Is this where you live?!" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 12 Chapters ahead of SH at my Patreon? 123- Dumbledore’s Enlightenment 123- Dumbledore¡¯s Enlightenment Rhys was completely stunned. Before heading to Hogwarts, he had left some money for Lupet. This money was meant to cover her rent and living expenses and to support her continued completion of tasks for the secret society. What he never expected was that Lupet would use this money to open a dessert shop. And judging by the size of the shop, it seemed like Lupet''s business was doing quite well? Seeing Rhys''s expression change, Lupet'' became nervous. She quickly explained, "Master Rhys! It was too conspicuous for me to rent a room alone at the Leaky Cauldron for a long time, so I rented a place in the alley instead." "But the rent here is really high, and it wouldn''t be good to just sit back and do nothing. By chance, I had learned how to make desserts and bread while wandering in France, and I remember you really like sweets. So, I took the liberty of opening a dessert shop that mainly sells various cakes, pastries, bread, and iced drinks. If you''re not satisfied, I''ll close the shop right away." Lupet'' explained her actions cautiously, afraid that anything she said might upset Rhys and lead to punishment. Although she said she would close the shop immediately, deep down, she didn''t want to. She had put too much effort into this place, and it was her first real home. How could she be willing to give it up? Rhys raised an eyebrow: You don''t say... But honestly, he was quite pleased with the idea of living above a dessert shop. In the future, he could simply ask Lupet'' to make any sweets he wanted. He became even more thankful for the decision he had made back then. After listening to Lupet''s explanation, Rhys smiled genuinely. "I''m glad to see you''ve built a new life for yourself. Congratulations." Seeing Rhys''s response, Lupet let out a sigh of relief, her heart finally settling back in her chest. Then she seemed to remember something and quickly pulled out a small notebook from her pocket. "Master, this is the ledger for the past year, detailing my profits and expenses. Please check¡ª" "You keep it," Rhys waved his hand dismissively, not interested in looking at it. Though Rhys couldn''t claim to have wealth all over the world, he certainly wasn''t after a werewolf''s small business, even if her startup capital came from his donation. "Doing the tasks I assign you is the best way to repay me." Speaking of tasks, Lupet''s expression froze. It wasn''t that she hadn''t done anything; rather, the secret society hadn''t given her any tasks this year! All she had to do was subscribe to a few newspapers, summarize and compile the news, and then send it out by owl. At the end of each month, ten Galleons would promptly be deposited into her account. Lupet even started to feel like she was some kind of journalist for a newspaper. "If your customers were to see what the second floor looks like, you''d probably lose a lot of them," Rhys said, taking out his wand. He helped Lupet organize the clothes into categories and neatly placed them back into the wardrobe. Lupet awkwardly laughed. "Some customers have really strange quirks. Last Christmas, there was even a customer who asked if I could pack the desserts and bread into a sock." "..." Rhys thought he had truly seen it all. After Lupet finished tidying up the clothes, Rhys waved his wand and cast an Undetectable Extension Charm on the room, expanding the once cramped space to three times its original size. He also conjured a wall, creating a separate bedroom for himself. "We''re wizards; we need to learn to solve problems with magic." "But using the Undetectable Extension Charm without authorization is illegal, and it''s a really difficult spell..." Rhys: "..." ''Wait, why is the modern Ministry of Magic so strict about this?'' ... Hogwarts, Headmaster''s Office After the Hogwarts Express whistled and departed, Dumbledore finally had time to attend to his own matters. He took out the peculiar remains and placed them on his desk. Based on the remains of this creature''s reactions, it seemed to have had a deep connection with Gryffindor during its lifetime. The one who killed it was likely Gryffindor himself. However, it appears that Gryffindor didn''t completely destroy it, allowing it to break free from its seal a thousand years later and wreak havoc upon the world. As Dumbledore stared at the remains, he recalled the strange magic it had used¡ªmagic unlike anything he had ever seen before. ''It seems somewhat similar to the vaguely described "Domain" mentioned in ancient texts. If that truly was a Domain...'' Dumbledore carefully recollected the details of his encounter with the remains. Meanwhile, the temperature in the headmaster''s office gradually rose. Eventually, a sudden flame ignited at the tip of Dumbledore''s finger. Fawkes, perched on the sycamore branch outside the window, immediately let out a loud cry. Dumbledore quickly lifted his head, shifting his gaze away from the remains. The flame on his finger extinguished, but behind his half-moon spectacles, his eyes still seemed to burn with an intense fire. "A Domain...?" Dumbledore''s low murmur echoed through the office. _________ Read 12 Chapters ahead of SH at Patreon? 124- New Employee at the Dessert Shop 124- New Employee at the Dessert Shop "Excellent bread!" Rhys exclaimed, after trying a croissant from the plate of desserts Lupet had brought out. He highly praised her skills. The baking was just right, with a rich buttery aroma and, most importantly, perfectly flaky pastry. Every detail was executed flawlessly, making this ordinary, even somewhat commonplace, bread shine in its own unique way. "I''m glad you like it." Seeing Rhys thoroughly enjoy the dessert she made, Lupet felt genuinely happy. "Aren''t you opening the shop today?" Rhys noticed it was getting late and Lupet had shown no intention of heading downstairs to open the shop, so he took the initiative to ask. In the food business, it''s crucial not to close midway. They had already closed yesterday, and closing again today would greatly reduce customer loyalty. "The young girl I hired before went home, so today I need to hire two new assistants first," Lupet explained. She understood the necessity of opening the shop daily, but she really couldn''t manage everything by herself right now. Unless... Feeling Lupet''s gaze on him, Rhys thought it wouldn''t hurt to help her out a bit. After all, he didn''t have any pressing matters to attend to at the moment, and he was also quite intrigued by the idea of working in a dessert shop. So, a few minutes later, Rhys was downstairs in the dessert shop, wearing an apron. "Don''t worry Master! You just need to package what the customers order and handle the checkout. Leave the dessert-making to me." Lupet cautiously instructed Rhys before heading into the kitchen, where she began manipulating the ingredients with her wand. Flour, eggs, sugar, and milk were added to a bowl in turn, then stirred automatically under the influence of magic. Soon, the aroma of baked goods wafted out of the kitchen. As the sun climbed higher, the flow of people in Diagon Alley increased, and Lupet''s dessert shop began welcoming its loyal regulars. With a tap of Rhys''s wand, the food that customers ordered floated out from behind the counter and landed in the pre-prepared takeaway boxes. All Rhys needed to do was calculate the price and handle the payment. At first, he found it quite easy, but he soon realized that customers kept coming to buy things almost non-stop from morning till evening, leaving him with almost no time to rest. After a whole day of work, Rhys''s mindset underwent a subtle change: Damn, making money in the food business is really hard work! Moreover, he discovered a terrifying fact: after spending so much time in the dessert shop, he actually started losing interest in the array of desserts! This couldn''t be happening! As the flow of people in Diagon Alley gradually thinned out and the desserts in the display case were nearly sold out, Lupet finished cleaning up the kitchen and rushed out. "So, you want to work here?" Lupet''s eyes immediately lit up. "Come on, I''m actually short of hands¡ªcan you work as a cashier?" Lupet was now at the point where she would take anyone she could get, as long as they were alive and breathing¡ªtwo legs preferred, but even one would do. As long as she didn''t have to let her master work for her again! "Oh, okay, sorry to bother¡ªhuh? I got the job?" Neville, having been rejected so many times today, instinctively prepared to say goodbye, but then realized something was off. Did he really get the job?! He stole a glance at Rhys, wondering if this might have been thanks to him. What was Rhys''s relationship with the shop owner? "Alright then, come to the shop tomorrow morning at seven, and I''ll give you a simple orientation. As for the pay... how does one Galleon a day sound?" Neville nodded eagerly like a pecking chick. After he left, Lupet let out a sigh of relief. At least now her master wouldn''t have to help tomorrow... right? But then, remembering that boy''s clumsy demeanor, she suddenly wasn''t so confident. Rhys yawned and started packing up the unsold sweets in the shop. Halfway through, he paused, noticing that Lupet was staring motionlessly at the store entrance. Following her gaze, Rhys saw a girl standing outside the shop. She was dressed in shabby clothes and had a pale complexion, and she was staring back at Lupet. After a few seconds of the two of them looking at each other, the girl finally spoke, "Are you still hiring?" ¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 12 Chapters ahead of SH at my Patreon! 125- The New Mission of the Secret Order 125- The New Mission of the Secret Order Lupet didn''t immediately answer the girl about whether they were hiring. Instead, she softly muttered the girl''s name: Valentina Catalano. "Big Sister Lupet do you remember me, and are you still hiring here?" The girl with gray hair forced a stiff smile. Lupet looked over at Rhys. "I need some time to think about it." A flicker of despair flashed through Valentina''s eyes. She was already at the end of her rope. If Lupet couldn''t take her in, the most miserable future awaited her. Lupet pulled Rhys back a couple of steps into the kitchen and whispered a brief introduction about this unexpected visitor who had appeared at the door. As Rhys expected, the little girl who had suddenly appeared at the shop''s entrance was a werewolf, just like Lupet. Unlike Lupet, however, she had never received a proper education at a magic school. After she was turned into a werewolf, her magic school¡ªwhat Rhys saw as more of a magic cram school¡ªchose to expel her. Her family was also killed in the werewolf attack, so Valentina went straight into a life of wandering. During her travels, she met Lupet, and they lived together for a while. Later, the two of them got separated due to an accident. After that, Lupet met Rhys, which marked a turning point in her life. It was clear that the reason she had come today was that she had seen someone she knew outside. At the very least, she could still pick up some leftover sweets from her sister''s shop, couldn''t she? "Master, may I humbly request your mercy to bestow upon us the miraculous spell that can transform a werewolf and allow her to work here part-time for a while?" Lupet carefully chose her words, hoping that Valentina could also receive Rhys''s salvation. Although she hadn''t meant to eavesdrop, Valentina accidentally overheard how Lupet addressed Rhys. She glanced at Rhys in astonishment; the development of this situation was completely beyond her expectations. Could it be that this dessert shop is funded by this little boy? What exactly is Lupet''s relationship with him? Recalling how Lupet addressed Rhys, the answer became obvious. When she returned to Lupet''s dessert shop, Rhys had already gone back to the bedroom on the second floor. She went upstairs and found Rhys sitting at the desk, intently focused on something. "Sorry, I came back a bit late because¡ª" "They finally contacted us." Rhys looked up and picked up a small booklet from the desk, waving it slightly. A smile that resembled catching a big fish flashed across his face. "Who¡ªThe Secret Order?!" Lupet almost didn''t react in time. Rhys closed the booklet and tossed it towards Lupet. "The guy from Knockturn Alley, was it Sergi or Serge, had really low clearance. The people from The Secret Order actually made him do a year''s worth of odd jobs before giving him a new assignment," Rhys couldn''t help but grumble. Does The Secret Order have a generous budget? They actually kept purchasing the bulletins for such a long time. But Rhys misunderstood them. Lupet and the previous owner of the alumni network, Sergi or Serge, made quite decent bulletins, which is why The Secret Order was willing to keep paying. They even assigned higher-level tasks after conducting assessments. It''s not easy for ordinary people to crazily milk funding from The Secret Order like this. Lupet opened the booklet and saw that a previously blank title page now had a sentence appear on it: "[Investigate the death of a Gringotts curse breaker in northern Scotland, gather relevant information, and send the information to the usual address.]" When Rhys saw this sentence, he immediately realized that the incident was not straightforward. The identities of those curse breakers likely warranted further investigation. They were probably connected to The Secret Order, and investigating them might just be a "stepping stone" to prove one''s capabilities. "So, are you planning to go to Scotland to investigate the truth of the matter?" Lupet asked. If her master was going to the Scottish Highlands, she would need to make some arrangements. "Heh~ Not at all," Rhys shook his head, unexpectedly. "I think there''s someone who wants to know more about The Secret Order than I do. Let him handle the intelligence gathering¡ªLupet, write an anonymous letter to Albus Dumbledore. Make sure to give him a thorough introduction to The Secret Order and how to use this little booklet." ________ Read 12 Chapters ahead of SH at my Patreon? 126- Greengrass’s Invitation 126- Greengrass¡¯s Invitation Lupet wrote the letter as quickly as possible and sent it out overnight. Soon, an anonymous letter was sent to Dumbledore. Dumbledore often received all kinds of letters, including official letters from the Ministry of Magic, letters from his old friends and admirers around the world, and letters for various purposes¡ªhe had even received a letter from a candy company wanting to discuss an endorsement deal with him. Handling dozens of letters every night before bed and every morning after waking up was routine for Dumbledore. However, today he received a rather peculiar package. There was no information about the sender on the package; it was an anonymous letter, and it seemed to contain something inside. With his wealth of experience, Dumbledore instinctively raised his guard against this type of mail. But after a brief examination, he found that the letter didn''t have any malicious spells on it. Carefully opening the envelope, he found a small black booklet inside. ''A booklet?'' Dumbledore''s curiosity was piqued. He opened the booklet, and the words on the title page came into view. His eyes immediately narrowed; the incident in the Scottish Highlands had left a very deep impression on him. Seeing that there was also a letter inside the envelope, he took it out and read it carefully. "The Secret Order," Dumbledore muttered softly, the name rolling off his tongue as his eyes gradually deepened in thought. He decided to investigate this mysterious organization. After disrupting Dumbledore''s holiday with a single letter, Rhys began to enjoy his own summer break¡ªdesserts, cold drinks, and books from the new era, all of which delighted him. Neville and Valentina had joined Lupet''s dessert shop and officially started their part-time jobs. Initially, Neville was clumsy with accounting and caused quite a few mishaps. Later, Rhys made a simple calculator for him, which helped Neville finally get on the right track with his job. As for Valentina, she was doing quite well; she was quick and efficient, perfectly compensating for the messes Neville made. This routine continued for half a month before it was interrupted by a visitor. "One tiramisu, one Basque cheesecake, to-go." A silver-haired girl with delicate features appeared at Lupet''s dessert shop, attracting the attention of several passersby. "Daphne? What are you doing here?" Neville, though somewhat surprised, quickly took the dessert bags from Valentina''s hands and prepared to start tallying up the bill. "No need for change." Daphne placed a silver Sickle on the counter and then walked out with the packaged cakes. Rhys: "?" "This is actually a Portkey," Daphne explained to Rhys how to use the Portkey she was holding. Unlike the common touch-activated or time-triggered Portkeys, Daphne''s Portkey was a combination of both timed and triggered. When the black half of the hourglass is facing up and the white half is down, once the sand runs out, the Portkey will transport the person holding it back to Greengrass Manor. "Amazing alchemical device." Rhys marveled at the Portkey in Daphne''s hand. In their time, there were no such convenient and interesting means of transportation. Extremely advanced spatial magic¡ªafter examining the hourglass for a moment, Rhys concluded that the wizard who invented the Portkey could truly be called a genius. Daphne placed the hourglass in her palm and gestured for Rhys to put his finger on it. As the last grain of sand fell into the bottom chamber, Rhys felt something like a hook grab his navel and yank him upward at a tremendous speed. He and Daphne spun rapidly like a top, but the centrifugal force didn''t fling them away because his fingertips were firmly stuck to the hourglass. Rhys could feel Daphne being tossed around in the air; their shoulders bumped into each other occasionally. After a dozen seconds, his feet hit solid ground with a heavy thud. Taking a few deep breaths to dispel the dizziness in his mind, Rhys found himself in a lush valley filled with green grass and fruit trees. A small stream flowed gently, bringing a touch of coolness to the hot summer day. Upstream of the creek stood a large white European-style mansion. Rhys was quite familiar with this place¡ªthis was Greengrass Manor he had set up the Fidelius charm. "Welcome to the Summer Valley of the Greengrass family. We move here during the summer to escape the heat." "So, do you live in different manors during the other seasons?" "Of course!" Daphne said proudly. "We have different manors for each season. For example, the winter manor has an amazing hot spring!" A smile appeared on Rhys'' face. The Greengrass family certainly knew how to enjoy life. ____ Read 12 Chapters ahead- 127- Lockhart would be a good teacher, right? 127- Lockhart would be a good teacher, right? Following the stream upstream, Rhys and Daphne quickly arrived outside the white mansion. As soon as they reached the door, a young girl''s voice came from inside the house: "Dad, Dad, sister brought that boy back!" The one shouting was Daphne''s younger sister, Astoria. She had been leaning by her bedroom window, daydreaming, so she immediately saw her sister returning home with Rhys. Hearing her sister''s voice, Daphne pursed her lips and muttered under her breath, "I told her his name; it''s so annoying!" Astoria''s shout awakened the "sleeping" house. Mr. Greengrass, Mrs. Greengrass, and their house-elf all came to the first-floor living room, waiting to meet Rhys, whom Daphne had frequently mentioned in her letters. Mr. Greengrass already knew about Rhys from the Knockturn Ally that day but from his daughter''s letters, Mr. Greengrass had a much better understanding that Rhys couldn''t be viewed as an ordinary child. He possessed a wealth of ancient and mysterious knowledge and held many precious and rare treasures¡ªexactly what Mr. Greengrass urgently needed for his child. Even more astonishing, if his daughter''s speculations were accurate, this young wizard, who looked like an aristocratic boy, had a power that could only be described as unfathomable. As for why Rhys was willing to extend kindness to his daughter, Mr. Greengrass believed that his own family name had at least half of the credit. If Rhys was indeed, as his daughter suggested, a descendant of Slytherin, then their families could be considered old friends¡ªthough their previous connection dated back a thousand years... Unlike Mr. Greengrass, Mrs. Greengrass and Astoria were simply curious about the boy that Daphne frequently mentioned. Rhys made a good impression on them with his appearance. "We meet again young Rhys!" "Please have a seat, Dodo, go brew some tea and bring over some snacks," Mr. Greengrass instructed their house-elf. "At once!" The little elf snapped its fingers and disappeared, only to return shortly with a huge silver tray. "Make yourself at home; you can stay as long as you like," Mr. Greengrass said warmly. "Yeah, it''s good to see you too, Sir Greengrass" Rhys nodded with a smile and started chatting casually with the Greengrass family. While chatting, he also took the opportunity to observe the surroundings. As expected, the estate was still the same estate, but the arrangements from a thousand years ago had vanished without a trace; almost all signs from a millennium ago were completely gone¡ªit was now entirely a new residence. Thus, Rhys settled down in the Greengrass estate and ended up staying for most of the summer holiday. His life there was very comfortable and pleasant. The news photo showed Gilderoy Lockhart with an extremely bright smile. ''Eh? Is Harry suppressing a poo?'' While Harry had an expression that could only be described as looking like he was constipated. Daphne was shocked. "Wait! What kind of insider information is this? Isn''t this something anyone can know just by glancing at the newspaper?!" "If I didn''t say that, how else would I get my lovely daughter to give me a back massage?" "Ouch! That hurts!" Daphne immediately gave a sharp twist to the soft flesh on her father''s waist, punishing him for keeping her in suspense. "Makes sense." Rhys, standing to the side, looked at the picture of Lockhart in the newspaper and silently nodded. If the course was to be taught by someone who had actually experienced these events, using novels as textbooks might not be such a bad idea. Lockhart could expand on the parts that were glossed over for the sake of storytelling and use the novels'' entertaining elements to spark the students'' interest in learning. ''Indeed, Lockhart might be a pretty good choice as a professor, and Dumbledore''s decision this time seemed quite reasonable.'' Rhys nodded. This year''s professor finally seemed like an actual skilled wizard! He had read Lockhart''s books and admitted that, based on the stories recorded in them, the guy seemed to be quite a decent adventurer¡ªprovided, of course, that these were all adventures he had personally experienced. "Let''s hope Mr. Lockhart can handle the responsibilities of the Defense Against the Dark Arts position at Hogwarts," Mr. Greengrass laughed. "After all, it''s a cursed position!" "What curse?" Rhys asked, intrigued. Seeing Rhys''s curiosity, He explained the feud between the Dark Lord and the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. "Oh?" Rhys was quite surprised after hearing Mr. Greengrass''s explanation. "Is there really such a curse in the world?" It was certainly an eye-opener for him. Just as he was about to ask for more details, the doorbell of the Greengrass home rang. "Sorry, I have a guest coming today," Mr. Greengrass said hurriedly as he stood up to go greet the guest outside the manor. __________ Read 12 Chapters ahead at my Patreon? 128- A Thousand Years Ago, I Would Have Killed You 128- A Thousand Years Ago, I Would Have Killed You After a short while, Mr. Greengrass returned with a tall, thin man. "This is Damocles, a very famous potioneer," Mr. Greengrass introduced the guest briefly to Daphne and Rhys. Upon hearing the profession "potioneer," Rhys immediately understood his purpose: he was here to treat Astoria. Rhys felt a bit ashamed¡ªhe had been freeloading at the Greengrass house for half the summer, yet he hadn''t mentioned treating Daphne''s sister''s curse. He had only given some calming potions and incense to help her sleep peacefully without dreams. The reason he hadn''t rashly begun treatment was that Rhys had been contemplating the right treatment plan. Unlike the "tough-skinned" Ravenclaw, Astoria''s soul was much more fragile. The more aggressive treatment methods clearly wouldn''t work; otherwise, the curse might not be completely removed, and she could be driven mad by the process. Moreover, he didn''t have another piece of Voldemort''s soul fragment to use. And soul fragments were not something Rhys dared to use recklessly. The reason he used one for Ravenclaw was because she was strong enough; Voldemort''s incomplete soul was nothing more than a minor ailment in her presence. But Astoria was different. Her soul was too weak. Could the remaining soul fragment take the opportunity to devour her soul and grow stronger? Rhys thought it was very possible. The Damocles that Mr. Greengrass had invited was indeed quite skilled. According to Mr. Greengrass, he had recently developed a potion called Wolfsbane Potion, which could alleviate the symptoms of a werewolf''s transformation. "It''s not exactly like that. My potion allows werewolves to retain their sanity even after transforming into wolves; it doesn''t prevent the transformation itself." Rhys: "?!!" "What?" He was so shocked that he accidentally exclaimed aloud. Damocles glanced at him, mistaking the young wizard''s reaction for confusion or a lack of understanding, so he explained his newly invented potion again in simpler terms. Rhys: "..." He was speechless. If someone had concocted such a potion a thousand years ago and flaunted it in front of him, he would have undoubtedly executed this wizard traitor without hesitation. Allow werewolves to remain rational while transforming? How did such a genius survive until now? After using a few instruments that looked incredibly exquisite and complex to examine Astoria, a dark glint flashed in Damocles''s eyes. The little girl''s condition was extremely complicated, but the good news was that it matched his previous speculation based on the information he had; she was under a "blood curse." He was prepared for this situation. After finishing his examination, Damocles thought for a moment and then asked with a serious expression, "Does Miss Astoria have a blood curse on her?" After receiving a positive response from Mr. Greengrass, Damocles slowly said, "Blood curses are very difficult to cure." Mr. Greengrass''s expression remained wooden, as if he wasn''t surprised at all by Damocles''s words. "¡ªBut I have a potion that can delay the onset of the curse and even alleviate the symptoms, though the effectiveness of the latter can vary from person to person." Mr. Greengrass was stunned for a moment, then a look of ecstatic joy appeared on his face. Rhys: ? Really? Is this person in front of me that powerful? Rhys asked himself, knowing that he was already a top master in the field of potions. The reason he didn''t call himself the number one in the field was that over a thousand years, the field of potions had continuously developed, and some miraculous formulas might have emerged that he wasn''t aware of. In other words, his knowledge could be somewhat outdated, so proclaiming himself as the best would be a bit arrogant. Something that even he wasn''t confident about doing, Damocles was able to propose a solution after just one meeting. Could he really be a genius, or does he have some special potion for treating blood curses that Rhys doesn''t know about? Rhys squinted his eyes, standing behind Damocles, scrutinizing him. Mr. Greengrass was overjoyed and immediately requested Damocles to provide the potion for treatment. As for the cost of the potion, he didn''t even ask. "Please give me a laboratory, and I''ll prepare the potion for Miss Astoria right away." Damocles''s request was quickly granted. Mr. Greengrass provided him with a well-equipped alchemy room and allowed him to use his potion supplies. "Do I need to step out for a while?" Mr. Greengrass understood that most of these formulas were the core secrets of potion makers, and he naturally didn''t want to break any rules. "No need. The preparation of the potion is a very professional job, so there''s no need for you to do that." To Mr. Greengrass''s surprise, Damocles didn''t mind at all that he was watching his process. _________ Read 12 Chapters ahead of SH at my Patreon!? 129- The Destroyed Damocles 129- The Destroyed Damocles Damocles wasn''t lying; potion-making is indeed a highly technical craft. He was very confident that even if Mr. Jamison stood beside him, he wouldn''t be able to figure out the effects of the potion he was making. After all, Jamison wasn''t a master in the field of potions, and as for the two first-year kids, Damocles didn''t even consider them. They probably couldn''t even spell the names of the ingredients he was using! Mr. Greengrass initially intended to leave the room to show his respect, but when he noticed Rhys didn''t plan to leave, he simply stayed as well. For the next hour, Damocles took out dozens of potion ingredients and processed them in various ways, turning them into powders of different colors. Then he set up a cauldron and added the ingredients like performing a magic trick. Occasionally, he even took a pre-made potion from his robe and poured it into the boiling cauldron. Rhys, who had been watching the potion-making process from the side, couldn''t hold back any longer: the potion Damocles was making was not much different from honey water. At most, it included some ingredients for inducing sleep, enhancing appetite, and boosting metabolism. If Rhys wasn''t mistaken, Damocles also added some dragon fruit juice, whose only effect would be to turn Astoria''s excrement pink in a few hours. Rhys could definitively say that Damocles was just here to scam for funding. Drinking the potion would certainly do no harm, but its effectiveness against the blood curse was purely psychological comfort. "Ah~ It''s done. Please, take a look!" After tinkering for over an hour, Damocles handed a bottle of blue potion to Mr. Jamison Greengrass. "After Miss Astoria takes the potion, if her excrement is blue, it means the potion hasn''t worked. If it turns red, it indicates that the potion has reacted with the curse in her soul and has been effective," Damocles explained. "If it doesn''t work, I''ll adjust the formula." Mr. Jamison Greengrass, overjoyed after receiving the potion, intended to have his daughter drink it immediately. However, his good manners kept him from rushing; instead, he first asked Damocles what kind of compensation he wanted. "Oh, no compensation is necessary. It''s just about treating an illness and saving a life," Damocles replied with a faint smile on his face. Mr. Jamison Greengrass felt a deep respect for him, but Rhys, standing nearby, frowned. A person who is obviously a fraud and doesn''t want money is likely aiming for something bigger, with more far-reaching plans. Should he expose him? After a moment''s hesitation, Rhys decided to go ahead. After all, there would be a confrontation eventually, so there was no need to worry about startling the enemy. "This potion would make even a dog excrete red," Rhys bluntly exposed Damocles''s deception. Damocles was taken aback! A flash of anger appeared on his face, but before he could say anything, Rhys used a spell to grab a peacock from outside the window. Before Damocles could react, Rhys fed the potion to the peacock. The bird, being straightforward in its bodily functions, soon left a red stain on the lab table. "No no no no no! Impossible. My potion is truly effective. I will become a hero in the wizarding world, the greatest potioneer of this era, and the Order of Merlin badge will be mine..." he muttered, trying to comfort himself. "It won''t," a voice suddenly came from behind him. Startled, he nearly jumped out of his chair, but several ropes shot out from behind, pulling him back. "Ahh! Who!?" Then, he was firmly tied to the chair. A crystal vial was shoved to his lips, and a few drops of a cold potion were poured into his mouth. "W-what did you make me drink?!" Damocles asked in a panic. "Veritaserum. As a potioneer, you can''t even recognize this?" Rhys glanced at him from above, then began his interrogation. "Have you told anyone else the formula for the Wolfsbane Potion?" "No." Rhys thought for a moment and rephrased his question: "Besides you, does anyone else know the formula for the Wolfsbane Potion?" "Yes, others know. They helped me improve the formula." Rhys: "!!" Damocles'' response was a bit different from what Rhys had expected. "Who is it?" Rhys pressed on. Under the influence of the Veritaserum, Damocles instinctively wanted to answer Rhys''s question, but the word wouldn''t come out of his mouth. "Hmm?" Rhys grabbed Damocles''s head, forcing him to face him directly, and said slowly, "Tell me." Damocles''s face twisted with strain, veins bulging on his temples. Rhys could clearly hear the sound of his teeth grinding together. Finally, Rhys broke through the defenses set in Damocles''s mind¡ªa complex and ancient Fidelius Charm, but Rhys happened to know how to break it. He spat out a word as if using all his strength. Rhys heard it clearly; the word was: "Secret Order." Damocles''s soul dissipated along with that word in the air. After revealing to Rhys the organization that helped him improve the Wolfsbane Potion, the potioneer showed no signs of life. "Interesting." Looking at Damocles, who had fallen to the ground, Rhys thought that things were getting interesting. __________ Read 12 chapters ahead at my Patreon? 130- Half-Human, Half-Snake 130- Half-Human, Half-Snake Pushing Damocles'' body aside, Rhys sat down on the chair and began to sort through the fragmented memories he had just glimpsed. There was no doubt that Damocles was an excellent potioneer, and his clinic was always filled with people seeking his medical expertise and potions. Once, a monk who claimed to be from the "Secret Order" approached him, asking for a total of seventeen potions, including the highly complex Felix Felicis. In return, the monk offered only a tattered page said to be a remnant of a medieval potions book, on the condition that Damocles swore not to reveal anything about the page or their dealings to anyone else. The deal seemed quite unequal, but the few scribbled phrases at the beginning of the page piqued Damocles'' curiosity enough that he agreed to the transaction. It took him an entire year to gather those seventeen potions. That torn page was what inspired him to develop the Wolfsbane Potion. Shortly after the Wolfsbane Potion was completed, Mr. Jamison Henry Greengrass approached him. According to Damocles'' plan, if he could cure Astoria, he would do his best to treat her; if not, he would prescribe her a placebo that would improve her physical condition. He figured that if he couldn''t cure her, other potioneers and healers wouldn''t be able to either, so he might as well make her comfortable. But whether or not he could cure Astoria, Damocles initially had no intention of making money off the Greengrass family. His plan was to use the influence of the Greengrass family to promote his Wolfsbane Potion. Once he became famous, won awards, and reaped the benefits, he would then squeeze money out of Mr. Jamison Greengrass. This was the conclusion Rhys came to after piecing together the fragments of memory. ''Again, the Secret Order!'' Rhys couldn''t help but rub his chin. Stealing divine remains, assisting in the development of the Wolfsbane Potion, and spending "big money" to gather intelligence on the wizarding world¡ªthis organization seemed to harbor a strong animosity toward wizards. Now, the Mystic Order had fully captured Rhys'' attention. He stood up from the chair and began to clean up Damocles'' residence. Despite being a renowned potioneer, Damocles'' living quarters were starkly mismatched with his status¡ªhe lived in a rather desolate apartment on the outskirts of London. The exterior walls of the apartment had lost their paint, replaced by various graffiti, and none of the windows in the corridors were intact. The best feature of the building was the doors of the individual apartments, which, though worn and old, still served their purpose. Who would have thought that a potioneer would live in such a place? The "boy" Uncle Vernon referred to was, of course, his "dear" nephew, Harry Potter. Harry was currently locked in a room on the second floor, grounded by Uncle Vernon after an incident where a cake mysteriously floated above the head of one of Vernon''s important clients and then dropped onto him. As a result, Uncle Vernon missed out on a potential path to financial freedom, and Harry was rewarded with a summer of confinement, despite his repeated claims that he wasn''t responsible for the incident. Aunt Petunia huffed in annoyance as she reluctantly went to bring Harry his meal. However, a simple grounding couldn''t prevent Harry from returning to the magical world. A few hours later, a flying car hovered outside the Dursleys'' second-floor window, tore off the burglar bars, and whisked Harry away. Harry spent the rest of his summer at the Weasleys'' house, a situation that mirrored Rhys''s in some ways, as Rhys spent his summer at the Greengrass Manor. On the night Rhys visited Damocles''s house, Mr. Jamison Greengrass eagerly applied the potion Rhys had given him to his beloved daughter. What he witnessed next was an image he would never forget: a wisp of white mist rose from her forehead and gradually gathered at the head of her bed, taking shape. To his horror, the mist condensed into a half-human, half-snake creature! The creature''s upper body resembled Astoria''s, looking sweet and pitiful, but the girl''s legs had been replaced by a snake''s tail. Astoria''s manifested soul was not only grotesque in shape, but its overall color was also alarming. While most of it was white, it was marred by numerous ugly black spots¡ªevidence of the blood curse that was corrupting her soul, continuously expanding and growing stronger. One day, Astoria''s soul would be completely transformed into the shape of a snake. Just one look and you''ll understand how tricky Astoria''s current situation is. Even Rhys was secretly shocked: Astoria''s physical condition was worse than he had imagined. Looking at the appearance of his daughter''s soul, Mr. Greengrass was speechless for a long time as if he was under a petrification spell. It was not until Rhys promised to help find a solution and a magic potion for treatment that he forced a smile and thanked Rhys. But Rhys could see that there was no spark in those once proudful eyes. _________ Read 12 Chapters ahead at my Patreon!~ 131- New Semester, New Teacher 131- New Semester, New Teacher "Be careful, and when you get to school, make sure to get along with your housemates, no matter which house you''re in¡ªeven if it''s Gryffindor, that''s fine! After all, our ancestor, Dragonheart Adrian, was known as ''the most Gryffindor Slytherin ever!''" Mr. Jamison Greengrass squatted down to straighten his younger daughter''s collar. Rhys, overhearing this, frowned: Is he actually proud of that? Meanwhile, Mrs. Greengrass was chattering on, reminding Daphne to maintain good grades, dress appropriately for the weather, and take care of her younger sister, all of which made Daphne look visibly impatient. "As for the business with the Secret Order, you don''t need to worry about that for now. Just run the shop and live your life. If you feel unwell during the full moon, make sure to contact me immediately." When it was Rhys''s turn to speak, it felt as though the roles of adult and child had reversed. He didn''t give Lupet any specific tasks, only asked her to live her life well. Of course, if she encountered anything unusual or came across any important information, she should contact him right away. Rhys truly hoped that after their transformations, both Lupet and Valentina, the two werewolves, could start anew. As the train whistle blew, they hurriedly said their goodbyes. The children boarded the train while the parents stood on the platform, watching as it slowly pulled away. A new school term had begun. "Excuse me, may I sit here?" The compartment door slid open, and a rather unexpected person appeared at the entrance. He was wearing a blue robe, the same color as his eyes¡ªforget-me-not blue. His pointed wizard''s hat was slightly askew, but it somehow managed not to mess up his stylish curls. "I ran into a few fans on the way, and they insisted on autographs and wanted me to recount the story of how I drove away a banshee in Bann. That''s why I''m a bit late, and now all the compartments are full¡ªmay I sit here?" He flashed a dazzling smile, revealing a set of perfect, gleaming white teeth. "Professor Lockhart?!" Daphne, Astoria, and Hermione were all taken aback, with Hermione even standing up in surprise, exclaiming the newcomer''s name. The flamboyant man before them was none other than Gilderoy Lockhart, Hogwarts'' new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for the year. "What a coincidence!" Lockhart''s smile grew even brighter. "Another one of my fans! The wizarding world really like a small village!" To be honest, the compartment Rhys and the others were in wasn''t the most ideal for this. Including Rhys, there were already four young wizards packed inside, and with Lockhart squeezing in, the compartment became a bit crowded. For the rest of the journey, Lockhart bragged incessantly about his various adventures. Astoria and Hermione listened intently, their eyes shining with excitement, occasionally asking eager questions. Daphne was feeling drowsy. To her, Lockhart''s stories weren''t that impressive¡ªshe figured she could pull off something similar. For example, dealing with werewolves. She might not know how to cast a human restoration spell, but she could definitely kill a werewolf! Rhys, however, furrowed his brow as he listened to Lockhart''s stories. There was something off about them, a vague sense of inconsistency, like things didn''t quite add up. "Speaking of, Professor Lockhart, in your book Wanderings with Werewolves¡ª" Rhys began, since he found the story particularly relatable. After all, he had spent time with a werewolf himself, and the human restoration spell mentioned in the book resonated with him. "Ah! That was from my time in Armenia, a beautiful little country," Lockhart launched into another story. "The Muggles there may seem cold on the outside, but once you get to know them, they''re incredibly hospitable. They''ll invite you into their homes, serve you fresh pita bread and a steaming pot of stew... And let me tell you, Armenian Halloumi cheese with freshly baked bread is simply divine!" His enthusiasm seemed to overflow as he began recounting how he helped a village in Armenia rid itself of a werewolf and then wandered with the werewolf afterwards. Rhys was so engrossed in the story that he nearly forgot what he wanted to ask. "Oh, right," Rhys said, snapping back to the point. "Did you ever cast the human restoration spell on that werewolf again?" Lockhart waved his hand dramatically. "Of course not, my boy! A great wizard only needs to succeed once. In the midst of adventure, any carelessness can be fatal. You only get one shot!" Rhys was startled. The human restoration spell required periodic recasting after some time. Alarmed, he quickly asked, "When was the last time you encountered that werewolf? Has he stayed in human form the entire time without transforming even once?" ¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 12 chapters ahead at my Patreon!? 132- Lockhart: Suddenly I don’t want to go 132- Lockhart: Suddenly I don¡¯t want to go Facing Rhys'' questioning, Lockhart suddenly fell silent. He answered vaguely: "About ten years ago? At that time, I gave up my career in the UK-" "Ten years? Are you sure?!" Rhys couldn''t help but raise his eyebrows. A spell that prevented the werewolves from transforming for ten years. Even the inventor of the spell, Ravenclaw, was not as good as him. This made Rhys strongly doubt the truth of Lockhart''s words: No matter how strong you are, Lockhart, can you be stronger than Ravenclaw? If you really have this level, what were you doing when Voldemort was rampant? Why didn''t you show up to stop him? Voldemort''s era has only been over for more than ten years! Or, in other words, the Humanoid restoration Spell has made great progress in the thousand years that he has been sleeping? Why does it seem that no one has ever tried to popularize this spell? As long as the Humanoid restoration Spell is applied to the werewolves persistently, it will not be a matter of time before the werewolves are collectively transformed into wizards? Gryffindor has proved that werewolves cannot be killed completely, but Ravenclaw''s method may be able to. But no wizard has taken any action so far. Do they not want to? Rhys concluded that Ravenclaw''s restoration spell was probably on the verge of being lost, and Lockhart''s words were not credible - one of the two- Lockhart or the werewolf must be lying. "The spell that can restore a werewolf to human form is incredible!" Rhys said deliberately, "Professor Lockhart, I happen to know a werewolf friend. Can you help her? Can you cast a spell to restore her human form? So that she can get rid of this desperate and miserable life?" After hearing what Rhys said, Lockhart''s expression froze, but being eloquent, he quickly found a perfect way to deal with it. "No problem, but I have to focus on teaching from now on, so why don''t you invite her to Hogwarts for treatment - of course, remember to make an appointment with me in advance. I really want to help her, but I''m really busy and can''t spare the time." Lockhart agreed generously, but at the same time set a lot of conditions. He had already thought about it. If Rhys really asked his werewolf friend to seek treatment from him, he would try to delay the time. If he couldn''t delay any longer, he would verbally agree to her, but actually add a few words in the letter to the fans, "accidentally" leaking the news that a werewolf was going to enter Hogwarts, and encourage the fans to send a letter to Dumbledore to oppose the werewolves entering. By then, he would not suffer any loss on both sides. Rhys looked up at Lockhart. This was something that Lockhart, who loved to show off, could not refuse. In his opinion, it was easy to fool the little wizards. He only needed to tell them about his heroic deeds. A year of lessons and then an explosion of popularity was a good deal. But now the situation seems to have changed, and the professor''s position has suddenly become dangerous, which makes Lockhart want to quit. But considering that he had already boasted and the contract had been signed, it seemed that there was no way back. He had already put himself on the ladder, and it would not be easy to get down. Lockhart couldn''t help but regret the decision he had made. Now, his mood became very bad. Seeing that Rhys seemed to want to talk, Lockhart felt upset. He found an excuse and hurriedly left this miserable carriage. Seeing Lockhart fleeing in panic, Rhys was a little shocked: What the hell! Based on the conversation just now, he was 90% sure that this new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor was a fake! God knows how he wrote those adventure stories in his book, maybe they were just hearsay? ! Rhys felt that the future of Hogwarts students was bleak. With the quality of Quirrell and Lockhart, what useful self-defense magic can they learn?! This year was probably going to be wasted again - out of seven years, how many years were enough for them to waste? What was the point of graduating from Hogwarts without being able to cast an Shield Charm? Rhys had mixed feelings. "He''s quite talkative, isn''t he?" Since Lockhart had written many books, Hermione had a good impression of him. Plus, her knowledge was not as broad as Rhys'', so she didn''t see any flaws in Lockhart. "But a talkative person may not necessarily be a good professor. My intuition tells me that he can''t seem to teach us real things." Daphne expressed a different opinion. In her opinion, Lockhart was no match for Rhys. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 12 Advance Chapters at my Patreon!? 133- Hufflepuff’s Fishing Magic 133- Hufflepuff¡¯s Fishing Magic Hearing Daphne''s evaluation of Professor Lockhart, Hermione suddenly looked up, staring intently at her. Hermione had prepared many counterarguments, but Daphne spoke first, shutting her down with a single sentence. "He''s lying. The story in his book Wanderings with Werewolves is made up, or at least it''s not something he personally experienced¡ªbecause that''s not how the human restoration spell works." Before Hermione could argue, Daphne shared the knowledge about the spell that Rhys had taught her. "Maybe his understanding of the spell is just really deep..." Hermione tried to defend. "Impossible. Even Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff, who invented the spell, couldn''t do it¡ªI have letters from them to prove it. Their first attempts at casting the spell lasted at most five years," Rhys spoke up in support of Daphne. "And besides, he just talked and talked without saying anything useful," Daphne pointed out sharply. Hermione recalled their earlier conversation and realized it was true. Whenever Rhys tried to steer the discussion towards more technical details, Lockhart would find a way to change the subject. Caught up in her admiration for him, she hadn''t noticed. Now, Hermione began to feel uneasy. Desperately trying to defend Lockhart, like a drowning person grasping at straws, she said, "It can''t be. He¡ªI mean, Professor Lockhart¡ªhe''s written so many books!" "Writing books doesn''t mean he actually experienced those things. He could have made them up, or maybe he just heard the stories from somewhere else." Rhys''s words left Hermione silent, and she became increasingly doubtful: could it be that Professor Lockhart was really just a fraud with an empty reputation? "You can''t judge a book by its cover. Let''s wait until he teaches a few classes, then we''ll know the truth," Rhys said in an almost despairing tone. In truth, he no longer had any expectations for Lockhart. The atmosphere in the compartment grew heavy until the arrival of the trolley full of food. The assortment of snacks lifted everyone''s spirits a little. "So, besides sweets, do you have any real food? Even a sandwich would do," Rhys asked after buying a pile of snacks, feeling like something was missing. He craved something more substantial. "Of course, dear." the kind-looking trolley witch handed him a box of ham and egg sandwiches, fulfilling his request. However, one box of sandwiches wasn''t enough to satisfy Rhys''s appetite. Just then, a river came into view outside the train window, and Rhys suddenly remembered a food magic spell that Helga Hufflepuff had taught him. He immediately decided to give it a try. "Let me show you something impressive." Following the same method, in no time, Rhys had fished out about a dozen more from the magical basin. With a flick of his wand, the scales and innards of the fish were cleaned out in an instant. At the same time, the moisture in the fish seemed to "agitate" under his spell. Before long, the fish were transformed into dried, crispy snacks. "Feel free to try them. They''re not quite fried fish, but they should be crunchy enough." Hermione took one, carefully chewing it. The once fresh fish had been processed by Rhys into something as crisp as a cracker. Even the bones could be easily chewed. Despite having no seasoning, the dried fish had a unique and pleasant taste. "The taste is really good, and the spell is amazing!" Hermione exclaimed. "Heh" Rhys nodded, pleased with himself. During the rest of the journey, they quickly finished off the snacks and sandwiches they had bought earlier, and enjoyed a fresh fish feast. Some were dried, while others were roasted over a fire. The delicious fish added a bright spot to an otherwise monotonous trip. As night began to fall and the sky outside the train windows grew darker, they finally arrived at Hogwarts. When the train slowly pulled into the platform, a nervous expression appeared on Astoria''s face. "What''s wrong?" Daphne noticed her sister''s change in mood and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I''m worried... What if I get sorted into Gryffindor?" Astoria said, her voice growing more anxious as she spoke, a bead of sweat forming on her forehead. Neither her father, her sister, nor even the doctor who treated her had been willing to reveal any details about the Sorting, leaving her feeling uncertain and uneasy. "Hehe~ Little Astoria, if you''re really scared, just keep silently repeating my name during the Sorting. I''m sure your wish will come true," Rhys said, shaking his head with a smile at Astoria''s worry. This girl¡ªhow could she possibly end up in another house? ''Though, should I test the Trace on her?'' ¡ª¡ª¡ª 12 Advance Chapters at my Patreon!? 134- The idea of ??driverless driving is shattered 134- The idea of ??driverless driving is shattered The Trace... Rhys squinted his eyes. This method the Ministry of Magic uses to monitor underage wizards might be some kind of long-lasting magic, but it was more likely a form of contract-based magic. However, no matter which kind of magic it was, it would require a caster, whether or not that caster was human. Rhys patted Astoria on the shoulder, reassuring her not to panic. She was sure to get into the house she wanted. "Really?" A smile appeared on Astoria''s pale face. "Then I''m definitely going to Slytherin." "Why not consider Gryffindor? There''s plenty of fun to be had there!" A male voice suddenly came from behind them. They turned around to see two identical red-headed boys grinning at them. "Fred, stop teasing the kid! Little Astoria won''t end up in any other house¡ªhow about your sister Ginny comes to Slytherin instead? I''ll give her all my notes from last year!" Rhys''s words made Fred and George''s smiles freeze on their faces. Putting themselves in Daphne''s shoes... if their little sister Ginny ended up in Slytherin... no way! The thought alone was terrifying! So, they quickly changed the subject. "Remember the bet at the end of last term? Did you just call me Fred? I''ll give you another chance. Are you sure you want to stick with your choice?" Fred winked at Rhys. However, for Rhys, the magical difference between the two was quite obvious, so he didn''t waver at all from Fred''s words. "Nope~" "Damn it." Seeing that he hadn''t managed to trick Rhys, Fred sighed. "You''re lucky. If there''s anything you need us to bring back from Hogsmeade, just let us know." George wrapped his arm around Fred''s neck and led him away from the train compartment aisle. "Weird Weasleys." That was Astoria''s evaluation of Fred and George. "They just like playing pranks. They''re not bad people." Rhys explained in defense of Fred and George, then followed Daphne and the others off the platform. But despite the small warning, Hermione didn''t stop. This was a magical creature she had never encountered before, and she was determined to pet it while she had the chance. Who knew if she''d get another opportunity in the future? "Alright, we need to get going. There''s a whole herd of Thestrals living in the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid takes good care of them, so maybe one day you can ask him to show you around," Rhys said as he looked around and noticed the other carriages had already started departing. He urged them to get moving. Daphne nodded, already planning to ask Hagrid not only to show her the Thestrals but also to visit her very own nightmare creature. During the summer, while Daphne wasn''t at Hogwarts, her nightmare creature had been cared for by Hagrid. She thought she should check on it soon, worried that too much time apart might cause it to become unfamiliar with her. She was the first to board the carriage, with Hermione reluctantly following her, still yearning to pat with the Thestral. Rhys climbed in after Hermione, and just as he was about to close the carriage door, he heard someone shouting. "Wait, please wait!" Rhys stuck his head out and saw Neville running toward them, gasping for breath, with his toad, Trevor, clutched in his hands. "I was looking for Trevor... took me a while. Phew... glad you''re still here," Neville said as he climbed into the carriage, panting heavily. Rhys smiled and shook his head. It seemed that working the whole summer for Lupet hadn''t cured Neville of his forgetfulness. "How was the rest of your summer?" Rhys asked, as the carriage began to creak and move forward. He struck up a conversation with Neville, who sat beside him. Neville nodded, smiling. "Lupet looked after me well. By the end, she even taught me how to make desserts. I wonder if there''s a place in the castle where I could cook. If there is, I could try making some..." "That sounds fantastic," Rhys replied. As they continued chatting and laughing, the carriage passed through the gates of Hogwarts. Since they were all second-year students now, they headed straight to the Great Hall. At the entrance, they spotted Snape speaking with Professor McGonagall. "Potter... Weasley..." Snape muttered. "Severus, I need to oversee the Sorting Ceremony. You should go inform Professor Dumbledore," McGonagall said as the four approached. She hurried away just as Snape made his way into the hall. "Looks like Harry and Ron might have gotten into some trouble again?" Daphne guessed, piecing things together from the snippets of conversation she overheard. ___________ 12 Advance Chapters at my Patreon!? 135- The Sorting Hat: Trembling and Treading on Thin Ice 135- The Sorting Hat: Trembling and Treading on Thin Ice "Who knows? They are both Gryffindors." Hermione didn''t have a deep impression of Harry and Ron. She only knew that they were very likely to break school rules. The four of them separated at the door of the Great Hall and went to sit at the long table of their Houses. After sitting down at the Slytherin table, Rhys looked towards Gryffindor and indeed did not see any trace of Harry and Ron in the crowd. What were they doing? As there was nothing to do, Rhys simply put his hand on his chin and thought about what might have happened to Harry and Ron, and then he saw a car passing by the window of the castle. Rhys: "..." He probably understood what Ron and Harry had done wrong. Hermione summed them up very well: they were too Gryffindor. The Sorting Ceremony was not postponed due to the absence of the two young wizards. Professor McGonagall led a group of little ones, as in previous years. Rhys saw Astoria standing at the front of the line, and behind her was a girl with messy, waist-length dirty blond hair. The blonde girl attracted Rhys''s attention because she wore some unusual jewelry and put her wand behind her ear. Her gray eyes looked dreamy and she was obviously crazy. He had a hunch that the girl would be sorted into Ravenclaw, because - although saying this would surely make Ravenclaw furious - he felt that those crazy little wizards were in line with the Ravenclaw house temperament. Under the chairmanship of Professor McGonagall, the sorting ceremony began. Since her last name''s 1st letter was "G" and her first name''s was "A", Astoria was quickly called up. When she saw the Sorting Hat, she was really relieved - before that, there were all kinds of opinions about the school''s sorting method. The most exaggerated one was that everyone had to work together to defeat a giant monster, and then be assigned to a house based on their performance in the battle. With strange thoughts flashing through her mind, Astoria sat down on the small square stool. She could feel the gazes of nearly a thousand eyes, which made her nervous: in public, once the results of the division were announced, there would be no room for maneuver. ''I don''t want to go to Gryffindor, I don''t want to go to Hufflepuff!'' When the hat was put on her head, she remembered what Rhys had said to her. ¡ªRecite my name silently, and your wish will come true! Although she didn''t really believe it, she still silently repeated Rhys''s name several times in her heart. After a moment, it roared with all its strength: "Slytherin!" The sorting ceremony continued, and no one knew the twists and turns of the sorting hat''s mental journey. Today''s opening banquet was slightly different from the past. There was always a lack of people in the teacher''s seat. Snape was not there when the sorting ceremony began, and Professor McGonagall also disappeared after presiding over the sorting ceremony. Later, Dumbledore also left the hall after announcing the start of the banquet, which caused students to talk about it. This made Lockhart quite unhappy. He had carefully prepared a speech for today''s opening dinner and accompanied it with a set of corresponding body postures. As a result, Dumbledore did not even give him time to show his performance. After he introduced his name, he actually announced that the dinner was ready! That action and that manuscript were all scrapped! But just as no one knew the psychological activities of the Sorting Hat, no one noticed Professor Lockhart''s dissatisfaction. It was not until the end of the banquet that a very explosive piece of news slowly spread: Harry and Ron did not board the Hogwarts Express, they drove here in a flying car. This caused a heated discussion, Gryffindor wizards thought this was so cool, while Slytherin students thought this serious violation of the Statute of Secrecy should be punished. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students had no special opinions on this, they were either discussing what spells were cast on the flying car, or regretting that Harry and Ron missed such a sumptuous banquet respectively. Lockhart beat his chest and stamped his feet, lamenting that he had missed an opportunity to make the headlines. But these had nothing to do with Rhys. He returned to the dormitory early, lay on the bed, and fell asleep. ... Generally speaking, few young wizards would choose to go to the library to study on the first day of school - they usually haven''t yet recovered from their lazy state during the holidays. But there was one exception. On the first day of school, Miss Hermione Granger pushed open the door of the library. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 136- Adventure in the Library 136- Adventure in the Library Madam Pince wasn''t too happy when she saw Hermione Granger visiting the library on the very first day of term. She forced a stiff smile and said to Hermione, "Young lady, working so hard on the first day? Why not spend a couple of days playing with your dorm mates?" Hermione, upon hearing this, appeared thoughtful. "You''re right," she replied. Madam Pince was overjoyed by this response. If the little girl became engrossed in playing with her roommates, she wouldn''t come to the library and mess with her precious books, right? "I''ll just bring them here to read with me next time," Hermione added. "..." With that, she walked deeper into the library, leaving Madam Pince standing there like a statue. What Madam Pince didn''t know was that Hermione was extremely nervous during their conversation, fearing she would check her bag¡ªbecause then she''d have a lot of explaining to do about the dozen Hogwarts-marked magic books inside. Hermione wandered between the bookshelves, using her memory to find the fake books one by one and replace them with the real ones from her bag. Soon, most of the books had been returned, except for one¡ªWizarding Landmarks¡ªwhich she hadn''t found yet. Luckily, a few minutes later, she spotted the fake book at the bottom of a shelf. Hermione broke into a cold sweat¡ªMadam Pince had actually reorganized the bookshelves right at the start of term! Thankfully, she hadn''t noticed the issue with Wizarding Landmarks. Just as Hermione was about to stash the fake books she had recovered into her bag, a glimpse of blue caught her eye, freezing her in place. Slowly, she raised her head and saw a beautiful middle-aged witch, dressed in an elegant blue wizard''s robe, smiling at her. The witch looked about the same age as Professor Sprout, the head of Hufflepuff House, but she was better groomed and exuded an air of refinement. The blue-robed witch seemed vaguely familiar, but Hermione couldn''t quite place where she''d seen her before. Hermione: "..." For the first time, Hermione truly understood the feeling of being overwhelmed by fear. Her mind went completely blank¡ªshe had no idea what to say or do. Though she didn''t recognize the witch standing before her, it was clear she was a professor at the school. And she had just caught Hermione in the act. "Heh~ You''re very much like the founder of Ravenclaw." "I.. I''m not worthy of such a comparison..." Hermione replied modestly. "What''s your name?" This question immediately made Hermione nervous: Weren''t they done with that topic? Why was she asking for her name now? Was she going to report her to Professor Flitwick or Dumbledore? "Hermione Jean Granger." Despite her inner panic, Hermione still reported her full name truthfully. Upon hearing her name, the blue-robed witch began to play with her long, black hair that hung over her shoulders. Her glossy hair was twirled, loosened, and played with, much like a cat batting at its tail. She did this as a sign that she was deep in thought. The witch''s silence for a few seconds made Hermione even more anxious. Fortunately, when the witch spoke again, she didn''t seem to intend any punishment for Hermione. Instead, she asked unrelated questions, such as how much time Hermione had spent in the library last year, how her grades were, and whether reading so many different books had affected her studies. Hermione nodded and told her that she had spent over a thousand hours in the library, visiting whenever she had free time. As for her grades, they were decent¡ªshe had been lucky enough to achieve perfect marks in all her subjects. "Perfect marks in all subjects?" Now the blue-robed witch was genuinely surprised. This mysterious witch was none other than Rowena Ravenclaw herself¡ªor, more precisely, a magical projection formed from Ravenclaw''s magic. If Hermione had been brave enough to touch the witch''s body, she would have been astonished to find that the witch was merely an illusion with no physical substance. Even outside the "study room," the witch hadn''t touched anything solid. This "study room" was Ravenclaw''s personal classroom within Hogwarts Castle, much like Rhys'' "Chamber." At the end of the previous school year, after Rhys had helped Rowena Ravenclaw regain consciousness, she had devised a way to send a trace of her magic to the surface. This trace of magic acted as a key to activate a contingency she had left in her personal classroom. Using the magic circle left in her secret classroom, Ravenclaw forcibly opened a special passage through the seal, allowing her consciousness to pass through the barrier and manifest in the magical projection that had formed in her classroom. Due to the limitations of the seal, this projection was extremely restricted, unable even to leave the library¡ªmoving too far from the secret classroom would cause her to "lose signal." But still, it was a breakthrough from nothing to something. Of course, if Rhys knew about this, he would undoubtedly be displeased, as Ravenclaw''s actions had, in effect, compromised the integrity of the seal. __________ Read 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 137- Ms. Spett 137- Ms. Spett The four founders of Hogwarts each had their own personal classroom, over which they held absolute control. In these classrooms, they would set up magic that reflected their individual styles and teach advanced magical knowledge to students they personally selected. Rowena Ravenclaw was no exception. Her personal classroom, which looked like a study room, was designed to help her select "Chamber Apprentices" who met her criteria. The selection process wasn''t complicated¡ªit was based on spending enough time in the library or borrowing a large number of books over the course of a year. Though the requirements weren''t particularly difficult, after a thousand years of absence, Ravenclaw discovered that there weren''t many young witches and wizards who met them. In a millennium, the list of names barely reached three digits, and in the past twenty years, only one name had appeared: Hermione Granger. Fortunately, Hermione hadn''t graduated yet, so as soon as she stepped into the library, Ravenclaw sought her out. Her eagerness was partly due to Rhys. After Rhys had brought Daphne to show off in front of Ravenclaw, she felt inspired to take on a student herself. Salazar had a new student, so naturally, she couldn''t fall behind! However, Ravenclaw wasn''t desperate to recruit just anyone. Before accepting Hermione as her "Chamber Apprentice," she intended to thoroughly assess her. If Hermione could pass her test, the girl would receive Ravenclaw''s mentorship. After asking a few questions, Ravenclaw was very pleased with Hermione''s answers: she loved reading, excelled in her studies, and was a student of Ravenclaw House¡ªthis last point was particularly important. When Ravenclaw had asked this question, she had been a bit nervous. Though it was highly likely that a student meeting her criteria would come from Ravenclaw, there was always a chance of an exception. People are complex, and sometimes a young wizard or witch might be well-suited to multiple houses. For example, a brave, intelligent, and ambitious pure-blood student could fit the standards of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. In such cases, the student''s own opinion would become crucial. If, before the Sorting, they had heard biased information and developed prejudices against certain houses, the outcome could be unpredictable. According to the rules established back then, because "Chamber Apprentices" involved issues of legacy, the four founders could only recruit talented students from their own houses. If Hermione had belonged to another house, Ravenclaw would have had no choice but to let her go, as this was a matter of principle. If it were just her, it might not have been such a big deal, but Salazar Slytherin was still alive! If she broke the rules, she wouldn''t be able to face him. Fortunately, Hermione was a Ravenclaw, so Rowena Ravenclaw had no further concerns. After making her decision, Ravenclaw continued chatting with Hermione. At this point, Ravenclaw had nothing more to say and waved her hand, signaling Hermione could leave. "Um, one last thing," Ravenclaw called out just as Hermione was about to leave. "Although you had your reasons, you still broke the school rules." Hearing this, Hermione''s heart sank¡ªwas she going to be punished after all? "You need to be punished. As for the specifics... help me find a few books. I need A History of Magic, Hogwarts: A History, Selected Spells of the Eighteenth Century, Important Magical Events of the Twentieth Century, Significant Discoveries in Modern Magic, and A Study on the Development of Modern Witchcraft. Bring these books to this study room. That will be your punishment." Ravenclaw rattled off a long list of books as if she were reciting a menu. These were all books Ravenclaw had noticed while wandering around the library. Reading them would give her a general understanding of magical developments over the past thousand years. Unfortunately, Ravenclaw, as a highly realistic magical projection, couldn''t physically touch the books. Only within her personal study room could she use the magic array to make the pages turn automatically. The general process involved a book floating in midair, with the pages turning on their own as Ravenclaw stood in front, reading. Therefore, she needed Hermione to bring the books in for her. "That''s it?" Hermione couldn''t help but blurt out. Ravenclaw raised an eyebrow. "If you think the punishment is too light¡ª" "No, no! I''ll go get the books right away!" Hermione dashed out, and a few minutes later, she returned, carrying a large stack of books. "Huff.. Huff.. Here!" She placed them carefully on the study room table, then earnestly bid farewell to "Ms. Spett" before leaving the study room that she''d never noticed before. When she finally made her way back to the Ravenclaw common room and saw the statue of the house''s founder, Rowena Ravenclaw, she realized where the sense of familiarity came from: Ms. Spett''s aura and posture closely resembled that of Lady Ravenclaw, although the two didn''t look alike. "Maybe that''s just something all wise witches have in common!?!" Hermione didn''t think much of it, eager to dive into Ms. Spett''s precious notes. __________ 12 Advance Chapters at my Patreon!? 138- Lockhart’s level made Rhys’ eyes black 138- Lockhart¡¯s level made Rhys¡¯ eyes black Hermione didn''t sleep well that night. As soon as she returned to the common room, she eagerly began reading the parchment Mrs. Spett had given her, staying up all night in the process. The knowledge within was so novel and fascinating that she was completely engrossed, unable to tear herself away. By the time dawn broke, Hermione had practically memorized every word on the parchment, even trying out some of the techniques in small doses. The mana manipulation recorded there was a bit challenging, but she was confident she could master it before meeting Mrs. Spett again next Monday. She was determined to surprise her next time they met! However, despite her excitement, reality hit hard. After staying up all night, Hermione struggled to focus during the day''s lessons. Her eyelids drooped, and everything around her gradually blurred. She would close her eyes for a few seconds, then fight against her body''s need for sleep, forcing herself to open them again and try to look like she was just blinking¡ªthough it was more of a long pause, really, and not actual sleep. Occasionally, Hermione would yawn. Each time, as she expelled a large amount of carbon dioxide, she''d feel a brief moment of clarity before being overtaken by drowsiness again. Professor Sprout, who was teaching Herbology, noticed Hermione''s drowsy state. The usually kind and gentle witch, however, was uncharacteristically irritable today, her expression tinged with anger. The sharp students quickly guessed that it had something to do with the bandage wrapped around her arm. In fact, just a few hours earlier, Professor Sprout had experienced one of the most terrifying moments of her life! When Harry and Ron were flying the enchanted car to Hogwarts, it lost power as they approached the castle, preventing them from landing safely on the flat lawn in front of the castle. Instead, they crashed into a large, ancient tree known as the Whomping Willow in the Forbidden Forest. While the two young wizards were unharmed, the Whomping Willow suffered significant damage, which required Professor Sprout''s expertise. As Hogwarts'' resident Herbology master, she was highly skilled in healing plants, even rare ones like the Whomping Willow. Normally, she would have been able to heal the tree with a few simple spells. Unfortunately, she caught the attention of Gilderoy Lockhart. Upon learning that the Whomping Willow was a historic and extremely valuable tree, Lockhart immediately approached Professor Sprout, insisting that he accompany her to help heal it. He proudly claimed that he could solve the Willow''s problem in "just a second." Then... Sprout made a decision she would regret for the rest of her life: she brought Lockhart along. At first, Professor Sprout thought Lockhart was a decent person. But as she pressed the Whomping Willow''s "pause button" to treat the tree from underneath, Lockhart cast a Reparo charm, which reactivated the Willow. Was it a coincidence, or...? Rhys stared at Hermione, recalling the crystal ball that Ravenclaw had given to Daphne last term. After that, the entire Herbology lesson felt dull and uninteresting. The potion Rhys had given Hermione worked quite well. After drinking it, she felt like she''d just had a large gulp of ice-cold mint lemonade. Her drowsiness vanished instantly, and she didn''t yawn for the rest of the class. After class, Rhys approached Hermione. "Hermione, about that bottle just now¡ª" "Thanks for the potion, but I''ve got to go!" Hermione quickly shoved the empty bottle into Rhys'' hand and dashed off. She hadn''t thought much about it; she just wanted to get back and practice controlling her magic. During the Herbology class, she had, as if by instinct, successfully used her magic to pull Rhys'' potion bottle into her hand. A personal breakthrough! Now she wanted to take advantage of the momentum and practice more back at the castle. Though he didn''t get much out of the brief conversation, Rhys had a strong sense that he was onto something. Rhys'' mood lifted as he thought to himself, So, the old woman is making moves again... This pleasant feeling lasted until that afternoon''s Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Lockhart, after giving a long-winded introduction to the students from Slytherin and Ravenclaw, pulled out a stack of papers from beneath the podium. "Before we start today''s lesson, I''d like to begin with a little quiz. Don''t worry, it''s just to see where your knowledge level is at," he said as he handed out the papers. Hearing that Lockhart wanted to begin with a pre-lesson quiz, Rhys perked up. This is actually a brilliant teaching method¡ªan efficient way to assess the students'' abilities so that lessons can be tailored to their needs. Could it be that... However... The moment Rhys saw the first question on the paper, he immediately felt like the world had gone dark. The first question on the quiz read: 1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart''s favorite color? __________ Read 12 Advance Chapters at my Patreon!? 139- Lockhart: Rhys is my biggest fan! 139- Lockhart: Rhys is my biggest fan! 2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart''s secret ambition? 3. What do you consider Gilderoy Lockhart''s greatest achievement so far? 4. When is Gilderoy Lockhart''s birthday? What would be his ideal birthday present? . . . Looking at the two full questionnaires about Lockhart''s personal hobbies, Rhys was confused: Was he out of date? Could it be that Lockhart''s teaching method was the mainstream of contemporary Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching? He started to rationalize it: Perhaps the goal is to establish an idol, someone the students admire, which would make them listen more attentively and take more initiative in learning. These questions... maybe they reinforce memory, ensuring the students remember every detail from the books. If that''s the case, then it all makes sense...! Rhys'' thoughts began to spiral, and in the midst of questioning his entire existence, he finished the quiz in record time¡ªbarely needing a second glance before selecting each answer! What made this even more absurd was the fact that, having read all of Lockhart''s books and possessing a fairly good memory, Rhys knew the answer to every single question. Rhys'' rapid pace irritated Lockhart greatly. Lockhart: At least pretend to take your time! Who are you trying to fool by rushing through it like that? Clearing his throat, Lockhart addressed the class, "Now, students, there''s no need to rush. We have plenty of time. Some of these questions are quite tricky..." But Rhys, lost in his own musings and operating purely on autopilot, finished all 54 quiz questions within just ten minutes. Lockhart, noticing Rhys had already set down his quill and was now staring off into space, decided it was time to teach this troublemaker a lesson. ''I''ll dock him a hefty amount of points,'' he thought. ''That''ll make him respect me¡ªGilderoy Lockhart, Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts!'' He descended from the platform, picked up Rhys'' quiz, and prepared to grade it on the spot, intending to publicly humiliate him. However, the more he read, the more complicated his expression became. "Ah?" "Oh!" "OOooh!" By the time he finished, his bright blue eyes were filled with disbelief: Rhys hadn''t gotten a single question wrong. He had scored a perfect 100. "I-Incredible! Incredible!" Lockhart exclaimed dramatically. "Rhys Lint has completed my quiz in just ten minutes¡ªand he got every single question right!!" The classroom erupted into murmurs. Despite the strange nature of Lockhart''s quiz, achieving a perfect score wasn''t easy. Many of the questions were ridiculously detailed, and Rhys'' perfect score meant that he had definitely read every single one of Lockhart''s books¡ªand read them very thoroughly at that. Lockhart was overjoyed. ''This student is a super fan!'' he thought. ''Little Rhys must have been hiding his admiration all along. I misjudged him, thinking he was just a critic! Rhys, startled by Lockhart''s exclamations, snapped out of his wandering thoughts and quickly realized what had happened. "This is your reward, my most loyal fans!" Lockhart beamed at Rhys with a dazzling smile. Rhys repeatedly reminded himself that the rule forbidding students from assaulting teachers¡ªwhich would result in detention¡ªwas a rule he had personally established! Wait, on second thought, doesn''t that mean that as long as he''s willing to endure detention, he could actually beat up a teacher during class?! Eh? Just as Rhys''s thoughts were turning more dangerous, one unintentional action by Lockhart saved him. Lockhart pulled a large cage covered with a cloth from behind the podium and placed it on the desk. After removing the cloth, he revealed a cage full of Cornish pixies. The students burst into laughter. This was far from the extremely dangerous magical creature they had anticipated. Many of them felt a sense of disappointment. Who would have guessed that the famous Professor Lockhart''s first lesson would involve something like this? "Don''t underestimate them! These little devils can be real troublemakers!" he said, tapping the cage of pixies with his wand. Lockhart had carefully chosen Cornish pixies for his first lesson, thinking these "little demons" would be enough to impress the students. Even better, he believed he had the skill to handle them¡ªafter all, the seller who provided the pixies had taught him a special spell to subdue them. But then, things took an unexpected turn... As Lockhart tapped the cage, the lock clicked open, and the pixies swarmed out in a frenzy. Despite their small size, they were shockingly strong¡ªjust two of them could lift a student into the air. Worse, they had an instinct for targeting human weak points, quickly turning the classroom into utter chaos. Rhys watched with a thoughtful expression. He could have subdued the pixies in an instant, but why bother? This was the perfect opportunity to see Lockhart in action and gauge his abilities. He even stopped Daphne and Hermione from intervening, urging them to stay calm. As the professor, it was Lockhart''s responsibility to handle the situation. Summoning his courage, he rolled up his sleeves, waved his wand, and shouted the spell the supplier had taught him: "Peskipiksi Pesternomi!" But the spell had no effect¡ªexcept maybe as a taunt! One pixie swooped down, snatched Lockhart''s wand, and tossed it, along with Lockhart himself, out the window. Seeing this, none of the students dared to stay in the classroom, except for Rhys, Daphne, and Hermione. Everyone else fled. Rhys covered his eyes. With this incident, he was certain: Lockhart was a fraud, a complete and utter phony. Having reached his conclusion, Rhys calmly raised his hand. Hundreds of seemingly delicate but unbreakable threads materialized in the air, swiftly entangling the rampaging Cornish pixies. Rhys slowly closed his five fingers, the water line tightened suddenly, and a series of explosions were heard in the air. And just like that, it was over. __________ 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 140- Gift From Lady Ravenclaw 140- Gift From Lady Ravenclaw "Are you crazy?!" Hermione was completely shocked as she stared at the scattered Cornish pixies lying all over the floor like fallen raindrops. "They''re just, just¡ª" "They''re just innocent little creatures that throw wizards out of windows, hang students from ceiling fans, gouge out eyes, and poke kidneys?" Rhys gave Hermione a glance, then continued packing his school bag. "By the way, let me remind you, this is the fourth third of the castle. You''re a fan of Lockhart, right? I suggest you head to the hospital wing and bring Madam Pomfrey along." "But... I, uh, wanted to say..." Rhys''s words completely jumbled Hermione''s thoughts. After stammering for a while, she finally grabbed her bag and rushed off to the hospital wing. As Hermione left, Rhys finished packing his own bag. He turned his gaze to Daphne, who stood beside him with her bag in hand. "What is it? Do I have something dirty on me?" Daphne, noticing Rhys''s gaze, quickly checked the hem of her robes, making sure nothing had gotten on her without her noticing. She even lifted her foot slightly to make sure her shoes were clean. "Daphne, do you think I was being a bit too cruel?" Rhys asked her, his tone serious. Daphne blinked. She looked around the messy classroom and then calmly replied, "I think it was fine. After all, those Cornish pixies did attack wizards, didn''t they? Even Muggles would put down a mad dog if it bit someone." "Good." Rhys finally smiled again, the first time since he''d seen Lockhart''s ridiculous test that afternoon. Daphne''s answer clearly satisfied him. Rhys had been somewhat worried that Daphne might give a poor answer. In Rhys''s view, the moment those Cornish pixies threw Lockhart out of the window, their fate was sealed. Lockhart might be foolish, but he was still a wizard. Rhys knew very well that these pixies were clever. The reason they hadn''t gone further was because they understood they were on wizard territory. But if this hadn''t been wizard territory... A thousand years ago, Cornish pixies had human flesh on their menu. "Scourgify," Rhys pulled out his wand, cleaning up the chaotic classroom until the floor was spotless. He restored the overturned desks and chairs back to their original positions. Sure enough, shortly after she wrote in the notebook, the ink disappeared, replaced by a line of neat, elegant Latin text. "Hello, Daphne, I am Rowena." A smile of joy appeared on Daphne''s face, and she quickly responded in the notebook: "May I know your purpose?" "Of course, but you need to answer a question first." Immediately, a long paragraph of text appeared in the booklet. "In a classroom, there are four wizards wearing hats. Wizard A and Wizard C wear white hats, Wizard B and Wizard D wear black hats. Wizard A can see Wizard B and Wizard C; Wizard B can see Wizard C; Wizard C and Wizard D cannot see anyone. They know there are four hats, two black and two white, but they don''t know the color of the hat on their own head. Who will be the first to know the color of the hat on their own head and shout it out?" Daphne bit her quill in concentration¡ªLatin was already difficult for her, and now she had to solve a puzzle in it, making the task even harder. She pulled out a dictionary and meticulously translated the entire question from the booklet, word by word. That still wasn''t enough, so she sketched out a diagram to help visualize the situation. After several minutes, she finally solved the logic puzzle. "Wizard B." "Congratulations, you got it right." Another passage of text appeared in the booklet: "I am the Question and Task Book created by Rowena Ravenclaw. I contain a great deal of Lady Ravenclaw''s wisdom, but if you wish to obtain it, you must either answer my questions or complete my tasks. You may choose between the two." "Here is your reward for answering the question correctly¡ª Detailed Explanation of Spatial Magic (Part 1). " Seeing the words appear in the booklet, Daphne was dumbfounded. The gift from Lady Ravenclaw was far more precious than she had imagined! ¡ª¡ª¡ª 12 Advance Chapters at my Patreon!? 141- The Greengrass family discovered another treasure? 141- The Greengrass family discovered another treasure? The text in the booklet was somewhat difficult to understand, but fortunately, it didn''t disappear after appearing. Daphne carefully copied the words onto a piece of parchment and, with the help of a dictionary, gradually translated them. Detailed Explanation of Spatial Magic (Part 1) wasn''t very long, only about a thousand words, but it introduced the concept of spatial magic to Daphne. Like other forms of magic, spatial magic originated from the stars. However, unlike regular magic, even the four founders hadn''t found a reasonable explanation for it. While other types of magic could be traced back to corresponding elements on Earth, the element associated with space had never been discovered. As a result, wizards had always been in a state of "knowing how but not why" when it came to spatial magic. They could use it, much like they could work with magical creatures, but they didn''t truly understand it. After discussing with her friend Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw proposed a hypothesis: just as every object has its shadow, so too might Earth have a "shadow." The power behind spatial magic, she speculated, came from this shadow. Spells like the Undetectable Extension Charm and Apparition, she suggested, borrowed a fragment of space from this shadow. Those seemingly extra spaces actually existed within the shadow, and Apparition involved traveling through this shadow. Of course, this was just a theory and had never been proven. Ravenclaw included it at the beginning of the Explanation (Part 1) to help readers better understand this wondrous form of magic. The booklet then briefly introduced how to "borrow" a piece of space from the shadow. At the end of the chapter, it presented a simple task: to modify one''s lunchbox, so that a palm-sized box could hold enough food to feed a knight. Daphne read this with thoughtful consideration. At that moment, Rhys appeared in front of Daphne''s desk. He noticed that she was deeply engrossed in studying the booklet that Ravenclaw had given her, and from the looks of it, she was making significant progress, which was a good thing. However, today''s focus wasn''t on that. Rhys gently knocked on Daphne''s desk, pulling her out of her thoughts. "I need you to help me with something," he said. "What is it?" Daphne set the booklet and her notes aside. "I need you to hand this over to your father and have him release it publicly¡ªtell him you found this hidden in the corner of the Greengrass family''s warehouse," Rhys said, placing an ancient-looking scroll in front of Daphne. "What is this?" He was offering the Greengrass family this chance for glory, but in return, they needed to fully commit to spreading the spell as quickly as possible. Rhys'' words convinced Daphne, and her eyes welled up with emotion. She realized that the debt she owed Rhys was growing even harder to repay. After handing Daphne the freshly forged "ancestral scroll," Rhys was about to leave when she stopped him. "Wait a moment, I found this article from the booklet Lady Ravenclaw gave me." Daphne eagerly handed Rhys her carefully transcribed and translated notes. She felt Rhys might not know these things, so she considered it a small repayment, a bit of interest on the debt she owed him. Rhys took Daphne''s notes and frowned. After reading just three lines, he found five translation errors and two grammatical mistakes! "Wait a moment," Rhys said, seriously examining Daphne''s translation notes. Seeing Rhys reviewing her notes so intently, Daphne felt a surge of joy in her heart: finally, she could be of help to him! Wait... why was he picking up a quill? The next second, Rhys dipped the quill into the ink and began quickly marking corrections on Daphne''s translation. In no time, the parchment was covered with circles, dots, and annotations. "Here, this is the correct translation. I have something else to attend to, but study what''s taught here carefully; it''s very useful knowledge. If there''s anything you don''t understand, feel free to ask me anytime. By the way, I expect you to have a proper enchanted lunchbox ready by next Monday," Rhys said as he reached the door of the common room. Turning back, he gave Daphne a small smile, "Also, you really need to work on your Latin. There are many good resources in the library. I''ve listed a few on the bottom of the parchment. Take a look when you have time." Daphne: "..." She was utterly stunned. _________ 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 142- Academic Misconduct 142- Academic Misconduct The next day, the sun rose as usual, but the arrival of that day''s Daily Prophet felt like a 500-kilogram bomb had been dropped in the Great Hall. ¡ª[Lost Spell, a Blessing for Werewolves ¡ª The Greengrass Family Discovers a Human-Reversion Spell Invented by Salazar Slytherin]¡ª When Rhys saw the headline mentioning "Salazar Slytherin''s invented spell," he couldn''t help but break into a cold sweat. It was like stealing a classmate''s research results ¡ª as if someone had worked hard on their research, and then someone else added a few tweaks and rushed to publish the paper without even crediting the original researcher. If Rowena Ravenclaw were to find out about this, it might very well spark a wizarding war. "Make sure you never mention this to Lady Ravenclaw," Rhys decided to warn Daphne, advising her to keep her mouth shut about the whole matter. Daphne: "?" "Why?" she asked. "Ehm.. No reason." ''The real question should be why your father insisted on claiming this as Slytherin''s lost work.'' Unlike Rhys, the students of Hogwarts were far more focused on the spell itself. "Really? It feels like a dream." "So does this mean there will be no more werewolves in the future?" "Not exactly, but at least now there''s a treatment once someone turns into a werewolf." The students buzzed with excitement, and even the professors weren''t immune to the chatter. If it had been just a standard news release, they might have kept their composure, thinking it could be exaggerated. But Jamison Henry Greengrass had gone a step further ¡ª he attached the original manuscript of Slytherin''s supposed lost work at the end of the article. He even thoughtfully included a translated version, claiming this was a legacy left by the great Salazar Slytherin for all wizards, inviting everyone to study it and correct any translation errors. That changed everything. Most of the professors at Hogwarts were not fools; they knew their stuff. As soon as they laid eyes on the original manuscript, they could tell it was authentic. Whether or not the spell itself could work was still up for debate, but the wording and phrasing were unmistakably in line with the style of medieval wizards. Though it was only early September, nighttime temperatures in the Irish mountains had already dropped below ten degrees Celsius. In this drafty, dilapidated cabin, freezing to death without any heating was entirely possible. The cabin had long been abandoned, often attracting vagrants seeking temporary shelter. For instance, right now, a man in a tattered, worn-out robe, looking sickly and exhausted, set his suitcase down on the cabin floor. "This counts as checking in, right?" he thought to himself with a wry smile. The vagrant looked quite young, but strands of white hair were already mixed in with his light brown hair. He stepped outside for a moment and returned to the cabin, carrying a large log. After placing the log into a dark hole in the wall, the man pulled out a wand¡ªthis downtrodden vagrant was a wizard! With a few swift motions, he chopped the log into kindling, and soon a bright flame was flickering in the hearth. Once the fire was lit, the disheveled wizard tidied up the filthy cabin, using bits of debris to plug the drafty corners. The cabin was now barely habitable. The wizard planned to stay here for the autumn, and when winter came, he intended to cross the sea to southern France or Spain to spend the colder months. A properly educated wizard rarely finds themselves in such dire straits. If they do, it''s usually because they carry a dark secret. Remus John Lupin was such a man with a secret. He was a werewolf. Remus Lupin was both unfortunate and fortunate, though the unfortunate aspects outweighed the rest. As a child, he had been bitten by a crazed werewolf, transforming him into one himself. However, Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, did not turn him away because of his condition and allowed him to attend the school. There, Lupin made close friends and learned the magic that would sustain him. Unfortunately, the Wizarding War broke out. Of his three closest friends, one was killed by the Dark Lord, and the other two turned on each other¡ªone was imprisoned in Azkaban, while the other was left without even a body to bury... The loss devastated Lupin, and despite his youth, he began to grow white hair. Since the fall of the Dark Lord, Lupin had been wandering aimlessly, as he was now. His status as a werewolf, combined with his defeated spirit, led this powerful wizard to live like a vagrant. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 12 Advance Chapters: 143- Acting Professor – Lupin 143- Acting Professor ¨C Lupin Lupin sat down by the makeshift fireplace and took out several bags from his suitcase¡ªfood he had scavenged. It wasn''t uncommon for wizards to fall on hard times, but it was rare for one to starve to death. Even the least talented wizard could easily find something to eat. Lupin was no exception. He had collected a package of relief food from a Muggle church in the nearby town and also grabbed some near-expired items from a supermarket''s storage room. The Muggle stock clerks would pile these items into a shopping cart and leave them in the back, and Lupin would take a portion without anyone noticing... He first heated a can of pea soup over the fire, then warmed up some bread and ham he''d received with the soup and devoured everything hungrily. Still feeling unsatisfied after finishing his meal, Lupin boiled a few eggs using the empty soup can as a makeshift container. As he carefully blew on the hot egg and peeled off the shell, a tapping sound came from the window¡ªbird beaks knocking on the window frame. Hmm? Lupin opened the window, and an owl swooped in with a gust of cold air, delivering a letter into his hand. After its mission was complete, the owl flew out again, returning shortly after with a large rat in its beak. It settled by the fireplace to enjoy its rodent feast. Recognizing the familiar handwriting on the envelope, Lupin sighed, resisting the urge to toss the letter into the fire, and instead opened it to read. As he read through the contents, Lupin couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow in surprise. The staunchly pure-blood supremacist Salazar Slytherin had left behind something this useful? He would have expected a spell to "identify werewolves among the crowd" given Slytherin''s reputation! However, with such a spell and potion, Dumbledore''s proposal became worth serious consideration. As a core member of the Order of the Phoenix who had made great contributions during the wizarding war, Lupin''s downfall wasn''t due to any lack of support from Dumbledore or his old comrades. It was Lupin himself who couldn''t untangle the knots in his heart. He was terrified of accidentally infecting innocent people when he transformed into a werewolf, and he couldn''t face the memories of the past. Every familiar scene brought back recollections of his friends, which felt like a knife to his heart. Now, with the Restoration Spell, he no longer had to worry about harming innocent students on the night of the full moon. But what truly moved him was a line in the letter: James'' child is also attending school now. He looks just like James but has his mother''s eyes. Lupin extinguished the fire in the hearth and stepped out into the night. ''Surely this Lupin wouldn''t be as bad... right?'' Professor Lupin appeared in the Great Hall one morning, and by the next day, he had already begun teaching classes. Strangely enough, before class, several of Lockhart''s female fans had vowed to give Lupin a hard time. But by the end of the lesson, their tone had completely changed. "Only a professor like this deserves to be Lockhart''s substitute!" "I think Professor Lockhart should focus on recovering, and leave the teaching to Professor Lupin." Even Rhys became curious¡ªwhat exactly had Professor Lupin done in his lessons? Soon it was time for Rhys'' DADA class. When Professor Lupin released a Boggart from a wardrobe and easily dealt with it, Rhys smiled in relief: finally, after two years, the third Defense Against the Dark Arts professor was a normal person! Unfortunately, this professor was only a temporary substitute for a month... Rhys''s gaze darkened as he pondered. In less than a week, Professor Lupin had completely turned around his initially unfavorable reputation and won over the students. Compared to last year''s Professor Quirrell, Lupin was infinitely more reliable. And for the students who were "fortunate" enough to have taken Lockhart''s classes, Lupin seemed leagues ahead. Meanwhile, a storm was brewing outside the school. After Mr. Jamison Henry announced the formula for the Human Restoration Spell and the modified Wolfsbane potion, the wizarding world was abuzz with heated discussions. Due to the unique standing of the Greengrass family, almost everyone believed that the Slytherin manuscript was authentic. The main debate was whether these spells and potions were truly as effective as advertised. Of course, a few of Damocles'' friends had heard of his original Wolfsbane potion, but given the power and influence of the Greengrass family¡ªand with Damocles already dead¡ªno one dared to come forward and expose the truth. Then, one day, people began to realize that the plot of this Human Restoration Spell seemed oddly similar to something Lockhart had written in one of his books. Could it be...? _______ 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 144- Celebrity Killer Rita Skeeter 144- Celebrity Killer Rita Skeeter When people noticed the similarity with Lockhart''s book, the entire British wizarding community was in an uproar! Professor Lockhart actually knew a spell left behind by Salazar Slytherin? That was... incredibly cool¡ªwait a minute! Wizards quickly realized something was off: Mr. Greengrass had stated that the Slytherin manuscript was only discovered in their family''s vault in recent days. But according to Lockhart, the story of him using the Human Restoration Spell to cure werewolves happened over ten years ago. The two stories didn''t match! Could one of them be lying? If so, that would be a huge scoop. Realizing this, The Daily Prophet immediately dispatched reporters to Hogwarts. Even if they couldn''t find direct evidence of Lockhart lying, wouldn''t it be fascinating to dig deeper into his story about werewolves? There were plenty of questions to explore, such as where he learned the Human Restoration Spell and how his spell differed from the one Mr. Greengrass had announced. The reason they sent reporters to "interview" Lockhart rather than Henry Greengrass was simple: interviewing Lockhart could get the Prophet''s editor a promotion and a raise. Interviewing Mr. Greengrass... well, that was less certain. Soon, The Daily Prophet''s special correspondent Rita Skeeter arrived at Hogwarts with her photographer assistant. Rita Skeeter was a highly controversial figure in the British wizarding community. Her writing was sensational and, at times, completely fabricated. In other words, she had mastered the essence of journalism. She was adept at taking quotes out of context, stirring up drama, and reading people like a book, all of which made her a force to be reckoned with. Once she set her sights on someone, it was rare for them to escape unscathed. It was hard to say what the Daily Prophet editor''s intentions were by sending her to interview Lockhart. Interestingly, despite being confined to his hospital bed, unable to move except for one hand, Lockhart was keenly aware of what was happening in the outside world. He spent most of his days writing replies to fan letters¡ªsometimes for seven or eight hours a day. The rest of his time was spent reading the latest headlines and keeping up with his fanbase at the school. In fact, this social butterfly might have been more socially engaged than people outside the hospital! So, the moment Rita Skeeter opened the door to his hospital room, Lockhart immediately understood her purpose. This played right into Lockhart''s hands: he had been searching for an opportunity to ride the wave of publicity surrounding the Human Restoration Spell! "So, students, what do you think of Professor Lockhart? Would you say¡ªoh, I mean no offense¡ªbut does his skill match his reputation?" Rhys immediately picked up on the hidden insinuation in Rita''s question. Delighted by the opportunity, he relayed the details of Lockhart''s performance in their first Defense Against the Dark Arts class, leaving nothing out. He even helpfully repeated Lockhart''s claims about the Human Restoration Spell from the Hogwarts Express. The scandalous revelations made Rita''s eyes gleam with excitement, and her Quick-Quotes Quill was scribbling furiously, a blur as it recorded every word. After the interview with Rhys, Rita Skeeter left, fully satisfied, not even bothering to stay for lunch¡ªshe needed to rush back to the editorial office to finish her article in time for the next morning''s edition. ... The next morning, Lockhart received his daily copy of The Daily Prophet right on time. As soon as he got the paper, he immediately flipped to the front page. His vision went dark for a moment¡ªRita Skeeter, that wretched woman, had indeed used the hideous photo of him lying in the hospital bed! But when his eyes moved to the headline, his shock turned into rage, as the bold, blackened letters screamed out: ¡ª"Gilderoy Lockhart: Great Adventurer or Just a Clown Seeking Attention?"¡ª "Gilderoy Lockhart claims to be skilled in the Human Restoration Spell. As widely known, the Human Restoration Spell was invented by Salazar Slytherin and only recently came to light. Yet, Mr. Lockhart claims to have used this spell to cure a werewolf over a decade ago. Reliable sources indicate that the version of the spell Lockhart used is vastly different from the one in Slytherin''s manuscript¡ªwhen asked for an explanation, Lockhart dodged the question." "In his first Defense Against the Dark Arts class..." "The true reason why Lockhart ended up in the school hospital is..." Reading through the scathing text, watching his fraudulent image vividly portrayed on the page, Lockhart felt the world spinning around him. "This.. This... By Merlin''s Beard¡ªThud!" Eventually, the shock became too much¡ªhe fainted on the spot. ¡ª¡ª 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 145- Heir of Slytherin! 145- Heir of Slytherin! Rita Skeeter''s article was like a drop of water splashing into a boiling pan of oil, instantly igniting the British wizarding world. Countless letters flew like snowflakes to both The Daily Prophet editorial office and the Hogwarts Hospital Wing. Some supported Lockhart, while others denounced him as a fraud. A significant portion of these letters were Howlers. Madam Pomfrey, the matron of the hospital wing, eventually banned Lockhart from receiving mail and asked Professor McGonagall to create a soundproof box. Any letters addressed to Lockhart were directly placed in the box to prevent them from disturbing other patients. Gradually, the voices within the wizarding community became unified: whether they supported Lockhart or opposed him, they all demanded that he go to the Ministry of Magic before the next full moon. There, in front of Ministry officials, he should perform his Human Restoration Spell on a werewolf. Wouldn''t that settle the matter once and for all? Seeing the growing public outcry, Mr. Jamison Henry also stepped forward, adding fuel to the fire. He announced that the Ministry should prepare an extra werewolf because he had successfully contacted a reliable potion maker and had concocted the new Wolfsbane Potion. He, too, was now ready to perform the Human Restoration Spell. He proposed that he and Mr. Lockhart cast the spell together, allowing experts to compare the differences between the two versions. This was a win-win for both the Ministry and ordinary wizards. Surely, Mr. Lockhart couldn''t refuse, right? With this, the matter spread beyond the local wizarding community, and even wizards from other countries heard about this miraculous Human Restoration Spell and the two wizards¡ªHenry and Lockhart¡ªeach insisting on their own version of the truth. Seeing the flood of letters headed towards the Ministry of Magic, Minister Fudge made a swift decision, announcing that the Ministry would provide two werewolves for Henry and Lockhart on the night of the next full moon, allowing both of them to demonstrate their skills. Lockhart was well and truly cornered. Lying in his hospital bed, he began to panic. But in his desperation, he had a sudden stroke of genius, or so he thought: after all, he was still hospitalized, and wasn''t it perfectly natural for his condition to worsen? If his health deteriorated, how could he possibly go to the Ministry? After coming up with this plan, Lockhart felt so pleased with himself that he could have kissed himself. What a brilliant idea! And she had the right to say it! Half of her confidence came from her family name, while the other half stemmed from the earth-shattering event she had pulled off at the end of last term. After dropping that statement, Daphne and her sister left the common room. Once they were gone, Slytherin Quidditch captain Marcus clapped a still furious Malfoy on the shoulder, saying that the next time they faced Gryffindor, he should give them a good thrashing to reclaim what he lost today. "By then, Daphne will definitely change her opinion of you," Marcus assured him. Malfoy nodded with a grim expression, deciding that he''d teach Gryffindor a lesson and restore his reputation with a brilliant victory. All the outside drama had little to do with Rhys. After the interview with Rita Skeeter, his goal of getting Lockhart removed from the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor position was essentially achieved. With nothing else to distract him, Rhys returned to the Chamber of Secrets to focus on his various projects, one of which involved researching potions to cure little Astoria''s illness. Rhys waved his wand, disposing of the ruined potion in the cauldron with a sigh. The difficulty of this task was immense, even for him¡ªit was a real challenge. Deciding to take a step back, Rhys resolved to stabilize Astoria''s symptoms first, preventing her condition from worsening any further. Just then, a faint, indistinct voice echoed from above in the Chamber of Secrets: "Come, awaken, heed my command..." "...as the heir of Slytherin!" Rhys: ??? What was going on? Who was summoning his Basilisk? ________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 146- How could a Weasley speak Parseltongue? 146- How could a Weasley speak Parseltongue? The distant voice echoed repeatedly through the Chamber of Secrets, gradually growing louder under the influence of magic. Rhys realized that the spell he had set up years ago had been triggered. According to his design, whenever someone used Parseltongue within the castle, the enchantments on the castle walls would relay the sound layer by layer down to the Chamber of Secrets. There, under the effect of an amplification charm, the voice would grow louder until it eventually awakened his basilisk. The basilisk would then follow the commands of the Parseltongue speaker, as Rhys had instructed. Even though he quickly understood what was happening, Rhys couldn''t help but feel the absurdity of the situation: didn''t he know better than anyone whether Slytherin had an heir or not? Did someone really think that just speaking Parseltongue made them the heir? Who was parading around, using his name to deceive people? Aside from the absurdity, Rhys was furious. According to his design, this system was only meant to be activated in the event of a life-or-death crisis at Hogwarts. Whoever was up there, if they knew Parseltongue could awaken the basilisk, they surely knew the conditions required to do so. Yet they had chosen to summon the basilisk while Hogwarts was at peace! This filled Rhys with rage. This was no prank¡ªawakening the basilisk was incredibly dangerous. One direct look at its eyes, and it would be fatal! He couldn''t help but think of the fabricated lies of the Gaunt family. Could some fool really be planning to cleanse the school? As Rhys stood there, filled with anger and disbelief, the sound of slithering also began emanating from the mouth of the statue. The increasingly loud voice from above acted like an alarm, waking the sleeping basilisk. Rhys noticed the changes in the statue and immediately waved his hand. "Tsk" Instantly, the voice echoing in the Chamber of Secrets disappeared. At the same time, the statue''s mouth, which had started to open, closed once more. "Go back to sleep!" Rhys''s voice, full of anger, echoed through the Chamber. The basilisk, having been abruptly awakened, felt a bit confused. It didn''t understand what was happening outside¡ªthere were now two "masters" issuing commands. One wanted it to climb up, while the other wanted it to go back to sleep. Given its own preference, the basilisk was more inclined to follow the second command. What made it even better was that the master who gave the second command had higher authority. So, happily, it coiled itself up, ready to return to sleep. Then it received another command. Rhys: "On second thought, don''t sleep yet. Go up, find the source of the voice!" The magic he left with the basilisk acted as a beacon, helping him track its location. Soon, Rhys arrived near the source. He could sense that the magic attached to the basilisk was only separated from him by a wall. However, the corridor he found himself in was completely empty, with no one in sight. "Where is that person?" Rhys directly asked the basilisk. "hISS~ Over there~" The basilisk pointed Rhys in the right direction. Following the creature''s guidance, Rhys quickly walked to the corner of the corridor, where he saw someone unexpected. It was a small girl with fiery red hair, wearing an ill-fitting old robe. Her skin was pale, her frame thin, and she had a pair of brown eyes. Despite her young age, her striking features were already evident, hinting at a beauty that rivaled even Daphne''s, perhaps surpassing it. However, the weariness on her face, her haggard expression, and the dark circles around her eyes marred that beauty. Rhys didn''t need to ask her name or delve into her memories; the red hair alone told him she was from the Weasley family. And in this generation, there was only one Weasley girl. Rhys had seen her during the Sorting Ceremony and knew her name¡ªGinevra. "Ginevra Molly Weasley, why are you here?" Rhys asked, narrowing his eyes. He had already sensed something unusual about the girl. Ginny seemed startled by Rhys'' questioning, hesitating for a moment before replying, "Just call me Ginny." "Alright, Ginny Weasley, why are you here?" Rhys pressed, now almost certain that this small girl was the one who had used Parseltongue. But this was too strange¡ªhow could a Weasley use Parseltongue? Parseltongue, though it could be learned later in life, was primarily tied to bloodline. If a wizard''s ancestors hadn''t possessed the ability, it was nearly impossible for them to naturally acquire it. And as far as Rhys knew, the Weasley family, even a thousand years ago, had no connection to Parseltongue. Could it be that their bloodline had somehow mixed with another wizarding family? Or perhaps it had something to do with the "little secret" she was carrying? __________ 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 147- Homework Check 147- Homework Check "I believe she has the right to be anywhere in the castle without being questioned." Just as Rhys was about to continue his interrogation, a voice interrupted him. Rhys looked up to see a tall, lanky young man with bright red hair and a face full of freckles striding toward him. The prefect''s badge gleamed on his chest. The red hair and freckles were as good as a calling card, revealing the youth''s identity: Percy Weasley. "You''re right." Rhys, uninterested in arguing with him, stepped aside, watching as Percy quickly approached his sister, his face full of caution. Rhys knew better than to expose Ginny''s secret right then. It wasn''t the right time. Besides, he was sure she''d attempt to contact the basilisk again in the future. That would give him another chance to investigate. Percy placed a protective hand on his sister''s shoulder, pulling her behind him as they headed toward the Gryffindor common room upstairs. "You should pay more attention to your sister, real attention," Rhys suddenly said to Percy, causing both siblings to turn and stare at him. After giving Percy that subtle warning, Rhys turned his gaze toward Ginny. "If you ever have any troubles in the future, feel free to come to me for help¡ªI''m known for keeping secrets." Percy and Ginny were both momentarily stunned, but by the time they recovered, Rhys had already descended the stairs. Percy frowned. What did Rhys mean by real attention? Wasn''t he the one who cared most about his sister? What was that Slytherin boy, Lint, up to? After silently grumbling about Rhys, Percy patted Ginny on the shoulder. "If anyone at school dares to bully you, just let me know. Your brother is a prefect, after all!" Ginny didn''t reply; she only nodded quietly. Percy noticed that his sister seemed a little out of sorts. Looking closer, he saw dark circles under her eyes, and her expression appeared tired. He raised an eyebrow. "Didn''t sleep well last night? You don''t look so good." "I made the lunchbox!" The moment Daphne saw Rhys, she excitedly presented a delicate little box, no larger than the palm of her hand, as if offering a treasure. The box was made of pine wood, with intricate silver inlays decorating the exterior, and at the top was a coiled silver snake. Despite its small size, it had a surprising weight when held. Click, click. Rhys undid the clasps and opened the box, revealing its intricate interior: the already tiny box was divided into five compartments. In the center was a small circular space, and the remaining sections were separated by four partitions. Each compartment held food¡ªsome desserts, fruits, salad, meat, and even a main course. The lid of the box also had a set of utensils neatly embedded. Rhys glanced around to make sure Madam Pince wasn''t nearby, then used a fork to pick out a meatball from the box. The single meatball was almost as large as the tiny compartment itself. However, after Rhys forked it out, the meatballs underneath merely shifted slightly but showed no signs of diminishing. Rhys popped the meatball into his mouth and chewed slowly. Even though it had gone cold, it still had a unique flavor. "Not bad," Rhys remarked as he examined Daphne''s creation, nodding in satisfaction. Although there were still many areas for improvement, and the functionality was somewhat limited, it more than fulfilled the assignment from the booklet. "Hehe~" Daphne smiled, clearly pleased with Rhys''s praise. Astoria, watching her sister''s finished lunchbox, had a spark of excitement in her eyes: I want to learn this too! "There''s still room for improvement. Want to learn?" Rhys offered, feeling that since Ravenclaw had shared some knowledge with Daphne, it was his turn to provide some useful insight. "Yes!" Daphne eagerly accepted. She had a hunger for knowledge, much like a Ravenclaw student. "This is a spell invented by the founders of Hogwarts after they established the school..." Rhys held the lunchbox in his hand and began to explain a story from his previous travels. ¡ª¡ª Read 12 Chapters ahead: 148- Stasis Field 148- Stasis Field "The meat''s gone cold!" Gryffindor pinched a piece of frozen, rock-hard meat from the lunchbox with his fingers, looking at it with clear disdain. When meat cools, the fat solidifies on the surface, making roasted meat taste terrible and hard to digest. "Professor Gryffindor, it''s the dead of winter. Of course, the meat is cold. We can just light a fire to warm it up." Adrian said, carrying a bundle of freshly chopped wood. He quickly piled it into a small stack on the ground and lit it with magic. "Move aside, don''t get in the way!" Gryffindor''s prized student, Mary, carefully approached, holding a horn cup. "Professor, it''s so cold. Have some warm mulled wine to warm up!" Before returning to camp, she had cleverly used magical flames to warm the wine to just the right temperature. Adrian: "_" He turned stiffly, only to notice his teacher, Slytherin, standing under a nearby pine tree, smiling at him. Adrian scratched his head, realizing he was in trouble. He had already finished the wine he brought along during the journey... ''Seriously, Mary, what''s with all this over-the-top flattery? Gryffindor is such a great wizard¡ªdoes she really think he can''t heat his own wine?'' After internally criticizing Mary for her unnecessary sycophancy, Adrian quickly brushed away the snow from the ground and laid down a deer hide. Then, in a flash, he ran to Slytherin''s side and respectfully invited him over. "Sit here, teacher. It''s clean, so you won''t dirty your robe." After Slytherin "sat down," Gryffindor handed him the wine cup, letting him have a sip. "Counting the two from this morning, we''ve already dealt with five dragons. There are way too many dragons in this forest," Slytherin said, calmly finishing the wine in one gulp before starting to discuss the next steps for clearing the Forbidden Forest with Gryffindor. "Should we leave a few for the kids? If future young wizards can''t even handle a single dragon, that''s not right," Gryffindor said, drawing his longsword and skewering the cold, rock-hard piece of meat. He placed it over the fire to roast. "Professor Slytherin, leave it to us. Just a few dragons¡ª I can handle two... no, three, on my own!" Gryffindor was left speechless by Slytherin''s reply. "Pfft~ Just teasing you. The main reason is that we only recently developed this spell, and its effects are still unstable. So, I used my lunchbox as a test. This time it worked well, but if we''d had bad luck, I could have opened the lunchbox to find either a pile of charred food or something spoiled and rotten." "Yeah, whatever. Humph~" Though his friend offered an explanation, Gryffindor still felt a bit sulky. He crouched down, reheating the meat on his sword. As he took his first bite, a realization struck him: the reason for his frustration wasn''t the food. It was that when they were experimenting with the crystal ball, he had been the first one Slytherin consulted. But when it came to testing the lunchbox''s warming charm, Salazar tried it first. ''That sly, cunning Salazar!'' "Taste this!" Salazar offered some of his food, placing it in Gryffindor''s lunchbox. The moment the succulent, juicy roast meat hit Gryffindor''s mouth, all his annoyance towards Slytherin disappeared. ''Slytherin! Such a great guy!'' The lunchbox Slytherin used was enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm, allowing it to hold enough food for four people. Everyone was able to enjoy fresh, hot meals. ... "And that''s the story of Slytherin and the Preservation Charm. Now, let me teach you the key to this spell. Once your lunchbox is enchanted with this charm, the food inside will remain in the exact state it was in the moment you placed it there. This is an extremely advanced form of time-based magic!" Rhys concluded the amusing tale for Daphne and then moved on to today''s lesson: teaching the Stasis Field. A basic preservation spell typically just heats or freezes food, keeping it warm or cold. However, continuous heating or freezing tends to ruin the taste, and even higher-level preservation magic can only create a near-vacuum state inside the box with constant temperature control. Yet, that method still has its flaws. Rhys'' Stasis Field, on the other hand, had almost no drawbacks. The only downside was its difficulty in casting and the high amount of magical power it required. The spell essentially freezes time within a small area, keeping everything inside in the exact state it was placed until the spell''s effect wears off. Only then does the flow of time around the food return to normal. The time within that small area is permanently "stolen" by the caster, extracted and banished into an unknown space where it eventually dissipates. After Rhys'' explanation, both Daphne and Astoria blinked in amazement. ¡ª¡ª¡ª 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 149- Ravenclaw is very envious 149- Ravenclaw is very envious "Then, can this spell be used to preserve various potion ingredients?" Daphne was the first to think of the Stasis Field''s application in the field of potion-making. Most potion ingredients lose their potency as time passes. Daphne imagined that if they could add a Stasis Field to potion storage cabinets, the ingredients could stay as fresh as when they were first harvested. "In theory, yes," Rhys shook his head. Most potion ingredients require some form of preprocessing after being harvested. Once they''ve been treated, their shelf life can be greatly extended. Many materials can last for one or two years without issue, while the Stasis Field only lasts for hours. Attempting to use the Stasis Field for long-term preservation is impractical. Even Rhys, the spell''s inventor, couldn''t make the spell last for years. As time goes on, the time differential between the space inside and outside the spell increases, greatly accelerating the spell''s magical consumption. "Then could it be used for healing? For instance, keeping someone frozen at the moment just before death?" Astoria was more curious about whether the spell had medical applications. Rhys shook his head again. Encompassing an entire person would require a much larger spell field, which would significantly increase the difficulty of casting the spell. However, there was indeed potential for medical applications. Rhys had heard that Muggles sometimes use organ transplants to treat certain diseases. His spell could certainly be useful in this regard. It could genuinely extend the transportation time for organs. But the issue is that the magical world has its own medical system, and organ transplants are extremely rare. Most conditions that would require organ replacement in the Muggle world can be solved with potions or alchemy here. For example, if an Auror loses an eye in battle, the Ministry of Magic can provide them with an alchemical prosthetic eye. So, the Stasis Field has almost no practical use in the medical field either. As things stand, until the spell undergoes a major breakthrough, its most practical use remains keeping food warm in lunchboxes. After answering the two girls'' questions, Rhys began explaining the key points of casting the Stasis Field spell. After listening to Rhys'' "lesson," Daphne squinted, thinking for a moment before realizing something: "Rhys, the spell you used to preserve ice cream before, was that this one?" Rhys: ''...'' Daphne, were you not paying attention? You must have been distracted, right?! "No, that was just an ordinary freezing spell. Ice cream doesn''t change its texture too much after freezing." Rhys gave a brief explanation, then urged Daphne to start trying to cast the Stasis Field. Daphne felt ashamed of herself. She lowered her head, trying to hide her eyes from both Astoria and Rhys. Having confirmed that Astoria could successfully cast the Stasis Field spell, Rhys decided to take her on as a student¡ªsuch a gifted child, keeping her in school to just learn simple spells like the Cutting Curse or Levitation Charm would be a waste of her potential. If she could control her magic as well as her sister, Astoria might be the most naturally gifted witch Rhys had ever encountered. "Come on, I''ll take you somewhere," Rhys gestured for Astoria to follow him to a secret location. "Where are we going?" Astoria stood up, her eyes shining with curiosity. "A place only true Slytherins can enter," Rhys said, standing up. He then noticed that Daphne had her head lowered, seemingly preoccupied with something. "Hey, get up, we''re going to the special classroom," Rhys called out to Daphne. Daphne raised her head in surprise and asked, "I can go too?" Rhys paused, then asked in return, "Huh? Do you have something else to do?" Suddenly, he realized what was going on and couldn''t help but laugh to himself. Did this child think she was being "eliminated"? While his energy was limited, managing two students was more than feasible. There was never a limit on the number of heirs! Ravenclaw and Gryffindor only had one chosen heir each, not because they could only pick one, but because only one was suitable. He himself had chosen both Barrow and Adrian, after all. Although one of them often frustrated him, both had access to the Chamber of Secrets and were qualified to be the Head of Slytherin House. Realizing that she still qualified to be taught by Rhys, Daphne immediately brightened up. She stood up from her chair, grabbed her sister''s hand, and eagerly headed toward the Chamber of Secrets, nearly rushing as if she couldn''t wait to get there. After Daphne and Astoria left, Rhys felt a gaze fall upon him. He turned to see Ravenclaw''s projection standing in the corner, watching him. Rhys could sense a hint of envy in her gaze. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 150- Ravenclaw’s Chamber of Secrets 150- Ravenclaw¡¯s Chamber of Secrets Rhys winked at her: Feeling envious, aren''t you? He thought to himself, what a pity! ''These two young witches are great talents from Slytherin House. But don''t worry, I believe Ravenclaw House can produce such outstanding students too~'' Superiority is born from comparison. Seeing the envy in Ravenclaw''s eyes, Rhys believed that the Greengrass sisters were here to repay the debt of their ancestor, Adrian¡ªwho had once caused his blood pressure to skyrocket due to his reckless actions. Thankfully, his descendants had now made up for it. Ravenclaw said nothing, silently turning to leave. At that moment, she was eagerly anticipating her meeting with Miss Hermione Granger on Monday. She was very curious to know how far Granger had progressed in her studies and how her talent compared to that of the Greengrass sisters. Although Ravenclaw had given Hermione the key to her exclusive classroom, the girl hadn''t shown up yet. Ravenclaw was growing anxious, as if she had pulled a rare card but the stats hadn''t been revealed yet. She was eager to know whether she had chosen a remarkable prodigy who could cover great distances swiftly, a moderately capable student, or just an ordinary one. But regardless of Hermione''s talent, Ravenclaw was determined to pass on her knowledge to her, because the girl possessed one crucial quality: diligence. A wizard''s life is long, and Hermione would have plenty of time to catch up with those so-called geniuses. Once Ravenclaw''s figure disappeared, Rhys also left the library and headed to the Chamber of Secrets with the Greengrass sisters. However, as fate would have it, Hermione Granger soon arrived at her beloved library. Today, she was there to practice her magical output. However, things weren''t as simple as Hermione had hoped. After circling the library a few times, she still couldn''t find the study room she had entered last time. This left her feeling somewhat confused. Instinctively, she pulled out the key, hoping to see if there was any address or information about the study room on it, but the antique key didn''t have a single letter on it. Hermione sighed. Just as she was about to put the key back into her pocket, something caught the corner of her eye. "Huh? How is there a door here? I didn''t even notice it!" Hermione immediately recognized it as the door she had used to enter the study room last time. Strangely, she had completely missed it earlier¡ªhow careless of her. Ravenclaw, observing from the shadows, felt somewhat satisfied. She then revealed herself and approached the young girl from behind. "You could try taking off your shoes and letting your feet make direct contact with the ground. That might help you progress faster." "Ah¡ª!" The sudden voice startled Hermione. She spun around quickly, and upon realizing it was Madam Spite, she let out a sigh of relief. "You scared me! How do you walk without making any sound?" "It''s because you were too focused," Ravenclaw replied with a smile, then began offering guidance to Hermione. At this point, Ravenclaw was quite pleased with her student, Hermione Granger: intelligent, diligent, and with decent natural talent that already met and exceeded her expectations. She believed that Hermione''s future achievements would not fall short compared to the Greengrass sisters. Coincidentally, in his own dedicated classroom, Rhys was teaching Astoria how to control her own magical power. Unlike modern wizards, Rhys and ancient wizards like Ravenclaw preferred to first teach their students how to master magic itself before moving on to specific spells. Each teaching method had its advantages and disadvantages. The modern approach was faster, allowing wizards to quickly learn spells, while Rhys and Ravenclaw''s method produced students with much higher potential. Wizards trained under the modern system rarely had the power to single-handedly slay a dragon, whereas among the students Rhys and Ravenclaw taught, such feats were not uncommon. At the very least, those they brought into their exclusive classrooms were capable of such achievements. As usual, before starting the lesson, Rhys gave Astoria a demonstration of advanced magic, leaving her completely astonished, her mouth agape in disbelief. However, this time, Daphne, observing for the second time, noticed details she had missed before. For example, when Lord Slytherin fought the giant serpent Jo?rmungandr, it seemed that he had also unfolded some sort of field around himself. This field looked very familiar, closely resembling something she had seen during the end of last school year. The only difference was that Slytherin''s field didn''t have as much mud; it appeared more like he was controlling water. Thanks to this field, he managed to neutralize many of the giant serpent''s attacks. The first time Daphne witnessed it, unfamiliar with such a field, she had thought it was some sort of advanced spell. But with her broadened horizons, she now recognized that it was the field itself protecting him from the serpent''s strikes. She shared her discovery with Rhys, who confirmed her observations. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 12 Advance Chapters¡ªPatreon/HornyFBI 151- The Greengrass Sisters 151- The Greengrass Sisters "If two wizards face off, and one has a domain while the other doesn''t, the wizard without the domain has no chance of winning. If they manage to escape with their life, they are already outstanding," Rhys advised Daphne. He warned her that if she ever encountered a wizard with a domain, and she hadn''t unlocked hers yet, his only suggestion would be to run¡ªor call for a wizard who has a domain. The power boost a domain provides to a wizard is terrifying. A wizard with a domain is essentially unbeatable unless they lose their sanity. When Rhys had previously fought Voldemort, although Voldemort''s spellcasting skills were quite decent, the lack of a domain made him as easy to handle as a toy in Rhys'' hands. If Voldemort had possessed a domain back then, Rhys wouldn''t have been able to defeat him so easily, and Voldemort would likely have escaped. It was the same when Rhys faced off against Rowena Ravenclaw. Activating his domain was what allowed him to level the playing field despite the difference in their magical power, leading to a fierce and evenly matched battle. Without his domain, Rhys would have been sliced into pieces by Ravenclaw in no time. Domains are crucial for a wizard, but unfortunately, the unlocking of a domain requires a special opportunity, and no one can guarantee they will ever unlock theirs. So, Rhys felt it necessary to prepare Daphne and Astoria, to avoid a future where one of them¡ªwithout a domain¡ªfoolishly tries to duel a wizard who has one. Of course, Rhys had confidence in his two students. After all, he knew a ''bit'' about potion-making, and if he could gather the right materials in the future, he could brew potions that would assist them in unlocking their domains. After giving the Greengrass sisters this warning, Rhys began his lesson. "Focus your mana into the soles of your feet, and try to stabilize the output..." Rhys repeated the instructions he had given to Daphne earlier, adding at the end that if Astoria had any questions, she could ask Daphne¡ªwho had a real talent for this. Rhys'' words immediately made Daphne blush. She waved her hands repeatedly, insisting that she wasn''t particularly talented. Daphne was being sincere, as she believed her sister''s talents far surpassed her own. When it came to magical control, she figured Astoria would probably master it in less than three minutes. But the outcome was quite unexpected. Astoria struggled for several hours and still couldn''t manage to float off the ground. In fact, many times, she would lose control due to an excess of magical output and end up falling flat on her backside. Daphne: "?" Rhys patted Astoria on the head, reassuring her that her illness would definitely be cured. After figuring out the reason behind her struggles, Rhys left Astoria to practice on her own. Neither he nor Daphne could help her now; softening the floor was the only thing he could do. As for Daphne, Rhys assigned her to practice the Stasis Field on the side. Rhys himself found a quiet spot to tinker with the Philosopher''s Stone. After months of effort, he had made some progress in his research on it. He felt that the Philosopher''s Stone must involve highly advanced magical transformations, and it was likely that a specific magic circle was required to create it. However, reverse-engineering the magic circle used to craft the Philosopher''s Stone was an incredibly difficult task. Rhys had reached a bottleneck in his research, and to make further progress, he needed to actually ingest a small amount of the Stone. He chipped off a small fragment from the Philosopher''s Stone and began brewing the Elixir of Life using that piece. With the Philosopher''s Stone as the key ingredient, the remaining steps weren''t too complicated. In fact, they were surprisingly simple, not much harder than the Scouring Solution first-year students learned in their initial Potions class. Soon enough, the Elixir of Life was ready. Looking at the potion, which was as vividly red as blood, Rhys couldn''t help but marvel at it. After some thought, he didn''t drink it right away. Instead, he dropped a small pebble into the cauldron. Instantly, white steam billowed up, and after a short while, nearly half the liquid had evaporated. The small stone had turned into a piece of solid gold. Rhys fished it out of the cauldron and split it open. Upon inspection, he found that the stone had been completely and thoroughly transformed into pure gold. After roughly calculating the conversion rate using this small stone, Rhys understood why Nicolas Flamel was so wealthy. His fortune was so immense that Beauxbatons could become the richest magical school in Europe, sustained by his donations alone. People who don''t know the truth would think that the Philosopher''s Stone''s ability to turn stone into gold is a one-to-one conversion of the Stone and gold, but in fact it is not. Rhys looked at the little gold beans in his hand and felt that the conversion ratio was close to one to one thousand. But this is not the core function of the Philosopher''s Stone... ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 12 Advance Chapters: 152- True Brave Man 152- True Brave Man Muggles have a saying: "Picking up sesame seeds and losing watermelons." Rhys thought this was the perfect description for those who used the Philosopher''s Stone merely to turn things into gold. If you''re capable of creating a Philosopher''s Stone, how could you possibly be short of money? Rhys found this idea absurd. For a highly skilled potions master or alchemist, the speed at which they earned money was only limited by their conscience. If he were heartless enough, Rhys could sell the special cure for Astoria''s illness to Mr. Jamison Henry for a thousand Galleons per dose. And Jamison would have no choice but to pay up because only Rhys had the ability to cure Astoria. It wouldn''t be difficult to reduce the Greengrass family''s finances to the level of the Weasleys. But having just witnessed the process of the stone turning into gold, Rhys confirmed his theory. The potion transformed "stone" into "gold." Now, Rhys suspected that the same potion might also be capable of transforming something else into nourishment for the soul. Now, it was time for the final step in the experiment¡ªsomething every potioneer must eventually face: testing the potion! Rhys poured the contents of the cauldron into a goblet and gently swirled it, watching the blood-red liquid spin inside. After a brief moment of contemplation, he downed the potion in one gulp. As it entered his mouth, a strong metallic taste of blood filled his senses, making Rhys feel as though he had just swallowed a mouthful of actual blood. After swallowing the Elixir of Life, Rhys felt his stomach ignite as though it were on fire. The sensation lasted a few minutes before gradually subsiding, replaced by a warm current that surged toward his brain. "It''s a protection for the soul," Rhys quickly deduced the Philosopher''s Stone''s method for granting immortality. It worked by forming a protective layer around the soul, shielding it from the ravages of time. As long as the soul remained youthful and untouched by the passage of years, the person would not die. However, the issue lay in the fact that the potion only protected the soul, not the physical body. Rhys speculated that those who consumed the Elixir of Life over an extended period would eventually experience a severe decline in their physical bodies, aging to a terrifying extent. At that point, living would become more of a curse than a blessing. Rhys rubbed his chin thoughtfully, revealing a contemplative expression. It seemed that this method of immortality was not as good as the one he had invented himself. His desire to reverse-engineer the Philosopher''s Stone diminished considerably. In his mind, it was merely a matter of using a magical array to convert different types of elements into soul-nourishing substances. With some research, he believed he could replicate it in a matter of years¡ªor, if things went poorly, it might take a few decades or even a century. The already grim life of the werewolf volunteer would be utterly destroyed. You should know, while the Ministry of Magic has indeed created a few positions specifically for werewolves, nearly all werewolves would rather roam aimlessly than become Ministry employees. The reason is that, once hired, they would face a lifetime of discrimination. Werewolves in these positions rarely lived long¡ªoften not even outlasting their homeless counterparts. This was precisely why the Ministry couldn''t find volunteers. Minister Fudge once considered taking werewolves imprisoned in Azkaban and using them as test subjects, but the moment the suggestion was made, it was met with a tidal wave of opposition and protests. The opposition was so overwhelming that Fudge was certain if he passed the decree in the morning, by the afternoon he''d be thrown out of his office as Minister. The reason for such heavy opposition was simple: while werewolves living in the dark corners of the magical world might elicit some small degree of pity, the werewolves in Azkaban were indisputably vile. Every werewolf imprisoned in Azkaban had a history of deliberately attacking people. They were genuine threats to wizarding society. During the First Wizarding War, a large number of werewolves had joined Voldemort''s ranks, infecting other wizards on his behalf, so the hatred ordinary wizards had for them was understandable. Most Ministry employees held the view that the only question left about Azkaban werewolves was why the Dementors hadn''t sucked the life out of them yet. Treating them for lycanthropy was, in their eyes, absurd, and this was why Fudge''s suggestion sparked so much outrage. Without any werewolf volunteers, Fudge was deeply troubled. Finally, he came up with a less-than-ideal solution: placing an advertisement in the newspaper. This move was ridiculed by many. They believed it was impossible to recruit anyone, and even Cornelius Fudge himself thought the same. However, to their surprise, someone actually stepped forward. Remus Lupin, holding a copy of the Daily Prophet, knocked on the door of Dumbledore''s office. When Dumbledore heard that Lupin had decided to volunteer for the Human-Restoration Spell experiment, a flash of shock crossed his eyes. "You are a true Gryffindor, Remus. But you must think carefully¡ªyou may pay a price you will never be able to recover from." Despite his deep admiration, Dumbledore still cautioned him, fully aware of the consequences Lupin would face by making this decision. _________ 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 153- Nirvana and Judgment 153- Nirvana and Judgment "I understand, Professor Dumbledore," Lupin said calmly, as if the topic they were discussing had nothing to do with him. "But someone has to do it, right?" "If that spell proves to be effective, then the children infected by werewolves in the future will have hope." "Remus..." Dumbledore''s expression became very complicated. After a few seconds of silence, he solemnly said to Lupin, "For you to volunteer so boldly, even if Jamison''s spell doesn''t work, I will still try my best. I believe the spell will be effective." Dumbledore gave his promise. No matter what, he would cure Lupin''s lycanthropy. He had studied the Slytherin manuscript carefully and was convinced that the spell could indeed save werewolves. More importantly, Severus had already prepared the slow-release version of the Wolfsbane Potion. With such advantages, if Dumbledore couldn''t solve the problem of lycanthropy, he might as well resign and retire to Nurmengard. Dumbledore never once mentioned Lockhart. In his heart, he already had the answer to whether the author-professor could truly turn a werewolf back into a human. Unlike the atmosphere in the headmaster''s office, Lockhart was practically ready to set off fireworks in the hospital wing. He looked at the news in the Daily Prophet about the Ministry''s search for werewolf volunteers and couldn''t stop grinning. He felt as if the heavens were smiling down on him! Originally, his plan was to feign a worsening illness to avoid dealing with it this month. He''d even prepared his excuse: while banishing the banshee with Bane, he''d suffered terrible aftereffects, forcing him to step away from teaching and making it impossible for him to treat any werewolves... He had even started seeking out custom potions through private channels to induce specific symptoms. Lockhart thought it would be especially cool if he developed something like a giant eye growing on his back, giving him the perfect excuse to resign. But now, none of those tactics were necessary! He could now openly claim that there weren''t enough werewolves, and thus, he couldn''t participate in the experiment¡ªa perfect excuse! Of course, it wouldn''t look good to refuse publicly, so he could agree reluctantly when the Ministry was desperate. Then, on the day of the experiment, he''d let Jamison Greengrass go first. This way, no matter what, he wouldn''t lose, and he could still find a way to ride the wave of attention. Lockhart decided to take the most risky, but also the most rewarding, approach. After executing this plan, he was sure his public reputation would be completely transformed! Lockhart could already picture his glorious future: the next two weeks'' headlines would belong to him¡ªGilderoy Lockhart! "Such a brilliant turnaround, Britain''s wizarding world, prepare to cheer and celebrate me!" he thought, bursting into hearty laughter as he held the Daily Prophet. Just as Lockhart was reveling in his visions of future fame, Cornelius Fudge arrived at Hogwarts. Fudge''s purpose was clear¡ªhe wanted to meet with Lockhart and ask if he was still willing to participate in the experiment, given that there was only one werewolf volunteer. "Minister Fudge, that''s truly unfortunate..." After hearing Fudge''s request, Lockhart furrowed his brow, putting on a face of deep concern, as if he too was troubled by the situation. Lockhart was completely frozen in place. Now he wanted to use his "illness" as an excuse to escape, but with Dumbledore and Fudge present, how could that possibly happen? "My bones still haven''t fully healed." "I know a very useful spell for that." "I''m actually under a curse." "Let me take a look... Nope, you''re perfectly healthy!" "I..." . . . Lockhart tried every excuse he could think of, but Dumbledore calmly dispelled each one in front of everyone. By the end, Fudge''s expression had grown dark, and Lockhart, sensing that he couldn''t get away with his tricks any longer, reluctantly agreed. "It''s settled, then," Fudge said, staring intently at Lockhart. "In two days, on the night of the full moon, we''ll be¡ª" "Hogwarts'' Quidditch pitch would be an excellent location," Dumbledore reminded with a smile. "Yes, it''ll take place at the Quidditch pitch," Fudge said, his gaze turning meaningful. "Mr. Lockhart, we''re looking forward to your performance." Lockhart: ''...fuck'' Two days passed quickly. Despite all his efforts, Lockhart couldn''t stop the experiment from proceeding as scheduled. To him, it felt more like a trial than an experiment. His only hope was that Mr. Jamison''s spell would fail. For the werewolf Lupin, however, this was his moment of rebirth. As news spread, the magical world was abuzz. Various magical ministries from around the world sent officials or reporters to witness the event. Perhaps, from this night onward, werewolves and lycanthropy would become a thing of the past. Under the eyes of the entire magical world, the night of the full moon finally arrived. _______ Read 12 Advance Chapters: 154: Rhys’ unexpected gain 154: Rhys¡¯ unexpected gain "Rhys, the experiment for the Human Restoration Spell is happening tonight at the Quidditch pitch!" Daphne leaned on the desk, her eyes sparkling as she stared intently at Rhys. "Mm, I saw it in the papers," Rhys replied absentmindedly, not even bothering to lift his head. Seeing that Rhys wasn''t responding, Daphne had no choice but to awkwardly reveal her true intentions: she wanted to attend the experiment. It was bound to be a rare event, and missing it would be a real shame. "Then go," Rhys finally raised his head, a little confused. If the kid wanted to join the excitement, why stop her? "But there''s a curfew! They''ll definitely be stricter tonight. Some older girls said that the professors might even check the dorms..." Daphne looked at Rhys pitifully. "You know the Disillusionment Charm, right? And are you really sure Professor Snape would check the girls'' dorm?" Rhys was speechless. Checking dorms? He hadn''t even considered that might be a thing. How could a fellow Slytherin student think of such a tactic? Daphne clammed up, but her little face visibly puffed up in frustration. Seeing that Daphne was about to turn into a pufferfish, Rhys scratched his head. He knew full well that Daphne wanted him to go with her to watch the experiment. To Rhys, tonight''s experiment was like a tasteless dish¡ªneither worth eating nor worth discarding. He was indifferent about going or not, leaning towards not going because it seemed incredibly dull. "Every wizard in the world will be there tonight. What if someone kidnaps me?" Daphne was quiet for a moment before finally coming up with what she thought was a reasonable excuse. Rhys glanced at her: Who could even manage to kidnap you? Stop joking around. But Daphne had a point. Tonight, Hogwarts was bound to be filled with all sorts of people, and maybe it wouldn''t hurt for him to show up to keep things in check. ''Fine, I''ll give her an out'', he thought. But it depends on whether she can handle it¡ªafter all, staying up too late might stunt a kid''s growth. "Here''s the deal: how''s your practice with the Stasis Field spell? If you can maintain it for more than a minute, I''ll take you to the Quidditch pitch to watch the experiment tonight. With me there, you won''t have to worry about curfew or ''kidnappers'' anymore." Rhys had noticed that Daphne''s Stasis Field spell could hold for about 55 seconds at most. If she could stretch it to a minute before sunset, he''d take her along. Daphne''s expression grew serious¡ªthis was a daunting challenge! Silently, she pulled out a smoke box and pointed her wand at it. "Stasis Field, activate!" After sitting down, the linen-robed wizard glanced around and said to his companions, "There''s no one else here." Rhys chuckled quietly to himself. Do they really think they can see through my Disillusionment Charm that easily? However, what surprised him was that the man was speaking in Latin. ''These three are really strange,'' Rhys thought. He gently squeezed Daphne''s hand, signaling her to stay silent as he continued to carefully observe the trio. ... Meanwhile, Cornelius Fudge was startled by the sheer scale of the gathering upon his return to Hogwarts. He hadn''t expected so many people to show up. At this moment, the Hogwarts Quidditch stadium was packed, resembling the venue for a World Cup final, filled with wizards from all over the world. As Cornelius Fudge scanned the crowd, he quickly recognized wizards from six or seven different countries. "French, Americans, Irish, Danes, Swedes or Norwegians, and even various private organizations," Fudge muttered to himself, counting on his fingers, marveling at how this experiment had truly gained global attention. However, one person was likely to gain infamy, Fudge thought with some schadenfreude. Having served as Minister of Magic for years, Cornelius Fudge was not intimidated by the large turnout. He pushed through the crowd and walked up to the commentary platform. Taking out his wand, he pointed it at his throat and cast, "Sonorus!" In the next instant, his voice echoed throughout the stadium: "Ladies and gentlemen..." Clearly, the British Minister of Magic''s long-winded opening speech failed to capture the interest of the gathered wizards. Many paid him no attention, continuing their conversations. The peculiar trio in the corner were no exception. "Have you heard? This spell was invented by Salazar himself. Hah, modern wizards can only rely on the relics of their ancestors, scraping by with what little they have. The decline of the magical world is visible to the naked eye. Humans, whether Muggles or wizards, are like a flock of sheep lost without their shepherd since losing the favor of the gods," said the linen-robed wizard, a smile on his face. But if one looked closely into his eyes, they would see a chilling lack of warmth or emotion. Rhys'' interest piqued immediately. ''Could there be an unexpected discovery today?'' _________ 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 155- Dumbledore’s Guarantee 155- Dumbledore¡¯s Guarantee The curly-haired old man squinted at Fudge, who was standing behind the podium in the Quidditch stadium, and said in a flat tone, "Yes, someone like Cornelius can become the Minister of Magic, and before that, Voldemort had them in utter chaos¡ªBritish wizards are so fallen they don''t even dare to say his name aloud." "Decades ago, Grindelwald made me think the wizards were going to rise again, but who would''ve thought it would be the last echo of the magical world," the old man shook his head, clearly looking down on modern wizards. "Fortunately, those four founders are long dead. It''s hard to believe that just four people could stir up a ''Ragnarok.'' If they were still alive today, our plan would be nothing but a pipe dream, an illusion," said the witch. She briefly imagined the founders still alive, and the thought made her shudder. If they were still around, the organization''s plan would be nearly impossible to execute. "What are you thinking?" the linen-robed wizard scoffed, glancing at the witch. "Who can live for a thousand years? Relax, Virgo. The power of the Secret Order is stronger than you think. Even if those old relics came back from the dead, they''d just be remnants of a bygone era. They probably couldn''t even withstand a single arrow from me." Rhys, who had been eavesdropping on their entire conversation from the shadows, showed no change in his expression. Often, arrogance and ignorance go hand in hand like inseparable twins. When one appears, the other isn''t far behind. When children misbehave, a good spanking teaches them. The witch named Virgo and the curly-haired old man both frowned upon hearing their companion''s words. Sagittari (the wizard in the linen robe) was always so confident, overly so¡ªhe lacked the most basic respect for ancient wizards. More importantly, if you''re going to belittle the four founders of Hogwarts, what does that make the gods they killed? The linen-robed wizard cleared his throat, signaling his companions to shut up and quietly observe the ceremony below. Seeing the trio stop talking, Rhys also turned his attention, somewhat disinterested, to the experiment taking place on the Quidditch pitch. The experiment had already begun. Under Minister Fudge''s orders, Lupin and another werewolf were brought to the center of the field. Although both of them were volunteers, they were tightly bound with numerous chains, and their feet shackled with heavy iron cuffs ¡ª the Ministry''s treatment of them seemed to clash with their supposed volunteer status. Of course, none of the wizards present thought this was a problem: after all, they were dealing with werewolves, and it was always wise to take extra precautions. Mr. Jamison Henry Greengrass and Lockhart were already prepared. Today, Mr. Jamison wore a black wizard''s robe with silver-green embroidery symbolizing Slytherin House on the cuffs, and a Greengrass family crest pinned to his chest. Lockhart, on the other hand, wore a forget-me-not blue robe and had carefully styled his hair. Lockhart: "!" Rhys, watching from the stands, was equally stunned. ''This is unbelievable. Could Lockhart''s spell actually counteract the effects of the Wolfsbane potion?'' The awakened wolf, still groggy but now alert, instantly locked its eyes on the closest human ¡ª Lockhart. Baring its fangs, it leapt at Lockhart''s throat. "A¡ªA save me!" In the next instant, several ropes appeared out of thin air, binding the wolf tightly and slamming it back to the ground. Dumbledore, now standing in the center of the field, glanced briefly at Lockhart, then gave a flick of his wand. "Watch carefully. This is how you cast the Human Restoration Charm!" The werewolf, which had been struggling and writhing on the ground, suddenly stiffened, and its thick fur began to recede. Eventually, it reverted back into the timid-looking Ministry employee. The audience in the stands finally reacted. They applauded Dumbledore enthusiastically, though many of them shot curious and skeptical glances toward Lockhart. From this day forward, Lockhart''s reputation would spread throughout the wizarding world¡ªexactly in the way he least wanted. Lockhart collapsed to the ground in a daze, but no one was paying attention to him anymore. All eyes were now on Dumbledore, who had begun to speak. After casting a Sonorous Charm on himself, Dumbledore''s voice echoed across the stadium: "Ladies and gentlemen, we have just proven that Mr. Jamison''s Human Restoration Charm is indeed effective!" The stadium erupted into thunderous applause. But what Dumbledore did next made everyone freeze in shock¡ªhe stretched out his hand, firmly scraped it against Lupin''s teeth, and blood began to flow from the back of his thin, frail hand. Gasp! ¡ª¡ª Read 12 Chapters ahead: 156- As long as Voldemort is resurrected, Dumbledore will have no time to bother us 156- As long as Voldemort is resurrected, Dumbledore will have no time to bother us Gasps echoed through the stadium as many witches and wizards instinctively covered their mouths in disbelief. In their understanding, being bitten by a werewolf was synonymous with being infected with lycanthropy¡ªespecially on a full moon night, when werewolves had transformed. A bite was almost a guaranteed infection. Tonight''s werewolf, although forcibly reverted to human form by the Human Restoration Charm, was still a werewolf, and tonight was still a full moon! A sense of shock spread through the air above the Quidditch stadium. The source of all this, Dumbledore, remained emotionally unperturbed. He simply tended to the wound on the back of his hand and, with the aid of the Sonorous Charm, addressed all the witches and wizards present. "Once a werewolf has been treated with the Human Restoration Charm, they are no different from any ordinary wizard. Contact with them will not result in infection. I, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, and Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, am willing to personally guarantee this with my own actions. These unfortunate witches and wizards need only a few more applications of the Charm, and they will fully recover." Upon hearing Dumbledore''s words, the witches and wizards present understood his intent: Dumbledore was offering his personal guarantee, endorsing the efficacy of the Human Restoration Charm. From now on, the situation for werewolves was truly set to change. The greatest wizard of the current age had personally proven that werewolves treated with the Human Restoration Charm were not contagious. Werewolves could finally live normal lives. "A wizard with great foresight," the elderly man with curly hair muttered as he watched Dumbledore in the center of the field, his eyes filled with wariness. Today, the old man had personally experienced Dumbledore''s methods. From the moment Dumbledore allowed the werewolf''s teeth to graze and cut the skin on the back of his hand, the old man marked him as the Secret Order''s primary adversary. The existence of someone like Dumbledore could greatly hinder the Secret Order''s plans. Fortunately, Dumbledore was now extremely old. And, he seemed reluctant to leave Hogwarts. Whether it was Grindelwald before or Voldemort later, Dumbledore''s behavior had been strikingly consistent in the face of these Dark Lords: he rarely left the confines of Hogwarts Castle. The old man with the curly hair began quietly calculating how to deal with this formidable enemy. He had no intention of engaging Dumbledore in direct conflict¡ªsuch an approach would be unwise. There had been a mishap during the organization''s recent operation in northern Scotland, where an ancient divine corpse had escaped, and it was Dumbledore who had intervened to suppress it. From this, the old man deduced that Dumbledore''s power was at least equal to his own. Fighting someone like that was too risky. At that moment, Rhys gently placed his hand on her shoulder, and a wave of cold magic flowed into her, bringing a soothing calmness to her mind. This cool sensation, like a refreshing stream, washed away her anxiety. It circled around her head before dissipating from the top, taking her unease and worries along with it. She calmed down: with Rhys and Professor Dumbledore here, there was no way these three strange people''s plan would succeed. Besides, resurrecting Voldemort couldn''t be that easy. If it were, why hadn''t any Death Eaters tried to bring him back over the past decade? Though Daphne had regained her composure, Rhys sighed quietly to himself. The topics these three were discussing were too advanced for a child like Daphne. Realizing that the conversation was inappropriate for her to overhear, Rhys decided to take her away from the scene. He took Daphne''s hand, and without a sound, they floated into the air, silently drifting away from the spectator tower toward another secluded corner. The Secret Order''s trio continued to eagerly discuss their plan to resurrect Voldemort, completely unaware of Rhys''s departure. Only Capricornus glanced upward with a puzzled expression as Rhys flew away, sensing something strange for a brief moment. But just as quickly, his companions resumed their conversation, dispelling any lingering unease. As soon as they reappeared in a quiet corner, Daphne turned to Rhys and said, "We¡ª" "We should continue watching the experiment," Rhys interrupted her, staring directly into Daphne''s eyes as he slowly and deliberately said, "Forget about those three. They have nothing to do with you." "What are you planning to do?" Daphne persisted, unwilling to let it go. She was certain Rhys would take some sort of action. "I''ll just send an anonymous letter to Dumbledore later," Rhys replied nonchalantly, gesturing for Daphne to pay attention to the unfolding events on the field. Daphne puffed out her cheeks in frustration again. She''d bet all her pocket money that Rhys was lying¡ªthere was no way he''d settle for something as simple as an anonymous letter. She knew Rhys too well. The full moon hung high in the sky, and the night in the Scottish Highlands was growing damp and cold. __________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 157- Rhys: I’m going to take a shower 157- Rhys: I¡¯m going to take a shower Dumbledore''s actions brought the atmosphere in the stadium to a fever pitch. Countless wizards made up their minds at that moment to return to their homeland and immediately contact their respective Ministers of Magic, urging them to begin distributing the Wolfsbane antidote and the Human Restoration Spell. If they couldn''t learn it, they could send people to the UK for further study. In any case, they were determined to eradicate lycanthropy, a disease that had plagued the wizarding world for over a thousand years, in their generation. Wizards with quicker minds decided to start working on producing the Wolfsbane antidote immediately. In the next decade, this potion would be like a money tree; as soon as it was produced, there would be no shortage of buyers, with the Ministry of Magic being the first to acquire it. Seeing that Dumbledore had instantly become the center of attention, Cornelius Fudge couldn''t hold back anymore. He rushed onto the field, standing next to Dumbledore, and pulled a bewildered Lupin to his side. Mimicking Dumbledore, he had Lupin bite the skin on the back of his own hand, drawing blood. Enduring the pain, Fudge raised his bleeding hand high and shouted to the wizards in the stands, "I, Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic of the United Kingdom, also pledge to vouch for all werewolves treated with the Human Restoration Spell!" The wizards in the stadium were momentarily stunned, then burst into enthusiastic applause for the Minister of Magic. Hearing the waves of applause and the cheers interspersed throughout, Fudge''s complexion visibly brightened, and the pain in his hand seemed to lessen. However, as the excitement drained from his head, Fudge couldn''t help but feel a little uneasy: It should be fine, right? This werewolf shouldn''t be infectious... right? After all, Dumbledore already did it... but he''s Dumbledore! ... In the end, Fudge decided that after the gathering, he would seek someone to prepare a supply of the Wolfsbane antidote for him, planning to drink several doses to enhance his immunity. What Fudge didn''t know was that taking the Wolfsbane antidote wouldn''t work as a "preventive" measure. If someone were to be bitten by a werewolf, they would still transform regardless of how much Wolfsbane they had taken. "Dumbledore..." In the corner of the stands, the wizard in plain robes, the curly-haired old man, and the beautiful woman all frowned as they watched Dumbledore, who was now the center of attention on the field. Their expressions were complicated as they assessed the most powerful wizard among humans. "Capricornus, are you confident you could defeat him?" Sagittarius posed the question. "I can''t see through him," Capricornus shook his head. "I''m not sure if he''s mastered a domain. If he hasn''t, I''m confident I could kill him." Sagittarius snorted, "Modern wizards can still master a domain?" Not possible. Calling them was always a safe bet. Thanks to Rhys''s impressive Disillusionment Charm, he and Daphne managed to avoid being caught by the Heads of House and safely returned to the Slytherin common room. "The professors set up their ambush in the wrong spot. They should''ve blocked the common rooms¡ªthen they''d catch everyone for sure," Rhys stretched and casually suggested, offering a sly tip. "I''m off for a shower, goodnight!" Rhys yawned and headed toward the bathroom. Daphne: ? "You''re really just going to do nothing about it?" she asked in shock. Rhys turned his head back. "I''ll write the anonymous letter after my shower." After tossing that remark, he went straight into the bathroom. Like any ordinary student, Rhys entered the bathroom and turned on the faucet. Hot water gushed out, pouring onto his skin. Gradually, Rhys began to "melt," merging with the water streaming from the showerhead until he completely disappeared. Finally, a thin stream of water, shaped like a finger, turned off the shower, leaving no trace of Rhys in the bathroom. At the same time, in the shadows outside the Quidditch pitch, Rhys opened his eyes and looked up at the bright moon in the night sky. "Clear skies under the bright moon... What a nice night~" he muttered as he slowly sank into the earth. ... Meanwhile, Dumbledore, Henry, and Fudge hadn''t left the field yet. They were surrounded by enthusiastic wizards, stuck in the stadium. As for Lockhart, no one cared where he had gone or what he was doing. "Good, everything is going according to plan. Let''s proceed; we have fifteen minutes," Capricorn said, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes as he watched Dumbledore, who was held up by the crowd. "Gryffindor''s relic, the Sword of Godric Gryffindor¡ªwe must get it tonight!" ___________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 158: Aren’t you also living on the inheritance from your ancestors? 158: Aren¡¯t you also living on the inheritance from your ancestors? The three of them, like the other wizards, descended from the stands and walked slowly toward the castle. As they walked, Capricornus spoke, "The reason Gryffindor was able to severely wound the God-King Odin, known as the Father of the Gods, plunging the immortal into eternal slumber, was because he used the cursed Sword of Gryffindor, which was enchanted by the Goblin King, Ragnuk I. Once we get our hands on this sword, we too can possess the power to rival the gods." Rhys, overhearing Capricorn''s words, could barely hold back his laughter. He had no idea how such rumors spread over time, but from what he''d seen, Gryffindor''s sword was just an ordinary goblin-forged sword... nothing more. And seriously, the way they inflated the reputation of those Norse false gods! "Eternal slumber"? That was ridiculous. How had they even come up with that term? The God-King must have had excellent sleep quality¡ªhe didn''t even wake up when his skull was used to craft a crown. Rhys was baffled by how later generations always seemed to fantasize that an ordinary person wielding a particular weapon could suddenly become invincible. Gryffindor''s sword had become a myth, and the same thing had happened with the so-called Elder Wand. One sword could supposedly slay gods the moment you picked it up, and the other was said to make its owner unbeatable forever. Rhys found both claims absurd. And then there were things like the "Sword in the Stone," which was said to have done something earth-shattering at some point, just sitting in a stone, waiting for someone to pull it out and become king of the realm. Isn''t this all just nonsense? It''s like picking a support role in a game, then after winning, claiming the victory was only possible because you supported the carry. What''s the difference? Legends always come first, and legendary items follow. Capricornus of the Secret Order thought Voldemort was mentally unstable and didn''t want him in the group. Rhys viewed the Cult members in a similar light¡ªhe thought all three of them were a bit unhinged. He moved silently underground, quietly following the trio. He planned to strike when they reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest. By then, they would be far enough from both the stadium and the castle, so their confrontation wouldn''t attract much attention. Daphne should be resting by now, Rhys figured. She was probably already deep in sleep. He had just pulled a little trick, using a transfigured fake version of himself to trick Daphne into returning to the Slytherin common room to rest. His intention was to keep her from getting involved in the fight with the Secret Order. These three members of the Cult were still too dangerous for her. Seeing the attitude of his teammates, Sagittarius could only shrug helplessly. "There''s really nothing I can do about domains. If I can''t figure it out, I can''t figure it out." "I''ve really been studying, though! Check the usage logs of the quiet room in the organization if you don''t believe me!" he added defensively. "Yeah, yeah, whatever.." Capricornus felt his good mood completely ruined by Sagittarius. Feeling annoyed, he sped up the activation of his domain. Soon, the thin mist covered the grass outside the castle entirely. Perhaps due to the rising moisture, delicate threads of rain began to fall from the sky, bringing a chilling sensation. The mist started to gather around the trio. According to Capricornus''s plan, this mist would provide them with a convenient protective layer, making them undetectable by magical means. More importantly, their movement speed within the fog would become astonishingly fast, allowing them to escape quickly even if they were discovered by the school''s teachers. But just as the mist began to close in around Capricornus, he suddenly sensed something was off. Even in the rain, the speed at which the mist was gathering seemed unnaturally fast. Something was wrong! "Activate your divine remains fully, now!" Capricornus shouted urgently. Sagittarius and Vigo, though unsure why Capricornus had suddenly panicked, respected his strength enough to immediately activate the divine remains fused into their bodies. Sagittarius''s eyes instantly lost their luster, and his sclera turned a murky, dull color, while the veins on his face became an eerie purplish-blue. Vigo''s skin turned an ashen gray, like that of a corpse, and a faint stench of decay began to waft through the air. "You''re no different, living off the scraps of your ancestors. What''s even more laughable is that those so-called false gods aren''t even your ancestors. You''re nothing more than grave robbers," a young voice echoed through the mist. "What, who ar¡ª!" In the next moment, the mist in front of Capricornus''s chest suddenly coalesced into an ice spike. Spilch! Before he could react, it pierced his heart, leaving him with an expression of utter disbelief. ________ 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 159- Domain Restraint 159- Domain Restraint "Capricornus!" Vigo was stunned by the sudden turn of events. She panicked, shouting Capricornus'' name as she lunged toward him. However, Sagittarius, with more battle experience, quickly grabbed her hand and yanked her aside. Sa-Sa-Sa! Dozens of ice spikes crashed into the spot where she had just stood and the path she had taken toward Capricornus. If Sagittarius hadn''t intervened, she would have been skewered by now. Thanks to Sagittarius'' help, Vigo dodged Rhys'' attack, but Sagittarius wasn''t as fortunate. "Ug.." The rain falling from the sky turned into needle-like ice threads, striking one side of his body. Though he reacted swiftly and cast a Shield Charm above him, some of the ice threads still slipped through the edges of the spell, embedding themselves into his arm. Sagittarius felt a sudden chill in his arm, and then the entire limb went numb, becoming uncontrollable. The attack didn''t stop there. The raindrops were continuously transforming into powerful ice needles, and the mist surrounding them had turned hostile, now causing them significant trouble. In an instant, Sagittarius and Vigo found themselves in a dire situation. Fortunately, a voice rang out from nearby. "I''m not dead!" Capricornus pulled the ice spike from his chest, leaving a gaping hole. The mist enveloped his wound, swiftly filling and mending the opening. Within his domain, even after suffering what would normally be a fatal wound, Capricornus was relatively unharmed. After all, when a wizard activates a domain, they essentially become part of it. This makes wizards with domains overwhelmingly powerful compared to those without them¡ªa difference akin to a dimensional disparity. However, Capricornus could sense something was off. For some reason, he had lost the usual seamless control over his domain. The mist was still under his command, but manipulating it felt strangely awkward, difficult to describe. Seeing that Capricornus was unhurt, Sagittarius and Vigo felt a surge of renewed hope. If something had gone wrong with Capricornus, they would have been completely doomed tonight. But with him still maintaining his strength, they stood a chance. The two exchanged a glance, increasing their magic output, pouring all their power into the godly remains that parasitized their bodies. "Even if you can''t grasp a fundamental domain, you should at least aim for a combination of basic elements. For instance, magma¡ªformed by combining fire and earth¡ªis a great example. Of course, that''s asking a bit much since those who can comprehend domains are already elite among wizards," Rhys rambled on, sounding almost like an old professor lecturing his students. Capricornus was listening intently, almost forgetting that they were in the midst of a life-and-death struggle. But soon, he realized something was terribly wrong¡ªhe had completely lost control of his domain. "You see, this is how a basic domain crushes a derivative one. If you had mastered a different domain, I might have had to put in more effort. But since yours is mist, it''s quite simple," Rhys said, waving his hand casually, and Capricornus'' domain instantly dissipated. Now, all that remained was a light drizzle falling from the sky. Capricornus'' face turned ashen. At that moment, Sagittarius, who had been frozen in place, suddenly burst into flames. If time were slowed down, one could see that his entire body had become fuel for those burning eyes of his. The fireball split into two¡ªone half streaked toward Rhys like a shooting star, while the other half shot up into the sky. Facing an opponent so overwhelmingly powerful that it induced despair, Sagittarius chose to sacrifice himself, fully offering his body to the godly remains fused within him. His only hope was to delay Rhys for even a brief moment, while his soul attempted to escape. Boom! The fireball collided with Rhys, instantly reducing him to ashes. But before Vigo''s face could fully register joy, another Rhys appeared just a few steps to their side. As for the other half of the fireball flying toward the sky, it gradually dimmed in the constant drizzle, and finally, after flying nearly a hundred meters, it was extinguished. Plop! Two cloudy eyeballs fell onto the grass. Rhys glanced at them, a fleeting thought crossing his mind¡ªthey seemed strangely familiar, perhaps once belonging to an old "acquaintance." "Yes, I''m nothing more than a relic of a bygone era," Rhys said casually. His eyes drifted toward Vigo and Capricornus, and with a tone full of regret, he remarked, "But the fact that you couldn''t even deal with an outdated relic like me is truly disappointing." Capricornus opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but no words came out. He felt something flowing from his chest. Looking down, he realized that the mist that had been sealing his wound had vanished, and blood was now trickling from the gaping hole. Capricornus could feel his strength rapidly draining away, and his vision began to blur and darken... ________ 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 160- Experiment Subject 160- Experiment Subject "Can''t... I still need to..." Capricornus made his choice just before his consciousness plunged completely into darkness. He chose to relinquish all control over the godly remains fused within his body and channeled the last bit of magic he could muster into them. This was a forbidden spell, strictly prohibited by the Secret Society, but at this point, Capricornus could no longer care about the rules. Thud! Capricornus collapsed to the ground, seemingly lifeless. Yet, his body began twitching in an eerie, unnatural way. His muscles contracted and swelled as though they had developed a mind of their own. Accompanied by the grating sound of bones shifting, Capricornus'' corpse twisted into a grotesque ball of flesh, exuding an astonishing surge of magical energy. The magic radiating from him was suffused with decay and despair. Just one look at it, and it was clear this was something ominous. "It''s over... the godly remains have gone out of control..." Vigo was utterly terrified, standing frozen in place, muttering to herself. "Inserting magic into the parasitic fragments of a false god''s corpse and then relinquishing all control over it¡ªusing one''s own body as fuel to drive the remains into a frenzy. Tsk! What a reckless spell," Rhys said, immediately seeing through Capricornus'' intentions. In the face of death, Capricornus had chosen to drag others down with him, ensuring he would not face the Grim Reaper alone. What Sagittarius had done earlier, transforming into two fireballs, was somewhat similar to what Capricornus was doing now, but his case was more of a pseudo-loss of control. At that time, his consciousness was still intact, allowing him to split the fireball in two¡ªattacking Rhys while attempting to escape in soul state. Capricornus, on the other hand, had died before activating the spell, resulting in complete loss of control, making his situation even more dangerous than Sagittarius''. After hearing Rhys'' calm explanation, Vigo completely lost her composure. She screamed, cursed at Rhys, and finally declared her intention to drag them all down together. She also decided to relinquish her control over the godly remains within her body. Rhys glanced at her, almost too indifferent to care. Unlike Sagittarius and Capricornus, Vigo had not yet achieved the same level of fusion with the godly remains. In other words, even if she self-destructed, her explosion wouldn''t be as powerful as that of her companions. Her value as a newcomer was even lower than Sagittarius and Capricornus. The intelligence she could provide about the Secret Society was likely minimal. If Rhys had a choice, he would''ve preferred to keep Sagittarius alive. That guy was hot-headed and easily provoked¡ªperfect for interrogation. His strength and rank were also just right¡ªnot too high to be uncontrollable like Capricornus and not too low to be irrelevant like Vigo. Unfortunately, he chose to end his own life. And now, Dumbledore was being drawn in. For Rhys, this wasn''t a bad thing¡ªhe could just leave the fleshball for Dumbledore to handle. "Let''s go, yeah?" Seeing that someone was coming to take over, Rhys decided not to linger. Cheerfully, he grabbed Vigo''s arm. The rain that had fallen onto her didn''t flow off but instead formed a thin membrane, wrapping around her. Moments later, Rhys and Vigo sank into the now-muddy grass, softened by the rainwater. ... The dark, corrupt, and negative magic surged, and Dumbledore immediately lifted his head, sharply aware that something was very wrong. "Sorry, I''ve got some matters to attend to. If you have any further questions, feel free to discuss them with Minister Fudge." With a smile, Dumbledore gently moved the wizards blocking his way aside and strode out of the Quidditch stadium. Though no one knew exactly what Dumbledore was going to do, Cornelius Fudge, now the center of everyone''s attention, was delighted. He warmly greeted the remaining wizards in the stadium, leading them to the Quidditch team''s changing rooms to shelter from the rain while discussing the intricacies of the Animagus Reversal Spell. ... Rhys emerged from the ground, dragging along the motionless Vigo. He had just made a swift escape, traveling underground from the edge of the Forbidden Forest all the way to the dungeons, skillfully avoiding the professors'' patrols. As he opened the sealed door to the dungeons, he was startled¡ªRavenclaw''s ghost was standing there with her body, right by the sealed entrance. "What are you up to?" "I should be asking you the same thing. Why are you breaking into the seal in the middle of the night?" Rhys shoved Vigo forward. "Here, I brought you a little experiment subject." _________ Read 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 161- Intelligence of the Secret Order 161- Intelligence of the Secret Order "Oh?" Ravenclaw''s excitement surged when she heard that an experimental subject had been brought to her. While the dark creatures in the dungeon were sufficient for her research, one could never have too many test subjects. What''s more, judging by the looks of it, the subject Rhys brought her this time was a living, breathing, speaking creature, which made it all the more valuable. Rhys glanced at his old friend, whom he hadn''t seen in a few months, and noticed she seemed to be in good spirits. Her soul appeared clearer, and the Horcrux of Voldemort on her shoulder had grown even darker. It seemed that since regaining her sanity, she had been diligently transferring the corruption from her own soul into Voldemort''s. But why had she been lingering near the seal? Rhys couldn''t quite figure it out¡ªwas there something special about this place? After taking Vigo, whose eyes were filled with terror, from Rhys, Ravenclaw noticed something unusual about this test subject. "Fusing a human with fragments of a false god''s corpse to allow an otherwise mediocre wizard to comprehend advanced magic... what a genius idea!" After observing for a moment, Ravenclaw reached a conclusion and couldn''t help but praise it. In her eyes, the concept was incredibly creative. Killing powerful enemies and then using their corpses to enhance one''s own forces¡ªif she and her companions had possessed such wisdom a thousand years ago, the situation for wizards would have been far better. After all, there were plenty of false god corpses back then. Thinking about it now, it seemed like a terrible waste to have used such precious materials just to make crowns and wands. "It''s called fusing with a god-corpse," Vigo corrected Ravenclaw instinctively once Rhys restored her ability to speak after bringing her into the sealed area. "It''s all the same," Ravenclaw waved dismissively, seeing no fundamental difference between their terms. "How exactly did you fuse with the god-corpse?" Ravenclaw eagerly inquired. Vigo slowly unveiled more of the Cult''s secrets to Rhys and Ravenclaw. Rhys described the small booklet he had received earlier to Vigo, and learned that it was a communication tool used by the lowest-level members of the organization. These lower-level members were generally referred to by the higher-ups as "ants," meaning their contributions were as insignificant as those of ants. It took an extremely long time and sufficient contributions for someone to be promoted from an "ant" to a "trusted one," a status that couldn''t compare to members like Vigo, who were born into families tied to the Organization. Vigo explained that both she and Sagittarius inherited their god-corpse, while Capricorn had climbed up from the status of "ant." He was a prodigy, not only capable of fusing with the god-corpse but also having comprehended the "Fog" domain, which earned him one of the twelve most valuable titles in the Cult, placing him above both Vigo and Sagittarius in terms of rank. "It seems this organization isn''t as corrupt as we thought," Rhys remarked with a shrug. The true measure of an organization''s health was its ability to promote talent from within, its "blood-making" ability. In other words, the ability for internal members to climb the ranks. From Capricorn''s experience, the Secret Order wasn''t entirely rotten¡ªwhile members from established families had higher starting points and better conditions, anyone who could fuse with or resonate with a god-corpse was promoted immediately. This was not unlike the dynamic between pure-blood and half-blood wizards in the magical world. "It seems like brute force is the only method for fusing," Ravenclaw remarked, unsatisfied with Vigo''s answers. The Cult didn''t have a secret formula for the fusion; members simply had to try and hope for success. "But what is their ultimate goal in doing all of this?" "To allow the light of the gods to shine once again upon this land," Vigo responded, her face full of reverence, her tone filled with devotion. Rhys and Ravenclaw: "..." Both fell into silence. "This organization cannot be allowed to continue," Rhys and Ravenclaw agreed after a moment. "I need you to provide information about the organization¡ªits bases, its headquarters, and everything else!" Rhys demanded of Vigo. _______ Read 12 Advance Chapters¡ªPatreon/HornyFBI 162- Ravenclaw Lures the Snake Out of Its Hole 162- Ravenclaw Lures the Snake Out of Its Hole "The bases of the organization I manage are..." Vigo reported a string of addresses expressionlessly. Although her strength is mediocre, she is a wizard who has merged with the divine bone and has the hope of comprehending a certain field. In addition, her family has been high-ranking members of the secret society for generations, so Vigo knows a lot of information about the secret society and hence the Secret Order. Soon, she handed over the three bases under her management and the list of more than ten trusted people to Rhys and Ravenclaw. Unfortunately, she could not tell the location of her family. "Shall I go find these little rats?" Looking at the list in his hand, Rhys thought he could work harder and visit the secret order''s bases several times overnight. Ravenclaw agreed. "In fact, even if we don''t do anything. The cute little ones from the Secret Order will keep coming to Hogwarts because we have the remains of the three of them." Ravenclaw pointed at Vigo, who was standing not far away and had a dull expression due to the effect of the truth serum. All three of them carry the remains of false Gods, and the remains of Vigo and Sagittarius are treasures inherited from their families. If they are lost in Hogwarts, the leaders of the Secret Society will be so heartbroken that they can''t breathe. In addition, with the complete remains of the false God in Dumbledore''s collection and the Gryffindor "God-killing" sword they covet, the Secret Society will definitely continue to try to infiltrate Hogwarts. Then Rhys and Ravenclaw don''t need to do anything, the people from the Secret Order will line up and come to them. But in this case, it is questionable whether Rhys should clear out the strongholds controlled by Vigo. "Do you have any other plans? I will definitely alert the enemy once I take action." Rhys wanted to ask Ravenclaw if she had any other plans. If she did, she should tell him as soon as possible to prevent him from accidentally ruining her good thing. "After the three of them disappear in Hogwarts, the Secret Order will surely be alerted. It''s just a matter of time. If you go too late, those people will be transferred and the base will be abolished." Ravenclaw''s meaning was also very straightforward. She suggested that Rhys act as soon as possible, otherwise it would be too late. "Also, I don''t think the people from the Secret Order will rashly send people to investigate - even if someone else comes, it won''t be a high-level cadre who has merged with the divine remains." Rhys said to Ravenclaw before leaving. Rhys guessed that this action was probably instigated by the families behind Sagittarius and Vigo, with the purpose of gaining some credit for the two pillars of the family. But who would have thought that a person who had comprehended the domain and two wizards who had merged with the divine bone would be killed in Hogwarts at the same time, without even being able to escape. After suffering such a loss, the Secret Society would never send anyone to Hogwarts to die without certainty. At most, the people from the Sagittarius and Vigo''s families would send some pawns to spy on the whereabouts of the two families'' divine remains. So when Dumbledore arrived at the scene, what fell from the sky was just ordinary rain, and the meat ball, which had lost the suppression of the Rhys field, also revealed its hideous face. It began to "grow" rapidly. Tentacles grew out of the flesh ball one after another and inserted into the grass. The land where the tentacles penetrated first became dry, then the grass on it withered, and the small insects in the soil also began to die in large areas. The originally fertile land gradually turned into a desert. In contrast, the volume of the meatball began to expand little by little, and it was savagely absorbing all the nutrients it could reach. Looking at the ball of flesh in front of him, Dumbledore''s expression became extremely solemn. "Reducto!" "Confringo!" "Bombarda Maxima!" "..." After using six or seven spells in a row, Dumbledore still failed to destroy the strange and evil meat ball. Facing Dumbledore''s attack, the meat ball was just passively chopped into several pieces by the spells and shattered by magic, with no desire to fight back at all. But a shocking scene appeared. The shattered meat ball did not die, but turned into small meat balls, continuing to absorb nutrients from the soil in a draining manner. Pieces of "desert" began to appear on the lawn outside Hogwarts Castle. Dumbledore gave up the idea of ??using ordinary spells. He sighed and said: I can only try the latest spell I have learned. The next moment, a raging fire ignited on Dumbledore''s body. __________ Read 12 Advance Chapters: 163- Divine Fire Domain 163- Divine Fire Domain The flames engulfed Dumbledore, and even from several meters away, the intense heat was palpable, distorting the air around him. Yet, in the very center of the blaze, Dumbledore felt no discomfort whatsoever. On the contrary, he only felt warmth, a pleasant heat that dispelled the chill that had clung to his robes from the earlier rain. Dry, comfortable, and perfectly tailored to his skin, his robes hugged him with an unusual ease. Unlike last time in his office, Dumbledore was now outdoors, where he could let loose and fully expand his domain without restraint. With a loud "whoosh," the fireball swelled, expanding dozens of times over, and engulfed a nearby mass of flesh. In the next moment, the mass ignited, emitting a foul stench as it burned. Dumbledore watched everything unfold with a calm expression, intently sensing the nuances of this newly mastered magic. This spell felt different from any spell he had learned before. Typically, once a spell was cast, his connection to it was limited, and even if he could still control it, there was always a distinct separation between himself and the spell. But this time, it felt as though he had become the spell itself. His intuition told him that visually, he still appeared as the elderly figure at the center of the fireball, yet, in reality, he was the flame itself. The figure at the center was like a mere peanut shell¡ªvisible yet only a small part of the entire entity. In his hundred years of life, Dumbledore had never encountered such a wondrous spell. He didn''t know its name¡ªit could be a brand-new spell of his own invention, or perhaps an ancient, long-lost enchantment... But that didn''t matter. Now that the spell was fully unleashed and in action, Dumbledore had found the perfect name for it¡ª [Divine Fire Domain] Unlike his previously most powerful fire spell, Firestorm, this Divine Fire Domain had lower energy consumption, a longer duration, and a higher ceiling of potential power. The only downside was a slightly longer activation time compared to Firestorm. However, once initiated, the spell would expand autonomously, similar to Fiendfyre, though with the difference that Divine Fire Domain was much more controllable, giving Dumbledore a sense of complete mastery. A fiery red glint appeared in the eyes of more than a few of them. If Fudge had been a capable leader, he would have escorted the group of wizards off the school grounds before addressing the fire. But, being of only average aptitude, he quickly lost his composure in the face of such chaos and failed to consider the hidden risks in his actions. By the time the group with their concealed intentions reached the lawn outside the castle, everyone was stunned by the sight before them: Dumbledore, surrounded by flames, was controlling an enormous fireball large enough to cover the entire Quidditch pitch. The fireball spun effortlessly around him, with about a dozen small "lumps" desperately struggling within it. Those wizards with ulterior motives broke out in a cold sweat: could it be that... those things in the fire were... a person''s flesh? Noticing the wizards within the school drawn by the commotion he had caused, Dumbledore turned his head, a kind smile on his face. "I''m terribly sorry for disturbing everyone. No need to worry; it''s just a dark wizard trying to fish in troubled waters." A wave of polite responses arose from the crowd, with comments like "Haha," "Then we''re relieved," and "Professor Dumbledore''s fire magic has truly reached new heights." "The hour is late. Would any of you care to stay the night in Hogwarts Castle?" Dumbledore''s expression remained gentle, like a grandfather inviting his grandchildren to spend the night. But as his gaze swept over the wizards behind Fudge, not one dared to meet his eyes, not even Fudge, who was drenched in a cold sweat. Dumbledore appeared so vigorous and youthful! Given his display tonight, who could believe he was over a hundred years old? After hearing Dumbledore''s implicit suggestion to leave, none of the wizards, except for a select few who were genuinely on good terms with him, dared to accept. Stay overnight at the school? No way, not after seeing that "dark wizard''s flesh" trapped within that massive fireball! So, the visiting wizards all took their leave, exchanging goodbyes with Dumbledore, who waved them off one by one. During these exchanges, Dumbledore''s hands never stopped moving, and the terrifying fireball continued burning the meat-like lumps inside. Some of the smaller ones had already turned to ash. As Cornelius Fudge led the wizards away from Hogwarts, Dumbledore turned his full attention back to the lumps that had yet to be completely incinerated. ______________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 164- These are all Ravenclaw’s evil tricks! 164- These are all Ravenclaw¡¯s evil tricks! While Dumbledore persisted in burning away the lump of flesh that Capricornus had turned into, Rhys was preparing for departure in the dungeon alongside Ravenclaw. "I need you to help me create a body," Rhys said to Ravenclaw. "Can''t you do it yourself? I remember Transfiguration isn''t your weak point," Ravenclaw replied, a bit puzzled, not understanding why Rhys needed her help. "Because I need to conserve my magic for the journey and to deal with those little rats. More importantly, this trip will take at least a day, so I need this body to be a bit more... ''intelligent'' and able to convincingly play the role of Rhys Lint." "I could control this body for you," Ravenclaw suggested, her lips curving into a slight smile. "Absolutely not." Upon seeing her smile, Rhys declined her "kind offer" immediately. He wouldn''t dare let Ravenclaw control his duplicate body; who knew what she might do? "I''ll just stay in the library and attend classes. I won''t cause any trouble." "Impossible." Though Ravenclaw''s tone was entirely sincere, Rhys wouldn''t believe a single word of it. "I could swear by the Black Lake." "Miss Ravenclaw, your credibility is bankrupt with me. Even if you swore by the Black Sea, it wouldn''t matter!" Rhys refused Ravenclaw''s request firmly. He would never allow Ravenclaw to meddle with his duplicate body. After several failed attempts, Ravenclaw finally accepted reality and joined Rhys in using Transfiguration to create the duplicate. As for playing tricks or leaving a hidden backdoor within the duplicate, Ravenclaw refrained. Attempting such things right in front of Salazar would truly be taking him for a fool. A few minutes later, a Rhys duplicate, brimming with magic, was ready. Rhys circled around the duplicate twice, then frowned. The face generally resembled his, but something felt slightly off. Yes, some details didn''t look quite right! Rhys looked at Ravenclaw. "Rowena, did you make changes to the facial structure?" Ravenclaw: Of course! (? ?o ??) As soon as the door opened, a single oil lamp flared to life in the dark room. Daphne sat in a corner, expressionlessly watching Rhys''s duplicate at the doorway. Rhys: "..." "Why aren''t you asleep yet? Staying up this late will stunt your growth!" Rhys took control of his duplicate and spoke with mock concern. "Blocking the common room door, huh? Makes it easy to catch young witches sneaking out after curfew, doesn''t it?" Daphne raised an eyebrow, perfectly mimicking Rhys''s tone. Rhys thought to himself: This boomerang really came back fast¡ªI walked right into that one! "So, Mr. Lint, mind explaining how you managed to return from the bathroom to the common room entrance fully dressed? I''m really curious," Daphne said, her voice filled with feigned sincerity. "Well, actually, there was a hidden teleportation array in the bathroom that activated and transported me out..." Rhys started spouting nonsense with a straight face. "Even transported your clothes along with you?" Daphne''s comment made Rhys fall silent. "Goodnight!" Rhys decided to head straight to his dorm and avoid further banter with this sharp-tongued girl. "Wait!" Rhys''s duplicate stopped in its tracks. "So, you went to deal with those three wizards, didn''t you?" Daphne asked urgently. She was very concerned about those three sinister outsider wizards. Rhys thought for a moment and decided to fall back on his usual reliable excuse. "Yes, I caused a bit of a commotion and attracted Professor Dumbledore. The intruders have been dealt with now." Finally hearing confirmation from Rhys, Daphne let out a sigh of relief. She''d been somewhat afraid that Rhys might actually ignore the situation. Seeing that he seemed to have reassured her, Rhys withdrew his consciousness from the duplicate. The duplicate turned on its own and started heading to the dormitory to sleep. But Daphne, who was standing behind the fake body, narrowed her eyes. She felt that something was wrong with the Rhys in front of her. The next moment, a spell pierced through the chest of the fake Rhys. ___________ Read 12 Advance Chapters: 165- It’s OK to fool children 165- It¡¯s OK to fool children There''s a Muggle saying: if something looks like a duck, sounds like a duck, and walks like a duck, then it''s a duck. But this doesn''t apply in the magical world, where magic can truly transform one species entirely into the likeness of another, even bridging the line between living and non-living. When Daphne was talking to this "Rhys" who had just returned to the dorm, she couldn''t shake off a feeling that something was off. She suddenly realized that the flow of magic within this "Rhys" was unusual. After careful observation, Daphne was certain that the Rhys before her was a fake. And so, she acted without hesitation. Whether this fake was created by Rhys himself or was a spy with ulterior motives infiltrating the Slytherin common room, Daphne was determined to strike hard. If it was truly an enemy spy, Daphne felt no guilt; and if Rhys had made this counterfeit himself, then she would feel even more justified in giving him a beating. Daphne was thrilled to find that choosing to act had all advantages and no disadvantages, which instantly solidified her resolve: she wanted the enemy¡ªor Rhys¡ªto know that Daphne was a capable witch in battle, too! She raised her hand and unleashed a basic offensive spell. Although basic, the spell''s destructive power was no joke, and Daphne''s speed was rapid enough that most wizards wouldn''t have had time to react, let alone this nearly instinct-driven replica of Rhys. In the next moment, the heart area of Rhys''s replica body was pierced by a spell. For an ordinary wizard, this would have been a fatal injury, but since this was merely a body made of magic and clay, the replica could still move. Seeing that a single spell didn''t defeat him, Daphne continued her assault without hesitation. However, Rhys managed to block her subsequent fierce attacks¡ªbecause the moment the replica was hit, Rhys had immediately transferred his consciousness back to it and was now controlling it to fend off Daphne''s rapid strikes. "Great awareness, excellent attack methods, Daphne Greengrass. You need to stop now!" Rhys said to her. Daphne gave no response, relentlessly maintaining her attacks. Rhys was exasperated: if this went on, the magical reserves in the replica would soon be depleted by her barrage! "I''m really Rhys. Stop! I can explain!" Rhys said as he intercepted several of her attack spells mid-air, feeling slightly irritated. "If you keep this up, I''ll really get angry." Compared to Ravenclaw, whose credibility was completely shot in his eyes, Rhys trusted Daphne a bit more. "What do y¡ª" "It''s not hard. It can operate on instinct and respond to simple questions; you''d only need to step in for special cases¡ªwhich are very unlikely to happen." Without waiting for Daphne''s response, Rhys continued, cutting her off. Daphne was tempted to refuse because she''d much rather join Rhys on an adventure than manage a replica. But his next words swayed her. "You''re the person I trust the most. I believe you can handle this task, right?" Rhys played his trump card. The effect was immediate; Daphne''s focus shifted from "You''re going away for a few days" to "most trusted person" in an instant. Daphne: "Is... is that true? Am I really the one you trust the most?" "Of course!" Rhys nodded without a moment''s hesitation¡ªnot really lying either; when it came to looking after the replica, he did indeed trust Daphne the most. She was far more reliable than Ravenclaw. Daphne''s cheeks flushed with excitement, and she eagerly accepted Rhys''s request, agreeing to control the replica when necessary while he was away from the school. "That''s great," Rhys smiled slightly; he was beginning to get the hang of how to "win over" her. He first repaired the damage on the replica, then transferred control over it to Daphne. "Do this, then that, and you''ll be able to control this body!" The procedure wasn''t complicated, and after about ten minutes, Daphne could smoothly control the replica Rhys had created through Transfiguration. "Perfect." Rhys praised Daphne, then severed his connection with the replica entirely. Now, he had to make the most of his time heading to the locations Vigo had mentioned. _________ 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 166- Eyes in the Water Drops 166- Eyes in the Water Drops In an inconspicuous old apartment on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt, the bedroom light remained on even in the dead of night. A middle-aged, portly man with a large belly sat at his desk, writing furiously. Under the dim light, line after line of polished nonsense filled the parchment. In the small room, the only sounds were the scratch of the quill on parchment and the man''s heavy breathing. Clearly, staying up late to write a stack of bureaucratic reports was an unpleasant task. After finishing an entire page of empty formalities, the man pounded his fist on the table. "The reimbursement process just gets dumber by the day! Any expense over thirty Galleons requires a top-level sign-off¡ªmight as well just say they don''t want to reimburse it! Expenses under thirty Galleons don''t need top-level sign-off, sure, but they must be through the ''trusted vendors'' on the organization list, and there must be price comparisons from at least two suppliers. Vigo, that control freak, is seriously insufferable!" Full of resentment, the man muttered under his breath, "What''s so great about Vigo anyway? If I had her family background, I''d have unlocked my domain by now..." "Every single day, it''s either a hygiene inspection or a cleanliness check. Only someone with no real skills would be obsessed with cleanliness. And soon that wretched woman will be here for an inspection again¡ªanother few days of production delays! The whole inspection''s a show; every tool in the drawer has to be labeled and listed by quantity. Ha! Could you make our lives any harder?! She''s coming, which means I''ll be working overtime again. This year''s Christmas vacation? Gone. Just brilliant!" "Changing things constantly, piling all the pressure on those below. Hmph! When an organization starts obsessing over hygiene and cleanliness, it''s probably doomed. Heaven help us, someone, please just get rid of that wretched woman!" The man muttered, stuffing the form labeled Parchment Purchase Request into a pile of documents in the drawer. After venting, he felt a bit better. Stretching, he leaned heavily into his worn-out office chair, which let out a loud, unpleasant creak. He picked up his wand and pointed it at a coffee pot nearby. Steam began to rise, and soon a cup of frothy coffee was brewed. The small cup of coffee floated gently to his desk. Instead of drinking it right away, the man rubbed a ring on his index finger. The ring was ivory-colored and unadorned, appearing at first glance to be just an ordinary band. But on closer inspection, it became clear the ring was made of bone. "My future... all depends on you," he murmured, staring at the ring. If he could merge with the remains of a deity, he could escape this wretched swamp and rise to the true upper ranks of the secret society. And if he one day attained a domain of his own like Lord Capricornus, he could teach that madwoman Vigo a real lesson of adults¡ªgrind her down beneath him mercilessly. It was evident the man harbored deep resentment toward his immediate superior, Vigo. Minutes ticked by, the scent of coffee in the room gradually faded, and the man''s nerves slowly settled. The water droplets with eyes on the ceiling felt as if they really had been nothing more than his imagination. During his attempt to fuse with the relic, he didn''t notice that nearly a hundred bead-sized drops of sweat had surfaced on his skin, each drop with the eerie semblance of a tiny eye. Several hours later, as the first light of dawn appeared, the man reluctantly opened his eyes: he hadn''t managed to fuse with the relic. "Cough! So thirsty..." he muttered, feeling parched. But he thought little of it; spending the night in the desert often had that effect. He picked up a glass of water and drank it in one gulp. But that small amount of water didn''t satisfy his need at all; he was still desperately thirsty, as though all the moisture in his body had drained away. The man drank every available liquid in the room, but his parched mouth felt no relief. Frustrated, he went to the kitchen and turned on the faucet, but the pipes seemed blocked, with not a drop coming out. Utterly disappointed, he decided to go to the local division of the Order, where there would be plenty of water. He lit the fireplace, threw in a handful of Floo powder, and vanished in a flash of green flames. Emerging from the division''s fireplace, he hurried toward the storeroom, knowing that the lot of rascals here had stashed a fair amount of alcohol in there, and now was the perfect time to put it to use. "B-Boss?!" a voice full of horror rang out. The man turned impatiently, seeing one of his subordinates, and waved him off, wanting to be left alone to drink. But the subordinate didn''t leave. Instead, his face filled with fear as he stared at the man: the leader standing before him had turned into a moving corpse, a shriveled, dried-out husk¡ªa moving mummy! ____________ Read 12 Advance Chapters: 167- Badger Head Copper Cup 167- Badger Head Copper Cup Seeing the terror on his subordinate''s face, the man instinctively sensed something was wrong, but he had already lost the ability to think¡ªhis thirst for water overwhelmed all else. Opening his mouth, he managed to say: "You... look so juicy¡ª!!!!" He lunged at his subordinate, sinking his teeth into the man''s throat, greedily draining his blood. Hot blood flowed down his throat, bringing a brief moment of vitality back to him. But as a red mist slowly rose from his body, he reverted to his corpse-like state. This time, though, he completely lost the strength to move, slumping against the wall as his consciousness grew faint and faded away... Water droplets began to form on the wall, coalescing and gathering until they took on a human shape. Rhys emerged from the wall itself. "Egypt is rather excessively dry," Rhys muttered, waving his hand in discomfort at the arid air surrounding him. He glanced at the corpse in the corner, then murmured, "With this, the trap is set." Snapping his fingers, everyone in the Order''s base started writhing in agony¡ªthey couldn''t breathe, and their skin visibly dried, their bodies rapidly dehydrating, transforming into withered corpses. The water, controlled by Rhys, filled their lungs. In the future, if the Secret Order examined their fallen members, they would find that each corpse had drowned. Rhys considered this method extremely efficient. He had targeted the man while he was busy writing reports, embedding his magic into him. By the time the man reached the base, his body''s water content had already been evaporating under Rhys''s magical influence. Unknowingly, the other people in the base inhaled this water, infused with Rhys''s magic, which allowed him to control their bodily fluids too, capturing them all in one sweep. This approach meant Rhys didn''t have to clear each room individually, ensuring none of the Esoteric Order''s adherents could escape, making it exceptionally efficient. After eliminating the Order''s adherents in the base, Rhys began his search of the premises. Initially, Rhys hadn''t paid much attention to the unassuming little cup, which was tucked away in the corner of a cabinet. Without a careful search, it would''ve been easy to overlook. This was another aspect Rhys found particularly amusing. Everything in the vault had its designated spot, complete with positioning labels and name tags. Nearby, one could even find a brief description of each item! To anyone who knew, this was the vault of a secret organization; to anyone who didn''t, it could easily be mistaken for a museum display! Rhys felt the urge to complain: what''s the point of all this? Is it supposed to help an intruder like me identify their treasures? It was almost too considerate! Bringing treasures to his doorstep with attached descriptions was something he''d never seen or heard of before. Vigo was indeed a marvel! However, when Rhys picked up the bronze cup, he quickly noticed something unusual about it¡ªsomething only he would recognize: the cup had a handle, and the tip of the handle was carved into the head of a small animal. As time went by, the handle was covered with rust, which was why Rhys didn''t notice the copper cup at first. But he looked at it carefully, and the more he looked at it, the more he felt that the animal head looked like a badger. He took out his wand and carefully cleaned the rust on the copper cup. After the copper cup was cleaned, Rhys'' eyes became complicated, because the handle of the cup was really carved with a badger head! He would never mistake this style! _________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon/HornyFBI 168- In the future, I want to build a magic school! 168- In the future, I want to build a magic school! Rhys''s gaze deepened, filled with a profound and distant memory... Outside, the wind and snow howled, battering the walls and door of the wooden cabin. The dilapidated hut looked as though it might collapse at any moment, yet under the protection of four young wizards, it would remain unscathed even in the fiercest of storms. "So, we can enchant the cabin to make it indestructible, but we can''t use magic to make it warm inside?" Helga questioned, looking at her friends who were busy starting a fire and chopping wood. "That''s the nature of magic!" Salazar Slytherin said with a grin as he fiddled with the firewood. "Just because we can reinforce the cabin doesn''t mean we''ve mastered heating spells. But you could ask Godric¡ªhe''s the fire expert." Helga turned to look at Gryffindor, but the young knight simply shook his head, indicating he couldn''t help. In such a blizzard, a magically conjured flame wasn''t enough to fend off the cold, and if Gryffindor were to exert his full magical strength, it would exhaust him quickly. One misstep, and he might even set the whole cabin on fire. So, in the end, using regular firewood to keep warm was the safest option. "I didn''t know you were good at carving," Helga remarked, noticing two intricately carved wooden animals¡ªa lion and a snake¡ªnext to Salazar. She moved closer to examine them, marveling at how lifelike they were, with a pile of wood shavings nearby that could be used to kindle the fire. Salazar gave her a peculiar look, saying nothing, then picked up another piece of wood. He drew out his wand and pointed its tip toward it. Wood shavings floated down from the piece of wood, and soon a lifelike little badger appeared in Salazar''s hand. "Pfft.. I''m a wizard, Helga." Salazar said, handing the carved badger to Hufflepuff. In Salazar''s view, if they didn''t need shavings for kindling, he could have simply transformed the wood directly into little animals. Of course, at the heart of it, he was just bored; the four of them were trapped by magic and the snowstorm with nothing else to do. Helga''s face reddened. She said nothing more, taking Salazar''s carved figure and bringing it over by the fireplace. "Better to burn them for warmth," she muttered to herself, though her gaze drifted back toward Slytherin, sitting nearby. Salazar didn''t react, just continued fiddling with the logs Godric had chopped, pondering what to carve next¡ªmaybe another animal, or perhaps even a human figure? "Hey, I''m really going to burn it, you know? Maybe I''ll start with this little snake¡ª" Salazar: Eh? "Firewood is meant to be burned, you know!" He looked up, giving Hufflepuff a rather confused glance, entirely unsure what she was trying to do. Helga furrowed her brows; Salazar''s words left her speechless. Even though Slytherin had said it was fine, she didn''t end up burning his carvings as firewood. Instead, she carefully set the small wooden sculptures aside and used regular logs to start the fire. Slytherin had his own calculations¡ªGryffindor was his close friend, with whom he shared everything freely. As for Ravenclaw, a master of Transfiguration, there was no way she didn''t know such a basic trick, so letting her listen wouldn''t matter. After Slytherin''s explanation, Hufflepuff''s eyes lit up with understanding. She picked up a piece of wood and quickly "carved" it into the shape of a little badger. "Amazing!" Slytherin couldn''t help but admire someone who could pick up a spell after hearing it just once. "It''s because you explained it well." Hufflepuff blushed again. "It could be done like this too," Ravenclaw said as she moved between them, took out her wand, and tapped the wooden badger in Hufflepuff''s hand, making it come to life. "The principle is actually quite simple..." She then shared a small Transfiguration trick, leaving Slytherin and Hufflepuff in awe. Gryffindor, watching from the side, felt deeply moved. Through this exchange, the four of them had each learned something valuable¡ªmore than what a year of solitary adventure could have taught them. "If there ever were a wizard skilled in dueling like me, knowledgeable in potions like Slytherin, proficient in Transfiguration like Ravenclaw, and with Hufflepuff''s expertise in food magic, that wizard would be unstoppable," Young Gryffindor said, genuinely impressed. Slytherin, sitting beside him, chuckled. "We could take on an apprentice, teach them all our spells, and then produce the strongest wizard." It was the most amusing idea, and both Gryffindor and Slytherin burst out laughing. The thought was too idealistic. Why would they ever share their painstakingly collected spells with a stranger? In the wizarding world, only family bonds could foster that kind of sharing! To truly create what Slytherin described, that child would practically have to be a child shared by the four of them. The speaker had no intention, but the listeners took it to heart. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff both lowered their heads, seemingly lost in thought. After a while, Hufflepuff suddenly raised her head and told her three friends that she wanted to establish a magic school someday, to pass on her food magic. Gryffindor and Slytherin looked up at her, utterly stunned, unable to understand why Hufflepuff would make such a choice. Even more surprising, Ravenclaw actually supported Hufflepuff''s decision. "Did you put some mushrooms in that soup that shouldn''t have been there?" Slytherin finally asked, after a long pause. ________ Read 12 Advance chapters: 169- Rhys: Thanks again Vigo 169- Rhys: Thanks again Vigo There were certainly no inedible mushrooms in Hufflepuff''s stew. She explained her reasons for wanting to establish a school of magic to her friends. "I believe the current situation isn''t right. Only through more exchanges can magic advance faster, like what we just did. If everyone keeps their magical knowledge locked up in their family vaults, how can we ever..." She glanced northward as she spoke, leaving the rest unsaid, but her friends understood. If all wizard families hoarded their knowledge, the gods would forever hang over them like a sword. The gods had been growing more active in recent decades. With the support of the Nordic gods, the Vikings had pushed southward, sweeping through England, France, Spain, and Italy, all the way to the Greek peninsula. They had also navigated rivers and estuaries into Russia and Eastern Europe, discovered Iceland and Greenland to the west, and ultimately reached North America. Eastward, they''d even made it to the Caspian Sea. If this continued, it was only a matter of time before wizards became the servants of the Norse gods. "And opening a school could encourage other families to share their magic too, which would benefit us as well," added Ravenclaw, reinforcing Hufflepuff''s argument on the need for a magical school. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw''s words began to sway Gryffindor, but Slytherin promptly threw a bucket of cold water on the idea: "Even if we tried, our school wouldn''t last long before greedy wizards brought it down. They''d sneak in to steal our magic, or even capture our students to force us to reveal all the spells we know." "To establish a magic school, we can''t do it as we are now. We''d need each of us to have significant fame¡ªenough to deter those greedy eyes." The other three fell silent. They had to admit that Slytherin''s prediction was the most likely outcome. "Then let''s wait until we''ve become renowned wizards, and then start our magic school!" Hufflepuff didn''t press her friends further, knowing it was unrealistic to start a school right now. Gryffindor voiced his support for Hufflepuff''s vision. He stated that fighting was his strength, and even single-handedly taking down a fire dragon was no issue. If anyone dared covet their school in the future, he''d nail them one by one to stakes. Slytherin laughed and shook his head: becoming world-famous wizards? That could take decades. By then, how many of the four of them would still be alive? The witch also had a cup that could transform water into rich wine, which greatly intrigued the grandfather. After much persuasion, he finally managed to trade for this "Holy Grail" from the old witch, exchanging it for a piece of classified intelligence. So, this was the origin of the copper cup with the badger emblem. However, after obtaining the cup, the grandfather of the tomb''s occupant drank himself to death, eventually passing away drunk in bed. The tomb owner''s father then inherited the cup, becoming equally obsessed with the wine it produced until he succumbed to liver disease. Convinced the cup was cursed, the tomb owner chose to bury it with himself to prevent it from harming his descendants. When the Order unearthed it, they discovered that, perhaps due to the passage of time, the enchantment on the cup had deteriorated. It could no longer produce fine wine, only a sour, vinegary liquid. Thus, it was tucked away in the storage room''s corner, in the hope that one day, someone might restore it. The "turn water into wine" effect still had a certain allure. After reading the account, Rhys was certain that the "elderly witch" mentioned on the epitaph was none other than Hufflepuff herself. According to Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff had set off on her own travels after he and Godric left the school, never to return. It now seemed that she had indeed reached Egypt and had significantly advanced her food-related magic. Rhys distinctly remembered that when he left Hogwarts, Helga was far from achieving the feats described in the epitaph. But that wasn''t the most important point¡ªthe real question was what kind of information the tomb owner''s grandfather had traded. That could give Rhys a new lead in tracing Hufflepuff''s whereabouts. Remarkably, the Order had done an analysis for him! _________ Read 12 Adv Chaps: Patreon/HornyFBI 170- Come And Give Me A Back Massage! 170- Come And Give Me A Back Massage! [According to research, the tomb owner was a descendant of the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh''s Keeper of Secrets. The Keepers of Secrets had protected the Pharaoh''s tombs for generations, but by the twelfth century, Egypt''s magical community had completely declined, and the wizarding population in Egypt had entirely changed. This led to the degeneration of the Keeper lineage, with many descendants resorting to selling off the Pharaoh''s funerary artifacts for a living. Therefore, we reasonably deduce that the grandfather of the tomb owner traded the knowledge of a particular Pharaoh''s tomb in exchange for this cup.] "A Pharaoh''s tomb..." Rhys read the Order''s analysis and found it quite plausible; if it was an unopened Pharaoh''s tomb, it would certainly attract Hufflepuff''s interest for exploration. As the leaders of the first wizards, the earliest Pharaohs would surely have powers comparable to the Norse gods, meaning their tombs would undoubtedly contain remarkable treasures. But it would have to be an ancient enough Pharaoh. Rhys thought there was hardly any point in excavating tombs from the Twentieth Dynasty onward, when Egypt had already been conquered by Persia, and certainly not those of Ptolemaic Egypt, whose links to ancient Egypt were tenuous at best. "The tomb must be ancient enough and unplundered, yet even with these conditions, there''s still a thick veil of mystery..." Rhys sighed. There was too little reliable information; all he''d found were faint traces of Hufflepuff''s past. The bigger challenge was that he couldn''t be sure whether Helga had wandered off to other places after "visiting" the Pharaoh''s tomb. Still, a lead was better than nothing. From this information, it seemed Hufflepuff had been living well enough after leaving Hogwarts, with her magical abilities even advancing. Reassuring himself with that thought, Rhys tucked both the badger-head cup and the Order''s compiled information into his robes, planning to share it with Ravenclaw when he returned to the school. Since the information was unclear, Rhys wasn''t in any rush to search for Hufflepuff. Instead, he focused on clearing out the various Order of Secrets outposts on his list. On the bright side, if he stumbled across more clues about Hufflepuff, it would be an unexpected bonus. With that thought, Rhys set out. ... While Rhys was busy tracking down the Order''s "little rats" around the world, turning them one by one into drowned corpses, Hogwarts enjoyed yet another peaceful day. Daphne, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, left her dormitory and soon spotted Rhys in his usual corner of the common room, reading a book. "Morning, Rhys..." she said, trailing off halfway through, realizing with a jolt that this was an imposter¡ªRhys wouldn''t be reading A History of Magic. "Seriously, the execution is way too sloppy!" Daphne muttered. "Rhys reading A History of Magic? That''s an obvious giveaway." She walked over and plucked the History of Magic from Rhys'' hands. The false Rhys didn''t react with anger to being interrupted. He looked up and greeted her calmly with a gentle, "Good morning, Daphne." As he sat quietly on the bench, looking at her with a friendly expression, Daphne narrowed her eyes. A thought struck her: didn''t she have control over this "Rhys"? Could she make him do anything she wanted, or were there limits? Once the idea took root, it grew like a wildfire. "Yes, my friend Daphne?" "Rhys, I''m a little stiff, give me a back massage." "Understood." Without hesitation, Rhys knelt beside Daphne and dutifully began massaging her back. Astoria''s eyes widened in disbelief. Sis, do you have some dirt on Rhys or something? After enjoying the massage for a while, Daphne slowly explained to Astoria that this Rhys was a duplicate, created by Rhys himself and entrusted to her care. Astoria: "So this is how you''re ''taking care'' of it?" Daphne shot her a look. "You''re not going to tell Rhys, right?" "Of course not," Astoria replied, feigning loyalty. Inside, however, she was already calculating what kind of reward Rhys might give her for ratting her sister out. She''d been eyeing that duplicate spell for a while now, and if it came with a necklace just like her sister''s, that would be even better! After all, it was her sister; she had to get a good price! She certainly wasn''t going to spill the beans right in front of Daphne, though. No, she''d find an opportunity to tell Rhys later, and when Daphne asked, she could just blame it on some other student in their House. Serves her right for being so showy, Astoria thought smugly. Playing innocent, she stepped forward and spoke earnestly: "Sister, isn''t this a bit too flashy? If someone notices, Rhys might find out someday." Daphne thought it over and felt her sister had a point. She was only this bold because it was just a duplicate that Rhys had made, no different from a plush toy he''d given her. She''d never dare boss the real Rhys around like this! If he ever found out... A chill ran down Daphne''s spine, and at that moment, a voice echoed that made Daphne''s brow furrow while Astoria''s face lit up with delight. ________ 12 Advance Chapters¡ª 171- Rhys Became A House-Elf? 171- Rhys Became A House-Elf? "Rhys Lynt, how much did the Greengrasses pay you to be her personal house-elf?" A slick, drawling voice sounded. Just hearing the voice, Daphne knew Malfoy had arrived. Her expression immediately darkened; Malfoy had found out things he shouldn''t know. Worse, judging by his tone, he''d probably bring this up every time he saw Rhys from now on. What she''d been doing wasn''t anything serious, but she definitely didn''t want Rhys to find out. Astoria, on the other hand, had a rather amused look on her face. She stifled a laugh, quickly hiding her reaction so her sister wouldn''t notice. She''d been wondering who''d make the perfect scapegoat, and Malfoy had offered himself up; he was so thoughtful! As Malfoy continued to taunt Rhys, he was actually a little envious. He envied how Rhys could be so close to Daphne, always around her¡ªit stirred his jealousy. What if Daphne asked me to give her a massage? The thought flashed through his mind, though he didn''t dare dwell on it. Yet that didn''t stop him from mocking Rhys. When Malfoy spoke, Rhys stopped what he was doing and turned his head, calmly looking at him. Rhys''s gaze made Malfoy uneasy. He wanted to step forward, yank Rhys''s filthy hands off Daphne, but memories of their unpleasant encounters in first year made him hesitate. "Draco¡ª" Daphne started to say something but was cut off by Rhys. "She didn''t pay me." "What?" "Daphne didn''t pay to hire me as her house-elf. She asked me to give her a back massage, so I gave her one. Massaging helps relax muscles, relieve fatigue, boost blood flow, and even aid in the circulation of magical energy." Daphne: ... Malfoy: ??? Did Rhys seriously just answer his question? Could he not tell it was meant as a taunt? Daphne responded with another sweet smile¡ªnow was a perfect time for just a smile. "He could end up a complete idiot because of this!" Astoria was genuinely worried. Unlike other curses, the Memory Charm directly tampered with a person''s mind, making it incredibly difficult to reverse. Some wizards skilled in the Memory Charm could even make the altered memories permanently unrecoverable. Daphne''s decision to test a spell she''d just learned on a real person was bold, to say the least. "So what? He''s already an idiot." Daphne didn''t care about the consequences; as far as she was concerned, what happened to Malfoy had nothing to do with her. And if trouble ever came her way, like Lucius Malfoy trying to get her arrested, she could always hide in the Chamber of Secrets. Rhys had taught her things far more useful than what any professor taught. After dismissing her sister''s worries, Daphne turned to Malfoy, who stood dazed beside her. "Hey, Draco, you''re just standing there¡ªdo you need something?" At the sound of his name, Malfoy''s vacant eyes gradually regained focus, and he scratched the back of his head. "Uh, I was about to go have breakfast. Daphne, want to come along?" "Absolutely not. I''m eating in the common room today." Satisfied that Malfoy hadn''t turned into a total fool, Daphne motioned for Astoria to sit beside her and join her for breakfast. "Ugh.." Malfoy, having been brushed off, sensed the atmosphere and left. Daphne winked at her sister and then picked up a slightly cold sausage from the table, eating it slowly. Astoria sighed, picked up the Daily Prophet that her sister had set aside, and began reading the day''s news. On the front page was an article about yesterday''s "Century Experiment" at the Quidditch pitch. The Daily Prophet''s editors were optimistically claiming that "Lycanthropy will soon be history" and also noted Professor Lockhart''s "true colors." Sure enough, with the paper''s distribution, Lockhart''s reputation would likely crumble. In fact, in an obscure corner of the newspaper, there was a brief announcement of his resignation. According to him, it was due to "worsening health," which forced him to resign from the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Astoria wasn''t particularly surprised by Lockhart''s departure; it was actually the second news article that caught her attention: "Dumbledore Sets Dark Wizard Ablaze" ____________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 172- Rhys: Daphne, You’re a True Gryffindor 172- Rhys: Daphne, You¡¯re a True Gryffindor The article on the Daily Prophet''s second page described how Dumbledore had used an "awe-inspiring" spell the previous night to incinerate several dark wizards who had sinister intentions, reducing them to ashes. The flames reportedly burned for a full quarter of an hour, with numerous witnesses observing Dumbledore''s fiery punishment. Naturally, his methods sparked controversy, though there were many who supported Dumbledore. After all, those dark wizards had been attempting to infiltrate Hogwarts, and no one could be certain of their true intentions. As Astoria read the paper, Daphne watched her, contemplating whether to erase her sister''s memory¡ªone less person knowing meant one less risk. But after a moment of thought, she abandoned the idea. After all, Astoria was her sister, and it wasn''t as if Daphne''s actions were truly significant secrets. Why bother targeting her sister over it? Astoria, oblivious to her sister''s musings, sat beside her, engrossed in the news and occasionally making remarks with Daphne about the arrogance of those dark wizards. Then, she suddenly realized something. "Sister, why did Rhys leave? Was it because of those dark wizards?" Daphne pursed her lips. The perceptive little brat! "So what if it was, and so what if it wasn''t? His whereabouts don''t concern you." Hearing her sister''s response, Astoria puffed up her cheeks. Daphne''s words clearly implied that Rhys''s departure was related to the dark wizards who had infiltrated the school, yet she made it clear that this had nothing to do with Astoria. "But I''ve studied magic with Rhys too! I have a right to know where he''s gone! Maybe I could even help!" Astoria argued defiantly. Seeing her sister so flustered filled Daphne with delight and a sense of superiority, making her completely forget that she, too, had initially been left in the dark by Rhys. If she hadn''t been observant enough to see through the fake Rhys, she would be in the exact same position as Astoria. With a smile creeping onto her face, Daphne replied, "This isn''t something you need to know. I''m the one helping Rhys handle things. I''m the person he trusts most; otherwise, why would he have me controlling his stand-in?" Astoria''s face turned visibly red with frustration. "Alright, it''s getting late. I have class to attend. Rhys, let''s go." Feeling thoroughly superior, Daphne rose from her armchair and headed to class with the fake Rhys by her side. "It could once, but now it''s damaged," Rhys replied, demonstrating as clear spring water swirled inside the cup before turning into a sour, dark liquid. Even in its broken state, the cup fascinated Daphne. She picked it up, examining it closely from every angle. "By the way, did you know the stand-in has a ''recall'' function?" Rhys asked casually, introducing her to one of the stand-in''s hidden features as she was engrossed with the cup. "What¡ª?!" Daphne''s smile vanished, and she nearly jumped in surprise. Following the law of smile conservation, her expression had now transferred onto Rhys''s face. "It seems you really didn''t know. Here, let me show you," Rhys said, standing up and placing his hand on the stand-in''s shoulder. "No, no..." Daphne shook her head weakly, but couldn''t think of a reason to stop him. Daphne''s reaction practically had "I did something bad" written all over her face, sparking Rhys''s curiosity about what exactly she had done to his stand-in. So he promptly activated the recall function. "Rhys, bring me breakfast." "Rhys, feed me breakfast." "Rhys..." A string of commands spilled from the stand-in''s mouth, leaving Rhys in silence for a long while. "..." "What the..." "Daphne, you''re a true Gryffindor at heart!" Rhys finally exclaimed, genuinely ...impressed? __________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 173- Gryffindor’s Teaching Method 173- Gryffindor¡¯s Teaching Method Watching her sister run laps around the chamber, Astoria was certain that Rhys had uncovered what Daphne had done. As a good little sister, Astoria used all her strength to control her facial muscles, barely stopping herself from laughing out loud. "A good witch or wizard needs a strong physique, or at the very least should be in good health," Rhys said with a serious expression. "This was a teaching method left by Gryffindor himself. A thousand years ago, every Hogwarts student had to take it as a required course, but in this era, both professors and students have cast it aside. I don''t think that''s right." Even while gasping for breath, Daphne managed to grit out a reply. "Did you read about this in ancient wizards'' letters too?" "Of course! Plenty of students back then mentioned it in letters to their families," Rhys responded without hesitation. "And those students had to run in armor. Daphne, would you like to give that a try?" "No!" Daphne shouted before stopping, clutching her side ¡ª she had a stitch. Rhys sighed and walked over, using magic to help ease her breathing. He did this without any hint of ulterior motive from her previous antics, genuinely hoping that his student would develop a healthy body. But clearly, Daphne still had a long way to go. In the days that followed, recent events continued to escalate. Ministries of Magic worldwide began introducing, or preparing to introduce, policies related to werewolves, offering spells to help those affected by full-moon transformations regain human form and providing wolfsbane potion free of charge. Though the creation of the potion requires resources, preventing lycanthropy is something that must be pursued regardless of cost. With Dumbledore backing the project with his own reputation, plus the endorsement of the British Minister of Magic, many werewolves who had recently transformed during the full moon began to consider visiting the Ministry to try the Human Restoration Charm. More importantly, numerous Ministries of Magic announced they would keep the identities of werewolves seeking the spell strictly confidential. All they needed to do was send a letter of appointment to the Ministry before the full moon, then arrive at the Ministry on the night of the full moon. This policy greatly inspired the werewolves, as they realized they could receive the Human Restoration Charm in another country''s Ministry of Magic, minimizing the risk of exposing their identities. As a result, the British Ministry, where the charm originated, was quickly overwhelmed with appointment requests. While Lockhart was thankful for these fans, he desperately wished they would stop making things worse. But they were beyond his control. The situation led to severe consequences, as more and more wizards began to ask, "If Lockhart made this all up, why are the stories so vividly detailed? And if he based it on real accounts, where are the real heroes?" As the matter escalated, shocking revelations emerged. One wizard claimed that the plot of Lockhart''s book bore an uncanny resemblance to an adventure his friend once had. When he visited this friend to confirm if Lockhart had obtained permission, he found his friend could not remember the adventure at all! This news quickly made headlines in local newspapers. Riding the wave of publicity around the werewolf experiment, the story spread worldwide, causing an uproar across the wizarding community. Under immense public pressure, the British Ministry of Magic summoned and arrested Lockhart, who now faced an investigation and trial by the Wizengamot. This development officially made Lupin, the interim professor, a permanent professor at Hogwarts, marking him as another beneficiary of the situation. While Lockhart was the second most affected, the top victim was undeniably the Secret Society. What started as a simple reconnaissance mission ended with the loss of three constellation-level monks and the sacrifice of three sacred relics. In retaliation, they had three bases destroyed and dozens of covert agents eliminated. The attacks were so precise that even the bases and agents under the control of Capricornus and Sagittarius had to be relocated, creating significant turmoil for the Cult. In response, the Order summoned all constellation-ranked monks back to headquarters to discuss their next steps¡ªafter all, they couldn''t let three sacred relics remain lost at Hogwarts. Vigo family and the family of Sagittarius were especially agitated, pushing the Order to launch an expedition against Hogwarts to reclaim their treasures. However, most constellation monks refused. Their reasoning was straightforward: if they went through with it, they would be facing Dumbledore, who had single-handedly defeated three of their strongest in one encounter. Did they really want to oppose such a monstrous figure? Nonetheless, Hogwarts'' allure continued to grow, now housing three sacred relics, a complete divine corpse, and Gryffindor''s God-Slaying Sword. Now, they needed a carefully crafted plan for how to deal with Hogwarts. ___________ Read 12 Adv Chapters¡ª 174- Let me tell you about Daphne’s interesting first year experience 174- Let me tell you about Daphne¡¯s interesting first year experience When October arrived, Hogwarts was enveloped in a damp chill, causing many students to catch colds. Astoria was one of them. However, with Madam Pomfrey in the infirmary and Rhys Lint, a master of potions, at her side, her cold was hardly a concern. After drinking a specially formulated energizing potion from Rhys, two large jets of steam shot out from Astoria''s nostrils. The minute-long steam cleared her discomfort, allowing her nasal passages to breathe freely. With a bit more stamina potion later, she would be fully recovered. Daphne, on the other hand, benefited from Gryffindor''s rigorous training methods. Her daily runs around the Chamber of Secrets had strengthened her immune system, allowing her to fend off this wave of illness. The damp weather and rain didn''t dampen the spirits of the Quidditch team captains. Gryffindor''s captain, Wood, and Slytherin''s captain, Marcus, seemed to be locked in an arms race, pushing their teams to extreme training sessions, come rain or shine, much to their teammates'' misery. Malfoy, in particular, struggled to keep up with Marcus at first and even tried to resist. However, after a private conversation between them, Malfoy suddenly accepted Marcus''s grueling regimen. No one knew exactly what Marcus had said to him. Quidditch training, however, had little to do with Rhys. After his sweeping operations against the Secret Society'' bases in North Africa, life returned to calm until Halloween approached. "Last Halloween, a troll was let loose in the castle." On a stormy Saturday evening, Rhys accompanied Daphne and Astoria to the library until closing. The three walked slowly through the corridors back to their common room. "Oh, I heard about that! Apparently, the troll ended up dead inside the castle for unknown reasons," replied Astoria, who, though only a first-year, was well-versed in school gossip. "Your sister killed it." Astoria fell silent. Then she was shocked. She couldn''t believe that her sister had single-handedly taken down a troll. He had his own struggles; tasks that were simple for most young wizards took him ten or even a hundred times the effort. Worse yet, after spending most of his life in the magical world, he couldn''t be unaware of spells like the cleaning charm. Knowing the solution but not being able to use it¡ªthat was the curse of a Squib. Filch''s harsh treatment of students was likely tied to his Squib status, as it had warped his mindset. Astoria''s eyes widened. She hadn''t expected that the caretaker, who was always picking on students, would turn out to be a Squib. "Squib..." Astoria murmured, repeating the term. She knew of such people: those born into wizarding families but tragically devoid of magical ability. For Squibs, the most compassionate thing to do was often to send them to Muggle schools, encouraging them to integrate into Muggle society. "I heard once that all Muggle-born wizards are actually descendants of Squibs and Muggles," Daphne added, sharing a bit of trivia she knew. Rhys shook his head; this theory didn''t fully align with what they had concluded back in his time. From his discussions with Ravenclaw, they believed that everyone on Earth had the potential to awaken magical abilities; it was simply that wizarding descendants had a slightly higher chance. "The difference between Squibs and regular wizards isn''t that large," Rhys explained to the Greengrass sisters, offering his own analysis of why Squibs might be unable to use magic. "Ordinary wizards, even if they don''t understand how magic flows, can instinctively use it. Squibs, on the other hand, may be unable to channel magic due to a natural deficiency, blocked magical pathways, insensitivity to the magic in their surroundings, or perhaps simply because their magic is too weak. Whatever the reason, they just can''t drive magic the way other wizards can." Astoria gasped, "So if you teach them how magic flows, could Squibs regain their ability to be wizards?" "Possibly," Rhys replied nonchalantly. Astoria and Daphne: "!!!" __________ Read 12 Advance Chapters: 175- Raindrops and Eyeballs 175- Raindrops and Eyeballs In the magical world, being a Squib is universally recognized as an incurable condition. The so-called "Squib training courses" advertised in various tabloids are essentially scams designed to swindle money. So when Rhys said it was possible to cure this condition, the impact on the two people was profound. Given Rhys'' long-standing reputation, the two believed he wasn''t just making baseless claims but genuinely had a way to treat it. "So, if you..." Astoria trailed off, implying that if Rhys taught Filch how to control magic flow, wouldn''t he regain his magical abilities? If Filch could shed his identity as a Squib, wouldn''t he become more amicable and less harsh on students? And after experiencing a new lease on life, shouldn''t he channel his energy into delving deeper into the study of magic? Rhys and Daphne glanced at Astoria in unison, and then Rhys looked at Daphne again, sensing the gap between the two sisters. Astoria had clearly been well-protected by her sister and father! "Yes," Rhys said after thinking it over, answering decisively, "but I don''t have that much energy. I can only teach two students at a time. You and Daphne can discuss it and decide who won''t come to my lessons anymore." "..." Astoria immediately closed her mouth. She didn''t mind lending Filch a hand, as long as it didn''t come at the expense of her own interests. But if it meant giving up her place in Rhys'' lessons, she would definitely stand aside and do nothing. What Rhys didn''t tell the Greengrass sisters was that even if Filch regained his ability to perform magic, his potential would remain capped. No matter how hard he worked, he would only ever be a mediocre wizard at best. The inherent flaws of being a Squib were not something that could be remedied through teaching methods. "Even if I could restore his casting ability with a mere wave of my hand, I wouldn''t do it," Rhys said seriously. Rhys didn''t trust the mental state of Squibs. Years of repression might have gradually warped their psyche, even turning them into deranged individuals. If they suddenly gained the ability to perform magic, their behavior could become highly unpredictable. Such people could cause unimaginable destruction to the magical world. In Rhys'' opinion, hiring Squibs as caretakers was already a mistake. If the relics originated from the same deity, it was perfectly normal for there to be resonance between them. Rhys decided to lend this little "guest" a hand and artificially accelerate the process. Under Rhys'' influence, the rain outside suddenly intensified, and the magic-infused droplets began falling around Hogwarts Castle at a faster rate. The droplets Rhys had collected earlier merged together, creating an attraction that drew other droplets toward them. Rhys cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself, Daphne, and Astoria, then stepped aside to observe as the crystalline form in front of them grew larger and gradually took on the appearance of an eye. Once the eye was fully formed, it began spinning, and a few tiny tendrils sprouted from its underside. "Eww..." "Ugh." Daphne and Astoria both made faces of utter disgust simultaneously. At this point, Rhys was certain that the infiltrator was a spy from the Secret Order, using the power of a divine relic to observe Hogwarts. The "eye" before him carried a familiar aura, strikingly similar to the relic associated with Sagittarius that had previously surfaced. "Alright, let me show you a little trick," Rhys said, deciding to impress Daphne and Astoria with a demonstration. "This intruder used a specific method to send one of their eyes into Hogwarts. It''s an excellent tool for reconnaissance but also exposes their vulnerability. It''s practically a perfect conduit for counterattacks." As he spoke, Rhys retrieved his wand, revealed himself, and pressed the tip of the wand against the floating eye. As soon as the wand touched the surface of the eye, bulging bubbles appeared, as though the liquid inside was boiling. Rhys applied a little pressure, and with a soft pop, the eye burst into fragments. At the same moment, in a dark corner of the Hog''s Head Inn in Hogsmeade, a wizard wrapped tightly in a cloak let out a scream of agony. This wizard had only one eye, the other socket an empty black void. Blood gushed like a fountain from the hollow cavity where the missing eye had been. Within moments, the wizard collapsed to the ground, motionless, save for the occasional twitching of their hands and feet. _______ Read 12 chapters ahead: 176- Deathday Party and the Bloody Baron 176- Deathday Party and the Bloody Baron "Too foolish," Rhys shook his head. "It''s as if he didn''t even consider the staff and students of Hogwarts as people. A simple spell was all it took to end his life." "What was that just now?" Daphne asked curiously. Rhys explained to Daphne the monk''s method of infiltration. Daphne and Astoria both covered their mouths in shock. Using rainfall to infiltrate Hogwarts? Such a method was unheard of and nearly impossible to defend against! "It''s not a big problem because this kind of ''entry method'' requires a special tool to work, and they probably don''t have a second one," Rhys replied. ''Even if they had a second one, they likely wouldn''t be able to find someone capable of using it,'' Rhys added in his mind. While Rhys severed the Secret Order''s attempt to extend their reach into Hogwarts, Harry was busy finding a way to escape Filch''s office and managed to return to the hallway. There, he encountered Gryffindor''s house ghost, Nearly Headless Nick. Harry struck up a conversation with him. "This year''s Halloween will mark the 500th anniversary of my death," Nick said, sounding quite proud. "I''m hosting a party in a rather spacious dungeon classroom. Friends from all across the Seven Seas will be attending. If you could join us, I''d be most honored. Mr. Weasley and any other living guests are always the most welcome. But I dare say you''d rather attend the school''s feast, wouldn''t you?" "Oh no, I''ll come," Harry accepted Nick''s invitation. Harry''s conversation with Nick caught Rhys'' attention. Noticing that Rhys was observing the Gryffindor ghost, Daphne took the initiative to explain the ghost''s story and how he got his nickname. "He''s the ghost of Gryffindor House. Unlike the Bloody Baron of our house, Nearly Headless Nick is quite an outgoing figure. His real name is Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington. He studied in Gryffindor during his lifetime and, after graduating, became a court wizard. However, due to a magical mishap, Sir Nicholas was sentenced to execution. The executioner''s axe was incredibly dull¡ªit took forty-five blows, and even then, his head wasn''t completely severed from his neck," Daphne said softly. Rhys frowned. Clearly, this wasn''t a story that would please most wizards. "And that is the importance of the Statute of Secrecy," Rhys remarked after a moment of silence, drawing this conclusion. He was deeply curious about the Baron''s inner journey. To this day, Rhys could hardly believe that the Baron had killed Ravenclaw''s daughter. Hearing that Rhys wanted to attend his deathday party, Nick was momentarily stunned. Then, a delighted expression spread across his face, so much so that his nearly-detached head wobbled precariously. "Absolutely! It would be my greatest honor! The two young ladies, as lovely as white roses, are equally welcome." "Of course." "Delighted to join!" Daphne and Astoria chimed in eagerly. Seeing Rhys take the initiative to attend the party, both sisters were quick to accept Nick''s invitation as well. The unique nature of an event hosted exclusively by ghosts had sparked their intense curiosity. As for the school''s Halloween feast, that was an annual affair. A ghost''s deathday party, however, was a far rarer occasion¡ªthere was no telling when the next one might occur. By then, they themselves might already be ghosts. "Fantastic!" Nearly Headless Nick was ecstatic at having casually recruited three more living attendees for his party. However, before leaving, he sheepishly made a small request: he asked Rhys and the sisters to affirm, in front of Sir Patrick, the head of the Headless Hunt, that Nick was an exceptionally impressive and fearsome ghost. Perhaps, for ghosts, inspiring fear in the living was a matter of great pride. This was no issue at all, and Rhys readily agreed. Before long, Halloween arrived. ________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 177- Baron, it’s been a while 177- Baron, it¡¯s been a while The Great Hall had been decorated as it was in previous years, with live bats and enormous Hogwarts-grown pumpkins, filling the castle with a tantalizing aroma. Rumor had it that Dumbledore had arranged for a skeleton dance troupe to entertain everyone. In the Slytherin common room, Rhys waited for the Greengrass sisters, who were dressed to the nines. When the two appeared in the common room, Rhys was visibly stunned. To attend the deathday party, Daphne and Astoria each wore a long dress robe, both gray in base color and identical in style. The only difference was that Daphne''s robe featured green silk accents on the front, while Astoria''s was trimmed in silver-gray. They also wore matching lace-up boots, distinguished only by the color of the laces. Rhys noticed that Daphne had prominently displayed the necklace he had given her. Astoria, who hadn''t received a necklace from him, clearly felt slighted, but there wasn''t much she could do. She opted to wear an emerald necklace in its place. "You two..." Rhys shook his head, a wry smile appearing on his face. The sisters'' formal attire made him look rather underdressed by comparison. After a moment''s thought, Rhys cast a Transfiguration spell on his wizard''s robe, transforming it into something more like formal evening wear. "Magic makes everything so convenient. Shall we?" Daphne didn''t rush to leave but first asked a question: "Do you think this outfit looks good?" "It looks great," Rhys nodded. It was clear at a glance that Daphne and Astoria''s outfits were expensive. Rhys''s response made Daphne visibly happy. Just as the three were about to leave the common room, Astoria asked the exact same question. Rhys squinted slightly. His instincts told him that Astoria''s question might be leading somewhere tricky. "Daphne''s outfit looks great, so of course yours does too. Is there even any difference between your outfit and your sister''s? They''re identical," Rhys replied with a sly smile. He preemptively shut down any potential follow-up question like "Whose outfit looks better, mine or my sister''s?" Dealing with kids trying to outshine each other could be exhausting, so it was best to nip it in the bud early. "Wait, I¡ª" Daphne tried to follow, but the flame on her chest suddenly flared up intensely. It was clear Rhys didn''t want her eavesdropping on his conversation with the Baron. Daphne pouted in dissatisfaction at Rhys''s arrangement. She instinctively wanted to pursue him, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Astoria obediently walking in the opposite direction. Daphne: ! She was stunned. In this situation, shouldn''t they stand united and insist on following Rhys? Why was her little sister retreating instead of pressing forward? Daphne suddenly came to a realization: With me as the contrast, my sister looks so obedient.... So calculating! Daphne clenched her fists, then immediately turned around to catch up with Harry and Ron. I can be a good good too! Astoria, just you wait! Rhys, oblivious to Daphne''s complex inner thoughts, walked up to the Bloody Baron and greeted him. "Baron, it''s been a while." The Bloody Baron: "?" Who are you? The Baron was confused. The young wizard before him looked somewhat familiar¡ªprobably a Hogwarts student, and one with decent grades at that. But he couldn''t recall ever exchanging a single word with this student. Why did the boy seem so familiar with him? More unsettlingly, the Baron caught a trace of... affection in Rhys''s gaze? It was as if Rhys was looking at a junior or a loved one. And there was something about the boy¡ªa strange yet familiar aura radiating from him. The Bloody Baron was utterly baffled. The surrounding ghosts were equally perplexed, unable to discern the relationship between this young wizard and the fearsome Baron. __________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 178- The way to prove that I am me is very simple 178- The way to prove that I am me is very simple Seeing that the Baron couldn''t recognize him, Rhys clicked his tongue in mild frustration. Still, he didn''t blame the poor lad. After all, when Rhys had taken him on as a student, Rhys had already been an old man. If even Ravenclaw, who had known him longer and better, couldn''t recognize him at first, it was perfectly reasonable for the Baron to fail to recognize his much younger self. Fortunately, Rhys had come prepared. He reached into his robes and pulled out a silver cross pendant. Unlike the crosses typically associated with Muggles, this one was entwined with a serpent, giving it a bizarre and slightly sinister appearance. The Bloody Baron narrowed his eyes as he caught sight of the pendant. The unusual design stirred memories deep within him. This was a gift he had once given his teacher. Though it wasn''t particularly valuable, it held significant sentimental meaning. The cross itself had been confiscated from a bishop¡ªa keepsake of considerable significance. The fact that this young wizard now held the pendant meant he might be a descendant of his teacher or at least someone with a connection to him. This was reason enough for the Baron to show a little more patience toward the boy. "Let''s talk somewhere else. There are too many... ''people'' here," Rhys suggested. The Baron nodded in agreement. He didn''t like the prying gazes of the surrounding ghosts and had no desire for them to eavesdrop on his conversation with Rhys. He was well aware of his poor reputation among the ghostly crowd, but he didn''t care, nor did he have any intention of improving his relationships. In life, the Baron had been quite skilled at socializing, but ever since becoming a ghost, he had truly let himself go. The surrounding ghosts began whispering among themselves, but none dared to follow. The Baron''s infamy was too great for anyone to risk crossing him¡ªespecially not to eavesdrop. Even Peeves, the castle''s notorious poltergeist, wouldn''t dare. Indeed, Peeves had made an appearance at the event. However, the moment he spotted the Bloody Baron from afar, he immediately hid under a table. Rhys and the Baron left through the back door of the underground classroom, finding a secluded spot just outside. Once they stopped, Rhys took a moment to carefully and thoroughly study his former student. Compared to how he had looked when Rhys left the school, the Baron was thinner, his appearance haggard and disheveled. His features hadn''t changed much, but the large bloodstains on his robes stood out starkly, making for a striking sight. "The last time I saw you was a thousand years ago," Rhys said softly. "I thought that was our farewell. I never expected to have the chance to see you again in this life." The Bloody Baron: "???" The Baron had assumed that everyone who knew about this humiliation had long since turned to dust. Yet here it was, dragged into the light of day a thousand years later by a child. No¡ªif this boy knew about that incident, combined with the fact that he possessed the necklace the Baron had given his teacher... two clues intersected and pointed to one conclusion: This boy standing before him truly was his teacher, Salazar Slytherin. The Bloody Baron''s expression shifted rapidly before finally settling into one of reverence. He straightened his posture, bowed formally to Rhys, and said respectfully, "Teacher, it has been a long time." Seeing that the Baron finally believed him, Rhys let out a sigh of relief. If the Baron hadn''t accepted the truth, Rhys would have had to divulge even more shocking revelations. "Fate is indeed strange," Rhys said, filled with emotion as he faced his once-prized student. A thousand years ago, he could never have imagined that he and Barrow would one day be able to converse like this again, a millennium later. "You''ve lost weight," Rhys remarked. At these words, a bitter look came over the Baron''s face. "After you left the school..." The Baron''s lips trembled as though he had much to say, but in the end, all of it condensed into a single sentence: "A lot happened." Rhys fell silent. After he had fallen out with the other three founders and stormed out of Hogwarts in a rage, he could only imagine how difficult the days must have been for the students he had left behind. Rhys believed that someone as magnanimous as Rowena Ravenclaw would have directed any anger at him, rather than targeting the students. However, the mutual hostility and divisions between ordinary students were not something even the other founders could have easily erased. "My methods back then were indeed a bit extreme," Rhys said with a sigh. "Though they were necessary, I admit they brought unintended trouble to you all." The Baron quickly shook his head and waved his hands dismissively. "The students in the house supported you, Professor. The ones who were wrong were Professor Gryffindor and the others. After the Smith Uprising, the school really shouldn''t have continued admitting Muggle-born students... "That lot had mediocre talent and no gratitude. Not only did they fail to live up to the professors'' teachings, but they also squandered Professor Hufflepuff''s efforts. All you did was take precautions against future troubles." __________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 179- The Day Barrow Could Not Remember 179- The Day Barrow Could Not Remember Listening to Barrow''s words, Rhys sighed again. Looking down from his vantage point, Barrow observed Rhys''s every change in expression before speaking. "Teacher, you''ve changed." "Oh?" Rhys raised an eyebrow. "Has your vision drastically worsened after becoming a ghost? Look at what you''re saying. I''ve turned into a child, so of course, I''ve changed." "It''s not your appearance," Barrow shook his head. "It''s your personality¡ªyour personality has changed significantly." Rhys thought for a moment. "Rowena said the same thing. She claimed it was because my body became younger." "Rowena?" Hearing that name, Barrow had a bold thought. "Mm, the very Rowena you''re thinking of." Barrow''s eyes widened. "Professor Ravenclaw is still alive?!" "She''s dead, but like you, she chose to become a ghost." The Bloody Baron was even more surprised. If Professor Ravenclaw had become a ghost, why had he never seen her in a thousand years? Could it be she hadn''t been at Hogwarts all this time? Rhys explained his confusion. He told Barrow that Rowena had chosen to seal herself within the dungeons, using her specially prepared body and her ghostly presence together to suppress the dark creatures lurking there. Barrow became even more remorseful. If not for his recklessness, Professor Ravenclaw wouldn''t have had to endure so much hardship. Though the school''s talent pool had dwindled in her later years, with his and Helena''s efforts, they could have supported the school until the new generation matured. "Since we''re on this topic, tell me what happened¡ªwhat happened between you and Helena," Rhys steered the conversation to the heart of the matter. He was deeply curious about what had occurred that day to drive these two outstanding students to kill each other. Barrow''s spectral form turned even paler, whiter than a typical ghost. His hands trembled violently with emotion. Rhys heard the clinking of chains. The Bloody Baron raised his left hand and slid the bloodstained robe partially off his shoulder. Rhys saw the source of the sound: a pitch-black chain pierced through Barrow''s right shoulder blade and ribs, welded into the wrist of his right hand. "I used the knife that killed Helena to take my own life. After becoming a ghost, I sought out the Smith and had these shackles forged for myself. It''s what I deserve. As for the specific details of that day, I truly cannot remember. Teacher, if you insist on knowing, you can ask Helena herself¡ªshe''s also at Hogwarts." "She''s here too?!" Rhys exclaimed, surprised. "Yes, she became the ghost of Ravenclaw House," Barrow replied wearily. "Haven''t you seen her?" "My life here is rather monotonous¡ªmainly my designated classroom, the library, and the common room, with occasional visits to other classrooms," Rhys explained. "That explains it. Helena prefers to linger near the Ravenclaw Tower." After providing Helena''s location, Barrow fell silent. "Alright, I''ll go find her," Rhys said. "I won''t go," Barrow replied bitterly. Even after all this time, he still couldn''t face Helena. Rhys paused for a moment before offering a gentle persuasion. "Come with me. It''s been nearly a thousand years. You have to find a way to face her eventually. How much longer will you keep running away? Another thousand years?" Barrow fell silent again. His teacher was right. He had been avoiding Helena for almost a millennium. Maybe it was time to try facing her. And at least now, his teacher would be there to support him, right? "There''s something else," Rhys said softly, "You might not be the one who killed Helena. I need to meet her to be sure." He added this almost casually, but it left Barrow utterly stunned. "Not the killer? Me?" For what felt like the hundredth time that day, Barrow was bewildered. If not him, then who could have killed Helena? "When you were recalling the events of that day, your state became unusual. I suspect someone tampered with your memories. It''s a very advanced form of magic, so powerful that even as a ghost, you can''t recall the truth." Barrow: "!!!" "So, are you now willing to come with me to find Helena and figure out what really happened that day?" Rhys asked again. _________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 180- Helena Ravenclaw 180- Helena Ravenclaw Barrow was tempted. "By the way, don''t call me ''teacher'' when there are people around. Just call me Rhys. My name is now Rhys Chassala Lynt," Rhys reminded Barrow before they returned to the underground classroom, ensuring he wouldn''t accidentally reveal his identity. Barrow: "..." "Teacher, your naming sense is... quite unique," Barrow couldn''t help but remark. "I think it''s fantastic," Rhys said, clearly satisfied with his chosen name. When the two returned to the underground classroom, they found that the atmosphere of the Deathday Party had reached its climax. However, none of this seemed to have anything to do with Nearly Headless Nick. At that moment, Nick stood pitifully in the middle of the dance floor, watching a group of hunters, dressed in costume, playing a game of head hockey while riding ghostly steeds. The uninvited guests had completely stolen the spotlight. The phrase "stealing the show" fit this situation perfectly. Barrow was anxious. He was desperate to uncover the truth of that day, so he moved quickly, floating at a brisk pace with Rhys close behind. Due to Barrow''s formidable presence, every ghost he passed immediately gave way, creating a clear path for him through the crowded underground classroom. Rhys was more than happy with the arrangement, closely following behind Barrow¡ªthough he could technically pass through the ghosts'' bodies, the sensation of being submerged in ice water was far from pleasant. As they moved, Rhys noticed something happening on the other side of the classroom. Daphne and her companions were being cornered at a table by a rather peculiar ghost. Despite the fact that ghosts couldn''t eat, Nearly Headless Nick had still prepared a "lavish" banquet for the guests. Of course, none of this food was fit for the living, as every item was rotting, spoiled, and deadly enough to send any young wizard to meet the Hogwarts founders in person. The ghost blocking Daphne and her friends was unlike the others in the room. He wasn''t a pale and transparent spirit but rather a solid, tangible entity. This odd ghost wore a brightly colored, orange party hat, a bowtie spinning ceaselessly around his neck, and an insidious grin lighting up his mischievous face. Rhys immediately recognized him. His name was Peeves, a prankster poltergeist and an old "acquaintance" of Rhys. This mischievous specter had been around since the school''s inception. To be precise, he had appeared alongside the building itself and had gained unique powers distinct from ordinary ghosts after the arrival of so many children at Hogwarts. Initially, Rhys and his friends hadn''t noticed anything unusual about Peeves, assuming him to be just another magical nuisance. But after repeatedly attempting to vanquish him¡ªonly for him to reappear as if nothing had happened the next morning¡ªthe founders began to suspect something was amiss. They eventually gave up on trying to destroy Peeves and instead turned their efforts toward sealing him away. Yet no matter how hard the founders worked, Peeves would always return to Hogwarts, and each time, his pranks became even more chaotic and destructive. In the end, Rhys and his friends concluded that Peeves was not a mere ghost but a spirit born from the collective emotions of Hogwarts'' children. The only way to remove him permanently would be to evacuate every single student from Hogwarts. "Where''s Helena?" "I don''t know." The Baron''s spectral form became noticeably less transparent. He was far more nervous than Rhys had anticipated. "She might be inside the tower." Rhys turned his gaze toward the door knocker at the entrance to the Ravenclaw common room. This door knocker was personally crafted by Rowena Ravenclaw and enchanted with profound magic. It possessed a certain level of intelligence. The only other artifact at Hogwarts with similar sentience was Gryffindor''s Sorting Hat. Rhys knocked on the door knocker, which immediately posed him a question. Only by answering it correctly would he be granted entry to the Ravenclaw Tower. "A young wizard has two jugs, one large and one small. The large jug can hold six pints of water, and the small jug can hold five pints. How can he use these two jugs to collect exactly three pints of water from the Black Lake?" Rhys pondered for a moment before providing his answer. The door swung open, revealing the Ravenclaw common room behind it. The Ravenclaw common room was a vast, circular room adorned with an ethereal charm. Elegant arched windows lined the walls, draped in blue and bronze silk. Stars were the central theme of the room: the domed ceiling was painted with a celestial chart, and the deep-blue carpet beneath their feet was embroidered with countless stars. Unlike the Slytherin common room, this space featured numerous bookshelves, and opposite the entrance, a tall niche housed a white marble statue. Standing before the statue was a ghost with waist-length hair and floor-length robes. _____ Ans: The first step is to fill the 5-pint jug and pour it into the 6-pint jug. Now there are 5 pints of water in the 6-pint jug. 2. Fill the small pot again, and then use the small pot to fill the large pot. Now there is 4 pints of water left in the 5-pint pot. 3. Pour out the water in the large pot and pour the remaining water in the 5-pint pot into the 6-pint pot. Now there are 4 pints of water in the 6-pint pot. 4. Fill the 5-pint jug and pour into the 6-pint jug. The remaining water in the small jug is 3 pints. ___________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 181- I am your Uncle Salazar 181- I am your Uncle Salazar Rhys recognized the ghost of Helena Ravenclaw the moment he saw her back. Thinking of Barrow, who stood behind him, he couldn''t help but sigh: pitiful, truly pitiful. He still remembered what they were like when they attended Hogwarts. One was a child adopted by Ravenclaw from her relatives, while Barrow was an orphaned wizard adopted by Helga Hufflepuff and later sorted into Slytherin. Both had shown extraordinary magical talent upon entering the school. Unfortunately, neither of these promising seeds had grown into the great trees that could have sheltered the school. If given a choice, neither Barrow nor Helena would have wanted to become ghosts. After a wizard dies, as long as their soul remains intact, they can choose to become a ghost, lingering in the mortal world and wandering places they frequented in life. However, very few wizards would willingly make that choice. Choosing to become a ghost meant forever losing the possibility of reincarnation. Without exception, the underworld would no longer accept their soul, and they would remain out of sync with the world of the living: unable to eat, restricted in movement, and incapable of influencing the physical world. Rather than calling them "immortal ghosts," it would be more fitting to describe them as prisoners trapped in an open-air prison or echoes of the dead lingering in the mortal realm. Only those with unresolved regrets would choose such a fate. Ravenclaw''s brilliance allowed her to find a loophole, retaining some of her magical abilities and surpassing other ghosts in her exploration of death. Still, in a way, if these two hadn''t become ghosts, Rhys wouldn''t have had the chance to see them again. For him, perhaps this was a fortunate turn of events...? Hearing the sound of the common room door opening, Helena turned her head and saw Rhys standing in the doorway. Rhys finally got a good look at Helena''s face. Compared to the Bloody Baron, Helena seemed in much better shape. Her beauty had changed little since he last left Hogwarts, and the arrogance in her eyes was just as it had always been. "This is the Ravenclaw common room, student of Slytherin. Why have you come here?" Helena asked coldly, her gaze fixed on Rhys. Then her lips curled into a disdainful smirk. "If you''re here to inquire about the whereabouts of the diadem, you can turn around and leave." She turned her back to him again, resuming her stance in front of the Ravenclaw statue, her thoughts a mystery. Clearly, she had no intention of spending even a second more on someone like Rhys. As Helena said those words to Rhys, the Bloody Baron took several steps back, making sure to stay well out of Helena''s line of sight. At that moment, he even entertained the thought of leaving his teacher behind and running off¡ªafter all, he had already found Helena, hadn''t he? But in the end, he didn''t dare abandon Rhys here alone. Rhys had been prepared for Helena''s cold demeanor. In fact, this was a relatively good start! Who knew what would happen if Helena''s first sight had been of Barrow instead? Rhys stepped closer, stopping in front of the Ravenclaw statue. He squinted, carefully examining the marble sculpture. The statue was exquisitely crafted, yet it exuded an air of detachment. From below, it seemed as if "Ravenclaw" was gazing down at him, her face bearing a faint, mocking smile. Atop her head was a finely detailed marble reproduction of a circular headpiece¡ªthe diadem of Ravenclaw. A torrent of shocking revelations left her dazed. After several seconds, she finally managed to ask in a stunned voice, "You''re saying you''re Uncle Salazar? Do you have any proof?" In truth, the moment the words left her mouth, she was already seventy percent convinced. "Ah~ Our Barrow can vouch for me," Rhys replied. Helena turned toward the Bloody Baron, who stood silently in the corner of the common room. He nodded wordlessly. Helena felt her world spinning. A powerful sense of unreality overwhelmed her: this impossibly young boy standing before her was Uncle Salazar? Absurd. Incomprehensible. And yet... somehow believable. "Did you make a Horcrux?" she blurted out instinctively. Rhys: "???" "Mind your language!" Rhys snapped, visibly displeased. "Do you think so little of me as a wizard? Only the most disgraceful scoundrels use Horcruxes to seek immortality." "I-I''m sorry." Faced with that all-too-familiar tone, Helena instinctively apologized. Rhys''s rebuke completely derailed Helena''s focus, and she temporarily forgot all about Barrow''s presence. What she was now desperate to understand was why Uncle Salazar had appeared here, and more importantly... "I need to know what happened after you took Rowena''s diadem." Rhys''s words struck Helena like a thunderclap, reverberating in her ears and causing her body to tremble involuntarily. "So you knew¡ª" "Rowena told me," Rhys interrupted. "Something as powerful as the diadem cannot be left unaccounted for, right?" ________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 182- Different Memories 182- Different Memories I want to take a moment to thank you for your incredible support and love. May your Christmas eve be filled with laughter, warmth, and magical moments. Wishing you joy, peace, and endless adventures in the coming year!? _________ Helena misunderstood Rhys''s words, thinking that her mother must have somehow found Uncle Salazar before her death and confessed everything she had hidden from him. To her, this seemed like the most reasonable explanation, and she didn''t dare even to speculate about the true nature of events. After a moment of silence, Helena confessed everything to Rhys: after stealing the diadem from her mother, she fled eastward and eventually arrived in a desolate forest in Albania. She believed that even someone as powerful as her mother could not reach her in such a distant place. Helena was right. Rowena Ravenclaw indeed couldn''t reach her, as an obligation far heavier than familial love weighed on her shoulders. After revealing everything, Helena completely let down her guard before Uncle Salazar. Her words poured out like a flood breaching a dam. "I wanted to be smarter than my mother, more renowned than her. Uncle Salazar, you wouldn''t understand. Because I''m Rowena Ravenclaw''s daughter¡ªbecause of my surname¡ªevery achievement I make is seen as something I was born to have, no matter how much effort I put in. Yet every tiny mistake I make is unforgivable because it tarnishes the name. You can''t possibly understand!" Rhys could more or less empathize with the pain of Helena living under Rowena''s shadow. Fragments of brief memories surfaced in his mind¡ª ["Isn''t she Ravenclaw''s daughter? How could she not know this spell? Hey, why are you nudging me¡ªoh no, it''s Professor Slytherin!"] ["She only became a prefect because of her mother, right? If I had the same background, I''d do just as well."] ["Alright, don''t be upset. It''s perfectly normal for Professor Ravenclaw to pick her¡ªshe is her daughter, after all! You losing out is just natural..."] ... These were just the comments Rhys happened to overhear. Who knew how much passive-aggressive gossip Helena had to endure in her daily life? No wonder she was so desperate to escape her mother''s shadow. Unfortunately, in her confusion, the child chose to steal the diadem. Even if the diadem really granted her a bit of wisdom, wasn''t that still achieving success by standing on her mother''s shoulders? To truly surpass Rowena, Helena would need to leave home with nothing but a wand and a few books, then carve out her own reputation alongside like-minded friends. "First, I headed east, crossing the channel. Then, I traveled through France, went south to Spain, took a ship across the Mediterranean to Venice, detoured to Byzantium, and finally ended up in Albania, where I found a desolate forest to live in seclusion," Helena recounted. Rhys glanced at Barrow, who immediately understood and explained how he had tracked down Helena. People leave traces wherever they go, and wizards are no exception. A young, beautiful lone traveler like Helena naturally left a strong impression on others. Barrow followed the testimonies of eyewitnesses all the way to Spain. There, he came into contact with someone who had traveled with Helena, and this person informed Barrow that Helena''s final destination was Albania. "Traveled with someone?" Helena exclaimed in shock. "I was traveling alone the whole time!" "Huh? Weren''t you hiding in the forest with a companion, studying Professor Ravenclaw''s diadem?" Barrow was bewildered by Helena''s denial. "Then why don''t you tell me¡ªwho was I supposedly hiding with?" After Helena posed this question, Barrow froze. He couldn''t, for the life of him, remember the name of the person who had given him Helena''s whereabouts. Watching Barrow''s expression and noting the contradiction between his "testimony" and Helena''s words, Rhys grew certain that the events of that year weren''t as simple as Barrow''s temper flaring and accidentally killing Helena. Helena, too, was puzzled by Barrow''s apparent confusion. She couldn''t understand how he could misremember something like this. But Rhys didn''t give her time to dwell on it. Instead, he jumped straight to his next question. "Nana, can you tell me what happened that day¡ªwhen Barrow found you?" "Of course." Helena brushed aside the strange feeling in her heart and shot a venomous glare at Barrow. "I heard him stumbling and calling my name as he made his way through the forest. I walked out of my secluded cabin and hid my mother''s diadem in a hollow tree." "When he found me, I refused to go back with him, and he flew into a rage." At this point, Helena''s expression twisted with anger. She shot another sharp glare at Barrow. "He hated that I rejected him, envied my freedom, and stabbed me to death." Rhys nodded thoughtfully, then asked a pivotal question: "So, why did you hide the diadem?" ____________ Read 12 Adv Chapters: 183- Fate, Indescribable 183- Fate, Indescribable Hearing Rhys''s question, Helena frowned slightly, then slowly said, "It should be... maybe because I didn''t want him to see my mother''s diadem?" "He was sent by Rowena to find you. How could he not know you had taken her diadem?" "Maybe I was afraid he''d take the diadem from me?" Helena thought of another possibility. Before Rhys could respond, Barrow quickly defended himself: "I wouldn''t! I wasn''t after the diadem¡ªI just wanted to bring you back to Hogwarts after all!" "Then try to recall the details of what happened that day," Rhys said, raising an eyebrow. "I''m curious¡ªwhy would an argument between two wizards end with you stabbing her to death with a dagger, Barrow?" At this, both Helena and the agitated Barrow fell silent, faint wisps of black mist swirling faintly around their ghostly forms. Helena seemed to be earnestly trying to recall, but in the end, she simply shook her head weakly and admitted to Rhys that she couldn''t remember the details of that day at all. After Helena came to the same conclusion as himself, Barrow''s expression grew pensive, as if he''d sensed something amiss. "See?" Rhys said with a smile. "Full of doubts, isn''t it?" Helena pressed her lips together tightly. Rhys''s series of pointed questions had made her realize there was indeed something wrong. Her death seemed far less simple than she remembered. "The diadem is an extremely dangerous artifact. Your mother cast several spells on it to restrict its power, concealing its sharp edge. But ultimately, it was crafted from the skull of the King of the Gods. Do you understand what that means?" Helena uneasily nodded. In truth, she didn''t understand. She had been born after the end of Ragnarok. Having never experienced the Age of the Gods, Helena had no idea how formidable those deities truly were. To her, the so-called King of the Gods and the other deities were nothing more than foes defeated by her mother, uncle, and aunt. She could only see the enormous potential benefits the diadem held but was blind to the dangers lurking behind it. "And as for the ''friend'' Barrow mentioned... Heh, I think I now understand how you managed to break the diadem''s seal." According to Rowena Ravenclaw''s estimation, Helena didn''t possess the ability to break the protective spells on the diadem. But if you added one or more scheming ''friends'' to the mix, that changed everything. Helena fleeing Hogwarts with the diadem was like carrying a treasure trove on her back. A child holding gold while walking through a bustling market¡ªwas it any wonder that others would covet it? "I... well, there was a student. I told him the location where I hid the diadem." This time, Helena spoke in a whisper so soft that if the wind outside the tower had been slightly louder, Rhys would not have been able to hear her. "What?" "I... he... he was very charming. He seemed... understanding, empathetic..." Rhys''s expression began to turn strange. A situation like this? He thought. Unbelievable. Truly, you live long enough, you see everything! Sometimes, Rhys couldn''t help but be amazed by the creativity of future generations of wizards. First, there was the Secret Order infiltrating Hogwarts in stages, and now, an unknown young wizard had come up with such an ingenious way to locate the diadem. "He managed to make our Nana fall for him~ So~? Who was that student?" Rhys was eager to know the name of this genius. "...Tom Riddle. As far as I know, he later became a dark wizard and went by the name Voldemort." Rhys: ''!!!'' It''s you again! Rhys couldn''t help but marvel at the mysterious twists of fate. The last time he had encountered Tom inside the third floor''s trapdoor, the boy had been a great help to him. With his soul fragment, Rhys cured Ravenclaw of her madness. At that time, Rhys had already noticed that the boy was using Horcruxes in his pursuit of immortality. Was he seeking the diadem to use its wisdom to achieve immortality? Had he fallen to using Horcruxes because the diadem was a fake and incapable of providing him with the wisdom he sought? Rhys pondered and speculated, then sighed, "Voldemort... This child really seems to share a deep connection with us. Helena, your mother''s illness was cured thanks to him." Helena: "What?!" _________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 184- Don’t call me teacher! 184- Don¡¯t call me teacher! Helena was completely stunned. Her brain, which had effectively crashed, left her unable to think, so she instinctively asked Rhys a question: "Which mother?" Rhys: ... Seeing Rhys''s expression, Helena''s mouth dropped open. "You mean my mother, Rowena?" Rhys nodded. "But how is that possible... I mean, oh my god!" Helena suddenly realized something. She rubbed her cheeks with both hands and ran her fingers through her hair. What Uncle Salazar had said was almost unbelievable to her¡ªbut the information came from Salazar Slytherin, after all! "I told you, it was your mother who told me about you fleeing Hogwarts with the diadem," Rhys said, spreading his hands helplessly. "I thought Mother told you this when she was alive." "If that were the case, the person sent to find you wouldn''t have been the Baron," Rhys clarified. He explained to Helena that if Rowena Ravenclaw had managed to contact him or reveal the truth to him while she was still alive, it would have been either himself or one of the other founders who came to find her. If Rowena had wanted to go in person, the other three wouldn''t have stopped her. Neither Rhys, Godric, nor Helga would have allowed the diadem to be taken from the school. Helena lowered her head. If it had been Slytherin who set out to find her at the time, her fate might have been entirely different. "So, is my mother still alive, like you?" Compared to the vague "what ifs," she was more concerned with real, tangible questions. "Of course, though we need to redefine what ''alive'' means." In Rhys''s view, Rowena Ravenclaw was stuck at the boundary between "life" and "death"¡ªcloser to "life" than a ghost would be. Helena: ''What the..?'' She didn''t quite understand what Uncle Salazar meant. "She''s like you now, but she''s managed to retain her magical abilities." After becoming a ghost, Helena had once thought she had lost the emotions of a normal person, but today she realized it had been an illusion. "In the school, call me Rhys." "Yes, Teacher," the Bloody Baron nodded repeatedly. The fearsome Bloody Baron, notorious in the ghostly realm, was utterly meek and obedient in front of his teacher. "I''m heading back to the common room. Tonight''s been quite fruitful," Rhys said, heading down the stairs on his own. As he reached the bottom, he seemed to suddenly remember something and turned to the Baron, who was still frozen halfway up the stairs. "Oh, I almost forgot to remind Helena. Pass a message for me: from now on, in the school, everything should proceed as usual. I am Rhys Lint now." "Understood." A trace of joy appeared on the Baron''s face, and he quickly floated upward toward the tower. Rhys let out a deep sigh. "That''s why I don''t like love. Sight~ What a mess this is!" Afterward, he made his way to the Great Hall¡ªthere was still a chance he could grab some dessert. When the Baron floated up to the Astronomy Tower, he found that Helena hadn''t left yet. His heart leapt with excitement, and he hurriedly floated to her side. But as he got closer, he hesitated again, unsure of how to start the conversation. It was Helena who spoke first, breaking the silence and allowing them to finally connect. "Do you need something?" Helena''s tone was still cool, but she was at least willing to initiate a conversation. This was already the most cordial moment between the two in nearly a thousand years. Such progress couldn''t help but lift the Baron''s spirits. "Um, well, the teacher asked me to remind you. If you run into him at school from now on, just call him Rhys Lint. His exact words were, ''Everything as usual.''" The more critical the moment, the more nervous the Baron became, and his speech grew stilted. "Do all you Slytherins enjoy rearranging the letters of your names so much?" "What?" "Never mind." After saying this, Helena fell silent and stared blankly at the night sky, dark blue like a velvet curtain. The Baron decided not to disturb her further. Quietly, he turned to leave, just about to descend the stairs, when he heard a voice behind him¡ª "Stay and watch the stars with me." ______ Read 12 Chapters ahead at my Patreon!? 185- The Hogwarts Dining Table 185- The Hogwarts Dining Table Rhys hurried down the stairs, hoping that the desserts in the Great Hall hadn''t been cleared away yet. If he moved quickly, he might still snag a bowl of pudding. As for the food Daphne had brought, Rhys wasn''t holding out hope. There was nothing edible for the living at the Deathday Party, and there were four young wizards left behind at the scene. The meat soup in the lunchbox was probably already gone. Halfway down, Rhys realized he was too late. A deep, rumbling murmur rose from below, resembling distant thunder. It was followed by the sound of hundreds of footsteps ascending the stairs¡ªsigns that the feast had ended. Moments later, the students appeared, flowing past Rhys like a dense school of fish. He could faintly catch the aroma of roasted meat and pumpkin in the air. Sighing inwardly, Rhys pushed his way against the crowd to head downstairs. He considered fishing in the Black Lake to roast something for dinner and silently regretted not figuring out the kitchen''s location from the Hufflepuffs back in the day. Surely, a few recipes could have solved his hunger problem... When Hogwarts Castle was being built, each of the four founders was responsible for designing specific areas. For instance, Rowena Ravenclaw designed the library, while Rhys handled the Potions classroom. The responsibility of designing the kitchen and dining area, however, fell to Helga Hufflepuff. In the end, she combined the dining area and the Great Hall into one and kept the kitchen''s location a secret from the other founders. She didn''t want them interfering with the meal preparation process. ... "Meals are of utmost importance. Considering the castle''s size and the functional division of other areas, I see no need to build a separate Great Hall. A dining room is sufficient. Both students and teachers can hold assemblies there," Hufflepuff explained, pointing at the model of Hogwarts Castle. "Alright." "Sounds good." Slytherin and Ravenclaw had no objections. They both found Hufflepuff''s two-in-one approach rather clever. Ravenclaw was delighted at the prospect of using the saved space to expand the library, while Slytherin simply didn''t care one way or the other. If every member of a house sat at the same table, wouldn''t that make them an easy target for mass poisoning? As for Helga''s claim about "students'' only difference," Salazar did not agree. Were Muggle-born students the same as those from wizarding families? He had always opposed admitting children from Muggle families into Hogwarts. In his view, at least one of a student''s parents needed to be a wizard to ensure loyalty; otherwise, their natural allegiance would lie with Muggle lords, which could one day bring disaster to the school. Unfortunately, Helga and Godric wouldn''t listen to reason, and Rowena''s stance was ambiguous. With the support or acquiescence of the other three founders, the Hogwarts dining hall was ultimately designed by Helga to include four long student tables and one for the staff. She also enchanted the dining hall with ingenious magic, allowing the house-elves in the kitchen to transport dish after dish directly to the long tables. However, this was not solely due to Helga''s magic. The house-elves, a remarkable group the four founders had rescued from Odin''s palace, played an essential role. These magical creatures had an extraordinary talent for spatial magic, enabling them to transport food to its proper place. Initially, Helga had stationed the elves at the ruins of Odin''s palace to clean up the aftermath. But now that the castle was complete, it was time to summon them to Hogwarts to serve the school. ... As Rhys recalled this, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. While it was true that the elves were adept at spatial magic, wouldn''t it make more sense¡ªlogically and practically¡ªto place a room directly beneath the Great Hall and arrange five tables in alignment with the ones above? Then the elves would only need to place the food correctly before transporting it straight upward, ensuring each dish landed perfectly on the tables above. Pondering the layout of the castle, Rhys felt he might have just figured out where the Hogwarts kitchen was located! __________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 186- The Most Suitable House for Neville 186- The Most Suitable House for Neville Rhys headed straight for the Great Hall, which was now completely empty. The students, full and content, had returned to their respective common rooms. The tidy ones were washing up, the playful ones were enjoying games with friends, and the rest had already retreated to their dormitories to sleep. Rhys descended the marble staircase into the entrance hall, then turned left and entered a side door. Having a thorough understanding of the castle''s layout, Rhys knew this was the only passage that could possibly lead to the area directly below the Great Hall. The other routes wouldn''t work. Behind the door was a stone staircase that led down to a wide, well-lit stone corridor. The walls of the corridor were decorated with paintings of food. After noticing the theme of the artwork, Rhys immediately knew he was in the right place. To his surprise, Rhys encountered a familiar face in the corridor. "Eh? Neville? What are you doing here? And what happened to you?" Rhys asked, clearly startled as he looked at Neville, who stood in the corridor drenched in what seemed like vinegar. Neville gave Rhys a bewildered look, as though silently questioning: Shouldn''t I be the one asking you that? This was, after all, the location of the Hufflepuff common room. What was a Slytherin doing here? "I forgot how to¡ª" Neville started to speak but abruptly stopped mid-sentence. He had been about to admit that he''d forgotten how to enter the Hufflepuff common room but suddenly remembered that this was a closely guarded secret of the entire house, passed down for centuries. He couldn''t let it slip! That would indeed be utterly mortifying. The common rooms of Gryffindor and Slytherin required a password for entry, while Ravenclaw''s required answering a riddle posed by the door knocker. Hufflepuff''s method was similar but with its own unique twist: one had to correctly identify the right barrel among a set of large wooden barrels placed in a dimly lit stone alcove and tap out the correct rhythm on the bottom of the chosen barrel. Only then would the lid open, granting access to the common room. Neville gave Rhys a thumbs-up, then led him to a painting¡ªa massive silver bowl overflowing with fruit. "The kitchen is right behind this painting. Here''s what you need to do." Neville extended his index finger and gently tickled the pear in the silver bowl. The pear squirmed, chuckling softly, and then transformed into a large green doorknob. "Hufflepuff students all know where the kitchen is. When we get hungry at night, we come here to grab something to eat." Neville revealed the method to enter the kitchen to Rhys. Before opening the door, however, he cautioned Rhys to keep the kitchen''s location to himself. If too many students learned about it, it would overwhelm this corridor as well as the workings of the kitchen. "If that ever happens and the kitchen gets closed to students, it would ruin things for everyone," Neville warned. Grasping the doorknob, Neville gave it a firm pull, opening the door to reveal a large, high-ceilinged room. The room was as spacious as the Great Hall above it, with numerous gleaming copper pots and pans stacked against the stone walls. On the wall opposite the door, a massive brick fireplace stood proudly. No sooner had the two entered the kitchen than a house-elf darted toward them at lightning speed, squeaking in its high-pitched voice, "Mr. Longbottom? Is it Neville Longbottom, sir?" Neville grinned sheepishly. "I come here often with my friends to grab food¡ª" Before he could finish speaking, a voice echoed from the hallway outside: "Neville, are you in the kitchen? Did you forget the way in again?" "Hahaha, and why did it took you so long to notice?" Neville laughed heartily, his joy evident. He poked his head out from the kitchen door, calling back loudly to his friend, then ducked back into the kitchen and said to Rhys, "How long I stay stuck outside usually depends on how quickly my friends realize I''m missing. Alright, I''ll head back to the common room now. If there''s anything you want to eat, just tell the house-elves¡ªthey''re very accommodating." With that, Neville left the kitchen and rejoined his friends on the way back to the Hufflepuff common room. "Damn.. the kid has really changed." After witnessing Neville''s ordeal, Rhys couldn''t help but feel that Hufflepuff truly was the most fitting house for him. ____________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 187- Riddle’s Confusion 187- Riddle¡¯s Confusion After Neville left, a house-elf who had been waiting nearby stepped forward. He bowed so deeply that his nose almost touched the kitchen floor, then respectfully asked, "Honorable sir, is there anything I can assist you with?" Behind him, hundreds of house-elves were busy around the long tables, cleaning the dishes and leftovers from the Great Hall. "I missed the Halloween feast and was hoping to grab something to eat. Just a little something will do," Rhys explained. "Oh! That''s such a pity! Would you mind waiting for a moment?" Upon hearing Rhys''s reply that he didn''t mind, the house-elf bowed again before turning and rushing off. Several other elves paused their tasks at the tables and joined him in the preparation area, busily working together. A veal shank was brought out, expertly sliced into portions, coated in flour, and pan-seared over low heat. Once the meat browned, they poured in whiskey to flambe?. Simultaneously, they prepared sauces, side dishes, and stews to accompany the meal. Of course, the enthusiastic house-elves didn''t stop at just one dish. They also prepared lamb tongue and a pork loin. While Rhys waited, they served him a plate of dessert and a jug of pumpkin juice to stave off his hunger. Rhys initially intended to tell them to stop, not to go overboard, as he was in a hurry. But seeing their skilled cooking techniques and smelling the enticing aroma of the ingredients, he changed his mind. Perhaps Daphne hadn''t eaten her fill either. He might as well bring her something extra! After a while, the house-elves returned, carrying a large three-tiered food box. "Osso buco, lamb tongue with mushroom sauce and oyster mushrooms, and pork loin with Cumberland sauce. Happy Halloween, sir!"No?v(el)B\\jnn "Good work." Rhys nodded and the elves were on the verge of collapsing due to happiness. ... Rhys carried the heavy food box out of the kitchen, feeling a brief flicker of envy for the young wizards of Hufflepuff. Modern young wizards had it so much better when it came to food compared to what they had in the past. A thousand years ago, although the Founders occasionally dined on rare and exotic animals, rarity didn''t always equate to deliciousness. The medieval nobles'' fondness for peacock meat was a prime example. More significantly, the lack of spices and outdated farming techniques meant that the overall quality of food lagged far behind modern standards. As Rhys passed through the Great Hall, he suddenly heard a voice. ~~"Hungry, so hungry... I need to eat, now! Kill, kill¡ª"~~ Rhys abruptly stopped in his tracks, startled by the cold, murderous voice. He stood still for a moment, ensuring no one else was nearby, then immediately hissed in Parseltongue, ~~"Oi Basilisk, what are you doing?"~~ Regardless of the source, since this threat had emerged within the bounds of Hogwarts, Rhys knew he couldn''t turn a blind eye. Resolving to address the issue swiftly and decisively, he decided to tackle whatever was affecting Ginny head-on. ~~"You, go and engage that one in conversation, then lead it to the Chamber,"~~ Rhys ordered the basilisk directly. He needed the basilisk to help him handle some thorny problems¡ªlike calming down the mastermind controlling Ginny''s mind and bringing them straight to him. The basilisk was like bait on a fishing hook, though admittedly an oversized one. The basilisk, which had intended to return to the Chamber for a long nap, reluctantly slithered toward the source of the voice. Meanwhile, Tom Riddle found himself in utter confusion. Throughout the summer, he had been "chatting" with Ginny, gradually taking control of her soul. Once he could manipulate her body, he wasted no time performing the incantation to summon the Serpent King. However, something baffling happened¡ªunlike decades ago, the basilisk now refused to obey his commands. Riddle was completely at a loss. Before he could figure out the reason, his plans had been interrupted by two individuals, forcing him into hiding. To make matters worse, after that encounter, young Ginny seemed to develop a hint of curiosity and even a sliver of trust toward a boy named Rhys. Fortunately, Riddle''s silver tongue prevailed. He persuaded Ginny, like a sweet-talking bird, to abandon the idea of confiding in Rhys. Instead, he redirected her focus toward him, becoming even more devoted. Thanks to Ginny''s tireless efforts, Riddle''s strength had been rapidly restored. He could now take full control of Ginny''s body and even manifest his physical form near the diary. As Riddle''s power returned, so did his confidence. On Halloween night, taking advantage of the end of the feast, he once again seized control of Ginny''s body. This time, he intended to summon the Serpent King anew. If the summon failed, he would go directly to the Chamber and confront the basilisk in person, demanding an explanation for its defiance of Salazar Slytherin''s pact. But tonight, fortune seemed to favor him¡ªthe Serpent King had actively responded to his call! Though its tone was icy and laced with resentment, a response was better than the cold indifference he had faced before, right?! _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 188- Riddle: I don’t know how to lose 188- Riddle: I don¡¯t know how to lose [Great Snake King, you finally responded to my call!] After failing once, Riddle adjusted his attitude slightly. Previously, he had truly seen himself as the basilisk''s master, issuing commands at will. But after being ignored, he learned his lesson and began treating the basilisk with respect. [Hungry!!!~~] The basilisk didn''t particularly want to deal with Riddle, but it had to follow Rhys''s orders, so it simply shouted out its truest thought. Riddle suddenly understood: So that was it¡ªthe reason he couldn''t control the Snake King before was that he hadn''t provided it with enough benefits! Everything made sense to Riddle now. [I am willing to offer a sacrifice to you. Please forgive my rudeness.]No?v(el)B\\jnn He immediately began painting a grand vision for the basilisk. And to its surprise, it was a pretty appealing vision. The basilisk figured that if there were sacrifices involved, it wouldn''t mind chatting with this little guy for a while, even without Rhys''s command. It quickly seized the opportunity, agreeing to Riddle''s proposal and suggesting they return to the Chamber of Secrets for further discussion. Riddle naturally had no reason to refuse. However, he was somewhat conflicted about who to sacrifice. Ginny hadn''t been completely drained of her usefulness yet, and handing her over to the basilisk now felt like a waste. But at the moment, soothing the Snake King was the priority¡ªchildren as gullible as Ginny could be easily replaced. He directly controlled Ginny and headed toward the girls'' bathroom on the second floor. While Riddle was conversing with the basilisk, Rhys had already locked onto his location. When he saw him walking towards the bathroom, Rice suddenly remembered a trivial matter. ... Riddle soon arrived in the girls'' bathroom on the first floor of the castle. Decades ago, he had opened the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets here, accidentally killing a foolish girl. Fortunately, he had been clever enough to frame that big oaf and convince all the professors¡ªexcept Dumbledore¡ªof his innocence. But that damn Dumbledore had refused to believe him! Why? Why?! Even after all this time, Riddle still couldn''t let it go. Riddle immediately recognized him¡ªit was Rhys, the boy who had thwarted his plans earlier! Perfect! A wave of delight washed over Riddle. Now he had the ideal offering for the basilisk. And not just anyone¡ªit was Rhys, the very one who had ruined his previous effort. This was practically a double victory! The moment Riddle saw Rhys, he drew Ginny''s wand and cast a Disarming Charm. As expected, Rhys''s wand spun into the air and flew out of his grasp. Triumphant, Riddle broke into a satisfied grin. "So, what exactly are you trying to do?" Rhys asked, his tone was very calm. He stood there quietly, gazing at Riddle as if watching a child playing a harmless prank. That look in Rhys''s eyes irritated Riddle. However, remembering that he was currently using Ginny''s body to confront Rhys, he let it slide. After all, a young witch like Ginny did have an inherently deceptive appearance. But Rhys Lint, a skilled wizard, would surely never lower his guard against anyone! This will be your first lesson, taught by me¡ªthe price being your life! Riddle sneered inwardly. Despite having successfully disarmed Rhys, Riddle remained cautious. With a flick of Ginny''s wand, he conjured a rope that bound Rhys''s hands tightly. "You want to know what I''m doing? Then come with me." Riddle gestured with the wand, forcing Rhys to follow. To Riddle''s surprise, Rhys was remarkably cooperative. He neither resisted nor asked any questions along the way. Is he just pretending to stay calm, or does he think this is some kind of child''s game? Riddle wondered. But it didn''t trouble him much. From Riddle''s perspective, Rhys had no wand, his hands were tied, and the odds were completely stacked against him. As long as Riddle kept a safe distance and avoided any physical attacks, there was no way for him to lose. And so, with Ginny''s body under his control, he led Rhys into the Chamber of Secrets, following the directions provided by the basilisk. Though the method of entry had changed, Riddle had to admit¡ªthe new entrance was far more dignified than the original. Stepping into the Chamber of Secrets once again, Riddle felt a surge of exhilaration: he was on the brink of realizing the shared dream of himself and Salazar Slytherin! This wave of excitement caused him to overlook some subtle changes in the chamber¡ªsuch as the noticeably improved lighting, or the much cleaner state of the place compared to before. Rhys, however, remained utterly unperturbed as he entered the chamber. To Riddle, this lack of reaction could only mean one thing: this poor, naive boy must have been completely awestruck by the grandeur of the Chamber of Secrets! _________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 189- Do You Understand Slytherin Better Than Me? 189- Do You Understand Slytherin Better Than Me? Riddle smiled faintly at Rhys. Then, the body of Ginny, whom he had possessed, collapsed straight onto the ground, her face turning deathly pale in an instant. "Hey, if you do that, what if the kid gets hurt from the fall?" Rhys frowned slightly, hearing the dull thud as Ginny hit the marble floor. This was the first thing Riddle heard Rhys say after manifesting his physical form. He couldn''t help but let out a derisive laugh. "I didn''t expect you to still be concerned about others at a time like this, Rhys." Riddle''s figure glowed faintly with an eerie, misty light, and he wore a peculiar smile. "Aren''t you curious about what this place is?" Rhys: ... I probably know this place better than you do. Seeing Rhys remain silent, Riddle felt like he had hit a wall, which irked him considerably. "Aren''t you curious why I brought you here? Or about my identity? And... why little Ginny ended up in this state?" Rhys''s calmness¡ªor perhaps indifference¡ªmade Riddle feel bored. If he simply handed Rhys over to the Basilisk as a sacrifice, it would be too dull. He had originally intended to have a proper conversation about those grand ideals of his¡ªideals he had never shared with anyone! Riddle had a strong desire to share his story. To him, inheriting such a grand cause but being forced to keep it all to himself was nothing short of torture. "If I must ask a question," Rhys said, his wrists twisting slightly as if his blood circulation had been cut off from being tied up too long, "I want to know who you are." "My name is Tom Riddle," Riddle declared. As he announced his name, Riddle wasn''t expecting Rhys to recognize it. Through his conversations with Ginny, he had already learned that his name wasn''t widely known in the future. It made sense¡ª"Tom Riddle" hadn''t accomplished many things worth commemorating. And with Albus Dumbledore taking charge of the school, there was no way anyone would promote his name. However, what surprised Riddle was that when Rhys heard his name, his eyes revealed a look of astonishment¡ªhe clearly recognized it! Rhys was indeed shocked to hear Riddle''s name because he had just heard it earlier that evening from Helena. He couldn''t help but think: Why is it always you? Tom Riddle was Voldemort, which meant he had been involved in last year''s Philosopher''s Stone heist, this year''s possession of Ginny, and the diadem incident decades ago. Riddle was utterly enraged. He opened his mouth and shouted in Parseltongue, "Great Serpent King, devour the sacrifice I offer you!" Rhys, however, turned his head and calmly issued his own command in Parseltongue to the basilisk resting inside the chamber''s pipes: "Oi, go back to sleep. Your task is complete, and I''ll bring you food tomorrow." Riddle''s eyes widened in shock upon hearing Rhys speak Parseltongue. "You can speak Parseltongue?!" he exclaimed, stunned. Then, as if a light had gone on in his mind, everything fell into place. Now he understood why things had gone awry after his revival. Rhys had gotten to the Basilisk first, wresting control away from him and sealing off the original chamber entrance. Clever! No wonder Rhys had shown no reaction to the grandeur of the chamber earlier. But it didn''t matter, Riddle thought, his confidence surging again. He still had the upper hand now. Tightening his grip on the wand in his hand, he subtly took two steps closer to the unconscious Ginny lying on the ground. "See? Being able to speak Parseltongue doesn''t prove you''re Slytherin''s heir. Neither does knowing the location of the Chamber of Secrets," Rhys said, his voice calm and even, as though critiquing a stranger. "There is no such thing as a bloodline heir to Slytherin." Although Riddle currently existed in a state somewhere between ghost and corporeal form, his face flushed as Rhys spoke, reminiscent of a raw prawn scalded with boiling water. "You.." Riddle could feel his temples throbbing painfully as rage coursed through him. He wanted to denounce Rhys''s absurd words as madness but found himself unable to muster a proper rebuttal. This was because Parseltongue wasn''t exclusively Slytherin''s legacy. Many dark wizards were also Parselmouths, including the infamous Herpo the Foul. There was even a prevailing theory that Parseltongue, like Troll or Mermish, was a learnable "foreign language." "In Slytherin''s time, any young wizard with sufficient talent would be granted access to the Chamber of Secrets for study," Rhys continued, explaining the chamber''s history with an air of calm indifference. "By the standards of that era, you wouldn''t have been deemed worthy to enter the chamber." It was a perfect opportunity to twist the knife. "Avada Kedavra!" Riddle, finally pushed past his breaking point, unleashed a Killing Curse at Rhys. The spell, however, vanished inexplicably just a few feet away from Rhys, dissipating into thin air. Riddle froze. What?! "Compared to your future self, your current form is weaker in every aspect: magical power, spell proficiency, even temperament," Rhys observed, his commentary continuing without pause. His tone was detached, as if critiquing two paintings. "But that''s a good thing, isn''t it? It shows you''ve improved over time." For a moment, Riddle''s fury was swallowed by confusion and unease. He didn''t have time to be angry anymore. __________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 190- Please, don’t mention Slytherin’s great cause, okay? 190- Please, don¡¯t mention Slytherin¡¯s great cause, okay? Rhys''s blunt truth remained hurtful, but Riddle had no time to feel angry. He was utterly baffled and confused: why had his Killing Curse failed? It felt as though he had thrown an icicle into a vat of molten steel, where it had vaporized halfway through. "You seem perplexed. Are you wondering why your Killing Curse vanished?" Rhys''s voice rang out at just the right moment. Riddle, pushing aside all other emotions, nodded at Rhys. He wanted to understand how Rhys had done it. "The strength of a spell is tied to emotions¡ªyou understand that much, don''t you?" Rhys didn''t hold back, even though he didn''t have a high opinion of Riddle. He earnestly began explaining the disintegration spell he had just used. Tom nodded again. He did understand the relationship between spells and emotions. Without sufficient intensity and the right emotions, even a deadly curse like the Killing Curse would amount to little more than causing a nosebleed. "But spells are ultimately powered by magic itself. I hope you can grasp this: wizards either draw upon their internal magic or harness the magic in their surroundings. Then they mix it with emotions and various auxiliary methods to create all kinds of unique spells." "If you understand this much, you should be able to comprehend the disintegration magic I just used." The expression on Riddle''s face changed to one of surprise as he stood opposite Rhys. "So, you mean to say you constructed a wall of magic in front of yourself and forcibly broke down my Killing Curse?" "More or less," Rhys replied casually, "but this requires me to have a deep understanding of the spell you cast. Otherwise, such a thin layer of magical barrier wouldn''t have enough time to disassemble your spell. Compared to this, the Shield Charm and its prototypes are more reliable." "When did you..." Riddle couldn''t help but mutter to himself. The boy before him clearly didn''t have a wand, and his hands were still bound, yet he had managed to conjure a magical barrier right in front of him. Even more shocking, Riddle hadn''t sensed it at all! "This is the gap in skill, as well as in knowledge," Rhys said calmly. "I''ve always believed that the current wizarding world''s neglect of teaching magical flow is a colossal mistake. You''re so dull to it that you couldn''t even feel me setting up a magical barrier in front of you. It''s almost visible to the naked eye." Hearing Riddle''s words, Rhys couldn''t help but feel a sense of foreboding. Surely not... was he really about to say that? "Eradicate every single Muggle-born wizard! Restore Hogwarts to its purity!" Rhys: Of course. In that moment, his expression hovered on the edge of composure, teetering between barely holding it together and completely breaking. Please, I beg you all¡ªcan we stop using Slytherin''s name for this nonsense? It''s utterly embarrassing... Back in his own time, while Rhys had opposed admitting students with no wizarding lineage, he had still treated those who were admitted fairly. At most, he''d kept an eye on their rhetoric and monitored their ideological leanings. But this? Killing all of them outright? What even was this logic? For a moment, Rhys didn''t know how to respond. Noticing how his words had seemingly "shocked" Rhys into silence, Riddle nodded in satisfaction. Then, he launched into a fervent and passionate speech. _________ Read 12 Chapters ahead of SH at my Patreon!? Patreon: HornyFBI 191- Hold Up! I’m Salazar Slytherin 191- Hold Up! I¡¯m Salazar Slytherin The moment Rhys pointed at him, Riddle felt an ominous chill rising in his heart, as if the next second he would be torn apart by a howling spell. He immediately dodged to the side, and the spot where he had just been standing erupted with a loud bang. Riddle was certain that if that spell had hit him, while he wouldn''t have died, he would definitely have been forced back into the diary to recuperate. Why had the situation suddenly turned this way? Riddle couldn''t comprehend it. Weren''t he and Rhys having a pleasant conversation? Why had Rhys suddenly unleashed a torrent of harsh words and then started attacking him? Although Rhys''s sudden attack surprised him, Riddle wasn''t about to just stand there and serve as a target. In his view, he could still maneuver against Rhys and find an opportunity to escape. Without hesitation, he used Ginny''s wand to retaliate. "Serpensortia!"No?v(el)B\\jnn A torrent of magic burst forth as though it cost nothing, and Riddle unleashed all the power he had extracted from Ginny over the past months. Regardless of the outcome of this fight, he knew he would need a good deal of time to recover¡ªideally, finding another young witch or wizard to drain for strength. Dozens of black serpents poured from the tip of Ginny''s wand, hissing and flicking their tongues as they slithered toward Rhys. "That''s enough. How dare you use a spell I invented against me?" Rhys sneered. Although his wand had been disarmed by Riddle''s Expelliarmus, he still had a backup. However, little Riddle, in his current state, hardly warranted the use of a wand, especially not the spare one Rhys had¡ªan artifact of Hufflepuff''s, which he preferred to keep pristine. Looking at the swarm of black snakes slithering toward him, Rhys merely snapped his fingers, and they dissolved into wisps of black smoke. "Go~" Rhys commanded, sending the smoke drifting toward Riddle. Though unsure what would happen if the smoke reached him, Riddle instinctively widened the distance between himself and the advancing haze. With a wave of Ginny''s wand, a gust of wind swept through the Chamber, dispersing the black smoke into fragmented wisps that quickly dissipated. Riddle intended to seize the opportunity to counterattack, but Rhys''s relentless spells came at him like an inescapable plague, giving him no room to breathe, let alone strike back. It took everything Riddle had to barely fend off Rhys''s assaults. "What exactly are you?" came Riddle''s voice, filled with shock, from a short distance away. Rhys lifted his head lazily, and his gaze fell upon Riddle. In the soulscape, Riddle appeared drastically different from his physical self. While his face remained the same, his body was only half intact, as though it had been violently cleaved in two. From the jagged opening of his body, hundreds of root-like tendrils extended, burrowing into the desolate flower field to absorb its nutrients. "Tch Horcrux." Rhys sneered, his tone dripping with disdain. "How utterly grotesque..." "You''ve got the nerve to say that to me?!" Riddle snapped, unable to keep his composure. To him, Rhys looked far more monstrous. At least half of Riddle still resembled a human. The figure standing before him, however, was a creature covered entirely in serpentine scales. What made it worse was the strange face beneath those scales. One half looked like a young man, while the other resembled an elderly man. Along the "boundary" between the youthful and aged halves, the two sides appeared to be locked in a slow battle. Occasionally, one would gain the upper hand, forming a protrusion on the other side, only to be gradually overwhelmed and absorbed again. "Tom, there is no such thing as a perfect path to immortality," Rhys said, glancing at his own appearance. With a shrug, he continued, "But I dare say my method comes the closest to perfection." Riddle stared at him, incredulous: You''re actually proud of this? "A-And what are you, exactly?" he demanded for the second time, unable to suppress his curiosity. Rhys cast him a sidelong glance and raised his hand. In the air, the name Rhys Chasara Lint appeared written in the ancient text, glowing faintly. "Allow me to reintroduce myself," Rhys said softly, his voice steady. "I am Salazar Slytherin." As Rhys spoke, the ancient letters forming the name Rhys Chasara Lint rapidly shifted, finally rearranging themselves into Salazar Slytherin and then got translated into the english of today''s time. Riddle felt as though his head had been struck heavily with a hammer. "This¡ªthis, this is impossible!" he stammered, repeating the same phrase over and over like a madman. "Why would it be impossible?" Rhys replied with a chuckle. "If a wretch like you can cling to life, it''s only natural that I''ve managed to stick around for a few more years, don''t you think?" _____ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 192- Thanks Riddle! 192- Thanks Riddle! Riddle was completely thrown into chaos: the person before him claimed to be Salazar Slytherin!!! And judging by his demeanor, there was a very high likelihood he was telling the truth! So, this little wizard named Rhys might actually be his ancestor? No?v(el)B\\jnn Considering the benefits of acknowledging Rhys as an ancestor, coupled with the fact that he was no match for him, Riddle made his decision in less than a second. "Honorable Salazar Slytherin! I offer you my highest respect. You are a living legend, and the blood flowing through my veins that belongs to you is my eternal pride," Riddle said in an extremely earnest and serious tone, as if reciting an ode, paying his respects to Rhys. "I, Tom Marvolo Gaunt, in my arrogance and ignorance, have offended you. Please, great ancestor, punish me for the sins I have committed!" Tom''s tone was full of sincerity, as though he truly welcomed any punishment Rhys might give him. Rhys: "..." "Enough already," Rhys said, his face contorting the moment he heard the name ''Gaunt.'' "Gaunt was my foster child. The blood in your veins is not mine." "No matter what punishment you choose, my heart will be full of gratitude because I have finally¡ªWait what?" Riddle''s words stopped abruptly. Rhys''s statement hit him harder than a thousand blasting curses. With Slytherin''s personal confirmation, how could there be any room for denial? Now, the blood in his veins was nothing but the filthy lineage of Muggles and the blood of thieves and liars. ''He is a pure-blood ideologist! At this rate, he''ll kill me!!'' However, Riddle quickly devised the best possible way to respond. His expression turned sorrowful, and his voice took on a sobbing tone: "Oh, great Slytherin, you may not know this, but I grew up in an orphanage..." In concise and poignant words, Riddle narrated his childhood in the orphanage to Rhys. Orphanages in the 1930s were far from kind places. Overcrowded due to the war and with government funding stretched thin, the children endured harsh living conditions and a lack of care or attention. It was a survival-of-the-fittest world. "The ultimate goal for the orphans was to be adopted. Whenever a family came to the orphanage looking to adopt, the children would become as eager and excited as puppies in a pet shop, trying their hardest to show themselves in the best light." At this point, Riddle''s tone grew indignant. "I was no different, and I put in immense effort. But a mere small rumor was enough to destroy everything." "''He talks to snakes.''" Riddle mimicked a child''s voice with a sneer. "''All those damned brats had to do was casually bring up this fact during conversations with prospective adopters, and all my merits were erased¡ªno family was willing to take in a child who might be able to talk to snakes.''" After detailing his miserable childhood, Riddle changed his tone: "Don''t look at things you''re not supposed to..." a raspy voice whispered in Riddle''s ear. Riddle suddenly felt as if thousands of needles were stabbing into every inch of his body. He let out a pained scream, swelling like a balloon before bursting with a loud pop. Most of Riddle''s soul fragmented into countless specks of light, drifting through the air. Only a faint, thin wisp of light floated upward toward the sky. Rhys did not stop it and allowed it to vanish into the air. Riddle had already coughed up all the benefits he had extracted from Ginny, even losing a significant portion of his own essence in the process. It was time to send him back into the diary. If he continued to harm Riddle, Rhys genuinely worried he might accidentally destroy this Horcrux¡ªand it still had an important role to play. It couldn''t afford to be damaged. After all, finding another Horcrux wasn''t an option! Rhys was rather thankful to Riddle, who had provided him with a wealth of precious "materials." Riddle''s contributions had yielded the best treatment solutions for both Ravenclaw and Astoria''s ailments. As Rhys reverted to his original appearance, the flower field''s ground also returned to its dry state, as if the water from moments ago had never existed. A single droplet of water fell into the field, followed by a second, then a third... Rain began to fall from the sky, merging with the glowing specks of light that floated in the air and soaking into the field, nourishing the previously arid soil. Rhys remained in the flower field until the rain stopped. By then, the land had transformed into fertile black soil, and the withered dandelions were gone, replaced by countless tiny sprouts just breaking through the surface. "The dandelion field will bloom again, though it may take a few days," Rhys said, confirming that Ginny''s soul world had returned to a healthy state. With that assurance, Rhys exited her soul world. _________ Read 12 Chapters ahead at my Patreon! 193- Amnesiac Riddle 193- Amnesiac Riddle Rhys stood once again on the floor of the Chamber of Secrets. He glanced at Ginny, who was lying unconscious on the ground. She was still out cold, but her complexion had improved significantly; it was no longer deathly pale as before. A small, tattered notebook lay quietly on the floor beside her hand, as if it had slipped out of her sleeve. Rhys picked up the notebook and immediately sensed a well-hidden aura of malevolence emanating from it. Clearly, this was the vessel for Riddle''s fragment of soul. "Using a notebook you can find in any Muggle shop as a Horcrux¡ªnice, quite creative," Rhys remarked, giving Riddle a rare compliment. The selection and concealment of Horcruxes were practically essential lessons for any dark wizard aspiring to immortality but lacking the necessary power. They could hide their Horcruxes in desolate wildernesses or use inconspicuous vessels¡ªafter all, a Horcrux was typically protected by sophisticated enchantments that could withstand ordinary wear and tear, weather, or even fire and flood, as long as the creator didn''t mind the aesthetic unpleasantness. The central principle was simple: make it impossible for enemies to locate your Horcrux. The diary Riddle had chosen as his Horcrux was indeed inconspicuous. Toss it into a secondhand bookshop, and unless it actively caused trouble, it might go unnoticed for decades, if not centuries. Rhys opened the diary and wrote a line on its pages: I am Adrian Greengrass. The ink lingered on the paper for a second before being absorbed completely, disappearing without a trace. Soon, the diary responded. A faint, scrawled line of text appeared on the page: Hello, Adrian. I am... ###@#@#@#... The writing abruptly stopped, followed by a string of meaningless gibberish, as though the writer had suddenly lost their mind. After a moment, the gibberish vanished, replaced by another sentence: Sorry, I''ve forgotten who I am. I need your help. Rhys smiled in satisfaction. The diary''s reaction indicated that Riddle''s soul had been severely damaged, to the point that even his memories were gone. This was exactly the state Rhys wanted. Ignoring Riddle''s pleas for help from within the diary, Rhys tucked it into his robes and cast a levitation spell on the unconscious Ginny. She floated behind him as he left the Chamber of Secrets. Once out of the chamber, Rhys glanced back at Ginny, who was still hovering behind him, and sighed in mild frustration. He wasn''t worried about being caught wandering the castle in the middle of the night with a young girl in tow. What bothered him was that the Chamber''s entrance was quite far from the Gryffindor common room. Counting the return trip, it meant climbing from the castle''s base to the top and back¡ªa trek Rhys wasn''t keen on making. Maybe I should just leave her somewhere clean and warm? Rhys thought the idea was rather good¡ªif Ginny were discovered by one of the patrolling professors, she might suffer a little and gain an opportunity for self-reflection. One Chocolate Frog down, and the two were even hungrier... "Do you have anything else to eat?" "I''ve got a small bag of Scabbers'' rat food." "..." "So why don''t you two just go to the kitchen?" Seamus'' voice came from behind the curtains of his bed. Harry, Ron: "??" "You know where the kitchen is?" "Fred told me," Seamus replied, surprised at their reaction. "You don''t know where the kitchen is? Ron, you''re Fred and George''s brother!" Ron: "..." "They only ever interact with me when they''re pranking me¡ªso why would they tell you about it?" Seamus cleared his throat awkwardly and explained that he''d helped Fred with something before. As a reward, they''d shared this little secret with him. As for what the favor was, he refused to say. "This... so, where''s the kitchen?" Ron couldn''t be bothered to delve into what favor Seamus had done for Fred. All he wanted was to get to the kitchen quickly and have a feast. "I gave a lot for this information..." Seamus put on a troubled expression. "A full set of this year''s History of Magic notes¡ªwritten by Hermione from Ravenclaw. Guaranteed quality." "And this week''s Potions essay on top of that." "I''m going to bed." "Fine, fine, just the notes will do." Seamus finally caved and wrote the location of the kitchen and the way to enter on a slip of paper, handing it to Harry. Harry and Ron quickly got dressed, grabbed the Invisibility Cloak, and left the common room. However, midway through their journey, Harry suddenly heard a faint, indistinct voice. It was cold and full of malice: "...feed... kill, kill¡ª" "...calling... for a sacrifice..." Harry: What the...? _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead at my Patreon HornyFBI!? 194- Weird Food Box 194- Weird Food Box "Ron, did you hear that?" Harry stopped and asked Ron. "Hear what?" Ron, still absorbed in the pleasant thought of soon reaching the kitchen for a feast, didn''t immediately understand. Harry ignored him, pressing his ear against the stone wall and listening intently. But the voice seemed to have faded away, so much so that he could only barely hear a sound but couldn''t make out what it was saying. Harry made a snap decision and ran in the direction the voice had come from. "Harry, what are you doing?" Ron was baffled, initially thinking Harry was hearing things due to hunger, but he had to quickly follow¡ªHarry had the Invisibility Cloak. If they got separated and Filch caught him, he''d be in trouble. Harry dashed down flights of stairs, raced past the entrance hall, and finally made his way to the vicinity of the second-floor bathroom. Once there, Harry felt a bit confused. Too much time had passed, so he couldn''t be sure this was where the voice had originated, only that it was the right general area. "You really didn''t hear anything?" Harry asked Ron, who was out of breath and trailing behind him, with frustration. "I didn''t hear a thing, Harry. What''s going on?" Ron wiped the sweat from his forehead. A look of confusion flashed across Harry''s face. Ron''s confident tone was enough to make him start doubting himself. At that moment, Ron sniffed the air. He caught a faint whiff of food. "Do you smell that?" "Huh?" Ron''s sudden question caught Harry off guard. The banquet had long ended, so how could there still be the scent of food lingering? Was Ron so hungry that he was imagining it? If it was just traces of dinner left in the air, then Ron''s nose might be a little too sensitive. "There''s definitely food around here. Let me check..." Ron''s nostrils flared as he sniffed around the hallway. After two laps, he finally discovered a heavy food container hidden beneath a vase stand. "Knew it!" Ron had already shoved aside any thoughts of Harry''s "voice." What could be more important than food? He placed the container on the windowsill and opened its lid. Inside was a dish of red wine-braised veal shanks, glistening and irresistibly aromatic. Ron''s Adam''s apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed hard. The dish looked absolutely tantalizing¡ªcompletely different in style from the typical English fare served at their usual meals. "Harry, there really is food in here! And it''s so refined and appetizing. This must be Merlin''s blessing!" "There''s no need for that. Thank you for finding my wand," "AAh¡ªWho!?" A voice suddenly came from behind them, startling both Ron and Harry. They jumped apart instinctively, wands raised¡ªRon even brandished both his broken wand and the one they''d found. "Relax, it''s me¡ªRhys," Rhys quickly said, his tone calm and reassuring, hoping to defuse the tension before anyone accidentally fired a spell. Rhys wasn''t worried about Harry and Ron''s spells hurting him; his main concern was avoiding any commotion that might attract Filch. If that happened, he''d have to waste more energy dealing with it. Too much had happened tonight, and all he wanted now was to return to his dormitory quietly and enjoy his meal. "Rhys, it''s you! What are you doing here?" Harry breathed a sigh of relief, still shaken by the tense atmosphere from moments ago. "This is my wand and my food container. I made some food but suddenly got a stomachache and had to make a quick stop at the restroom. When I came back out... well, I saw you two here." Rhys casually fabricated an explanation, delivering it with just the right amount of plausibility. Both Harry and Ron nodded in understanding. Harry felt a vague sense of unease, as though something was off, but Rhys''s story seemed reasonable enough to dismiss his doubts. "What''s with your wand?" Rhys asked as he took his wand back from Ron, noticing the tape wrapped around Ron''s own wand. Ron explained the situation, recounting how his wand had been damaged when their enchanted car crashed into the Whomping Willow. Rhys examined Ron''s wand for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Would you mind if I tried to fix it?" "Go ahead¡ªcan''t make it worse than it already is," Ron replied, handing his wand to Rhys without hesitation. Rhys carefully peeled off the tape from Ron''s wand, only to frown deeply. In his opinion, was this wand even worth repairing? It would be better to replace it as soon as possible! The damage to the outer wood was minor, but the core inside was also damaged. Fortunately, the situation wasn''t too severe¡ªafter some repairs, Ron would at least be able to make do with it for now. With great care, Rhys adjusted the unicorn tail hair inside the wand to its proper position. He then realigned the broken parts of the wand''s body and cast a Mending Charm. The fractured pieces seamlessly fused back together, leaving the wand as good as he could make it. "Here, it''s usable for now, but I strongly recommend replacing it as soon as you can," Rhys said as he handed the wand back to Ron. ____________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 195- Fortunately, I am not the headmaster anymore 195- Fortunately, I am not the headmaster anymore "Thank you!!!" Ron took his wand from Rhys''s hands and sincerely expressed his gratitude. At least now his wand appeared to be in good shape. When Ron had initially tried to repair it himself, he couldn''t even restore its appearance. Ron picked up his wand and gave it a gentle shake. A shower of sparks shot out from the tip. "It''s fixed!" Ron exclaimed in delight. Rhys: "..." "Not exactly fixed. You still need to be cautious when casting spells. If you use too much force, it''ll break again," Rhys warned him, trying to curb Ron''s excitement. In Rhys''s opinion, the wand was far from truly repaired¡ªit was merely usable for now. In actual use, it would probably overload and explode after a few spells. "Yeah, I''ll be careful," Ron nodded repeatedly. As for Rhys''s suggestion to replace the wand when possible, Ron simply pretended not to hear¡ªwhere would he get the money for a new wand? Rhys could tell what Ron was thinking just by his expression. He sighed inwardly: the Weasley family was a pureblood family, after all. How had they ended up in such a state? And as for Ron, the boy had absolutely no sense of resourcefulness¡ªdidn''t he realize that sometimes, getting what you need doesn''t necessarily require spending money? "You know, getting a wand doesn''t always mean you have to pay for it," Rhys said. "Huh?" Ron''s interest was immediately piqued. "The key lies in two words: ''you'' and ''buy,''" Rhys said, raising two fingers. "The price of a wand isn''t actually that high. If I remember correctly, a wand at Mr. Ollivander''s shop costs about seven Galleons. Even if the price varies slightly due to the materials used, it won''t stray too far from that. I''m sure your twin brothers can afford that amount." Rhys saw Ron about to say something and quickly waved his hand to stop him. "Of course, there''s no such thing as a free lunch. You can borrow the money from them. As for how to repay it... well, you can negotiate. There are plenty of ways to earn money even within the school¡ªyou could look into some of those." Rhys glanced at Ron and considered warning him not to take up Daphne''s offers to ghostwrite homework for other students. But given Ron''s academic abilities, Rhys decided it wasn''t worth mentioning. Ron nodded thoughtfully. However, knowing his two brothers'' temperaments, he felt it was best to avoid involving them if possible. Fred and George had already left him with plenty of psychological scars. "And the second method?" That left only one explanation: it had to be a result of some external influence. Judging by Harry''s clueless expression, it was clear he hadn''t deliberately learned Parseltongue as a "foreign language." Coupled with that faint, almost imperceptible aura emanating from him... this was getting far too intriguing! If his guess was correct, then Dumbledore was going to face quite the conundrum! At this moment, Rhys felt extremely fortunate that he wasn''t the current headmaster of Hogwarts¡ªany troublesome matters could be comfortably handed off to the "old guy." After parting ways with Rhys, Harry and Ron followed Seamus''s directions to the kitchen, where they were greeted with a bounty of food. By the time the two emerged from the painting, each was carrying a food box identical to Rhys''s. "I''ve never seen these dishes on the table before!" Ron exclaimed, feeling as though he had opened the door to a whole new world. "Yeah," Harry responded with a distracted nod, looking preoccupied. Ron didn''t notice Harry''s change in mood; his attention was entirely captured by the delicious offerings in his food box. "Something''s not right." Harry suddenly stopped in his tracks, his brow furrowed as he finally grasped the unsettling feeling that had been lingering in his mind. "What''s not right? Is it Filch?" Ron asked nervously, glancing around in alarm. Ron quickly added, "I really don''t want to get detention." "It''s Rhys," Harry said, turning to look at Ron. "Do you really think Rhys is the kind of person who would just drop his wand on the ground?" Ron''s eyes widened. "Well... not really. But maybe even he has moments of carelessness?" "And he never directly answered my question. He didn''t explicitly say that he didn''t hear the voice." "Didn''t he, though?" Ron frowned. "I''m not sure I remember clearly anymore. Honestly, I think you''re overthinking this. If you ask me, you were just so hungry that you started hearing things. It''s a common symptom, easily solved with a sandwich." Harry fell silent. Ron''s explanation did make sense, but Harry still couldn''t shake the feeling that his judgment was correct. ____________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 196- Courage to Call Him Voldemort 196- Courage to Call Him Voldemort When Rhys entered the Slytherin common room and saw the two delicate figures in the corner, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of inevitability. Honestly, if the Greengrass sisters weren''t waiting here for him, that would''ve been unusual. "I hope you both had fun at the Deathday Party," Rhys said as he sat across from them, placing his food box on the table. "The fact that you can say something like that means you barely stayed at the party," Daphne couldn''t help but retort. Her sister chimed in agreement. "That was definitely the worst party I''ve ever been to." "For the dead, though, it was probably quite well done," Rhys said, offering a fair defense on behalf of poor Nearly Headless Nick. Daphne and Astoria both laughed. The Deathday Party had indeed been a great success¡ªexcept for one flaw: Sir Nicholas had been a bit too noisy, distracting everyone from enjoying the Headless Hunt''s performances. "Oh, right! The food you asked us to pack for you earlier should still be warm. Hurry up and eat!" Daphne suddenly remembered, quickly retrieving a food box from under the table. Rhys was a bit surprised. He had assumed they''d already eaten everything themselves. To his surprise, they''d saved it for him. Rhys felt a small sense of satisfaction. Some people, without thinking, would eat up every scrap of food and then dash into the Forbidden Forest to hunt once their stomachs started growling again. "I also brought a few dishes from the kitchen," Rhys said. Since Daphne and Astoria were so generous, he wasn''t going to keep everything for himself. He opened his food box and laid out the exquisite dishes it contained. "Wow!" "That smells amazing!" Daphne and Astoria couldn''t tear their eyes away. The level of refinement in these three dishes rivaled the meals served at their own family dinners. For two girls who were starving, the temptation was impossible to resist. "Go ahead and eat; I brought them for you," Rhys said, conjuring three sets of tableware with a casual flick of his wand. Hearing this, Daphne and Astoria didn''t hold back. They picked up the knives and forks and quickly began devouring the food on their plates. "So, what did you and the Bloody Baron talk about?" Daphne asked after swallowing a bite of lamb tongue, her curiosity piqued. "Some old stories. The Bloody Baron was one of the first ghosts to ''move in'' after Hogwarts was founded¡ªa living relic. You can get a lot of interesting information from him," Rhys replied.No?v(el)B\\jnn Daphne appeared thoughtful. "So, you''re saying...?" Daphne seemed to have a vague guess¡ªRhys must have gotten hold of a soul fragment. "Yes." "Isn''t that too cruel..." Astoria hesitated, her heart uneasy at the thought of an innocent soul being tainted by her own curse. "Huh?!" Rhys quickly realized that the two girls seemed entirely clueless about Horcruxes. Taking the opportunity, he explained the concept in detail. "Then... whose Horcrux is this?" After listening to Rhys'' explanation, Daphne immediately understood that his evening''s activities were far more complex than merely "chatting with Barrow." "His name is Tom Riddle, though he goes by the name Voldemort." Pffft! Splat! Both Daphne and Astoria simultaneously sprayed their food out of their mouths. "What is it?" Rhys couldn''t quite understand their reaction. "That''s the Dark Lord''s Horcrux¡ªoh my gosh, does that mean he''s really still alive?!" Astoria finally realized the implications, covering her mouth in shock as goosebumps rose all over her body. Using the Dark Lord as medicine?! This was absolutely insane! "You two seem really afraid of him?" Rhys raised an eyebrow. "Of course we are, he''s the Dark Lord!" Astoria was much more agitated than Daphne¡ªafter all, she was the one who would be taking the "medicine." "The Dark Lord?" Rhys sneered dismissively. He''d noticed when reading before that the modern wizarding world avoided saying Voldemort''s name, preferring to call him "the Dark Lord." Originally, Rhys had assumed this figure must be someone extraordinary. But after actually encountering him, he was thoroughly disappointed: just an average dark wizard! Well, quite suitable as a medicinal ingredient. "I want the two of you to start saying his name¡ªVoldemort. He''s not some invincible figure, and there''s no reason to fear him. If all goes well, your sister should be capable of taking him on by the time she graduates." Astoria and Daphne stared at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. ________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 197- Talent For Potions! 197- Talent For Potions! "Rhys, you''re joking, right?" Daphne had always thought she was quite strong, but even at her most confident, she''d never dared to put herself on the same level as the Dark Lord¡ªno, Voldemort. "Of course, I''m not joking. Although your talent isn''t as good as your little sister''s, you''ll still learn magic from me for seven years till you graduate. If you can''t even deal with Voldemort..." Rhys gave Daphne a glance and said leisurely, "Then when people ask where you learned magic, make sure you don''t mention me. Actually, even if you win, it''s better not to bring me up." Daphne: "..." Hearing Rhys''s confidence in her, Daphne felt happy. But what did he mean by saying her talent wasn''t as good as her sister''s? She was clearly leagues ahead of Astoria in magical control! "So, by your logic, you could definitely beat the Dark Lo¡ªVoldemort right now?" Daphne retorted instinctively. But as soon as the words left her mouth, she realized she''d misspoken: her question was too sharp. Comparing someone as young as Rhys to Voldemort was completely unfair. Besides, who in the wizarding world would dare claim they could easily defeat Voldemort? Well, maybe that Gilderoy Lockhart, but he didn''t count. What Daphne didn''t realize, however, was that deep in a hidden corner of her heart, a small hope lingered¡ªa hope that Rhys truly could defeat Voldemort. After all, from the moment she''d met him until now, Rhys had seemed almost omnipotent. Rhys glanced at Daphne: I''ve already used Voldemort''s Horcruxes as medicinal ingredients¡ªwhat do you think, who''s stronger? Maybe Voldemort at his peak could have walked away unscathed from me, but now? "Even if... Voldemort really does make a comeback, sister, with Rhys and me by your side, we can definitely defeat him!" Seeing that her sister might have said the wrong thing, Astoria quickly stepped in to smooth things over, deftly steering the conversation away. As for why the two sisters had taken to viewing Voldemort as their hypothetical enemy, the moment Rhys decided to use Voldemort''s Horcrux to treat Astoria, the Greengrass family had been destined to stand on the opposite side of Voldemort. Daphne and Astoria''s lack of confidence in their own abilities didn''t bother Rhys much. What he cared about was their courage in addressing Voldemort by name. Seeing them both call him "Voldemort" without hesitation, Rhys felt satisfied. If his apprentices couldn''t even say a defeated dark wizard''s name, that would be an embarrassing reflection on him. "I''ll prepare a few supplementary potions, and then you''ll be ready for treatment," Rhys said. In the days when he adventured with Godric, he had been responsible for everything, from battle-assisting potions to cough syrups. Whenever he brewed something, he''d always find a way to test it first: he''d personally try the ones he was confident in, and for the uncertain ones, he''d find a muggle¡ªno, not a muggle.. definitely a toad to experiment on! "Once you finish brewing your potion, would you dare to test it yourself?" Rhys asked Daphne, glancing at her. "Of course, no problem!" Daphne replied, brimming with confidence in her abilities. "Very good," Rhys said with a satisfied smile. "If you succeed, I''ll reward you with a spell¡ªan enchantment to reinforce a house. How does that sound?" After teaching Daphne the foundational knowledge, Rhys decided to switch to a reward-based system¡ªhe would only teach her the spells not found in books if she performed exceptionally well. This approach was also a way to cultivate her interest in learning, preventing her from assuming that sharing knowledge came without any cost. Rhys was already being very generous. These spells were either painstakingly collected or personally developed by him and his friends. Offering them as rewards for simple tasks would have made him a benevolent figure a thousand years ago. "Can it be an offensive spell?" Daphne asked. "Sure. How about a spell that temporarily animates the land?" After a brief negotiation, Rhys and Daphne reached an "agreement." Daphne then began to focus intently on the notes Snape had left on the blackboard. "Hey, elderberries only need to have their juice extracted, right? So, technically, there''s no need to chop them up with a knife?" she suddenly whispered. "Of course," Rhys replied. "And since there''s a filtering step later, it means that the filter cloth coming into contact with the potion won''t be an issue either, right?" A bold glint flashed in Daphne''s eyes. Seeing Rhys nod in affirmation, she didn''t hesitate¡ªshe bent down and removed her shoe. Rhys: "?" He watched as Daphne took out a handkerchief and dumped all the elderberries needed for the potion onto it. Then, she wrapped them up tightly in the handkerchief. After completing this, she picked up her shoe and began pounding the handkerchief forcefully with the heel. Once the berries inside had been smashed into a pulp, she tossed the handkerchief directly into the cauldron. Daphne: Hehe~ Rhys: Damn.. Rhys couldn''t help but genuinely marvel: Daphne, you truly have a talent for potion-making! ________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 198- Duel Club 198- Duel Club Rhys wasn''t being sarcastic or mocking Daphne¡ªhe genuinely believed at this moment that the girl had a talent for potion-making. Previously, Daphne had always followed instructions from either himself or Snape. Whatever was written on the board or verbally explained, she would replicate exactly as instructed. This wasn''t to say she lacked ability¡ªmany young wizards couldn''t even manage to follow instructions correctly¡ªbut to become a true Potions Master, relying solely on a teacher''s notes wouldn''t suffice. If one always depended on written instructions or notes, their ultimate achievement would be no more than that of an outstanding apothecary. Snape had noticed Daphne''s actions. He quickly walked over to her table, watching as she retrieved the handkerchief, which had been boiling in the cauldron for nearly a minute. "Miss Greengrass, I need to understand the reasoning behind your recent actions," Snape said, looking at her. His face betrayed no emotion, making it difficult to discern what he was thinking. "This method takes less time, is more efficient in extracting juice, and avoids the effort of slicing the berries." Daphne explained, pointing to the small pile of berries on the cutting board of the young wizard at the next table. If they were cut one by one, it would take at least fifteen minutes. In potion-making, most of the time spent preparing ingredients went into slicing berries. Daphne''s approach had indeed saved a considerable amount of time. Snape''s gaze shifted to the soggy handkerchief. For a brief moment, Daphne felt a pang of panic. However, remembering that Rhys had tacitly approved her actions, she steadied herself. "Since the potion is filtered at the end anyway, I believe boiling the handkerchief directly in the cauldron is not an issue. It also improves the efficiency of extracting the berry juice." Snape nodded slightly, then took the shoe from Daphne''s hand, flipped it over, and motioned for her to inspect the condition of the heel. "During the pounding process, dirt from your shoe adhered to the handkerchief, which you then threw into your cauldron. Your potion has been contaminated," Snape said softly, placing her shoe gently back on the table. Daphne: ¦²(¤Ã¡ã§¥¡ã;)¤Ã @@@@ It was a perfect opportunity to assess the current combat skills of Hogwarts'' young wizards and witches. He didn''t set his expectations too high¡ªjust as long as it wasn''t two people firing sparks at each other or as dull as watching Muggles set off fireworks, he figured it would be acceptable. By 8 p.m., nearly the entire student body had shown up. The words "Dueling Club" had an allure for these energetic young wizards almost equal to "Quidditch." Whether it was the chance to engage in a spirited duel with someone from a rival house without risking detention, to impress a young lady with one''s magical prowess, or to learn practical spells for combat, everyone had their reasons. The Great Hall quickly filled as students poured in, all heading for the same destination. Rhys and the Greengrass sisters were no exception. They followed the crowd into the hall, where the club''s first meeting was being held. The long house tables had been moved aside, leaving the vast space open. The ceiling above was velvet-black, illuminated by the soft glow of a thousand floating candles. At the center of the hall stood a circular platform. Its height and design ensured that students in every corner could clearly see what would unfold onstage. In one corner of the Great Hall, a pile of hundreds of cushions lay stacked, while a thick, plush carpet covered the floor. It was evident that tonight''s lesson wouldn''t just involve theory. Students gathered eagerly around the circular platform, wands in hand, their faces alight with excitement. The area around the stage was packed tight, resembling a tin of sardines, as everyone vied for a closer view. "Who do you think will be teaching us how to duel?" Rhys overheard Astoria ask. Daphne replied, "It''s likely Professor Flitwick. He was a dueling champion in his youth. But I''m sure other professors will be involved too¡ªthere''s no way they''d let Professor Flitwick duel the students himself." Rhys turned to glance at Daphne. She looked ready to spring into action, clutching her wand so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. Little girl, are you sure you''re not just a tiny bit more eager than you''re letting on? ___________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 199- Snape vs Lupin 199- Snape vs Lupin Daphne was spot on with her guess; the professors soon made their appearance. Flitwick, Lupin, and Snape stepped onto the circular platform, standing side by side in a line. The crowd fell silent at once, the students'' excitement palpable as they eagerly awaited the professors'' "performance" for the evening. Lupin and Snape looked as they usually did¡ªone in a simple robe, the other dressed like a giant bat. Flitwick, however, had swapped his usual tailcoat, which always made him resemble a band conductor, for a vest, shirt, and suspenders. He appeared exceptionally agile and ready for action. It was clear that agility and evasion were crucial traits in dueling. Either you could take hits like Hagrid, or you needed to be as nimble as Professor Flitwick. Pleased by the students'' prompt silence, the three professors each turned to face a different direction and gave a slight bow of acknowledgment to the crowd. Then, Professor Flitwick took the lead in opening the first session of the dueling club. "Gather around, children... Oh! Mr. Weasley, you''re far too close! You''re practically halfway onto the stage, and poor Miss Patil in front of you looks like she''s suffocating. Keep this up, and I might have to swap places with Severus." At Flitwick''s remark, Fred and George, perfectly in sync, took two steps back. "I don''t expect every student to be able to see me, but can everyone hear my voice?" A ripple of low laughter ran through the crowd. Seeing that the students had responded, Professor Flitwick began explaining the reason behind the creation of the dueling club. As Flitwick spoke, the expressions on the young wizards'' faces gradually turned serious. Who would dare to try and infiltrate Hogwarts? Could it be remnants of you-know-who''s followers? But hadn''t the most fanatical of them already been locked up in Azkaban? Some students from families with more complicated backgrounds even considered sending letters home to ask their fathers if they and their "old friends" had been up to anything lately. "I believe everyone here can learn something valuable from this club. Personally, I hope you''ll never have to use what you learn here. However, if the day comes when you must defend yourselves, what you gain here might prove useful." The students broke into applause for the professors. "Now, I''d like to introduce my assistants¡ªProfessor Snape and Professor Lupin. Both are highly skilled duelists. Before we begin, let''s have them demonstrate a proper duel for you. They''ll show you the full process of a formal duel." According to Flitwick, having Lupin, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, as an assistant was sufficient. However, before the session began, Snape had approached him, expressing a desire to assist as well. Flitwick thought for a moment before agreeing. He understood perfectly well what Severus had in mind, but Flitwick believed that having him participate would make the opening of the dueling club far more exciting. "Levicorpus!" When Lupin shouted this spell, a flicker of irritation crossed Snape''s face. Just as he braced himself to defend against the spell, he realized Lupin hadn''t cast it at all. Eh? Instead, Lupin seized the moment to toss a black, egg-shaped object near Snape. Bang! The black egg exploded, releasing a dense, nauseating stench that instantly enveloped Snape. While Snape could dodge a curse or reflect an incoming spell, he was caught off guard and had no immediate solution for this kind of "area effect" attack. "Brilliant!" Just as Snape was forcing himself to stay composed and preparing to pinch his nose and counterattack, Flitwick stepped in decisively. He conjured a barrier of air between the two, abruptly halting the duel. "Excellent quick thinking! Students, unless explicitly prohibited, using magical tools during a duel is perfectly allowed," Flitwick said, his gaze sweeping over Fred and George''s faces. "If I''m not mistaken, that was a Dungbomb, wasn''t it?" The hall erupted into laughter from the young witches and wizards. Snape stood stiffly beside Flitwick''s right hand, his expression dark and his figure radiating a foul smell. It was evident he was keen to continue the duel, but he hadn''t anticipated Flitwick would intervene and call it off so decisively. So, Snape made his choice: he didn''t bother to clean off the stench clinging to his robes¡ªafter all, it was mostly on the hem of his cloak, and Flitwick would find it far more unpleasant than he would. Humph! Sure enough, Flitwick''s expression froze for a moment. Without saying another word, he pulled out his wand and cast a cleaning charm to rid Snape''s robes of the offensive smell. Once Snape was no longer emanating any foul odor, Lupin, still limping slightly but wearing a cheerful smile, made his way to Flitwick''s left side. "No laughing," Flitwick said, taking a couple of deep breaths of the now-fresh air before continuing. "If Professor Lupin had created a poisonous fog instead of using a Dungbomb, the outcome of the battle would have been decided immediately. Children, this truly has been a duel full of valuable lessons!" The students erupted into applause in appreciation for the two professors. _____________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 200- Fishing in Troubled Waters 200- Fishing in Troubled Waters After the "exhibition duel" between the two professors, it was time for the instructional segment. Professor Flitwick conjured a wooden dummy holding a stick and proceeded to demonstrate how to use the Disarming Charm. "A highly practical defensive spell, and simple enough to master," Flitwick remarked as he summoned a blackboard and began writing down the key points for casting the Disarming Charm. While Flitwick''s explanation floated through the air, Rhys found himself recalling the history of the Disarming Charm. He had read modern magic textbooks and knew that wizard historians still debated the origin of the Disarming Charm. Some believed it was invented by Merlin, while others said it was already widely used in Madagascar in the 11th century. According to Miranda Goshawk, author of The Standard Book of Spells, the charm''s inventor was a witch named Elizabeth Smudgling, based on evidence of her using it in a dueling tournament in 1379. Rhys leaned toward the last theory. In the era when he had been active, there was no such spell as the Disarming Charm, as wizards of that time considered it too impractical. Why go through the trouble of disarming an enemy? If he is the enemy, just kill him and if you want to capture someone, why not use a spell like the Stunning Spell? The theories of Madagascar or Merlin as the origin didn''t seem credible to him. In the 11th century, Madagascar was still largely covered by untamed forests, with few wizards settled on the island. Those who were there would have been reclusive hermits at best¡ªhardly the context for "widespread use."@@@@ Furthermore, in such a harsh survival environment, spells would naturally prioritize practicality, and something as "niche" as the Disarming Charm would not have gained much traction. The second theory was even less credible. By the time Rhys and his peers were young, Merlin was already a legendary figure in magical history. If he had truly invented the Disarming Charm and passed it down through the ages, Rhys and his contemporaries would undoubtedly have heard of it. There was a minuscule chance that Merlin had created the spell and then hidden it away in a labyrinthine secret realm, placing the magical book containing the spell as a "reward" in a treasure chest for anyone who completed the maze. And even if that were the case, Rhys could only conclude that Merlin must have had far too much time on his hands. That said, it wasn''t entirely accurate to claim that no disarming magic existed in that era. There were spells such as the "Drop Weapon Spell" and the "Weapon Expulsion Spell," either of which might have evolved into the modern Disarming Charm. Many court wizards liked to use the "Drop Weapon Spell" to check whether visitors were concealing weapons. The "Weapon Expulsion Spell" was more violent¡ªif you could "convince" yourself that part of your opponent''s body was a weapon, the spell could forcibly eject that "weapon." For instance, if you were utterly convinced that your opponent''s fist was a weapon, this spell would sever their fist from their body. Still, it was largely impractical¡ªif your spell could hit the enemy, wouldn''t it make more sense to use a spell with greater destructive power? Just as Rhys was idly observing the spellcasting skills of the young wizards around him, he suddenly felt a twinge of something amiss. Instinctively, he sidestepped, and a streak of red light narrowly grazed his robes, striking the roly-poly doll diagonally in front of him and causing it to wobble unsteadily. Rhys turned his gaze in the direction of the spell and saw Malfoy, standing behind him, suddenly take an intense interest in the floor of Hogwarts. Raising an eyebrow, Rhys turned back and resumed practicing the Disarming Charm as if dismissing the earlier event as a mere accident. Malfoy''s eyes narrowed at once: Rhys had let his guard down¡ªhis golden opportunity had arrived! The previous Disarming Charm had narrowly missed, but this time, Malfoy was determined not to fail. Glancing at Marcus, who stood beside him, Malfoy gave a subtle signal. Marcus caught on immediately, aligning his wand slightly off-center from Malfoy''s to cut off Rhys''s escape route. Not far away, Daphne noticed the entire exchange. A glint flickered in her eyes as she discreetly adjusted the angle of her own wand. Rhys, seemingly oblivious to the scheming duo behind him, continued his practice. "Expelliarmus!" Two streaks of red light shot toward Rhys from both sides, but just as they were about to hit his back, they mysteriously disappeared. A moment later, the same Disarming Charms reappeared, reversing their trajectory and flying back toward their casters, simultaneously blasting Malfoy and Marcus off their feet. At the same time, another spell hit Malfoy from a cunning angle. As Malfoy crashed heavily to the ground, a wave of nausea surged through him. Struggling to sit up, he turned slightly, only to let out a loud hiccup¡ªand a massive, slimy slug erupted from his mouth. The nearby students leapt away in disgust, their faces contorted in revulsion. Seeing this, Daphne smiled happily. ___________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: 201: Daphne: Everyone here is weak! 201: Daphne: Everyone here is weak! "An interesting spell, the ''Slugulus Eructo,'' is it?" Rhys chuckled, shaking his head, pleased with Daphne''s actions. What a great student, knowing to side with the teacher. Much better than those who would laugh out loud watching a teacher get beaten down by a flaming sword. After spending a long time with Adrian in the past, Rhys often wondered if he owed him something in a past life. But after spending time with Daphne, Rhys was sure: he didn''t owe Adrian anything. If anyone owed debts, it was Adrian! Otherwise, why send Daphne to repay them? It had to be said, even sharing the same surname and living in the same manor, the gap between people was wider than that between humans and Flobberworms. Up on the stage, Flitwick noticed the commotion in the Great Hall. Together with Snape, he stepped off the platform and quickly approached Malfoy. "Ugh..." Right in front of the professors, Malfoy vomited two more slugs. Flitwick frowned, conjuring a large bucket and thrusting it into Malfoy''s hands. "Just throw up in here. Once you''ve gotten it all out, you''ll be fine." Malfoy: "?!" He wanted to shout for Flitwick to provide a more reliable treatment, but Flitwick was a seasoned professor, and Malfoy didn''t dare cross him. Helpless, he turned to Snape with a pleading look, hoping the professor who usually favored him might do something. Snape thought for a moment, recalling how Lucius Malfoy had looked after him during their time at Hogwarts. He reached into his robes and pulled out a small vial. "Drink this. It''ll help you vomit faster," Snape said, his face as impassive as ever. There was no other choice. With dozens of slugs writhing in Malfoy''s stomach, the best solution was to expel them. Malfoy: "..." Seeing that even his "support" had said so, he could only accept his fate¡ªthough these bitter consequences would have to wait until he finished vomiting slugs. As Malfoy silently hugged the bucket and expelled the contents of his stomach, the other students were energetically practicing the Disarming Charm. Snape''s potion proved highly effective. After about fifteen minutes, Malfoy stopped vomiting, having completely emptied his stomach of slugs. Daphne had confidence in her ability to defeat most Hogwarts students. At worst, she figured it would be an even match. But against Rhys? She doubted she could last even a single minute. It was a true zero-to-ten matchup. She suspected that Rhys could defeat her with ease even without using a wand. This was a rare opportunity for her to enjoy herself, and she didn''t want her turn to end as soon as it began. "Of course." Rhys frowned slightly at the warm breath from Daphne''s whisper tickling his ear, taking a small step to the side to put some distance between them. He genuinely had no intention of stepping onto the dueling stage. If Rowena ever found out the little Salazar was dueling little wizards, it would be an indelible stain on his reputation. More importantly, Rhys also wanted to gauge Daphne''s current combat abilities and see how they compared to other Hogwarts students. Since Rhys hadn''t faced students of all ages at Hogwarts, he wasn''t familiar with their overall skill level. He wanted Daphne to serve as a sort of "quality control" measure¡ªa baseline for evaluating the other students'' combat effectiveness. Of course, judging by the chaotic scene during the disarming spell practice earlier, the children''s practical abilities likely left much to be desired. With Rhys''s reassurance, Daphne happily ran up to the stage. Seizing the moment, Astoria immediately squeezed in beside Rhys. "Watch me knock my sister off the stage later!" "Don''t go up just yet. Let Daphne test the waters with the other students first," Rhys said, glaring at Astoria and signaling her to behave herself and not disrupt his evaluation. "Alright," Astoria replied, reluctantly quieting down. "Miss Greengrass, since you''re the first student to step onto the stage tonight, I''m granting you a special privilege. You may choose your first opponent," Professor Flitwick announced after Daphne reached the stage, giving her the option. Hearing this, Daphne tilted her head slightly, a thoughtful expression appearing on her refined face. Finally, she spoke softly: "Anyone will do. After all, everyone here... is weak." Boom! The Great Hall erupted like a cauldron of boiling oil doused with cold water. _________ Read 12 Chapters ahead at my Patreon~! Patreon: HornyFBI 202- Flitwick Is Shocked! 202- Flitwick Is Shocked! The Great Hall was in an uproar. Most of the young witches and wizards present had heard of Daphne''s name¡ªafter all, she had caused quite a stir in her first-year. But no one expected her to be this audacious! Everyone here is weak? How is that different from outright declaring, "You''re all trash"? The students below the stage were raring to go, itching to teach this bold little witch a lesson and show her that young people shouldn''t be too overconfident. "Will my sister fly into the air and rely on air superiority to win the duel?" Astoria speculated. Rhys shook his head. He didn''t think Daphne would do that, at least not at the start. Even Professor Flitwick was startled by Daphne''s statement. He glanced first at Snape, then at Lupin, his confusion evident. What was going on with Daphne? How did this little Slytherin end up with the same combative spirit as a Gryffindor student? Oh well, he thought. He''d just have to pay closer attention to ensure she didn''t get hurt. Inwardly, Flitwick had already prepared to intervene in the duel if necessary. Still, Daphne''s bold proclamation had undeniably set the atmosphere in the Great Hall ablaze. Every single student present was brimming with the urge to step onto the stage and knock her down a peg. Malfoy stared at the stage, a contemplative look on his face. Marcus leaned in, grinning as he nudged Malfoy''s arm. "Why don''t you go up there and duel her? Let me tell you, showing off your skills is the best way to catch a girl''s attention." Malfoy licked his lips. He had to admit, he was tempted. If he could defeat her in front of everyone... would she start seeing him in a different light? Tempted as he was, Malfoy knew Daphne was not weak. He turned to Marcus and asked why he wasn''t going up himself. "Me? Handling a little girl like that would be a piece of cake. But, you see, as her senior, it wouldn''t be right for me to bully someone younger." Marcus said with a laugh, brushing off the question. Despite his troll-like appearance, Marcus was far craftier than he seemed. He had no intention of stepping into the ring with Daphne. Losing would ruin his reputation, and winning wouldn''t bring him any benefit. But egging on his junior, Malfoy, to take up the challenge? That was a risk-free plan. Regardless of the duel''s outcome, Marcus figured he''d come out ahead. In his younger years, Flitwick had sparred with students from Africa''s Uagadou School of Magic, known for their mastery of wandless magic. Their opponents often felt as if they''d been physically pummeled by invisible blows, a technique strikingly similar to Daphne''s current performance. While Flitwick analyzed Daphne''s technique, her barrage on Malfoy continued without mercy. Every strike was a solid, punishing hit. Standing nearby, Professor Snape could no longer bear to watch. He coughed heavily, twice, signaling Flitwick that it was time to intervene. Snapped out of his thoughts by Snape''s pointed cough, Flitwick hurriedly called an end to the duel. Daphne obediently stowed her wand, while Malfoy collapsed onto the dueling platform with a loud thud. The young wizards and witches below the stage: ... Seeing Daphne standing calmly on the platform, her expression serene and composed, at least half of the students lost any desire to challenge her. Who could associate the doll-like, delicate young witch before them with the same person who had mercilessly pummeled her opponent moments ago? Many even doubted their own eyes, yet Draco Malfoy lying there on the stage was irrefutable proof of what had transpired. Professor Snape strode quickly to Malfoy''s side and drew his wand. "Ennervate!" The reviving spell healed Malfoy''s physical wounds, but it couldn''t mend his crushed spirit. At that moment, Malfoy had no intention of getting up; he couldn''t bear to meet the gazes of those around him. Snape, however, was having none of it. He hauled Malfoy to his feet with a firm grip, then dragged him off the platform and handed him over to Marcus. Having witnessed Malfoy''s thorough defeat at close range, Marcus felt a chill run down his spine. Could he really withstand that relentless barrage of attacks if he stepped onto the stage? He had no definitive answer. Maybe his sturdy physique would allow him to endure a few more punches? "Next," Daphne''s crisp voice rang out from the stage. Malfoy''s eyes snapped open. He grabbed Marcus''s arm with sudden urgency. Marcus instantly sensed trouble, but it was already too late. "Y-You have to avenge me!" Malfoy pleaded, begging Marcus to step onto the stage and fight on his behalf. Right now, Malfoy didn''t care about anything else¡ªhe just wanted someone to help him win back his pride. Marcus wanted to refuse, but Malfoy was bound to offer a condition he couldn''t turn down. __________ Read 12 Chapters ahead at my Patreon!? Patreon: HornyFBI 203- Even The Seniors Can’t Win? Hogwarts Is Doomed! 203- Even The Seniors Can¡¯t Win? Hogwarts Is Doomed! Marcus, stay calm. She''s just a second-year kid. What''s there to fear? Standing on the stage, Marcus kept trying to reassure himself. Yes, she was merely a little girl who could fly, knew a few strange spells, and had managed to foil a Dark Wizard''s plot back in her first year. Marcus: ...fuck.. He tried not to think about it any further, but at this point, backing down would mean losing all the benefits Malfoy had promised him. Not only that, he''d also become a laughingstock among the entire school. How could he ever hold his head high in front of Wood again? He had no way out now. From the moment he stepped onto the dueling platform, blinded by the lure of benefits, his only option was to defeat the girl in front of him and claim victory. "Duelists, bow!" Professor Flitwick''s voice echoed nearby, though it felt strangely distant to Marcus. He bowed mechanically, and then an idea popped into his head: No matter how tricky Daphne''s spells might be, she was still just a second-year girl. His physical strength far outclassed hers. A bold plan began to take shape in his mind. Marcus decided to endure Daphne''s attacks, even if it meant taking a couple of hits. As long as he could grit his teeth and charge straight toward her, victory would be his! Whether a wizard winning by sheer force counted as legitimate, Marcus figured that since the rules didn''t forbid it, it was fair game. So, as soon as the countdown ended, he let out a loud roar and charged at Daphne like an arrow loosed from a bowstring. The short distance of just a few meters was practically nothing for someone like Marcus, a "sportsman" through and through. The young witches and wizards watching from below widened their eyes in disbelief. Is this even a wizard''s duel?! Seeing Marcus charging at her like a rampaging troll, Daphne''s pupils contracted. She quickly aimed the tip of her wand at his chest and unleashed a straightforward attack spell. Marcus''s charge came to an abrupt halt. Boom!@@@@ It was as if he had been hit at point-blank range by a shotgun blast¡ªhe was sent flying backward. Though his chest wasn''t blown open, the impact caused his ribcage to cave in slightly, breaking several ribs in the process. Thankfully, at the very moment the spell was released, Daphne had regained her composure and consciously reduced its power. Otherwise, Marcus would have been guaranteed to miss next week''s Quidditch match. "Daphne wins! Slytherin earns five points!" Flitwick hastily declared Daphne''s victory, anxious to prevent her from delivering any follow-up blows like in her previous duel. If Hogwarts'' Prefects couldn''t even defeat Daphne, what hope was there? Rhys had mentally estimated Daphne''s strength to be roughly equivalent to a fifth-year student, capable of holding her own against sixth-years and narrowly losing to seventh-years if she didn''t use her necklace. The necklace, of course, would be considered cheating; under a surprise attack, even the professors hosting the gathering might struggle to defend themselves against it. And yet? The better Daphne performed, the heavier Rhys''s heart grew, as it pointed to one grim conclusion: the overall standard of Hogwarts students was alarmingly low. If this trend continued, what would become of the wizarding world once Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick, and the rest of this older generation passed away? A couple of geniuses wouldn''t be enough to ensure a stable future... The examples of the Bloody Baron and Helena Ravenclaw stood as stark reminders of how talent alone could not guarantee success. Rhys''s concerns were perhaps slightly misplaced. He hadn''t fully grasped how much easier it was for modern young wizards to advance to the next year compared to the grueling training required of wizard apprentices a thousand years ago. In the days when he and his old friends were teaching, the rule was simple: if a student didn''t meet the standards, they couldn''t advance to the next year. You either studied hard to improve your magical skills and moved up, or you "locked off." There were no other options. Of course, if your family was exceptionally powerful and could offer a spell valuable enough to tempt even Rowena Ravenclaw, exceptions could be made¡ªbut if you couldn''t keep up in the advanced years, you couldn''t blame the founders. Modern times were different. As long as students weren''t completely hopeless or didn''t care about piling up a bunch of "Acceptable" grades on their O.W.L.s, they could move on to the next year. This led to a disconnect between year level and actual magical ability. Even so, Daphne''s feat of defeating opponents across five year levels was extraordinarily shocking. "Rhys, I want to go up and duel my sister." Watching Daphne on stage, radiating confidence after her six consecutive victories, Astoria was tempted. "You can''t beat her," Rhys shook his head. Astoria had been learning from him for too short a time to bridge the gap in skill between her and Daphne. "Does anyone else want to step forward?" Professor Flitwick asked. The young wizards below the stage remained silent. After just six duels, not a single student was willing to face her. "I will." A voice broke the silence¡ªit was Gemma Farley. ___________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 204- Gemma Vs Daphne 204- Gemma Vs Daphne Gemma Farley, the seventh-year prefect, was a familiar face to the younger Slytherin students, as she was the one responsible for hosting the house''s welcoming ceremony for new students. Now in her final year, Gemma boasted an impressive record of Outstanding grades across all her O.W.L.s. If she could maintain such excellence in her N.E.W.T.s, her future would undoubtedly be bright. Tonight, she had come to the Dueling Club purely to spectate and enjoy the show. However, witnessing her young housemate''s remarkable performance had taken her by surprise. A six-match winning streak¡ªwhat a way to elevate the reputation of their house!@@@@ It had also sparked Gemma''s competitive spirit. She wanted to see if she could hold her own against this younger girl who hadn''t even been at Hogwarts for two full years. What were kids eating these days to make them so formidable? When Gemma stepped forward to challenge Daphne, a buzz of whispers spread through the crowd of young witches and wizards. Given Gemma''s outstanding track record, many were optimistic that she could "turn the tide." After all, if a second-year student managed to defeat the entire school, where would that leave everyone else''s dignity? At this point, the spectators weren''t even thinking about teaching the fierce little girl on stage a lesson anymore¡ªthey just wanted to save face. "Good evening, Prefect," Daphne greeted Gemma politely, showing a well-mannered and endearing side in front of the typically kind prefect. "Incredible. You''ve truly amazed us all," Gemma said, her face lighting up with a gentle smile. "I''m genuinely curious to see which of us is stronger at this moment." "Then let''s duel." As with the previous six matches, the duel began at Professor Flitwick''s signal. Facing the well-acclaimed senior, Daphne adopted an unusually aggressive approach, starting with three consecutive attack spells Rhys had taught her. "Protego!" Daphne''s first spell was deflected by the translucent shield. Her second spell shattered the Shield Charm''s defense, but the classic protective charm bought Gemma just enough time to sidestep the third attack. With a swift motion, she pointed her wand directly at Daphne. A surge of danger welled up in Daphne''s chest. She quickly dodged to the side, and in the next moment, a sharp "whoosh" came from where she had just been standing. The spell narrowly missed her, slicing a large tear in her sleeve. If she hadn''t moved in time, the match might already have been decided. Daphne knew all too well that if the duel continued at this stalemate, she would inevitably lose. Gemma was different from other upper-year students¡ªshe seemed to have a wealth of real duel experience. Engaging in an extended battle with someone like that could only end one way for Daphne. In such a situation, it would come down to who made fewer mistakes, and Daphne had little confidence in that regard. There was only one option left. She gripped her necklace tightly. In the next instant, a remarkably powerful attack spell shot toward Gemma. Simultaneously, Daphne cast three more attack spells around Gemma, aiming to restrict her movement. Gemma''s face changed the moment she sensed the overwhelming power in the spell. She quickly reached into her robes, pulled out a small vial, and hurled it to the ground. The vial shattered on impact, and its fine, sandy contents scattered across the dueling platform. As the sand merged with the platform, the previously solid ground suddenly became as soft and fluid as water, and Gemma "sank" into it in an instant. Once she disappeared beneath the surface, the soil on the platform hardened again. The three professors watching nearby and the students in the audience widened their eyes in shock. What kind of maneuver was that?! Rhys was equally astonished. From his observations, the small vial of sand Gemma had thrown had activated some form of "field effect" that altered the platform''s soil, making it extraordinarily pliable and easy to manipulate. "Tsk!" If Gemma truly possessed such a technique, Daphne knew she wouldn''t stand a chance. Her strongest attack was a one-time move, and if Gemma could simply hide within the platform, Daphne would have no way to break through her defenses. Daphne''s spell struck the platform, shattering half of its surface. The entire Great Hall was instantly engulfed in a cloud of dust and debris. The younger witches and wizards standing near the platform were all covered in a layer of dirt, their faces smeared with ash. But they had no time to complain. All they wanted to know was¡ªwho had won? __________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 205- Rhys, Fight Me! 205- Rhys, Fight Me! "Scourgify!" "Ventus!" "Tergeo!" The three professors cast spells one after another, clearing the dust in the Great Hall. The young wizards and witches in the audience wiped the dirt off their faces, straining their eyes to make out the scene on the platform. Gemma emerged from within the platform, the soil sliding off her robes like water. In no time, her robes were spotless. The person who had just been burrowing through the earth now appeared even cleaner than Daphne, who was hovering in midair. Seeing this, Daphne couldn''t help but recall the scene in the underground room last year. Back then, the mud on the ground had slid off her feet in the same way. If Gemma had truly transformed the platform into that same substance, Daphne realized she would have no chance of winning. She looked down at Gemma, who stood amidst the ruins of the platform, head raised as she stared back at her. Gemma''s face was pale, and Daphne noticed her hand clutching the wand was trembling uncontrollably. It seemed that Gemma, like Daphne, could no longer sustain the same level of performance as before. As Daphne had anticipated, Gemma had indeed reached her limit. While the strain of controlling the soil was significant, the more critical issue was that she had underestimated the power of Daphne''s spell¡ªor perhaps overestimated the defensive capability of the soil. In the previous explosion, it seemed her leg had been fractured. The intense pain made it impossible for her to focus, let alone continue attacking. Even casting a Shield Charm to block Daphne''s spells was out of reach¡ªshe couldn''t move and was left standing there, defenseless. "I''ve lost." "You win." "Eh?"x2 The two declared forfeits simultaneously. Gemma knew she could no longer fight, while Daphne felt that continuing the battle was pointless. Besides, using the necklace to secure victory felt somewhat unsportsmanlike. If Gemma had encountered Rhys earlier, Daphne was certain she would have been the one thoroughly defeated tonight. With both participants forfeiting, Professor Flitwick declared the match a draw. Daphne descended to the ground and walked off the platform alongside Gemma, who had temporarily mended her fractured leg. "Haah~ Truly remarkable. I thought I was one of the best among the students, but you''ve taught me a lesson," Gemma said, unable to hide her awe at the strength of the new generation. "I just relied on external help. If we kept going, I definitely would''ve lost," Daphne replied, attributing her victory entirely to the necklace. "Rhys Lint?" Someone''s gaze landed on the quiet Rhys, who was casually observing the matches. "The guy whose exam scores were just a few points lower than Daphne''s?" "Yes." "Not really, though. Do you think everyone can be like that Greengrass?" "But hasn''t that Lint guy been hanging out with her in the library all the time? Maybe Daphne''s taught him a bunch of useful spells!" Ugh... Rhys heard every word of the conversation behind him, but he remained as still as a log. What a joke¡ªwho would want to go up there? Forget breaking Rowena''s seal, even being spotted by Barrow or Helena would be humiliating enough! The gathering became increasingly lively. Fred and George even went up together for an exhibition match, showing off all kinds of prank gadgets they had developed. They turned the event into a perfect stage for advertising their inventions. Amidst the cheerful atmosphere, the evening''s Dueling Club gathering came to an end. "Miss Greengrass, your grand prize will be mailed to you later," Professor Flitwick reminded Daphne in his sharp voice. After the event, the students began leaving the Great Hall, heading back to their respective common rooms. Rhys was slightly delayed as he stopped by the dueling platform to dig out some of the soil used for its construction. By the time he left the Great Hall, satisfied with his collection, it was almost completely empty. "Rhys." As he stepped out of the hall, Daphne emerged from the shadows, calling out to him. Astoria followed closely behind her, clearly also wanting to speak with him. "Is there something you need?" Rhys turned to look at Daphne. "It''s late¡ªit''s time to sleep." "Fight me!" Daphne drew her wand, her gaze fixed intently on Rhys. "I know you''re strong... Please, let me see how big the gap is between us!" At Daphne''s request, Rhys responded with a smile. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead at my Patreon~! Patreon: HornyFBI 206- The Godric Armor 206- The Godric Armor "Haha. But fighting me won''t let you perceive the gap between us." That was Rhys''s response. Standing before a 10,000-meter-high pillar versus a 100,000-meter-high one¡ªwould it really make a difference to an ordinary person? Both are vast, towering wonders that stretch beyond the clouds. To truly grasp the disparity in strength between the two of them, Daphne would need to at least reach the level of the Capricorn encounter. Hearing Rhys''s words, Daphne couldn''t help but feel a bit disappointed. She had been eager to duel him. After her matches against Hogwarts students, her confidence had swelled considerably. Now, she just wanted to understand how far she was from Rhys. But from the looks of it, Rhys had no intention of sparring with her... Daphne was overthinking. While Rhys might tease, he would never miss an opportunity to teach his young student a lesson. Just as he was about to step in and give Daphne a straightforward demonstration, his gaze caught sight of a suit of armor in the corner of the hall. Unlike the full plate armor typical of Western European knights commonly seen in the castle, this set was far simpler. It was entirely made of interlinked iron rings riveted together, with a conical nasal helm for the headpiece. Its style clashed sharply with the other armor in the castle, and its surface was covered in rust and grime, as if it hadn''t been maintained in ages. Filch must have dug up this relic from some forgotten corner and brought it to the first-floor hall¡ªperhaps intending to restore it or simply discard the antique altogether. "Wait..? Why is this thing here?" Rhys paused, startled. "Hm?" Daphne followed Rhys''s gaze and also noticed the battered chainmail armor. "Such a rare type of armor," she remarked, her attention drawn to the distinctive design.@@@@ "It''s the style from the Norman Conquest period," Rhys explained carefully, choosing his words with caution to avoid revealing too much. "Which means this armor could very well date back to the founders'' era." Daphne''s eyes widened. "I''ve heard," Rhys continued, "from a conversation with the Bloody Baron, that this type of armor had magic cast upon it. Once activated, it can engage in combat autonomously." A faint smile appeared on Daphne''s lips. "This time it''s not from some wizard''s letter?" "The letter mentioned it briefly," Rhys replied, his expression perfectly composed. "So I confirmed it with the Baron. What was written was true." Unlike the stone statues scattered throughout the castle, tasked with defending the school, this armor was designed as a "teaching tool," created by the four founders to let students practice combat. This type of armor, named after the founder most skilled in dueling, Godric Gryffindor, was called The Godric Armor. Woosh!¡ªIn the next moment, the blade erupted into roaring flames. Daphne: "!!" Instinctively, Daphne cast an attack spell to halt the armor''s advance, but the armor merely raised the round shield strapped to its arm, effortlessly deflecting her magic. The next moment, the armor charged toward Daphne in massive strides. A towering figure over two meters tall clad in full chainmail charging at full speed was a visually stunning and intimidating sight. Daphne dared not hesitate and immediately took to the air¡ªsurely, if she flew high enough, this melee-based armor wouldn''t be able to reach her... right? As Daphne soared to the top of the corridor, the armor indeed seemed out of range. It halted its charge, standing motionless for a moment. Just as Daphne prepared to unleash a barrage of spells from above, she noticed the armor raising its flaming longsword. Daphne: "??" The next instant, the sword swung in a powerful arc, releasing a crescent-shaped flame slash, three feet long, that flew straight toward her. Daphne: "Shite..!!!" Reacting swiftly, she redirected her magical focus to cast a defensive charm in front of her. But against the fiery crescent slash, her defensive charm only held for a split second before shattering. The crescent-shaped attack slammed into her midsection, sending her crashing hard against the ceiling of the corridor. Daphne''s vision went black as she lost control over her magic. Bang! She fell from the air, crashing onto the ground and lying there motionless. Astoria: (`§¥'')!! Good thing I didn''t join in; it would''ve just meant one more strike for me! Seeing that Daphne seemed to have been knocked unconscious, the Godric Armor silently sheathed its longsword and returned to its stand, reverting to its original state. ___________ Read 12 Chapters ahead at my Patreon!? Patreon: HornyFBI 207- Where Is Rhys?! 207- Where Is Rhys?! "She''s just unconscious, not seriously hurt," Rhys said as he walked over to Daphne and checked her condition. Finding nothing major, he instructed Astoria to take her back to the girls'' dormitory. Astoria: "..." "How am I supposed to explain this? Just moments ago, she was a dueling master on a seven-match winning streak, and now she''s been knocked out cold.." she asked, half-laughing, half-exasperated. "Just say she was too tired and fell asleep halfway there¡ªout like a light," Rhys said, winking at her. "Fine," Astoria reluctantly accepted the excuse Rhys had come up with. Before he could do anything else, she quickly cast a Levitation Charm on her sister, causing Daphne to float beside her. Before heading back to the dormitory, Rhys walked over to the armor. In its inner lining, he wrote a phrase in Latin and used magic to make the inscription appear faint and aged, as though it had weathered a millennium. Watching Rhys, who walked ahead of her seemingly deep in thought, Astoria''s eyes glimmered with contemplation. Her sister''s "sacrifice" hadn''t been in vain. At the cost of her own defeat, Daphne had managed to get a rough sense of the gap between her and Rhys. If it ever came to a real fight, Daphne could at most withstand one move from Rhys, as she couldn''t even defeat the enchanted armor he had conjured. As for the talk about "a wizard''s letter" and "conversations with the Bloody Baron," that might fool children and simple-minded people like her sister, but it didn''t fool her. Astoria was convinced that the fiery armor just now had been imbued with immense power by Rhys''s magic. With such terrifying strength, Rhys could not possibly be just an ordinary student. However, Astoria had no intention of delving into Rhys''s true identity or exposing his real intentions. After all, both she and her sister had been benefiting from him all along. To them, Rhys''s true purpose didn''t matter much, even if it might potentially go against the current laws of the wizarding world. When they returned to the common room, the fact that the dueling champion had been carried in lying down naturally drew a lot of attention. When asked about the situation, Astoria brushed it off with a uniform excuse: "She was exhausted and fell asleep." Though the explanation was hard to believe, the students in the common room were tactful enough not to press further. Tonight''s focus was celebrating Miss Daphne''s impressive seven-match winning streak in the dueling competition. No one wanted trivial distractions to dampen the festive mood. Daphne regained consciousness the next morning. She abruptly sat up in bed, moving so quickly that she became dizzy and saw stars. It took her about ten seconds to realize she was in her own dormitory bed. Her robes and trousers were sloppily folded at the foot of the bed, while her socks had been stuffed into her boots and left by the bedside. Pressing a hand to her head, Daphne struggled to piece together the events of the previous night. The winning streak in the dueling competition, issuing a challenge to Rhys, the moving armor... "Hmm?" "It''s History of Magic, there is no way he would go to breakfast without waiting for me just for that class.." Daphne said coldly, downing the potion in one go. Astoria: "..." She lowered her head, adopting an I don''t know anything; if you''re mad, go ahead and hit me look. Daphne ignored her and started applying the salve to her injury. To her surprise, the potion Rhys had prepared was incredibly effective. The pain disappeared almost instantly after drinking it, and the spot on her stomach where she applied the salve felt warm and soothing. Once she had finished tending to her wounds, Daphne walked straight out of the common room. Sure enough, she found Rhys in the Great Hall, happily enjoying a plate of maple syrup pancakes topped with whipped cream. "Just looking at your food makes my throat feel clogged," Daphne couldn''t help but remark, criticizing Rhys''s eating habits. "Sweetness is a preference etched into the soul," Rhys replied with a grin, sliding a plate of pancakes without maple syrup toward Daphne. "You should really consider the oil, milk, and sugar already in the pancakes," Daphne said, shaking her head as she picked up a plain pancake and began eating it. To her, the taste was just right without any additional syrup. "Yes, and while you''re at it, could you pass me that Basque cheesecake?" Daphne: "..." "This morning''s first class is History of Magic," As she handed over the plate of Basque chesecake, she mentioned this morning''s class schedule intentionally or unintentionally. "Um." "So what are your plans?" Daphne pulled the plate back. Rhys: Hey...! "I''m planning to take a trip to the Forbidden Forest. If you''d like, you can join me for a stroll." A large piece of Basque chesecake was placed in front of Rhys, at just the right distance. __________ Read 12 Chapters ahead at my Patreon~! Patreon: HornyFBI 208- Why are there such things in the Forbidden Forest?! 208- Why are there such things in the Forbidden Forest?! After finishing their meal, Rhys and Daphne walked out of the Great Hall together, where they "coincidentally" ran into Astoria at the entrance. "Big Sister, Rhys, are you heading to History of Magic?" Astoria asked, a sweet smile gracing her lips. "Yes," Daphne replied with a bright smile. "Perfect. My class is near the History of Magic classroom today. I''ll head up with you," Astoria responded without a moment''s hesitation. Daphne fell silent immediately. Rhys rubbed his temples and sighed. "Come along with us. Daphne, Astoria could use a bit of experience too." Truthfully, Rhys hadn''t invested nearly as much time and effort in Astoria as he had in Daphne. Around this time last year, he had already arranged for Daphne to face off against a troll in a life-or-death battle. This year, however, Astoria had been left in a semi-neglected state. It couldn''t be helped; his energy was finite, and focusing on one person meant less attention for the other. With Rhys''s input, Daphne finally revealed their true destination to her sister. "Got it! Wait just a moment!" Astoria dashed into the Great Hall like a gust of wind and quickly packed some breakfast to go. The Forbidden Forest in the early morning was shrouded in a thin mist, carrying a bone-chilling cold. Their shoes crunched on the fallen leaves and twigs that littered the forest path. "But why are we coming to a place like this? Is it some sort of test for us?" Daphne asked, flicking her wand to clean the mud that had accidentally smeared the side of her boots. Rhys shook his head. @@@@ "The Serpent King needs to eat. I''ve been using it a bit too frequently lately." Rhys''s explanation left Astoria utterly baffled. "Serpent King? What''s the Serpent King?" "It''s the basilisk. I like calling it the Serpent King. There''s a basilisk hidden in that special classroom¡ªit''s something Slytherin left for his descendants," Rhys explained when he saw Astoria''s confused expression. "Wow, that''s so cool!" Astoria''s eyes lit up with excitement, almost sparkling. All three instinctively stopped in their tracks. While the Greengrass sisters tilted their heads, trying to discern the direction of the noise, Rhys flicked his wand and conjured a flock of sparrows, intending to use the birds to trace the sound''s source. However, just as the sparrows took flight, Rhys noticed something was amiss. He instinctively looked up and saw a massive shadow descending from above, hurtling straight toward him. Rhys: ?! What the hell is that?! There was no time to think. With a sharp motion, Rhys aimed his wand at the center of the oncoming shadow and blasted a massive hole through it. The crisis wasn''t over. Rhys heard two heavy thuds behind him, and in an instant, he realized: the creatures ambushing them weren''t one but three. In a split second, Rhys instinctively shouted, "Get down!" while turning and slashing his wand. A pale cyan wind blade, nearly five feet long, sliced through the air from his wand tip. Daphne reacted swiftly, diving toward Astoria and knocking her to the ground while activating the protective magic embedded in her necklace. She felt a gust of wind sweep over her and then a warm, sticky substance splatter onto her back. Shielding Astoria beneath her, Daphne waited for a few tense moments until she heard Rhys''s voice. "It''s safe now. Get up," Rhys said coldly. Daphne stood, her robes smeared with blue and teal-green slime. When her gaze dropped to the ground, a chill ran down her spine: two massive black creatures, cleaved in half, lay sprawled out. They had round bodies and several hairy, spindly legs, each as large as a wild horse. The creatures weren''t fully dead yet. Their legs twitched feebly, producing the same clicking sound the group had heard earlier. Rhys crouched in front of one of the creatures, examining it closely. Behind him was another creature, its chest gaping with a massive hole where he had blasted it. Because this one''s body was mostly intact, Daphne quickly identified the species¡ªit was an enormous spider. "What on earth are these things? Why are they in the Forbidden Forest?" Rhys narrowed his eyes, his demeanor calm but serious as he carefully studied the slain giant spiders. ___________ Read 12 Chapters ahead at my Patreon!? 209- The Magic World Has Also Made Progress 209- The Magic World Has Also Made Progress After observing for a moment, Rhys realized that the giant spiders before him closely matched the description of a magical creature mentioned in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them¡ªthe Acromantula. He approached the most intact spider body and counted its eyes¡ªeight, just as described. Considering its other characteristics, Rhys was certain that this creature was indeed an Acromantula. These giant spiders originated in the dense jungles of Borneo, in Southeast Asia, and were a wizard-bred species designed to guard wizarding dwellings or treasures. ''A newly bred species, huh?'' Rhys thought to himself in realization. Although modern wizarding society had regressed significantly in some aspects compared to the magical world of a thousand years ago, there had still been innovations and advancements over the centuries. The Acromantula was one such development. After a brief encounter, Rhys was convinced that these creatures were specifically designed to counter wizards.@@@@ They moved unpredictably, emitted no magical energy, and attacked with astonishing speed. Worse still, they traveled in groups¡ªmaking them a nightmare for wizards who struggled with close combat. Their only weakness was the distinct clicking sound they made while moving. If he hadn''t been leading the group, or if he had reacted just a second slower, Astoria might have been taken. Daphne, at least, had her enchanted necklace for protection, but Astoria lacked such equipment. Considering that Acromantulas were known for their cruelty and their preference for human flesh, the outcome of being captured by one would have been grim. "It''s an Acromantula. I never expected to find such creatures in the Forbidden Forest¡ªlooks like we won''t need to hunt that wild boar anymore!" Rhys said. The small sparrows he had sent out had relayed their findings: the boar he was searching for was currently wrapped head to toe in spider silk, hanging from the treetop not far away. Compared to the smelly, foul wild boar, Rhys figured his Basilisk might actually prefer these spiders instead. "Acromantula... I think I read about them in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them..." Daphne paused in cleaning the spider fluids off her robes, instead trying to recall what she had read about the creatures. "I''ve seen them before in an apothecary. Their venom is incredibly valuable¡ªone pint can sell for a hundred Galleons," Astoria suddenly remarked. "Hmm?" Rhys immediately snapped his head up. One pint, a hundred Galleons?! Was she serious?! The fact that these things hadn''t been hunted to extinction¡ªwas it because wizards were actually committed to animal conservation and sustainable development? However, Rhys had no intention of tracking down their nest and exterminating them all. In his view, the hunting of Acromantulas should be done in moderation¡ªhe couldn''t afford to wipe out such valuable "gold mines," nor could he risk disrupting the existing venom trade market. As for the risks posed by Acromantulas, the Forbidden Forest was already a perilous place. If it weren''t dangerous enough, how could it serve as a proper training ground for students? He was even considering sending Astoria into the forest for her own training in the future. Rhys cast a Freezing Charm on the three spider corpses, sealing off their wounds with ice, and then followed up with Disillusionment Charms to make them disappear from sight. As the three massive spiders gradually vanished before her eyes, Daphne visibly relaxed¡ªthose creatures were simply too terrifying to look at! Astoria noticed the change in her sister''s expression, a thoughtful look flashing across her face. As they began their journey back, Rhys let the Greengrass sisters walk ahead. The three Acromantula corpses floated behind them, controlled by his Levitation Charm, while he brought up the rear of the group. Astoria took a bit of effort to pinpoint the position of one of the spiders. Then, with a gentle flick of her wand, the spider''s leg lifted¡ªjust enough to poke Daphne right in the soft spot at her waist. Daphne let out a startled shriek and leaped nearly two meters away. The moment she realized it was her sister''s prank, she immediately clenched her fist and charged at Astoria. Astoria laughed gleefully and sprinted down the path. With a cold huff, Daphne raised her wand, and one of the vines Rhys had previously cut sprang into the air, tripping Astoria solidly. Before Astoria could get back on her feet, Daphne pounced, straddling her back and mercilessly tickling her underarms and stomach. Watching the two sisters playfully tussling, Rhys could only shake his head and chuckle helplessly¡ªhe had completely lost control over these two troublemakers! ___________ Read 12 Chapters ahead at my Patreon~! Patreon: HornyFBI 210- Fortunately, she didn’t come from an orphanage 210- Fortunately, she didn¡¯t come from an orphanage Amidst the sounds of "joyful laughter," the three of them returned to Hogwarts Castle. Rhys led Daphne and Astoria straight to the Chamber of Secrets. After reminding them not to look directly into the Basilisk''s eyes, he summoned the serpent. [Here, this should be enough for you to eat.] Rhys placed the three Acromantula corpses before the Basilisk. After death, a spider''s legs would instinctively curl inward, making them appear less massive and easier for the Basilisk to swallow. Hisssss~ With its eyes closed, the Basilisk flicked its forked tongue in and out, clearly sensing the scent of the spiders. It opened its mouth as wide as possible and swallowed the three spiders one by one. "So this is the Serpent King..." Astoria stared at the feeding Basilisk, her eyes practically sparkling. What a powerful and magnificent creature! Astoria felt as though even her soul was trembling in awe. She couldn''t help but place her hand on the Basilisk''s back. The scales under her touch were icy cold. "..." The Basilisk noticed Astoria''s small action, but since its master had brought it food, it tolerated her behavior. Before long, the three large spiders had been swallowed, and three distinct bulges appeared along the Serpent King''s belly. Daphne frowned as she looked at the bulging Basilisk before her¡ªthe sight was truly unsettling. If it could swallow an Acromantula, then naturally, it could swallow a human just as easily. [Ssspiders... deliciousss!] [Now that you''re full, go back and sleep well. Let me know when you''re hungry again.] Rhys gave the Basilisk a couple of instructions before sending it back to its resting place within the statue. "This is truly incredible. This is Salazar Slytherin''s Serpent King, yet it''s standing right before us, alive. It feels as if we''ve transcended time itself and are hanging out with Slytherin," Astoria sighed in amazement as she watched the Basilisk''s massive form slowly retreat. Perhaps a thousand years ago, Salazar Slytherin had watched his Basilisk feed in the exact same way. Rhys: "..." Honestly, hanging out with Slytherin didn''t necessarily require transcending time. Still, he nodded in agreement, acknowledging Astoria''s words. After all, the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets was indeed a "living fossil" of Hogwarts. "It really likes eating spiders. Next time, let''s catch more for it! How long will it sleep this time?" Astoria clenched her fists excitedly, itching to rush back into the Forbidden Forest to hunt more spiders for the Serpent King. She had completely forgotten the terrifying ordeal they had just experienced in the forest. Rhys glanced at Astoria. This little girl seemed to have an unusual fondness for my Basilisk. Such an interest was rather out of place for a young witch her age. Her sister''s reaction, on the other hand, was much more normal. And considering what she had just said... Could it be...? He recalled the image of the girl''s soul he had seen back at the Greengrass Manor. Rhys decided to test his theory. [Next time it wakes up, I''ll have you catch the Acromantulas. As for how long it will sleep, anywhere from a few months to several years. If no one wakes it, it can sleep for a full decade.] "It sure can sleep!" Astoria marveled. "Next time we go spider hunting, I''ll be more experienced." What the... Daphne''s expression changed instantly. Just now, all she had heard from Rhys were hissing sounds¡ªbut her sister had understood him perfectly! Was Astoria a Parselmouth? The thought flashed through her mind. Coming from a pure-blood family, Daphne wasn''t as fearful of Parseltongue as most other young witches and wizards. Pure-blood families often intermarried, so inheriting the gift of Parseltongue wasn''t unheard of. But, like Rhys, she immediately connected this revelation to the unique nature of Astoria''s soul. This was quite troubling¡ªdid it mean her sister''s soul had been even more severely eroded? After all, she had never shown any talent for speaking with snakes when she was younger! As they left the Chamber of Secrets, Daphne deliberately fell behind, using the opportunity to voice her concerns to Rhys. "That''s very possible," Rhys said, an image of Harry Potter flashing through his mind. "If Astoria didn''t understand Parseltongue when she was younger, then it''s likely the result of the curse affecting her soul." "Then what should we do?!!" Daphne asked anxiously. Even though her little sister was infuriating most of the time, she still wanted her to grow up safe and healthy. If only Astoria were just a normal, curse-free Squib! "I''ll move up my plans for her treatment," Rhys said, pulling Riddle''s diary from his pocket. Out of caution, he had always kept the Horcrux on him. Hearing this, Daphne finally felt a bit more at ease. By the time they returned above ground, there was still a while before lunch. Rhys made a quick trip to the Owlery, keeping a small portion of the Acromantula venom for himself before sending the rest to Lupet, asking her to sell it on his behalf. When he returned to the Great Hall, it was just in time for lunch. The influence of last night''s Student Dueling Tournament was still spreading. Many Slytherin students crowded around the Greengrass sisters, trying to get closer to them. Once the commotion around them finally died down, Rhys half-jokingly, half-seriously said to Daphne, "You could start a small gathering to teach them some dueling techniques." Daphne shook her head like a rattle drum¡ªshe knew all too well where her strength truly came from. I don''t even know the correct pronunciations!! It had little to do with spellwork and everything to do with mana flow. But she had no idea how to teach that; she couldn''t even help her own sister, let alone these barely acquainted classmates. Seeing her lack of interest, Rhys dropped the subject. In his view, both the old and new magical education systems had their strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps the current approach was the best balance? Trying to force the concept of mana flow into the curriculum wouldn''t work¡ªit was a historically proven fact that such teaching methods had been abandoned. Even if he found ways to make Hogwarts students master mana flow, would this knowledge still be passed down centuries later? Rhys had his doubts. At the staff table, Professor Flitwick beamed as he said to Dumbledore, "Albus, look, the children are still quite enthusiastic about last night''s gathering. That young Miss Greengrass has become quite the celebrity." Dumbledore watched Daphne chatting and laughing with her classmates, smiling without saying a word. "That young girl truly has talent. I can''t even begin to understand how she manages that flying spell," Professor McGonagall praised Daphne as well. She genuinely liked the girl¡ªdespite her being a Slytherin. Or rather, Daphne was one of the rare Slytherins who wasn''t irritating. Dumbledore continued to smile warmly. Good at handling interpersonal relationships, a model student in the eyes of her teachers, and a Slytherin at that... Fortunately, she wasn''t from an orphanage¡ªotherwise, he might have yet another reason to lose sleep. ___________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 211- Swelling Solution And Antidote 211- Swelling Solution And Antidote The days that followed gradually became more routine. The Dueling Club meetings were scheduled to be held once a month. According to the professors, this frequency was enough for the students to learn practical defensive spells. The Quidditch tournament was held as scheduled, but Slytherin''s performance was less than ideal. Not only did they lose to their arch-rival, Gryffindor, but they also suffered a defeat against Hufflepuff, which sent shockwaves throughout the entire house. Losing to Gryffindor seemed understandable¡ªafter all, their Seeker was a once-in-a-century talent. As for their own Seeker, although Draco had provided the team with new broomsticks, he clearly still needed a chance to prove himself. But losing to Hufflepuff was simply unacceptable! From players to equipment, every aspect of the Hufflepuff team was inferior to Slytherin. So how did they still end up losing? The poor performance of Seeker Malfoy and Captain Marcus was the main reason for their defeat. The duel had left both of them with deep psychological scars¡ªif it weren''t for Daphne''s incredible winning streak, the two might have already taken a leave of absence. However, for someone like Rhys, who wasn''t interested in Quidditch, the outcome didn''t matter at all. Wasn''t it perfectly normal for Slytherin students to be bad at Quidditch? Flying on broomsticks was Gryffindor''s business after all. As December arrived, the temperature plummeted. Bitterly cold winds howled through the corridors, forcing students emerging from the warmth of their common rooms to tighten their robes around themselves. "The booklet Rowena gave you¡ªyou''ve been studying it regularly, right?" Rhys conjured a head-sized ball of fire, letting it float between himself and Daphne to keep them warm. "Of course. It often throws out tricky questions, and most of the time, I have to think carefully before I can answer them," Daphne replied with a bitter tone, clearly having struggled with it quite a bit. No matter how hard she tried to think, she couldn''t come up with the answer¡ªand worse, she couldn''t ask anyone else for help. It was quite a painful experience. However, the rewards she gained were equally astonishing. For those deemed "wise," Ravenclaw never hesitated to offer rewards. From the booklet Rowena had gifted her, Daphne had already mastered the use of the Undetectable Extension Charm. She could now even create a three-bedroom, one-living-room space inside a simple, unremarkable single-person camping tent, all by herself. But when she thought of "rewards," Daphne suddenly remembered an old promise. "Rhys, you said before that if I dared to test potions on myself, you''d reward me with a spell!" Daphne proudly lifted her chin. "The next class happens to be Professor Snape''s Potions lesson. Does our agreement still stand?" Rhys rubbed his head, recalling the promise he had made to Daphne. "Of course, it still counts," Rhys agreed without hesitation. After all, he was going to teach her spells sooner or later anyway. Back then, he had only made the deal as an excuse to encourage her to take the initiative in learning. Knowledge that was given away for free was often taken for granted¡ªonly knowledge obtained through effort and sacrifice would be truly cherished. Rhys believed that Daphne was a hardworking and diligent student. He simply wanted her to understand that every spell was hard-earned and valuable. For example, the spell Rhys was about to teach her¡ªthe one for manipulating soil¡ªwas something he had exchanged for by providing Helga with several types of animal potions. Even though he was a Potions Master, he still had to spend time in a pigsty observing pig excrement, checking for parasites, just to trade for a spell. And that was because he and Helga were friends! If it had been a stranger, being dragged off to help with pig breeding wouldn''t have been out of the question... Seeing that Rhys had agreed, Daphne instantly became excited. With a joyful heart, she walked into the Potions classroom, eagerly preparing for the lesson. Snape entered the classroom on time and then announced some "good news" to the students: today, he wouldn''t be picking just one "lucky" student to test a potion¡ªhe would pick two! "One student will provide the Swelling Solution, and another will provide the antidote," Snape said with a malicious smile. "I sincerely hope your potions are effective¡ªif you''re not confident in the antidote you''ve brewed previously, you should thank Miss Greengrass. Thanks to her improvements to the process, you all have had plenty of time to brew a second batch." He had already made up his mind¡ªeither Daphne or Lint would provide the Swelling Solution, while Potter would test it with his antidote. This way, he could maximize the potency of the Swelling Solution. Snape wouldn''t trust anyone else''s potion for this task! If those little trolls messed up and the potion didn''t have the proper "swelling" effect, that would be quite disappointing. "Why would potioneers even need to brew a potion that makes the human body swell?" Daphne mused as she worked, her brewing process flowing as smoothly as running water. Her progress was exceptionally smooth, giving her the luxury of indulging in idle thoughts. This time, in a rare occurrence, the usually all-knowing, seemingly omniscient Rhys did not answer her question. The Swelling Solution was a very ancient potion. A thousand years ago, any wizard aspiring to become a potioneer would make sure to acquire a recipe for it and master its brewing. It was a crucial skill for making a living¡ªlords and nobles, down to common tavern-goers, were all potential customers. In theory, the Swelling Solution could be used as a combat enhancer, temporarily enlarging the body while boosting movement speed and attack speed. But Rhys could swear on his reputation that those damned potioneers hadn''t limited their research on this potion to mere battle applications. Rhys glanced at Daphne. A thousand years ago, a student from the Greengrass family had once broken into his potion storeroom and stolen enough ingredients to brew ten batches of Swelling Solution. By the time Rhys caught him, the potion had already been used up. Don''t ask how. If you asked, the answer was: "Used up in a fight." "Rhys, do you also not know¡ª" "Miss Greengrass, you must stay focused while brewing potions. Potioneering is a delicate art that leaves no room for carelessness. You may have mastered the method of brewing the potion, but caution, attentiveness, and concentration are the eternal qualities of a true potion-maker." Snape happened to be passing by Daphne''s workstation when he overheard her question. He tapped on her desk, signaling that she should focus her attention on her cauldron. After being called out by Professor Snape, Daphne stuck out her tongue playfully and turned her full attention back to her Swelling Solution. Rhys also let out a quiet sigh of relief and resumed his own brewing. While Snape was speaking to Daphne, many students had looked up, their attention drawn to the interaction¡ªincluding Ron, who was sitting at the table next to Rhys and Daphne. Ron lifted his head, his expression more focused than ever as he strained to catch every word from the neighboring table, not wanting to miss a single syllable. Sitting diagonally behind Ron, Malfoy raised an eyebrow¡ªhis chance had come. ________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 212- I Know Too Much About Swelling Potion 212- I Know Too Much About Swelling Potion Malfoy, who had lost that Quidditch match, harbored deep resentment toward Harry. In his direct confrontation with Harry Potter, he had been completely reduced to a laughingstock, making him look like nothing more than a spoiled brat who had bought his way onto the team. Malfoy felt incredibly wronged¡ªhe had been selected for the Slytherin team first, and only then had he purchased broomsticks for his teammates! So why did everyone end up believing that his father had bought Nimbus 2001s for the whole team just to get him a spot? The sequence was all wrong! But there was no helping it¡ªin competitive sports, being bad was the ultimate sin. If he had managed to catch the Snitch in the match against Gryffindor, then even if he really had bribed his way onto the team, he would have still received countless praises. But unfortunately, he lost. Twice in a row. His reputation was utterly ruined. The young Draco Malfoy didn''t understand this truth. He simply redirected his hatred onto Potter. In his mind, Potter was the one who bore the majority of the blame for his current humiliation. In the end, he decided to "get back" at Harry during Potions class. Causing trouble in Potions was obviously a risky move, but Malfoy was brimming with confidence¡ªnot for any particular reason other than the fact that he was Lucius Malfoy''s son! His father''s relationship with Professor Snape was as solid as a rock. To ordinary students, the Potions classroom was like a den of horrors, but to Malfoy, it felt like home. Though he wasn''t particularly fond of the atmosphere, he knew that Snape was exceptionally lenient with him. Seizing the moment while Ron and Harry were distracted, Malfoy stealthily pulled out a string of Filibuster''s Fireworks. Ironically, he had even gone through a middleman to purchase them from Fred Weasley. With a swift tap of his wand, Malfoy ignited the firework. The thumb-sized cracker began to hiss, spitting out sparks. Taking a deep breath, Malfoy used a Levitation Charm to smoothly guide the firework into Ron''s cauldron, barely causing a ripple. Harry and Ron, too engrossed in their eavesdropping, completely failed to notice Malfoy''s sneaky maneuver. By the time they realized something was wrong, Ron''s cauldron had already exploded. The nearly completed Swelling Solution erupted like a small fountain, spraying out of the cauldron. Snape spun around sharply, lifting his robe and shielding himself with his sleeve as the potion surged toward him. Rhys also reacted swiftly, drawing his wand and casting a Freezing Charm, instantly turning most of the splashing potion into tiny ice pellets. After freezing the sprayed liquid, Rhys conjured a barrier above Ron''s cauldron, trapping the remaining potion within. Thanks to Rhys''s quick response, the potion explosion barely caused any injuries¡ªonly Harry and Ron, who were closest to the cauldron, were affected, while the other students were hardly touched. "Idiots!" Snape''s voice was filled with fury. He swiftly cleared the potion from his robes and stormed over to Harry and Ron''s table. Harry, reacting quickly, pulled out the Deflating Draught he had brewed earlier. He first applied it to Ron, whose head and complexion now bore an uncanny resemblance to a pumpkin, before dabbing it onto his own arm, which had swollen to the size of a winter melon. Harry seemed to have a natural talent for Potions, and his antidote was remarkably effective. The results were nearly instantaneous¡ªby the time Snape''s wrath fully erupted, both Harry and Ron had almost returned to normal. With a flick of his wand, Snape cleared the spilled potion from Ron''s table, making the ice pellets disappear along with it. He stared directly into Ron''s eyes, as if trying to peer into his very soul. Sitting diagonally behind Ron, Malfoy felt a pang of disappointment seeing how swiftly Rhys and the others had resolved the commotion. However, when he saw Ron being singled out by Professor Snape, his spirits lifted once more. But Malfoy''s joy was short-lived. After just a few seconds of scrutinizing Ron, Snape swished his robes and turned away. "Five points from Gryffindor¡ªfor failing to take proper care of your cauldron." Snape''s cold voice echoed through the Potions classroom. "Ten points to Slytherin. In the future, if a potion boils over, take note of Mr. Lint''s example. A well-timed Freezing Charm can resolve most problems." Malfoy frowned. Was it Rhys''s actions that had pleased Professor Snape? His instinct was correct. At the moment Ron''s cauldron had exploded, Snape''s heart had turned cold. But Rhys''s spell had restarted its rhythm. After so many years of teaching, this was the first time Snape had encountered a student capable of covering for him¡ªmost of the other dunderheads considered it an achievement just to avoid blowing up their own cauldrons. "Like being trapped in a room with twenty trolls"¡ªthat was the most accurate description of Snape''s usual teaching experience. This torment would continue until the fifth year, when the O.W.L.s exam would finally filter out those unfit for Potions. Teaching sixth- and seventh-year students was far easier. Snape''s requirement was that only those who achieved an "Outstanding" in their O.W.L.s could continue in his N.E.W.T.-level class. At the very least, these students wouldn''t make elementary mistakes. Rhys Lint''s excellence did not merely lie in his proficiency in brewing potions¡ªthough that was indeed impressive. Over the years, Snape had encountered quite a few students with exceptional potion-making skills. What made Rhys unique was his ability to react swiftly and appropriately to sudden accidents, handling them with a practiced ease as if he had dealt with hundreds, if not thousands, of similar incidents before. This surprised Snape. It brought back memories of Rhys''s very first Potions class. That day, they had been brewing Boil-Curing Potion, and an accident had occurred. Even then, Rhys''s reaction had been remarkably precise. Perhaps he truly had a talent for becoming a Potions professor..? Proud as Snape was, he had to admit that Rhys possessed the most outstanding natural talent he had ever seen. Snape intended to let the incident slide without further discussion, but Rhys was unwilling to do so. He knew too much about Swelling Solution. This particular potion might turn out too diluted, it might "burn" during the concentration process, or it might fail to meet the desired potency due to improper ingredient preparation¡ªbut one thing it would never do was explode like this. As long as the correct ingredients were used, making it explode was nearly impossible. And since the ingredients had been provided by Snape himself, there was no chance of an issue there. Rhys had also observed Ron''s workstation¡ªthe materials were all in order, and based on the leftover ingredients, Ron''s preparation steps had been correct. The most compelling piece of evidence, however, was Ron''s head, now swollen to the size of a pumpkin. This proved that Ron''s Swelling Solution had been successfully brewed. Which meant that someone had tampered with it! Rhys stood up and walked straight to Ron''s cauldron, where he found a clump of black ash. The moment Rhys rose from his seat, he drew the attention of the entire classroom. And when he fished out that suspicious object, the large Potions classroom fell completely silent. __________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 213- Helena’s Enlightenment 213- Helena¡¯s Enlightenment "Mr. Lint, please return to your seat." Snape''s tone was unusually mild when addressing Rhys. "Someone threw a firework into Weasley''s cauldron. That was the true cause of the accident." Rhys did not follow Snape''s instruction. His voice echoed through the underground classroom. The students all lowered their heads, not daring to breathe too loudly, fearing they would be dragged into this terrifying storm. The Slytherin students hung their heads in silence, feigning ignorance. The Gryffindors did the same, staring fixedly at the clutter on their desks, though their ears were all perked up. This was a direct confrontation between a Slytherin student and Snape! If someone recorded the conversation, it could sell for a fortune in the common room. If all it took was a single detention to witness this showdown, half of Gryffindor would be lining up to sign up, probably breaking down Filch''s office door in the process. At the mention of "firework," Ron and Harry''s eyes widened in shock. They instinctively turned to look in Malfoy''s direction. The color drained from Malfoy''s face for a brief moment. He quickly reinforced his mental defenses, repeating to himself: It''s fine. There''s no proof, right? "Ah~ Interesting," Snape''s voice finally carried a trace of coldness. "So, Mr. Lint, who do you think threw this firework into Mr. Weasley''s cauldron?" He had tossed the ball back into Rhys'' court. Rhys'' response was to walk straight to Malfoy''s desk and extend his hand toward him. "May I take a look at your wand?" Rhys'' smile flickered at the corners of his lips. A guilty thief like Malfoy, of course, would never agree to such a request. But Rhys wasn''t really asking for permission¡ªhe was merely being polite. If Malfoy refused to act with dignity, Rhys would help him do so. With a wave of his hand, Malfoy''s wand shot out from beneath his robes and landed in Rhys'' palm. Malfoy clearly hadn''t anticipated this. Panic flashed across his face as he abruptly stood up, attempting to snatch his wand back from Rhys. "Petrificus Totalus." Rhys casually cast the spell, freezing Malfoy in place. His arms snapped tightly to his sides, and he fell straight back onto his chair. Seeing Malfoy''s reaction, most of the students had already guessed the truth. The strangest part, however, was that Rhys had blatantly violated the classroom discipline Snape had always upheld. Under normal circumstances, Snape would have handed out detention without hesitation. Yet now, he merely stood at the podium, arms crossed, watching coldly. Many young wizards came to a silent realization¡ªRhys had gained a special "privilege" from Professor Snape. "I once read about a simple spell in a book called Thirteen Magical Investigation Techniques," Rhys said softly. "It''s called the Prior Incantato charm. It reveals the most recent spell cast by a wand." He glanced at Malfoy. "We''ll know the truth very soon, Draco." Rhys'' voice echoed through the underground classroom: "If I have wronged you, I am willing to apologize and voluntarily request detention from Professor Snape." As for what would happen if Malfoy wasn''t innocent, Rhys didn''t say¡ªbut fear had already filled Malfoy''s eyes. Of course, he knew exactly what the last spell cast by his wand had been. Rhys was so confident because he had already detected traces of Draco Malfoy''s magic lingering on the remains of the firework. He raised his wand and tapped it against Malfoy''s. "Prior Incantato." Under the effect of Rhys'' spell, a wisp of gray smoke curled out from the point where the two wands met, forming the shadowy outline of a firework. The spectral firework floated upward, drifted forward a short distance, and then vanished. Rhys tossed Malfoy''s wand back onto his desk and lifted the Petrificus Totalus spell. As the curse lifted, Malfoy collapsed into his chair. The Prior Incantato spell had provided undeniable proof of his act¡ªthere was no room left for denial. Fine. I''ll accept it. I''ll take the punishment. Malfoy decided to just let it be. After all, the Potions professor was Snape¡ªthere was no way he would face any real consequences. Rhys saw right through Malfoy''s thoughts, and a surge of anger flared in his chest. Then, he did something that shocked every student in the room. Bang! Rhys slammed his fist onto the desk, shaking Malfoy''s wand so hard that it bounced into the air. "If you can''t behave in class, then get out! What do you think potion-making is?! Do you think this is your personal playground?!" Faced with Rhys'' outburst against Draco, Snape, for once, remained silent. After Malfoy had been caught red-handed, Snape had been this close to kicking him out of the classroom himself. But, mindful of his own carefully maintained persona, he had forcibly swallowed his anger¡ªhe needed to maintain good relations with Lucius Malfoy so that when Voldemort inevitably returned, he could infiltrate the Death Eaters once more. Rhys had spoken the words Snape couldn''t. No professor could tolerate Draco''s behavior¡ªespecially not in a class involving dangerous experimental work. If the one caught had been Potter, Snape would have stormed straight to Dumbledore to file a complaint and kept him in detention until the end of the school year. But now that Rhys had exposed the issue, it was much easier for Snape to act. Malfoy flinched at Rhys'' fury and instinctively glanced toward Professor Snape¡ªonly to find him standing with his arms crossed, gaze lowered, lost in thought. After a few seconds, it seemed Draco made up his mind. "Slytherin loses ten points. Draco Malfoy, from now on, you will serve detention in my office every Friday night until you understand what classroom discipline means. Additionally, you will write me a one-foot-long letter of reflection." Snape had made his decision on Malfoy''s punishment. Malfoy''s face twisted in disbelief, but once Snape had spoken, there was no room for negotiation. After class, Daphne cheerfully walked out of the Potions classroom alongside Rhys. "That was amazing! I''ve wanted to put that fuc¡ªguy in his place for ages! The look on his face when Professor Snape announced the punishment¡ªsomeone should''ve had an artist capture that and hang it in the Great Hall! Though... it''s a bit of a shame we didn''t get to test the potion after all..." Daphne sneaked a cautious glance at Rhys, unsure if he still meant what he had said before. Rhys, of course, caught the hidden meaning behind her words. He pretended to ponder for a moment, then reached into his robes and pulled out an old, timeworn parchment scroll. He had originally intended to explain where the parchment came from, but he swallowed his words as a young and beautiful ghost emerged from the wall, floating before him. "I have something to take care of. You can read through the notes on this scroll¡ªif there''s anything you don''t understand, ask me later." With that, Rhys lifted a hanging tapestry in the corridor and slipped into the hidden passage behind it. The castle was filled with these secret doorways, and using them wisely could save a significant amount of time when traveling between classrooms. Daphne wanted to follow, but she quickly realized that Rhys had already locked the secret door from the other side. Seeing Helena enter the passage along with him, Rhys nodded in satisfaction. "Nana, are you ready?" Helena Ravenclaw gave a small nod. She had steeled herself¡ªshe was ready to face her mother. "That''s wonderful." Rhys stepped forward, leading Helena toward the dungeons. _____________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 214- Rowena and Helena 214- Rowena and Helena "Uncle Salazar, do you think Mother will be very angry?" Though she had already mentally prepared herself, as they neared the dungeon where Rowena resided, Helena found it increasingly difficult to suppress her nervousness. The mistake she had made was one that would be hard to forgive, even for a biological daughter¡ªlet alone an adopted one taken in from the same bloodline. Rhys pondered for a couple of seconds. He felt that Helena was probably overthinking it. No matter how angry Rowena had been, after a thousand years, her anger should have long since subsided. Besides, even when she was alive, she had always tried to cover for Helena, even going so far as to lie in front of her old friends¡ªRhys, until the moment of his "death," had always believed that Helena had simply gone off to travel the world. "I am a sinner..." Helena continued to murmur beside Rhys. "It was my vanity, my own mistake." In front of her uncle, Helena could finally lower her usual facade, allowing herself to reveal her most vulnerable side without restraint. "Don''t worry, it''ll be fine," Rhys comforted her warmly. "You''re a ghost now¡ªthere''s nothing Rowena can do to you... probably." Helena: "..." Uncle Salazar''s response left her momentarily speechless. But... it did seem to make some sense? After thinking it over, Helena finally let out a sigh. "I''d rather Mother just give me a good beating." This time, it was Rhys who fell silent¡ªafter all, he had actually been beaten by Rowena before. "The women of the Ravenclaw family are all nothing but trouble," he couldn''t help but mutter, rubbing his forehead. Helena cast him a puzzled look, not understanding why he had suddenly said such a thing. Before long, they reached the castle''s dungeons and arrived at the sealed entrance. "Are you sure you''re ready? You can still turn back now." Before undoing the seal, Rhys gave Helena one last chance to reconsider. Helena''s ghostly form became less transparent¡ªa curious trait of ghosts, as their emotions could be observed quite visibly. After taking two deep breaths, Helena steadied herself. A determined light shone in her eyes. "Please open the seal, Uncle Salazar. I am ready." Beyond the seal was her mother¡ªshe was going to see her! At that moment, Helena even felt as if her heart, which had been still for a thousand years, had begun to beat again. Rhys lifted the seal, and not far beyond it, he saw that familiar silhouette¡ªRowena Ravenclaw, still lingering near the entrance, as if unsure of what she was doing. Upon seeing that familiar yet distant figure, Helena''s spectral form began to tremble uncontrollably. "Salazar, what are you doing here?¡ª" Sensing Rhys''s approach, Rowena Ravenclaw turned around with curiosity, but the moment her gaze landed on him, she froze. The ghost standing behind Rhys had a face she knew all too well... For the first time, Rhys saw such an incredibly complex expression on someone''s face. Unlike all the scenarios Helena had imagined, Rowena simply remained silent for two seconds before speaking in a calm tone, "Ah.. you''re ...here." No blame, no sorrow, no anger¡ªjust a greeting as plain as water. Yet those words made Helena''s eyes well up with large, pearl-like tears. Like a gust of wind, she swept past Rhys and threw herself into her mother''s embrace. Rowena''s ghost held her the same way she had when Helena was a child, closing her eyes. Rhys quietly stepped back, giving the mother and daughter, separated for a thousand years, a moment of their own. After a short while, a light breeze brushed against Rhys''s hair. When he turned around, he found Rowena and Helena standing side by side behind him. "Finished talking?" "Mm." Rowena nodded. "Thank you, Salazar." "No need to be so formal," Rhys shook his head. "Nana told me a lot..." Rowena hesitated for a moment before continuing, "You''re saying she was...?" Rhys nodded and shared his theory with Ravenclaw. He didn''t want Helena to die in vain, nor did he want the Bloody Baron to bear false blame. Upon learning that her daughter had been murdered for wealth, Rowena pressed her lips together tightly. "Rest assured, I will find the descendants of the culprit and settle this account with them," Rhys waved his hand, making a promise to Ravenclaw. He had seen through Rowena''s heart¡ªbeneath her cold exterior, she deeply cared for her adopted daughter. More importantly, someone as proud as her would never swallow such an injustice. If he didn''t promise to help her, who knew what kind of trouble she might stir up? What if she broke the seal in a fit of rage just to seek revenge? Would Rhys have to block the entrance himself? Rowena Ravenclaw was absolutely capable of doing something that reckless. "...Thank you." Hearing Rhys''s promise, Rowena did something extremely rare¡ªshe thanked him again. "Heh~ The capable should do more work, after all!" Rhys replied without a shred of modesty, directly classifying himself as the most capable among the four founders. Rowena''s face twitched. The capable one? You?! But after thinking it over carefully, it actually made some sense¡ªGodric and Helga''s fates were unknown, she herself was trapped within the seal, and yet Salazar was still alive and kicking, seemingly reborn. Rowena Ravenclaw suddenly felt a little disheartened. While Rhys and Rowena were talking, Helena had been quietly listening by the side. Seeing that the conversation had stalled, she took the initiative to change the topic. "So, Uncle Salazar, how did you do it? A thousand years have passed, Mother and I have become ghosts, but you look like a child?" Rowena was also very interested in this question. "You should know about the origins of wizards," Rhys glanced at Rowena and said slowly, "I managed to get hold of a small fragment of that origin and used it to create a special potion. It allowed me to enter a long hibernation, gradually reversing my aging over time." Rowena''s eyes widened. She was a great researcher after all. Magic itself had originated from a meteor shower. When magic-infused meteors fell to the earth, the first magical beings were born, and from that moment, magic began to take root in the world. Some humans consumed magical creatures or their remains, while others discovered and merged with magic-infused meteors, giving rise to the first wizards and deities. They passed down this innate power, allowing magic to flourish across the world. Compared to wizards, deities¡ªunder the influence of these magical meteors¡ªgained near-immortal lifespans. This was the power of the Origin Fragment. Perhaps it came with a price, but with benefits so immense, few could resist its allure. However, as time passed, obtaining a piece of a magic-infused meteor became increasingly difficult. Rhys'' fragment might very well be the last Origin Fragment in the world. __________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 215- Ghost To Spirit? 215- Ghost To Spirit? Upon learning that Rhys had used an Origin Fragment, Rowena Ravenclaw furrowed her brows. Seeing her expression, Rhys immediately understood what she was thinking¡ªhis old friend was worried that, after coming into contact with the Origin Fragment, he might be twisted into the kind of existence those false Norse gods had become. "Relax, I didn''t fuse with the fragment directly," Rhys raised an eyebrow. Did she not understand the expertise of a Potions Master? He had minimized the fragment''s negative effects, achieving what was possibly the closest thing to a perfect method of immortality. The only drawback was that the period of slumber was far too long¡ªwhen he awoke, all his old friends had either been buried in the ground or turned into ghosts. "A truly fortunate snake." After hearing Rhys'' explanation, Rowena finally relaxed, sincerely marveling at his luck. She also admitted that, even if she had obtained such a treasure, she likely wouldn''t have been able to use it as effectively as Salazar had. In the field of potion-making, Salazar was truly leagues ahead. "The only issue is that I slept for so long that I was completely out of touch with the world when I woke up," Rhys shared his experiences from his first year after waking¡ªdesperately cramming modern knowledge¡ªwhich amused the two Ravenclaws greatly. The three of them chatted for a long time, until Rhys'' stomach growled, making them realize that it was already dinnertime. "Alright, it''s about time to wrap this up." Rowena Ravenclaw brought an end to the seemingly endless conversation. The words between her and Helena could easily last three days and nights. If they really wanted to talk to their heart''s content, Salazar wouldn''t have the patience to wait. "Oh, right¡ªthere''s something else. You''re familiar with Helga, take a look at this and see if it has any connection to her." Rhys pulled a small crystal vial from his robes, with a thin layer of sand-like dust settled at the bottom. This was the peculiar material Gemma Farley had used during their duel. It had caught Rhys'' attention the moment she pulled it out. After the duel ended, he went straight to the platform, collected some of the soil used to construct it, and painstakingly separated these special dust particles from the ordinary dirt. This dust had the ability to enchant regular soil, allowing it to temporarily exhibit domain-like effects. The magic Gemma used in the final moments of the duel could essentially be considered a crude version of a true domain. Unfortunately, this magic consumed an excessive amount of magical power and mental energy¡ªfar beyond what an ordinary young witch or wizard could handle. Even though it had been just a fleeting moment, Rhys had sensed something oddly familiar about that false domain. The earth-based magic bore some resemblance to Hufflepuff''s domain. As for why Rhys couldn''t be certain¡ªwell, the collected dust carried no trace of Hufflepuff''s magic. That meant the familiarity he felt could simply have been a coincidence due to similar elemental attributes. Dumbledore''s fire-based domain had also seemed somewhat familiar to him... Handing this small sample of dust to Ravenclaw for research was nothing more than Rhys taking a shot in the dark, hoping to stumble upon an answer by chance. What if, by chance? Sure enough, after a preliminary examination of the dust in the vial, Rowena still couldn''t reach a conclusion. "Can I keep some of this for further research?" Rhys had no objections. He was certain that Gemma must have more of this stuff¡ªotherwise, she wouldn''t have wasted it on an ordinary duel. "Thanks." Ravenclaw took the vial from Rhys'' hand and pulled out the stopper. Helena: "..." As she idly listened to their conversation, she suddenly felt like something was off. It didn''t take long for her to pinpoint the anomaly¡ªthe vial! Why was it that despite both being ghosts, her mother could pick up the vial and even open it? Ghosts weren''t supposed to be able to physically interact with objects after all! Rhys had also noticed the change in Rowena. Clearly, during the time he had been outside the sealed chamber, Ravenclaw had not been idle. Her form had undergone further transformation. A few months ago, she had merely been a special kind of ghost, but now she was leaning more toward something akin to a spirit. Her ability to influence the physical world was gradually strengthening. To put it in a way that would definitely earn him a beating if he said it out loud¡ªRowena was slowly becoming more like Peeves. "We are not the same." Rowena glanced at Helena with a slight smile. "I found a way to preserve my power." A mummified corpse suddenly appeared at the corner of the corridor. "However, there are still many limitations, such as being unable to stray too far from my remains." Helena: "What''s with that Mummy!!" The sudden appearance of the corpse left her utterly shocked. After giving her daughter a brief explanation of her situation, Rowena turned her attention back to the vial of dust. She poured the dust onto the ground and began observing the changes in the soil. Just as Rhys had described, the dust exhibited a fascinating effect upon contact with ordinary soil¡ªit made the earth significantly easier to manipulate. With a wave of Rowena''s hand, the ground beneath Rhys'' feet instantly turned as fluid as water. If not for his quick reflexes, he would have "sunk" right into it. Rhys shot a look at Rowena and swiftly took to the air, hovering in the corridor. The now-animated soil, under Ravenclaw''s control, lunged toward him like a living entity, snapping at his heels with remarkable agility. However, as Rhys flew dozens of meters away, the liquefied earth suddenly halted, as if a leash had yanked it back¡ªlike a rabid hound restrained by an invisible chain, unable to advance any further. "Fu fu fu~ The range has its limits since there''s too little enchanted soil, but it truly is a fascinating substance." Rowena had developed a strong interest in this peculiar dust¡ªjust now, she had genuinely felt an understanding of the earth-element domain. "You should talk to that Gemma and ask her where she got this dust," Rowena suggested. Rhys, however, pulled out his wand, preparing to extract the dust that had merged with the soil. Rowena stopped him, finding it rather amusing to keep this enchanted patch of earth nearby. Besides, with her abilities, separating the dust from the regular soil would be a simple task. "Fine." Rhys agreed. If Rowena wanted to play with dirt in the dungeon, that was her business¡ªafter all, giving a thousand-year-old ghost a stress-relief toy was probably good for her mental well-being. As he prepared to leave the sealed area, he noticed that Helena remained still. Rhys immediately understood¡ªshe wanted to stay and spend more time with Rowena. That was a good thing. Rhys also preferred having someone inside the seal to keep Rowena company and, more importantly, to stop her from doing anything too reckless. Upon receiving Rhys'' approval, Helena brightened up instantly. "Thank you, Uncle Salazar." Watching Helena choose to stay behind, Rhys felt a slight headache forming¡ªif the Bloody Baron came asking about her whereabouts, things could get complicated... Maybe I should just send the Baron in as well? After all, the man had spent plenty of time lingering around the sealed area when he was alive. ___________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 216- Helena: Your students don’t seem very smart 216- Helena: Your students don¡¯t seem very smart But if he rashly sent the Baron in, would it annoy Rowena and Helena? He didn''t want to make things worse by trying to be clever... Strange thoughts kept swirling in Rhys'' mind, making him shake his head irritably, trying to rid himself of these tangled ideas. This was ridiculous¡ªwhat kind of wizard played matchmaker for ghosts?! Noticing the change in her Uncle Salazar''s expression, Helena curiously inquired about what was on his mind. Rhys: "Ah, well... um, about Barow, it''s like this, I¡ª" His tongue felt as if it were tied in knots. This was an area he had never ventured into before, and no matter how he tried to phrase it, it all sounded off. Helena, however, immediately understood what he meant, and she couldn''t help but laugh. Indeed, from Uncle Salazar''s perspective, this topic was truly hard to bring up. "If the Baron pesters you about my whereabouts, just tell him the truth," Helena said, the corners of her lips curling slightly. "I doubt he has the courage to enter here. If he does, then I suppose he deserves to stay." Rhys nodded. He also thought the Baron wouldn''t dare to face Rowena and Helena directly. Even if he hadn''t been entirely responsible for Helena''s death, the burden in his heart wouldn''t be so easily resolved. The two stood at the entrance of the seal, casually chatting before their farewell. Meanwhile, Rowena was off in the distance, toying with her newfound plaything, showing no intention of coming over to bid her old friend goodbye. "The not-so-bright girl you left outside the hidden door¡ªis she your newly chosen student?" Rhys raised an eyebrow¡ªwhy did Daphne leave that kind of impression on Helena?! "Daphne is quite talented." No matter what, Rhys would always defend his student''s dignity, so he spoke a fair word for Daphne: "She is a descendant of Adrian." "I see, I should have thought of that." Helena suddenly understood. "That silver hair is certainly a striking feature. Now it makes sense." She glanced at Rhys, her eyes full of amusement. Helena''s gaze almost made Rhys break his composure¡ªHelena, why don''t you just say it outright?! "A thousand years have passed, yet your taste in students remains unchanged." Rhys: "!!!" "You shouldn''t say things like that. Daphne has a younger sister named Astoria, who is also an exceptionally gifted child." Helena maintained her faint smile, her expression eerily similar to the Rowena Ravenclaw statue in the Ravenclaw common room. "Let''s not just talk about me. Your mother has also taken on a student¡ªan outstanding young witch named Hermione Granger." After being pricked by Helena''s words multiple times, Rhys decided to counterattack. That statement landed a critical hit on Helena. She immediately started questioning him about Hermione''s performance at school. The name sounded familiar to her, but she hadn''t paid much attention before. To Helena, young students were like mushrooms sprouting from tree stumps¡ªone batch after another. If she were to pay attention to every single one and remember all their names, her mind would surely be overwhelmed. The fact that she vaguely recognized the name and had some impression of it was already quite remarkable. However, after Rhys mentioned it, Helena immediately placed Hermione on her "special attention" list. This was a student chosen by her mother! Subconsciously, Helena directly linked Hermione to herself and couldn''t help but start comparing the girl to her own younger self. Heh~ Look at her face! Seeing Helena getting anxious, Rhys, on the other hand, took his time. He called out to Rowena in the distance, "Hey, do you have anything you''d like me to bring up to Granger?" To his surprise, Ravenclaw actually responded. She paused her actions, no longer playing with the lump of enchanted soil, and took out a bundle wrapped in animal hide. "I do have something I need you to deliver for me. I originally planned to teach her potion-making in a while, but starting a bit earlier wouldn''t be a bad idea... Inside the package are some potion ingredients and a few relatively simple potion recipes. Salazar, please pass them on to Granger for me¡ªand if possible, offer her some guidance. You''re a master in potioneering after all." After briefly explaining the package''s contents and her request, Rowena once again floated away, returning to her study of the enchanted soil. Rhys checked the contents of the package and found that it contained some unique materials from the dungeon, useful for crafting ancient potion recipes. After her mother took action, Helena''s gaze never left the potion ingredients. "Uncle Salazar," Helena''s eyes twinkled with mischief as she came up with a new idea. "I feel like that girl Daphne is quite different. You mentioned before that she once stood up for you and taught a reckless young wizard a lesson?" Rhys nodded. He had indeed mentioned how Daphne had played a prank on Malfoy. "That''s truly unusual. I still remember back when Adrian..." Helena trailed off midway, then suddenly changed the subject, saying that she also had a small gift for this charming young junior. What she offered was an address. According to her, it led to a hidden room where she had once stored some valuables that were too inconvenient to carry when she left the school. As Rhys listened to the room''s location, he narrowed his eyes¡ªthis place sounded strangely familiar! If he wasn''t mistaken, that area should be where Godric''s private classroom was located. The four founders were all aware of the general locations of each other''s private classrooms, but out of mutual respect, they never actively sought out or entered them. Some even left spells specifically designed to deter their old friends from intruding. For instance, in his own chamber, Rhys had placed an enchantment that would trigger if any of the other founders attempted to enter. Of course, his spell was more of a prank than a real threat¡ªit wasn''t lethal but was certainly humiliating enough to ensure that any intruder wouldn''t be able to hold their head high in front of him afterward. Rhys decided that he would pass the address to Daphne later and let her explore the place. Seeing Helena''s sincerity, Rhys also shared everything he knew about Hermione with her. These details weren''t hard to find¡ªif Helena left the sealed chamber and asked a few students, she could gather the same information herself. But since she was eager to know right now, Rhys obliged. "A remarkable child," Helena murmured, carefully comparing herself to Hermione, only to be surprised by how similar their achievements were. Back when she was a student, she had also been top of her class. Her library time might not have been as extensive, but that was simply due to the era she lived in¡ªHogwarts'' book collection wasn''t nearly as vast back then, and students had additional responsibilities. But when it came to enthusiasm for reading, Helena believed that her passion was no less than Miss Granger''s. Wait... Her expression grew complicated. __________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 217- The Enrollment Criteria of the Four Founders 217- The Enrollment Criteria of the Four Founders "You see, Rowena''s selection criteria have always been like this. Even if you weren''t her daughter, I still believe you could have become one of her Chamber students." Rhys casually reassured Helena before turning away and stepping out of the sealed chamber. Even after the stone wall of the seal closed, Helena remained frozen in place, her mind replaying her uncle''s words over and over. She stood quietly at the entrance for a while, gradually regaining her composure. But when she finally turned around, she was startled¡ªRowena was standing not far away, silently watching her. "Is what Uncle Salazar said true?" Helena hesitated for a moment before she couldn''t help but ask. "Of course. If you didn''t meet my standards, I wouldn''t have allowed you into my private classroom. You know me, if I made an exception just because you''re my daughter, that would be far too embarrassing," Rowena said matter-of-factly. Helena''s ghostly form became more solid again. After leaving the seal, Rhys couldn''t help but recall a conversation he had with his three old friends back when the school was first founded. It had taken place right after they had each expressed their ideal type of student. Just as the Sorting Hat sang during the Sorting Ceremony¡ªbrave, bold, and daring students belonged in Gryffindor; Hufflepuff accepted all children with magical talent without discrimination; those with sharp minds and exceptional wisdom went to Ravenclaw. As for Slytherin, the Sorting Hat had never truly understood Salazar Slytherin''s real intent... But what happened after they were sorted into the school? The founders, though they claimed to treat all students equally, could not possibly devote the same effort to every single young wizard¡ªdoing so would be unfair to those with exceptional talent. Thus, they had a special discussion about it. "Kids these days have it so much easier than we did when it comes to learning magic." Gryffindor sighed as he looked at the curriculum Rowena had arranged. "They hardly have to pay any price, and world-class wizards are handing them carefully selected spells on a silver platter. hahah! Honestly, even I''m a bit jealous of this treatment." "But for wizards, seven years of study is barely enough to crack open the door to the magical world. Even the most gifted ones have only managed to squeeze halfway through it," Salazar remarked. He believed that seven years of education was far from sufficient¡ªit was merely a magical foundation. "Salazar, you''re wrong," Rowena disagreed. "For many with mediocre talent, simply opening that door is already enough. After all, they will never truly step inside or glimpse the true depths of the magical world." Rowena''s words made Helga Hufflepuff frown. She admired almost everything about her friend, except for her sometimes cold and ruthless perspective. "But we can''t just let talented students waste their potential outside of school, can we?" Helga couldn''t help but speak up. "Should they have to suffer the same hardships we did?" Rowena had intended to respond with, "And why not?" But when she met her old friend''s warm brown eyes, she found herself unexpectedly softening. Instead, she offered a compromise. "We can select the students who show real promise, allow them to remain at the school after graduation to continue their studies, and have them assist with teaching a few classes in return." Rowena''s proposal was met with unanimous approval from the other three founders. Even someone as kind as Helga Hufflepuff understood that there was no need to keep less talented students at school for too long. They could venture out into the world sooner, experiencing its vast and colorful wonders. "However, if a student wants to receive my advanced tutelage, their talent must be truly exceptional," Rowena stated firmly. She made it clear that she would significantly raise the bar for selecting students¡ªonly the best could study under her. "The most obvious proof of talent is, of course, academic performance. Anyone who hasn''t taken first place should forget about becoming my advanced student. Besides talent, I also want them to share my love for books¡ªafter all, I intend to pass down my personal library to them in the future!" Ravenclaw counted the necessary qualities of her ideal student on her fingers. Godric was momentarily stunned. He hadn''t given this matter much thought before. If he were to take on an advanced student, what kind of person should they be? He glanced at Salazar standing beside him and suddenly had a realization¡ªhe needed someone as resourceful and cunning as Salazar, someone who could help him manage the overly energetic troublemakers in his house. "I seek students who are upright and loyal, resilient and honest, unafraid of hardship¡ª" Helga had high moral expectations for her students. Salazar cast her a sideways glance, thinking to himself: Are you selecting students or recruiting knights? If a Muggle-born who fits your criteria appears before you, would you take them as an advanced student? As for his own advanced students, they had to be of wizarding heritage and possess exceptional talent. If they could also be diligent, intelligent, and courageous, that would be even better. When Salazar announced his selection criteria, Godric immediately scoffed, "Why not just have you train all the students, then? You want everything! No way¡ªyou can only choose from your own house!" He was genuinely worried that Salazar might lure away the promising students from his own house. Salazar chuckled and agreed to Godric''s restriction. In his view, the best students would naturally come from his own house anyway. And just like that, in a few brief exchanges, the founders of Hogwarts established the school''s academic system. ... ''Rowena, you truly found a successor who met your expectations. Unfortunately, she has spent her whole life in your shadow.'' Rhys shook his head, feeling a deep sense of regret for Helena and Rowena Ravenclaw. After returning from the underground seal to the Slytherin common room, Rhys briefly explained his recent whereabouts to Daphne. "You should know that ghost''s identity, right?" He sank into an armchair and looked at Daphne, who sat across from him. Daphne nodded. That was the ghost of Ravenclaw House. Though she always called herself "Grey," well-informed people knew she was actually Rowena Ravenclaw''s daughter. As for why she had sought out Rhys, Daphne could make a reasonable guess¡ªshe must have wanted him to take her to see her mother. She just couldn''t understand why Rhys had refused to take her along. She had already met Lady Ravenclaw before, hadn''t she? "Oh, right. Here''s an address¡ªyou can check it out if you''re interested in the future. It''s a gift from Helena." Rhys passed on Helena''s "gesture of goodwill" to Daphne. "The 7th floor of the castle...?" Daphne memorized the location, deciding to explore it when she had the time. _________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 218- Gemma and Rhys 218- Gemma and Rhys After a brief chat with Daphne, Rhys returned to his dormitory to rest. What a luxury it was to take an undisturbed afternoon nap on a soft bed under the warm sunlight! Daphne, meanwhile, stayed in the common room, opening the booklet that Ravenclaw had given her and beginning to study its contents. As usual, she picked up her quill and wrote on the pages of the booklet. [Hello, Rowena. I''m Daphne.] The booklet responded as always: [Hello, Daphne. I hope you have already grasped the knowledge I previously gifted you.] [Of course. I''ve finished reading A Detailed Explanation of Spatial Magic (Part III) and have mastered its contents. I can now cast the Undetectable Extension Charm.] [Very good. However, spatial magic is an exceptionally profound and complex field. The three documents you''ve received merely scratch the surface, so please remain diligent and humble. There is still new wisdom awaiting you, but as always, you must correctly answer one question before you can obtain it.] Daphne nodded, already accustomed to the booklet''s style. As the last line of text faded away, a lengthy passage emerged on the pages. [In the wilderness, there stands a ten-story wizard tower, with a sapphire on each floor. The sapphires vary in size. The tower''s magical array will teleport you sequentially from the first floor to the tenth, and then out of the tower. You can only enter each floor once, and you may only take one sapphire. How can you ensure that you take the largest sapphire?] Daphne picked up her quill and copied the question from the booklet onto a piece of parchment. Her Latin had improved significantly recently, making it much easier to comprehend the problem. She quickly came up with an answer. [Pick up the sapphire on the first floor, then, on each subsequent floor, compare the sapphire in your hand with the one on that floor. If the new sapphire is larger, swap the one in your hand for it.] [Congratulations, you answered correctly. As your reward, here is How to Create a Miniature World Inside a Crystal Ball (Part I). Since you already have a foundation in spatial magic, you can now try crafting more complex magical artifacts. Using spatial magic merely for lunchboxes and tents would be a waste.] Staring at the words appearing on the pages, Daphne was completely stunned. She suddenly remembered¡ªhadn''t she accidentally broken a crystal ball left behind by Ravenclaw before? Did this mean she could recreate one using the information in this document? Hell Yes!! (¡ï?¡ï)!! Her eyes lit up with excitement. Without hesitation, she procured a crystal ball from an older student and immediately began experimenting with it as her base. She even went out of her way to keep it a secret from Rhys, planning to surprise him. Rhys hadn''t noticed Daphne''s little secret project. Right now, he was on his way to find Gemma Farley to ask about the origins of that vial of dust. Gemma wasn''t hard to find. Lately, she had been frequenting the library, as she was determined to achieve all "Outstanding" grades in her N.E.W.T. exams. While preparing for her exams, she was also sending out re?sume?s to major companies in the wizarding world, hoping to secure a pre-employment agreement. For a Hogwarts prefect with straight "Outstanding" O.W.L. scores, finding a job was as easy as reaching out her hand. Gemma had already received multiple offers¡ªregardless of how her N.E.W.T. scores turned out, companies were eager to hire her. Among her offers was one from the Ministry of Magic itself; Amelia Bones, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, wanted her as a personal secretary, provided her N.E.W.T. scores matched her O.W.L.s. However, Gemma wasn''t interested in an office job. She wanted a more adventurous career, and becoming a Gringotts curse-breaker seemed like a promising choice. She recalled that an older Gryffindor student had taken that path. When Rhys found her, she was in the middle of writing a letter to him. "Good afternoon, Lint," Gemma greeted when she saw who had approached her. Though a bit surprised, the prefect still pulled out a chair and invited Rhys to sit beside her. Rhys tended to keep a low profile. Aside from his consistently excellent exam scores, his exceptional talent in Potions, and his close ties with the two Greengrass sisters, he usually didn''t attract much attention. He hadn''t made dazzling plays in Quidditch like Harry Potter or Cedric Diggory, nor had he caused a school-wide commotion at the end of the year like Daphne Greengrass or Ron Weasley. Even in regular classes, his presence wasn''t as striking as Ravenclaw''s Miss Granger. He hadn''t even participated in the Dueling Tournament! Gemma figured that if Rhys had entered the competition, he might have achieved results just as impressive as Daphne''s. After all, someone as tough as herself had been knocked out by Daphne. He reminded her of the Sandburrow Snake she had encountered in the Sahara Desert¡ªlow-key and inconspicuous. But she didn''t see Rhys as just an ordinary second-year wizard. As a seventh-year student on the verge of graduation, she viewed things differently from most of her schoolmates. Her perspective was closer to that of an adult wizard. Even if Rhys were truly unremarkable, his close relationship with the Greengrass sisters alone made it worthwhile to build a positive connection with him. Those were the two direct heiresses of the Greengrass family, destined to inherit a considerable fortune. Given the family''s status, if the Greengrass patriarch ever decided to enter politics, he could easily reach a department head position in the Ministry of Magic. Under their protection, Rhys''s future was undoubtedly bright. And considering the Greengrass family''s habit of staying behind the scenes, it was entirely possible that Rhys would be the one taking that department head position instead. "Good afternoon. Am I interrupting you?" "Of course you are," but Gemma didn''t mind. She set her quill aside and told Rhys that she was writing to Bill Weasley of Gryffindor. He had once been the Gryffindor prefect and later became the Head Boy of the school. Now, he worked as a curse-breaker for Gringotts. Back when Gemma had first entered Hogwarts, Bill had already been one of the most well-known figures in the school. "You''re interested in becoming a curse-breaker?" Rhys immediately understood her intentions after hearing Gemma''s introduction of Bill. "Why not? It''s an interesting job," Gemma admitted. "It''s a dangerous one. A few curse-breakers died in Scotland not too long ago," Rhys reminded her kindly. He had always been somewhat wary of curse-breakers. Exploring ancient ruins was an incredibly dangerous task. Even back in his own time, when he and his old friends ventured into the remnants left by ancient wizards, they had to maintain absolute vigilance. After all, a single misstep could lead to disaster. As for these modern curse-breakers? Umm.. Well.. Rhys found it difficult to form a fair opinion of them. __________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 219- From Egypt 219- From Egypt If Rhys had to sum up curse-breakers in one sentence, it would be: How do you even dare? In his view, curse-breakers were constantly flirting with danger, recklessly probing its edges. Most of them lacked real power and knowledge, yet they still insisted on diving headfirst into ancient ruins as if they had a death wish. If they were only exploring medieval wizard sites or ruins that medieval wizards had already "discovered," it wouldn''t be too concerning. But if they stumbled upon ruins dating back thousands of years? That was another story entirely. The real nightmare would be if, either through carelessness or deliberate meddling, they unearthed something that he and his old friends had buried back in the day. That would be a disaster waiting to happen. But Rhys''s opinion didn''t dampen Gemma''s enthusiasm for becoming a curse-breaker. She simply assured him that she would be careful. Seeing her determination, Rhys didn''t press the issue. Instead, he decided he''d keep in touch with his senior through letters in the future¡ªjust in case she really did stir up some ancient catastrophe. If she ever found a ruin from thousands of years ago, he might just have to go on an expedition himself. "By the way, where did you get that dust you used during Duel Night? It seemed rather extraordinary," Rhys shifted the topic to the main reason he had sought her out. "Oh? You''ve got a good eye!" Gemma praised him. Most students hadn''t even noticed the dust she had used, but he had. His keen observation skills were truly impressive. "I found it by chance last year while traveling in Egypt. I suspect there might be an undiscovered ruin there," Gemma confided in him. Hearing the words "Egypt" and "ruin," Rhys''s eyes lit up. Now this was interesting. He wondered if Gemma would be willing to share the location with him. It was unlikely. Rhys understood the unspoken rules of this field. An undiscovered ruin was a lifetime opportunity for someone like Gemma Farley, who aspired to be a curse-breaker. He doubted she would reveal the information just because he asked¡ªespecially since, unlike most people, he wasn''t even particularly interested in the treasures that might lie within. Perhaps sensing the eagerness in his expression, Gemma''s eyes gleamed mischievously. She told Rhys that she would take him to explore the ruins¡ªafter he graduated. "It''s not an option right now. You''re too young, and ruin exploration is dangerous," Gemma said smoothly. It was a clever excuse, using his age as a reason to withhold further details. By the time Rhys graduated, he might no longer care about this ruin. And even if he still did, she would have had several years of lead time to explore it first, securing every possible advantage. For a moment, Rhys was tempted to forcibly extract the location from her memories. He could even erase the incident from her mind afterward with a Memory Charm. I can''t do that to a student of Hogwarts! But he dismissed the thought almost immediately. First, there was no guarantee that this ruin had anything to do with Helga Hufflepuff. Second, and more importantly, it would be crossing a line. A wizard who broke their principles once would find it easier and easier to do so again, until they eventually became one of those despicable dark wizards. He was one of the founders of Slytherin House. How could he betray his own students for the sake of personal interest and a mere hunch? No¡ªhe would take the honorable route. "So where exactly did you find it?" Rhys pressed on, appearing somewhat insistently inquisitive. Gemma Farley frowned slightly. "I can trade you a piece of information in exchange." What Rhys said next eased some of the displeasure in Gemma''s heart¡ªat least he wasn''t expecting a free handout. But what kind of information could possibly compare to an undiscovered ruin? She was already thinking of a way to decline. "It''s a palace left behind by the Norse gods. Most likely, it has never been excavated before." Gemma: "?!" Her eyes widened in shock. If Rhys was telling the truth, then the value of that site would far surpass the ruin she had discovered. While Egyptian history was certainly older than Norse mythology, the worth of a ruin wasn''t solely determined by its age. It depended on who had built it and how many times it had been explored before. But... the Norse gods were mythological figures... Gemma hesitated. "It''s from a highly reliable source," Rhys added. Now, Gemma was truly intrigued, but she needed to hear more details before making a decision. "My family has collected a vast number of letters exchanged between ancient wizards. Among them, a few are particularly valuable¡ªthey''re letters between the founders of Hogwarts," Rhys continued, leveraging these wizarding correspondences as his ultimate bargaining chip. "The four founders built Hogwarts together, didn''t they? Why would they need to send letters to each other when they lived in the same castle?" Gemma immediately picked out a flaw in his argument. "They founded a school together, not a prison," Rhys couldn''t hold back his sarcasm. Why did people always assume that after establishing Hogwarts, the founders were sealed inside the castle forever?! Couldn''t they leave to take care of other matters? To be fair, it was an understandable misconception. Nowadays, Hogwarts'' Heads of House really did seem like they were trapped inside the school. With heavy teaching responsibilities from Monday to Friday and piles of grading on the weekends, their free time was minimal. Being able to visit Hogsmeade was already considered a luxury¡ªmost of them rarely even made trips to Diagon Alley. "Alright, go on," Gemma shrugged, signaling for Rhys to continue. "The letters mention the aftermath of Ragnarok. The founders sealed off the main battlefield, but traces of the gods remained¡ªsuch as their temples and residences. These remnants had no place in the world anymore. Among the four founders, it was Salazar Slytherin who took on the task of erasing their presence. He destroyed many sacrificial sites and used magic to conceal the false gods'' palaces," Rhys explained. He was telling the truth. After Ragnarok, they had indeed spent considerable effort cleaning up the aftermath. If left unchecked, the corpses of false gods and the battlefields tainted by magical corruption would have caused endless trouble for future generations. The wonders left behind by these so-called deities couldn''t be allowed to remain either¡ªlest belief in them rekindle. Some of their palaces had, in fact, been hidden away by magic. Rhys figured he could pick one of the less dangerous palaces and let Gemma explore it. The most immediate benefit of this approach was that he could keep a certain level of control over her actions¡ªensuring she wouldn''t end up unearthing something that should never see the light of day. At first glance, Rhys'' explanation seemed reasonable, but after some careful thought, Gemma found it difficult to believe. "The Norse gods... they''re just myths, right? There''s no such thing as gods in this world," she said skeptically, clearly unconvinced by the idea of Ragnarok. Rhys raised an eyebrow¡ªThis girl has a pretty solid worldview. Normally, he would have praised Gemma for her rational thinking. But right now, he needed to convince her. _________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 220- The Ancient†Letter Written Recently 220- The ¡°Ancient¡± Letter Written Recently "Yes, gods don''t exist. But that doesn''t mean there haven''t been wizards so powerful that they were mistaken for gods," Rhys explained smoothly. The grand and legendary Ragnarok, as told in mythology, was reinterpreted by him as a war between wizards from Britain and the Norse regions. While this stripped away much of the mystique surrounding that era, it also made his claims significantly more believable. Now, Gemma was beginning to believe Rhys'' account. "Alright then, let me take a look at the letters between the four founders. Once I''ve read them, I''ll tell you the exact location where I obtained the dust," she decided, agreeing to the exchange of information. "I don''t carry something like that around with me," Rhys said matter-of-factly. "These letters are too valuable to just keep on hand. Give me some time¡ªI''ll have my family send you copies." Gemma didn''t find this suspicious. On the contrary, it made the authenticity of the letters seem even more credible. Still, out of concern for her younger schoolmate, she added, "If possible, I''d prefer for you to come with me to Egypt. Places like that are far too dangerous." She had no ulterior motive¡ªjust genuine concern for Rhys'' safety. Exploring ancient ruins was high-risk work. If he recklessly ventured in alone, he might not make it out alive. Rhys nodded. He, too, wanted a reliable "guide"¡ªsomeone who could help them navigate efficiently and save time. With that, the two of them had made their agreement. Once Rhys handed over the letters between the Founders, Gemma Farley would share what she knew in return¡ªmutually beneficial for both parties. After parting ways with Gemma, Rhys hurried back to the Slytherin common room and spent ten minutes crafting three "letters from Slytherin to Rowena Ravenclaw." His choice of words and sentence structure were flawless¡ªthere wasn''t a single flaw to be found. The only issue? The parchment was brand new, and the ink hadn''t even dried yet. But since he was presenting them as "copies," all he had to do was duplicate these three "originals." If the copies looked brand new, what was the problem? Between the lines of these three letters, Rhys carefully and subtly hinted at the location of a palace. [Frigg certainly knew how to pick a location¡ªher palace is nestled in a valley, with the Klar River flowing right beside it. The river is full of plump salmon, which I''ve sent along with this letter for Helga. They can be eaten raw without heating; the flesh is rich, tender, and delicious. The climate here is eternally springlike, even better than the site we chose for Hogwarts. Honestly, if the school weren''t already built, I''d have considered moving it here...] [As per your suggestion, I''ve concealed the palace with magic. It cannot be marked on any map, nor can Muggles find their way here. We cannot allow their faith to rekindle.] [I won''t return just yet¡ªI want to search the land further for any remaining traces of the false gods. I departed from Frigg''s bedchamber and traveled southwest for three days and three nights before reaching a small town called ''O?rlfrum.'' It''s well-connected by roads, and the Muggles here make an excellent smoked salmon. But that''s about the only good thing they make.] [...] Not gonna lie, trying to craft a convincing conversation while "casually" mentioning the location of Frigg''s palace was enough to make Rhys feel like he was going bald. So when he finally finished writing the three letters, he let out a long sigh of relief. Back in the day, they had been far too busy to have the luxury of writing letters! Rhys couldn''t help but grumble¡ªletter-writing was such an inefficient means of communication! The method they had used in the past was something called "twin parchment," a magical technique that had since been lost to time. The process involved soaking a single sheet of parchment in a specially brewed potion, then carefully splitting it into two thinner sheets. These two sheets would then be enchanted to form an inseparable connection¡ªwhatever was written on one would instantly appear on the other, allowing for seamless communication over vast distances. Yet, since Rhys had awakened, he hadn''t seen a single wizard using this method to stay in touch. Modern wizards seemed to prefer owl post¡ªwhen in doubt, just send a letter via owl. Satisfied with his work, Rhys carefully put the letters away. The only thing left to do was make copies. With his task completed, he was in a good mood. He casually grabbed a book, spread it open on the table, and started reading with great interest. Before long, Daphne appeared, reminding him that it was time to fulfill his promise. "Oh, right!" Rhys suddenly remembered¡ªhe was supposed to teach Daphne how to control the land. To be honest, after witnessing Gemma''s bottle of dust, Rhys felt that Helga''s soil manipulation spell was almost obsolete. Months or even years of painstaking research, yet it couldn''t compare to the convenience of a single bottle... The moment this thought crossed Rhys''s mind, he was startled by himself. How could he have such an absurd idea?! He quickly shook his head, forcing the terrifying thought out of his mind. Indeed, using magic-infused dust could significantly reduce the difficulty of manipulating soil, but it was merely a shortcut¡ªoffering no real benefit to the user. If casting a spell was like applying a formula, then using this dust was like copying the answer without understanding the problem. It was even worse than blindly following a formula! Someone who graduated without understanding the principles behind magic could hardly be called an excellent wizard. "Magic craftsman" would be a more fitting title. It was true that years of effort from a wizarding apprentice might not match the effects of a single bottle. But for students like Daphne¡ªif she dedicated more time and effort to mastering soil magic¡ªshe would eventually be able to crush those who relied solely on tossing bottles. Yet, even he had momentarily entertained such thoughts. No wonder the magical world had ultimately abandoned true magic education... They had eradicated the Nordic false gods so thoroughly that wizards had lost their sense of crisis. Without the pressure of life and death, why would anyone push themselves to study magic? Rhys couldn''t help but recall the conversation he had with Helga when she entrusted him with her insights on soil manipulation magic. "These potions, when mixed into pig feed, can effectively prevent swine fever and enhance nutrient absorption. This way, your pigs can eat the least amount of feed while growing the most meat." When Salazar handed over a large jar of prepared potion to Helga, his expression was incredibly complicated. He¡ªone of the world''s top Potions Masters¡ªwas now developing anti-diarrhea and weight-gain potions for pigs, just to learn a spell. The way his life had turned out... truly... Helga Hufflepuff saw right through Salazar''s thoughts and rolled her eyes. "Don''t underestimate the craft of pig farming! If you''re so high and mighty, then don''t eat any of the pork raised at Hogwarts from now on. Go hunt wild boars with your little apprentices instead!" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 221- Hufflepuff’s Advice 221- Hufflepuff¡¯s Advice Helga''s threat made Salazar''s expression change instantly. Wild boar meat¡ªwas that even edible? It was gamey, smelly, and so tough it could crack a person''s molars. The only remotely tender part of the entire animal might be the tongue. If he really angered Helga and she cut off their pork supply, the students of Slytherin House would have no choice but to gather at the Black Lake and start fishing for their meals. "..." "I have never once underestimated this craft!" Salazar surrendered immediately. "Look, isn''t this me contributing to technological advancement?" "You call this Contribution?" Helga let out a cold laugh and pulled out a roll of parchment, waving it in front of Salazar. "Do you have some sort of misunderstanding about what ''contribution'' means?" Salazar fell completely silent, afraid that saying anything more would further provoke this little firecracker in front of him. He could understand why Helga was in a foul mood. A herd of wild boars had charged out of the Forbidden Forest during the night, trampling and destroying most of the fields she had painstakingly cultivated. And to make matters worse, the students who were supposed to be on duty last night had snuck out to go drinking. One could only imagine Helga''s fury when she stormed into a tavern outside the school and found those students dead drunk. Why had he chosen this exact moment to negotiate with her? Salazar deeply regretted his timing. After venting her frustration at her old friend, Helga finally handed over her insights on earth manipulation magic to Salazar. Then, she turned to the students working hard in the fields and shouted, "No one eats or sleeps until the replanting is done¡ªwithout magic!" As punishment, those students had to replant the fields that the wild boars had destroyed¡ªwithout using magic, relying solely on manual labor. "Don''t worry. I''ll discuss it with Godric later. We''ll head into the Forbidden Forest, hunt down a batch of wild boars, and use them as fertilizer for the fields," Salazar reassured her. Only then did most of Helga''s anger dissipate. For wizards¡ªespecially a witch like her, who specialized in earth manipulation magic¡ªachieving a bountiful harvest was actually quite easy. She could even complete the entire process of sowing, watering, fertilizing, pest control, and harvesting purely through magical means. Under the influence of magic, the yield per acre of grain or produce was significantly higher than what Muggles could achieve. For instance, she could grow pumpkins as large as carriages, wheat stalks with heads as long as a person''s arm, and even cover freshly tilled land with several feet of rich humus overnight. But just because the work was easy didn''t mean the fruits of their labor could be wantonly wasted. This was why the usually kind and gentle Helga had decided to severely punish those students. After receiving the booklet, Salazar flipped through it. When he finished, he couldn''t help but sigh. "What''s wrong? Is there something wrong with my writing?" Helga immediately leaned over to ask when she heard his sigh. "I was just thinking... with a grand sorceress like you, a master of earth manipulation, leading the way, what''s the point of me studying soil-controlling spells?" Salazar suddenly felt a sense of emptiness. No matter how deeply he delved into the knowledge recorded in the booklet, could he really surpass Helga Hufflepuff¡ªthe one who ruled over the domain of earth, the very witch some Muggles revered as the ''Mother Goddess of the Land''? "Oh, so that''s what''s bothering you? I thought I had written something wrong," Helga patted her chest in relief. "So what if I''m good at controlling the earth? Does that mean you should stop studying this kind of magic just because I''m an expert? I''m still researching ways to make the sky bring down rain," she scolded Salazar. "Every spell has its value. Remember that ridiculous ''make your enemy''s weapon fly away'' spell we saw in that village? It turned out to be incredibly powerful¡ªalmost ripped Godric''s arm off! Even the silliest-looking spell, when studied deeply, can reveal unexpected value." "There''s a fable from ancient Greece about a tortoise and a hare. If the tortoise hadn''t taken one steady step at a time, it wouldn''t have won the race, no matter how long the hare slept." As Helga spoke, she took back the parchment she had given him, added a final note, and then handed it back to Salazar. Later, using Helga''s insights, Salazar combined them with his own domain and developed a spell with an astonishingly high endurance. Once he mastered it, no one could ever outlast him in a battle of attrition again. If he wished¡ªand if his enemy could endure it¡ªhe could fight continuously for months, even years. ... Rhys slowly returned to reality. He lifted his gaze toward Daphne, who was standing nearby, holding the parchment he had given her. Taking Helga Hufflepuff''s notes from her hands, Rhys flipped through them and found that the pages were pristine¡ªno damage, no wear, not even a single crease. He was a bit surprised. "I can tell you''ve taken great care of it. That''s good, because this is Helga''s original work," Rhys praised Daphne. Silently, Daphne stretched out her hands and unfurled the parchment. At the very top, in bold Latin script, was an inscription: [For my friend, Salazar Slytherin. May he and his students come to understand the significance of ''earth'' to humanity and the value of unwavering perseverance. ¡ªHelga Hufflepuff.] "Yeah! This is a relic of Hufflepuff herself!" she exclaimed loudly. "I copied everything from it directly¡ªI never even flipped through the original! How could you just let people handle something this valuable without protection? Why didn''t you warn me beforehand?" Daphne''s tone was full of reproach. When she had first received the parchment, she hadn''t thought much of it and had simply stuffed it into her bag. When she realized the parchment''s true origins, she broke out in a cold sweat¡ªshe had actually stuffed such a priceless artifact alongside heavy books and ink bottles? That was practically a crime. If it had been damaged, she wasn''t sure she could afford to compensate for it. Her family didn''t possess relics of equivalent value¡ªat least, not that her father had ever disclosed to them. "Ah, something came up at the time, and I forgot. It''s fine; if it gets dirty, magic can restore it," Rhys said, not particularly concerned. What Daphne saw as a priceless treasure, he regarded as nothing more than a keepsake from an old friend. Once he found that friend, he would have as many of these as he wanted. "I told you¡ªmy family has a collection of many valuable artifacts. Now do you believe me?" Daphne, meanwhile, was silently thinking: Even my ancestors, who were Salazar Slytherin''s students, didn''t leave behind this many precious documents. But your family? You have medieval letters, handwritten manuscripts from the Founders¡ªthis is ridiculous! The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became that Rhys must be a direct descendant of Slytherin himself. ________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 222- It’s Christmas again 222- It¡¯s Christmas again "So, you''ve definitely understood everything written in there, right?" Rhys changed the subject. Of course, Daphne hadn''t understood it at all. Helga''s notes were written in Latin, and since they were intended for Salazar, the content was rather obscure¡ªnot intentionally so, but because both of them had such a high starting point. What was common knowledge to them was practically indecipherable to young wizards in later generations. Seeing the pure and clueless confusion in Daphne''s eyes, Rhys immediately understood. If she had actually understood everything in the text, she wouldn''t have come back to him with questions so soon. "Ah..." He sighed, grabbing a roll of parchment and a quill from the table before quickly translating Helga''s notes while adding annotations. He wrote swiftly, and within just over ten minutes, he had produced a new study material that was three times longer than Helga''s original manuscript. "Here, you can read this version first." Rhys handed his work to Daphne, which now included many of his own insights and reflections. "Amazing!" Watching Rhys'' quill dance across the parchment as he effortlessly created a simplified "textbook," Daphne couldn''t help but want to applaud him. "My family''s elders compiled a simplified version of the material long ago. I just memorized it," Rhys lied casually. He had a feeling that it was only a matter of time before the Greengrass sisters figured out his true identity, but he wasn''t too concerned. After all, when the children grew older, he planned to tell them the truth anyway. He just wasn''t telling them now because, first, children had loose lips and might spread the news across the entire school by the next day. And second, he didn''t want the two girls to develop an arrogant attitude. He didn''t want to end up raising some Dark Lord who would one day say, "When I was twelve, I had already started killing people. My master told me, ''Child, it''s fine. Kill whoever you want because you are Slytherin''s apprentice.''" Ugh.. That would be utterly humiliating. Slytherin House had already produced a Voldemort, which was embarrassing enough. At least that could be blamed on the fact that he had been "dead" for nearly a thousand years, and his ideals hadn''t been properly passed down. But if another Dark Lord rose under his watch while he was still alive, he wouldn''t even have the face to answer if Godric and the others ever asked him about it. Daphne was currently in a state of "Rhys, whatever you say is right." She was too lazy to argue with him anymore. If a person had only one mystery surrounding them, others would be eager to uncover it. But if someone was wrapped in countless layers of mystery, people would eventually lose interest in digging any deeper. With Rhys'' rewritten study material in hand, Daphne left¡ªshe had a lot of work to do. Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, Christmas had arrived in the blink of an eye after Halloween. Snow blanketed the castle, the Forbidden Forest, and the Black Lake, turning everything the same shade of white. Students huddled in their common rooms, unwilling to step outside unless absolutely necessary. Any student who entered or exited without promptly shutting the door was met with countless death glares. Rhys delivered the package that Ravenclaw had entrusted him to give to Hermione, but after that, he stayed out of Rowena''s lessons. Hermione, however, lived up to Ravenclaw''s expectations¡ªworking alone, she successfully replicated a variety of potions according to the provided formulas. The ''Founders'' Letters'' arrived soon after. Rhys handed the three precious letters to Gemma, and as agreed, she revealed the location where the dust had been discovered. However, at the same time, she earnestly requested that Rhys take her along when he explored the site to avoid any unforeseen dangers. Naturally, Rhys wouldn''t refuse his senior''s goodwill and readily agreed to her request. Before the Christmas break, the Dueling Club held its usual session, this time themed around Impediment Jinxes. However, the students were far more excited about the dueling matches than the spell lessons. Unsurprisingly, Daphne once again held the record for the most consecutive victories. Since Gemma Farley went first and paved the way, Daphne had a complete free-for-all. With her flawless combination of offensive and defensive magic, she utterly overwhelmed her opponents, leaving the Hogwarts students with no room to fight back. Even the seventh-years were helpless against her. In the end, the dueling event might not have been able to continue smoothly if Daphne hadn''t voluntarily forfeited. Her reason for stepping down was quite simple¡ªwhen she reached her thirteenth consecutive win, she caught sight of the faint smile on Rhys'' face in the crowd. At that moment, a phantom ache spread through her abdomen, and whatever smug satisfaction she had felt instantly vanished. Right... What''s the point of bullying these ''primitives''? If Rhys were to step up, he''d wipe the floor with everyone in seconds. The same went for her. With that thought, she forfeited and walked off the stage. Her decision left quite a few seventh-years feeling regretful. It was somewhat counterintuitive, but these soon-to-graduate students genuinely wanted a chance to duel Daphne. It was exciting, fresh, and, most importantly, a rare opportunity for improvement. As the dueling competition came to an end, Professor Flitwick announced that the champion''s prize would be distributed during Christmas¡ªcombined with the rewards from the previous tournament. This piqued the curiosity of many students, who eagerly speculated about what the mysterious prize could be. No matter how much they pried, Professor Flitwick remained tight-lipped, refusing to give away even the slightest hint. With the conclusion of the Dueling Club''s gathering, the Christmas holidays officially began. The castle quickly emptied out¡ªafter all, most students preferred to return home and celebrate with their families. Daphne and Astoria were no exception, though they were also quite eager to spend the holiday with Rhys. So, in the weeks leading up to the break, the sisters frequently dropped hints around Rhys, subtly probing him about his Christmas plans while enthusiastically advertising the festivities at Greengrass Manor. Like: "There are thousands of Christmas trees in the manor!" "All the presents on the trees can be opened! Each one holds a beautifully crafted gift!" "A grand feast awaits¡ªtables filled with delicacies, and fine wines flowing like water! Father even invited chefs from over ten different countries this year!" "To host this year''s celebration, Father practically emptied out an entire vault!" While the Greengrass family had always hosted lavish Christmas banquets for their extended relatives and allies, this year''s festivities were on an entirely different scale. The reason was simple¡ªMr. Henry Jamison Greengrass had earned immense prestige by contributing the Slytherin Manuscript, making this the perfect occasion for an extravagant celebration. For the sake of the family, Mr. Henry had no choice. This was the burden of pure-blood aristocrats: even though they knew such lavish affairs would consume an enormous amount of wealth, they were obligated to uphold their dignity and status. Of course, successfully hosting such a grand event came with great benefits. The Greengrass family would continue to maintain its exceptional reputation, and Mr. Henry himself would accumulate astonishing political capital¡ªenough to influence the selection of the next Minister of Magic. After Daphne and Astoria''s relentless promotion of the event, even Rhys couldn''t help but be a little tempted¡ªafter all, he also loved a lively celebration! ______________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 223- Christmas at Greengrass Manor 223- Christmas at Greengrass Manor "Alright, but are you sure I won''t be disturbing you?" Rhys finally agreed to the Greengrass sisters and accepted their invitation. "Yay!" Daphne and Astoria couldn''t help but cheer. "Of course not! There will definitely be many guests at our house this year. If anything, you should be the one worrying about whether the guests will disturb you." Daphne replied with a playful smile. Rhys had originally thought that Astoria''s phrase "emptying a vault" was an exaggeration. However, the morning after accepting the invitation, an owl mail changed his mind¡ªbecause the owl brought him a golden invitation. The invitation was made of gold, with elegant lines of text outlined in silver thread: "Dear Mr. Rhys Chassala Lint, As the Christmas banquet of this year approaches, I extend my sincerest greetings on behalf of the Greengrass family. We look forward to meeting you at the Greengrass Manor. This invitation serves as the key to the manor¡ªplease keep it safe.¡ªHenry Jamison Greengrass" In the upper left corner of the invitation, a string of numbers was counting down, ticking closer to zero with each passing second. Clearly, this invitation was actually a Portkey. Once the countdown reached zero, it would transport the invited guests directly to Greengrass Manor. Seeing this invitation, Rhys realized that Astoria might have actually been understating things. After dealing with a pile of miscellaneous tasks, the first semester of the school year finally came to an end. Overnight, the students were ready to depart. In reality, there wasn''t much to prepare. Going home for Christmas was different from going home at the end of the school year¡ªthere wasn''t nearly as much luggage to pack. Bringing a few textbooks and the homework assigned by the professors was enough. Some young wizards didn''t even bother bringing their homework, choosing instead to perform a miracle on the last night of the Christmas holidays. Rhys and the Greengrass sisters traveled light, carrying almost no luggage¡ªjust a backpack each. Rhys wasn''t sure about Daphne and Astoria, but he had packed everything he needed into a backpack enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm. The three of them boarded the Hogwarts Express for the journey home. With the sound of the whistle, the train carried a group of young wizards through the vast expanse of white snow, heading toward London. As the train departed, Rhys caught a glimpse of a flash of red outside the compartment door. When he pulled the door open, several red-haired heads came into view. The corridor outside was almost completely packed with what could only be described as a "Weasley family bucket"¡ªPercy, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny. Among the sea of red hair, there was also a hint of black¡ªHarry was on the train too. "You all are...?" Rhys asked, slightly confused. After a brief inquiry, he learned that the Weasley family had also received an invitation from Mr. Henry Greengrass. That made perfect sense. While the Weasleys weren''t particularly wealthy, they were still a long-standing pureblood family. The Greengrass family, even just out of politeness, would naturally send them an invitation. As for Harry''s presence, that was even less surprising. The Boy Who Lived, the savior of the wizarding world¡ªif he was willing to attend, the Greengrass family would have made sure an invitation reached him as quickly as possible. Looking at the group of Weasleys crowding the corridor, Rhys had a feeling that this year''s Greengrass Christmas banquet was going to be especially lively. When the train arrived at the station, Rhys had originally planned to stay in Diagon Alley for a while. However, a simple sentence from Astoria completely changed his mind. "Dad invited a lot of pastry chefs from different countries. We can taste their creations in advance and help decide which desserts should have more prominence at the banquet." Rhys immediately changed his plans. He wanted to experience desserts from all over the world, to see how centuries of history had influenced global cuisine. Surely, things must have improved over time, right? There was no way the entire world had regressed in terms of food. The decline of the magical world was understandable, but Muggles had no excuse for culinary deterioration¡ªthough Rhys was being a bit nai?ve. The truth was, the downfall of British cuisine and the stagnation of the wizarding world stemmed from the same root cause: simpler, standardized methods replacing the original, more labor-intensive practices that once required true passion and dedication. Simpler, more straightforward spells replaced the intricate flow of magic. Industrialized, mass-produced dishes took the place of traditional local cuisine. As a result, a thousand years later, Rhys found himself at Hogwarts without a single wizard who understood magical flow, and in London, the only food he could find was fish and chips or black pudding¡ªclassic examples of British cuisine. Fortunately, not every European country had suffered the same fate as Britain when it came to food. France, Italy, and Turkey had all preserved the essence of their culinary traditions, providing the greatest comfort to diners'' taste buds. After moving into Greengrass Manor, Rhys was completely stunned by the variety of desserts that had developed over the past thousand years¡ªespecially the ones from Turkey, which were particularly astonishing. Turkish sweets, made with generous amounts of pistachios, walnuts, dried fruits, honey, and butter, fully embodied the concept of sweetness. One dessert in particular left Rhys in awe¡ª"Angel''s Hair." It was made by frying two layers of hair-thin noodles until golden and then soaking them in a sugary syrup before being removed. Sandwiched between the delicate strands was a layer of creamy cheese filling, and the dessert was finally topped with crushed pistachios. Every bite burst with warmth and richness, delivering an unparalleled sense of happiness. Surrounded by a dazzling array of sweets, Rhys felt as if he had fallen into a honey pot. The sheer amount of desserts he consumed daily even made Daphne visibly uneasy. "Shouldn''t you show some restraint?" she often tried to persuade him, though her attempts were always in vain. "Sweetness is the source of happiness!" he would always reply with unwavering conviction. Soon, Christmas Eve arrived. Greengrass Manor underwent a sudden transformation¡ªwhat had previously been a somewhat bleak winter valley was, overnight, filled with lush greenery and blooming flowers. Every tree was once again covered in tender leaves and blossoms. Hanging from the branches were various small gift packages, each containing delightful surprises. Opening one might reveal a wizard''s chess set, a fine hat, but more often than not, they contained consumables like sweets and festive crackers. After all, most guests probably didn''t need another chess set, but setting off a cracker or lighting a firework was always a joy. From a distance, the valley looked as though it had been transported back to spring. At first, Rhys assumed that the flowers and leaves had been conjured by magic. But upon closer inspection, he was stunned¡ªthe Greengrass family had actually decorated everything with artificial flowers and leaves! This was far more extravagant than simply conjuring them with magic. Each flower and leaf looked so incredibly lifelike that Rhys couldn''t help but be amazed. Before nightfall, and before the guests even began to arrive, the first to reach the manor was a batch of magical creatures¡ªprocured by none other than Mr. Henry Greengrass himself. ____________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 224- Dark Tide and Bustling Greengrass Manor 224- Dark Tide and Bustling Greengrass Manor On most days, there weren''t many magical creatures in the valley of Greengrass Manor. The most common sights were ordinary birds, wild rabbits, and perhaps a few grass snakes. But today, in celebration of Christmas, Mr. Henry Jamison Greengrass had somehow arranged for a batch of Luminious Deer, fairies, Golden Beetles, and white peacocks to be brought in and released into the valley, enhancing the festive atmosphere. Seeing the now lively valley, Rhys nodded in approval¡ªMr. Henry certainly had an eye for detail. "Come to think of it, you don''t seem to have many magical creatures here usually, do you?" Hearing the sound of approaching footsteps behind him, Rhys didn''t even need to turn around to know that it had to be Daphne and Astoria. The Greengrass couple was still outside the manor, busy with final preparations to welcome the guests, so they wouldn''t be here. Sure enough, Daphne''s voice rang out: "We do have quite a few Bowtruckles, Nifflers, Flobberworms, and maybe some gnomes?" "No way! Doudou would never allow gnomes in the house," Astoria immediately countered. Doudou was the Greengrass family''s house-elf, who was currently in the kitchen, overseeing the chefs at work. "I meant large magical creatures, like unicorns, Thestrals, or hippogriffs," Rhys said as he turned around¡ªonly to be met with the sight of one silver and one green figure standing before him. Today was an important occasion, and Daphne and Astoria had to take it seriously. Both sisters had changed into brand-new formal robes. Their outfits were identical in design, differing only in color. Rhys also noticed that they had swapped their usual shoes for high heels with ribboned bows at the heels, making them appear taller and more slender. It was clear they had put effort into their appearance. Rhys was no exception¡ªhe had changed into a green formal robe that he had prepared beforehand, with silver-trimmed sleeves. The robe itself was plain, without excessive embellishments, but it suited his temperament quite well. Before the main guests arrived, the extended branches of the Greengrass family began to show up one after another. Standing by the window, Rhys watched as Mr. and Mrs. Greengrass welcomed groups of colorfully dressed wizards into the manor. Beside him, Daphne quietly introduced them in a hushed voice. "That''s my aunt''s family. They moved to France a few years ago. She looks like a tomboy, but she''s actually a nice person. She''s been married twice and has a son from each marriage¡ªmy cousin and my half-cousin. Both of them are quite interesting." "That old woman over there? My great-great-aunt¡ªa terribly annoying person. Never share any gossip with her!" "Him? Hmm... I don''t remember too well. I think he''s one of Mom''s relatives¡ªoh, right, he''s my distant great-uncle from Switzerland. His father and my grandmother were siblings. His father wasn''t just any wizard, though¡ªhe followed Grindelwald in his youth. Even now, he still wears a necklace marked with Grindelwald''s symbol around his neck... Not exactly a popular choice." Daphne rattled off the identities and characteristics of each arriving guest like a machine gun¡ªironically, the long and complicated names were actually the easiest part to remember. Her memory in this regard was astonishing. Rhys cast a surprised glance at Daphne. This girl''s memory is that good? Looks like I can start giving her more responsibilities in the future... Poor Daphne had no idea that she had just been thoroughly assigned future tasks without her knowledge. From downstairs, the sounds of chatter and commotion gradually grew louder¡ªclearly, the relatives had officially entered the Greengrass Manor. Daphne glanced at Astoria, signaling for her to quickly lock the door to Rhys''s bedroom. "I can''t be bothered to deal with those people. Every time, I have to keep a straight face, put on some phony smile, say empty words, and watch them do the same¡ªit''s absolutely exhausting!" Daphne grumbled non-stop. Rhys listened with a smile¡ªthis kid is a perfect heir to the family. And somehow, her words sounded awfully familiar... Oh, right. Adrian... ["Professor, dealing with those noble guests and relatives is such a pain, okay? None of them are good people¡ªall smiles to your face, knives to your back. I really don''t want to interact with them anymore! Even if they bring along beautiful countesses and baronesses, I''m still not going. It''s just too tiring!"] In his memory, the girl in front of him gradually overlapped with the image of a high-spirited young man. They''re so similar... Wait, no! It''s just their attitude towards socializing that''s a bit alike!!! Rhys startled himself with that thought. What nonsense¡ªAdrian? Compared to Daphne? Not a chance! These two must not be alike! Retreat, retreat, retreat! He forcefully yanked the boy''s image away from Daphne''s, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it out of his mind. Adrian was Adrian. Daphne was Daphne. The only thing they had in common was the Greengrass surname¡ªnothing else! Rhys reaffirmed his belief: One student like Adrian is already more than enough! As night fell, the guests began arriving in waves. The first to appear were the Weasley family and Potter. The Weasleys were truly a thriving family¡ªtheir arrival instantly dyed the valley red. From a high vantage point, the valley even looked like it had been set ablaze. Following the Weasleys was a middle-aged man with perfectly pressed clothes and a mustache so neatly trimmed it might as well have been measured with a ruler. The moment he arrived, he immediately engaged Henry Greengrass in conversation. But judging by their expressions, they weren''t exchanging pleasantries¡ªthey were handling official business. After that workaholic, the Malfoys, Flints, Ollivanders, and other pure-blood families started making their appearances. By the end, even Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge had shown up. The Greengrass Manor had officially come to life. A sharp pop echoed through the air as the house-elf Doudou appeared in the bedroom. "Miss Daphne, Miss Astoria, you two must go out now¡ªthe guests are eager to see you!" She gave the three of them a deep bow before shrilly reminding the Greengrass sisters that hiding here any longer would be impolite. Daphne almost asked if Astoria could go handle the guests alone, but she swallowed the words before they left her lips¡ªshe already knew the answer. Absolutely impossible. She could only sigh and reluctantly leave the room with her sister. As for Rhys? He was practically invisible in this situation¡ªhe could easily stay here until dinner began. ... Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, another place was just as lively as Greengrass Manor... Inside a warmly lit banquet hall, dozens of men and women gathered, slowly enjoying their Christmas feast to the sound of music. "Speaking of which, the operation over there should have started by now, right?" a voice asked. "Of course. Gemini, Pisces, Aries, and Taurus are probably at Azkaban already," another voice replied. __________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 225- Christmas and the Prisoner of Azkaban 225- Christmas and the Prisoner of Azkaban In stark contrast to the lively and warm Greengrass Manor, Azkaban Wizarding Prison, located on a desolate island in the North Sea, remained as bleak and miserable as ever, even on Christmas. In most places around the world, holidays bring a small reprieve even to prisoners¡ªguards provide better meals, and supervision loosens slightly. But in Azkaban, such a thing simply did not exist, even though prisoners here were also given a few Christmas-themed foods. However, the reason behind this was not humanitarian at all. Azkaban''s wardens were not human after all. They were a species of dark creatures known as Dementors. No one knew how they came into existence, whether they could die, or how they reproduced. They had simply appeared, intruding into the wizarding world''s awareness. The first recorded encounter between Dementors and wizards dated back to the 15th century. At that time, Azkaban was still privately owned by a man named Ekrizdis, who had seized the island and built a fortress upon it, where he abducted Muggles and tortured them to death. After Ekrizdis died, the concealment magic over the island faded, revealing a nightmarish scene¡ªthe entire island was now crawling with Dementors. Wizards clashed with these creatures multiple times, but eventually had to admit they couldn''t eradicate them. Fortunately, they discovered a powerful counter-spell against Dementors, leading to a delicate balance between the two sides: Wizards left the Dementors alone, did not destroy their fortress, and in return, the Dementors refrained from actively attacking wizards. As for Muggle fishing boats that accidentally strayed too close or coastal villages nearby? They became sacrificial victims, their happiness devoured by the Dementors. Azkaban became a wizarding prison in 1718. After the Statute of Secrecy was enacted, wizards no longer wanted Dementors wandering into Muggle lands to "hunt", and at the same time, there was a growing need for a centralized facility to imprison wizarding criminals. The two sides struck a perfect deal, and under the initiative of the then-Minister for Magic, Damocles Rowle, Azkaban was officially converted into a prison for wizards. No prisoner had ever escaped from here. The Dementors would drain every last trace of happiness from the inmates'' souls, leaving them in utter despair, waiting for death. It was the Dementors who provided food to the prisoners¡ªeven distributing different types of meals during holidays¡ªbut their intention was not kindness. Their only goal was to provoke even the faintest flicker of joy in their victims'' souls, so they could feast upon it. But even a soul''s joy has its limits. The prisoners of Azkaban had already been squeezed dry, like spent sugarcane, unable to produce even the slightest bit of happiness. This was evident from the untouched meal trays in front of most cell doors. A small boat cut through the waves, heading toward the island of Azkaban. Onboard stood four hooded figures. The sea spray crashed against the deck, yet without touching them¡ªas if repelled by an invisible force. Though they sailed upon the open ocean, their surroundings remained dry and warm. "Legend has it that a thousand years ago, Salazar Slytherin fought a deadly battle against Jo?rmungandr right here in the North Sea. The sky was blotted out by the serpent''s massive form, the ocean was torn asunder by Slytherin''s spells, and the sound of their battle could be heard as far south as Islay." One of the hooded figures let their thoughts drift back a millennium, carried away by the rolling waves. "Gemini, can you just focus on steering the boat?" A woman''s impatient voice came from beneath another hood. "Hurry up and get this mission over with. Working on Christmas Eve? Just my luck!" Her complaint resonated with the other two. No one wanted to be out on a mission during Christmas, but there was no choice¡ªthe four of them had simply drawn the short straw. Besides, for the Secret Order, this was a perfect opportunity. The grand banquet hosted by the Greengrass family had drawn too much attention, making it the ideal moment to carry out their plan unnoticed. To the Secret Order, Hogwarts had become a thorn in their side¡ªthey had lost too many operatives there, and too many valuable artifacts remained within its walls. They needed to find a way to reclaim them. Every force opposed to Hogwarts should be used to their advantage¡ªand who could be more suitable than Voldemort himself? The high-ranking members of the Secret Order had already reached a consensus: Voldemort must be resurrected. After activating their intelligence network, the Order''s operatives confirmed that Voldemort had achieved "immortality" through Horcruxes. Reviving a wizard who had created Horcruxes wasn''t too difficult. The only real challenge was finding the location of those Horcruxes. The Order had found the perfect entry point: Extracting information from Voldemort''s followers¡ªeven the smallest clues about where the Horcruxes might be hidden. All available intelligence pointed to two key individuals: Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange. The Order''s operatives weren''t ready to make a move on the former¡ªbut the latter? She was locked up in Azkaban. Much easier. The four of them had come to extract the location of Voldemort''s Horcruxes from Bellatrix. After a brief round of complaints, the group fell into silence. After a while, Gemini spoke up again. "If Dumbledore is such a big obstacle, why don''t we just wait for him to die of old age before making a move on Hogwarts? I mean, he''s already over a hundred." Pisces, Aries, Taurus: "..." Nobody responded. An awkward silence settled over the boat. Gemini: "...?" Finally, Taurus broke the silence, lightly easing the tension. "And when do you think he''ll die? This year? Next year? Five years from now? Ten? The Order can''t afford to wait for something so uncertain. The Divine Remains must be retrieved as soon as possible." More importantly, there was no guarantee that Dumbledore hadn''t used some method to extend his lifespan. For a wizard of his caliber, prolonging life wasn''t particularly difficult¡ªespecially when he had a friend like Nicolas Flamel. Before long, their small boat arrived at Azkaban. "What a terrible environment." Stepping onto the island, Aries frowned¡ªshe hated the atmosphere here. "Keep quiet," Pisces, who had been silent until now, rebuked her, narrowing his eyes as he gazed at the Azkaban fortress in the distance. At the same time, the Dementors, drawn by the scent of fresh souls, began to gather. The air, already bone-chilling, grew even colder with their approach¡ªmoisture in the air seemed on the verge of freezing into ice shards. Before long, a swarm of Dementors, their tattered cloaks billowing, completely surrounded the four. However, to the Dementors'' surprise, they couldn''t absorb a single emotion from the four figures. Now, that was unusual. __________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 226- Happy Crystal Ball 226- Happy Crystal Ball [Visitors, present the Ministry of Magic''s authorization.] For Dementors, "taking advantage" of visiting humans¡ªsiphoning away their happiness¡ªwas an open secret among their kind. Aside from high-ranking Ministry officials, every other wizard had to go through this experience. This time, however, they hit a dead end with the four visitors before them. This not only puzzled the Dementors but also made them more cautious. Following protocol, they demanded to see the visitors'' authorization documents. Taurus pulled open his robe and retrieved a crystal ball from his robes. Unlike ordinary prophecy orbs, this one was filled with swirling, multicolored mist¡ªjust a single glance at it could evoke a deep sense of joy. The moment the Dementors laid eyes on the orb, they stirred restlessly. "This is our ''authorization document.'' We won''t be taking any prisoners¡ªwe simply need to ask some questions." Taurus'' tone remained calm and steady, his expression unfazed despite being surrounded by Dementors. His message was clear and straightforward: Let us in, and we won''t cause trouble. After speaking, he extended the crystal ball toward the nearest Dementor. The Dementor instinctively raised its arm, using a dimly glowing, gray, emaciated hand covered in scabs to take the crystal ball from Taurus. The moment the crystal ball changed hands, the multicolored mist inside began to seep out. A greater commotion broke out among the Dementors¡ªmany from the back rows pushed forward, eagerly siphoning the mist. Those already at the front refused to be left behind and joined the frenzy, fighting for their share. Not a single Dementor paid attention to the four intruders anymore. So long as these wizards didn''t try to take any prisoners off the island, they couldn''t care less what they did. Seeing that the Dementors had stopped obstructing them, Taurus immediately led his three companions deeper into Azkaban. "Bottling emotions into crystal balls¡ªwhat a genius idea!" Gemini couldn''t help but praise the concept as soon as they entered the fortress. "You''re too kind," Taurus replied. He was, after all, the inventor of these specialized crystal balls, and being suddenly praised like this caught him slightly off guard. "But besides feeding Dementors, do these emotion-infused crystal balls serve any other purpose?" Gemini''s next words hit Taurus like a Tongue-Tying Curse, leaving him completely speechless. This invention indeed hadn''t found a practical use yet. Perhaps, when people were feeling down, they could inhale a bit of ''happiness'' to lift their spirits? "Huh? If happiness can be bottled, then other emotions can be too, right? Hey, can you make me ''one of those'' crystal balls?" Gemini suddenly clapped his hands as if he''d just discovered the perfect application for Taurus''s invention. "You know, the kind involving men and women... that kind of thing. I''m really curious what the emotions in those moments feel like! And if I can customize the female lead, that''d be even better¡ª" He seemed completely oblivious to Taurus''s darkening expression. "Gemini, if you want to make it back to headquarters alive, you''d better shut your mouth." Aries barely managed to hold back a laugh as she cut him off. A flicker of confusion and bewilderment flashed across Gemini''s eyes. He was helping Taurus find a practical use for his invention! Shouldn''t Taurus be thanking him instead? But after seeing Taurus''s face steadily turning crimson, Gemini wisely chose to stay silent. ... The four of them stepped into Azkaban, passing by row after row of cells. The cells were semi-open, with no solid walls to block the view¡ªonly black iron bars imprisoning the inmates. These bars were scarred by time, so worn that a few strong kicks might just break them. But the prisoners of Azkaban, after rotting away in this place for so long, had long become half-dead, incapable of even thinking about escaping. As the four of them passed by the prison cells, they noticed that most of the inmates were wrapped in filthy blankets, curled up in the corners of their cells, completely motionless¡ªalmost as if they were asleep. At the entrances of the cells, their meal trays lay untouched, the food inside as cold as ice, showing no signs of having been eaten. But then, something caught Gemini''s attention. One cell was different. While every other meal tray remained untouched, the tray at the entrance of this particular cell was empty. A flicker of curiosity rose in Gemini''s mind. Who in this wretched place still had the appetite to eat? He was certain that Dementors didn''t have any culinary skills to make the food appealing. The turkey, bread, jerky, and pickled vegetables that had been on the plate were probably just barely edible, cooked just enough to not be raw. He peered inside the cell. A man was curled up in the corner¡ªjust like the other prisoners¡ªbut unlike the others, this man had long, filthy, matted hair. He was thin¡ªso thin that he looked like a skeleton wrapped in skin. Sensing someone approaching, the prisoner lifted his head. Gemini met his gaze¡ªdeep, hollow eyes, dark and sunken. And yet... there was something different about them. Unlike the other inmates, this man still held onto his emotions¡ªsomething that was the rarest luxury in Azkaban. Gemini glanced at the nameplate on the cell door. It read: Sirius Black. "Interesting guy," Gemini mused. He had a feeling this wouldn''t be the last time he heard that name. Going through the prison cells one by one, the four finally stopped in front of a door with the nameplate: "Bellatrix Lestrange." Gemini deliberately glanced at the meal tray outside her cell. It looked like Bellatrix had eaten a little¡ªbut not much. She had only taken a bite or two from each item. "Bellatrix." Aries called out her name. But the prisoner inside gave no response¡ªas if she hadn''t heard them at all. Taurus exchanged a look with Gemini before reaching into his robes and pulling out a crystal ball¡ªidentical to the one they had used to bribe the Dementors earlier. "This is its real purpose." Taurus murmured, gently stroking the crystal ball. Inside, the colorful mist began to swirl and drift out, flowing toward the prisoner inside. With each slow breath, the mist slipped into her nostrils. "Haah... Haah.." A change swept over Bellatrix''s expression. The joy that Taurus infused into her soul was like rain soaking into parched earth¡ªreplenishing her spirit, bringing a faint spark of life back into her. A trace of color returned to her hollow cheeks. The mist continued to flow, and Bellatrix''s condition gradually improved. When a hint of rosiness finally appeared on her face, Taurus cut off the supply. And that was when she reacted. Her head snapped up¡ªher greedy gaze locking onto the crystal ball in Taurus''s hand. "More... give me more!" A hoarse, almost desperate voice rasped from her throat. ___________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 227- Unbreakable Vow 227- Unbreakable Vow "No problem. But first, you need to do something for us." Taurus pulled a thin wisp of "happiness" from the crystal ball, letting it swirl around his fingertips. "W-What is it?" A shred of reason slowly returned to Bellatrix''s mind. Her brain¡ªlike a rusty machine suddenly oiled¡ªbegan to creak and groan as it started working again. "We want to resurrect Voldemort." Taurus stated their purpose plainly. Bellatrix''s breath hitched. The small bit of clarity that had just returned to her mind immediately flew away. Resurrect the Dark Lord! It was a dream¡ªa fantasy she had clung to every night in Azkaban. This very belief was the only thing that had kept her alive through all these years. She had longed, prayed, and ached to return to her Lord''s side, to serve him once more. And now¡ªsomeone was telling her they were going to bring him back? A strange emotion rose in her heart. It took Bellatrix a moment to recognize it¡ªbecause it was something she hadn''t felt in so long. It was joy. "It seems you approve of our plan." Taurus''s voice was gentle. "Then, please tell us where Voldemort''s Horcrux is." "We have reason to believe," he continued, "that he entrusted one to you for safekeeping." Taurus felt a slight tension in his chest. The Society didn''t actually have solid proof¡ªonly strong inferences based on a mountain of intelligence reports. They had concluded that Voldemort had given a Horcrux to the two followers he trusted most. But if Bellatrix didn''t know... Then their only option would be to try their luck with Lucius Malfoy¡ªwhich would be far riskier. If old tratoros Malfoy decided to run straight to Dumbledore for help... That could be a disaster. This might seem ridiculous, but it wasn''t impossible. The Malfoy family had always been the type to find shelter wherever the wind blew in times of crisis. At the mention of the word "Horcrux", Bellatrix''s clarity returned instantly. She suppressed the joy in her heart and coldly stated that she had no idea what they were talking about. There was no way she would easily reveal the location of her master''s Horcrux. What if these four people were just trying to trick her? This secret had to be buried deep in her soul, never to be betrayed. Taurus pinched the bridge of his nose. Not being trusted was expected. Luckily, they had come prepared. Of course, they wouldn''t resort to Veritaserum or any other potions. Instead, they had a different solution¡ªa binding magical contract. "It''s normal for you not to trust us at our first meeting," Taurus said, his expression turning serious. "But we have another way to prove our sincerity." "I am willing to make an Unbreakable Vow with you¡ªswearing to dedicate my everything to bringing your Lord Voldemort back to life." At the mention of an "Unbreakable Vow," Bellatrix''s eyes widened in shock. After all, the Unbreakable Vow was a magical contract that bound wizards to their promises¡ªif broken, the one who made the vow would die. Hearing this, Bellatrix finally believed that he was serious about resurrecting her master. "Why?" Her gaze sharpened. "I need an explanation. I''ve never seen any of you at our gatherings before." At this moment, Bellatrix was completely back to her former self¡ªsharp, ruthless, and as shrewd as she had been more than a decade ago. "We need him to deal with Dumbledore. That man is troublesome, incredibly difficult to handle. We require the Dark Lord''s assistance." Taurus spoke honestly¡ªhe understood well how to communicate and build trust. "Yes, yes! Only our master can stand against Dumbledore! Only he can do it¡ªyour judgment isn''t bad!" Bellatrix was very satisfied with Taurus''s words, nodding repeatedly. She then bombarded them with questions, trying to find any inconsistencies in their answers. But Taurus remained genuine, responding with nothing but the truth. After a long string of inquiries, Taurus successfully earned Bellatrix''s trust. She agreed to reveal the Dark Lord''s Horcrux¡ªbut only after they made the Unbreakable Vow. "Excellent. We have reached an agreement." A pleased smile appeared on Taurus''s face. Then, he ordered Gemini and Aries to step away and not get in the way. Gemini frowned, wanting to say something, but Aries dragged him off before he could. "Now that all unrelated parties are gone, let us begin." With ease, Taurus unlocked Bellatrix''s cell door. He knelt before Bellatrix, and they clasped each other''s right hands. Pisces stepped forward, placing their wand against their joined hands. Bellatrix''s throat moved as she swallowed, then she spoke in a hoarse voice: "Taurus, you must not reveal the location of the Dark Lord''s Horcrux to anyone else." "I agree," Taurus responded. A thin, scorching tongue of fire burst from Pisces'' wand tip, wrapping around the wrists of Taurus and Bellatrix like a strip of molten metal. "Do you swear to do everything in your power to resurrect my master¡ªthe great Dark Lord Voldemort?" "I swear." A second flame erupted, intertwining with the first, forming a thin, glowing red chain. "You must not destroy, nor order anyone else to destroy, the Dark Lord''s Horcrux. Before he rises again, you must protect it with everything you have, at any cost¡ªeven your life. Do you accept this condition?" Bellatrix locked eyes with Taurus, her gaze sharp and unwavering as she asked the final question. "I accept." A third fiery strand coiled around their hands, weaving together with the first two like a serpent of flame, casting a crimson glow upon their faces. After sealing the Unbreakable Vow, Bellatrix revealed the location where she had hidden her master''s Horcrux: she had stored it in the Lestrange family vault deep within Gringotts. "Gringotts¡ªthe safest place in the world. The vault is filled with countless treasures, enough to divert any prying eyes," Bellatrix declared with pride. A perfect choice! Secure, yet accessible whenever her master needed it. There was no better decision. Taurus raised an eyebrow. Gringotts? The place rumored to be even safer than Hogwarts? He chuckled, and as if infected by his amusement, Bellatrix laughed as well. Laughter¡ªan almost unheard-of sound¡ªechoed through the walls of Azkaban. "Alright, we need to move quickly," Taurus said after a moment, his smile fading as he signaled it was time to leave. "Sorry, but we can''t take you with us. The Dementors wouldn''t allow it." "That''s fine," Bellatrix grinned even wider. "Once my master returns, he will take me out of here himself. I can only wish you the best of luck." Taurus said nothing more. He simply nodded at Bellatrix, flexed his right hand, then turned and left with his companions. _________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 228- You Really Didn’t Hear Anything? 228- You Really Didn¡¯t Hear Anything? "Well? Well? Did you find out where the Horcrux is?" Gemini couldn''t wait any longer. The moment he saw Taurus and Pisces walking toward him, he eagerly rushed up, hoping to get an answer. "We got it. Let''s move." Taurus was in a great mood after completing the mission. He was ready to lead his companions to Gringotts in London and retrieve the Horcrux Bellatrix had hidden in her family''s vault. "So where exactly did she hide it?" Taurus, Pisces, Aries: "..." Realizing that he had just asked a very stupid question, Gemini wisely shut his mouth and silently moved behind Taurus. Taurus observed him for a moment, ensuring he wasn''t deliberately trying to get himself killed, before finally giving the order to depart. The small boat drifted away from Azkaban. Other than the Dementors on the island, no one knew they had ever been there. Before long, the four monks of the Secret Order arrived at Diagon Alley in London. What was a bustling street during the day was now completely deserted, with only a few Christmas decorations swaying in the cold wind. The four had a clear goal and headed straight for Gringotts, located in the heart of Diagon Alley. Compared to the daytime, the defenses at Gringotts seemed noticeably more relaxed at night. The four of them rushed up the empty white stone steps and stopped in front of the tightly shut bronze doors. Aries stepped forward first, drawing her wand and pressing it against the doors. A few seconds later, she shook her head. Her expression, however, showed no surprise¡ªit would be strange if these doors weren''t enchanted against unlocking spells. But that wasn''t a big problem¡ªafter all, their goal was simply to get through. Aries drew a circle on the door with her wand, and in the next second, a hole large enough for a person to step through appeared. Through the opening, they could now see the silver door behind the bronze one. "Bronze door, silver door... Is there going to be a gold door next?" Gemini muttered, earning laughs from his three companions. "Impossible. Goblins aren''t that extravagant." Aries glanced at the door''s specifications and quickly estimated its approximate volume. If it were made of solid gold, it would require hundreds of tons of the precious metal. As they spoke, the four of them stepped through the first door and used the same method to pass through the second. "The goblins didn''t use pure silver for this door." As they passed through the silver door, Gemini noticed something¡ªthe middle of this door was made of the same bronze as the first one; only the outermost few inches were actually silver. "That fits my stereotype of goblins perfectly." Even the usually quiet Pisces couldn''t help but comment. "Did you know? Even Galleons aren''t made of pure gold. They''re mixed with other metals." "The value of a gram of gold increases once it''s minted into coins¡ªthat''s the secret to profiting from currency production." Mocking the goblins'' greed as they went, the group infiltrated Gringotts. As a bank, Gringotts still had staff on duty at night. The moment Aries stepped into the main hall, she was immediately spotted by a goblin security guard. "Who goes there¡ª" The goblin shot up from his seat, knocking over a coffee pot in the process. But before his hand could even reach the alarm button under the table, his head exploded¡ª bursting like a smashed watermelon. "The famous Gringotts, and this is their level of security? Relying on an alarm triggered by a bell? Ridiculous." Aries frowned. "I thought the alarm would have gone off the moment we broke through the door." "They''ve grown complacent." "Someone successfully infiltrated Gringotts just last year." "That works in our favor." Taurus sidestepped the blood on the floor and walked to the center of the hall. But when he looked at the countless doors surrounding them, he was faced with a dilemma¡ªwhich one led to the Lestrange vault? He hesitated for two seconds before giving up on thinking. Instead, he simply picked the closest door and gave it a push. The moment his hand touched the door panel, the alarm blared. "Looks like only goblins can open these doors." Taurus smiled as if he''d just solved a math problem. Seconds later, a commotion erupted outside the hall, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps. Several doors swung open, but the monks of the Order were ready¡ªwhichever door made a sound, they fired spells at it. "Remember to leave a few alive!" Seeing his companions striking with deadly precision, Taurus grew a little uneasy. He quickly reminded them not to forget the true purpose of this mission. At the same time, he personally selected an elderly, white-haired goblin who had just rushed out from behind a door. Their eyes met. The goblin''s gaze instantly turned dazed. Then, without hesitation, he raised the longsword in his hand and, with a backward slash, beheaded a younger goblin behind him. Taurus''s smile widened in satisfaction. He pointed toward the counter, gesturing for the old goblin to hide. Obediently, the elderly goblin clutched the bloodstained sword and shrank beneath the counter. With meticulous planning against unprepared foes¡ªand given that all four were elite members of the Secret Order¡ªthe goblins on duty were swiftly eliminated. The entire marble floor of the hall was stained red with goblin blood. A few goblins, trembling in fear, had been herded near the counter. With a gentle smile, Taurus told them he wanted access to the Lestrange family''s underground vault. The goblins flinched, their trembling growing more violent, yet not a single one dared to speak. Taurus''s patience was wearing thin. He picked up a longsword from the floor, then grabbed the goblin furthest to the left, lifting him off the ground. "Can you take me to the Lestrange vault?" The goblin shut his eyes tight. Without hesitation, Taurus slashed his head off and tossed the corpse aside. Then, he grabbed the next goblin. "Take me to the Lestrange family''s underground vault." This time, the captured goblin gave in¡ªbut he claimed he did not have the authority to open the vault. "What about him?" Taurus yanked out the elderly goblin who had hidden earlier. "He does." "Excellent." Taurus''s smile finally showed genuine satisfaction. The four monks of the Secret Order forced the two goblins¡ªone old, one young¡ªdown into the underground vaults. The remaining prisoners? White Aries had casually disposed of them. Seeing the wizards execute their captives so effortlessly, the young goblin turned deathly pale. He whistled to summon a small mine cart, then nervously admitted that it might not have enough space for all four wizards plus two goblins. "We need him to open the vault¡ª" The moment he said it, fear struck him that the wizards might consider him useless, so he quickly added, "I have to operate the cart!" Taurus understood the goblin''s cautious thinking. As usual, he ordered Gemini and Aries to stay behind, while he and Pisces ventured deeper into the vaults. Until he had Voldemort''s Horcrux in hand, he wouldn''t harm this guide¡ªhe couldn''t risk it. Who knew if the older goblin would cooperate? If he killed their current guide only to find that the elder refused to help, that would be a disaster. Under the young goblin''s control, the cart shot forward and picked up speed. With a deafening roar, they raced through a labyrinth of twisting tunnels, the path so complex it was impossible for a human mind to memorize. As they descended further and further, Taurus had the eerie feeling they were heading toward the Earth''s core. Then¡ªsuddenly, around a bend, a waterfall appeared directly in their path. "Thief''s Downfall!" The goblin barely had time to shout its name before the cart plunged straight into it. Icy water poured from above, drenching them to the bone. Water flooded into Taurus''s eyes, mouth, nose¡ªblinding him, choking him. Worse yet¡ª under the effect of the Thief''s Downfall, the cart lurched, skidded, and overturned, sending Taurus, Pisces, and both goblins flying out. The high-speed cart flew off the rails, crashing into the tunnel wall and shattering into pieces. With his eyes closed, Taurus instinctively cast Cushioning Charms on everyone, allowing them to drift down like feathers onto the stone floor¡ªcompletely unharmed. The young goblin scrambled to his feet as fast as he could, as if trying to make up for something, and immediately began explaining Thief''s Downfall to Taurus. "That waterfall strips away all enchantments and magical disguises. The moment the alarm sounded, someone must have activated the security defenses as well." "Oh?" Upon hearing that all spells would be washed away, Taurus''s gaze snapped to the elder goblin he had under his control. Sure enough, the old goblin staggered to his feet, eyes filled with confusion. Without hesitation, Taurus recast the controlling spell, seizing hold of him once more. After that, he casually dried everyone''s soaked clothing with a spell. Then his eyes landed on the young goblin. With the cart completely destroyed, its fragments scattered who-knew-where, they would have to continue on foot. Did this goblin know the way? The news of their break-in had likely spread by now, and reinforcements from the bank could arrive at any moment. He had to move quickly. "No problem, we''re already near the bottom. We can walk from here¡ªthe vault isn''t far." The young goblin took the initiative, leading the way deeper into the tunnels. But the moment they turned a corner, his expression completely changed. There, outside one of Gringotts'' deepest vaults, a massive dragon was chained to the ground. Its eyes were a murky pink, and its scales were dull, pale, and peeling. The dragon''s condition was visibly terrible¡ªclearly, the goblins of Gringotts weren''t as kind as Hagrid when it came to dragon care. Even in its weakened state, the massive dragon still made the goblins and wizards standing before it feel suffocated. If it unfurled its spiked wings, they would fill the entire chamber. If it roared, the entire cavern would tremble. If it breathed fire, every living creature in the tunnel would be reduced to ashes. "We''re doomed! We didn''t bring the Clankers..." The young goblin turned pale as a sheet, his body trembling. It was unclear whether he feared dying in the dragon''s maw or being punished by the wizards for his incompetence. Taurus didn''t know exactly what Clankers were, but he could guess they were used to control the dragon. "Leave it to me. I''m an expert in emotional regulation." Shoving the terrified goblin behind him, Taurus pulled out a crystal orb filled with emotions. As he spoke, a thin wisp of mist drifted toward the dragon''s nostrils¡ªthis time, carrying the emotions of "calm" and "serenity." He wouldn''t dare make a half-mad dragon "happy" in a confined space¡ªMerlin knew what would happen if he did. As the dragon inhaled the carefully blended emotions, its movements gradually slowed. It lowered itself to the ground, sinking into a deep slumber, with only occasional wisps of smoke and embers escaping its nostrils. "Move." At Taurus''s command, they rushed to the Lestrange family vault. Pressing the elder goblin''s hand against the door, the weathered wooden entrance vanished, revealing an opening. Inside, from floor to ceiling, the vault was packed with treasures¡ªpiles of gold coins, gilded goblets, gem-encrusted armor, exotic furs and skeletal remains, and sealed jars filled with potions. "As expected of the Lestranges!" Taurus and Pisces let out a simultaneous sigh of admiration. "Most of the treasures here are enchanted with the Gemino and Flagrante curses," the young goblin warned them. "Anything you touch will multiply and become searing hot. The copies will also be cursed." Taurus glanced at him, then grinned widely. "Thanks!" Taurus and Aries began searching for Voldemort''s Horcrux based on the description Bellatrix had provided. Finally, Taurus spotted a golden cup resting on the topmost shelf, near the vault''s ceiling. Without hesitation, Taurus let Pisces climb onto his back, then used the long sword still clutched in the elder goblin''s hand to knock the cup down into his grasp. "So, how do we get back?" Pisces asked once the Horcrux was secured. "Do we just walk along the tracks?" He frowned. "This place is definitely enchanted against Apparition." "Isn''t it obvious?" Taurus smirked. His gaze shifted to the dragon nearby. With a casual flick of his wand, he disposed of the two remaining goblins. Then, with a swift slash of his blade, he severed the chains binding the dragon''s hind legs and awakened the beast from its slumber. The cavern shook as the dragon let out a deafening roar. And in the midst of that earth-shattering bellow, the two wizards leaped onto its back¡ªsoaring toward the surface, Taurus''s triumphant laughter echoing through the tunnels. They had done it. The Dark Lord''s return was inevitable. Hogwarts. Dumbledore. We''ll be seeing you soon. Taurus tightened his grip on the golden cup, making a silent vow. ... Meanwhile, at the Greengrass Estate... As the mystics rampaged through Gringotts on dragon-back, the annual Christmas banquet was reaching its peak. Music filled the grand hall, one melody after another, as long tables overflowed with an abundance of lavish dishes. Guests were free to dance in the ballroom or indulge in the extravagant feast. Yet, many had no interest in either¡ªinstead, they used this festive gathering as an opportunity to strike up conversations with potential romantic partners. Rhys belonged to the "eat first, talk later" faction. After carefully selecting his favorite delicacies, he retreated to a quiet corner of the banquet hall, where he could enjoy his meal in peace. Rhys noticed that Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge was currently engaged in an enthusiastic conversation with Mr. Greengrass. Standing beside them, Lucius Malfoy held a glass of champagne, appearing to be looking for an opportunity to join the discussion. Meanwhile, Daphne and Astoria Greengrass were surrounded by a group of elegantly dressed witches, including Narcissa Malfoy. It was obvious from Daphne''s stiff smile that she was already growing weary of the conversation. "I should''ve covered my scar." A slightly tired voice spoke near Rhys''s ear. He turned to see Harry Potter settling down beside him, balancing a plate of roast beef in one hand. "The Boy Who Lived," Rhys teased, smirking. Harry let out a bitter chuckle, shaking his head before digging into the lavish Greengrass feast alongside Rhys. As they ate, both growing more comfortable in the festive atmosphere, Harry suddenly broke the silence. "Rhys... that night... you really didn''t hear anything?" ________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 229- Think, Harry, Think! 229- Think, Harry, Think! Rhys placed his forkful of Swedish meatballs back onto his plate and glanced at Harry. "I''m not quite sure what you''re talking about." "That night¡ªHalloween! You know what I mean!" Harry glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention to them, then lowered his voice. "You must have heard something, Rhys." Harry''s tone was unwavering. "I heard something too... some strange words." He stared intently at Rhys''s face, trying to read his expression for any clues. The experience of that night¡ªthe whispers he had faintly heard¡ªhad been haunting him ever since. Harry had been desperate to talk to Rhys about it. But between one of them always being surrounded by people, he had never gotten the chance. Tonight, at the Christmas banquet, he had finally found a moment alone with him. Of course, he had to ask. Unfortunately for Harry, Rhys''s expression remained unreadable. On the surface, Rhys appeared unfazed, but deep down, he did feel a slight ripple of emotion. The reason was simple: Harry''s bluntness was so... Gryffindor. To just charge in headfirst and ask him directly? If Rhys had truly been the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets, the one responsible for the murders, then Harry had just walked straight into danger. How very Gryffindor of him. Seeing how incredibly Gryffindor Harry was being, Rhys decided to offer him a sliver of truth. "You''ve already made up your mind, which leaves me with nothing to say. You only believe what you want to believe, don''t you?" "I¡ª" Harry opened his mouth, wanting to refute him. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized Rhys had a point. He had, in fact, jumped to conclusions. "But that night¡ªyour wand, your lunchbox..." Harry listed the oddities he had noticed. Rhys: "....." "All of those have perfectly reasonable explanations." Rhys spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "For example, my stomach really did hurt that night. Or maybe my robe pocket had a hole in it. These things happen. None of that proves I heard the ''strange voice'' you''re talking about." Rhys looked at Harry, his tone exasperated. "You''re still letting your bias control you. You assume something is true first, then go looking for evidence to support it. That logic is flawed. Daphne told me that last year, you were convinced Professor Snape was the ultimate villain. And you found plenty of ''evidence'' to support it, didn''t you?" Harry fell silent. After a few seconds, he stiffened his neck and muttered, "That''s different." "No, it''s exactly the same." Rhys cut him off directly. "That night, I simply missed dinner and went to the kitchens to get some food. That''s all." Rhys looked at Harry and continued, "But you¡ªyou''re suspecting me the same way you suspected Professor Snape last year. That won''t do. When you start reasoning, you shouldn''t assume someone is the culprit right away. That messes with your judgment." "I don''t think you''re the culprit¡ª" Rhys waved a hand dismissively. "That doesn''t matter. You know there are tons of talking paintings and enchanted suits of armor around the castle. What you heard could''ve easily been one of them." "That..." Harry thought that explanation sounded ridiculous. But when he thought about it more carefully... It wasn''t impossible. Maybe it was an armor or a painting. Or even one of Peeves'' pranks? "There''s one more possibility." Rhys'' words instantly grabbed Harry''s attention. Harry looked up, waiting for Rhys to continue. "Harry, when you were younger, did you ever talk to animals?" Harry''s eyes widened in shock. He suddenly remembered something¡ªSomething that had happened when he was ten, just before his eleventh birthday. That day, Uncle Vernon and his family had taken him to the zoo, and a python had actually talked to him! "It really happened!" Harry''s eyes lit up with excitement. "When I was ten, a python actually understood what I was saying! Yes! I really could talk to animals!" Rhys gave him a knowing smile. "See? Just as I thought. This is a special gift," Rhys explained. "And it might just answer your question¡ªThat night, what you actually heard could have been the voice of a hungry snake hunting for food." Everything suddenly clicked for Harry. This explained everything. He could talk to snakes¡ªso of course, he had heard that voice. Rhys and Ron didn''t have this ability¡ªso they hadn''t heard anything at all. But the realization made Harry feel a little uneasy. He hated being "special." He didn''t want to be the one everyone whispered about. "I suggest you talk to Ron about this before telling any other students," Rhys advised. He knew how infamous Parseltongue was in the wizarding world¡ªboth in modern times and ancient history. It wouldn''t be wise for Harry to spread this around. Rhys figured this was his way of looking out for a Gryffindor. It wasn''t often that someone this straightforward came up to him, determined to dig out the truth. Harry nodded seriously. He had already been thinking the same thing. He didn''t know why talking to snakes was such a big deal but he definitely didn''t want another reason for people to see him as different. "By the way, where are you headed after the banquet?" Rhys asked, curious about Harry''s plans. "You''re not going straight back to Hogwarts, are you?" "I''m going to the Burrow with Ron¡ªThat''s the Weasley family home. I''ll be staying there for a while, spending Christmas with them." "Then let me wish you a Merry Christmas in advance!" "You too." With that, their conversation came to a natural close. Harry had gotten the "answer" he was looking for, and Rhys had revealed a part of the truth to him. As for why he didn''t tell Harry everything... Well, Rhys wasn''t sure if the kid could handle it. If he laid out the whole truth in just a few sentences and Harry ended up jumping into the Black Lake over it, Dumbledore would definitely come knocking. And at that point, where would Hogwarts'' dignity even be? ... When the clock struck midnight, fireworks lit up the sky over the manor. Guests from all across the country¡ªand even from abroad¡ªbegan to take their leave. Harry left with the Weasleys, while Daphne and Astoria, visibly exhausted, finally made their way back to Rhys. "Want something to eat?" Rhys asked, pulling out a few dishes. "I kept them warm with magic." "Thank Merlin!" Daphne could no longer be bothered with appearances¡ªshe immediately grabbed some food and started eating. Chatting with those ladies earlier had completely worn her out. It was as if they could survive on nothing but the vibrations of their own vocal cords¡ªthey had barely eaten anything throughout the entire banquet. Watching Daphne devour her food, and Astoria¡ªwho ate a little more gracefully but just as quickly¡ªRhys couldn''t help but smile wryly. These two had it rough too. And just like that, Christmas Eve quietly slipped away. Unfortunately, Rhys couldn''t sleep yet¡ªhe still had to prepare Christmas gifts for his friends. _________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 230- Professor Flitwick’s Prize 230- Professor Flitwick¡¯s Prize Preparing Christmas gifts was a bit of a headache. A thousand years ago, things weren''t this complicated. Most of the focus during the holiday season was on the grand feasts¡ªaccording to Muggle Church traditions, people had to go through nearly a month of fasting before Christmas, only to then launch into twelve days of revelry once the holiday began. Feasts, balls, festivals, jester performances... Though entertainment options were far more limited compared to modern times, people still did their best to enjoy themselves. After all, for common folk, this was one of the few joyful times of the year. It was just that this cycle of hardship followed by indulgence wasn''t exactly healthy. Gifts were much simpler back then. Godric liked all kinds of armor, weapons, and protective gear; Helga favored recipes and rare ingredients; Rowena could be satisfied with books; as for himself, Rhys had no strong preferences¡ªhe would accept anything given to him. After careful consideration, Rhys prepared suitable gifts for his friends. Daphne and Astoria went without saying¡ªRhys gave Astoria a serpent-shaped bracelet enchanted with the same protective spells as Daphne''s necklace. When it came to preparing self-defense tools for his students, he wouldn''t play favorites. For Daphne, his Christmas gift was a quill with automatic Latin spell-checking. Her attempt at translating that Latin manuscript last time had deeply ''impressed'' Rhys¡ªso much so that he felt giving her this quill was an urgent necessity. He simply didn''t have the energy to give the girl another Latin grammar lesson¡ªbetter to just give her a quill that could correct her mistakes! Hermione, the little girl acknowledged by Ravenclaw, would naturally receive a gift as well. Rhys bought her a few fairy tale books from the wizarding world, hoping she could relax a bit amid her studies. As for Harry, who had tried to have a "heart-to-heart" with him last night, Rhys also prepared a gift¡ªa broomstick maintenance kit. He was certain Harry would love it. Whether or not a well-maintained broomstick would unleash even greater performance and lead to Gryffindor crushing Slytherin in Quidditch? Rhys figured that wasn''t his concern¡ªeither way, it''s just a game. For other young wizards he knew or was familiar with, Rhys also prepared appropriate gifts, ensuring that no one was left out. However, a certain lonely old ghost confined underground was destined to receive no Christmas presents¡ªbecause even if Rhys sent one via owl post, no unlucky owl would be able to break through the dungeon''s seals. Rhys believed Rowena would understand. After all, they hadn''t really exchanged gifts much before, had they? By the time the last gift was sent out by owl, it was already late at night. Rhys returned to his bedroom and drifted into sleep with anticipation. He was quite looking forward to what gifts he might receive¡ªafter all, who could resist the temptation of tearing open a present? The next morning, as soon as Rhys sat up in bed, his eyes were drawn to the pile of gifts under the Christmas tree. Though he wasn''t lacking in wealth, and these presents were hardly necessities, the joy of receiving gifts itself was what truly mattered. Rhys unwrapped his gifts one by one, smiling as he carefully put them away. The gifts from Daphne and Astoria were buried at the bottom. Astoria''s package looked quite bulky, and as soon as Rhys picked it up, he could tell it was likely something like clothing. Upon opening it, he found that the little girl had knitted him a scarf. Though it didn''t have any intricate patterns, the stitches were neat, and the silver-green color combination was quite appealing. It was clear that she had put a lot of thought and work into it. Rhys happily tried on the scarf and found it quite comfortable. He immediately decided to make it part of his regular wardrobe. The last package was from Daphne. Her package was round and plump, and as Rhys picked it up, he narrowed his eyes¡ªcould it be...? When he unwrapped it, a misty crystal ball rolled out. Rhys: "?!" Honestly, he was startled at first¡ªhe thought Daphne had somehow managed to repair the shattered Ravenclaw crystal ball! But his rational mind quickly dismissed that as impossible. Even with his magical abilities, such a feat would be an extremely difficult undertaking with a low success rate. If Daphne had secretly managed to fix the crystal ball in just half a semester, Rhys figured he would march straight to the headmaster''s office with his wand in hand and demand that Dumbledore step down immediately. After carefully examining the crystal ball that Daphne had given him, Rhys was genuinely surprised. While it was far from matching the Ravenclaw crystal ball, it was still quite exquisite. The inside of the crystal ball had been enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm, and within it was a miniature model of Hogwarts Castle. "Haha. Her mastery of the Undetectable Extension Charm is becoming more refined," Rhys mused, recognizing Daphne''s progress from the craftsmanship of the crystal ball. After carefully storing away all the gifts from his friends, Rhys stepped out of his bedroom. The moment he did, he was met with a startled exclamation¡ª "Professor Flitwick''s prize turned out to be this thing?!" Hmm? Rhys turned toward the source of the voice and saw Daphne standing at her bedroom door, looking utterly bewildered while holding a long, slender package. Her hair was loose, her feet bare, and she was dressed in only her nightgown, clearly having just woken up to open her presents. The package in her hands had been partially unwrapped, revealing the head of a broomstick peeking out from within. "Is this some kind of twisted joke?!" Daphne threw up her hands in exasperation. "I''m terrible at flying on a broom!" Two consecutive championship wins in the dueling tournament, and the grand prize turned out to be... a flying broomstick! The young wizards on the Quidditch teams would surely be envious, but for Daphne, this was utterly useless¡ªperhaps even a little insulting. After all, her greatest weakness was flying on a broomstick. "Just unwrap it completely first," Rhys suggested, holding back his laughter. "Maybe it''s not as bad as you think?" Once the packaging was fully removed, a broomstick was revealed¡ªso sleek and elegant that even Rhys had to admit it was stunning. Along with it came a letter. Dear Miss Daphne Greengrass, I hope you like the broomstick inside this package. This is the latest model developed by a broomstick company owned by a friend of mine. It''s said to be the best-performing broomstick on the market, though it hasn''t been released for sale yet. He gave me one, and I decided to pass this one on to you as the prize for winning the dueling tournament. As a trade-off, if you win first place in future dueling tournaments, there won''t be any more prizes for you¡ªhaha! ¡ªFilius Flitwick Daphne: "..." "Pfft¡ªBahahaha..." Rhys burst into laughter. "Well.. ehm. You could take advantage of the Christmas break to practice flying more," he suggested. "A broomstick like this should be pretty stable." _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 231- HEEEEEEELP! 231- HEEEEEEELP! Daphne actually intended to follow Rhys'' suggestion and give it a try. She figured that since this broomstick was supposedly the best in terms of performance, it must also be incredibly comfortable to ride. So why not give it a shot? It could be a chance to unlock a new skill. The Greengrass Manor was vast, offering plenty of space for practice. She changed into more comfortable clothes for movement, put on her shoes, and carried the broomstick outside. Rhys and Astoria, having heard the commotion, followed behind her. "Oh Merlin! This broomstick is gorgeous!" The moment Astoria laid eyes on it, she was captivated by its design. The entire broom had a sleek, elegant shape. The long, straight white ash handle gleamed under the light, polished to perfection. The twigs at the tail end were carefully selected and arranged, looking impossibly smooth rather than messy. Hearing both her sister and Rhys praise the broomstick''s appearance, Daphne couldn''t help but feel pleased as well. "Can I hold it for a moment?" Astoria asked. "Of course." As Astoria took the broomstick, Daphne noticed a silver bracelet around her wrist. "Huh? This is..." "It''s the Christmas gift Rhys gave me!" Astoria happily told her sister, excited that she now had a treasure just like Daphne''s. Daphne blinked in surprise¡ªso this thing wasn''t one of a kind? She had always assumed that her necklace was a unique artifact of its level. She never expected Rhys to produce another magical item with identical functions. Had he made it himself? Yet another mystery about Rhys had surfaced. While Astoria was playing with Daphne''s broomstick, Rhys casually took it as well, helping her inspect its condition. Although he wasn''t particularly knowledgeable about broomsticks, he knew magic well. The moment he got his hands on it, he realized that this broom was anything but ordinary. It was enchanted with complex spells¡ªnot only did it have an excellent braking charm, but it was also incredibly stable. If Harry had been riding a broom like this last year, it was questionable whether Quirrell would have been able to interfere with it at all. Rhys also noticed a line of gold-embossed lettering on the lower part of the broom handle. He turned it over and saw the words "Firebolt" inscribed on it. "A strange name... I''ve never heard of it before." He knew of several broomstick manufacturers in the wizarding world, with "Nimbus" and "Cleansweep" being the most famous. But "Firebolt" was completely unfamiliar to him. That made sense, though. The Firebolt was a product of the "Ellerby & Spudmore Broom Company," which had previously only produced two models¡ªthe Swiftstick and the Tinderblast¡ªneither of which had gained much recognition compared to the Nimbus and Cleansweep series. It was only after they created the Firebolt that they became famous worldwide. After handing the broom back to Daphne, she excitedly ran out to the garden outside the manor, eager to try flying. "Rhys, I suggest you be ready. I have a feeling my sister is either going to fall off or crash into a tree or the house," Astoria whispered as she stood beside him. "..." Rhys pressed his lips together. Though he didn''t say it out loud, he had to admit he agreed with her. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. He turned to the girl and asked, "How good are you at riding a broom?" Astoria''s face instantly flushed red. Seeing her expression, Rhys understood everything immediately and burst out laughing. Astoria''s ears turned red as well. "It''s fine," Rhys said confidently, trying to comfort her. "True Slytherins don''t know how to ride brooms anyway." Then he added with a smirk, "Have you ever looked at the people on our Quidditch team? None of them have real Slytherin spirit¡ªthey''re just a bunch of disgraceful sellouts ruining our house''s reputation." Now that she thought about it, that actually made sense! If you took out some prefects, not everyone was smart enough to¡ªAh, the team''s captain was a troll, and the seeker was a git. Astoria nodded thoughtfully, and the redness on her ears faded a little. Rhys'' words might have been completely absurd, but she had to admit¡ªthey were oddly reassuring. "What exactly is the Slytherin spirit?" This question momentarily stumped Rhys, as he couldn''t come up with a concise answer right away. After thinking for a moment, inspiration struck, and he came up with a brilliant response. "Just take Draco Malfoy and reverse everything about him¡ªthat should be the spirit of Slytherin." Rhys couldn''t immediately summarize the qualities he wanted in a student, but he could easily define what he didn''t want. "Oh!" Astoria''s face lit up with a look of sudden realization. She, too, thought that git¡ªehm¡ªMalfoy was rather unimpressive. "Then what about my sister and me...?" "You and your sister both embody the true spirit of Slytherin. You''re good kids." While the two were chatting, Daphne had already mounted her broom. "Here I go! Wooo... oh... shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.." She kicked off the ground, shooting up like an arrow leaving the bowstring. A second later, a piercing scream echoed across the Greengrass manor. "Help! Help! HEEEEEEEEELP¡ª" Astoria covered her eyes¡ªshe couldn''t bear to watch! What was her sister even doing? Even if true Slytherins weren''t great at flying, this was just ridiculous. Rhys had already drawn his wand, aiming it at Daphne as she sped through the sky. The intense acceleration and roaring wind made it impossible for Daphne to keep her eyes open. Within seconds of being airborne, she made a decision¡ªshe was jumping off! She was certain Rhys would catch her. With that thought, Daphne didn''t hesitate. She flipped off the broom and let go. Sure enough, Rhys didn''t disappoint. As soon as she left the broom, she didn''t experience the terrifying sensation of plummeting to the ground. Instead, she floated gently in midair. Without the broom''s interference, she was now in her element. She released her magic, controlling her descent as she slowly drifted toward the ground. "Arresto Momentum!" After casting a cushioning charm on Daphne, Rhys promptly enchanted the abandoned Firebolt, pulling it back down safely. "Looks like... this really isn''t for me..." Daphne, now back on solid ground, gradually calmed down. But as she recalled what had just happened, she couldn''t help the warmth creeping up her face in embarrassment. "Big sister, what were you even doing..." Astoria couldn''t help but complain. "The acceleration on that broom is way too fast! I just wanted it to hover, but it took off with me instead," Daphne defended herself, her face flushed. "My mind went completely blank¡ªI didn''t have time to react!" Rhys let out a sigh from the side. "We should modify this broom a little." He held the broom he had just retrieved from the sky and placed some restrictions on its performance. While broomstick manufacturers worked tirelessly to make their brooms accelerate faster and reach higher top speeds, Rhys did the exact opposite. He significantly extended the broom''s acceleration time and locked its maximum speed, effectively making it not much faster than a bicycle. _________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 232- The Invasion That Does Not Exist 232- The Invasion That Does Not Exist After Rhys had restricted the broom''s performance, it finally became suitable for Daphne to ride. However, this time, Daphne had learned her lesson¡ªshe handed the broom straight to her younger sister, Astoria, clearly up to no good. Astoria: "..." My foolish sister, do you really think I would make the same mistake as you? This broom has already been adjusted by Rhys¡ªit''s as steady as can be! She sat sideways on the broom, and it slowly floated about five feet off the ground, drifting forward at a pace even slower than a Muggle bicycle. "The modifications were a complete success," Rhys nodded in satisfaction. Though, it was a bit of a waste¡ªthis Firebolt had pretty much been squandered in Daphne''s hands. "If you ever want to unlock its full performance, it won''t be difficult. I left a rune on the broom¡ªdestroy it with your wand, and all its capabilities will be restored." Daphne nodded but had already decided she would never touch that rune. What''s wrong with flying slowly? Perhaps feeling sorry for such an excellent broom being "wasted," Rhys offered Daphne a suggestion. "You could lend the broom to Harry for a few rides¡ªhe''d be very grateful." "Wouldn''t that be aiding the enemy?" Astoria imagined what would happen if Harry got his hands on the Firebolt and immediately felt that the Slytherin team might as well give up. They wouldn''t stand a chance against a strengthened Gryffindor team. "It''s not like those guys could beat Gryffindor anyway, so letting Harry borrow it wouldn''t make much difference." Daphne had never cared about so-called ''best game of the world''. She had no respect for the Slytherin Quidditch team members. Still, despite looking down on Malfoy and Marcus, she had no intention of lending the broom to Harry. Why would she need Potter''s gratitude? Could she eat it? To her, aside from Rhys, no one was worth making an effort to befriend. ... While Rhys was having fun with the broom at the Greengrass estate, chaos reigned in Diagon Alley. The roof of Gringotts, the landmark building of the alley, had collapsed halfway. A massive fire-breathing dragon, nearly seventy feet long, lay motionless on the stone steps of the bank. From the hideous wounds on its body and the way the entire staircase was stained red with its blood, it was clear that the dragon was dead. Below the steps, rows of body bags, each about half the height of a person, were lined up in six neat rows, blocking off nearly half the street. It was clear that Gringotts had paid a heavy price last night to take down the dragon within Diagon Alley. Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge stood beside the dragon''s corpse, his face dark as thunder. Being called in for overtime on Christmas morning before he even had a chance to open his gifts¡ªanyone in his shoes would be in a foul mood. "I need an explanation, Illyas." Illyas, the goblin supervisor of Gringotts, stood beside Fudge with a forced smile. "The investigation is complete. Based on our findings, the dragon escaped due to the chains aging and deteriorating." Fudge''s breathing grew heavier. "At least you had the sense to contain the dragon within Gringotts. Otherwise, I would have had to impose severe penalties." Hearing this, Illyas breathed a sigh of relief¡ªat least they had managed to pacify the Ministry. At the same time, he felt a surge of resentment toward Fudge. Couldn''t he say something less callous? Couldn''t he acknowledge the sheer number of lives lost? Wizards were so arrogant! But Fudge truly didn''t care about the goblins'' sacrifices. In his eyes, wasn''t this disaster their own doing? What did it matter to him how many goblins died because of it? As long as they kept the dragon contained in Diagon Alley and didn''t trouble the wizarding world, their losses were of no consequence to him. Oh, but they had better not all die¡ªhe still needed goblins to handle the finances. The four culprits behind the incident had their traces meticulously erased by Illyas and the other senior members of Gringotts. They couldn''t afford to let outsiders know that a mere four wizards had broken through what was supposedly an "impenetrable" defense and looted the Lestrange family vault. The potential fallout from such a revelation would be catastrophic. If copycats emerged, Gringotts would be in serious trouble¡ªafter all, the dark wizards out there didn''t know how strong those four intruders were. All they would see was that just four people had managed to tear through Gringotts'' defenses. If last year''s break-in resurfaced in public discourse, combined with this scandal, it could trigger a mass withdrawal of funds. Wizards wouldn''t entrust their families'' generational wealth to a bank that wasn''t secure enough. Fortunately, most of the Ministry''s higher-ups had been attending the Christmas banquet at the Greengrass Manor last night. Thankfully, the battle with the dragon had left the scene in utter ruins, giving the goblins a chance to bury the truth. They attributed the deaths of the goblin guards¡ªwho had actually been slain by the dark wizards¡ªto the dragon. After all, they were goblins. Wizards wouldn''t bother digging too deeply into their cause of death. In reality, not many goblins had perished in the effort to subdue the dragon; nearly two-thirds of the casualties had been caused by those four wizards... The goblins were seething with hatred for those uninvited intruders, but they had no clue about their identities. They had already begun using their connections to investigate in secret, yet no information had surfaced¡ªGringotts hadn''t even managed to determine what exactly had been stolen, making it even harder to track down the culprits. "Prepare a detailed incident report," Fudge instructed. "Also, draft an emergency response plan for similar incidents in the future. And put together a maintenance and upkeep schedule for Gringotts'' security infrastructure. Once all of this is done, submit it to the Ministry¡ªI need to give them an explanation. Perhaps we''ll even assign a few security officers to Gringotts... but that''s just a thought. I''ll have to consider it carefully." With these brief instructions, Fudge left the scene. From Fudge''s perspective, this was a win-win situation: the goblins hadn''t caused any trouble for him or the Ministry. Sure, there had been a bit of chaos, but it was understandable. Most importantly, no wizards were injured, and no Muggles had been disturbed. This was just... perfect! Nearly sixty goblins dead... but was that really a bad thing? After he left, the head goblin of Gringotts was so furious that his face turned a deep shade of purple. What kind of nonsense was this?! And that talk about "security officers"¡ªhe immediately understood what Fudge was really after. The Minister was fishing for benefits. As long as they fed this greedy pig well enough, the idea of placing security officers in Gringotts would remain just that¡ªan idea. But if they didn''t provide sufficient benefits, they could forget about having a moment''s peace. Constant security inspections would turn their lives into a living nightmare! And if Fudge happened to have a good relationship with his successor, he might even pass this little tool of leverage along to the next Minister. The thought made Illyas'' head pound. Damn wizards! __________ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 233- Tom’s Special Medicine 233- Tom¡¯s Special Medicine "Rhys, can I borrow that pen of yours that can write homework automatically?" "I mean for research!" "..." "I swear on the honor of the Greengrass family that I will personally write the assignments for all key subjects!" After much coaxing and pleading, Daphne finally managed to borrow Rhys'' enchanted quill that could write essays on its own¡ªjust before the end of the Christmas holiday. Now, it was time for one night and one miracle. Daphne brewed a pot of coffee, adjusted her chair to a comfortable position, and then sat down at her desk, spreading out all the assignments assigned by her professors. "Now... it''s time for a battle to the death," she declared with a serious expression. The goal was to finish everything before 3 AM. If she couldn''t manage that, she''d continue on the train ride back to school. She quickly prioritized which assignments needed to be done first and which could be delayed¡ªdepending on which subjects had their first class on which day after term started. Suddenly, there was a knock on her bedroom door. When she opened it, Daphne saw Astoria standing at the doorway, holding a silver tray in her hands. "Sis, are you hungry? I brought you some delicious snacks~" Astoria smiled as she squeezed into her sister''s bedroom. "The coffee smells amazing! This must be the beans Dad brought back from Ethiopia, right? Your taste is getting better and better~" Listening to Astoria''s endless flattery, Daphne frowned. What is this little brat up to? She knew her sister far too well¡ªwhen someone acted overly nice for no reason, they were definitely up to something. Sure enough, when Daphne chose to ignore her, Astoria couldn''t sit still any longer. "I heard you got a quill that can write homework automatically?" "Who told you that?" "Doudou." Astoria immediately revealed her source. Daphne nodded. That made sense. But borrowing the quill wouldn''t be that easy. It was time to set some conditions! After making a series of compromises, Astoria successfully secured the right to use the quill. With its help, their History of Magic essays were completed at lightning speed. Before they even had time to react, their Astronomy star charts were also finished. "Amazing!!!" Astoria''s eyes were filled with awe as she watched the quill dance across the parchment. "Once the star charts are done, you can leave. I still have to write my Potions essay," Daphne said, taking a sip of coffee, effectively issuing an eviction notice. Astoria: "??" "Why are you only doing two subjects... Can''t this quill write Potions essays too?" "I swore on the honor of the Greengrass family to Rhys that I would personally write the assignments for important subjects..." Daphne looked troubled. "Repeat exactly what you said when you swore?" Astoria tilted her head thoughtfully. After listening to her sister''s exact words, Astoria blinked. "You swore on the honor of the Greengrass family, not me. So what''s stopping me from using this quill to write my Transfiguration and Potions assignments?" Daphne: "?!" She thought about it for a moment and realized Astoria was right. But just imagining herself struggling under the dim light to finish her assignments while Astoria, having used the quill, was already lying in bed sound asleep made her grind her teeth in frustration. "No, I''m not lending it to you! That''s final!" She made up her mind and spoke earnestly to Astoria. "You''re still young, you need to build a strong foundation. Don''t slack off on something this important. If Rhys finds out you used the quill for those subjects, he won''t be happy." Surprisingly, that actually convinced Astoria¡ªespecially when she heard that her sister was also going to write those assignments by hand. And so, it was destined to be a sleepless night for the Greengrass sisters. ... The next morning, as everyone prepared to board the train back to Hogwarts, both Daphne and Astoria looked utterly exhausted, barely able to keep their eyes open. "You finished your assignments?" Daphne couldn''t help but ask as she looked at Rhys, who appeared full of energy. Rhys smiled and nodded. Of course, he had finished them. And how did he do it? Naturally, with the enchanted quill! Before inventing the automatic writing quill, he had to find ways to do his assignments. After inventing it, if he still had to do them himself, then what was the point? A wizard of his caliber had no need to waste time on homework. "This is so unfair!" It took Daphne just one second to realize¡ªRhys had absolutely used the quill to "cheat." Damn it! He wouldn''t let her use the quill for major assignments, yet he was using it more than anyone! "Well, how about I just leave all my homework to you from now on?" Rhys glanced at Daphne. Daphne shut her mouth. With the whistle of the train, the young wizards returned to Hogwarts, marking the official start of the second half of the school year. ... As Christmas passed, the weather gradually warmed, and spring returned to the campus. Everything seemed to fall back into place, and Hogwarts entered a rare period of peace. During this time, Rhys received quite a few packages¡ªmostly potion ingredients. Using the materials he got from Lupet, along with the "donation" from Snape last year, he brewed a large supply of potions for Astoria as part of the preliminary phase of her treatment. At the same time, Rhys kept a close eye on the condition of the "main ingredient"¡ªthe fragment of Riddle''s soul inside the diary. From his perspective, it was in great condition. But in reality, it was so weak it could barely function. After the trauma it suffered in Ginny''s subconscious world, the diary could hardly respond to external stimuli. At this point, even if Rhys threw the diary out into the world, it wouldn''t be able to cause any trouble for decades. "How have you been feeling lately?" Rhys asked, watching as Astoria downed a cup of green potion in one gulp. "I''m not very energetic, I feel like sleeping all the time," Astoria answered truthfully under Daphne''s worried gaze. Rhys, however, chuckled. "That''s a very good sign. Your soul has stabilized and is no longer overly active¡ªthat''s exactly what I wanted to see." His goal was to put Astoria''s soul into a dormant state. This would also reduce the activity of the curse parasitizing her soul, making it much easier for Voldemort to "extract" the curse later. Hearing that it was a good sign, both Daphne and Astoria smiled with relief. "It will get better." "Mm!" The two sisters encouraged each other, cheering each other on. Meanwhile, Rhys stood to the side, calculating the date for Astoria''s "procedure." _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 234: Death cannot take a soul without my permission 234: Death cannot take a soul without my permission The surgery was scheduled for Friday. On one hand, this was because Astoria''s soul activity would be at its lowest by then. On the other, it would allow her to rest better after the procedure. During the week leading up to the surgery, many students noticed something unusual about Astoria¡ªshe seemed especially drowsy and often fell asleep in class. When others asked what was wrong, she would simply yawn and say she hadn''t slept well the night before. If this continued, Astoria would inevitably get detention for dozing off in class. Fortunately, Friday finally arrived. Accompanied by her sister, she made her way to the Chamber of Secrets, where Rhys was already waiting. "It will be okay... right?" Astoria grew nervous as she looked at the platform set up in the center of the chamber. "Trust Rhys. He can do anything," Daphne squeezed Astoria''s hand, trying to encourage her. The Chamber of Secrets was empty and silent¡ªany small sound could carry far. Naturally, Rhys heard the sisters'' conversation. He could only shake his head helplessly. I can do anything? There were many things he couldn''t do, many things beyond his power... He wasn''t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing for these girls to have such high expectations of him. "Lie down," Rhys gestured for Astoria to get onto the platform. Astoria obediently climbed onto it and lay flat on her back. The platform Rhys had prepared was large, making her seem small and fragile in contrast. Dressed in a white robe, lying on the cold stone, she looked just like a sacrificial offering placed upon an altar. Seeing her sister like this, Daphne couldn''t help but think of bodies laid out in a mortuary. She shook her head forcefully, trying to drive the terrifying thought away. "Trust me, no matter what happens," Rhys said softly as he pulled out a small vial of potion. Daphne and Astoria blinked in confusion, then nodded. Logically, entrusting a life-threatening condition to someone their own age was absurd. But the Greengrass sisters chose to trust Rhys unconditionally. Countless renowned Healers had failed to cure Astoria''s illness, but maybe Rhys could¡ªafter all, they had never seen him fail before. Rhys fed the prepared potion to Astoria, and she quickly drifted into a deep sleep. Once she was unconscious, he retrieved a small silver knife from his robe. After coating the blade with a special ointment, he pressed it against her wrist and made a precise incision. Scarlet blood gushed from the pale skin, like a ribbon of red unfurling over a snowy landscape. Rhys pulled Astoria''s hand over the edge of the stone platform, letting the blood flow freely from the wound. Daphne couldn''t help but let out a low gasp¡ªshe hadn''t expected Rhys to begin with such an extreme method. But remembering his earlier instructions, she immediately shut her mouth, locking away all her chaotic thoughts behind her lips. The chamber fell into an eerie silence. In the vast space, the only sound was the steady drip of Astoria''s blood hitting the marble floor. Normally, a wound like this would naturally begin clotting on its own, but Rhys'' knife seemed to have been specially treated¡ªthere was no sign of the bleeding stopping. As more blood drained from her body, Astoria''s complexion grew deathly pale, and her breathing became faint and shallow. In contrast, Daphne''s face turned redder, her breaths growing heavier. To her, it looked as if her sister was truly dying! What was Rhys doing? Confusion and panic surged in her chest, but in the end, she chose to trust him. When Astoria''s breathing became nearly imperceptible, Rhys took out another small vial of potion. He pried open her mouth and poured the liquid inside¡ªher breathing stopped completely. Through this carefully executed process, Rhys had successfully forced Astoria''s soul into a dormant state, rendering her nearly indistinguishable from the dead. At this moment, the flame of her life was on the verge of being extinguished, and the curse entwined with her soul had suffered a tremendous impact. The curse seemed to sense something abnormal with its host¡ªit grew restless and became unusually active. Deeply bound to Astoria, it refused to perish, showing signs of seeping outward. At that moment, Rhys took out Riddle''s diary and pressed it against Astoria''s forehead. Then, he sprinkled some potion onto the diary, causing it to tremble slightly. Rhys briefly disrupted the barrier within the diary, injecting a trace of vitality into the soul fragment sealed inside. Revitalized, the fragment immediately stirred. Driven by its survival instinct, it expanded outward, seeking fresh sustenance¡ªonly to collide directly with the seeping curse. One was a soul fragment on the hunt, the other an agitated curse. The two forces fused almost instantly, merging into one within a short span of time. By the time either side realized something was wrong, it was already too late¡ªthe curse could no longer separate from Riddle''s soul. Rhys swiftly grabbed the diary and yanked it away. A dark shadow emerged from Astoria''s forehead and was sucked into the diary. Success! A flicker of excitement flashed in Rhys'' eyes¡ªthe result was even better than he had anticipated. The curse had been completely severed from Astoria''s soul, freeing her from the blood curse once and for all. The only problem was... the girl had stopped breathing. Rhys'' treatment method relied on the nature of both the curse and the Horcrux, forcing them to separate. However, this process had a crucial prerequisite¡ªthe patient had to enter a near-death state. Otherwise, the curse would never voluntarily detach itself from Astoria''s soul. Now that the first half of the treatment was complete, it was time to carry out the second half¡ªresuscitation. The moment the curse was completely extracted and sealed within Riddle''s diary, Daphne felt a faint chill in the air. A breeze brushed against the hem of her robes, sending a shiver down her spine. Astoria''s complexion turned ashen in an instant¡ªshe had reached her limit. Rhys, too, sensed the almost imperceptible chill. He knew that a certain unwelcome "old friend" had arrived, seeking to claim a pure soul. But Rhys refused to allow it. Without his permission, no soul would be taken before his eyes. A potion, deep crimson with a hint of violet, slipped from his sleeve and was poured into Astoria''s mouth. Then, he dripped a few drops of dittany onto the wound on her wrist. Astoria''s injury healed at an astonishing rate¡ªwithin seconds, new flesh had grown over the cut, as if it had been healing for days. Her once-pale face rapidly regained its rosy color. The eerie chill that had suddenly invaded the chamber silently faded away. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 235- Ravenclaw’s sewage disposal method 235- Ravenclaw¡¯s sewage disposal method Although Daphne wasn''t well-versed in healing, she could tell from Rhys'' expression and her sister''s changing complexion that the treatment had gone smoothly. Had her sister escaped danger? That large, dark mass from earlier¡ªwas that the curse embedded in her soul? And that red potion... it seemed to have worked really well... A flurry of chaotic thoughts collided in Daphne''s mind. Rhys, however, had no time for such distractions. He methodically fed Astoria various strange potions, one after another. By the time the stone platform was nearly covered with empty vials, the girl had already returned to normal. If not for the lingering scent of blood in the air, Astoria would have looked just like she was peacefully sleeping on the platform. When Rhys finally stopped administering potions and instead began cleaning up the bloodstains on the floor, Daphne understood¡ªthe "surgery" was over. Looking at her sister''s face, an answer formed in her heart, but she didn''t dare to say it aloud. Seeing her hesitation, how could Rhys not know what she was thinking? "Astoria''s condition is even better than I expected. Once she recovers properly, she''ll be fully cured," Rhys stated matter-of-factly. He wasn''t exaggerating in the slightest. Initially, he had estimated that Astoria would need at least two soul surgeries to completely remove the curse. Yet, against all odds, they had succeeded in just one attempt. Even he was surprised by the outcome. "Fully cured? You mean¡ª" Daphne froze in shock. "Yes, from now on, she has nothing to do with the curse anymore." Daphne: "!!!" A tidal wave of shock crashed through her mind, completely overwhelming her thoughts. For a moment, her brain couldn''t even process the information. "Uh... what do you mean by ''nothing to do with it''? I mean¡ªI want to say¡ªThank the Merlin''s beard!" Rhys: "??" Wait, what does this have to do with Merlin?! Even if she didn''t know it was Salazar Slytherin''s magic that saved her, calling on Merlin was still completely unnecessary! Under Rhys'' death glare, Daphne''s rationality quickly snapped back into place. "You mean the curse on her... is completely gone?" "That''s right. And for the record, even if Merlin himself showed up, he wouldn''t have been able to solve this problem." Rhys seriously doubted that Merlin had the ability to pull this off. Not even Godric, Rowena, or Helga could have done it. The only one who could save Astoria... was him. After receiving Rhys'' confirmation, Daphne suddenly choked up. Her emotions were a tangled mess, and she didn''t know what to say. Her father had spent years searching, consulting countless doctors, alchemists, and potioneers for her sister, and now¡ªat last¡ªher illness was cured! It took her a full minute to calm down before she murmured in a muffled voice, "I don''t even know how to repay you..." "It''s fine. After all, she''s someone learning magic from me." Rhys waved a hand dismissively. Saving Astoria was simply something he wanted to do¡ªhe didn''t need a reason. If he had to give one, he could chalk it up to the entanglement between himself and the Greengrass family. Besides, solving a problem that no one else could figure out was incredibly satisfying. Daphne led Astoria out of the Chamber of Secrets. ... Once back, Astoria slept in the dormitory for two whole days and nights. Just before her roommates'' patience hit its breaking point, she finally woke up. "Merlin''s beard, you''re finally awake! If you slept any longer, we were going to get Professor Snape." "If your sister hadn''t warned us in advance, we would''ve gone to the teachers already." "What happened to you? How did you end up sleeping so deeply?" As soon as Astoria woke up, she was met with the excited chatter of her roommates buzzing around her ears. She blinked, her consciousness gradually returning as she recalled what had happened before she lost consciousness. It felt like she had just woken up from an incredibly long dream, but she couldn''t remember a single detail of it. "Uh... I''m fine..." She tried her best to sit up, and at that moment, her stomach let out a loud, rumbling growl. Astoria: "..." She hadn''t eaten anything for two whole days! She had never felt this hungry before, yet at the same time, she had never felt so good¡ªlike a tremendous weight had finally been lifted from her shoulders. Her roommates immediately bolted out of the dormitory to fetch Daphne, and in an instant, the whole room became lively and chaotic... After removing the curse from Astoria''s soul, Rhys didn''t pay her any further special attention. In his eyes, as long as she was given proper nourishment after waking up, she would be able to live like any other healthy child. So, on the morning of the second day after the treatment, he ventured into the dungeons beneath the seal to find Ravenclaw. When he finally saw her, she had just finished clearing out the dark creatures that had escaped from the seal. "That must have been exhausting." Hearing Rhys''s words, Ravenclaw glanced at him. "If you really think so, you could step into the seal and help me suppress those creatures." Rhys let out an awkward chuckle. "Next time, for sure. By the way, do you want to take a look at this?" He pulled Riddle''s diary from his robes and handed it to Ravenclaw. "A Horcrux?" Ravenclaw recognized it at a glance. "Yes." Rhys nodded and explained how he had used the Horcrux in Astoria''s treatment. After hearing his explanation, even Ravenclaw couldn''t help but nod in approval, acknowledging that it was indeed an ingenious solution. "I feel like it could still be useful¡ªperhaps as a vessel to absorb the remaining corruption in your body¡ª" Ravenclaw raised an eyebrow: So your student gets a brand-new one, and I get second-hand? Salazar, you''re getting bolder. But she could understand¡ªafter all, the young girl''s soul wasn''t strong enough. If she were in Rhys''s position, she would have handed Salazar a second-hand Horcrux too. "You''ve worked hard, still thinking of me at a time like this..." Ravenclaw responded in a calm tone, then began actively expelling the corruption from her body. Her method was simple: she directly summoned the fragment of Voldemort''s soul that had been grafted onto her. By now, the floating head had turned as black as ink, its features completely distorted. Ravenclaw pressed the tumor-like entity against Riddle''s diary. In an instant, the diary let out a chilling, bloodcurdling scream. The soul fragment inside, along with the curse, was subjected to an intense wave of corruption. About fifteen minutes passed. The "tumor" on Ravenclaw''s shoulder had turned into a murky gray-black mass, while Riddle''s diary looked like it had been drenched in ink¡ªall its pages had turned pitch black. This was a method Ravenclaw had devised to resist corruption after regaining her sanity. She first concentrated the corruption onto Voldemort''s soul, then, once a proper vessel was found, expelled the contamination from it¡ªessentially using Voldemort''s soul as a temporary holding station. "Very good. The effect is quite remarkable." Feeling the newfound lightness in her soul, a smile appeared on Ravenclaw''s lips. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 236- Extra Tutoring 236- Extra Tutoring "You seem to be in good shape." Rhys remarked as he examined Ravenclaw''s spectral form. He noticed that the murky corruption within her had diminished significantly, making her look much more like a normal ghost. Sincerely, he offered his congratulations to his old friend. Ravenclaw merely smiled without replying. She did indeed feel better than ever¡ªlike after a strenuous workout followed by a hot shower, a refreshing sense of relief washing over her. After handing the Horcrux back to Rhys, she made sure to remind him to destroy it. "The soul fragment inside has lost its consciousness, but its instincts remain. And after being eroded by corruption, its aggression is likely to be more intense than ever. It would be quite dangerous for the young ones at the school." Rhys agreed. Even in his hands, Riddle''s diary was already showing signs of restlessness. He could feel an intensely malevolent force trying to seep into his body. However... Rhys lowered his gaze to the diary, and a bold idea suddenly popped into his mind¡ªwasn''t the final exam for this term still undecided? Ravenclaw caught the subtle shift in Rhys''s expression and raised an eyebrow. What interesting scheme was Salazar plotting now? She was quite curious. "You don''t seem to want to destroy it?" "Of course." Rhys patted Riddle''s diary in his hands, using his magic to force it into a stable state. "Surely you don''t intend to keep students'' education limited to just theoretical lessons? Even that Dumbledore is trying to give his chosen student some ''extra tutoring.''" "Tell me more?" Ravenclaw immediately understood Rhys''s intent, but she was now more curious about what this current headmaster had been up to. "Last year..." Rhys recounted the story of Dumbledore and the Philosopher''s Stone to Ravenclaw. "Though his primary goal wasn''t to train Potter but rather to bait the trap, he did set up some trials for the boy¡ªreally childish stuff. If I had designed it, I certainly wouldn''t have arranged such things." "So you even got your hands on a Philosopher''s Stone?" Ravenclaw''s focus immediately shifted to the magical stone Salazar had mentioned. "Yeah, I studied it for a while, but found it rather uninteresting and left it alone," Rhys admitted. It was only now, thanks to Ravenclaw''s words, that he remembered the Philosopher''s Stone he had taken from Dumbledore. After researching the thing for a while, he found it rather underwhelming¡ªit could transmute base metals into gold, but right now, he had no shortage of gold. It could grant immortality, but the problem was that it only made someone "not die." For extending one''s lifespan, it was inferior to the methods he had devised. Maybe incorporating the Philosopher''s Stone into a potion could lead to new applications, but that felt a bit extravagant. It was like a luxury handbag¡ªnot particularly practical, but valuable enough that throwing it away felt wasteful. "''Superfluous'' is the perfect word for it." "Immortality," Ravenclaw mulled over the word. "Perhaps it has benefits for the soul." "That''s true?! I could try using the Philosopher''s Stone to brew a potion for Astoria, something to nourish her soul." Inspired by Ravenclaw''s words, Rhys had a new idea. Rowena: "..." She had actually been trying to subtly hint that Salazar should hand over the Philosopher''s Stone so she could study it¡ªafter all, the legendary stone was immensely enticing to her as well. Who could resist the opportunity to research a Philosopher''s Stone? Rowena Ravenclaw was no longer the kind of girl who got excited at the sight of gemstones, but the Philosopher''s Stone was clearly an exception. Unfortunately, Salazar failed to pick up on her hint, and she didn''t feel it was appropriate to ask for it outright. As Rhys was deep in thought about his new potion formula, he suddenly sensed something and glanced at Rowena. Her expression... was quite interesting. A playful smirk crept onto Rhys''s face. "Ah, what should I do with this Philosopher''s Stone? That little girl Astoria probably won''t use up this much of it¡ªwhat do you think, should I secretly brew an Elixir of Life and pour it into Dumbledore''s teacup?" "Or maybe I could turn it into face masks for Daphne, Astoria, and Granger? A whole new application for the Philosopher''s Stone?" Ravenclaw: (©` _ ©`) With her intellect, how could she not see that Salazar had already figured out her intentions? He was clearly teasing her! A sudden breeze stirred through the cavern. Sensing it was time to change the subject, Rhys smoothly shifted gears. "Say, do you think the Philosopher''s Stone could help purify the contamination in your soul?" Seeing that Salazar had returned to seriousness, Ravenclaw also began earnestly discussing the Stone''s potential for soul purification. "I believe it has a protective effect on the soul, preventing it from aging, so it''s probably effective. But the specifics will depend on your adjustments." In just a few words, the two had already outlined a general research direction. This mutual understanding had been forged a thousand years ago. "Do you want me to leave half of the Philosopher''s Stone here for your research?" "Yes, thank you." Rhys: "..." "I thought you''d at least say something polite and try to play it cool." "I was afraid you''d change your mind." Rhys fell silent. "After you''ve studied it for a few months, you''ll understand my reaction." He reached into the small leather pouch at his waist, fumbled around for a moment, then pulled out the Philosopher''s Stone and split it in half, handing a portion to Ravenclaw. "I''m really curious¡ªwhat kind of treasures do you have in that bag?" "Take a guess." After a brief exchange, Rhys steered the conversation back to the main topic: Should they find a way to use Riddle''s diary to create a final exam for their students? "That''s a good idea," Ravenclaw responded absentmindedly, toying with the Philosopher''s Stone in her hand as she nodded. "Why don''t you find a way to involve that Granger girl along with the two Greengrass sisters? I have a feeling that Horcrux would do just fine¡ªyou only need to inject a little energy into it, and it''ll stir up trouble on its own." "That''s a solid idea," Rhys agreed. "But where should we set it up?" Last year, Dumbledore''s chosen "exam site" had already been destroyed by him, so where would be a suitable trial location this year? He couldn''t exactly use his own chamber, could he? Should he have them conduct underwater combat instead? "How about the Forbidden Forest? We used to send students there for training all the time," Ravenclaw suggested. As for the specific test content, she left that up to Salazar¡ªhe would worry about the details anyway. "The Forbidden Forest, huh?" Rhys pondered for a moment. After some careful thought, he realized it might actually be a great choice. He and Ravenclaw began a serious discussion. Meanwhile, Daphne, Astoria, and Hermione had no idea that deep beneath Hogwarts, two people were plotting against them. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 237- Rhys: Rowena, use mine instead 237- Rhys: Rowena, use mine instead "I approve of your plan, but make sure to find a way to get Granger involved," Ravenclaw reminded Rhys, ensuring that Hermione would have a trial of her own. After some discussion, Rhys and Rowena finalized the students'' end-of-term exam. "But why are you pulling that Potter boy into this? Just because he defeated Voldemort?" Ravenclaw was curious about the unfamiliar name in Rhys'' plan¡ªwhy include someone who seemed unrelated? "Hahah~ no, to increase Daphne''s exam difficulty. Otherwise, the three of them could breeze through it effortlessly." Rhys'' words made Ravenclaw chuckle. But he wasn''t wrong. While the twisted entity inside Riddle''s diary had a strong aggressive instinct, its actual strength was questionable. In a one-on-one fight, it might not even pose a real threat to Daphne¡ªlet alone with Astoria and Hermione Granger by her side. Rhys didn''t believe that a young witch chosen by Ravenclaw for half a year would be just a bookish theorist with no practical skills. Since the diary itself wouldn''t be enough of a challenge for the trio, he decided to artificially increase their burden¡ªturning this into a weighted training session. A competent wizard should know how to cover for their weaker teammates. Besides, this was also a little personal indulgence of Rhys''. He felt that Gryffindor should at least have someone benefit from this experience. Harry was a good candidate, and Rhys believed that if Godric were here, he would have chosen Harry too. After the two reached an agreement, it was time for Rhys to put the plan into action. He didn''t hesitate any longer and decided to set off immediately. However, Ravenclaw stopped him for a moment and retrieved a crystal ball about the size of a pigeon''s egg. "Take this with you. I want to see how that little girl, Granger, performs." Rhys immediately understood¡ªRavenclaw wanted a live feed. He briefly examined the crystal ball to ensure his old friend hadn''t left any strange magic in it before tucking it into his pocket. "Where is the trust between people?" "Think carefully about everything you''ve done to me and to Godric and the others." Rhys responded mercilessly. If Ravenclaw was being treated like this today, it was nothing less than "deserved retribution." Just as he was about to leave, Rhys suddenly remembered something. "I recall sending someone in here. Why haven''t I seen her?" The monk from the secret Society cult whom he had captured hadn''t shown up in any of his recent visits to Ravenclaw. Surely she hadn''t escaped? And what about Helena? "Helena wanted to wander around inside the seal, so I let her be. As for that test subject..." Ravenclaw''s expression turned slightly awkward. "After a few experiments, she broke. Were you looking for her?" Rhys shook his head¡ªhe was just asking. After being captured for so long, Virgo had completely lost her value. Even if she were released back to the secret society, the monks there would never accept her again. But what did she mean by "broke"? Were Ravenclaw''s experiments still that wild? "Be careful not to cause trouble. Don''t forget¡ªyou''re inside the seal right now," Rhys warned her, just in case she was about to pull something too extreme. "I know." Ravenclaw waved him off dismissively. She figured Salazar should understand¡ªif an interesting experiment was right in front of her, how could she possibly hold back? Rhys understood as well, which was why he handed Ravenclaw''s crystal ball back to her. Ravenclaw: "???" "Rowena, use mine instead. It works the same." Rhys pulled out a crystal ball of his own from his bag. It had identical functions to Ravenclaw''s, with one crucial difference¡ªhis was absolutely reliable. Ravenclaw: "?!" After leaving the dungeon, Rhys headed straight for the Forbidden Forest, beginning the next stage of his plotting and preparations. Spring had arrived, bringing warmth and blooming flowers. The Forbidden Forest was teeming with life, bursting with energy as everything flourished. Rhys carried the Riddle diary deep into the forest, quickly navigating his way to the place where he had previously encountered the Acromantulas. The spider corpses left behind had long since been devoured by the beasts of the Forbidden Forest, leaving not a single trace. Rustle, rustle! Hundreds of snakes slithered from Rhys''s sleeves, scattering in all directions. Meanwhile, he sat quietly under a tree, patiently awaiting their responses. It didn''t take long¡ªhis serpents soon led him to the Acromantulas. Swish, swish! Click, click! A wild boar tore through the dense forest, galloping at full speed as if fleeing from a terrifying predator. Behind it, the eerie clicking noises grew closer and closer. Fear flashed through the boar''s eyes. Moments ago, it had watched its kin get captured by strange, giant spiders. It knew all too well¡ªif it didn''t run faster, it would meet the same fate. Boom! Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed through the forest. The ominous clicking sounds vanished in an instant. The wild boar had no idea what had just happened¡ªit simply picked up speed and dashed deeper into the Forbidden Forest. "Why does it feel like every time I see Acromantulas, they''re always hunting wild boars?" Rhys muttered, staring at the dying spider before him, which was as large as a draft horse. He couldn''t help but feel a little puzzled. Scattered within a few dozen meters were four more dying Acromantulas, two of which still had freshly caught boars clamped between their fangs. After a brief moment of thought, Rhys figured it was likely due to the wild boar''s strong reproductive abilities. These creatures bred rapidly, lacked magical abilities, and could only rely on physical means for defense¡ªnaturally making them an ideal meal for carnivorous magical creatures. Setting aside his musings on the Acromantulas'' diet, Rhys tossed the Riddle diary onto the corpse of one of the giant spiders. The fresh blood and the lingering traces of a departing soul sent a ripple of excitement through the diary. It greedily absorbed the last remnants of life from the spider''s body, rapidly regaining its strength at an astonishing rate. "Killing really is the fastest way," Rhys remarked, watching the diary''s transformation with genuine amazement. Previously, Riddle had spent months painstakingly draining Ginny''s life force, barely gathering enough power to manifest physically. Now, in just a few short minutes, the diary had achieved what had taken months before. Well, that was to be expected¡ªit had just absorbed the life force of multiple creatures, after all. Noticing that the diary in his hands was growing increasingly restless, Rhys released a small pulse of his own magic in warning. Instantly, the diary settled down. Though the entity inside had lost its sanity, its survival instincts remained intact¡ªfaced with Rhys'' power, it immediately became obedient. Rhys continued wandering through the area, and before long, he spotted another Acromantula. This time, instead of killing it, he simply tossed the diary onto the spider''s back. As if coated in strong adhesive, the diary stuck firmly to the creature, clinging to it as the spider scuttled away into the depths of the Forbidden Forest. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 238- Harry Being Strange 238- Harry Being Strange Life at Hogwarts continued peacefully. No one knew that a secondhand diary had once been brought into the school by a red-haired first-year girl and had "almost" opened the long-sealed Chamber of Secrets. No one knew what had taken place in the dungeons or the Forbidden Forest. Everything remained calm. Astoria had fully recovered. Now, she was in excellent condition¡ªher once-faint traces of illness had completely vanished, replaced by a youthful energy that even a hundred Philosopher''s Stones couldn''t grant. That vitality was something even the most powerful wizards in the world would envy. No matter how advanced the method of immortality, it could never truly replicate it. Rhys might be able to mimic a fraction of it, but as long as he retained even a sliver of his thousand-year-old memories, he could never perfectly imitate such youthful exuberance. Astoria had taken about a week to fully recover from the procedure. In fact, she had healed so quickly that Rhys hadn''t even had time to finish adjusting the potion formula he had designed for her. On Sunday evening, Astoria excitedly arrived at the Chamber of Secrets with her sister, eager to attend Rhys'' lesson. "Now that you''re free from the curse''s influence, why don''t you try channeling your mana?" Instead of teaching them spells as usual or giving them a potion formula to practice with, Rhys asked Astoria to first attempt releasing her own magical power. "Alright." Astoria complied¡ªonly to immediately fall flat on her backside. But instead of frustration, her face lit up with delight. She could clearly feel the difference: her magic flowed smoothly, with no resistance whatsoever. It was so seamless that she wasn''t used to it¡ªhence the fall. She got up from the ground and tried channeling her magic again. This time, she carefully controlled the amount of magic she released and smoothly floated into the air. Within minutes, she was soaring freely through the sky, just like Daphne had before. "Excellent!" Rhys applauded, while Daphne watched with excitement. Her sister was fully recovered! This was truly wonderful! But Daphne quickly realized a potential problem¡ªwithout the curse holding her back, Astoria''s strength was bound to improve rapidly. Would she end up surpassing her? The thought of possibly being sent flying off the dueling platform by her own sister made Daphne resolve to dedicate herself even more to her spellwork. Rhys never would have guessed that curing Astoria''s illness would come with the unexpected side effect of boosting Daphne''s motivation to study¡ªit was a delightful surprise. ... Now that the blood curse no longer constrained her soul, Astoria''s abilities advanced at an incredible pace. By the time the date of the final exams appeared on the calendar, she was already able to hold her own against Daphne in their duels in the Chamber of Secrets. As final exams approached¡ªeven with a month still to go¡ªthe school began to buzz with nervous energy. The usually quiet and empty library became incredibly crowded, with barely a single seat to be found. The students of Gryffindor House were something of an exception¡ªthey had a rather laid-back attitude toward exams. Most of them only started cramming the week before exam week. Their study strategy was simple: review subjects in the order of the exam schedule. For example, if Potions was on Monday, they would study Potions on Sunday. If History of Magic and Transfiguration were on Tuesday, then Monday night would be dedicated to reviewing those subjects. They even had a well-reasoned, if somewhat dubious, theory: studying too early would only lead to forgetting the material and having to relearn it anyway. So, it was better to put in the effort right before the test, ensuring that their knowledge lasted just long enough to make it to the final bell. Honestly, their logic wasn''t entirely unfounded. But there were always exceptions¡ªlike Harry. He was one of the rare students who had actually drawn up a study plan. "Wait, mate, there''s still a whole month until finals, and you''ve already made a study schedule?!" Ron picked up the parchment in front of Harry, looking utterly dumbfounded. Harry''s behavior was so unusual that Ron could hardly recognize him. "Are you sure you haven''t been possessed by some kind of evil spirit?" Ron pulled a mock-frightened expression, flailing his arms in exaggerated panic, making the whole thing even more comical. "It''s just that we still have a lot of Quidditch practice coming up. Wood is practically betting his life on winning the final match, so I figured I''d just ask someone to help me make a study plan. I also borrowed a set of notes while I was at it." Harry pulled a neatly written, well-organized set of notes from his bag. "Let me borrow that!" Ron instinctively grabbed the notes, planning to copy them. He probably wouldn''t actually look at them until the exam started, but just having his own copy would give him a strong sense of security. "I''m heading to the library to study for a bit. Want to come?" Harry glanced at the clock and realized it was about time to review. He packed up his books and got ready to leave. Before heading out, he turned to Ron and asked. Ron: "!!" "Harry, you''re like a completely different person today!" But Ron was tempted. He was seriously considering whether to go to the library with Harry.... "Ron, want to play cards? We need one more player!" Just as Ron was about to decide, a voice called out from the other side of the common room. It was Lee Jordan, Fred and George''s close friend, who often hung out with Ron and Harry. Ron: "..." Between the library and playing cards, Ron chose the cards. A man has his priorities, after all! The final exams were still a month away, and every fiber of his being resisted the idea of studying. Harry arrived at the library alone. He was lucky today¡ªthe library wasn''t completely full, and he managed to find a spot in a quiet corner. Spreading out his textbooks and borrowed notes on the table, he began his exam review. Harry was in great form today, completely immersed in the sea of knowledge. By the time he snapped out of it, the sky outside had already turned pitch black, and the library had emptied out significantly. Stretching lazily, Harry glanced at the clock on the wall and saw that there were less than fifteen minutes left until closing time. He started gathering his books and notes, preparing to head back to the dorm to wash up and get a good night''s sleep. Honestly, the sense of fulfillment and security that came from a solid evening of studying couldn''t be matched by playing a hundred rounds of cards. That game only led to emptiness and regret over wasted time. Tonight, he was going to sleep soundly. Just then, Harry suddenly heard a familiar voice¡ªthe same one he had heard before! [Run! Run! Run!] This time, the voice was incredibly close, as if it was coming from right above him! Harry instantly became excited. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 239- Quest giving Basilisk 239- Quest giving Basilisk Harry remembered what Rhys had told him before¡ªso it was possible that a snake was speaking! He quickly lifted his head and looked around. After confirming that there was no one else nearby, Harry became even more convinced of the conclusion he had drawn under Rhys''s guidance. Then, recalling Ron''s explanation of Parseltongue, a bold idea popped into Harry''s mind: Why not try talking to the snake? Harry was a man of action. As soon as the thought appeared, he acted immediately¡ªhe was worried that if he hesitated, the snake might slither off somewhere else. "Why are you running away?" Harry lowered his voice and spoke. As he did, he concentrated hard on imagining himself as a snake, speaking to one of his own kind. With his efforts, the sound that came out of his mouth was no longer human speech but a series of hissing noises, like the sound of gas leaking. Harry''s voice reached the basilisk hidden within the pipes¡ªit had come with a mission and wouldn''t simply leave as Harry assumed. The little wizard before it could actually communicate with it. This surprised the basilisk, but it had no time to dwell on the reason. Instead, it immediately relayed the message Rhys had instructed it to say. [The end is near, a terrible monster has appeared¡ªyou must flee... Child, don''t hesitate, run!] Harry: Huh? What the heck? "What kind of monster? Where is it?" Harry couldn''t help but press further. "Even Dumbledore can''t stop it?" [It''s in the Forbidden Forest, lurking among the spiders¡ªvery evil, very dark... It''s still weak now, but once it grows, it will devour the entire world¡ª] Harry: ??? He was utterly baffled by this snake, which was hiding who-knew-where. Something living among the spiders that would one day devour the whole world? What kind of nonsense was this? For a moment, he even wondered if the snake had lost its mind. [If only someone could stop it... There are so many wizards here, yet not a single one knows about the disaster brewing in the Forbidden Forest...] The snake inside the walls spoke with deep sorrow and regret. "Is this for real?" Seeing how sincere the snake sounded, Harry began to believe it¡ªafter all, why would a snake lie to him? (Clearly, Harry had never read the Bible carefully.) [It''s true. My kin saw it with their own eyes. If I am lying, may I never catch another fat, delicious rat for the rest of my life.] For a moment, Harry was distracted by the snake''s description of rats. But then he fell into deep thought¡ªif the snake was speaking so convincingly, the story was probably true. As the first wizard to learn this truth, perhaps he should do something about it. At this moment, Harry felt a sudden, heavy burden settle upon his shoulders. After all, according to the snake, if that thing grew stronger, it would devour the entire world. He double-checked the creature''s location with the snake and received a clear answer¡ªit was hiding within the lair of the Acromantulas in the Forbidden Forest. [Run, child!] "Thank you... but I have another choice!" Harry''s gaze grew resolute. He would change everything! Perhaps he was weak, but he had¡ª Dumbledore! He had to tell Professor Dumbledore about this! The snake''s voice faded away, as if it had left the area. Harry hurriedly ran out of the library¡ªthen froze in place. The same problem as before¡ªhe had no idea where Professor Dumbledore''s office was. In fact, hardly anyone at Hogwarts did. Maybe he could ask Fred and George? They knew the castle inside and out¡ªthey''d probably know where the Headmaster''s office was. Just then, Harry caught sight of a figure in emerald-green robes disappearing around the far stairwell. Professor McGonagall! Harry shot forward as if he had found a lifeline. "Professor McGonagall, please wait¡ª!" Hearing Harry''s call, Professor McGonagall stopped in her tracks and turned, standing at the top of the staircase, her sharp gaze scrutinizing him. "What is it, Mr. Potter?" "It''s like this¡ªI need to see Professor Dumbledore. It''s very important." "Professor Dumbledore is extremely busy. If you have something urgent, you can tell me first." Clearly, Professor McGonagall wasn''t about to let a student disturb Dumbledore over a simple request. Telling Professor McGonagall should be just as good, Harry thought. So, he relayed everything he had just heard to her. "You''re saying there''s a monster in the Forbidden Forest, lurking among the Acromantula colony? And that once it grows, it will devour the world?" Professor McGonagall''s tone was full of skepticism. That was completely understandable¡ªno rational adult would immediately believe such a claim. "Yes, it''s absolutely true." Harry''s expression was extremely earnest. "And may I ask where you heard this information?" Harry was at a loss for words. Ron had told him that being a Parselmouth was nothing to brag about¡ªit was best not to let others know. So he hesitated. More importantly, a thought suddenly struck him: what if this so-called threat was only a world-ending catastrophe in the eyes of a small snake? What if it was just some spider species particularly good at hunting snakes? It would be utterly ridiculous to bother Professor Dumbledore over something like that. Seeing that Harry couldn''t provide a reasonable explanation, Professor McGonagall seemed to understand everything. She pressed her lips together and said, "I''ll inform Hagrid and have him patrol the Forbidden Forest. That''s his job." Hearing this, disappointment filled Harry''s eyes. He didn''t think Hagrid could handle this crisis. It wasn''t that he looked down on Hagrid, but his personality was too rough¡ªhe might not notice a hidden danger. And, frankly, the name Rubeus Hagrid didn''t inspire the same sense of security as Albus Dumbledore. Professor McGonagall''s next words only deepened Harry''s despair. She said, "With the end-of-term exams approaching, it''s normal to feel stressed. But try to keep a relaxed mindset. If it becomes too overwhelming, Madam Pomfrey would be more than happy to prescribe you a calming draught." Harry: "..." He understood now¡ªProfessor McGonagall didn''t believe a single word he had said. This was a disaster. Now, there wouldn''t even be a patrol from Hagrid! Disappointment poured over him like a bucket of ice-cold water, drenching him completely. Meanwhile, in her office, where she was busy grading student essays, Professor McGonagall suddenly sneezed. She looked up, her gaze locking onto the open window. "The problem with keeping the window open for ventilation is all the dust that blows in..." Professor McGonagall pulled out her wand and gave it a gentle wave. Instantly, the fine dust in her office and the grime on the window ledge vanished without a trace. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 240- If I don’t come up in three days, please open this package 240- If I don¡¯t come up in three days, please open this package Harry leaned weakly against the corridor wall, his heart a mess of emotions. What should he do? He didn''t know. Who could he turn to for help? He didn''t know that either. He couldn''t even be sure if the incident was real. Logically speaking, a world-ending level disaster shouldn''t have anything to do with a second-year student like him, but the reality was right there in front of him¡ªthis responsibility had crashed down on his shoulders like a meteor. Only he could hear the Snake''s voice! At that moment, footsteps echoed from the corridor behind him. He turned around and saw Daphne walking toward him, carrying a small shoulder bag. Behind her was a silver-haired little girl. Harry recognized her¡ªit was Daphne''s younger sister, Astoria. Harry: "!!" He rushed over to Daphne like a drowning man grabbing hold of a lifeline, blocking her path. "Is something wrong?" Daphne was startled by Harry suddenly springing out. She instinctively stepped back to put some distance between them before asking what he wanted. Harry immediately told the Greengrass sisters everything he''d heard from the snake. "Can I ask where you heard this rumor?" Daphne''s first reaction, like any rational person''s, was skepticism. After thinking it over carefully, Harry decided to tell Daphne that he could speak Parseltongue¡ªbecause she was someone he trusted. "You''re a Parselmouth?!" Harry''s ability to speak Parseltongue genuinely surprised Daphne. But she was able to regard this gift with a calm, rational mindset. Not to mention distant examples¡ªher closest friends, Rhys and Astoria, could both talk to snakes too. Maybe one of Harry''s ancestors had married a Parselmouth, and that ability had been passed down to him? Given that the message came from a snake, its credibility increased significantly. Daphne decided to go talk to Rhys about it. After all, when it came to snake-related intel, Rhys was always the best person to go to! And if what the snake said really was true, then it made even more sense for Rhys to step in¡ªafter all, they were talking about a potential world-devouring disaster! "All right, I''ll wait for you both in the Great Hall!" Seeing that Daphne and her sister were willing to help, Harry''s eyes lit up. The Greengrass sisters were both impressively skilled, and adding Rhys into the mix¡ªbasically, all the reliable students in Slytherin were getting involved. Harry felt like things were finally taking a turn for the better. And so, Harry and the Greengrass sisters parted ways briefly¡ªone staying on standby, while the other two went to get reinforcements. When they returned to the Slytherin common room, it was completely empty. Daphne found that Rhys hadn''t gone to bed yet¡ªhe was curled up alone by the fireplace, reading. Aside from the book, there was a crystal orb on the table, about the size of an egg. What she didn''t notice was that the hair on the back of Rhys''s head was subtly changing color, and the skin on his hands was gradually becoming smoother. "Rhys, thank goodness! Something''s come up..." Daphne quickly told him about the monster that had supposedly appeared in the Forbidden Forest. "There''s something like that? Come to think of it, the snakes around the castle have been more restless lately..." After listening to Daphne, Rhys tossed his book aside, narrowing his eyes as if weighing the situation. In the end, he made a decision. "Hmm, no time to waste. I''ll go with you¡ªwe need to get to the bottom of what''s going on in the spider nest." "Yes!" Once they had Rhys''s agreement, both Daphne and Astoria lit up with excitement. In their eyes, with Rhys on the case, no evil creature could possibly pose a threat. Suddenly, the crystal orb on the table flashed red. Rhys''s expression instantly turned serious. He tapped the orb, and Lady Ravenclaw''s voice emerged from within: "Rhys Lint, I need your help. There are signs the seal has been tampered with. Come to the dungeons immediately. I''m waiting here." Daphne''s face instantly changed. She knew that beneath the school''s dungeons, an enormous number of extremely dangerous dark creatures were sealed away. If the seal had really been disturbed, the consequences could be catastrophic. After hearing Ravenclaw''s message, Rhys didn''t say anything further. He straightened his wizard robes and pulled out a handkerchief to carefully wipe down his wand. Once finished, he turned to Daphne and spoke in an incredibly gentle tone: "Sorry, something''s come up on my end. I''m afraid I won''t be able to go to the Forbidden Forest with you." Daphne immediately tensed up, and Astoria also began to feel that something wasn''t quite right. "Rhys, you¡ª" Daphne started to say something, but Rhys interrupted her. "Listen closely, we''re short on time, so I won''t say much. Take this." Rhys unfastened the pouch he always carried at his waist and handed it to Daphne. Daphne: "?!!" "If I haven''t come out of the dungeons in three days, you and Astoria must leave Hogwarts. Leave Britain. Head east. Of course, if you want to cross the sea to America, that''s fine too. What''s in the pouch should be enough for you¡ª" At this point, Rhys seemed to remember something and let out a bitter smile. "Ah, right. I forgot you''re daughters of the Greengrass family. Well, do as you see fit¡ªbut you must leave Britain as soon as possible. The things in the pouch are fairly valuable. Consider them a gift from me." It felt to Daphne as if something had struck her head¡ªhard. "This isn''t... I..." Daphne stood frozen, completely at a loss. Astoria stepped forward, nudging her sister aside, and grabbed Rhys''s sleeve with her hand. "Take us with you. We can help too." Her gaze was firm¡ªno matter how many hardships lay ahead, she would stand by Rhys''s side and fight alongside him to the very end. "Yes, take us with you. We''re strong!" Daphne snapped out of her daze and immediately grabbed Rhys''s other sleeve, telling him that even if he only brought them along to act as human shields against curses, it would be worth it. Damn.. my students in this life are so good! Not like that punk! A hint of helplessness crossed Rhys''s face. He shook his head and firmly pulled his sleeves free from their grasp. Seeing that they couldn''t be of help, Daphne''s eyes filled with disappointment. She deeply regretted not working harder on her spellwork¡ªif she were just a bit stronger, maybe she could be of use to Rhys now. Astoria pressed her lips together tightly, her expression filled with frustration and unwillingness. Rhys didn''t respond to them. He turned and walked toward the exit of the common room. Just as the door opened, he seemed to remember something and turned his head to speak to them: "By the way, that creature in the Forbidden Forest is highly suspicious. I suspect it''s connected to the disturbance in the seal¡ªmaybe it even escaped from it. The two of you go investigate for me. If you can deal with it, that would be a huge help." Daphne, Astoria: "!!!" _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 241- An unexpected alliance 241- An unexpected alliance When they learned that they could help Rhys, both of them were incredibly excited¡ªfinally, they were useful, right? Rhys had successfully ignited their fighting spirit. "No problem!" "We''ll definitely complete the mission!" Hearing Daphne and Astoria''s firm voices, Rhys nodded in satisfaction and left the Slytherin common room. ... The moment the door closed behind him, Rowena Ravenclaw''s voice continued to come from the crystal ball. "You played that quite excessively." "Aren''t you enjoying it just as much, Rowena?" No further sound came from the crystal ball, and Rhys cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself, heading toward the Great Hall. He needed to confirm whether another key player had been drawn into the plan, just as he''d intended. ... After parting ways with the Greengrass sisters, Harry fell into a brief state of confusion. His rational mind told him that as long as Daphne and the other two arrived, the problem would be easily resolved¡ªbut his emotions kept urging him over and over: do something. Maybe it was the shame of lying back and letting the "big shots" carry him that got to him. He desperately wanted to take action¡ªhe couldn''t just be the "messenger," could he?! What would that make him, a dictionary? A quest-giving NPC in a video game? Of course, if Harry knew how Rhys saw him, he might actually think being a "translation dictionary" wasn''t such a bad role after all. Wanting to do something was one thing¡ªbeing able to do something was another. After thinking it through carefully, Harry realized he couldn''t do a single thing. His conversation with Professor McGonagall had already shut down any hope of support from the school''s faculty¡ªif he couldn''t even convince his own Head of House, how could he expect any of the other Heads to believe his "nonsense"? As for support from other students¡ªwell, hadn''t Daphne already agreed to help him? Who could be more reliable than Daphne and her group? Ron? Better not. He was terrified of spiders. It wouldn''t be right to drag him into this. While Harry was spiraling into a whirlwind of thoughts, the library''s closing time arrived. The last few students were ushered out by Madam Pince. In truth, hardly anyone stayed until closing time. Most packed up a few minutes beforehand to avoid any chance of conflict with the notoriously short-tempered librarian. Only a rare few exceptions stayed until the final moment¡ªlike Hermione Granger. Today, she and Neville from Hufflepuff had been organizing their Herbology notes for the year, and then they''d gone over some key points in Potions together. The two had been completely absorbed in the world of magic, right up until Madam Pince appeared¡ªand then they were promptly kicked out. "I completely don''t dare look Madam Pince in the eye..." "It''s not your fault, Neville. Are you coming back to the library to study tomorrow?" "Sure! There are still a lot of things I don''t quite get in Potions¡ªwait, isn''t that Harry? What''s he doing here this late? Curfew''s almost up!" Neville had noticed Harry leaning against the corridor wall. He looked troubled, as if something serious was bothering him. Kind-hearted Neville wanted to help. Even if he couldn''t do much, just chatting with Harry might help lift his spirits. "Harry, what are you doing? Curfew''s coming," Hermione stepped forward and asked about Harry''s situation. "Uh..." Harry hesitated, unsure whether he should drag the two of them into this. The entire conversation was observed from a distance by Rhys. He waved his hand, casting a charm to isolate all sound around him, then connected to Rowena Ravenclaw''s "call." From within the dungeons, Ravenclaw could see everything happening before Rhys through the crystal ball in his hand. "Oh? Looks like someone unexpected is getting involved," Ravenclaw''s voice came through the crystal ball. "Who is he?" "A Hufflepuff boy. His name is Neville Longbottom," Rhys gave Ravenclaw a brief introduction to Neville. "Keeping a toad as a pet but not good at Potions? Interesting." "That''s also related to the current Potions professor, Snape¡ªhis teaching style is rather unpleasant. Bringing Neville along is fine. I won''t interfere further." Rhys thought it over and felt there was no problem including Neville¡ªif you''re already carrying one burden, you might as well carry a second. Just as Harry was still debating whether or not to reveal the truth to Hermione and Neville, Daphne and Astoria arrived. Now Neville and Hermione both sensed something was off: Harry was clearly waiting for those two. Being associated with them, and doing something right before curfew, definitely didn''t sound like an ordinary matter. Seeing that there were others with Harry, Daphne immediately furrowed her brows¡ªshe didn''t want any complications. All she wanted was to solve the problem in the Forbidden Forest as soon as possible. "What''s the call?" She leaned toward launching a direct attack and getting rid of the two nuisances. "Fine by me," Astoria nodded, though she had another idea in mind. "Oh, hi Daphne, Astoria, um.. what are you all upto¡ª" As the Greengrass sisters approached, Hermione stepped forward to question their intentions. "Stupefy!" "Petrificus Totalus!" Hermione was determined to figure out what the three of them were up to¡ªbut instead of a greeting, she was met with two spells. Caught off guard, Hermione barely managed to dodge to the side. The spells grazed her robes and hit Neville, who had been standing behind her in a daze. Neville was knocked out cold by the spells. Hermione''s eyes went wide. She whipped out her wand and shot a jinx back in retaliation. Then she and the Greengrass sisters exchanged several more spells. Their magic collided midair, bursting into colorful sparks, leaving Harry stunned on the sidelines. "Oh? You have trained her well, Ravenclaw. Although Daphne is only using minor spells so as to not hurt her, Hermione is holding on quite well." Rhys muttered to Ravenclaw. "I just gave her some of my notes. She is very studious." Ravenclaw''s voice coming from the ball was very proud. The two sides reached a standoff¡ªDaphne couldn''t secure a quick win, and Hermione couldn''t gain the upper hand over the two of them either. "Um, should I use leather spells?" Daphne muttered to herself. "Stop!" Astoria suddenly shouted, urging everyone to cease fire. "I think we can bring her along¡ª" "Are you crazy?!" "What are you doing???" Everyone started speaking at once¡ªthen fell silent at the same time, and the corridor descended into a heavy stillness. "This¡ªthis breaks like, a hundred school rules!" Hermione finally burst out, her voice full of fury, shattering the silence. "Please, let us explain¡ª" "We don''t have time! This is for your own good!" Hearing Daphne''s words, Hermione raised an eyebrow. "You ambushed us with Petrificus Totalus and a Stunning Spell... and now you''re saying it''s for our own good?" "That''s right." Daphne lifted her chin, showing no sign of backing down. "This mission is extremely dangerous. If you can''t even block our basic spells, you''d only be a liability." Hermione: "??" "Then you should''ve gone to the professors instead of¡ª" "I already tried. It didn''t work." Harry, who had been standing to the side and almost invisible in presence until now, finally spoke up. Hermione: "??" She felt like her brain was about to short-circuit. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 242- Ravenclaw: Is she really a Slytherin!? 242- Ravenclaw: Is she really a Slytherin!? "Here''s what happened..." Harry quickly summarized everything they''d encountered so far for Hermione, keeping it as brief as possible. Meanwhile, Daphne''s face was full of impatience. She didn''t want to waste even a second more¡ªshe would have much preferred a more direct solution. If that earlier barrage of spells had managed to take down Hermione and Neville, then they wouldn''t have had to waste time like this. Unfortunately, Hermione''s dodging and counterattack speed had exceeded her expectations, forcing her to pay a price for underestimating her. After hearing Harry''s explanation, Hermione still leaned toward getting a professor involved. "But.. I don''t even dare to count how many school rules this breaks..." Hermione''s words made Daphne so frustrated she nearly drew her wand again to settle things with force. She just wanted to get to the Forbidden Forest as soon as possible, investigate the abnormalities there, and help lighten the burden on Rhys¡ªshe didn''t have time to waste going in circles with Hermione, debating whether to inform a professor. Not to mention those absurd school rules. "So where''s Rhys? Why haven''t we seen him?" Sensing the tense atmosphere, Harry quickly changed the subject. "He has more important things to deal with and can''t come for now, but he also hopes we can resolve the issue," Astoria answered Harry''s question. Daphne, cheeks puffed in frustration, added, "We''re facing an unprecedented crisis. This is not the time to worry about school rules!" Astoria chimed in from the side, "Harry already tried going to the professors, but it didn''t help. Right now, we can only rely on ourselves." Hermione furrowed her brows and looked down at Neville, who was still lying stiffly on the ground, without saying a word. Daphne didn''t want to argue any longer. She grabbed her sister''s hand and started heading toward the castle gates. "Forget them. Let''s go take care of that creature in the Forbidden Forest first¡ªif she wants to run to the teachers and snitch, let her. I''m going to the forest right now!" Daphne''s tone was resolute. She had already prepared herself for the possibility of being expelled. Hermione was left standing there in a daze. Her worldview had taken a hit. In her understanding, school rules held supreme authority, and everyone would follow them obediently. Breaking the rules meant punishment. But now, she had just seen two people who would rather face severe consequences than give up on something they believed in. It completely overturned her expectations. By the time she snapped out of it, Daphne and Astoria had already run more than ten meters away, with Harry following close behind. At that moment, Daphne''s words echoed in her ears again: "If she wants to snitch, let her." Hermione''s face flushed red. They were all hot-blooded young people¡ªhow could she swallow that kind of insult? If she backed down tonight, wouldn''t that also confirm her role as the "snitch"? With that thought, Hermione hesitated no more. She quickened her pace and followed after them. She wanted the Greengrass sisters to see clearly¡ªshe was not someone who would run off to the teachers and report them. And truth be told, she was quite intrigued by that so-called "world-devouring" crisis Harry had mentioned. ... After the four had left, Rhys''s figure appeared from the shadows in the corner. "Salazar, you sure taught your students well¡ªso this is the Slytherin way of education?" Rowena''s tone was full of teasing. After all, when Daphne had chosen to ambush Hermione and Neville, even she had been surprised: that move was completely uncharacteristic of a Slytherin. If anything, it reeked of Godric''s influence. "Cut her some slack¡ªshe''s a descendant of Adrian," Rhys replied, not surprised in the least. In fact, he thought it was very Slytherin. To achieve one''s goals, sometimes one had to be ruthless. If Daphne had done anything wrong, it was failing to take Hermione down in one blow. If it had been him, he might''ve used something a little more vicious than soft spells like the Stunning or Petrification Curses. At the mention of Adrian, Rowena suddenly understood. Right¡ªif she was Adrian''s descendant, it all made sense. "You wanted to give the kids more burdens, but they didn''t agree to it." Rowena chuckled softly. Rhys rolled his eyes. That''s only because Hermione managed to withstand that round of attacks¡ªif Daphne and the others had taken her down here, let''s see if you''d still have the nerve to keep chatting with me. What a pity! At that thought, Rhys couldn''t help but feel a little regretful¡ªif Hermione had gone down here, Rowena''s expression would''ve been absolutely priceless. Just as Rhys was about to leave, he caught sight of Neville lying unconscious on the floor out of the corner of his eye. "..." He let out a sigh. The kids had gotten too worked up and hadn''t even thought to clean up the scene. With Neville just lying there, it wouldn''t be long before a patrolling professor or Filch discovered him, which would only cause more trouble. At the same time, he felt a flicker of sympathy for the unconscious Longbottom¡ªthis was the price of not being strong enough. If Hermione had been just as ordinary as Neville, then the two of them would both be lying here tonight. "Let''s hope that next time, you''ll be able to take part in the adventure, not lie helpless on the cold ground." With a flick of Rhys''s wand, Neville''s body vanished. ... "According to the intel Harry provided, that monster is located in the lair of the Acromantulas. Our first task is to find their nest!" Daphne said, beginning to strategize their approach to the mission Rhys had given them as they made their way to the Forbidden Forest. Harry had already caught up by now, walking briskly, with Hermione following closely behind, slightly out of breath. Daphne glanced at her but didn''t say anything. Still, the fact that Hermione had chosen to follow made Daphne feel quite satisfied. Astoria frowned deeply. "But entering the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the night will severely limit our visibility. It''ll be extremely difficult to locate the spider nest¡ªif we''re ambushed by spiders again like last time, the consequences could be very serious." There was one thing she didn''t say aloud: this time, they didn''t have Rhys covering for them. "There was a last time?" Hermione couldn''t help but mutter sarcastically. Daphne and Astoria ignored her. Hearing the difficulty they were facing, a bold idea suddenly popped into Harry''s mind. He spoke up, his voice trembling with excitement: "Maybe I can help you." Daphne, Astoria, and Hermione all turned to look at him. To be honest, none of them quite believed it¡ªafter all, Harry hadn''t shown anything particularly remarkable over the past two years, whereas the three of them each had their own backgrounds and strengths. "Give me a broomstick, and I''ll fly up and look for the spider nest from the air," Harry said, speaking faster and faster. "I have very good eyes! With the help of the moonlight, it should be easy to spot the nest from above¡ªI can guide you from the sky." The three girls fell silent at the same time, mentally calculating the feasibility of what Harry proposed. "Yeah.. he is a star seeker after all. He can probably spot the nest quickly. I think it''s doable," Hermione was the first to speak. "Most of the magical creatures that hunt in the air are dormant after nightfall. The airspace above the Forbidden Forest isn''t that dangerous at this hour¡ªit''s perfectly reasonable for Harry to go up and scout." Her assessment was met with unanimous agreement from Daphne and Astoria. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 243- Monster in the Spider’s Den 243- Monster in the Spider¡¯s Den Seeing that all three of his companions agreed with his suggestion, Harry''s eyes lit up even more brightly¡ªhe had finally found his purpose in this little team. Not as a walking snake translator, not as some quest-giving NPC, but as a real, genuinely useful teammate! "I''ll go back to the dorm and grab my Nimbus 2000¡ª" Harry had barely taken a step when Daphne stopped him. "No need, I''ve got a better broom." As she spoke, she pulled out a palm-sized leather pouch and drew a broomstick from it. Harry: "??" If he hadn''t seen it with his own eyes, he never would''ve believed that a full-sized broomstick could fit in such a tiny pouch. And then there was the broom itself¡ªit was beautiful! From the moment Harry laid eyes on the Firebolt, he couldn''t look away. He had once thought the Nimbus 2000 was the peak of broomstick design, but compared to the Firebolt, the Nimbus looked like a Renault parked beside a Porsche. "This is...?" "The champion''s prize from the Dueling Tournament," Daphne explained as she handed the broom to Harry, "It''s a beta version broomstick gifted to Professor Flitwick by one of his friends. Supposedly, its performance surpasses every broom currently on the market." As she spoke, she also removed the performance limit that had been placed on the broom. Harry mounted the broom and gave a gentle push off the ground, soaring into the sky. Woosh!~! The Firebolt seemed to unleash its fury all at once, showcasing its top performance so fiercely that Harry nearly got thrown off in the first few seconds. But as the broom reached peak speed, he quickly adjusted, and from that moment, he fell completely in love with it. For a brief instant, Harry even had the urge to trade away half the gold in his vault just to own this broom. But his rational side quickly crushed the impulse¡ªhe still had the rest of his life to live in the wizarding world, after all, and needed to be frugal. If he squandered the inheritance his parents left him, what was he going to do¡ªmove back to Devon and live with the Dursleys as a 30-year-old? After forcing himself to calm down, Harry guided the broom back down to the ground. "It''s an amazing broom," he said, hovering steadily before the three of them. He first praised Daphne''s Firebolt sincerely, then asked if they were ready to proceed. Even though Harry did his best to contain his excitement, Daphne could still see the love in his eyes for the broom. For a fleeting moment, she even considered giving the Firebolt to Harry¡ªas powerful as it was, it felt wasted in her hands. Potter was someone who could truly bring out its full potential. "You go ahead and find the spider nest first. We still have some preparations to make here," Astoria informed Harry of the next step in their plan. Daphne''s Nightmare, which had been kept by Hagrid in the school''s paddock, would finally be put to use tonight. With the Nightmare assisting them, they could move much faster through the forest and significantly cut down the time it would take to reach the spider nest. Harry nodded, indicating he understood their plan. With a gentle nudge of the broomstick, he shot into the night sky, gliding above the Forbidden Forest like a graceful bird. "Big sister, he''s more suited to be the owner of that broom than you," Astoria couldn''t help but remark as she watched Harry expertly maneuver the Firebolt through the air. "You talk too much. Humph!" Daphne snapped, shooting her sister a glare before striding off toward the school paddock. ... "Salazar, your disciple can''t ride a broom either?" "As if yours could!" In a dark corner, a person and a ghost whispered to each other, bickering as usual. Truthfully, among the four founders, only Godric Gryffindor was good at broom-riding. The rest weren''t very skilled¡ªespecially Rowena Ravenclaw, who couldn''t even properly steer a carriage. She was, without a doubt, a vehicle disaster. "By the way, someone has actually improved that clumsy autopilot charm of yours." "Hold on a second¡ªwhat do you mean by clumsy charm?!" ... The paddock was an open area cleared near the edge of the Forbidden Forest, used for raising livestock and housing the magical creatures needed for Care of Magical Creatures class. That was where Daphne''s Nightmare was kept. As she approached the fence of the paddock, Daphne softly called out¡ªand from deep within the enclosure, a black skeletal horse with blue flames flaring from its hooves came galloping toward her. It recognized Daphne immediately and responded to her summons. "I need your help," Daphne said, gently patting the bony skull of the Nightmare a few times. The moment she saw the Nightmare, Hermione''s mouth fell slightly open, her mind momentarily blank. She had heard the rumors before¡ªabout Daphne being chosen by a relic left behind by an ancient wizard. But since Daphne had never confirmed the stories, Hermione had always assumed they were just baseless gossip. But now, Daphne had actually summoned a magical creature that looked nothing short of incredible! "This is...?" Hermione asked, unable to hold back, pointing at the Nightmare. "It''s a Nightmare. I got it from a crystal ball last year," Daphne gave a brief explanation of the Nightmare''s origin, then led it out of the paddock. By the time they returned to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Harry had already made it back. He brought good news: he had found the spider nest. Finding the nest wasn''t too difficult¡ªwhen viewed from the sky, the lair of the Acromantulas stood out like a landmark. It was a vast, ashen-gray area, clinging to the forest floor like a festering wound. It was almost impossible not to notice. Upon learning that Harry had found the nest, Daphne immediately decided to head out toward it. ... After sunset, most creatures in the Forbidden Forest retreated into their nests to rest. Only a few nocturnal animals, like owls, came out to hunt. Acromantulas were no exception¡ªthey had returned to their nest with the prey they had captured during the day. One of the spiders looked particularly strange: a massive tumor bulged from its back, pulsing like a beating heart. The growth was constantly drawing nutrients from the spider''s body into its own shell. No one knew how long this parasitic process had been going on, but the spider being used as a host was clearly at its limit. Its abdomen had shriveled, and its movements had become sluggish and unstable, staggering as if it were drunk. Its abnormal state quickly drew the attention of many of its kind. The others gathered around it, their mandibles clacking and colliding with sharp "click-click" sounds. They were very attentive to the health of their kin¡ªnot out of concern, but because they were waiting to divide the corpse once it died. After one final extraction, the host spider was completely drained of its last bit of nourishment. It collapsed to the ground, motionless. The surrounding spiders crawled closer, first probing with their legs. Once they confirmed that the parasitized spider was dead, they wasted no time. They swarmed over it, tearing into the corpse and feasting on the remains of their fallen kin. Crunch! Crunch! Crunch! Crunch! Crunch! Crunch! Crunch! _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 244- Real magical battle! 244- Real magical battle! In an instant, the leaf-covered forest floor was filled with the clicking, crunching sounds of chewing. The corpse of the dead spider hadn''t even gone cold before its kin swarmed over and devoured it completely. As the spiders indulged in their grotesque feast, with the body of their own kind as the main course, Daphne and the others¡ªguided by Harry¡ªarrived at the spider nest and witnessed the entire scene with their own eyes. "What the..." "Ugh.." Disgust was written all over their faces. "How could something like this exist in the Forbidden Forest?" "No idea, but it looks like they''ve been breeding here for quite some time," Astoria guessed, judging by the size of the hollow. "Look!" Daphne suddenly cut off their conversation and motioned for them to look toward the "feast." A wisp of black smoke rose from the spider''s corpse, drifting toward another large Acromantula and clinging to its body. The spider trembled a few times, and then a grotesque human face surfaced on its back. The other spiders, caught up in their frenzied feeding, didn''t notice the transformation occurring on their companion¡ªor maybe they didn''t care. After all, spiders that became hosts like this one would soon die and become the next course on the menu! "This must be the ''evil'' Harry mentioned, right? It definitely looks like a serious problem," Hermione said with a frown. If, before witnessing this scene, she had still harbored some doubts about Harry''s warning, the appearance of that black smoke erased them completely. Now, she fully believed what Harry had said. What could possibly be more evil than this? "If we just destroy that thing, it should be fine, right?" Daphne''s hand tightened around her wand beneath her robes. "It might work. Worth a try," Astoria supported her sister''s suggestion. Without any further hesitation, Daphne raised her hand and cast a powerful offensive spell, striking the possessed spider right in the abdomen. Its belly exploded like a watermelon, the fatal wound killing it instantly. From the spider''s remains, a cloud of black mist rose and shot rapidly toward the large web at the center of the hollow. Clearly, Daphne''s spell hadn''t truly harmed the creature¡ªit had only killed the spider it was possessing. "We need to enter the nest and find the true form of that black mist!" Astoria, observing the behavior of the mist, quickly deduced how they might deal with it. "Forget the black mist for now, worry about what''s in front of us!" Hermione''s anxious voice came from the side. Daphne''s spell had the same effect as dropping ice into hot oil¡ªit sent the entire hollow into a frenzy. Hundreds of spiders clicked their massive pincers and surged toward the source of the spell. Looking down from the edge of the hollow, the swarm of spiders was like an unstoppable tide. "Should we retreat for now?" Astoria estimated the number of spiders and began to feel that things were getting out of hand. She suggested they use the Disillusionment Charm to hide their presence, escape first, and come up with a long-term plan later. "Nah, we only have one option¡ªAttack!" Daphne immediately rejected Astoria''s proposal. She didn''t believe the Disillusionment Charm could fool these spiders. It was an optical invisibility spell¡ªit couldn''t mask body heat, scent, or the vibrations caused by movement. Against this horde, using only a Disillusionment Charm was no better than standing there fully visible. Seeing her sister had decided to fight, Astoria stopped considering other options. She immediately cast a Shield Charm in front of the trio, creating a semi-transparent barrier, while Daphne followed up by launching a series of offensive spells that blew apart the approaching spiders. It was only then that Hermione, standing behind the two sisters, finally snapped out of her daze. Her lack of combat experience had left her stunned at first, not even realizing that her companions had already decided to engage in battle with the spiders. Now that the fight was in full swing, she finally drew her wand as if waking from a dream, inwardly scolding herself: Hermione Granger, what are you doing? Don''t hold everyone back! "Impedimenta!" "Confringo!" A barrage of spells shot from Hermione''s wand like a chain of firecrackers, raining down on the "ocean" of spiders. Some spiders were knocked over, others were frozen in place only to be trampled by those swarming from behind. But in the face of such a massive horde, her spells felt like they hadn''t even made a dent. In just a few short seconds, several carriage-sized spiders had already climbed to the edge of the depression, less than ten feet away from the trio. Daphne and the others could clearly see the black bristles on their long legs and the glistening black eyes staring at them. Boom! Daphne unleashed a stored spell from the necklace she wore, instantly clearing a straight path through the sea of spiders. Every Acromantula in the line of the spell was reduced to fragments. The spider swarm halted momentarily. From above, Harry had the clearest view of everything. He saw with his own eyes how the dark, swarming mass of spiders had been split by a grayish-white path. He was stunned by the power of that spell¡ªso this is what a real magical battle looks like! Compared to this, the dueling club''s sparring sessions felt like mere child''s play. But the spell Daphne had used was limited in number¡ªif this was their only method of fighting back, then defeat was inevitable. Daphne understood this clearly. She knew she had to find a more efficient way to deal with the Acromantulas. Then, her eyes caught sight of the web-entangled fallen leaves scattered in the depression. A bold idea sparked in her mind. "These spells alone won''t do¡ªset it on fire!" she shouted, taking advantage of the momentary hesitation in the spider horde to try out her new idea. "Neii~he~he~~" At her command, the nightmare steed began to gallop around the edge of the depression. Wherever it passed, the dried branches, fallen leaves, and spiderwebs mingled among them all caught fire. In no time, a semicircle of flames was blazing around the depression. A gleam of joy flashed across Daphne''s face: just as she had anticipated¡ªthese spiderwebs feared fire! "We''ll drive the fire down into the pit¡ªburn this entire spider nest to ashes!" Daphne''s pupils reflected the blaze as she made a decision that bordered on madness. Just imagining the sunken hollow transformed into a sea of flames, with thousands of spiders writhing within it¡ªeven Astoria couldn''t help but shiver. Perhaps sensing the threat of the fire, the spider swarm stirred once again. They began organizing a second wave of attack, attempting to forcefully extinguish the flames spreading along the edge of the depression. Of course, Daphne and the others weren''t about to let the spiders succeed. The two sides were quickly locked in another fierce struggle. But as the deadlock dragged on, the fire at the edge of the pit only grew stronger. What had begun as scattered ignition points gradually linked together, forming a continuous line, and then¡ªan entire wall of fire. "I have a spell that can push the flames down into the pit. Let me handle it next!" said Hermione. Her face was pale, but she had made her decision. The monster hidden within the spider nest had to be destroyed. Just then, the spiders'' offensive abruptly stopped again. Every single Acromantula began emitting a strange sound¡ªif one listened closely, it almost sounded like they were chanting a name. [Aragog!] [Aragog!] [Aragog!] The name echoed throughout the entire hollow. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 245- Ravenclaw’s Crazy Hint 245- Ravenclaw¡¯s Crazy Hint Rhys shifted his position, wiggling a little to find a more comfortable spot and make sure the tree branch wasn''t digging too painfully into his back. "Hey, I can''t see anymore!" But in the process of moving, his wide wizard robes ended up covering the crystal ball, prompting a protest from Ravenclaw. "Alright, alright, can you see now?" Rhys gave in easily, fixing the crystal ball onto the tree trunk to ensure that Ravenclaw, watching from the dungeon, had a wide enough view. "That''s better... Eh? That necklace¡ªwasn''t it the one you gave that kid? The spell embedded in it is pretty impressive." "Almost as powerful as one of your casual wind blades, right?" "There''s really no need to compare her to me," Ravenclaw''s voice came from the crystal ball. "For you to craft a magical item of that level, Salazar, you clearly put a lot of effort into it!" Rhys smiled but didn''t respond. "That girl Daphne¡ªshe should''ve already figured out the riddle in that little booklet I gave her, right? It''s been in her hands long enough. If she hasn''t studied it seriously, Salazar, you need to push her a bit more." Rhys: "..." He knew it! Ravenclaw was trying to make a move on him. Unfortunately, there was no getting out of it now. He gave a couple of noncommittal grunts and then naturally picked up the previous thread of conversation. "You didn''t seem to have equipped that Granger kid with any magical items for protection? Well, I get it¡ªyour situation''s limited, and it''s hard to send things out even if you make them. How about I make her a defensive magical item instead?" "Thank you so much." Ravenclaw''s tone was calm, almost as if she had expected it all along. "Oh?" Rhys''s attention was drawn away by the students'' latest movements. "Daphne''s finally found the spiders'' weakness." "Fire¡ªa smart choice." Ravenclaw was quite approving of Daphne''s quick thinking under pressure. If they''d kept foolishly flinging spells at the Acromantulas, she would''ve had to start thinking about how to end this trial with some semblance of dignity. "By the way, what kind of creature is that? I''ve never seen it before." The Acromantulas had piqued Ravenclaw''s curiosity. "A new species developed by wizards." Rhys gave her a brief explanation about the dangerous yet valuable magical creatures known as Acromantulas. "Looks like something right up your alley." After learning that Acromantula venom was a highly valuable potion ingredient, Ravenclaw smiled knowingly. "This species seems particularly weak against Basilisks, doesn''t it?" Ravenclaw had picked up on another weakness of the Acromantulas. "That''s right¡ªunrestricted vision brings many advantages, but naturally, there''s a price to pay as well." If Daphne understood Parseltongue and went to the Chamber of Secrets to call out the basilisk, these Acromantulas covering the ground wouldn''t even be enough to feed it. But of course, that was only a hypothetical. Without Rhys''s authorization, the basilisk wouldn''t heed Daphne''s command. While the two were chatting, the Acromantulas began calling out the name "Aragog." "Looks like the spiders are up to something again?" "Oh?" ... "Hold on a second," Daphne reached out to stop Hermione, motioning for her not to ignite the web just yet. The Acromantulas'' behavior had piqued her curiosity¡ªshe wanted to see what they were trying to do. Her question was soon answered: A spider nearly the size of an Asian elephant crawled out from the center of the massive web in the middle of the hollow. It moved very slowly, and unlike the others, its fur was not pitch black but a dull grayish black. Every eye on its horrifying head was clouded over with a white film¡ªit was clearly blind. "What''s going on? I hear the wails of my offspring, smell the scent of blood and flesh, and sense the presence of magic¡ªtell me, what has happened?" It could talk!!! All three girls¡ªHermione, Daphne, and Astoria¡ªwere stunned. After fighting these Acromantulas for so long, this was the first time they realized that Acromantulas could actually speak human language. Just then, Harry descended from the sky and landed beside Astoria. "Quite the spectacle," he remarked first, then turned to look at Daphne, waiting to hear what she planned to do next. "Let''s wait and see what that big spider wants," Daphne said. Her plan was to hold position for now¡ªthey had the upper hand anyway. After Aragog spoke, a commotion rippled through the gathered Acromantulas. Then, one particularly large spider opened its mouth to answer Aragog''s question: "Humans. Several humans attacked us!" "Humans?" Aragog raised his head in confusion. "Was it Hagrid? He wouldn''t attack us." "No, strangers. They suddenly appeared and killed several of our kin. And now they''ve lit a ring of fire outside our home!" As the Acromantula spoke, its pincers clicked open and shut rapidly, producing a constant clack-clack-clack. As its tone grew more agitated, the pace of the clacking quickened too, the sound becoming sharper and more frantic. Realizing the attackers weren''t Hagrid, Aragog let out a sigh of relief¡ªif it had been Hagrid coming to slaughter his children, that would have put him in a very difficult position. If it wasn''t Hagrid, then things would be much easier. Just as Aragog was about to give the order to tear those foolish intruders to pieces, he heard the word "fire" from one of his offspring. "Fire? Tell me more," Aragog''s tone grew serious. He knew exactly what his lair feared most. The spider explained their current situation to Aragog in detail. Aragog fell silent. After a moment, he slowly said, "Take me to see these people." As soon as those words left his mouth, the surrounding spiders grew restless again. They were worried and felt that what Aragog intended to do was far too risky. But Aragog held an extremely high status among the Acromantulas¡ªso high that no other spider could overturn his decision. And so, a few minutes later, surrounded by many of his children, Aragog began his heavy, lumbering walk toward the edge of the hollow. Once he arrived, even though he had lost his sight, he could still sense the presence of flames through the waves of heat rolling in against him. "Outsiders, why did you attack my children? Why did you set fire to our home? All these years, we have honored our agreement¡ªwe have not left the Forbidden Forest, nor have we harmed any humans." With the sharp click-clack of his massive pincers, Aragog questioned them in a voice full of anger. But despite the harshness of his tone, his posture was low and non-threatening¡ªclearly positioning himself as the victim, the one in the right. This took all four of Daphne''s group by surprise. Hermione, trying hard not to look directly at Aragog''s horrifying face, stepped forward and summoned her courage to speak: "There''s an evil creature hiding in your nest." "That''s right," Daphne added from the side, then explained the existence of the black mist in full detail to Aragog. Aragog fell silent. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 246- Mission Accomplished 246- Mission Accomplished "A demon that infiltrated the clan and fed on our kin''s life force?" Aragog''s voice was filled with hesitation and confusion. "My children have not mentioned such a disturbance to me." Daphne''s lips curled into a mocking smile. "Maybe they enjoyed it, old spider? Just now, they seemed to be eating quite happily." Aragog instantly fell silent. Even the clicking of the massive pincers on his head ceased. After a long pause, he finally expressed agreement in a slow, heavy tone. He was old. His control over the colony had been steadily declining. This vast brood had already begun slipping from his grasp. For now, he could still barely maintain order with the prestige he had built up over the years, but many things were already beyond his influence¡ªlike feeding on the corpses of their own kind. Aragog believed that even he, once dead, would be devoured by the colony. Such was the nature of Acromantulas! But this was different! How could they turn a blind eye to such an anomaly? Just for a bite of their own kind''s flesh? Aragog suddenly spun around, his jointed limbs grabbing the nearest Acromantula and dragging it in front of him. "Tell me¡ªhow many of our kin have died suddenly recently?" Aragog''s voice erupted with an unprecedented force, sweeping away the frailty he had shown moments earlier. The spider caught in Aragog''s grip curled all its legs up tightly, shrinking into a ball. It looked absolutely terrified. After a few seconds, seeing that Aragog showed no intent to punish it, the spider trembled as it replied. In the past few days, it said, one to three spiders had been dying each day, sometimes more. This had been going on for over a week. Aragog felt a wave of suffocating frustration: Over a week?! Don''t you have any sense of how often your kin should be dying? Don''t you think this is way too frequent? Acromantulas were magical creatures known for their long lifespans. Unless fatally injured while out hunting, they did not die for no reason. Daily deaths of this magnitude were far beyond normal. Now, Aragog no longer doubted a word of what Daphne and the others had said. He turned his head and asked, "That creature¡ªit''s parasitizing the back of one of my children, isn''t it?" After receiving a confirmed answer, Aragog gave an order to all the Acromantulas to vacate the nest. The old patriarch''s words still held sway. After a moment of clamor, the spiders began to withdraw from the nest. Soon, Daphne and her group spotted a spider with a tumor-like lump on its back¡ªclearly the one that was being possessed. Daphne raised her wand, ready to strike¡ªbut then paused and lowered it again, remembering what had happened the last time she blasted a spider apart. "Are all the spiders out?" she asked softly. Aragog tapped the ground with his limbs and soon gave his conclusion: "There''s still one hiding deep within the web... heh." It now understood clearly: that was the true culprit. Without hesitation, Aragog gave the order for its children to drag the corrupted spider out of the nest and tear it to pieces. At the same time, it turned to face Daphne and the others, speaking in a humble tone: "Please extinguish the flames. The Acromantula are not enemies of the wizards." While Aragog was negotiating with Daphne and the others, the fire had grown significantly. At this point, they didn''t even need to do anything¡ªthe blaze alone could bring a devastating disaster to the Acromantulas. Daphne couldn''t help but lick her lips: she really didn''t have a good solution. Starting a fire was easy; putting it out, not so much. She glanced at the Nightmare standing beside her. At Daphne''s command, the Nightmare began to run along the edge of the fire wall, helping to contain the flames within a certain range. Then the four young wizards took turns casting Freezing Charms on the roaring fire. After quite a bit of effort, they finally managed to extinguish the flames at the edge of the hollow. With the fire put out, the battle within the spider nest had also ended. Outnumbered, the possessed spider was dragged from the nest by the other Acromantulas and torn to shreds. "Looks like it''s all over now," Aragog sighed with deep emotion. If not for these young wizards, who knew how many more of its children would have died? Because of this, it decided to forgive the bloodshed the young wizards had caused at the start. "It''s not over yet," Daphne narrowed her eyes. She had noticed that when the spider hidden deep within the nest was torn apart, a small black notebook fell from its body. She believed that was the true source of it all. If that notebook wasn''t destroyed, everything else was meaningless. Right now, the notebook lay quietly among the fallen leaves and webbing, looking as harmless as could be. But clearly, once the chaos had settled, it would stir up another storm. After listening to Daphne''s explanation, Aragog let out a sigh. "I''m too old now, truly incapable of dealing with such a monster. Please, all of you, help me destroy it. I''ll keep my children in line." With Aragog''s assurance, Daphne led the other three young wizards down into the hollow. Sensing danger drawing near, the corrupted Riddle Diary no longer hesitated. It immediately manifested a form of Riddle from within its pages. This version of Riddle was already tainted¡ªhis spiritual form emanated a nauseating black corruption, and his eyes were filled with an insatiable lust for blood and destruction. Like a beast, he lunged at the four young wizards, moving at an astonishing speed. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Astoria¡ªonly to be flung backward by the protective spell she''d instinctively cast. Immediately after, Hermione''s precisely aimed Impediment Jinx hit the creature dead-on, freezing it in place, and several attack spells rained down on it without hesitation. Although the spells couldn''t kill it outright, they continuously weakened it. Once the life force it had absorbed from the Acromantulas was depleted, it would be forced to shrink back into the diary. Sensing its dire situation, the already maddened Riddle suddenly opened his mouth and let out a piercing screech filled with intense negative emotion. The four standing nearby instantly felt dizzy and disoriented, and the spells they were casting were cut off. Taking advantage of this opening, Riddle lunged at Harry¡ªnot the closest wizard to him, but instinctively, he still chose Harry over the nearer Daphne. Caught off guard by the spirit''s screech, the four were momentarily defenseless. If nothing intervened, Riddle might have turned the tide in his favor in that desperate lunge. But the nightmare beast, unaffected by the screech, suddenly charged forward and slammed into Riddle, knocking him back and simultaneously setting his spirit form ablaze. Riddle, already at the end of his strength, let out a cry of agony before his entire spirit was consumed by black smoke and pulled straight back into the diary lying on the ground. At last, it was all over. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 247- Help Me Cheat! 247- Help Me Cheat! Daphne picked up Riddle''s diary from the ground. Without even bothering to flip through it, she walked straight to the corpse of a nearby Acromantula. "This thing is kind of like... one of the alchemical artifacts mentioned in those books I got from¡ªIt needs to be destroyed in a special way," Hermione caught up and almost said something she shouldn''t have. Fortunately, she stopped herself in time and changed her wording. "I know," Daphne waved her hand dismissively, then forcefully stabbed the diary onto the Acromantula''s fangs. A scream, unlike any human sound, came from the diary. At the same time, thick black blood gushed out from the spot where the fang pierced the diary. Along with the blood, dense black smoke billowed out as well. This process lasted for over ten seconds before everything returned to normal. When the dust settled, Daphne, Astoria, Hermione, and Harry had together resolved the crisis in the Forbidden Forest. "It''s over. The monster lurking among your kind has been dealt with," Daphne said, holding the still slightly smoking diary as she walked past Aragog. "Thank you, young and outstanding child," Aragog tapped its massive pincers as a sign of respect and added with a sigh, "It''s a pity there is no one as talented as you among my descendants." Being praised by a giant spider felt rather strange. Daphne shook her head, suppressing the bizarre feeling, and left the Acromantula''s nest together with the other three. Once the spider nest was far behind them and the distant silhouette of Hogwarts Castle became faintly visible, Daphne began to worry about Rhys''s safety. She was eager to know how things were going on his side. At this moment, Rhys was chatting with Ravenclaw. "So, how about it? The student I trained isn''t bad, right? She handled everything properly and methodically¡ªat first, I actually thought she was going to set the spider nest on fire," Rhys said with a cheerful expression. In his view, Daphne and Astoria completely deserved a perfect score for tonight''s assessment. "Indeed," Ravenclaw''s voice carried a trace of envy. "That Granger child still needs more experience, though the final monster''s strength was a bit on the weak side." Rhys shrugged. "Nothing to be done about it. You''re the one who drove it so insane it could barely use any of its original magical power. Besides, that final soul-targeted attack was still very dangerous. If the Nightmare hadn''t been there, that Potter boy would''ve suffered a bit." "Looks like the next teaching objective is to strengthen the children''s soul-level defenses." Rhys sighed. "Rowena, you know as well as I do¡ªthere''s no shortcut on that front. The only proper way is to study magic diligently and make one''s soul stronger and stronger." "Can''t you make a few magical artifacts?" "It''s very difficult..." "I''ve saved up a few things over the years. There might be something among them that can help you." "That might actually work." In just a few words, Rhys and Ravenclaw had settled the deal¡ªRavenclaw would provide him with some special dark creature materials, and he would attempt to create defensive magical artifacts on the spiritual level. When the conversation was almost over, Rhys jumped down from the tree, ready to head back to the castle. "You can''t go back yet. Theoretically, you should still be trapped inside the seal, fighting desperately alongside me," Ravenclaw''s faint voice echoed, making Rhys freeze. "Oh, right! That..." Rhys couldn''t help but cover his forehead. He needed to find a place to kill time for the night. But it was just one night. He didn''t dare delay any longer; if he dragged it out and ended up breaking down Daphne and Astoria''s mental defenses, it would completely backfire. Who knew what they might end up doing! Thus, early the next morning, when Daphne walked into the common room with dark circles under her eyes, she saw that familiar figure once again. In an instant, her eyes turned red with tears. "Rhys!!!" She rushed over, running straight to him, then stood frozen in place, too overwhelmed with emotion to say anything. Seeing Daphne''s expression, Rhys felt a trace of guilt flash through his heart. Please forgive me, my student. Maybe next time I won''t use this excuse again. But this is something that must be experienced on the path to becoming a mature wizard.No one can guarantee that things like this won''t happen in the future...Study magic diligently, child! That trace of guilt existed in Rhys''s mind for only a second before it completely vanished. He reached out his hand, smiling as he looked at Daphne. "Daphne.." "Y-Yes?" "My package, it''s time you gave it back!" Daphne: "..." Rhys''s words instantly broke Daphne''s emotional momentum. With his interruption, the excitement that had first surged in her heart disappeared without a trace. Daphne rolled her eyes at him irritably, then took out the package Rhys had previously entrusted to her from inside her robes. Watching Rhys tie the package back around his waist, an uncontrollable curiosity welled up in Daphne''s heart¡ªshe even slightly regretted not opening the package yesterday to see what was inside. But yesterday, she clearly hadn''t been in the mood. Today, even though she was curious, the opportunity had already passed. "Take a guess?" Faced with Daphne''s question, Rhys dodged giving a direct answer. Daphne: ... "It''s not a bunch of letters from medieval wizards, is it?" Daphne joked. "Correct." Daphne''s expression instantly became one of utter shock: You really collected a pile of medieval wizard letters?! "Don''t believe me?" Rhys raised an eyebrow. Of course Daphne didn''t believe him¡ªshe had always thought the so-called "letters from ancient wizards" were just an excuse Rhys made up. How could they actually exist? "Want to bet?" Rhys''s confident attitude made Daphne hesitate, but the wager he proposed clouded her judgment. "If I can''t produce those letters, I''ll answer one of your questions¡ªany question at all. But if I can show you the letters, you''ll have to help me with a trivial task," Rhys said, his eyes gleaming with cunning. He really needed his student''s help right now! "Any question at all?" Daphne, like a fish lured by bait, was hooked by the temptation. "Of course. I swear on the honor of Slytherin House that I will truthfully answer any question," Rhys said. Daphne was immediately tempted. She felt Rhys was clearly bluffing! At this moment, she had already convinced herself completely, to the point where no matter how she reasoned it, she would reach the same conclusion: Rhys was stuck, forced into a corner by her, and could only use the so-called "bet" to try and brush her off, hoping she would back down. I won''t fall for it! Daphne showed a confident smile and accepted Rhys''s wager. Then she watched, dumbfounded, as Rhys pulled out a thick stack of parchment from that small package. "Here, take a look. I''ve got plenty more," Rhys said as he placed the first stack of parchment on the table, then pulled out a second stack from the package. Daphne: !? Still unwilling to give up, she picked up the parchment and flipped through it, only to find that they really were letters written in Latin by ancient wizards!!! "I lost. Go ahead, tell me what you want me to do," Daphne said, her eyes vacant and her face pale, like a fish caught and pulled ashore, giving up all struggle. Rhys softly voiced his request. Daphne immediately widened her eyes: You call helping you cheat on an exam a trivial matter?! Rhys laughed happily. "Otherwise? What, you expect me to obediently take the exam properly?" _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 248- Magic from Hufflepuff 248- Magic from Hufflepuff Of course, times were different now, and Rhys hadn''t found a suitable excuse to take the exam at a different time from Daphne. Poisoned by a potion last year, poisoned by a potion again this year? That would be way too suspicious and would definitely arouse the professors'' doubts! So Rhys chose instead to directly borrow Daphne''s written answers. After all, a thousand years had passed, and his theoretical knowledge was somewhat outdated. Taking time to relearn everything wasn''t worth it, so he simply had his student handle it¡ªRhys was definitely not the type to sit obediently in the library memorizing principles. The process of borrowing didn''t even require Daphne''s cooperation. The main reason he created a "bet" was because he had decided to inform Daphne in advance. If she truly refused, Rhys naturally had other means. Of course, teasing this little girl a bit and watching her reactions was genuinely a lot of fun! Daphne fell into a dilemma: even though she had lost the bet, she still wanted Rhys to take the exam on his own. It wasn''t because she was some model student who strictly obeyed school rules¡ªit was simply because she wanted to see how well Rhys would score on the final exam. If¡ªjust hypothetically¡ªshe managed to beat Rhys in grades... Well, that would count as a small victory for her, wouldn''t it? Just as she was thinking about how to cleverly "weasel" her way out of this debt, a figure rushed to their table like the wind. Without even looking, Daphne knew it was Astoria. "Rhys?! That''s great, you''re back!" Astoria''s excited voice rang out beside them. Rhys smiled and nodded, saying nothing about what had happened the night before. After a while, once her excitement had passed, Astoria noticed something. "Big sister, you didn''t even tell me! You just sat here chatting!" The fact that Daphne hadn''t immediately told her about Rhys''s return made the young girl rather upset. "We barely said a few words. It''s not like a few minutes would make a difference!" Daphne shot an annoyed glance at Astoria. "What were you two talking about that made you forget all about your little sister?" Astoria pulled out a chair at the table and plopped down, her eyes gleaming as she looked at them. Rhys explained the bet between him and Daphne. A thoughtful light flashed across Astoria''s eyes. "I think¡ª" Daphne was organizing her words, ready to argue with Rhys properly, but Astoria cut in. "Why don''t you let me try instead? We could figure out the exam schedule and see if I can also take a few of the tests." Astoria looked eager, her face full of excitement. She wanted to try the harder exams from a higher year! Plus, it would be fun to compete alongside her sister, wouldn''t it? "And what about your own exams?!" Daphne couldn''t sit still. "And classes like History of Magic¡ªthat has nothing to do with your spellcasting skills!" "For subjects that are just rote memorization, I can start reviewing early. There''s still a whole month anyway!" Astoria responded confidently. "As for my own exams..." She looked at Rhys and blinked her eyes. "Rhys, since I''ll have to drink Polyjuice Potion to take the exams for you, why don''t you also drink one with my hair in it and take my finals for me?" Rhys rubbed his chin, feeling that half of Astoria''s proposal was quite workable, but there was one point that needed correcting. "No need for Polyjuice Potion. I can use Transfiguration to create a lifelike fake body to sit your exams. I guarantee no one would notice. But I do think you could try taking the second-year exams yourself." After hearing Rhys''s words, both Daphne and Astoria showed a flash of bewilderment in their eyes: Is that even allowed?! The corners of Rhys''s mouth lifted slightly. "Daphne, you should still remember that fake body from before, right?" Daphne instantly recalled a not-so-distant memory. That fake body really had been indistinguishable from the real thing. "That''s a very advanced magic," Rhys said, smiling as he began explaining the origin of the spell to them. It was a charm developed by Helga Hufflepuff herself. She had given it a very plain name¡ª"The Doll Creation Spell." And the origin of this spell could be traced back to an exhausting adventure... ... "Now we fucking rest!" Godric, after walking into the cave, immediately collapsed onto the ground without any concern for appearances, almost falling asleep on the spot. His three close friends were no exception. The ground seemed to pull them down like a magnet attracting iron, as if there was nothing more blissful than simply lying down. But there was still much to be done¡ªstarting a fire to cook, cleaning the cave, setting up guards. Yet in their current state, who had the energy to do any of it? "Rowena..." "You can consider me already dead." "Godric?" "I think I dropped my sword sheath out in the forest. Be a good brother and bring it back for me." Salazar: "..." Just as he was forcing himself to get up and tidy the cave, the always-quiet Helga moved into action. "Let me do it." Compared to her three friends, Helga was still in relatively good condition¡ªshe had only suffered some minor external injuries and was mainly exhausted. She pulled out her wand from her robes and pointed it at the corner of the cave. There, the stones in the corner gathered together, combined with a pile of dirt, and formed a three-foot-tall little figure. After the little figure was formed, it wobbled out of the cave, and after a while, returned carrying a bundle of firewood and a dirty sword sheath¡ªit was already moving quite nimbly by then. "Helga, you actually know this kind of spell?!" Salazar was astonished. Before, Helga couldn''t even manage to transfigure wood into a wooden carving, and now she could cast such an incredible spell? "Mm, the Transfiguration magic you taught me before¡ªI spent some time studying it and had some new insights. Today was just the right chance to use them. Also, the soil here is very suitable... maybe if we were somewhere else, I wouldn''t have been able to manage it," Helga said, her face pale. She fell silent after speaking and focused almost all her energy on controlling the little clay figure she had created. The clay figure busied itself around the cave¡ªit started a fire, then cleaned up the filth inside the cave, and finally even set up a pot to cook a soup for everyone. Salazar added some herbs into the soup, which would help them heal. He sharply noticed that the clay figure could actually use magic! The layers of dust, dirt, cobwebs, and droppings on the ground were all cleared away by magic. "Incredible. Helga, how did you do it?" Salazar''s look of astonishment was practically tangible. "I just really, really wanted to do it¡ªand then, combined with a sudden flash of insight from earlier, it happened," Helga confessed. Salazar: "..." "Really, I just really, really wanted to¡ªand with that bit of inspiration, it came about," Helga added, as if afraid her friends would misunderstand her. "..." Salazar fell even more silent. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 249- Exam Results 249- Exam Results "So even Slytherin and the others couldn''t fully understand Lady Hufflepuff''s spell?"After listening to Rhys''s story, Daphne blinked. "Of course not!" Rhys glared at her. "Otherwise, where do you think my fake body came from?" He calmed himself and explained to Daphne that although Hufflepuff herself couldn''t clearly explain the principle, she had still done her best to cooperate with her friends in studying the spell. Eventually, Slytherin and Ravenclaw succeeded in recreating it and even made some improvements. However, the clay figures recreated by Slytherin and Ravenclaw were still far inferior to the ones Hufflepuff made herself¡ªthey could only exert a small portion of the original''s strength, while Hufflepuff''s dolls could unleash over eighty percent of the original body''s power, and the duration was much longer too. "Still, Slytherin and Ravenclaw didn''t earn their reputations for nothing. They made significant improvements to the dolls'' external appearance, making them nearly indistinguishable from real people. Back then, wizards could sense magic directly, so achieving that level of realism was quite an impressive feat!" Rhys said, unable to hide a trace of pride in his tone. After all, they had truly poured a lot of effort into it back then. Daphne and Astoria listened with stunned expressions. After a little while, Daphne timidly asked, "Was that recorded in the letters of the ancient wizards too?" Rhys narrowed his eyes: This little girl is getting harder and harder to fool! "No, it was from Slytherin''s personal notes¡ªalright, let''s get back to the main topic. Astoria, are you willing to take the second-year final exams for me? In exchange, I can help you take your finals, but you''d better not set your hopes too high for the results," Rhys said, as his goal had now shifted. If before it was simply to save himself trouble, now he genuinely wanted to see Astoria''s level¡ªto see how she would perform facing exams meant for a higher year. After giving it serious thought, Astoria accepted Rhys''s proposal, and thus began a month-long, grueling period of studying. She truly got up earlier than the chickens and went to bed later than the pigs, practically living in the library from morning till night. When the day of the final exams arrived.. she overslept! Combined with the time lost taking Polyjuice Potion and changing clothes, she almost missed the first exam. But in the end, she managed to finish all the exams without a hitch under Daphne''s complicated gaze, and no one noticed anything strange. "Now all that''s left is to wait for the results!" The Great Hall was lively after the exams. Astoria happily picked up a bowl of pudding, smiling brightly as she said, "How did you do, big sister? Don''t tell me you ended up scoring lower than me." Daphne''s face darkened, and she suddenly felt a twinge of regret: she should have reviewed her History of Magic notes more carefully earlier. Damn it! Under Rhys''s influence, she hadn''t taken subjects like History of Magic seriously either! Could it be that I really got a lower score than this little girl Astoria? She shivered at the thought, and the dessert in her hand no longer tasted so sweet. After lunch, the group followed the crowd out of the Great Hall. On the way, they ran into Hermione, who had just finished eating. Judging by her expression, she probably did quite well on the exams¡ªthough, of course, she would never admit it. If you asked her, she would endlessly complain about some question she changed from the correct answer to the wrong one. Yet once the results came out, you''d find she only got that single question wrong. Since their shared adventure in the Forbidden Forest, the relationship between the Greengrass sisters and Hermione had improved quite a bit. Plus, Rhys and Hermione were old acquaintances, so the four of them naturally fell into conversation. The main topic was, of course, their summer holiday plans. Halfway through their chat, a sudden cheer rang out behind them. The voice wasn''t unfamiliar¡ªRhys immediately recognized it as Ron from the Weasley family. He turned around and just happened to meet Ron''s gaze. Ron gave him a big, cheerful smile and waved a letter in his hand, then squeezed through the other students'' curious glances to Rhys''s side. "My dad won the Daily Prophet''s Grand Prize Draw! The prize money is several hundred Galleons! Now I can finally buy a new wand!" he said excitedly, unable to wait to share the good news with Rhys. What else could Rhys say? He could only offer his congratulations out of politeness. "Not just a new wand! We''re also planning to go on holiday to Egypt during the summer. My brother Bill works there as a Curse-Breaker for Gringotts... Oh right, Rhys, where are you planning to go for the holidays?" Ron was visibly excited, practically wanting to share his joy with the entire school. "Oh?" Hearing the word "Egypt," Rhys couldn''t help but raise his eyebrows. "What a coincidence. I''m planning to head to Egypt during the summer as well." Daphne and Astoria immediately pricked up their ears, but unfortunately, Rhys didn''t say more, leaving them rather disappointed. Perhaps because even the professors were eager for the holiday, the final exam results came out very quickly. Within three days of finishing the exams, the report cards were delivered to the students. Professor Snape, as usual, managed to obtain the grades for all students across the school and posted a sorted list on the house bulletin boards. When Daphne spotted those charts from afar, she felt both excited and nervous. As she drew closer, a few snippets of conversation floated to her from the crowd. "That Astoria is Daphne''s younger sister, right? Amazing, full marks in every subject?!" "No wonder they''re descendants of the Greengrass family. The sisters are ranked second and first¡ªreally incredible." "Rhys Lint is amazing too. He was second last year, wasn''t he? And now he''s first!" "If he were willing to get up there and duel, who knows how many matches he could win¡ª" "..." Daphne''s mind buzzed, and she nearly fainted as stars danced before her eyes: How could this be?! Astoria actually scored better than me? And Rhys, even while substituting, managed to come out first¡ªwhat was going on? Gritting her teeth, she squeezed into the crowd and then clearly saw the rankings written in black and white. Her whole world felt like it was falling apart. She turned her head and found Rhys and Astoria had also squeezed in behind her, strange glints flashing in their eyes. Astoria said, "Big sister, I didn''t expect you to... to.. pfft! Bahahaha.." She couldn''t hold it in and burst out laughing. Rhys said, "I really didn''t study much, really! It just happened that the questions were on things I knew..." His face was full of "sincerity." But honestly, as a teacher stepping in to take an exam for his student, how could he allow himself to fail any subjects? Those who know, know. And so, amid Rhys and Astoria''s laughter and Daphne''s deep gloom, the summer holidays began. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 250- Sell Me This Pet! 250- Sell Me This Pet! "Rhys, you''re planning to go to Egypt for the summer, right?" On the Hogwarts Express back to London, Daphne asked this question very seriously. Daphne was a little anxious¡ªif she didn''t ask now, Rhys would soon separate from them! She still wanted to spend the long summer holiday with Rhys, and also take the opportunity to learn some new and fascinating magic from him. She was especially interested in the "Doll Creation Spell" he had mentioned earlier, and she felt a strong urge to study it. Rhys thought for a moment, feeling a bit hesitant. Mainly because this expedition was closely tied to Hufflepuff, which meant a high degree of uncertainty. He couldn''t say for sure what would be waiting for him in the ancient ruins of Egypt. Maybe there would be nothing at all¡ªor maybe it would be like the dungeons, with a mad Hufflepuff hidden inside. Daphne pondered for a moment, then threw out what she thought would be an irresistible bait for Rhys: "Alright, forget the previous topic¡ªRhys, could you tell me what ways there are for humans to fly?" Daphne''s sudden shift in topic left Rhys a little confused, but it was clearly a simple question. "Flying broomsticks, flying spells, flying carpets, Portkeys could count too, I suppose? And there are also various magical creatures that can fly¡ªHippogriffs, Thestrals, and dragons all count." "Then do you know how Muggles fly?" Daphne''s next question made Rhys fall silent for a few seconds. If this question had been thrown at Rhys two years ago when he had just awakened, he would have been completely baffled¡ªhow could Muggles possibly fly? But after cramming a large amount of knowledge, Rhys now knew that those seemingly ordinary Muggles really did have ways to take to the skies! "I''ve heard they have something called an ''airplane,'' an alchemical creation that can carry over a hundred people at once during flight. It''s truly hard to imagine such a sight." A gleam of excitement flashed in Daphne''s eyes¡ªshe felt the fish had taken the bait. "It seems the British Muggle government has strong ties with Egypt''s Muggle government, so there are quite a few direct flights from London to Cairo. What do you think about the idea of taking a plane to Egypt? It would be a great opportunity to study a Muggle flying creation up close. If you want, I can have my father get you a ticket!" said Daphne in a single breath. Although she had grown up in a wizarding family and knew little about the Muggle world¡ªonly bits and pieces¡ªshe could still leverage her family''s connections to arrange for someone to travel by plane. Honestly, Rhys was quite tempted. Daphne''s meaning was very simple¡ªshe could help Rhys get a ticket for a Muggle airplane, without any conditions attached. Given what she knew about Rhys, she thought this was the most efficient way to persuade him. "I''ll brew a cup of tea first."In the end, Rhys decided to use tea leaf divination to foretell the fortune of this trip. If the divination result turned out unfavorable, he would absolutely not take Daphne along, no matter how shameless it would be to accept the plane ticket she arranged¡ªhe had already decided to fly to Egypt by plane. Although the field of divination was heavily influenced by innate talent, Rhys believed that the strength of one''s soul also affected the accuracy of divination, especially the success rate of short-term predictions. As for this hypothesis, Rhys had even designed a simple little experiment: he crafted a twelve-sided dice, divined the result before each throw, and then rolled it, finding that his prediction accuracy was noticeably higher than mathematical probability. However, Ravenclaw had also criticized Rhys''s experimental design. She believed that Rhys might have subconsciously influenced the dice through psychological suggestion, leading him to roll the number he wanted, and therefore she thought Rhys''s hypothesis lacked sufficient evidence. Even though he didn''t get Ravenclaw''s support, Rhys still trusted his own theory and believed that his divination results were at least somewhat reliable. Taking out a small cauldron, Rhys quickly brewed a cup of tea, drained it in one gulp, and then, following the instructions from the book, swirled the cup a few times and began observing the patterns formed by the tea leaves. The results of the tea leaf divination were fairly optimistic. Rhys concluded that the trip would be, at most, a case of "startling but without danger." "Book two tickets. You want to go to Egypt too?" he asked. "Make it three!" Astoria immediately latched onto him as soon as she sensed Rhys loosening up. "Will Mr. Greengrass agree to this?" Rhys frowned slightly. After all, on the surface, they were just a group of ten-year-old kids. Would Mr. Jamison Henry Greengrass really allow three children to travel abroad together? "Of course he will," Daphne and Astoria answered in unison. Mr. Greengrass had great trust in Rhys, and they were confident they could persuade him. Besides, they still had a major piece of news they hadn''t yet revealed to their father... Seeing this, Rhys agreed as well. He comforted himself by thinking of it as taking some kids on a summer camp trip. At the same time, he also silently warned himself not to take on any more apprentices for a while. Two kids were already enough to worry about. If he accepted any more students, he probably wouldn''t have the energy to manage them. The train arrived at the station, and the students poured out in a stream toward the platform. A large splash of red in the corner of the platform caught Rhys''s attention¡ªit was the entire Weasley family. Judging by their clothes, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, along with two of their already-graduated sons, had all come. Standing nearby were also two people who looked like reporters. As soon as Ron, Fred, and the others got off the train, Mrs. Weasley called them over. "Percy, Ginny, and you three, come here quickly!" When the five of them, looking utterly confused, walked over, Mrs. Weasley immediately began "arranging the troops," lining the whole family up in a row. Then, a photographer from the Daily Prophet snapped a hurried family photo. "We just gave an interview to the Daily Prophet¡ªyou know, your dad won the grand prize, and the newspaper wanted to do a follow-up interview, asking how we plan to use the prize money and such," Mrs. Weasley explained to the kids once the family photo was done and the interview wrapped up. Ron, hugging his pet rat, immediately protested, "So that photo is going to be in the newspaper?! Why didn''t you say so earlier?! If I had known, I would''ve put this guy away!" The rat, Scabbers, didn''t react to Ron''s complaint; it simply lazily rolled over in his arms and curled its paws inward. Off to the side, Percy frowned as well. "Isn''t this a little too rushed? How can anyone tell from this photo that we''re planning to go to Egypt?" The reporter from the Daily Prophet just smiled and didn''t bother replying to them. Choosing to do the interview in London was obviously for convenience¡ªwhat, were they supposed to follow them all the way to Egypt? Just like that, the large group squeezed past Rhys and the others, and Ron accidentally stepped on Rhys''s foot. "Ah, Rhys, I didn''t mean to!" "It''s fine... eh? Ron, wait a second." Ron stopped, looking at Rhys in confusion. "Sell me that pet rat of yours." Rhys''s words left him completely stunned. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 251- Happy Scabbers 251- Happy Scabbers Ron was utterly astonished. In all his life, this was the first time he had ever seen someone willing to buy his pet rat. "Uh, why are you suddenly saying that?" he asked in confusion. "I''m a ''snake,'' aren''t I? Isn''t it normal for me to like rats?" Rhys joked lightly, making Ron chuckle as well. "No wonder I like all kinds of meat¡ªbecause I''m a lion!" Ron replied. Of course, Rhys wanting to buy Ron''s rat wasn''t because he was "possessed by a basilisk" or anything like that. It was because, after a brief glance just now, he had been shocked to notice that Ron''s rat had a strong mana fluctuation! It was definitely not an ordinary rat. Coupled with what Professor McGonagall had shown them during their very first Transfiguration class¡ªher skill in becoming an Animagus¡ªRhys immediately realized that Ron''s rat must be an Animagus. And that made things very interesting: what would drive a wizard with decent talent to live in the form of a rat? While it couldn''t be ruled out that it was due to some peculiar fetish, it was much more likely that there was some hidden reason behind it. As for Animagus¡ªa very advanced branch of Transfiguration¡ªRhys was quite familiar with it, although he had never learned the spell himself. It wasn''t because he couldn''t learn it, but because he thought the spell was pretty useless. The preliminary steps were extremely complicated, and the benefits after mastering it were pitifully low. Rhys couldn''t be bothered to waste his energy learning such magic¡ªhe preferred to focus on spells that would help him survive in a grim world. The uncontrollable nature of an Animagus''s transformation form was one of the major reasons it was considered impractical. Before completing the Animagus ritual, you could never know what you would turn into¡ªyou might become a tiger or a lion, but you might just as easily become a cockroach or a rat. It had a certain connection to your personality, but there were no absolute rules. You might think of yourself as a "lion," but in reality, you could end up being just a "cat." More importantly, while turning into an animal sounded cool¡ªso what? It wasn''t very practical. All the advantages brought by transforming into an animal could be replaced by magic. Even if a wizard who transformed into an animal was far stronger than an ordinary creature, they still ultimately gave up the most powerful weapon a wizard possessed. Still, although Rhys considered the spell rather impractical, he never disrespected it, because it was undeniably very difficult. And that only made it all the more intriguing¡ªso Rhys decided to buy Ron''s rat. "It''s quite special," Rhys said, without revealing too much, but even so, it made Scabbers wary. It continued to coil lazily in Ron''s arms as if asleep, but in truth, it had shifted all its focus to Rhys and Ron''s conversation. It was already preparing to escape. "What''s so special about it?" Ron looked completely baffled. "It''s just a bit longer-lived than normal rats, that''s all." "That''s exactly what makes it special."Seeing that Ron hadn''t noticed anything unusual about his pet rat, Rhys didn''t expose Scabbers'' true nature. He merely told Ron that he suspected Scabbers had some kind of magical creature bloodline¡ªor maybe it was even some undiscovered magical species. Ron: "..." He squeezed the fat rat in his arms and confirmed that it really was just an extremely ordinary, plump rat. "You''re overthinking it," Ron said, feeling like he had a lot to complain about but not knowing where to start. "Anyway, could you bear to part with it? I''m genuinely interested in it." Daphne chimed in from the side, "Yeah, this rat really does look unusual! Its longevity is already its most remarkable feature. I''d like to keep it at my house." For Daphne, rats normally looked pretty disgusting, but since Rhys seemed so eager to get it, that changed everything. She wanted to get her hands on the rat that even Rhys was tempted by and properly study why it was so special. "Uh, Daphne, it might not be as long-lived as you think..." Ron said, feeling a bit embarrassed, because he honestly couldn''t be sure how old Scabbers was. In his memory, Scabbers had been living with his family since he was little, but was the "Scabbers" from back then really the same "Scabbers" he was holding now? Ron didn''t dare make any guarantees. After all, Scabbers had been passed down to him by Percy, Fred, and George, and at first, he hadn''t been very familiar with the rat. The moment Scabbers heard the name "Daphne," a different kind of thought stirred in his heart. The reason he had spent ten years pretending to be a rat was partly because he was officially considered dead at the Ministry of Magic, making it inconvenient for him to show himself¡ªany exposure would trigger uncontrollable risks. The other, even more important reason was that he needed firsthand information from the wizarding world. Hiding with the Weasley family allowed him to receive news of the Dark Lord at the earliest opportunity, so he could immediately go and pledge allegiance. That was the kind of person he was¡ªalways siding with whoever was strongest. After the wizarding war, even though Voldemort had fallen, he hadn''t truly died! Unable to return to normal life, Scabbers chose to continue betting on Voldemort, remaining loyal to the side of strength. The Greengrass family Daphne belonged to was far stronger than the Weasley family. In Scabbers'' eyes, collecting information while living in her household would be far more efficient than staying with this Weasley. There was hardly any need for thought¡ªit was obvious he should cling to the "rich heiress." Ron had no idea that the "rat" in his arms was already contemplating changing allegiances. Seeing how determined Rhys and Daphne were, Ron''s own resolve gradually began to waver. "So... um, then..." Seeing that Ron''s attitude was softening, Rhys, Daphne, and even the rat Scabbers were all quite happy. But then Ron suddenly felt a pang of reluctance: after all, Scabbers had been with him for so long¡ªman and rat sharing a bed every night¡ªthere was genuine affection between them. If he really handed Scabbers over, Rhys and Daphne might use spells or strange potions on him for the sake of research. Scabbers was old now; he might not survive being tormented... "I''m willing to pay five Galleons¡ªI would never take a friend''s things for free!" Rhys''s voice sounded in Ron''s ear. "How much did you just say?!" Ron jerked his head up. "If it''s not enough, I can¡ª" Rhys, thinking Ron found the price too low, was about to offer even more. "D-Deal!" Ron made his decision¡ªhow could he stand in the way of Scabbers moving on to a better life? He believed that in Rhys''s care, Scabbers would surely live the good life, enjoying far better treatment than he ever had with Ron. With these five Galleons, plus the little pocket money he had saved, Ron could finally buy himself an owl, which was way cooler than a pet rat! And so, Scabbers was sold to Rhys for five Galleons. When Scabbers was handed over, a faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He didn''t notice that Rhys was also smiling as he watched him carefully. After taking Scabbers into his hand, Rhys waved at Ron. "See you in Egypt!" "Alright!" _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 252- Mr. Greengrass’s Uneasiness 252- Mr. Greengrass¡¯s Uneasiness "Rhys, you¡ª" After parting with Ron, Daphne couldn''t wait to ask Rhys what he was thinking. She wanted to know why Rhys insisted on paying to buy Ron''s rat. If it had been her, the moment she found out Ron''s pet was an old rat, her first thought wouldn''t have been to buy it. Instead, she would''ve tried hard to recall whether Ron had ever touched any of her belongings¡ªand silently remind herself never to accept food from his hands again. Astoria was also curious. She stood quietly to the side, observing the rat. She looked and looked but didn''t notice anything unusual. Suddenly, a flash of insight struck her. She decided to use the method Rhys had taught her¡ªobserving from the perspective of magical energy flow¡ªand she immediately sensed something off. The mana fluctuations coming from this rat were far too strong! Astoria instantly understood why Rhys wanted to buy it. It truly was something out of the ordinary. Seeing the curiosity in Daphne''s eyes, Rhys sighed and cut her off. "Daphne, when you encounter something, think more. When you see something, observe more. Apply what you''ve learned to everyday life." Rhys''s words left Daphne puzzled. It took her a moment to react. After following the same steps as her sister, she too discovered the unusual magical energy coming from Scabbers. Daphne: ¡°!!¡± Scabbers heard every word the three of them said, but he didn''t understand a single one. He lifted his head and used those beady black eyes to size the three of them up, trying to glean something from their expressions. Then he met Rhys''s eyes¡ªthose dark pupils reminded him of someone from long ago, bringing with them a wave of familiarity that he absolutely loathed. He shuddered involuntarily and quickly looked away. Seeing Scabbers glance up at him, Rhys''s lips curled slightly. "Alright, let''s put our new pet into a cage and keep it at your place for now. Is that alright, Daphne?" "Of course¡ªsuits me perfectly," Daphne agreed without hesitation. Scabbers was thrilled¡ªhe was going to infiltrate the Greengrass family! The unease he''d felt just moments before was instantly thrown out of his mind. Though his body was still at King''s Cross Station, his heart was already soaring toward the Greengrass Manor. Just as he was basking in his fantasy, he suddenly felt a powerful force grip his tail. The next moment, his body was lifted into the air. After the initial panic, Scabbers quickly calmed down¡ªas a rat, he was all too familiar with situations like this. That young wizard named Rhys had grabbed him by the tail and lifted him up. He gave a token struggle or two, and was then stuffed into a cage Rhys had conjured on the spot. Once inside, Scabbers immediately sensed something was wrong: wasn''t this cage a bit too small? He couldn''t even turn around! But by then, it was too late for regrets. After shoving him in, Rhys locked the cage door to ensure he couldn''t escape. He even covered the entire cage with a black cloth, wrapping it so tightly that not even a sliver of light could get through. And just like that, Scabbers was sent to Greengrass Manor. But upon arrival, he didn''t receive the freedom he had imagined¡ªinstead, he was locked in a small, windowless room under strict supervision. Forget access to outside intelligence¡ªeven a glimpse of sunlight was impossible. Feeling utterly deceived, Scabbers cursed endlessly in his heart, but it did nothing to change his situation. He began to miss Ron. At least with that boy, he had the freedom to move around. After confining Scabbers, Rhys settled down at Greengrass Manor. When Daphne tried to convince Mr. Jamison Henry Greengrass, she met with some resistance¡ªhe still had concerns about letting the children go unsupervised. "Your sister''s body is weak¡ªI''m not entirely comfortable letting her just go off like that. And as for Rhys, he''s really just..."At this point, Mr. Henry found himself at a loss for words. He didn''t know how to describe this "child." Unlike the young Daphne and Astoria, Mr. Henry had long since noticed that there was something off about Rhys. He was just too unusual¡ªwhether it was the countless magical artifacts he carried, the astonishing talent he showed in Potions, or those legacies of ancient wizards¡ªnone of it fit with the identity of a typical student. Mr. Henry would bet everything he owned that Rhys Lint was no ordinary child. He was hiding something¡ªsomething big. He had even hired someone to investigate Rhys Lint, and was shocked to discover that the boy seemed to have appeared out of thin air. The so-called "distant cousin" Lupet he spoke of couldn''t possibly be related to him in any way¡ªnot even worth half a Galleon. That woman was just a destitute werewolf, and there was no one named Lint in her family tree. These things left Mr. Henry feeling uneasy¡ªthough only slightly. Because Rhys Lint had consistently shown his family great kindness¡ªso much so that Mr. Henry himself was puzzled by it. Did his ancestors accumulate some great virtue? Why was Rhys Lint so willing to help them? At first, it had only been selling potion ingredients. Later, he even took over Astoria''s treatment and was said to have taught his daughter many ancient spells. Eventually, he had even entrusted them with a treasure like the Slytherin Testament. It was completely unreasonable. In other words, he had been too good to them. Most of Mr. Henry''s unease came from the fear of owing too many favors and not knowing how to repay them. At times, it even kept him up at night. Daphne hadn''t noticed the emotions her father was hiding. Seeing that he was still using her sister''s health as an excuse, she directly dropped a bombshell: "Dad, Astoria''s illness is already cured!" Jamison Henry: "What?" For a moment, Mr. Henry thought there was something wrong with his ears¡ªuntil his eldest daughter repeated it again. He spun around abruptly and stared straight at his younger daughter''s face. Indeed, she did look a little rosier than he remembered, but he had just assumed it was thanks to the effectiveness of Rhys''s potion. He had never dared to dream the illness could be completely cured! Mr. Henry''s first reaction was: Could it be a lie? Just like that scammer Damocles? But he immediately dismissed that unreasonable thought. While he couldn''t treat his daughter''s illness himself, he did have ways to tell whether she had recovered. Rhys would never resort to such cheap tricks to deceive them. Which meant¡ªhis younger daughter had truly made a full recovery?! At that thought, a wave of uncontrollable joy surged through his mind, and his eyes welled with tears. Ever since discovering his daughter''s condition, he had endured hardships unlike any he had experienced in his entire life. The bitterness of it all was something words could never fully express. "I need to go see Rhys," Mr. Henry made up his mind. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 253- I am Slytherin, Salazar Slytherin 253- I am Slytherin, Salazar Slytherin After making up his mind, Mr. Jamison Henry Greengrass didn''t hesitate at all and walked straight out of his study. His daughters instinctively stood up from their seats, but the door to the study slammed shut with a bang. Henry didn''t want his daughters involved in this conversation. As an adult, he understood clearly that knowing too much was not always a good thing. Arriving outside Rhys''s bedroom, Mr. Henry knocked politely on the door¡ªso politely, in fact, that it didn''t seem like he was in his own house. "Come in." The door opened on its own. Rhys was sitting at the desk in the room, reading¡ªa Muggle-published book, no less, its topic an introduction to Egypt''s customs and culture. Reading Muggle books inside the ancestral home of a pure-blood family would be considered heresy in families like the Blacks or the Malfoys. But the Greengrass family leaned more toward the progressive side and didn''t care much about such things. Their family even maintained a faint connection with the non-magical world through a few Squibs within the lineage! Seeing that it was Jamison Henry Greengrass, Rhys wasn''t surprised at all. If he hadn''t come to talk, that would''ve been unexpected. Put yourself in his shoes¡ªwho wouldn''t be concerned about something like this?But judging by his expression, he seemed... quite emotional? Though Rhys was staying in a "bedroom," what the Greengrass family had arranged for him was not some cramped space with just a bed and a wardrobe. It was a large room nearly fifty square meters in size, with its own washroom and even a space for receiving guests. And Mr. Henry, the head of the house, was Rhys''s "guest" today. He sat down in the armchair closest to the desk, wanting to speak, but when the words reached his lips, he found himself unable to say anything. This made the atmosphere in the room a little awkward, but fortunately, Rhys didn''t rush him¡ªhe simply sat quietly in his seat, waiting for him to speak. After thinking seriously for a while, Mr. Henry finally opened his mouth with his first words: "Thank you, Mr. Lint." Rhys''s gaze fell on his slightly reddened eyes, and he understood¡ªDaphne must have told him that Rhys had cured Astoria. She only told him now? Rhys was a bit surprised by that. "No need to thank me. She is someone favored by good fortune. Being able to cure her gives me a strong sense of accomplishment as well." Mr. Henry clasped his fingers together, lips pressed into a line. Rhys''s words carried a tone that made it clear he didn''t care for others'' gratitude¡ªhe was simply immersed in the satisfaction of overcoming a difficult challenge. That kind of spirit... was no ordinary thing. Not even those prestigious potion masters or renowned alchemists carried such presence. So who exactly was he? "The Greengrass family will forever remember what you''ve done. You will always be my friend," Mr. Henry said with sincere emotion. "No need to take it to heart. I only did what I could because I couldn''t bear to see someone with such talent die young," Rhys replied with a helpless smile. He certainly hadn''t treated Astoria for the sake of so-called friendship, but Henry was free to interpret it however he liked. Rhys''s expression was clearly seen by Mr. Henry, which made him feel a bit uneasy¡ªhe could tell that Rhys truly didn''t care about the things he had subtly promised or implied. And to think, even if Rhys said he wanted to become Minister for Magic, Henry would have done everything in his power to make that happen. That was the weight of the "friendship of the Greengrass family." Summoning his courage, he asked the question that concerned him most:"Alright then, please forgive my boldness... but may I ask¡ªwho are you, really?" "Me?" Rhys looked up at Mr. Henry. "Right now, I go by the name Rhys Chassala Lint." Henry''s heartbeat quickened slightly. "You understand what I mean¡ªI''m asking about your real identity. I''m an adult, and everything you''ve shown is far beyond the realm of normal explanation." After hearing Mr. Henry''s words, Rhys understood what he meant. It was completely reasonable. Though he had kept things well hidden at school, he had revealed far too much in front of the Greengrass family. Potion ingredients, ancient spells, his potion-making skills... none of these aligned with the age he appeared to be. Not to mention, his background story was full of holes. "Alright then. I am Slytherin, Salazar Slytherin," Rhys said bluntly, no longer wanting to play guessing games with Henry. Henry: "..." His brain momentarily stopped working. That sentence was just too outrageous¡ªit was like someone saying, "I''m Caesar, give me fifty gold coins to help me revive Rome." It was so absurd that the ridiculous thought crept back into his mind¡ª Is he lying to me? That would be any normal person''s reaction. A ten-year-old child sits in front of you and claims to be an ancient figure from a thousand years ago¡ªwhat would you think? But this was a child with unparalleled healing skills, someone who could cure an illness that had left other masters helpless. When something becomes absurd to the extreme, it paradoxically starts to feel... plausible. "Uh¡ª" Mr. Henry felt like his brain''s language center had suffered a blow. He didn''t know what to say. "Don''t ask me for proof¡ªI really don''t have a way to prove that I''m me," Rhys said with a smile. And it was true. Unlike Helena, the Bloody Baron, or Rowena, Henry Greengrass was someone born a full thousand years later. Even if Rhys told him about "Adrian''s misadventures in his youth," Henry probably wouldn''t know any of it¡ªand might even get angry, thinking Rhys was mocking him. Mr. Henry fell into silence. He was thinking. After analyzing it for a while, he began to accept the news¡ªalbeit at an extremely slow pace. But his rational mind was still resisting, and he subconsciously asked, "But how did you¡ªhow did you live until now?" "Plenty of mediocre dark wizards manage to cling to life using Horcruxes. Why wouldn''t someone like me walk a bit farther down the road to immortality?" When speaking of immortality, Rhys''s tone grew noticeably more animated. He gave Henry a brief explanation of his method for achieving eternal life. If Henry had been only fifty percent convinced before, then after hearing Rhys''s explanation, the credibility in his mind rose to seventy percent. His gaze couldn''t help but drift to the stack of books next to Rhys''s hand on the desk. "Indeed, after sleeping so long, there''s a bit of a disconnect with the world. I need to read more books. It''s so much easier for wizards to find literature nowadays¡ªit''s hard to imagine back then that there would be a shop selling magic books tucked away in some alley," Rhys said with a sigh. Mr. Henry now felt he fully believed it. If the person before him truly was Salazar Slytherin, then all the mysteries were neatly explained¡ªand Rhys''s kindness now had a reason. The Greengrass family did, in fact, share a close connection with Slytherin. Although a thousand years had passed, Lord Slytherin had spent that time in slumber, so the bond between their families hadn''t faded with time. They had truly benefited from the legacy left behind by their ancestor, Sir Adrian. It all made sense now. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 254- Make Slytherin Great Again 254- Make Slytherin Great Again If Rhys had been able to read Mr. Henry''s thoughts, he would have burst out laughing. Fate? More like cursed fate! What kind of twisted coincidence is this¡ªI keep running into your "Green Grass" family! But thankfully, Daphne and Astoria were still young. He could guide them properly, lead them onto the right path, and eventually help them grow into witches like himself. Mr. Henry had no idea what Rhys was actually thinking. At this moment, he noticed another detail: If you write Rhys Chassala Lint in Latin and rearrange a few letters, and isn''t that just Salazar Slytherin?! A flash of realization struck Henry, and at that moment, he became completely convinced that Rhys Lint truly was Slytherin himself. Only a wizard of that level could possibly cure his daughter''s illness! Jamison Henry Greengrass grew more and more excited, goosebumps rising on his arms: This was a legendary wizard who became famous across the seas a thousand years ago, one of the four founders of Hogwarts¡ªand he was now sitting just a few feet in front of him. He was living history! More importantly, judging from his actions, Slytherin clearly saw his two daughters as disciples. In other words, after a thousand years, the Greengrass family had gained two more "Adrians."(If Rhys knew Henry was thinking like this, he would absolutely flip the table.) Ancestor Adrian had exceptional skill in spellcasting and brought the Greengrass family years of prosperity. If even one wizard of that level could achieve so much, then having two of them at once was something far beyond what Henry could have imagined for the future of the Greengrass family. Watching the change in Mr. Henry''s expression, Rhys knew he had already accepted his identity. Perhaps saying something like "As expected of Adrian''s descendant¡ªyou really do look like him" would make him very happy right now, but looking at that face that bore no resemblance to Adrian whatsoever, Rhys just couldn''t bring himself to say it. The hair color, however, was indeed the same as it was a thousand years ago. "Even after a thousand years, your family still has silver hair¡ªthat really is surprising." Rhys''s comment lightened the atmosphere in the room, and Mr. Henry couldn''t help but smile. "Yes, just like the Weasley family, the Greengrass line has its own unique hair color. But even within the Greengrass family, Daphne and Astoria are quite exceptional cases." Now that Mr. Henry was speaking, everything out of his mouth was praise for his two daughters, hoping to elevate their importance in Rhys''s eyes. Seeing the topic shift to Daphne and Astoria, Rhys took the opportunity to give Mr. Henry a reminder. "Don''t tell them my identity just yet, and don''t mention it to anyone else either," Rhys said, blinking. "Let me enjoy a bit of freedom first." With Mr. Henry''s current influence, if he were to publicize Rhys''s identity, Rhys could forget about ever having a peaceful life again. "Understood." Mr. Henry''s expression turned solemn as he promised never to reveal Rhys''s true identity to the outside world. In fact, the fewer people who knew Rhys''s real identity, the more advantageous it would be for the Greengrass family¡ªRhys was like a mountain of gold, and the fewer who knew about it, the better. Mr. Henry wished he could keep this secret forever. However, there was one thing he had to make clear. "Lord Slytherin, may I ask¡ªhave you returned for some special purpose? The Greengrass family is willing to give everything for it!" Rhys: "..." How should he put it? He didn''t really have any grand or ambitious goals. "To teach two apprentices, pass down the lost magical knowledge, and correct the awful atmosphere that''s taken over Slytherin House." These words left Henry deep in thought: it seemed that Lord Slytherin was quite dissatisfied with the ways of the pure-blood families? He decided he would subtly ask his daughters about it later. But there was no doubt¡ªthis was a tremendous advantage for the Greengrass family! Judging by his tone, Slytherin intended to teach their daughters all his most treasured magical knowledge. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Henry left Rhys''s room. As for whether Daphne and Astoria could go to Egypt with him? Of course he had no objections. There was no need to worry about safety¡ªthe safest place in the world was right beside Rhys. Now what he needed to do was quickly arrange plane tickets for the three of them, which wasn''t all that difficult. When Daphne and Astoria saw their father come out of Rhys''s room, they immediately ran over and looked at him with hopeful eyes: You''re going to say yes, right, Dad? "Alright, go pack your things," Mr. Henry said with a gentle smile, indicating his approval. "Yay!!!" The two girls couldn''t help but cheer with joy. Mr. Henry moved quickly and got the tickets settled that very day. Early the next morning, Rhys, after packing lightly, headed to the airport along with Daphne and Astoria, accompanied by Mr. Henry. "This place is even busier than King''s Cross Station." Once inside the airport, Daphne started glancing around curiously like a country girl¡ªit was her first time here, and she had never flown before either. Rhys looked around, and his eyes were quickly drawn to a large glowing signboard. From the text displayed on it, he roughly guessed that it showed information about various flights. This couldn''t help but leave him slightly shaken¡ªhe saw the names of cities he recognized, along with many he didn''t, which meant one could reach virtually any corner of the world from here¡ªand in just a few short hours, or at most, a dozen or so. "Sometimes I really wonder¡ªwho are the real Muggles?" Thinking of how the wizarding world''s modes of transportation had stagnated for over a century, Rhys felt a tinge of heaviness in his heart. Fortunately, there were still things like Portkeys, Apparition, and the Floo Network to maintain the dignity of the wizarding world... But soon, Rhys ran into a problem: what were they supposed to do next? All three of them turned their eyes to Mr. Henry in unison, and Henry looked toward the driver who had brought them there. The man was a distant relative of the Greengrass family, a Squib who had long managed the family''s wineries in the non-magical world. Using the simplest and most straightforward language he could muster, the driver began to explain the process of boarding a plane to four completely clueless wizards¡ªleaving them all feeling utterly overwhelmed. New knowledge flooded into his brain like a tidal wave, to the point that even Rhys felt a bit overwhelmed. But he quickly figured it out: the next step for them was to go to "check-in" and receive their boarding passes¡ªin theory, they also needed to check in luggage, but since they hadn''t brought any large suitcases, that step could be skipped. After understanding this process, which was more complicated than most spells, Rhys decisively headed to the counter to check in. "Oh right¡ªremember to use a little ''trick'' before you reach the counter. Time''s tight, and your ID documents, uh... have a few issues."As the driver handed out a few booklets to Rhys and the others, he suddenly recalled something and reminded them somewhat awkwardly. Rhys: "?" He soon understood exactly why the driver had said that. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 255- Muggle Magic 255- Muggle Magic "You''re Aladdin Ali?" The staff member at the business class check-in counter frowned as he looked at the boy in front of him. Rhys: "..." He braced himself and replied, "Yes." Staff member: You''re telling me you''re eighteen?! Seeing the suspicion written all over the man''s face, Rhys knew he couldn''t stall any longer. He stared into the middle-aged man''s eyes and said, "Yes, I am Aladdin Ali. I would like to be seated with Miss Jasmine and Miss Elsa." While casting the Confundus Charm to cloud the airport worker''s mind, Rhys couldn''t help but grumble inwardly: What kind of ridiculous names are these? Anyone would be suspicious! Fortunately, the Confundus Charm was strong enough¡ªthe staff member''s eyes glazed over, and he mechanically typed a few keys before printing out three boarding passes. Rhys didn''t want to linger. He grabbed the tickets and led Daphne and Astoria straight to the boarding gate. At customs, Rhys used the same trick, casting another Confundus Charm to get them through smoothly. After that, they encountered the checkpoint the driver had called "security." Watching the Muggles place their carry-on luggage into a strange alchemical contraption one by one, a sense of unease rose in Rhys''s heart: Even personal pouches have to go through that?! Judging by the looks of the Muggle security guards, it seemed that this alchemical contraption could see inside the luggage. Would his little pouch be exposed? Or rather¡ªwhat would they see? A small bag "stuffed" with a massive amount of potion ingredients? He suddenly became curious. This was, after all, one of the reasons he had ultimately chosen to travel via Muggle airplane. Unlike most wizards, Rhys didn''t reject learning about the Muggle world. He made an effort to study Muggle technology and life, instead of sticking his head in the sand like most modern wizards. As they went through this entire process, Rhys felt as if he were the Muggle stepping into the "magical world." The Muggle society of a thousand years later was terrifyingly unfamiliar, and now that he, a wizard, had stepped into it without preparation, he found obstacles at every turn. Gaps in common knowledge couldn''t be filled just by reading one or two Muggle-published books. For example, he had known Muggles had airplanes¡ªbut only now, by experiencing it firsthand, did he realize how many complex steps came before boarding one. Everything he saw and heard at the airport even gave Rhys a strange impulse¡ªto leave Hogwarts behind and live in the Muggle world for a few years. When the small pouches the three of them carried went through the security machine, something unexpected happened:The machine couldn''t display the contents of the bags. "Is it malfunctioning?" one of the Muggle guards muttered as he walked over¡ªonly to be promptly Confunded again by Rhys. After the three of them sat down on a bench near the boarding gate, Astoria couldn''t help but sigh, "So complicated... We finally made it this far..." Daphne didn''t respond. She was still immersed in all the fascinating sights and experiences along the way. For someone who had grown up in the magical world, everything that had just happened felt so unfamiliar. Rhys, meanwhile, was observing the travelers shopping at the airport''s duty-free stores. He noticed that modern Muggles no longer used metal coins for payment. Instead, they used colorful pieces of paper and small cards. So this is the currency Muggles use now? Rhys recalled a conversation he had once had with Hermione, where he learned that Muggles and wizards used different forms of currency. At the time, he hadn''t gone into the details of how Muggle money worked, but now that he was seeing it with his own eyes, he was genuinely shocked. Why are customers able to trade mere paper for a merchant''s goods? Paper is apparently more valuable than gold? Aren''t they afraid of people forging this stuff? At that thought, Rhys suddenly realized something important. "Did you two bring any Muggle money?" Rhys asked Daphne and Astoria. Daphne, Astoria: "..." "We forgot." "Can''t we use Galleons?" Rhys let out a sigh, stood up, and wandered around the departure hall for a bit¡ªthen they had Muggle currency. He, Daphne, and Astoria huddled together in a corner of the terminal, studying the colorful pieces of paper. "This one says ''5,'' so it must be worth less than this one that says ''10.''" "Then by that logic, is this coin with ''50'' on it the most valuable?" "Probably? It''s metal, after all." "But I saw that Muggle use a piece of paper to exchange for a bunch of these coins." The two sisters bickered noisily, arguing without end, and even by the time boarding began, they still hadn''t reached a conclusion. Once on the plane, they were met with yet another completely new experience. Daphne and Astoria were utterly baffled¡ªwhy did pressing a single button make the light above their heads turn on? Was this some kind of "Muggle magic"? "Muggle" and "magic"¡ªtwo words that should have been opposites¡ªsuddenly blended together in an oddly fitting way aboard this miraculous machine. Rhys watched coldly from the side, thinking that Muggles must have mastered a new method of harnessing energy over the past thousand years. Its essence was the same as magic¡ªor perhaps it was simply another manifestation of magic itself. Maybe he should write a letter to Hermione, or have a long conversation with her when the term started¡ªthis kind of thing could only be properly understood by someone like her, a young witch from a Muggle family. Even when the plane finally landed in Egypt, the sense of novelty it had brought Daphne and Astoria hadn''t worn off. In the end, the two of them agreed that they would definitely sign up for the Muggle Studies elective next term. "And Ancient Runes too. I strongly recommend you take that one¡ªit''s an extremely useful course." Hearing Rhys say that, Daphne blinked. "But isn''t that the knowledge of those fake Norse gods? What''s the point of us learning it?" Rhys gave her a look full of disappointed frustration. "Those fake Norse gods may not have been anything good, but the runes they left behind are the real essence of it. There''s no harm in studying them." The image of the god-king Odin spitting out rune letters and forcibly tearing open a divine domain¡ªRhys would never forget it for the rest of his life. If even one of the Norse gods had grasped runes to the level Odin had¡ªeven just seventy percent of it¡ªthe outcome of that battle would''ve been completely different. Rhys was definitely going to enroll in Ancient Runes. He wanted to see what kind of progress the wizarding world had made in runic studies over the past thousand years¡ªthough, to be honest, he was quite pessimistic about it. Wizards had even lost the fundamental technique of sensing magical flow. How could they possibly have taken the time to delve into the knowledge of their once-defeated foes? Rhys had a nagging feeling that, in the modern magical world, Ancient Runes might have been reduced to nothing more than the literal meanings of the symbols. As the three of them discussed course selection for the upcoming term, they walked toward the exit of the plane. The moment they stepped outside, a wave of heat rushed at them. Egypt in the summer was unbearably hot! But Rhys and the girls were unfazed¡ªtheir wizard robes were top-quality, enchanted with temperature-regulating spells that kept them cool even in the blazing heat. Even better, wearing robes in Egypt didn''t seem strange at all, so they could walk around in them openly and confidently. As they exited the airport, Rhys narrowed his eyes. The journey to seek out Hufflepuff had officially begun. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 256- It’s been a long time, Helga 256- It¡¯s been a long time, Helga "So this is the place you came all this way for? Why here?"Looking at the dusty little town in front of them, Daphne couldn''t figure out why Rhys would travel such a long distance to get here. After arriving in Cairo, Rhys and the others didn''t continue using Muggle transportation. Instead, like most wizards, they used magic to reach their destination. According to the intel provided by Gemma, heading west from this small town into the desert would lead them to the suspected location of the ruins. Rhys had indeed made a promise to Gemma before, saying that if he ever went on an adventure, he''d bring her along. But this time, he hadn''t told her anything about his plans. The reason was simple: he hadn''t really wanted to bring even Daphne and Astoria¡ªlet alone a former Slytherin graduate he didn''t know that well. Maybe if she''d known Rhys for five years or more, he''d have considered it. "Yes." Rhys glanced at Daphne. "Do you remember that fight with Gemma Farley?" "Of course I remember. It''s still fresh in my mind." That evenly matched duel with Gemma had left a deep impression on Daphne. "The magical sand she used came from the desert not far from here." Hearing this, Daphne''s eyes lit up¡ªshe could already imagine herself getting to play with the same kind of enchanted sand Gemma had used. The power to manipulate Earth was super cool! "So... we''re here to collect sand?" "Mm, but we''re not just here to collect sand¡ªGemma suspects there''s an undiscovered ruin hidden in the area. If the ruin really exists, we''re going to clear it out." The moment they heard the word "ruin," both Astoria and Daphne''s breathing quickened. They began imagining what the ruin might look like and the treasures hidden within. With those expectations in their hearts, the two excitedly followed Rhys into the desert. "Bloody hell, how did Gemma even find that place?" Traveling deep into the desert was incredibly dull. The scenery barely changed, and Daphne felt like she was going insane. "She probably gathered some sort of clues first, then investigated step by step, using various hints to narrow the destination down to a certain region, and finally conducted a systematic search of the area." Rhys explained the usual process for locating ruins hidden by ancient wizards. That monotonous trek lasted a full day and night. When Rhys finally uttered the word "we''re here," both Daphne and Astoria couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Then came the confusion¡ªthere didn''t seem to be anything special around them. It was just an ordinary sand dune. Astoria tried using mana flow detection, and soon she noticed that there seemed to be a faint magical current in the sand beneath their feet. Rhys plopped down on the ground and plunged his wand into the sand. As he channeled magic into it, the sand began to tremble slightly. A few minutes later, a small clump of sand floated up from underground and hovered in front of him. "Those enchanted dust particles are mixed in with a large amount of regular sand. You can start by playing with this little bit first¡ªchannel your magic into the dust, and then you''ll be able to control the earth." Rhys packed the extracted sand into a crystal vial and handed it to Astoria. The girl took the vial, walked a couple of steps to the side, and followed Rhys''s instructions to give it a try¡ªand sure enough, it worked like magic. Once the dust mixed with the sand, it spread her magic throughout. The sand that had been "infected" gave Astoria a feeling of complete control, as if she were moving her own limbs. She could manipulate the sand effortlessly, shaping it into whatever she imagined. The sand first formed a small mound, then quickly morphed into several letters, and then into the shape of a snake. "Rise!" A plump little sand figure appeared on the ground, slowly shuffling its feet. Astoria played to her heart''s content, and Daphne, watching from the side, felt an itch of envy. She quickly asked for the remaining bit of sand from her sister, mimicked her method, "infected" a pile of sand for herself, and then joined in with joy. Seeing the two students fully engrossed in playing with the sand, Rhys didn''t stop them¡ªhe just smiled faintly: Let the kids play all they want. Time for me to take care of the real business. During his earlier investigation, Rhys confirmed that Gemma''s prediction was correct¡ªthere was indeed a ruin hidden beneath this sand dune. He had also figured out the method to excavate it. Rhys continued injecting his magic into the sand, filtering out the dust particles with special magical properties. Once he had gathered enough enchanted sand, he infused them with his magic and used them to take control of a large portion of the surrounding sand. Rhys stood up and suddenly swung his arm forward¡ªthe entire sand dune began to tremble. Off to the side, Daphne and Astoria had been trying to sculpt a miniature Hogwarts castle out of sand, but the sudden tremor collapsed the half-finished castle they were building. Countless grains of sand began to pour down the slopes of the dune like a flood, and this movement triggered a chain reaction, drawing in the rest of the dune¡ªeven the portions that Rhys hadn''t directly influenced with his magic. The entire sand dune began collapsing at an astonishing speed. The three of them used flight magic to hover in mid-air, watching as the dune crumbled away piece by piece. Daphne puffed out her cheeks in frustration¡ªthe castle she and her sister had almost completed was completely destroyed by Rhys in an instant. "Rhys, what are you¡ª"Before Daphne could finish her sentence, she fell silent. Because as the sand slid away, a massive palace built from large white stone blocks emerged from beneath. From the currently exposed portion, the palace was immensely grand¡ªits height possibly exceeding fifty meters, and the entire structure constructed from enormous stone blocks. Over the course of time, the rear part of the palace may have collapsed or its foundation may have sunk, ultimately causing the ruins to take on a triangular shape. The sand carried by the wind had gradually accumulated along the sloped edge of that triangle, eventually burying the entire palace. Rhys moved large quantities of sand off the top and front of the palace, gradually uncovering it from beneath the dunes. "See? There really was a ruin here." Rhys pointed at the palace beneath them, then descended directly to the palace''s main entrance. Once on the ground, Rhys didn''t rush to examine the exterior of the ruin. Instead, he closed his eyes. He focused on sensing the magical fluctuations within the palace. After quite a while, he finally opened his eyes, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips¡ª It''s been a long time, Helga. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 257- Three Entrance Passages and Statues 257- Three Entrance Passages and Statues As soon as the ruins were exposed, Rhys immediately sensed a familiar magical presence. After carefully identifying it, he confirmed that it was the mark left by his food-loving old friend. Helga had definitely been here. She had either left something behind or had fought a great battle with something in this place. Seeing Rhys standing there silently with his eyes closed, Daphne didn''t dare disturb him. She simply stood quietly at his side, observing the palace ruins. The last rays of the setting sun spilled across the palace newly unearthed from beneath the sand, bathing it in a brilliant golden hue. The palace bore strong ancient Egyptian architectural characteristics, constructed from one-meter-wide cubic stone blocks. The exterior of the blocks had been coated with a material that gave them a silvery-white appearance. Judging from the places where the coating had flaked off, the blocks were likely made of limestone. At the outermost edge of the palace stood four enormous and thick stone pillars. They supported the palace''s roof and were carved into humanoid forms¡ªfifty-meter-tall colossal statues that stood outside the palace, each with a different pose. Standing beneath them and looking up was a truly awe-inspiring experience¡ªthe girls weren''t even as tall as the statues'' toes. Daphne couldn''t help but recall the statue of Slytherin in the Chamber of Secrets and began to wonder whether these statues might also be hiding a few basilisk-like creatures. But considering how long the ruins had existed, she figured that even if there had been any, they''d likely starved to death by now. Between the statues was a naturally formed passage leading into the palace. Looking inside, it was pitch dark and impossible to see anything clearly. Daphne didn''t dare act rashly or walk in without caution. There were definitely many traps and mechanisms hidden within this kind of ruin¡ªrecklessness and carelessness would only lead to death. Just as Daphne and Astoria were starting to grow a bit bored from waiting, Rhys opened his eyes. "We can go in." After confirming that this ruin was indeed connected to Helga, Rhys was in a great mood¡ªhe couldn''t wait to fly straight inside. But before entering, there were still a few things he needed to remind Daphne and Astoria about¡ªtwo girls with absolutely no experience in exploring ancient ruins. "First, you must stick closely behind me. Don''t do anything unnecessary¡ªnot even stepping on a tile unless I''ve stepped on it first. Second, if you notice anything unusual, you must tell me. Lastly, try not to use magic inside¡ªjust keep your wands in hand and be ready. Can you do that?" He had to lay this out clearly before entering¡ªotherwise, they might cause trouble inside. The two girls nodded repeatedly, promising to follow his instructions. Seeing their serious attitudes, Rhys gave a satisfied nod. What he feared most was that if he didn''t make the dangers clear from the start, the two girls might not understand how serious exploring a ruin was and treat it like it was just a private chamber at home. Although the traps that blocked the path were likely already destroyed by Helga during her earlier visit, that would only apply to the ones directly in the way. As for the hidden mechanisms, Helga would certainly have found ways to bypass or avoid triggering them. "You can also observe the flow of mana¡ªit''ll help you detect traps and hidden chambers within the ruins."Rhys gave the two girls a reminder. While they couldn''t act on their own, they still had the right to observe carefully. After all, they couldn''t just follow blindly behind him like a pair of sightless people, step for step¡ªhow would they learn anything that way? After saying this, Rhys walked toward the palace. The four statues formed three entrance passages, making it difficult to choose. Until you actually went inside, there was no way of knowing where each passage would lead. But for Rhys, this wasn''t a multiple-choice question. He walked straight to the passage on the far right and entered it first¡ªamong the three, the one with the strongest lingering magical traces of Helga Hufflepuff was this one. Once inside the passage, the enormous stone statues on either side completely blocked their view, and the surroundings quickly dimmed. A vague and indescribable pressure radiated from the statues on both sides, subtly changing the atmosphere around them. Daphne shivered uncontrollably, and Astoria''s face turned pale¡ªthey both suddenly felt an urge to kneel and crawl forward. "Don''t be nervous," Rhys''s voice came from ahead of them, "it''s just a bit of psychological suggestion." His words gave them a jolt. When they looked up at the statues again, the oppressive feeling in their hearts had completely vanished. "Ancient palaces always love to play these mystical mind games. You''ll get used to it," Rhys said with a smile. As for why he was immune to this kind of psychological suggestion¡ªit had everything to do with how many so-called divine palaces he''d personally torn down. They might look impressive on the outside, but once you broke through the defensive enchantments, a single fire could reduce them to rubble all the same. As they continued deeper into the passage, the surrounding light grew dimmer and dimmer. The entrance behind them had shrunk to a bright spot no larger than a palm. Fortunately, the air was still fresh and not at all stale. Rhys conjured a few flames to use as light sources. Under the flickering glow, the sides of the passage were revealed¡ªstone walls covered in relief carvings. Daphne and Astoria couldn''t make much sense of them; they just thought the scenes carved there looked rather lively. Following Rhys''s instructions, Astoria used mana flow detection to observe for a moment. She found that the carvings on both sides were just ordinary stone¡ªno hidden mechanisms. After they walked several dozen more steps forward, she finally noticed something unusual. "Rhys¡ª" "That should be a hidden room or a concealed passage. The mechanism''s already been disabled," Rhys replied without even turning his head. Mechanisms that had already been disabled weren''t likely to hold anything valuable¡ªbesides, Rhys was very clear about the purpose of this expedition. He led the two girls quickly deeper into the ruins, occasionally pausing to explain the features and disarming methods of various defensive mechanisms. Rhys had dealt with several ancient Egyptian ruins in the past, so he had accumulated quite a bit of experience. Before long, they reached the depths of the palace. Based on their position, this part of the ruin was already buried beneath the desert sands. "Stop." Rhys halted and motioned for Daphne and Astoria to look ahead. Dozens of meters away stood two jackal-headed statues, each nearly ten meters tall. Behind the statues were two tightly shut grand doors. "This is a trigger-based defensive enchantment. When we approach them, if they detect that we don''t have some kind of ''access token,'' they''ll come to life and attack us," Rhys explained with practiced ease. "So what should we do? Strike first and destroy the statues?" Daphne asked. "We could, but that comes with risks¡ªwhat if the first strike doesn''t take them down? There''s a smarter way: we destroy their sensory mechanisms instead." To Rhys, both disarming methods were equally valid, but for young wizards who lacked sufficient offensive power, the difference was significant. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 258- The Shadow 258- The Shadow "Come, let me test you two. How do you think the statues over there detect whether a visitor has access permission?" Rhys originally intended to destroy the sensor mechanism of the two jackal-headed statues outright, but after a brief moment of thought, he decided to turn it into a test for Daphne and Astoria. After hearing Rhys''s question, the two immediately focused their magic on their eyes and began observing the flow of mana in the statues. "The eyes!" "The floor!" They shouted at the same time, but pointed to different parts. "There''s such an obvious flow of magic around the eyes¡ªhow can you not see it?" Daphne questioned. "But there''s magic on the floor too! Look¡ª" Astoria pointed to the floor between the two jackal-headed statues, and sure enough, there was a faint magical current flowing across it. "If you''re saying that, then the doors have magic flowing through them too. But this is the floor and the doors¡ªwhat do they have to do with the statues?" The two began to argue. "Is it possible," Rhys interjected, "that the floor, the doors, and the jackal-headed statues'' eyes are all part of the same detection mechanism?" Hmm? Daphne and Astoria immediately took another careful look, and just as Rhys had said, the magic flowing between the jackal-headed statues'' eyes, the floor, and the stone doors was indeed interconnected. In other words, all three components played a role in access detection: the statues scanned the area from the floor to the ceiling, the floor detected those who stepped on it, and the doors sensed whether the person trying to push them had the proper authorization. Triple protection¡ªif any one of the components malfunctioned, it would trigger the statues to awaken. "Then what should we do¡ª?" "If we destroy all three magic formations at the same time, we can effectively blind the statues," Rhys offered the solution. Then he posed a second question: "The designer could easily have set it up so that if any one of these signals was interrupted, the statues would awaken and attack¡ªso why didn''t they?" Rhys''s question made both Daphne and Astoria fall into thought. "Because this used to be a palace, with people coming and going every day. If one of the magic formations happened to fail, the awakened statues would have caused a huge commotion, right?" Astoria concluded after a moment of contemplation. "Beautiful deduction!" Rhys gave her a thumbs-up. "Now we can destroy the formations." The three of them drew their wands. Three spells fired out simultaneously, blasting apart the jackal-headed statues'' eyes, the stone tiles on the floor, and the panels of the doors. After destroying the three sensing mechanisms, Rhys led Daphne and Astoria to the stone doors. The two jackal-headed stone statues stood silently on either side of the doorway, showing no signs of movement. Rhys had a feeling¡ªHelga Hufflepuff was very close. Perhaps opening this door would reveal the answer. He placed his hand on the door and gave it a gentle push. The door slid inward on its own. The space behind the door was vast, with dozens of columns supporting the ceiling. Each pillar was carved with reliefs¡ªperhaps depicting the great achievements of the palace''s master, or maybe telling ancient Egyptian mythologies. But strangely, aside from these pillars, the hall was completely empty, covered only with a thick layer of sand and dust. "A dead end," Daphne said, standing behind Rhys. She looked around at the structure of the hall and realized this was the end of the passage they had entered through. When the palace was still in use, this place might have been filled with countless treasures or papyrus scrolls, but now there was nothing left¡ªonly sand covering the floor. It was likely that someone had already gotten here thousands of years ago. Rhys felt a hint of unwillingness. He crouched down, scooped up a handful of sand, and let it slip slowly through his fingers. After finally finding a clue, it unexpectedly ended here¡ªa thousand years ago, Helga had come to this place, fought a great battle with the palace guards, then gracefully left. The lingering magical fluctuations she left behind had even managed to mislead her old friend a millennium later. "Sigh..." Rhys let out a long breath. But something still felt off to him. He couldn''t quite put his finger on what exactly was wrong. Frowning in thought, Rhys mulled it over for a while, and a question suddenly flashed through his mind: if the aftermath of the battle could still be observed even a thousand years later, then why was this grand hall still so intact? Why hadn''t even the carvings on the pillars been destroyed? The moment he realized this, he sprang to his feet, startling Daphne and Astoria. But before either of them could ask what was wrong, a shadow appeared in the corner of the hall¡ªthe blind spot of their vision. The figure raised its hand, and a blinding light shot from it, aimed straight at Rhys. However, because of where everyone was standing, Daphne ended up in the direct path of the spell instead. It happened so suddenly that neither Daphne nor Astoria could react in time¡ªnor could Rhys. From the moment the figure appeared to Daphne being targeted, not even half a second had passed. Rhys only managed to instinctively cast a defensive spell, but such a hastily cast shield had little power. The intense light shattered Rhys''s defensive spell instantly and rushed toward Daphne. The magic was powerful enough to tear her apart in an instant, so much so that she couldn''t even open her eyes. But at that critical moment, the necklace hanging around Daphne''s neck shattered, and a thick barrier of light appeared in front of her, swallowing the incoming light completely. The next moment, an identical beam of light reflected back from in front of Daphne, blasting a one-foot-wide hole straight into the hall''s stone wall. From the ambush on Daphne to the spell rebounding, the entire sequence took less than a second. Daphne didn''t even understand why her necklace had suddenly shattered¡ªif not for that necklace, she wouldn''t even have known how she died. "Watch out!" Rhys shouted, quickly turning around. With a wave of his hand, he pulled both Daphne and Astoria behind him. At the same time, he unleashed his magic without hesitation, spreading it rapidly in all directions as he began constructing his domain at top speed. Astoria was the first to react and hurriedly cast a defensive spell. Daphne, as if waking from a dream, instinctively reached for the spell embedded in her necklace¡ªonly to find nothing there. That''s when she realized her necklace had just shattered into pieces because of an attack. "You two, get out¡ªright now, immediately!" Rhys said sternly, his tone leaving no room for argument. Daphne opened her mouth to say something, but Astoria tugged on her sleeve, cutting her off. The three of them slowly moved toward the entrance. Rhys''s nerves were stretched to the limit, ready at any moment for another attack. The shadow had vanished the moment the spell rebounded, but Rhys didn''t believe for a second that it had been destroyed. He knew that thing was still hiding somewhere in the palace, waiting for the next chance to strike. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 259- A Battle Across Thousand Years (Part 1) 259- A Battle Across Thousand Years (Part 1) Rhys''s heart was pounding wildly at that moment: if he had believed the nonsense about "letting students grow faster by giving them more freedom" and hadn''t prepared that life-saving necklace for Daphne, then she would already be dead. No one could have withstood that terrifying spell unprepared¡ªnot even him. The magical signature of that spell was very familiar to him¡ªit bore the style of an old friend of his. That confused Rhys. He didn''t know what had happened to her... Could she have suffered the same condition as Rowena Ravenclaw? That would be far too much of a coincidence. The three of them slowly retreated toward the edge of the stone doors. By now, Rhys had constructed several layers of defensive magic in front of him. Even if the shadow figure attacked again, he was confident he could block the strike for Daphne and Astoria. Seeing its "prey" attempting to flee, the shadow figure stopped hiding and emerged directly, firing a powerful attack spell straight at Rhys. This time, Rhys saw the figure clearly as it appeared¡ªit rose straight out from the sand on the ground. BoOOoM! A spell shot out like a meteor and struck hard against the multiple defensive layers Rhys had constructed. While bracing against the force of the impact, Rhys summoned his domain magic and formed a wall of thick mud in front of him. The double-layered defense worked extremely well. After shattering the carefully built magical barriers, the spell lost much of its momentum and merely splashed against the mud wall, raising only a bloom of sludge. "You two go first, return to the town! I''ll catch up shortly!" Without giving Daphne or Astoria a chance to argue, Rhys pushed them out of the hall and waved his hand, sealing the stone doors shut behind them. He had to hold that shadowy figure here to prevent it from chasing after them. He couldn''t guarantee that this monster was confined to this great hall. If it could leave and give chase, it would turn into a pursuit¡ªand once that happened, it would only be a matter of time before someone got hurt or killed. During a retreat, it would be incredibly difficult for him to ensure the safety of both students. But a stand-off here was different. Even if it cost him something, he could at least keep the sand-born creature pinned down in this place. Once Daphne and Astoria got far enough away, it would be easy for him to find an opportunity to retreat as well. After being pushed out of the hall by Rhys, Daphne and Astoria stared at the tightly sealed stone doors, both of their faces looking grim. "Noo! Rhys!" Daphne couldn''t hold back and shouted at the door, slamming her fist against the stone. The force of the rebound left her hand numb, but she didn''t feel a thing. It was the same again... Once again, she was completely useless! Daphne couldn''t help thinking: if she had blocked that spell with an excellent defensive charm just now, would she have been able to stay and fight alongside him? "Sister, let''s go. Don''t waste Rhys''s efforts." Astoria grabbed Daphne''s arm and sincerely urged her. That spell just now had made it clear¡ªfighting on that level was something neither she nor her sister could interfere in. Rhys was buying them time. The best way they could help him now was to run. Fast. Astoria''s words snapped Daphne out of her thoughts. She took a deep breath and prepared to leave. But just as her eyes swept over the stone door in front of her, she suddenly froze¡ªshe remembered that Rhys had blasted a large hole in the door earlier, so why had that hole vanished now? Daphne looked down and found that the floor had also become flat again. A foreboding feeling rose in her chest. She quickly looked up and saw that the two jackal-headed statues, which had been standing still a moment ago, now had glowing red eyes¡ªtheir previously destroyed eyes had somehow been restored. "Astoria, watch out!" she shouted, and instantly cast a defensive spell in front of herself and her sister. Astoria also noticed the strange behavior of the statues. She immediately responded¡ªalso casting a defensive charm while grabbing her sister and pulling her toward the exit. By now, the two statues had fully awakened and were lunging forward with their spears. Buried deep underground and sealed from air for so long, the bronze spears were still as sharp as when first forged, thanks to magical enchantments. With one strike, they shattered Daphne''s shield charm. Astoria barely managed to block the next attack with her own spell. Seeing this, neither Daphne nor Astoria hesitated any longer. They cast flight magic and soared into the air, speeding toward the exit of the ruins. The two statues stomped after them with heavy steps, giving relentless chase. "Why are they chasing us?!" Daphne couldn''t help but yell. "Obviously! Use your brain and think!" Astoria snapped at her sister while casting an obstruction spell behind her. Those two statues were built to guard against intruders! Did you really think they''d stop after hitting you once? They''d at least chase you all the way to the palace entrance, wouldn''t they? Although the two statues moved somewhat slowly, each of them stood ten meters tall, and every step they took covered a massive distance¡ªenough to keep right on the girls'' heels, preventing them from gaining any distance at all. The obstruction spells had almost no effect on them. It seemed they could easily power through any resistance caused by the magic. Astoria gritted her teeth and turned her head, firing an attack spell stored in her bracelet. Watching her younger sister unleash the stored spell, Daphne felt a pang of guilt and frustration. Her necklace had been destroyed¡ªif it hadn''t been, she could''ve teamed up with Astoria and joined in the counterattack. But at the same time, she felt a sliver of relief. Now that she''d calmed down, she realized it was the enchantment hidden in that necklace that had saved her life. Rhys had never mentioned it, but clearly, the necklace had some hidden safety function. But now it was destroyed... Daphne''s emotions were tangled in a complicated mess. Astoria''s spell struck the jackal-headed statue on the left with perfect precision. With a thunderous crash that shook the ground, the statue was blown into two pieces. The fallen statue blocked the path of the other one, giving Daphne and Astoria the chance to put some distance between themselves and the remaining guardian. Seeing that it could no longer catch up with the two intruders, the remaining statue pulled a javelin from its back and hurled it at them with great force¡ªbut the two girls, both skilled in flight, dodged it with ease. ... While Daphne and Astoria were battling the jackal-headed statues, Rhys was locked in a fierce struggle of his own. The shadowy figure was no longer hiding. It now stood openly in the center of the grand hall, casting a barrage of attack spells at Rhys. Rhys took the opportunity to finally get a clear look at the figure''s face. Though it appeared somewhat aged, he was absolutely certain¡ªit was the face of his old friend, Helga Hufflepuff. The only difference was... she was a golem made of earth. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 260- A Battle Across Thousand Years (Part 2) 260- A Battle Across Thousand Years (Part 2) Upon seeing the earthen figure, Rhys understood everything: a thousand years ago, Helga had come here. Perhaps there had been a fierce battle, or perhaps it was a spur-of-the-moment decision¡ªwhatever the case, she had left behind an earthen doppelga?nger... ...which had now brought him endless trouble! Rhys remembered that back when they were still at Hogwarts, Helga''s "puppet-creation magic" produced constructs with time limits. But it seemed she had since improved the spell, overcoming the limitation of the puppet''s lifespan. Maybe the puppet could endlessly absorb magic from its surroundings? Rhys made a quick deduction, then turned his focus back to battling Helga''s construct. At first, both sides were probing each other¡ªbut even these "tests" involved spells lethal enough to kill. With a flick of his wand, Rhys sent a wall of fire stretching across the great hall, the roaring flames sweeping toward Helga''s puppet in a half-surrounding arc. The puppet raised a wand made of sculpted earth, summoning a wall of dirt as large as the wall of fire. Rhys''s flames slammed into the barrier like waves crashing onto a reef, shattering into hundreds, even thousands of sparks. Seeing his spell fail to break through, Rhys didn''t panic. He gave his wand a subtle flick, and all the sparks exploded in unison, blasting Helga''s summoned earth wall into rubble. While dueling with the puppet, Rhys had never stopped trying to expand his domain. But the progress was slow¡ªso far, only a dozen or so square meters of ground around his feet had been transformed into thick, viscous mud. There was no denying it¡ªfighting Helga Hufflepuff''s puppet in a desert environment was a massive disadvantage. The air here was so dry that even though the great hall was buried deep underground, the moisture content was negligible. And Helga Hufflepuff specialized in earth-based magic, putting Rhys at a natural disadvantage in this environment. Spells flew back and forth between them, tearing up the floor of the hall inch by inch. Many of the columns were blasted in half, and clouds of dust and debris filled the air. Swoosh! Several sharp spikes shot up from the ground, piercing straight through Rhys''s feet. But his expression didn''t change in the slightest¡ªbecause what flowed from the wounds wasn''t blood, but thick, tar-like mud. The difficulty of expanding his domain was one thing¡ªbeing able to do it at all was another. At the very least, within the dozen or so square meters around him, Rhys could still execute a wide range of techniques¡ªincluding those earthen spikes, which he had intentionally allowed through as bait. The moment the puppet thought it had landed a decisive blow, Rhys triggered the traps he had secretly planted during the earlier spark explosion. Boom! An explosion erupted beside the puppet, forcing it to dodge. But as it moved, several more explosions followed along its escape path, blasting multiple cracks into its earthen body. Dust swirled into the air as the puppet conjured several earthen shields around itself, firmly enclosing its form in layers of protection. Under the protection of the earthen shields, the puppet and Rhys were once again pulled apart by distance, and the traps Rhys had hidden within the dust earlier had all been completely exhausted. Sand drifted through the air, gathering around the puppet and slowly filling in the cracks blasted into its body. It raised its head, and its dirt-formed eyes stared directly at Rhys, making him frown. This puppet... it didn''t seem like just an ordinary construct. Did Helga leave behind something hidden within it? As Rhys pondered the secrets the puppet might contain, the construct gripped its earthen wand with both hands, dropped to one knee, and thrust the wand into the sand beneath it. Rhys: !!! A bad feeling crept over him. That movement¡ªthere was no way it was part of some ordinary spell. Magic surged at the tip of Rhys''s wand, and he summoned a long whip glowing with dark light, which he lashed toward the puppet¡ªnot to injure it, but simply to interrupt its casting. But halfway through its arc, the whip was stopped. A massive sand-formed hand erupted from the ground, grabbing the whip. Then a second hand rose up from the sand and effortlessly tore the whip in two, as if snapping a strand of hair. The next moment, the entire great hall began to shake. The sand covering the ground surged madly toward the puppet''s location. After tearing apart Rhys''s whip, the two giant hands slammed down on the floor in unison, like a man pulling himself up during a chin-up. The surrounding sand began to merge into the puppet''s body. Rhys''s expression darkened instantly. Just from the prelude alone, he could tell this thing wouldn''t be easy to deal with. He fired off several more spells, but hitting such a massive summoned creature barely left a scratch¡ªnot even enough to be called superficial wounds. Soon, the true form of the puppet''s summoned monster was revealed: a colossal sand golem. The sand golem was round and bulky, with a nearly equal length and width. Its legs were extremely short, while its arms were thick and long. It slowly emerged from the ground, and as the sand golem took shape, nearly all of the sand that had been covering the floor was consumed. In some areas, the stone floor beneath was even exposed. The great hall was at least fifty meters high, and when the sand golem finished emerging, its head had already reached halfway up. Judging by that, the golem had to be nearly thirty meters tall. The puppet stood atop the golem''s head, looking down at Rhys from above. Rhys: ... He suddenly remembered a long time ago, when Helga had once shown them a whimsical magic trick¡ªshe could summon a small clay figure about half a person''s height, and make it perform all kinds of silly antics to amuse them. This round, bulky sand golem looked exactly like that little clay doll¡ªjust magnified hundreds or even thousands of times. The puppet pointed at Rhys, and the sand golem raised its massive fist, slamming it down toward where Rhys stood. As the fist swung through the air, it stirred up a sandstorm like a raging tornado. Rhys instantly dissolved into a puddle of mud and sank into the ground. The next second, the golem''s fist crashed into the floor. A thunderous boom echoed through the hall like an exploding artillery shell, and the entire structure trembled. The golem''s fist drove deep into the ground, splattering sticky mud everywhere. It was as if it had plunged its hand into a swamp. When it pulled its arm back out, half of the golem''s arm was now smeared in filthy, clinging mud. Rhys poked his head up from a short distance away. That seemingly devastating blow hadn''t actually caused him much harm¡ªand it had given him a glimpse into the puppet''s strengths and weaknesses. If Helga Hufflepuff herself were standing here, then he wouldn''t stand a chance¡ªfighting her in the desert was far too disadvantageous for him. But bullying this clumsy puppet a little? That wasn''t a problem at all. Even if this puppet could wield nearly the full strength of Helga Hufflepuff. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 261- Exploiting the Program Bug 261- Exploiting the Program Bug After exchanging blows with the puppet for a while, Rhys discovered a flaw in its design. To conserve magical energy, the puppet wouldn''t go all out from the beginning¡ªwhich was perfectly reasonable. After all, no one would use their full power just to swat a mosquito. But the problem lay in how the puppet assessed the strength of intruders. Specifically, it would first release an attack spell. If the intruder couldn''t withstand it, the puppet would enter a dormant state. If the intruder survived, it would switch to a defensive posture and then gauge the threat level to determine the appropriate level of magic to use. However, Helga clearly hadn''t considered what might happen if an intruder intentionally held back or, due to specific circumstances, appeared weaker. By sheer coincidence, Rhys had stumbled upon this bug¡ªthe puppet would not voluntarily increase its attack power! From the puppet''s perspective, the current level of force should be enough to kill Rhys. If the sand golem''s first punch didn''t kill him, then it would simply throw another one. But for Rhys, if the puppet didn''t activate its domain, it could go on attacking for ten years and still not kill him. Rhys knew perfectly well that Helga''s puppet was capable of activating a domain¡ªbut up to now, he hadn''t sensed anything like that, which meant the puppet hadn''t triggered its domain at all. That gave him an enormous advantage. He could maintain the current pace for as long as he needed¡ªuntil he converted the entire surrounding area into his own domain. As long as he didn''t take the initiative to attack the puppet, everything would be fine. With that thought in mind, Rhys began to implement his strategy. Sure enough, the puppet could do nothing but repeatedly command the sand golem to attack him¡ªlike a game of whack-a-mole. Time ticked by, and Rhys successfully converted most of the underground area beneath the grand hall into his domain. What had once been just a patch of muddy ground had now transformed into a small pond. During this period, he had quietly infused his domain with a considerable amount of magical power, but he held it in reserve and refrained from releasing it, keeping it hidden from the puppet''s perception. After failing to land a hit for so long, the puppet had the sand golem step back two paces and then spread its arms. Seeing the sudden change in movement, Rhys was struck with a realization: this must be a hidden mechanism triggered after prolonged failure¡ªit was about to boost its offensive capability. And since the giant sand golem already represented the puppet''s maximum attack output, the only way to increase further was to activate its domain. Rhys didn''t hesitate any longer. He unleashed the "grand gift" he had prepared for the puppet: with a loud boom, the water in the pond exploded outward, instantly flooding the entire floor of the hall with clear, rippling water. Rhys''s domain was now fully expanded, and in that instant, he cranked its suppression power to the maximum. And that was only the beginning. During the battle, the sand golem''s arms and torso had inevitably been splattered with a great deal of mud. Over time, that mud had gradually seeped into the golem''s body and merged with it. After Rhys fully expanded his domain, the sand golem froze in place. Large bubbles began to swell across its surface, and the dry yellow sand making up its body rapidly became damp. Finally¡ªcrash!¡ªthe thirty-meter-tall sand golem collapsed onto the ground, reduced to a massive pile of wet sand, completely unable to maintain any solid form. Even the puppet standing atop its head was affected¡ªits feet were contaminated by the muddy sludge, which swiftly began creeping upward. The puppet acted instantly. With a wave of both hands, it severed its legs below the knees, cutting them off to stop the spread of the mud. It floated into midair, attempting¡ªjust as before¡ªto summon sand to repair its missing limbs. But it quickly realized that the sand that had once covered the hall was now entirely corrupted by Rhys''s domain during his explosive expansion. The puppet could no longer manipulate it. Rhys stared directly at the puppet hovering in the air, his expression solemn. He felt no pride in the success of his ambush¡ªhe was rapidly evaporating the water covering the floor, filling the entire hall with moisture. He knew very well that he was, after all, fighting the puppet in a desert. Even if he''d gained the upper hand with a clever trick, if this turned into a prolonged battle, he would still be at a disadvantage. If nothing else, the puppet could simply destroy the ceiling of the hall and bury him in an avalanche of falling sand¡ªit would be a disaster. That''s why he had to maximize his advantage in the shortest time possible¡ªand end this fight quickly. The puppet had already activated its domain, but it was being completely suppressed by the overwhelming domain that filled the surrounding environment, rendering it unable to unleash any of the domain''s magical effects. It paused for a moment, then quickly came up with the simplest solution¡ªblow off the roof. The puppet immediately raised its head and lifted its arms, preparing to blast open the ceiling of the great hall with a spell. Even if it couldn''t completely destroy it, creating a hole would still be a tremendous help. However, by this point, the moisture in the hall had become so dense that it was condensing into visible clouds of white mist. Rhys''s face was pale. He had poured nearly all his strength into maintaining his domain, exhausting himself to the point where his vision was blacking out and his throat tasted of blood. But the results were undeniable. From the explosive expansion of his domain, to the sand golem''s collapse, to the puppet floating into midair¡ªless than a minute had passed. Yet the ceiling of the ancient hall was already covered in condensation. Rhys had successfully extended his domain into every corner of the great hall. The puppet''s attack spell struck the domed ceiling, but was deflected. After a few rebounds, even that bit of magical energy was completely swallowed by Rhys''s domain. Seeing this, Rhys smiled. "Helga, it seems... I''ve won." The puppet seemed to realize its predicament. It simply stopped struggling and dropped to the ground, allowing the muddy sludge beneath it to begin corroding its body. It stared directly at where Rhys stood, clenched its fists, and suddenly lunged at him. Hand-to-hand combat? Rhys was slightly surprised¡ªsuch an action was completely meaningless. He could have just slipped into the mud and allowed it to slowly consume the puppet entirely. But when he saw that all-too-familiar face¡ªand the expression on it that struck a deep chord of recognition¡ªRhys dismissed that thought. He decided to grant his old friend''s puppet a final shred of dignity... just like a thousand years ago. Heh~ Rhys tossed aside his wand, rolled up his sleeves, and charged at Helga Hufflepuff''s puppet head-on. Bang! Bang! Rhys''s fists slammed into the puppet''s face, while the puppet struck him hard in the back. To be honest, after taking a few solid punches from the puppet, Rhys started to regret his decision¡ªbut he gritted his teeth and kept fighting. One man and one puppet, two individuals of immense magical prowess, choosing to settle it like Muggles¡ªwith their fists. But this battle had no suspense from the very beginning. A few minutes later, Rhys lay flat on the ground, panting heavily, while Helga Hufflepuff''s puppet slumped silently beside him, completely motionless. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 262- This is no ordinary palace 262- This is no ordinary palace Lying on the ground, Rhys felt pain in every joint of his body. He turned his head to glance at the puppet lying beside him. The puppet left behind by Helga Hufflepuff had already been completely corroded by Rhys''s magic. At this point, the only reason it still maintained a humanoid shape was because Rhys was using his magic to hold it together. If he withdrew his magic, it would instantly collapse into a pile of sludge. Rhys was silent for a long time, then let out a bitter laugh: this really was just like that scene from a thousand years ago... Back then, when he had fallen out with his old friends, it had also come to blows. But as masters of domain magic, none of them could truly defeat the others, so in the end they had tossed aside their wands and exchanged punches with their former comrades. Even after a thousand years had passed, Rhys still didn''t think he had been wrong. Students born to Muggles should, to some extent, be monitored¡ªisn''t that reasonable? He had once tried to trust those from Muggle families, but they betrayed Hogwarts and let everyone down. After that, he had still allowed his friends to admit Muggle-born students¡ªthat alone had been a significant concession. Unfortunately, his compromise hadn''t earned their understanding. Instead, it had planted the seeds of even greater disaster. But all of that was in the past now. Silently, Rhys summoned the magic within his domain to begin healing his injuries. Once the pain from the blows had lessened enough, he stood up. After gazing down at the puppet on the ground for a moment, he withdrew his magic, letting it collapse into a pile of mud. A puppet, after all, was just a puppet¡ªit could never take the place of the real person in his heart. With that done, Rhys lifted his head and strode confidently out of the great hall¡ªonly to be surprised when, instead of being greeted by his two students, he was met by two jackal-headed stone statues. ... Outside the ruins, Astoria and Daphne were panting heavily. That desperate flight just now had left them utterly exhausted, but thankfully, they had escaped unscathed. The two of them hadn''t followed Rhys''s instructions to return to the town; instead, they had chosen to silently wait outside the ruins. While waiting for Rhys, each girl was lost in her own thoughts. Daphne was still frustrated over her broken necklace, while Astoria was recalling the way the necklace had reacted during the ambush. It was obvious now that a life-saving spell had been embedded within it. At that thought, Astoria couldn''t help but glance down at her own bracelet. She was wondering¡ªhad a similar life-saving spell been added to her bracelet as well? She wasn''t sure, because that would mean a whole life! The value of these two alchemical items would differ drastically depending on whether such a function was included. And what right did she have to accept such a precious gift out of nowhere? Rhys treating her illness had already left her with a debt she could never hope to repay. Maybe only her sister''s necklace had that function? That''s what she thought, since Rhys always seemed to be more concerned about her sister. If Rhys knew what Astoria was thinking, he would probably brew a strong pot of tea, then ask in a world-weary tone: Isn''t it perfectly normal for a teacher to spend more energy on the slower student? "It''s Rhys! He''s out!" Astoria was still lost in thought when Daphne suddenly stood up and shouted. Having dealt with the two jackal-headed statues, passed through the narrow passage again, and returned to the desert, Rhys let out a long breath. He looked up at the sun and saw it still hanging high in the sky. Rhys felt a vague sense that something wasn''t quite right, but before he could dwell on it, Daphne had already run up to him. "As expected of you¡ªhandled that monster in no time! You''re amazing! So what was that thing?" Daphne fired off her questions like a rapid-fire cannon. Her praise didn''t make Rhys feel relaxed¡ªinstead, the sense of unease in his heart only grew stronger. In the end, Rhys realized something strange: the position of the sun hadn''t changed much¡ªbut his battle with the puppet had been a long, drawn-out fight. "Daphne, how long were you waiting outside?" Rhys asked the question that concerned him most. Daphne froze for a moment, her mouth slightly open, a bit confused: she didn''t understand why Rhys would ask something like that. She hadn''t paid attention to the time¡ªher mind had been elsewhere just moments ago. "I... I''m not really sure. It couldn''t have been that long, right?" Astoria had also run over. After hearing Rhys''s question, she answered with certainty that the two of them hadn''t waited long¡ªabout five or six minutes after they exited the hall, Rhys had come out. Rhys narrowed his eyes. That didn''t add up¡ªhe had spent far more than five or six minutes fighting the puppet in the ruins. He felt that the battle had lasted at least an hour, maybe even longer. "We need to run a few tests," Rhys finally said, having come to a decision. Too many questions had arisen in his mind, and with them, just as many hypotheses. He needed to confirm things through experimentation. "First, let me ask you this: when you exited the hall, were the two jackal-headed statues restored?" After receiving a definite answer, Rhys felt his hypothesis had come one step closer to being confirmed. "You two, stay right here and don''t move. Keep track of the time," Rhys instructed, motioning for the two girls to stand on a sand dune across from the ruins. From there, they could clearly see the entrance to the ruins¡ªbut not what was happening inside the corridor. Although Daphne and Astoria were full of questions, they obediently followed Rhys''s instructions. They watched as Rhys walked to the entrance of the ruins, then stood at the edge of the corridor for a full quarter of an hour. Daphne and Astoria: ??? Rhys''s behavior completely puzzled them. After fifteen minutes, Rhys returned to them. "How long was I inside the ruins?" he asked. When he learned that he had been standing like a fool at the entrance for exactly fifteen minutes, Rhys didn''t say anything. He simply told them to remain on the sand dune and keep timing him, then turned and entered the ruins again. This time, the difference was that he walked deeper into the corridor¡ªfar enough that Daphne and Astoria could no longer see his figure. But he came back out very quickly, as if he''d just done a quick sprint inside and returned. "Rhys, what on earth are you doing?" Daphne was completely confused, her mind on the verge of exploding from all the questions building up inside her. "First, tell me¡ªhow long was I inside the ruins?" "You walked in and came right back out!" Daphne complained, bewildered by Rhys''s bizarre behavior. "Interesting, very interesting," Rhys said, the corners of his mouth lifting in a smile. "What if I told you I spent several hours spacing out in that corridor¡ªwould you believe me?" Daphne, Astoria: "Wait, what!!?!" The two of them exclaimed in shock¡ªhow could that even be possible?! "This is no ordinary palace," Rhys said, gazing at the ruins in the distance, a rush of excitement rising in his chest. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 263- The Possibility of Meeting Hufflepuff 263- The Possibility of Meeting Hufflepuff If his guess was correct, time within this palace came to a standstill whenever there were no external observers. The first time he, Daphne, and Astoria entered the palace, they had gone in together. Before they exited the palace, there had been no "observer" present outside, so they hadn''t realized that time inside the palace had actually come to a halt. It was only through certain subtle details that Rhys had noticed something was off. Rhys also realized that it was the palace''s time that had stopped¡ªnot the time of the people who entered it. That was why, after Daphne and Astoria exited the palace, Daphne''s necklace remained destroyed, and the number of spell charges in Astoria''s bracelet hadn''t been restored. When he entered the palace a second time, Rhys had been under observation by Daphne and Astoria, so the flow of time remained normal. On the third entry, with no one watching, the time discrepancy reappeared. The same logic applied to the two jackal-headed statues. Once the doors to the hall had closed and no observers remained, the statues reverted to their previously "recorded" state. Rhys suspected that if they entered the ruins again now, everything would have been restored¡ªperhaps even the puppet itself would be back to its original form. Practice proves theory. Rhys decided to go back into the ruins once more to uncover the truth. While Rhys was on the verge of unraveling the mystery, Daphne and Astoria were still in the dark. "How did the ancient Egyptians do this?" "So you''re saying the flow of time inside the ruins is different from outside?" Both girls were utterly shocked when they heard Rhys say this¡ªafter all, this was time magic. If any branch of magic deserved the title "the jewel on the crown of magical disciplines," then time magic would undoubtedly be one of the top contenders. The vast majority of wizards go their entire lives without ever coming into contact with time magic. Only a very small number ever have the chance to interact with it. For example, the Unspeakables of the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic¡ªamong the projects they study is time magic. They even safeguard a collection of Time-Turners capable of reversing time, though knowledge of these devices is restricted to a very select few. And now you''re telling us this entire palace is a construct of time magic?!(?_?) Daphne and Astoria felt like their entire worldview was falling apart. "That''s right. Ancient Egypt was, after all, a civilization from thousands of years ago. Back then, magical resources were abundant, so building extravagant wonders like this was more feasible," Rhys said, his tone tinged with envy. Compared to modern wizards like themselves, the ancient Egyptian sorcerers had access to far more magical materials. Still, Rhys and his generation were at least lucky enough to catch the tail end of that age. It was Daphne''s generation and those after her who were truly unfortunate¡ªafter thousands of years of "excavation," there was practically nothing left for them. "Can we... take this palace with us?" Daphne blurted out a bold idea. Rhys: "..." He seriously considered the possibility, but quickly concluded it was highly unlikely. The spell had been cast on the palace as a whole, so taking just a part of it wouldn''t preserve the effect¡ªit would just be an ordinary chunk of stone. "I need to go back in," Rhys said softly. Daphne and Astoria looked up at him at the same time. It was clear they both wanted to follow, but that was out of the question. Rhys wasn''t about to bring two young witches who couldn''t even withstand a sneak attack from the Helga puppet back into the ruins¡ªespecially with Daphne''s necklace now destroyed. Rhys entered the ruins alone once again. As he ventured deeper into the palace, he noticed something strange: just outside the innermost gate, he saw the two jackal-headed statues shattered into rubble¡ªhis own handiwork from earlier. This surprised Rhys greatly. According to his previous hypothesis, everything should have been restored by now. He gently pushed open the door, and a wave of dense moisture drifted out from within, causing his brows to furrow. The great hall beyond the door had also remained exactly as it was when he had last left it. Bathed in the mist, Rhys fell into deep thought, then began to revise and refine his hypothesis. If someone entering the palace caused significant changes¡ªchanges that exceeded the palace''s self-recovery threshold¡ªthen those changes would be "recorded" at the moment of their departure, becoming the palace''s new state. Rhys had turned the great hall into a swamp and blasted the gatekeeping statues into rubble. The extent of these alterations had exceeded what the palace could restore, so his changes were recorded and became the scene that future explorers would encounter. When Helga entered the palace long ago, she likely also made significant modifications, which were similarly recorded. After her, no one else had left their mark¡ªuntil Rhys arrived. So, could this palace be something like a giant magical recording device? Preserving traces of people throughout history? Thinking of a magical recording device, Rhys suddenly had a flash of insight: were the time fragments preserved by the palace just single snapshots¡ªor continuous sequences? And would recording a new sequence overwrite the past ones? His instinct told him that the answer to that question lay within the other two passageways. With that in mind, Rhys didn''t delay any further and walked straight out of the palace. After confirming once again that almost no time had passed outside, Rhys felt he was getting closer to the truth. Wasting no time, he entered the ruins again¡ªthis time through the central entrance. There were more traps and mechanisms along the way this time, but Rhys managed to reach the end of the passage safely. The palace at the end of this corridor seemed untouched¡ªno one had entered it before. The space was filled with scattered items and still preserved the look it had thousands of years ago. But none of that really mattered. What truly drew attention was the half-person-tall, compass-like object placed at the center of the grand hall. Judging by its position¡ªat the far end of the palace''s central axis¡ªit was clearly the core of the entire structure. The compass''s design wasn''t particularly complicated. It was made up of two concentric layers. The outer layer had ten segments, while the inner layer had no divisions. At its center was a raised needle, and along the edge were illustrations of the moon in its phases¡ªfrom full moon to crescent¡ªgiving the entire device a resemblance to a sundial. The shadow of the needle happened to fall on the crescent moon. Rhys narrowed his eyes, a new hypothesis forming in his mind: could each segment of the outer ring correspond to a recorded time segment? And the inner ring... Could it be a tool to adjust which time fragment was being accessed? As this idea emerged, Rhys keenly sensed that this might be the key to meeting Helga Hufflepuff again¡ªa reunion after a thousand years. But it was still just a theory, and he needed to confirm it. Rhys reached toward the inner ring of the compass and turned it to the full moon position. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 264: A Bold Idea! 264: A Bold Idea! After finishing all of this, Rhys once again walked out of the palace. Daphne and Astoria, standing on the sand dune across from the ruins, were stunned. From their perspective, Rhys had been going in and out of the ruins nonstop, looking extremely busy. But that busyness had nothing to do with them. In the end, it was because they simply weren''t strong enough¡ªnot even capable of fending off a sneak attack. "Maybe we really do need to focus more on practicing magic," Daphne sighed. "That''s the only way we can help Rhys as soon as possible." "Yeah." Astoria nodded, agreeing with her sister''s suggestion. After stepping into the palace ruins again, perhaps due to some sort of psychological suggestion, Rhys felt as though something within the corridor had changed¡ªeven though everything looked exactly the same, he couldn''t shake the feeling that something was different. He hurried deeper into the corridor. Sure enough, the two jackal-headed statues had been restored, silently standing guard outside the grand hall''s doors. Having confirmed his hypothesis, Rhys turned to head back the way he came¡ªbut then, something unexpected happened again¡ªhe actually heard human voices! [Ancient palace... full of mumbo jumbo... habits...] The narrow corridor funneled the distant voices toward where Rhys stood. Though they were faint and unclear, he could unmistakably recognize¡ªit was his own voice!!! Rhys''s eyes widened in shock. In that instant, he realized he had been underestimating the palace all along. It didn''t merely record a segment of time¡ªit marked a segment, and then sent whoever entered it into that period! If time was a river rushing forward, and people were fish swimming with the current, then this palace was a boat on that river, continuously dropping anchors along the shore. When a fish jumped onto the boat, it would be carried upstream to one of those anchor points. Of course, it was also possible he was overthinking it, and the palace had merely recorded a projection of him and Daphne''s group. But that was a gamble he couldn''t take¡ªthe risk was far too great. The greatest taboo of time travel was to come face-to-face with your past self. Rhys took a deep breath, his mind racing: what should he do? According to the timeline, he would be arriving at this very spot with Daphne and Astoria in just a few minutes. Right now, he was especially grateful for his habit of being a long-winded teacher. If he hadn''t stopped midway to lecture Daphne and Astoria about ruin mechanisms, he could''ve made it here in under a minute. Though he had only a few minutes to act, Rhys wasn''t panicking. Because he knew¡ªhe would find a place to hide. The reason was simple: his past self hadn''t seen "himself" in the corridor. That meant his future self had clearly managed to hide successfully. He just needed to stay calm and patiently wait for that destined opportunity. Soon, Rhys''s gaze landed on a section of the wall. The moment he saw it, he suddenly remembered¡ªthis was the exact spot where Astoria had noticed something unusual. Behind the bas-relief on this wall was a hidden chamber. He had examined it before as well, and upon noticing signs that the seal had been tampered with, he had moved on and paid it no further attention. But now, the seal on this secret room showed no signs of ever having been opened. A flash of understanding crossed Rhys''s mind. He placed his hand on the relief, carefully sensing the magical circuitry within it. Very quickly, his magic broke through the internal seal of the bas-relief. The sun motif held by the sculpted figure transformed into an opening just large enough for one person to squeeze through. Without the slightest hesitation, Rhys cast a charm to fill the space inside with fresh air, then climbed in. The entrance sealed shut behind him. Inside the secret chamber, it was pitch black¡ªnot a single sliver of light. With the aid of a Lumos charm, Rhys was finally able to see the layout: the space was barely larger than a wardrobe, and inside were stacked over a hundred rolls of papyrus. "Oh?" Rhys suddenly perked up with interest and carefully picked up a scroll to examine it. He had expected it to contain ancient Egyptian spells, but based on the illustrations within the papyrus, it seemed to be a record of ancient Egyptian rituals honoring the sun god¡ªpossibly even containing so-called "oracles." Rhys wasn''t particularly interested in this sort of mystical mumbo-jumbo, but since he was stuck inside the hidden chamber with nothing else to do, he figured he might as well study the scroll¡ªmuch like someone who forgets their phone in the bathroom and ends up reading shampoo labels out of boredom. Just as Rhys was poring over the papyrus under the dim glow of his Lumos charm, voices drifted in from outside. "Rhys¡ª" "That should be a secret room or hidden passage. The mechanism above has already been unlocked." The three voices gradually moved farther away. Inside the secret chamber, Rhys understood that it was now safe to leave. What he had just experienced sparked a bold new idea in his mind. If, after adjusting the inner ring of the compass, he had been able to see a version of himself from an earlier visit to the ruins¡ªthen what would happen if he adjusted the outer ring instead, shifting the palace''s timeline to when Helga Hufflepuff had entered? There was a real chance... he might meet Helga Hufflepuff from a thousand years ago! As for what would happen next, Rhys didn''t know¡ªbut just the possibility of seeing an old friend again was enough to spur him into action. After confirming that his other self had already left, Rhys stepped out of the secret chamber and exited the ruins through the corridor. Seeing the sun in nearly the same position as before, his heart beat a little faster. He instructed Daphne and Astoria to stay where they were, then reentered through the middle passage and returned to the compass. This time, he turned the outer ring of the compass, shifting it forward by one segment. Instantly, an intense wave of dizziness surged through his mind, and Rhys''s vision went black. At the same time, it felt as though he had been stuffed into a bag¡ªand someone outside had sucked all the air out, leaving it a vacuum. The sensation lasted only a few seconds before vanishing completely, but the intense aftereffects still made Rhys double over, vomiting uncontrollably. Once the discomfort passed, Rhys slowly walked out of the palace. Standing at the threshold of the corridor exit, his heartbeat surged to its peak¡ªhe could almost hear the pounding in his chest, the rush of blood echoing in his ears. As soon as he stepped out of the corridor, the first thing he did was glance toward the sand dune across from the ruins¡ªand thank Merlin, Daphne and Astoria were still standing there. Without another moment of hesitation, he sprinted toward the rightmost passage at top speed and rushed all the way into the deepest part of the palace. After waiting patiently in the grand hall for a few moments, he finally heard a few crisp footsteps outside. Then the doors slowly opened, and an elderly witch with a travel-worn look stepped into the hall. Rhys had been waiting here a long time for her arrival¡ª It had been nearly a thousand years since the last time they saw each other. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 265- Why does every old friend want to hit me the moment they see me? 265- Why does every old friend want to hit me the moment they see me? Rhys carefully studied the elderly woman in front of him. To be honest, she looked far too unremarkable¡ªdusty and travel-worn, her face etched with deep lines. If it weren''t for the fine quality of the robes she wore, she could easily be mistaken for a common countrywoman from the English countryside. Anyone who knew her name would undoubtedly be stunned¡ªbecause aside from a select few like Rhys, almost no one would believe that this was the legendary witch, Helga Hufflepuff. While Rhys was observing Helga, she was also sizing up the young boy before her. To her, opening the doors only to see a living person inside this ancient Egyptian ruin¡ªleft behind thousands of years ago¡ªwas utterly shocking. With her level of power, she could easily discern whether the figure before her was a human or some humanoid creature. That only made it all the more unbelievable. "Who ..are you?" Helga didn''t attack the boy standing before her, but instead questioned him calmly. She was a kind-hearted person; she would never resort to killing over something unusual. Of course, her confidence came from her unmatched strength. There weren''t many who could defeat her in the desert¡ªnot even her old friends. "It''s been a long time, Helga... It''s me. I''m Slytherin," Rhys steadied his emotions and greeted his old friend across a millennium, his voice trembling slightly. The conflicts of the past had long faded with the passage of time. Now, all that remained was the longing between old friends. Well... unfortunately, that longing was entirely one-sided¡ªfelt only by Rhys. Helga Hufflepuff, upon hearing those words, looked completely baffled: Never mind how you got in here¡ªfirst explain yourself. Did you just say your name is Salazar Slytherin?! She widened her eyes and stared intently at the young boy before her for a long moment. She had to admit¡ªhe did bear a bit of resemblance to that proud old snake. And then¡ª "You''re Salazar''s child?" Helga drew what seemed to be the most logical conclusion, assuming Rhys to be "Little Salazar." In her eyes, the person before her was likely the offspring of that sly snake after he left Hogwarts¡ªsome old blossom bearing late fruit. Knowing that guy, it wouldn''t be hard for him to sweet-talk some nai?ve young girl. The only question was¡ªwhose daughter had fallen for him? Judging from the hair color, the Greengrass family could probably be ruled out. Rhys: "..." "No, I am Salazar," Rhys said, spreading his hands. "I didn''t go off and have children after leaving Hogwarts¡ªnot in the way you all thought. And as far as I know, none of you did either." Helga Hufflepuff fell silent. "It''s really been a long time, Helga. You have no idea¡ªafter I left the school, I¡ª" "You! You still have the nerve to mention Hogwarts?!" Helga''s emotions erupted in an instant, and she raised her hand, flinging a dark curse straight at Rhys. Rhys: ?! What the hell?! Why does every old friend want to hit me the moment they see me? Ravenclaw was like this, and now Helga too?! But he didn''t have time to dwell on it¡ªHelga''s attacks surged forward like crashing waves, one after another, overwhelming and relentless. Rhys hurriedly raised his wand, countering each of Helga''s incoming curses. He was certain of one thing: if he failed to block even one of them, this old friend of his definitely wouldn''t go easy on him¡ªhe might end up bedridden for the next year. Fortunately, most of the curses Helga used were outdated. Over the past thousand years, they had been studied and optimized by generations of wizards, with far more effective counter-curses now available. Rhys was easily able to dismantle her spells. Helga''s brows furrowed. The moment they exchanged blows, she completely believed his identity¡ªthe fighting style was identical to that arrogant snake''s, and the precision of his spellwork was exceptional. Who else could this possibly be but Salazar himself? And clearly, Salazar''s magical abilities had improved significantly in the years they''d been apart! After Rhys casually dissolved one of her fiercest curses, Helga couldn''t help but click her tongue in secret: He deflected it with that method? That''s absolutely wild! The approach was so unorthodox it bordered on genius. Helga began to suspect that trying to teach that old snake a lesson with spells alone was going to be tough. So, she dropped the idea altogether¡ªand activated her domain without hesitation. Oh, shit! Seeing Helga open her domain without so much as a word, Rhys had the sudden urge to curse out loud: You''re an earth-based witch, and you choose to fight a water-type wizard in a desert by clashing domains? Helga, have you no shame?! Helga, of course, felt no guilt whatsoever. As soon as her domain activated, the entire great hall was swallowed in golden sand, chasing Rhys around as he scrambled to avoid it. But Rhys was fast¡ªabsurdly agile, in fact. She couldn''t pin him down right away, and he even managed to seize a few openings to stretch out a thin thread of his own domain. Helga gave a cold snort and thrust her wand into the ground. Immediately, the earth trembled, and a mud puppet¡ªidentical in appearance to Helga herself¡ªrose up from the floor. Rhys: "..." He knew perfectly well¡ªif he didn''t come up with something quick, he was definitely going to suffer today. So he shouted desperately, "Wait! Stop!" But the moment he opened his mouth, a gust of sand rushed in and choked him, making him cough and sputter uncontrollably. "Salazar, never thought I''d see the day," Helga Hufflepuff snorted coldly, though her movements began to slow. "Ack¡ªAck! This welcome is a little too enthusiastic," Rhys muttered as he spat out the last of the sand that had gotten into his mouth. "If that''s all you came to say, then you can¡ª" Helga and the earth-made puppet beside her simultaneously raised their wands. "Wait! Why are you and Rowena exactly the same? It''s been a thousand years since we''ve seen each other, and the first thing you do is greet me with a domain battle!" Rhys cast a quick spell interrupt, forcing Helga to cancel the spell she''d been building up. "A thousand years? Salazar, what nonsense are you spouting?" Helga narrowed her eyes slightly. "Have I gone senile, or have you overdosed on potion fumes and started hallucinating? It''s only been¡ª" "It really has been a thousand years. Or more precisely, I''m from a thousand years in the future. You''re speaking to the me from a millennium ahead in time!" Rhys declared, firm and unwavering. His statement only confused Helga even more. There were so many strange details, she didn''t even know where to begin picking it apart. But Rhys had already achieved his goal: Helga had stopped attacking. And once she began to think, that was his chance¡ªwho would want to keep clashing with her in the middle of a desert? "I know you have a lot of questions. I can explain everything¡ªwhy don''t we sit down and talk this through?" Looking at the young face of her old friend, Helga accepted the suggestion. There would always be time to punch the old snake later¡ªbut this opportunity might only come once. If she gave in to impulse and beat him up now, getting any answers out of him later might become impossible. So, she lowered her wand and even conjured two stools from the sand. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 266- Hufflepuff Can’t Return 266- Hufflepuff Can¡¯t Return "First off, you''re probably wondering why I look like this, right?" Rhys asked as he took a seat. Now that he had finally sat down, he felt much more at ease and began to speak steadily. Helga Hufflepuff nodded. She was very curious why her old friend, after just a few years apart, looked so young¡ªthis wasn''t just aging in reverse; it was something else entirely. Maybe he had invented some kind of special potion that could return the body to its youthful state? Helga guessed. It seemed like a very reasonable explanation. After all, Salazar was one of the foremost masters of potioneering in the world. It wouldn''t surprise her in the slightest if he''d managed to create such a potion. Rowena would probably love this kind of potion, Helga thought suddenly, and then another idea followed¡ªmaybe she could get a dose of it from Salazar herself. Who wouldn''t want to regain their youthful body in old age? Even if it didn''t extend one''s lifespan, it could at least make the final years of life more comfortable. So many bodily functions go unnoticed until they''re gone, and only then do you realize how vital they were. Rhys''s voice pulled Helga''s drifting thoughts back to the present. "After I left the castle¡ª" he began. At that, Helga gave a sharp huff again, clearly still upset over his departure years ago. Rhys pretended not to hear it and continued, "I wandered for a while, and by chance, I came across something called an Origin Fragment." The words Origin Fragment struck Helga like a bolt of lightning. She abruptly stood up, eyes locked tightly onto Rhys. "You didn''t¡ª" "It''s not what you think. I used it to brew a potion," Rhys said quickly. Only then did Helga relax slightly. If he had directly consumed an Origin Fragment, she would have seriously considered whether she ought to bury him here in this very palace. She, who had once overthrown the rule of the gods, could never allow herself or her friends to become new deities in their place. Still, even if it was just a potion, it was hard to be entirely reassured¡ªand what did that have to do with "a thousand years," anyway? "I got the idea from how snakes shed their skin," Rhys explained. "After taking the potion, I fell into a deep sleep. During that sleep, I would shed a layer of skin every so often. With each shedding, I grew younger¡ªuntil I became a ten-year-old child. That''s when I finally woke up... by then, nearly a thousand years had passed." Helga Hufflepuff: Huh? Even in the magical world, Salazar''s words sounded bizarre¡ªmore like a fable from a storybook. But considering he''d acquired an Origin Fragment, it kind of made sense. That thing, if one were willing to bear its negative effects, could grant immortality just by consuming it directly. But there was still one big question: according to Salazar''s own words, he had slept for a thousand years after taking the potion. So how was he now speaking with her¡ªfrom a thousand years ago? Helga was quite certain she hadn''t slept for a millennium. "It''s the effect of this palace. I used its power to meet with the you from a thousand years ago." And got into a few fights, Rhys added silently, though he kept that part to himself. Rhys then explained the full functionality of the palace ruins in detail to Helga. She listened with growing awe and respect. "I thought this place was just another undiscovered ruin," she said, eyes wide as she carefully studied the hall around them. "I didn''t expect..." But no matter how hard she looked¡ªeven until her eyes started to ache¡ªshe couldn''t spot anything out of the ordinary. It looked, through and through, like an ordinary ruin. Eventually, Helga gave up. Instead, she turned to chat with her old friend. "So you went back? As a student?" Rhys nodded. "As a properly aged young wizard, I showed magical talent in Britain. Naturally, I was accepted into the school¡ªThe Book of Admittance was still functioning perfectly, even after a thousand years, haha~" "Heh~ That''s wonderful," Helga said, a heartfelt smile spreading across her face. Knowing that the school she and her friends had founded was still operating a thousand years later filled her with immense joy. In truth, it wasn''t just functioning¡ªHogwarts could rightfully be called flourishing. It had become the best magical school in the world. Some other schools might not admit it out loud, but deep down, they all understood Hogwarts'' status and significance. "Um... well..." Helga had a question she deeply cared about, but she was also a little embarrassed to ask¡ªsince it was admittedly a sensitive topic. "You want to ask about Muggle-born students, right?" Rhys said, easily guessing her thoughts just from the look on her face. Helga nodded seriously. "They''ve integrated very well. The number of Muggle-born students at the school is no less than in our time. Most of them stay in the magical world after graduation and become part of the wizarding community." As for those who followed the ideology of pure-blood supremacy, Rhys chose not to bring them up¡ªno need to upset Helga. "Even Rowena took on a Muggle-born girl as her apprentice!" Helga: "??" "Wait¡ªdid you just say Rowena? She''s still alive after a thousand years?!" Helga was stunned¡ªwas I the only one who didn''t consider immortality?! "Well... you can''t exactly say she''s still alive," Rhys replied, and then explained what had happened to Rowena Ravenclaw and how he had managed to help her regain her sanity. "You''ve really been through a lot," Helga said, offering Rhys her sincere gratitude. "It''s Rowena who''s had it the hardest," Rhys said, shaking his head. Helga nodded in agreement. "I need to go back." Now that she knew about Ravenclaw''s condition, Helga immediately decided to end her travels and return to Hogwarts. "I can''t just leave Rowena all alone at the school, can I?" Helga shrugged, clearly intent on going back to help lighten the burden on Ravenclaw''s shoulders. Wait¡ª A sudden sense of dread crept over Rhys. When Helga stood up, it hit him all at once: her plan was most likely impossible. She wouldn''t be able to go back. This palace had carried him upstream through the river of time, bringing him to this moment a thousand years in the past¡ªbut once he stepped beyond its boundaries, time snapped back to the 20th century. He had already confirmed this during his earlier trips. So what would happen when Helga stepped outside the palace? Would she still be in the 10th century¡ªor the 20th? Considering that history recorded Rowena Ravenclaw spending her final years alone in the castle, and Helga Hufflepuff vanishing without a trace during her travels, the answer was painfully clear. This... was time. This... was fate. Helga and he were both fish in the river of time. He, a fish from downstream, had brought a "fishing boat" upstream to meet Helga¡ªand then pulled her aboard. Now that the boat had sailed back downstream, Helga had no choice but to go with him. Realizing this, cold sweat began to bead on Rhys''s forehead. In the end, he did his best to gently and tactfully explain his theory to Helga. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 267- Helga: Now that I’m here 267- Helga: Now that I¡¯m here "Huh?" Helga Hufflepuff could hardly believe her ears. She had just come to explore some ruins¡ªhow on earth had that turned into jumping a thousand years into the future? She shot Rhys a skeptical look, her expression practically spelling out the word "unbelievable." "I''m not Rowena, you know!" Rhys huffed, clearly displeased at her lack of trust. "This isn''t something I''d joke about¡ªnot with you." Helga let out a long sigh. "We''ll know once I step outside." With those words, she turned and left the great hall without another word. Rhys followed behind her. Midway through, a thought suddenly struck him¡ªwhat about Helga''s puppet? Was it still inside the hall? Recalling his previous experience, Rhys''s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. So that''s it! Everything finally clicked into place. From Helga''s perspective, she had simply gone on a journey and explored a ruin in Egypt¡ªonly to run into an old friend who''d been missing for years. Then, by accident, she had been transported a thousand years into the future. Because her physical body had already traveled through time, from Ravenclaw''s perspective a thousand years ago, it simply looked like Helga Hufflepuff had mysteriously vanished during her journey abroad. But from Helga''s own point of view, her timeline remained completely intact¡ªnot a single day missing. While thinking this through, Rhys followed behind her, and the two of them walked out of the palace ruins together. As soon as they stepped out of the passage, Rhys instinctively looked toward the sand dune opposite the palace. Sure enough, Daphne and Astoria were still standing on the dune not far away. Helga, too, took note of the changes around her. She sighed again¡ªafter seeing the two unfamiliar young witches standing on the dune and taking in how much the surrounding environment differed from when she had first entered the ruins, she realized her old friend wasn''t joking. She had really arrived in the future¡ªone thousand years later. Staring at Rhys, who was walking just behind her, Helga clenched her fists. Salazar, you''ve really outdone yourself this time. Rhys shivered and quietly took two steps to the side, trying to put some distance between them. But sometimes, you couldn''t avoid trouble just by stepping away. "Salazar Slytherin," Helga''s voice floated softly to his ears, "magic really is a curious thing, isn''t it?" Rhys shuddered again. In most situations, being addressed by your full name was not a good sign. But he didn''t have much choice. Rhys could only nod and agree, "Yes, magic really is... quite miraculous." Helga didn''t say a word¡ªshe just stood there, quietly staring at him. Rhys felt a chill crawl down his spine. For the sake of his personal safety, he figured he should probably say something to soothe his old friend''s mood. "Um..." Rhys opened his mouth, but quickly realized¡ªthere was no good way to explain this. He was like the butterfly in the butterfly effect, whose wings set off a storm of unintended consequences. If not for him, Helga would never have been flung into the modern era, and Rowena wouldn''t have been trapped alone for a thousand years in the dungeons beneath Hogwarts. All of it traced back to the moment Rhys took that potion of immortality a thousand years ago. And if you followed the thread even further back, if he hadn''t fallen out with his friends in the first place, maybe the four founders would have stayed in the castle together. The turning point in all four of their lives had started with him. Fate had played a rather cruel joke. But Rhys, being a seasoned and experienced old wizard, had a mind as sharp as ever. After a brief moment of awkward silence, he suddenly thought of the perfect angle. "Helga, isn''t this... just another form of immortality?" he said calmly and confidently. Helga: ??? Rhys''s words made Helga''s mind stall for a moment. She didn''t quite understand what her traveling a thousand years into the future had to do with immortality. "You and I are actually in the same situation," Rhys explained. "Even though I can technically claim to have lived for a thousand years, I was asleep the entire time¡ªcompletely unaware of what was happening in the world¡ªuntil I woke up two years ago. So really, how is that any different from someone who instantly travels forward a thousand years?" Helga nodded slowly. What Salazar said... made sense. But what did that have to do with her? "To be able to experience life a thousand years in the future¡ªisn''t that its own form of immortality?" Rhys continued, voice calm. "Let''s just pretend we lost our memories for a thousand years. That''s all." Those words struck Helga like a bolt of lightning. She was stunned¡ªhow had she never realized just how good this old snake was at spinning nonsense? Rhys, inwardly: Well, yeah. That''s because you couldn''t kill me before. Now? Not so sure... Even though she could clearly tell that Salazar was trying to talk his way out of things, Helga still felt much better. After all, what else could she do? Even if she gave him a thorough beating¡ªwhich would definitely feel satisfying¡ªit wouldn''t change anything. She couldn''t go back. Might as well go see what Hogwarts looked like a thousand years later. The old snake and the old raven were both still around, so in the end, maybe it wasn''t all that different from the past. Looking down at Salazar''s youthful face, Helga suddenly showed a mysterious smile: So you''ve grown young, old snake. That means I''ll definitely be the first one to leave this world. That''s... actually a relief. There was nothing in this world that Helga truly feared¡ª Except for the pain of watching her friends leave her. Just as Helga was about to head toward the sand dune across the way, Rhys called out to her. "There''s one more thing." Hearing his voice, Helga turned her head and looked at him. "I go by Rhys Lint now. Rowena goes by Spight. Please don''t use our real names in front of others," Rhys reminded her, just in case she accidentally let something slip. Helga raised an eyebrow: These two old snakes... Fine. She supposed she ought to think about what she should be called now, too. She admitted that her two old friends had thought things through. If their real names popped up at Hogwarts, it would undoubtedly cause a stir. She wasn''t the type to enjoy being the center of attention, so taking an alias was absolutely the right move. A perfectly ordinary, forgettable name came to mind. "Then I''ll go by Smith White," said the White Smith herself. "Alright, Miss White," Rhys replied, committing his old friend''s new name to memory. As Rhys and Helga chatted casually, the two girls on the distant dune were on the verge of exploding from curiosity¡ª Why the hell did Rhys bring someone out with him this time?! What on earth was going on? As the two figures walked toward them, both girls grew visibly tense. And rightfully so¡ªafter all, this was someone who had just walked out of a ruin that was thousands of years old. If Rhys hadn''t been standing beside her, they would''ve bolted long ago. Silver hair... is she a descendant of the Greengrass family? Daphne and Astoria observed Helga closely, just as Helga was observing them. "She''s your¡ª?" "My student," Rhys replied seriously. "You could say... my successor." Helga''s expression shifted thoughtfully. Hearing her old friend say that... She suddenly felt like she might want to find a successor of her own, too. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 268- Hufflepuff Reemployment 268- Hufflepuff Reemployment "They must be quite talented, right?" Helga''s curiosity had been fully sparked by Rhys. "Of course¡ª" At the mention of this, Rhys immediately lit up, eagerly boasting to his old friend about the talents of his two students. "That''s wonderful..." A hint of envy flickered in Helga''s eyes. When it came to taking on apprentices, she truly did envy her friends. They always seemed able to find the most gifted students. And it was perfectly understandable. The differences between the four Houses'' student pools meant it was always hard for Helga to find genuine prodigies¡ª The gifted pure-bloods were swept up by Salazar, while the outstanding Muggle-borns either ended up in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. What was left to her were, more often than not, the ordinary ones. After that twinge of envy passed, Helga''s eyes shifted slightly as another thought occurred to her. "They must be a lot like Adrian, right? I mean, they''re his descendants, after all." Rhys''s expression changed immediately. "No, they¡ª" "In the future, they''ll definitely be two little Adrians¡ªhow lucky you are, Salazar!" Rhys''s face had already gone from pale to green. Seeing her old friend''s expression twist like that, Helga finally felt satisfied¡ªshe''d done it on purpose, after all. Who told that old snake to keep flaunting his students'' talents right in front of her? The two ancient friends chatted as they walked up the sand dune, with Helga casually casting a translation charm on herself¡ªjust in case she ran into any trouble communicating with the younger generation. By the time they reached the top, Daphne had already stepped forward and placed herself in front of her younger sister. She greeted Rhys with a seemingly calm expression, but her eyes kept darting toward Helga. "This is Miss White," Rhys said, introducing Helga to the two clearly nervous girls. "She was trapped inside the ruins for quite a while. I just helped her out." Hearing that, Helga had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. She waved at the two little witches, offering a greeting. "Trapped in the ruins? What did you eat?" Daphne asked, full of curiosity about this mysterious woman, eager to know everything about her. At the mention of food, Helga immediately perked up. With a flick of her hand, she pulled a basket and several cups from her robes like a magician performing a trick¡ªclearly intending to show off a little. Seeing his old friend getting into the spirit, Rhys also gave a wave of his wand, conjuring a picnic blanket and a sunshade umbrella. "I brought food with me¡ªwould you girls like to try some?" Helga said cheerfully, her face full of warmth and kindness, like a grandmother basking in the sun on a rocking chair. "Uh, sure," Daphne replied. She hesitated at first, but when she saw that Rhys wasn''t giving any warning signs¡ªand was even helping set up the umbrella¡ªshe accepted with ease. However, what Miss White pulled out was quite disappointing to Daphne: just a few pieces of dry-looking bread and a chunk of cheese wrapped in linen. That feeling of disappointment lasted only a moment, because Daphne quickly realized¡ªthis might be all the supplies this poor old woman had left. "Let''s eat what we brought instead. We just restocked a few days ago," Daphne offered, pulling out her own lunchbox. But Helga firmly refused the suggestion, insisting that Daphne try her "delicacies." Unable to dissuade her, Daphne reluctantly accepted the bread and cheese¡ªand the moment she took a bite, her expression changed completely: despite its dry appearance, the bread was astonishingly soft and rich with buttery aroma. If she hadn''t seen it with her own eyes, she would''ve thought she was biting into a freshly baked French croissant. The cheese was even more magical¡ªevery bite brought a different flavor. It was like a savory version of Bertie Bott''s Every Flavour Beans. Over on Astoria''s side, something equally magical was happening. Helga had handed her a cup, then filled it using a Aguamenti charm with what seemed to be just plain spring water. "Here, drink up!" Helga gestured encouragingly. Astoria was puzzled: she''d heard of people urging others to drink alcohol¡ªbut water? But the moment her lips touched the cup, she understood why. The water inside had mysteriously turned into chilled fruit juice¡ª And it was ice-cold! "Amazing!" Daphne and Astoria exclaimed in unison. "How did you do that?" "I''m quite skilled with food-related magic," Helga responded candidly when the two young witches pressed for answers. She explained that it was simply magic that had altered the taste and texture¡ªthe juice Astoria drank was actually just magically enhanced water, and what Daphne ate was still just ordinary bread and cheese. "When you get older, little pleasures like these are the only way to satisfy your appetite," Helga sighed, a bit wistfully, lamenting how time shows no mercy. After enjoying a simple yet wonderfully flavorful meal, the group set off on their journey back. Before they left, Rhys exchanged a glance with Helga. She immediately understood, gave a wave of her hand, and a cascade of sand fell from above¡ªswiftly burying the palace ruins beneath the desert once again. By the time they returned to the town, Rhys noticed Daphne and Astoria were clearly worn out. He arranged for them to rest at a small local inn. After using magic to quickly clean the sand from their bodies, the two girls collapsed fully clothed onto the beds of the modest room and fell asleep almost instantly. Rhys, meanwhile, stepped outside. With a pot of coffee in hand, he sat down to chat with Helga. "So, what now?" he asked. "Got any plans? Want to see what the world looks like a thousand years later? The Muggle world has changed completely¡ªit''s unrecognizable." Helga shook her head gently. What she cared about most was still the Hogwarts of the future... and the children in Hufflepuff House. "As I thought, you''re just like me," Rhys nodded. "But given your situation... I don''t think you can enroll as a student anymore." Helga Hufflepuff: ... "Is the school still hiring teachers?" Though something about it felt a little off, she figured slipping in under the identity of a professor shouldn''t be a problem¡ªafter all, she did have plenty of experience teaching students. Rhys stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I don''t think Hogwarts is in short supply of teachers right now..." It was said that Hogwarts used to get a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor every year. But this year¡ªwell, technically this year was no exception. Lupin had replaced Lockhart as the new DADA professor. So by that pattern... maybe Lupin wouldn''t resign until next year? Since this year''s "slot" had already been used up by Lockhart? If that was the case, then the school really didn''t have any open teaching positions at the moment. Seeing Rhys say so, Helga looked a little disappointed. Still, she decided she''d try writing a letter to the current Headmaster. Who knows? Maybe there''s a chance? She firmly believed that as long as she could meet with the Headmaster in person, she''d be able to convince him. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI 269- Hufflepuff is perfect for experiments 269- Hufflepuff is perfect for experiments Seeing that Helga was determined, Rhys didn''t stop her anymore. He simply told her that if things didn''t work out officially, she could always sneak into the castle and "squat" there for a while. Helga: "..." She didn''t even know where to begin with that one. Just a few months ago¡ªby her reckoning¡ªshe was one of the founders of Hogwarts. Now she had to worry about whether the school would even hire her? Just by looking at her expression, Rhys could tell exactly what she was thinking. With a teasing grin, he said, "If you reveal your real identity, Dumbledore will probably step down on the spot¡ªafter all, we''re talking about the legendary witch, Helga Hufflepuff!" Helga gave him a look. "If that day ever comes, I''ll expose you and Rowena first. Then we''ll just skip straight to reinstating the four founders and go back to ruling the school together." Her voice was cool and sharp. Since the old snake and the old raven weren''t planning to reveal their true identities, she wouldn''t either¡ªno need to turn it into an awkward mess later. That''s the power of groupthink. "Don''t worry. There''ll probably be an opening next year. You can try teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts," Rhys said with absolute confidence. Helga: Huh? When Rhys explained the so-called "curse" that had been placed on the Defense Against the Dark Arts post at Hogwarts, Helga was completely speechless. Salazar, how old are you now? And you still believe that nonsense? You, at your level as a wizard, actually buy into something like that? Did your mentality get younger when your body did, too? She studied Rhys carefully and began to feel her guess wasn''t far off¡ªclearly, the state of one''s physical body could influence one''s mental state. Once that thought clicked into place, Helga simply nodded with feigned sincerity, putting on the classic "ah yes, of course" face. Rhys didn''t mind. He figured that in a few years, Helga would believe in the curse too¡ªjust like he had. He hadn''t believed it at first either, but after digging into the fates of the past ten or so Defense Against the Dark Arts professors, he started to think that maybe Voldemort really had invented some sort of bizarre curse. Curses were a subclass of spellwork, ranging from minor annoyances like giving someone hives to deadly effects like causing immediate death upon contact with a cursed object. But most curses were either directed at specific individuals or attached to tangible items. Voldemort''s curse defied both norms. He hadn''t cursed a particular person, nor had he bound the curse to any one object. What he had cursed was the idea¡ªthe abstract concept¡ªof "whoever becomes the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts." The medium wasn''t a wand or a talisman; it was the position itself. It was deeply counterintuitive. Deeply un-magical, even. Rhys sometimes wondered¡ªif the subject of the course were changed, would the curse follow? If the Defense Against the Dark Arts class were redefined or renamed, would the curse shift as well? For example, what if the Headmaster of Hogwarts changed the course name to "Defense Studies"? Would the professor of that class still be affected? The more he thought about it, the more intrigued he became¡ªuntil, suddenly, a brilliant idea struck him. He decided to persuade Helga Hufflepuff to test it. "Helga¡ª" Rhys started to speak, but then stopped mid-sentence. A far more interesting idea had just occurred to him: Helga Hufflepuff is powerful enough... could she actually resist the curse? Originally, he had planned to suggest that after becoming the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Helga should ask Dumbledore to change the name of the subject¡ªsee if that would bypass the curse. But now he has changed his mind. He wanted to see if Helga herself could break the pattern that had plagued the position for over a decade. Let''s find out¡ªwas his old friend''s life force tougher, or was Voldemort''s curse stronger? If Helga knew what Rhys was thinking right now, she would absolutely throw him out the window, then bury him neck-deep in desert sand. But to be fair, Rhys didn''t have many other options. The ideal person to test a theory like this would''ve been Godric... but he had no way of contacting him at the moment. "Something on your mind?" Helga asked, puzzled, after hearing Salazar call her name only to fall silent. "You''ll need to spend a bit of time preparing," Rhys quickly pivoted. "Over the last thousand years, magical education has changed quite a bit." At that, Helga laughed. Who did he think she was? There wasn''t a situation she hadn''t seen before. Among the four founders, she had always invested the most in teaching. She didn''t need any prep¡ªshe could walk into a classroom right now and start teaching. "In today''s magical world," Rhys said, "no one even understands the flow of mana anymore¡ªno one teaches it, no one studies it. It''s already faded from memory." Helga Hufflepuff: "What?!" She was utterly stunned. How could young witches and wizards a thousand years later not even study mana flow anymore? "That field was phased out," Rhys explained. "Modern wizards found a pretty effective replacement." He gave her a brief overview of the development of Spell Theory. Helga fell silent. With spells being so convenient now, it made sense that the study of mana flow had faded away. But without understanding the flow of magic, achieving something like a domain was next to impossible. And without a domain, a wizard could only ever be second-rate at best. So that meant... the magical ceiling of today''s wizarding world was permanently capped at second-tier? In any case, after learning that students didn''t even know about mana flow, her mindset shifted. She began to think that maybe she did need to prepare properly¡ªreally figure out what today''s magical curriculum looked like. Helga had no intention of forcing a full return to the old ways and launching a sweeping revival of mana flow studies. In her mind, if a discipline had faded into obscurity, it had probably done so for a reason. Besides, she firmly believed that the old snake and the old raven had already found their own solutions¡ªshe refused to believe those two were still helpless when it came to something this simple, not after being awake for two whole years. "Those two little apprentices of yours," she asked cautiously, "they do understand mana flow... right?" "Of course, they are my students after all," Rhys said, unable to resist showing off his students in front of his old friend once again. Helga chose to selectively ignore the second half of his sentence and focused on the key point: Rhys was willing to teach mana flow to students with sufficient talent. That was a solid approach. The downside of studying magical flow was that it was incredibly difficult¡ªbut the upside was an extraordinarily high ceiling. Letting a select few prodigies explore that path was, indeed, a smart solution. However... Helga glanced at Rhys. How exactly was he determining whether a child''s talent was "sufficient" or not? It''s not like the magical world had a crystal ball where a child could just slap their hand on it and instantly see their aptitude rating. Those two kids of his... probably owed their "opportunity" to their last name, didn''t they? Helga decided she''d need to come up with her own method¡ªshe couldn''t do things the way Salazar did. Then again... maybe a crystal ball like that wasn''t impossible to create. Inspiration surged within her like a spring bubbling to the surface. She decided that once she returned to Hogwarts, she would begin researching how to craft exactly the kind of crystal sphere she envisioned. "Want a cup?" Rhys asked, changing the subject and pouring her some coffee. "Thanks." And so, wrapped in the comforting aroma of coffee, their conversation gradually drifted toward more casual, everyday chatter. _______ Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon: HornyFBI