Chapter 159: The Beginning of the Holidays
Chapter 159: The Beginning of the Holidays
During the holidays, Hogwarts was quiet, with the plants in the courtyard growing lush and vibrant, like a richly colored oil painting.
But without the chatter of students carrying their books, the scene felt lacking in vitality.
This made the usually low-profile ghosts suddenly stand out. Felix would often catch a glimpse of silver-white, translucent figures flitting past as he walked to the Library.
Besides these permanent residents of Hogwarts, some professors also stayed behind, such as Mcgonagall, Professor Flitwick, and Sybill Trelawney.
The empty school increased the frequency of interactions among the professors. During a small gathering, a tipsy Trelawney insisted on giving Felix a prophecy—
"Ominous, I see something ominous..."
Felix watched her quietly. Trelawney, with wide eyes, stared intently at a sherry bottle, examining it closely.
"Sybill, you're drunk", Professor Mcgonagall said, her cheeks flushed from the alcohol.
"No, I'm not! I see... black hounds! A black army that blocks out the sun, completely enveloping you." Trelawney's arm draped over Mcgonagall's shoulder, and she pointed at Felix's chest, belching, "This is a turning point in your life. To know more, it'll cost you 3 Galleons."
Professor Mcgonagall mouthed, "She used to read fortunes before Onboarding." She waved her wand, and Trelawney was gently placed on the sofa, a small blanket flying over to cover her.
Black hounds? Felix thought. Is it Fang or Fluffy?
He did have the idea of visiting the three-headed dog with Hagrid, but he hadn't told anyone.
Professor Flitwick used magic to turn the cups into various creatures, and soon, Professor Mcgonagall and Felix joined in. They played a table Quidditch game with their wands.
As they left, a summer breeze carrying the strong scent of osmanthus refreshed Felix, clearing his mind.
The holidays had been going on for a week. He had returned to his small house in London, visited a few Muggle friends, and then came back to Hogwarts.
Now, he stood at the top of the spiral staircase on the west side of the castle, at the entrance to the Ravenclaw Common Room.
A Bronze Eagle Knocker blocked his path. There was no doorknob or keyhole.
This was a unique feature of the Ravenclaw Common Room—instead of a password, the knocker posed a riddle. If you answered correctly, it would move aside and let you in.
Felix knocked lightly on the knocker. The eagle's beak opened, and instead of a cry, a gentle, musical voice asked, "Which comes first, tomorrow or an accident?"
Felix replied seriously, "It depends on how much you prepare today."
"Reasonable", the voice said, and the door opened.
The Ravenclaw Common Room was empty. Felix surveyed the circular room, which had a fairy-tale atmosphere, dominated by blue and bronze tones. The ceiling and deep blue carpet were adorned with stars, and the elegant arched windows were draped with brightly colored silk.
Felix approached the window, which offered an excellent view. From this vantage point, he could clearly see the Black Lake and the Forbidden Forest, and in the distance, the rolling mountains.
The room had tables, chairs, and bookshelves. Opposite the door, a tall white marble statue stood in a niche.
It was the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw. After a moment, his gaze shifted to a bookshelf.
On one of the shelves stood a foot-tall statue of a slender woman, her head slightly raised, looking ahead with a serene and peaceful expression.
The statue was somewhat crude, and even the face of the figure was quite blurry. Fortunately, a gilded plaque was placed in front of it, with a line of text inscribed: "In Memory of the Ravenclaw College Ghosts — The Grey Lady, Left by Students on March 7, 1993."
Felix couldn't help but smile.
After a moment, he snapped back to reality, remembering the purpose of his visit. He began to inspect the bookshelves for magical traces. In the Room of Requirement, Rowena Ravenclaw's memory had mentioned that she had left some hidden magical legacies in the Ravenclaw Common Room, waiting to be discovered by future generations.
Felix decided to give it a try, hoping to find something interesting.
His interaction with Rowena Ravenclaw had been too brief, which was undoubtedly a regret.
Felix ran his fingers over the patterns on the bookshelf but found nothing. He then moved to the other bookshelves, examining them carefully. Finally, on the third bookshelf, he sensed a very subtle magical aura.
He tentatively used his magic to touch the magical barrier, finding no danger. However, it seemed to be hidden in the air, and Felix had to exert considerable effort to draw it out.
A milky white light blossomed in the air, and for a moment, his vision blurred. Then everything returned to normal.
He was still standing in the Ravenclaw Common Room, as if the light had been just an illusion.
But the books on the shelf suddenly exerted a fatal attraction on him. A voice in his mind told him: "I must read all the books on this shelf, and I can do it."
This thought and emotion came out of nowhere, as if it had been implanted in his mind.
"Is this...?"
As a newly-minted master of Memory Magic, Felix quickly suppressed the intense desire in his heart and carefully analyzed and pondered the magic.
"It's very similar to my Mind Chamber, pulling people into a mental world. However, Rowena Ravenclaw's method is far more advanced, with a longer time ratio and fewer side effects..."
He casually flipped through the books on the shelf, finding them ordinary and lacking in depth. So, he turned his attention to the illusory Ravenclaw Common Room he was in.
He couldn't detect a single loophole.
"Interesting, I never thought I'd be pulled into someone else's Mind Chamber", Felix said with a light laugh. His fingers moved swiftly, and Runic Script symbols appeared in the air.
"Rowena Ravenclaw had a deep understanding of Ancient Runes, which is not surprising, given the era she lived in, a time of transition between the old and the new."
Ten, a hundred... soon, the number reached five hundred and kept growing... This was the result of Felix's year of study in the Hogwarts Library.
Then, Felix extended his hand, and with a thought, dozens of Runic Script symbols flew to his palm, forming a mysterious pattern. Intense fire blossomed from his fingertips.
The entire world suddenly shook violently.
Felix retracted the Ancient Magic and waved his hand, making all the Runic Script symbols disappear. "Close call, almost destroyed the place."
He then carefully continued to experiment, probing the magical treasures left by Ravenclaw.
Time passed slowly.
He didn't know how long he had been inside, but eventually, he was ejected by the magical barrier.
Felix looked out the window; it was already evening. "I must have been in there for days, yet I don't feel very tired..."
"Excellent, this has given me a clear direction for my Mind Chamber."
"Moreover, this method of suddenly pulling someone in is quite ingenious. I didn't even notice it. Memory Magic, Memory Magic..."
"Great potential indeed."
(End of Chapter)
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