Chapter 191: Seven Types of Scrying Mirror
Chapter 191: Seven Types of Scrying Mirror
"First, let's talk about the Magical Automaton. Since you already have some familiarity with it, we'll breeze through this part quickly."
Felix flicked his fingers, and the Magical Automaton on the table sprang to life, performing a series of astonishing movements under his control. It concluded with a fireball released by the automaton.
The young wizards watched Felix eagerly, and he smiled gently. "After the class, I'll give each of you one, no restrictions. I hope this becomes a tradition at Hogwarts. You can enjoy the fun of Magical Automaton battles until next Tuesday."
Hermione's eyes were fixed on the puppet with icy blue hair, and she noticed the same intense gaze from the Slytherin girl with the last name 'Greengrass.'
She pursed her lips, determined not to back down.
She had been looking forward to this for a whole year.
The brown-haired girl across from her returned a similar look, and they both realized: the war had begun.
"Next, we have the seven types of Scrying Mirror."
Felix walked from one side of the lectern to the other, his left hand sweeping over the table. A faint glow emanated from his ring, and a row of Scrying Mirrors appeared on the surface. The young wizards craned their necks to get a better look.
"What you see are the seven types of Scrying Mirror. To make this more interactive, I'll ask: what is a Scrying Mirror?"
Hermione raised her hand, but Felix, in the interest of balance, called on Draco Malfoy.
Draco stood up and said, "It's a detector used for alarms. My father says the ones sold in the market are garbage. Our family's Scrying Mirrors are all custom-made."
Felix glanced at him. "That represents the view of a few... Let me explain. In the 18th century, Wizard Edgar Strout invented the prototype of the Scrying Mirror, a dark magic detector shaped like a gyroscope. However, similar magical items can be traced back thousands of years, though they weren't called Scrying Mirrors back then...
If we look at it from a modern perspective, we can consider Scrying Mirrors to be a general term for a class of detection and alarm devices.
In modern times, they have become more specialized, and many derivative magical items have emerged—such as Gringotts' Honesty Detector, which looks nothing like the original design, resembling a long, golden antenna;
Or the Secret Detector, which can uncover plots or lies;
The Scrying Mirrors we see today are primarily used to detect suspicious individuals or dark magic.
But in fact...
They can do much more.
For example, they can provide warnings for specific spells;
Or for certain actions;
Even for specific bloodlines, and thus... for a particular person."
Felix's words were astounding, completely overturning the young wizards' understanding of Scrying Mirrors.
Most Slytherin students were skeptical, as this contradicted their upbringing.
But there were those who believed Felix without a doubt—
For instance, Ron was not at all opposed to having a Scrying Mirror targeted at Malfoy. Just imagine, if Malfoy came within 100 feet, he would receive a message. He could hide in the bushes or behind a courtyard pillar, ready to cast a hex on Malfoy.
He was willing to spend an entire year's allowance for this, and if he could make one himself, that would be even better.
"Professor, are you saying that if I dislike someone, I can make a Scrying Mirror specifically for them?"
Ron spoke up loudly, his gaze unmasked as he looked at Draco Malfoy.
Draco's expression turned dangerous, and he narrowed his eyes. "Weasley, you might want to put a Scrying Mirror in your house... to catch rats. If you lose a Knut, your mother won't cry her eyes out, will she?"
"Malfoy, you rotten brat..."
"Enough, no bickering. Otherwise, it's fifty points from each of you and three weeks of detention." Felix said, exasperated. He hadn't realized Malfoy's talent for sarcasm was so strong.
As for Weasley’s earlier question, the answer is that I can do it, but you should forget about it...
“Better to train your eyes to be more perceptive.”
Professor Hep’s words left everyone feeling helpless. After hearing his description, the young wizards indeed had thoughts similar to Ron’s. After all, everyone has one or two people they dislike.
Neville’s thoughts were more practical. He was very hopeful for a special Scrying Mirror that could remind him not to forget things, but he was worried that he might lose this Scrying Mirror too—after all, he had lost his Memory Ball from the previous year.
Neville gloomily wrote “Good Luck” on a piece of parchment. This was the password for the Gryffindor Common Room, but he always forgot it. To avoid this, he would write the word down wherever he could whenever he had the chance.
In his mind, as long as he wrote the password down enough times, he wouldn’t have to worry about forgetting it. Even if he relied on luck, he might get it right once or twice...
“Alright, let’s take a look at these seven types of Scrying Mirrors.” Felix casually waved his wand, causing a fist-sized, chestnut wood Scrying Mirror on the podium to float into the air.
“The first type is the most common. These are the ones you can buy in the market, with perhaps some variations in appearance. They aren’t very specific and their effects are average, and they’re prone to errors. The upside is that they are easy to make and cheap.”
“They can be used for temporary defense against dangerous creatures when camping in the wild, and they’re just about adequate for that.”
“The second type is similar to a truth detector. It can detect hidden spells on a wizard.”
“The third type targets dark magic. This one can detect seventeen particularly malevolent dark magic spells, including the Unforgivable Curses.”
He flicked a heavy black light, and the Scrying Mirror immediately emitted a sharp alarm.
The young wizards below watched Felix in stunned silence. The black light seemed to absorb any light around it. However, Felix continued his lecture with a calm expression—
“The fourth type targets specific spells. It’s essentially a derivative of the third type of Scrying Mirror but with a more flexible application. The one in front of me is set to detect the Disarming Charm. Does anyone want to give it a try?”
Felix pointed to a walnut-sized, gray Scrying Mirror.
Everyone’s eyes turned to Harry. According to recent rumors, he had single-handedly defeated a group of Dementors using the Disarming Charm.
Draco didn’t believe a word of it. He firmly believed that all the various versions of the story were fake. Stripping away the embellishments: Potter encountered Dementors and fainted. That was the truth.
So he mouthed “Dementors” at Harry.
Harry felt a mix of nervousness and excitement. He provocatively stared at Draco, casually waving his wand. A curved red light silently traced the seats of the Slytherin students.
Throughout the entire process, he never paid attention to his spell, but instead kept his eyes fixed on Draco.
To Harry’s satisfaction, Draco’s face turned pale.
As Harry’s spell was cast, the gray Scrying Mirror in the air began to spin and flash red, emitting a continuous buzzing sound.
Felix explained, “You see, a Scrying Mirror that targets a specific spell behaves like this. It might seem useless, but if you place one that targets a common ‘Unlocking Charm’ in your room, it could serve as a surprise defense.”
“Remember, ordinary Scrying Mirrors can be blocked. You never know if the person standing outside your room is a prepared Dark Wizard.”
“The fifth type targets specific bloodlines. I won’t go into detail, but it’s good to know.”
“The sixth type targets specific individuals. The principle is simple; you just need a strand of their hair, similar to the Polyjuice Potion…”
“And the last type targets specific emotions. This one is a ‘Joy’ Scrying Mirror. Isn’t that interesting? If you’re planning to tell a joke, it can help you gauge the audience’s true feelings.”
“Anyone want to give it a try?”
(End of Chapter)
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