Chapter 225: Firenze's Advice
Chapter 225: Firenze's Advice
Harry sat back down, the events that had just transpired making him wonder if he was still asleep or had somehow been transported to April Fool's Day. However, the twins and Wood had already gathered around. They had seen Professor Mcgonagall's stern face and heard the heated arguments.
Although they hadn't caught every word, the occasional mentions of "Quidditch" and "training" were enough to make them uneasy.
Harry explained the trouble he had encountered. Wood, though his expression was grim, tried to reassure him, "It's okay, just come back before dark, and we'll continue training. Besides, you were always meant to be the free player, so the impact isn't too significant..."
He concluded with a rather cruel joke, "Surely Black, after being locked up for over a decade, wouldn't have such poor eyesight that he mistook me for you?"
The twins burst out laughing, the idea of the bulky Wood being mistaken for Harry was indeed rather absurd.
But Harry wasn't in the mood to laugh. He realized with a chill that Black, the fugitive who had spent twelve years in prison, had been so close to him.
"Maybe I should focus more on the Dueling System essay", Harry mused, touching his backpack where the beginning of his essay was hidden.
As Halloween approached, the festive atmosphere grew more intense.
Felix woke up early and reviewed the essay in his hands.
'...This suggests that we may have found a new method for treating memory damage, one that is more targeted than existing drugs or spells. The only issues are finding a way to stabilize the patient's memory, not through the invasive and temporary means of Legilimency, but through a cooperative exchange of information.
Additionally, for cases of extreme memory damage (large-scale, permanent injuries, fragmented memories), simple patchwork solutions won't suffice. We need to consider a way to give memories a stable structure...'
Felix nodded in satisfaction, "The entire essay is theoretical, but it subtly touches on the most critical part—Mind Chamber Magic and stabilizing memory structures."
"I'll release it to see the reaction. Hmm... I could publish it in the Daily Prophet's monthly issue. It has some influence, but it's not in the right field, so the gestation period will be longer."
"I estimate it will take until mid-to-late November for the healers to start discussing it. Purely theoretical content will definitely draw different opinions. By then, the Longbottoms' condition might no longer be a secret, but I can use this as an excuse to avoid higher-level interference from St. Mungo's. No one would be foolish enough to reject a potential Order of Merlin-level achievement."
He put the essay away, needing only to adjust the wording and rewrite it before sending it off.
Felix sat on the sofa, contemplating how to simplify the treatment plan. This was Dumbledore's advice. Both Mind Chamber Magic and the Memory Nodes inherited from Rowena Ravenclaw were extremely valuable knowledge, and he wasn't reckless enough to publish them outright.
Besides, very few could learn them.
"Simplifying Mind Chamber Magic is relatively easy; I know it inside and out. As for Memory Nodes..." Felix thought for a moment and decided to share his secondary understanding of stabilizing memory structures from Rowena Ravenclaw's legacy. He had applied this in Magical Automatons, giving them relatively stable personalities and habits, even enabling them to rehearse plays on their own.
On his workbench, the Acromantula croaked impatiently, "Hurry up, hurry up! I can't wait any longer."
Felix turned back, "Are you sure you won't reconsider? I can give you a holiday and plenty of food..."
"Stop it, stop it!" the Acromantula snapped, "Let me go back."
"Alright then." Felix reached out, and the glass container on the workbench flew into his hand. With a "crack", it shattered, and in a swirl of blue light, the Acromantula shrank rapidly, soon becoming the size of a thumbnail.
Felix placed it back into a small glass vial. A tiny voice came from the vial, "Your magic has improved. I didn't feel anything unusual. Perhaps, just perhaps... I might occasionally assist with your tests." Felix smiled and slipped the vial into his pocket.
He glanced at the time and appeared at the castle gate just in time. After two minutes, when he thought no one would show up, Luna bounced into view.
"Felix, I prepared some buttered peas for Firenze", she said, pointing to a lopsided basket.
Felix wasn't sure about Centaur tastes, but he didn't particularly like the smell, so he changed the subject, "Let's go, we should meet your friend."
They walked down the slope, passing the greenhouses and the Whomping Willow. Hagrid's hut came into view in the distance, but they didn't approach it. Instead, they turned a corner and headed straight into the Forbidden Forest.
After navigating through a barrier of trees, they soon reached a clearing. The ground was covered in moss and wildflowers, and a few stones had been carefully cleared, indicating that this was Luna's secret spot.
Luna pulled a whistle from her pocket and blew it, her cheeks puffing out. The sound was faint, blending perfectly with the rustling wind. Felix deduced it was a magical item.
Soon, Felix heard the sound of hoofbeats. A young Centaur appeared, with white hair and a silver-maned body.
Felix judged the centaur to be "young" based on his human face. The centaur cautiously observed him through the branches, half of his body hidden behind the tree trunk.
"Little Luna, is he your teacher?" the centaur asked. Felix's meticulously tailored clothes left no doubt about his professor status.
"Yes, come on, I've prepared some new food for you. Let's try it together!" Luna said happily.
Firenze emerged from behind the tree trunk, stopping two meters away from Felix. His face was stiff. "Hello, I'm Firenze."
"Oh, hello, I'm Felix Hep." Felix said politely.
"Listen, wizard. We generally don't interact with humans, especially adult wizards. If it weren't for little Luna asking me to meet you..."
Felix smiled. "I know centaurs are wary of outsiders, but I believe you might be an exception. And I'm here to discuss some serious matters with you."
Firenze's eyes widened. "What kind of matters?"
"Do you know Sirius Black?"
"I've heard of him. He's a dangerous person", Firenze said offhandedly.
"That's right. He escaped from Azkaban, and the Ministry of Magic and the Dementors are furious. By the way, have you ever seen a Dementor?"
Firenze said stiffly, "No, but some of my kin have seen their shadows."
"Exactly", Felix said. "The Forbidden Forest isn't safe, and to be honest, if the Dementors really go out of control, I don't think you'll have many options to defend against them."
The centaur pawed the ground with his hooves, his face contorted with anger, but he knew Felix was right.
Felix continued, "Letting a student get too close to the Forbidden Forest is dangerous, and it's against school rules. My suggestion is to be cautious until the Dementors are gone."
"Are you trying to stop us from meeting?"
"I have no intention of ruining a friendship. When Luna grows up, this might be a wonderful memory for her. Firenze, you and Hagrid are acquainted, right?"
"Yes", the centaur said.
Felix laughed. "Isn't that great? I think Hagrid won't mind hosting you. Perhaps meeting in the pumpkin patch behind Hagrid's hut would be a good idea."
Firenze replied, "Hagrid might be stronger than a centaur, but I don't think he can handle a Dementor."
Felix shook his head. "Firenze, you still don't understand. Hagrid is a wizard. No matter how he usually acts, he is undoubtedly a wizard, and he has more resources at his disposal than you and your kin combined."
"Even if he can't fight a Dementor, he can hold out long enough to get help. Besides, we're discussing an extreme scenario. Dementors going rogue is relatively rare."
Firenze reluctantly agreed and stepped forward, bending down to shake Felix's hand.
"I can see you have no prejudice against centaurs, Mr. Hep", he said.
"Of course not, Firenze. Do you know where the Acromantula nest is?" Felix asked.
"Yes", Firenze hesitated for a moment before pointing in a direction. "Their nest is to the west of our tribe. Many years ago, we had a battle. They won't cross the boundary we set."
Felix roughly estimated the positions of the centaur settlement, the spider nest, and Hogwarts. He realized that the centaurs had isolated the Acromantula colony, making it difficult for young wizards, even if they were curious, to venture several hours through rugged terrain without being discovered and sent back by the centaurs.
For the rest of the time, Luna was in high spirits, but Felix and Firenze didn't speak much. Firenze and Luna shared "afternoon tea", which was a dish of buttered peas. Luna wanted Felix to try it, but he politely declined.
Before leaving, Firenze hesitated and said, "Perhaps you're right."
"About what?" Felix asked.
"The danger is drawing near..." The centaur restlessly flicked his silver tail. "My kin have observed this too. Dark forces are stirring, and the shadows grow darker."
Felix smiled. "Perhaps this foretells the return of a Dark Lord who has been silent for a long time?"
Firenze stared at him in surprise and slowly said, "I haven't predicted it that precisely. Centaurs observe the stars to gain important insights, but our predictions are often vague."
Felix said lightly, "I don't predict the future, but I know more than the average person. When you have enough information, you can see farther. That's the principle of Arithmancy."
Exiting the Forbidden Forest, Luna thoughtfully said, "You were discussing the Dark Lord? Is he coming back?"
"There's a possibility", Felix said, not wanting to delve into details with her since she was only in her second year.
After seeing Luna off, Felix turned back to the Forbidden Forest and followed the direction Firenze had indicated. After walking for about ten minutes, he decided to use his broomstick to speed up, skimming low over the forest.
His goal was clear: the Acromantula nest.
(End of Chapter)
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