Chapter 228: The Time Enigma
Chapter 228: The Time Enigma
At the same time, in the Ancient Runes Office.
Hermione held three bright Runic Symbols in her hands, watching them spin continuously, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Felix leaned against his desk, grading a test paper. His fingers lightly traced the last word, leaving a faint ink trail, and his gaze turned peculiar.
He glanced at the clock, which read exactly eight o'clock. The Runic Script class had just begun.
'So, did she finish grading the test and rush over here? Or—' Felix's thoughts raced, 'are there two Grangers existing simultaneously in this castle?'
The idea made him itch with curiosity. If he summoned his Patronus now to send a message to the other Hermione, perhaps asking her to bring Harry's pocket Scrying Mirror, what would happen?
Felix quietly waited for two minutes. Hermione continued to enthusiastically practice drawing Runic Symbols in the air, showing no signs of stopping to pat her forehead and exclaim, "Oh, Professor, I almost forgot, this is the Scrying Mirror you asked me to bring!"
'I know too little about the Time-Turner's mechanism, which leaves me at a disadvantage. But if I am in a time loop, there must be a starting point and an endpoint. When the endpoint arrives, the two Grangers will inevitably return to the same place.'
Felix mused silently. He still couldn't bring himself to test the waters, as he didn't know the consequences. This must be why Granger didn't suddenly pull out a Scrying Mirror from her pocket...
That wasn't his style at all.
"Professor—"
Felix perked up and looked up. The young witch was pointing to a sea-blue Runic Symbol in her hand, "I think there's an issue here. The Magic transformation isn't very smooth?"
He was slightly disappointed but explained gently, "This Runic Script symbolizes water and can also represent the ocean and one's heart. Try to delve deeper into its meaning; it's a wonderful feeling, and sometimes you just suddenly understand."
"But regardless, understanding the Runic Script's meaning is the key to grasping its essence."
"I understand, Professor!" Hermione said happily. "I have an idea. When I was young, I saw many rivers, lakes, and the sea with my family. I think it might help?"
"Exactly, you can draw on that knowledge", Felix agreed.
The runes tutoring session continued as usual, but Felix harbored a different kind of anticipation, often glancing at the wall clock.
The time ticked to half past nine, and the evening class was almost over. However, Felix couldn't resist mentioning, "Hermione Granger, you look very tired. Why don't you have a small snack and watch an episode of an animated movie?"
If Hermione agreed, he would subtly remind her to pay attention to the time and observe her reaction...
Hermione's face showed a flicker of interest, but she quickly and discreetly glanced at the clock. "Oh, no, Professor, I have something to do. By nine-fifty..." Her breath hitched, "I mean, the lights go out at ten."
Felix nodded, "My apologies for the oversight." He watched Hermione leave, confirming his suspicions. He was indeed in a time loop, and it was highly likely that his assistant had used the Time-Turner at nine-fifty, returning two hours earlier.
This meant she had returned to seven-fifty, with the ink still wet on the test papers, to report to his office...
After some thought, he cast a Disillusionment Charm, a Silencing Charm, a Concealment Charm, and an Undetectable Charm on himself. Fully prepared, he stepped out of the office and followed Hermione from a distance, like a true ghost. After about seven or eight minutes, he saw Hermione hiding behind a door pillar outside the Gryffindor common room.
'She picked a good spot; there are no portraits around.'
Soon, another figure emerged from the common room—it was the second Hermione Granger!
Felix couldn't hide his shock. Although he had known that Hermione would possess a Time-Turner since the beginning of the school year, or even the previous year, this was the first time he had seen its effects firsthand.
He once again dismissed the thoughts that were stirring in his mind, watching as she walked past the doorpost without a glance, while the other Hermione quickly hid.
In his line of sight, Hermione Granger, who had just emerged from the common room, stood in a corner, turning a golden timer. She turned it twice, and with a slight gear clicking sound, her figure vanished abruptly.
Felix's eyes nearly popped out, but he saw nothing, as if he had been observing a patch of air, and everything that had just happened was a fabricated memory he had woven for himself.
The Hermione behind the doorpost poked her head out and hurriedly returned to the common room.
Felix could still hear the Fat Lady's grumbling: "How can you come back so soon after just leaving, you young wizards..."
"Good luck", Hermione quickly said the password, and the Fat Lady reluctantly moved aside.
Felix floated back to his office, the shock in his heart not diminishing in the slightest. This was a power he had never touched, the mystery of time.
"Time, time! I must respect time, and I must stop this, I can't take the risk." Felix warned himself. His Assistant was already very responsible, and he couldn't let her down.
If his mistake were to send the young witch into the temporal chaos, where would he find her?
But his thoughts soon drifted, and he couldn't help but think, "If I could get another Time-Turner from somewhere else, would that be alright? The Ministry of Magic, the ancient Pureblood Families, or the tombs of ancient wizards—there's a sliver of a chance... This matter needs to be carefully planned; I can't act rashly!"
...
The next day, Felix went to St. Mungo's as usual.
Madam Longbottom carefully combed Alice's hair, but a large clump of hair still stuck to the comb. She said with a bitter smile, "I really hope they get better soon. They will overcome the side effects of the Cruciatus Curse, won't they?"
"They will", Felix replied. "Right now, they are like living dead, unable to control their magic. Once they recover their memories, many methods will become available."
Madam Longbottom let out a sigh of relief.
During this time, Healer Melanie, a very friendly witch, came by. She still couldn't help but give Felix a curious look.
'The "restoration expert" Madam Longbottom found is awfully young, but there does seem to be some effect...'
Melanie tentatively asked about the restoration magic, and Felix casually mentioned some superficial knowledge of blood magic, leaving her completely baffled.
"… I am trying to awaken the residual subconscious in their bodies and coordinate with their own magic…" Felix spoke confidently. What he said wasn't entirely wrong, but he had played a trick, not mentioning that he spent most of his time manipulating their memories.
After Melanie left, Felix said to Madam Longbottom, "The first essay has already been sent. It might take some time to simmer."
Madam Longbottom said in confusion, "Felix, I've been meaning to ask you, why didn't you send it later, after the treatment is over?"
"Because it can't be hidden", Felix explained. "Based on my estimates, by the end of next month at the latest, Frank and Alice's reactions will be very noticeable, and St. Mungo's won't be able to miss it."
"Even if we tell the truth, we still need to consider the worst-case scenario, which is that St. Mungo's rejects my treatment plan, and Frank and Alice can't leave St. Mungo's care right now…
"You can also think of it as my habit to prepare in advance—my essay, although theoretical, has very few flaws, and most people won't find any errors. They might think it's impossible with current treatment methods, just a young person's wild imagination."
Felix smiled, "But once someone achieves it, it will be a groundbreaking result, and St. Mungo's will be overjoyed to keep us."
(End of Chapter)
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