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Chapter 280: A Special Reward
Chapter 280: A Special Reward
Should I write a letter to Professor Broad?
Ever since he had brought Professor Smith into the Ravenclaw secret room, Albert had been hesitating about whether or not to inform Professor Broad.
He could sense that Professor Smith's intrusion into the Ravenclaw chamber was not merely for the house's treasure, but for something else. It seemed as if Professor Smith was seeking confirmation of something.
Could it be Wilbert S. Smith?
It was highly probable. Perhaps the man had already guessed something but lacked certainty. Upon entering the Ravenclaw chamber and seeing Wilbert S. Smith's image on the wall, he might have finally found the last key to the answer he sought.
Did I just do something foolish?
No! Albert did not regret his actions. Whether he liked it or not, ever since becoming a candidate, he had already been dragged into this affair.
What he had done in the Ravenclaw chamber was merely to confuse Professor Smith. If the man were to become an enemy, then extracting benefits from him would undoubtedly be the best choice.
As for Professor Broad, Albert's instincts told him that the professor was likely a member of the Wilbert S. Smith family, and his intention to reach out was probably to assess if Albert met the requirements to be an heir.
What an annoying feeling.
"As expected, I should just flip the table!" Albert's face broke into a mischievous smile. He pulled out a piece of parchment and a feather quill from the cabinet and began to write a letter to Professor Broad, informing him that he could now access the Ravenclaw chamber and disclosing the existence of the Bronze Book.
Albert suspected that the Bronze Book of Ravenclaw might be in Professor Broad's possession, so he decided to complete the task and claim his reward first.
As for the rest...
Hmph, let them do as they please! After leading Professor Smith into the secret chamber and completing the "Py Transaction" task, Professor Smith had agreed to teach him the Traceless Extension Charm when he left the Room of Requirement.
While this was certainly a cause for celebration, interacting with Professor Smith also carried risks, especially now that Albert knew he possessed a high level of Legilimency. This made Albert uneasy about his level 3 Occlumency, as he couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't make eye contact with Professor Smith.
Should I upgrade it again?
Albert hesitated as he stared at the panel.
To be honest, raising Occlumency to level 4 would likely protect him from most Legilimens, but he wanted to save his skill points for upgrading Wizard's Bloodline.
The benefits of upgrading Wizard's Bloodline were obvious—an increase in magical power. Wizards had a limit to their magical power, and typically, by the time they graduated from magic school, they would have reached their peak, never to improve further.
The stronger the magical power, the more potent the spells they could cast.
Most formidable dark magic required a strong magical power as a foundation. The Avada Kedavra curse was a prime example. Even if a low-grade wizard cast it on someone, the worst that could happen would be a bloody nose.
This was also one of the reasons why most pure-blood wizards were arrogant and proud. Undeniably, the magical power of most pure-blood wizards was slightly stronger than that of Muggle-born wizards.
If he could upgrade Wizard's Bloodline to level 5, he might be able to attempt wandless magic.
Tom was actually the best example. In his younger years, he had already been able to use magic in a crude way, and that was because his magical power was strong enough. If his talent were to be quantified, it would be at least level 4.
As for Dumbledore, he should be at least level 4 as well.
However, Dumbledore's magical power should have started to decline. His current strength came more from his wisdom, experience, and possession of an unbeatable elder wand.
There was a reason why Voldemort was thoroughly beaten by Dumbledore—the latter was equipped with divine artifacts, after all.
Never mind! Protecting his own secrets was more important.
As for Wizard's Bloodline, he could upgrade it later when he had more skill points.
Albert upgraded his Occlumency to level 4 through the panel, leaving only the last two skill points from the completed tasks.
He closed his eyes and felt the changes brought about by the upgrade. Now, Albert could construct false memories according to his wishes.
This should be similar to the principle of the False Memory Charm! "Hmph, let's see you try to snoop into my memories again," Albert muttered, closing his eyes and hiding the memories he deemed important deep within his mind.
Next was Hagrid's "Find Pets" task, which he had already completed. He wondered what the special gift would be and felt a little excited.
Albert accepted the task and waited.
Just as he was about to close the panel, he noticed a new task appear.
Wilbert S. Smith.
The Wilbert S. Smith family is famous in the wizarding world for selling Floo powder, but no one knows the members of this family. They have always hidden themselves well within the wizarding community. Now, you have the chance to become a member of this mysterious family and share their secrets.
Reward: Unknown.
Hmm, another task with an unknown reward.
When did this task even appear?
Albert hadn't noticed it before.
...
During dinner, Albert overheard Fred, George, and Lee Jordan talking about Fluffy.
However, they didn't know that the monster they were referring to was the three-headed dog, Fluffy, nor that it was Hagrid's pet.
After returning from the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, Dumbledore announced that the monster had been driven back into the depths of the forest and warned everyone not to venture into the woods to avoid danger.
"You went into the forest with Hagrid, didn't you?" Fred suddenly turned to Albert and asked curiously, "Did you see the monster in the forest?"
"Do you think Dumbledore would allow students to participate in such a dangerous affair?" Albert replied nonchalantly as he ate the black pudding on his plate, glancing at Fred.
That's true! Why would Dumbledore allow students to take such risks? However, Albert's words could only deceive the others, not Fred, George, and Lee Jordan. They knew that Albert hadn't directly answered their question, implying that he might know something.
The three exchanged glances, each understanding the unspoken message—they would ask him about it back in the dormitory.
Just then, an owl flew over and dropped a parcel in front of Albert, nearly knocking over the jam jar.
"Looks like it's from Hagrid," Fred said as he grabbed the parcel, checked the sender's name, and helped Albert open it. He then handed the box to Albert.
Albert opened the box and fell silent as he looked at the furry drawstring pouch inside.
"What is that?" Fred asked curiously.
"I don't know."
"There's also a note," George reminded him.
Albert picked up the note and scanned its contents:
Thanks to you, Fluffy has been taken care of by Dumbledore.
This little bag is made from rare chameleon lizard skin. Only the owner can retrieve whatever is hidden inside.
Is this the special reward?
Not bad! It can be used to store some precious items.
Albert stuffed the pouch into his pocket and gave the three of them a look, signaling them to keep quiet and continue eating. He would explain everything back in the dormitory.
(End of Chapter)
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