Chapter 29: Mind Chamber
Chapter 29: Mind Chamber
Felix clearly noticed Hermione's gaze.
"Oh, those are indeed dark magic books, but as they say, if you want to defend against dark magic, you need to understand it. From what I know, the Ministry of Magic's Aurors are specifically taught some dark magic."
"But I rarely see..."
"Some wizards don't use dark magic, but that doesn't mean they don't know it."
Felix smiled gently at her, "I once traveled the world for a year. I must mention that in solving certain specific problems, dark magic is indeed more effective."
Hearing Professor Hup's explanation, Hermione quickly thought it over and found the reason somewhat acceptable, though she still said sternly, "Professor, I still advise you to use dark magic less. I read in a book that dark magic subtly corrupts your heart, making you unaware of its influence—"
"Many young wizards go astray because of this, especially for underage wizards. Dark magic is a particularly insidious poison to the mind", Felix continued, following Hermione's words.
Seeing the young witch's surprise, he blinked, "I've read that book too."
"Still, thank you for your advice."
Hermione pressed her lips together, her demeanor reminiscent of Professor Mcgonagall.
Noticing his assistant's puffed-up expression, Felix subtly changed the subject, praising her, "I hadn't realized you've read so many books. For someone your age, it's quite an impressive achievement."
Following the professor's gaze, Hermione noticed that the other half of the room—divided by a small table, closer to her side—had a completely different decor.
Warm sunlight flooded the space, casting large patches of light. The light brown carpet and creamy yellow curtains gave a very comfortable feel. In the center was a small round table with two potted plants.
On the opposite wall stood a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, filled with neatly arranged books. On the second shelf from the top, there were seven or eight photo frames, containing family portraits and pictures of Hermione from her childhood to the present.
Next to the bookshelf was an ivory door.
Hermione covered her mouth in surprise. This half of the space was strikingly similar to her room at home, about seventy to eighty percent the same.
She turned to Professor Hup, her mind filled with questions. Only this professor could provide the answers she sought.
And indeed, Professor Hup gave her the explanation, "This is the world of the mind, the realm of imagination. You can call it whatever you like. Of course, none of this is real; we are merely conscious beings here."
Hermione marveled, standing at the boundary between the two spaces, her eyes wide as she looked around. She hesitantly waved her hand, "So, this place is something we've constructed together? One half represents your inner world, and the other half represents mine..."
Felix pointed to his head, "Just a partial external reflection and projection of our inner worlds."
"And the deepest secrets of our hearts are all behind the door." He glanced at the ivory door, then lightly waved his wand. The deep green curtain behind him lifted, revealing a tall, imposing door.
Hermione visibly relaxed. She had plenty of secrets she didn't want to reveal easily.
Like Harry's Parseltongue.
"Professor, why did we come to this... mind world?"
Felix didn’t answer directly but instead began by sharing some of his own experiences. "After graduating, I spent a year traveling the world before settling in London, where I specialized in Muggle Studies."
"Muggle intelligence is no less than that of Wizards. In many areas, such as logic, reasoning, and problem-solving methodologies, they are even more advanced. The most crucial point, however, is their ability to pass down knowledge."
"They accumulate knowledge generation after generation, leading to significant advancements."
"Wizards also have a tradition of passing down knowledge, like at Hogwarts, but in terms of inheritance and development, we fall far behind."
"Recognizing this, I started reading Muggle books. To be honest, after getting used to moving pictures, reading Muggle books was a bit of an adjustment."
"Their research on the mind and brain caught my attention. I discovered that they have surpassed us in this area—something that should be our forte, given our array of memory magic like Memory Charms, Legilimency, and Occlumency."
"Unfortunately, we have only inherited the spells, not the underlying concepts."
"So, I combined Muggle knowledge to create a new spell. Although it’s still far from my original vision, it’s perfect for our current teaching needs."
"What does this spell do?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Mind Acceleration", Felix explained. "In this place—called the Mind Chamber—your thinking speed is increased, giving you the illusion that time is stretched. Currently, I can only achieve a three- to fourfold increase; any higher and it becomes dangerous."
"Something similar is the Brain Boosting Potion, but the effects are different. The potion enhances the drinker’s mental abilities."
Hermione’s eyes widened. "Professor, this spell is truly remarkable."
Felix shook his head. "It’s not yet perfect."
Seeing that the professor didn’t want to elaborate, Hermione began practicing the Ancient Runes, using the chestnut wood pieces Felix had provided. This was one of the spell’s drawbacks: anything you couldn’t understand couldn’t appear here.
For the next few mind hours, Hermione practiced on her own, with Felix offering guidance periodically.
After seven mind hours.
Felix noticed that Hermione’s face was covered in sweat, and her figure was becoming increasingly transparent, almost like a ghost.
"Professor, I can’t concentrate; I can’t maintain my focus."
"Alright, it’s about time. Let’s call it a day." Felix snapped his fingers, and in the next moment, the world spun, and their minds returned to the common room.
Felix’s wand was still resting on Hermione’s head. He staggered slightly, nearly falling over.
He pressed a hand to his forehead and waved his wand, summoning a bottle of potion from his suitcase.
Under his wand’s direction, the potion bottle opened itself and poured some of the potion into two cups.
On the other side, Hermione was in a worse state. She collapsed onto the sofa, her face contorted in pain, looking like she was about to pass out.
"Drink this; it will alleviate your symptoms."
Hermione managed to drink the potion.
"Have a piece of chocolate", Felix added, handing her a piece.
After about seven or eight minutes, Hermione started to recover. She kept muttering, "That was terrifying, so terrifying."
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(End of Chapter)
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