Chapter 46: Part-Time Psychologist
Chapter 46: Part-Time Psychologist
As the Creevey incident continued to escalate, the young wizards at Hogwarts displayed a highly unreliable side. They kept their activities secret from the teachers, chattering excitedly as they exchanged amulets, charms, and other protective trinkets.
This trend quickly swept through the school. Neville Longbottom, for instance, bought a pungent large onion, a sharp purple crystal, and a decaying water lizard tail.
However, the other boys in Gryffindor told him that he was actually not in danger: as a pure-blood, he wouldn't be targeted.
"They attacked Filch first", Neville said, his round face filled with fear. "Everyone knows I'm almost a Squib."
The professors had to repeatedly emphasize in class that these items were completely ineffective. Among them, Felix, known for his good reputation and gentle demeanor, gained a significant following among the young wizards.
Even many first-year students sought him out, drawn by his fame, requesting psychological guidance.
"Professor, can I talk to you for a moment?" a curly-haired Hufflepuff boy intercepted him as he patrolled the corridor.
"Of course", Felix sighed inwardly. This was the fourth one this week, a burden of his reputation.
They found a column to lean against, and the young wizard seemed a bit nervous. However, Felix's high "approval rating" among young wizards quickly put him at ease.
"Professor, I'm facing some difficulties", Felix gestured for him to continue. "My name is Justin Finch-Fletchley, and I come from a Muggle family..."
Felix understood the situation.
"...When I received the acceptance letter, I wasn't sure if I should come to Hogwarts. But, well, you know, I was supposed to attend Eton College, where my father graduated from."
Felix nodded in agreement. "I've heard of the school; it's quite prestigious in the Muggle world."
"Yes, that's right", Justin's spirits lifted. "But I was more curious about magic. I convinced them to let me come to Hogwarts. Professor Mcgonagall's demonstration scared them half to death."
Felix nodded, knowing that Hogwarts had a tradition of visiting the homes of Muggle-born students.
But imagining the reactions of Muggles who believed in materialism when they first saw magic must have been quite amusing.
Justin continued, "A lot has happened this year, and the situation is tough... Everyone is panicking, and many have written to their families."
"Your parents must be worried about you too. Have they asked you to take a leave of absence?" Felix asked.
"No, not at all, Professor", Justin quickly replied. "I haven't told them. I believe Hogwarts will continue, and I love magic! I'm just a bit scared. There are many rumors... that Potter, Harry Potter, is the Heir of Slytherin!"
"Most rumors are unreliable", Felix said calmly. "Do you believe this theory?"
"I'm not sure. From a logical standpoint, well, Professor, you know the word 'logic,' right? Great. From a logical standpoint, they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, but I don't understand much about magic..."
"Don't worry, it's not him. I can assure you of that. The professors have enough knowledge to distinguish fact from rumor."
Justin visibly relaxed.
"Is there anything else you want to talk about?"
"Yes, Professor. I heard you're also from a Muggle family and were sorted into Slytherin?"
"That's correct."
"Then you must have faced a lot of challenges. Did you stand up to them?"
"Well, I suppose you could say that."
Justin's expression brightened. "Professor, many young wizards, especially those from Muggle families, look up to you. You're their idol!"
??
So, I’ve become the idol of common Wizards?
“Professor, everyone hopes to be as brave as you…”
After seeing off the initially shy young Wizards, who quickly turned into chatterboxes, Felix still felt somewhat surprised. After a moment, he chuckled softly. This feeling… isn’t bad at all.
Time moved on to December. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the professors, the young Wizards finally abandoned their unreliable amulets and began seeking more practical gadgets, such as the Scrying Mirror, which could detect potential dangers in advance.
Among the girls, it became popular to carry a small mirror and use it to check around corners. However, this practice was quickly abandoned, as few could stick to it.
Felix’s Devil’s Snare, which he had nurtured for a long time, had grown robust and was now ready for use.
The Whomping Willow branches, after more than a month of diligent magical care, were infused with Felix’s own Magic, making their surfaces shimmer with a vibrant glow while maintaining robust vitality.
Felix tested the effect, drawing his wand, “Shrink quickly!” The branches, which were several meters long, rapidly shrank, transforming into a snake-like form in the blink of an eye.
“It’s still a bit thick.”
He continued casting spells, and the branches grew smaller, but the process became increasingly challenging. Fortunately, they were infused with his Magic and did not resist him. Using a few techniques from ancient books, he successfully transformed them into a flexible, emerald-green rope.
Without resting, he quickly etched intricate Runic Script onto the surface to maintain the magical effect.
“Looks pretty good!”
However, he was stumped by the next step.
According to his plan, he needed to use the Whomping Willow rope as the framework and weave unicorn hair into it to form a small pouch-like object.
But he was stuck at the first step: how to weave them together properly?
“I know this, I learned knitting from my mom!”
In the end, it was his Assistant who provided the solution. Hermione offered seven different knitting methods, which greatly impressed Felix.
After three days of intense work, the young witch completed her task admirably. With Professor Hep’s permission, she even used the leftover scraps to make herself a small beaded pouch.
The beads were ready-made, crafted by Hermione from chestnut wood blocks used for practicing Runic Script.
She used beads as embellishments because the original material was insufficient, forcing her to make a compromise.
The final half-finished products were a delicate men’s wallet for Felix and a beaded pouch for Hermione.
“The remaining work involves etching the runic circuit to make the Devil’s Net believe it’s still growing… and testing, which will take about one to two weeks.”
“When danger arises, you can use Magic to activate the Devil’s Snare for an attack.”
“Of course,” Felix explained, “your beaded pouch may not be strong enough to hold too many Devil’s Snare branches.”
“That’s enough for me,” Hermione said happily. “Professor, can I construct the Runic Script on my own?”
“You’re not quite ready for that yet, but you can assist me.”
…
On Thursday afternoon, a small group gathered around the notice board, reading the words on a freshly pinned Parchment.
The top few words glowed, continuously drawing people’s attention. They read—
Dueling Club.
(End of Chapter)
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