Chapter 574: The Revelation Brought by the Patronus
Chapter 574: The Revelation Brought by the Patronus
The next day, in the classroom with the sign "Frontline Lookout Club", Harry, Ron, and Hermione laid out soft cushions and wooden targets on the floor, which might be needed later.
The door opened, and Fred and George Weasley swaggered in. "Why are we here today?"
"Professor Hep is coming", Harry said.
The twins perked up and looked at Harry. Harry shrugged, "He probably wants to see my Patronus and give us some guidance."
"Cool!" Fred said.
They joined in, and by the time Ginny and Luna arrived, the classroom was already bustling with people. Ron and Neville were moving a large wooden chest, filled with various spellbooks and training props.
"I'll help", Anthony Goldstein, a Ravenclaw student, called out. He raised his wand and pointed it at the chest. "No!" Neville exclaimed in alarm, but the spell was already cast. "Wingardium Leviosa!"
The chest lurched, knocking Ron's hand away and smashing into his foot, making him yelp in pain. Then the chest slowly floated up, swaying drunkenly and rising higher and higher until it hit the ceiling, which was over ten feet high.
"You need to learn to control it", Harry ran over and said, looking up for a few seconds.
"Sorry! It's my first time controlling something so big", Anthony said with a grimace.
"It's not about the size", Harry shouted into his ear, "You need to learn to control your spell."
"Spell?" Anthony asked, confused.
"Exactly, you're doing well. Look, you managed to get the chest to the ceiling. Now, I need you to bring it down", Harry said. The others watched with bated breath, and Hermione muttered something under her breath.
"What are you doing?" Ron asked, tiptoeing on one foot, with Neville supporting him.
"Preparing a cushioning charm, just in case", Hermione said quickly, "But it seems unnecessary."
The large chest slowly descended to the ground. Anthony collapsed on the floor, drenched in sweat and panting. Harry helped him up, "Good job." "Thanks", Anthony mumbled, and the club members applauded.
A voice came from the doorway, "Very impressive teaching. If this were a class, I would consider giving you twenty points", Felix said with a smile.
The members of the Frontline Lookout Club gathered around. "Professor, what are you going to teach us?" Fred joked.
"How about the Ancient Magic hidden behind the twelve amulets?" Jordan Lee suggested. "The demonstration last time was too short."
Felix wanted to lock his memory core in a dark room, but for now, he had to play along with its mischief. "Last time was just a teaser to pique your curiosity. I hope to give you more time to research on your own... As for teaching, let's keep it a mystery and save it for the end of the year, like Luminos. Today, I'm just here to observe. Potter, I'm very interested in your mutated Patronus."
"Oh, right", Harry said.
They had agreed on this earlier. Professor Hep said he would visit after the Christmas holidays, but Harry didn't expect it to be delayed until now. Harry gathered his emotions, "Expecto Patronus!" he whispered, and a silver stag emerged from his wand, circling around them.
Harry was very adept at this spell. He saw Professor Hep nod slightly, which made him feel excited. While maintaining the Patronus charm, he extended his other hand, and it seemed as if an invisible engraving tool was carving a bright Runic Script in the air.
In an instant, the Runic Symbols transformed into a purple mist with a faint golden glow.
Harry looked up, and the silver stag in mid-air galloped toward him. He didn't dodge but instead extended his hand, as if preparing to stroke the Patronus's antlers. Then— the purple mist merged with the Patronus, like ink dripping into clear water, making the Patronus's outline clearer. Its hooves clattered on the ground with a "clack."
Felix whistled in amazement.
"Have you tested its power?" he asked.
Harry scratched his head in confusion. There were no Dementors around, but when he saw Professor Hep's gaze shift to the wooden target, he instantly understood. "Go ahead", Harry said. The stag gently nudged his hand with its large antlers and then turned to charge at the target. "Bang!" The target was knocked over.
The Patronus's purple, glowing antlers dimmed, seemingly reverting to a blurry light. Harry tried to control the spell, and the stag's form stabilized again.
"Professor, it has another form", Harry said, pointing his wand at the stag. The purple mist around the Patronus faded, and the stag's body rapidly expanded, growing two to three times its original size. "Uh, it just got bigger, but I don't know what use it has", he said sheepishly.
"There must be a use", Felix said. "Have you tried other Runic Scripts?"
"I tried 'Calm' and 'Zeal,' but the effects weren't great, and they conflicted with the Patronus Charm", Harry admitted.
"That's odd", Felix said, somewhat surprised. "I tried them myself, and there were no issues."
"Professor, have you tried it? And it worked?" Harry couldn't help but ask.
"Yes", Felix extended his hand, and a silver Swift appeared from the air, landing on his shoulder. He then formed two Runic Symbols and held them to the Swift's mouth. The Swift opened its beak and swallowed one of the symbols, which was a light blue. The silver glow gradually turned a faint blue.
A gentle light rippled outward, and the people around immediately felt a very calm and peaceful mood, lazy yet with clear minds. Then the Swift Patronus swallowed another fiery red Runic Script, and its body was enveloped in a thin layer of fire. It let out a high-pitched call, and a circle of light expanded outward.
The calm mood was immediately broken, and Fred and George Weasley clenched their fists, looking excited. "Fred, I have a great idea. What if we recruit Peeves to join our club?" George said excitedly.
"I can't wait!" Fred responded enthusiastically, and the two started walking out.
Harry also felt something was off. His passion for Quidditch returned, and all he wanted to do was zoom around on a broom, maybe with Ginny. His mind buzzed with wild ideas, but then Occlumency kicked in, clearing his head. He instinctively grabbed the twins, who were reacting the most.
"Professor?" he called out urgently.
"I know."
Felix canceled the spell and looked around. Most people seemed to have been hit on the head, gradually coming to their senses but still looking confused.
"Sorry, I didn't expect such a strong reaction. Continue practicing, and don't worry about me. I'll study this further", Felix said, sitting on a large box in the corner, pondering the situation.
Harry shook his head, Occlumency blocking out the negative effects. He looked at the others, who were clearly in a state of inflated enthusiasm and confusion.
He clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "Today, we'll continue practicing the Patronus Charm. I know it's been a while, so you might be a bit rusty—"
"Nonsense! I'm in top form!" Ernie Macmillan shouted.
Before Harry could continue, Ernie started waving his wand, looking intensely focused and passionate. Harry suddenly realized that these people must have been influenced by the 'Zeal' Runic Script, amplifying their emotions through the Patronus. But how did the professor manage it?
The training session went surprisingly well.
Ernie managed to form a vague shape within half an hour, and when Harry saw it, he was shocked. Ernie's Patronus seemed to resemble his cousin Dudley. He stared at it for a while before realizing it was a boar, almost missing the Weasley brothers' impressive show—Fred and George combined their vague silver mist to form a vivid magpie.
"Look at this, Harry!" Fred called out, but when he redirected his wand, the magpie dissolved back into mist.
"You're very close. Try a few more times!" Harry encouraged, though he wasn't sure what was happening.
"Got it, got it", Fred said impatiently, continuing to work with George on their peculiar magpie Patronus.
Fred's attitude wasn't unique. Harry noticed that most members were more focused but also highly irritated by interruptions, as if they were absorbed in their own worlds. This was probably due to Professor Felix's magic, he thought.
He approached Felix, who was holding a Swift and continuously feeding it Runic Scripts of various shapes, turning the Swift multicolored.
"What's wrong?" Felix asked, eyes closed.
He was feeling the structure of the Swift Patronus—his Patronus was far more stable than others, even exceeding the definition of the 'Patronus Charm.' This was because he had inherited Rowena Ravenclaw's Memory Nodes and used them to nearly reconstruct his own Patronus.
"At least they don’t need my guidance today", Harry said.
"Oh, I’m so sorry, I seem to have messed up your activity today", Felix said.
"Looking at them, it seems they’ve gained a lot", Harry shook his head and then looked at the others in the classroom with some concern. "I hope there won’t be any aftereffects, though."
"It’s unlikely. It’s like a sudden downpour; the impact is minimal. However, they might feel a bit tired. You might want to prepare some chocolate—"
Harry nodded.
"Unless they stay in that state for a long time, then it could be—"
Felix stopped and opened his eyes.
"Professor?" Harry looked at him curiously.
"I’ve been thinking about what to use as a carrier for emotions", Felix murmured.
"And now?"
"It seems I’ve found it… the answer was right in front of me, wasn’t it?" Felix looked down at his Patronus. "Tell them and me sorry… and I think I’ve found out why you couldn’t integrate other Runic Scripts into the Patronus. It’s not really a spell. I’ll write it down and give it to you later; it’s a bit complicated to explain right now…" He jumped up, using the Room of Requirement as a transit point, and disappeared in an instant.
Harry was stunned. He reached out and poked the air in front of him; just a moment ago, Felix had been sitting there, but now it was as if the professor had never been there at all. Harry sat in Felix’s seat, feeling a bit paranoid, but of course, he found nothing. He looked up at the others; they hadn’t noticed the strange scene—except for Hermione, who gave him a puzzled glance before turning back to practice her Patronus charm.
It seemed only one person was completely unaffected—Mafalda approached, curious. "What were you talking about? And how did Professor Hup suddenly disappear? Isn’t Apparition not allowed in the castle?"
"Nothing much", Harry said warily. "You weren’t affected?"
"Yeah, I’m really in the mood to interview you, really", Mafalda used the word 'really' twice.
"Uh…" Harry was speechless for a moment. After a while, he whispered, "Actually, there’s something I want to ask you a favor for."
"Advertising? Or an exclusive scoop?" Mafalda asked with interest.
"Is there a difference?" Harry looked at her sideways.
"The former requires you to pay for the ad, the latter is me paying you", Mafalda said matter-of-factly.
"You’re clear on that", Harry was taken aback and said vaguely, "Alright, it’s an exclusive scoop, but it’s also kind of an ad…"
Half an hour later, the members gradually emerged from their focused state, looking exhausted. Harry distributed the prepared chocolate to them. "Professor asked me to apologize; his magic is still a bit unrefined."
"Where is he?" Fred looked around.
"I think he entered a state of intense emotion, but he did it on purpose", Harry said quietly. "Next time, his magic will be perfected."
"Really sexy", George said admiringly.
Ginny yawned, her eyes half-closed. "Can I sleep on the mat for a bit, Harry?"
"We can go to the ‘Thestrals Exist’ club", Luna said. "I’ve transplanted a lot of plants there; it looks like a small garden, and there’s even a hammock. Want to come?" She looked at Harry.
"…No, thanks", Harry said. He said goodbye to Neville, Susan, and others, and eventually, only a few people were left in the classroom.
"It was quite scary, I mean, this magic", Ron said with lingering fear. "I was affected without realizing it. I knew what I was doing, but I just couldn’t focus." Then he smiled. "But the effect was surprisingly good. I think I’ve got the hang of it; my Patronus is starting to take shape."
"Me too", Hermione said happily. "Professor said it’s hard for me to generate strong emotions because I’m too calm. Maybe I should try to be more ‘zealous’."
Mafalda was the last to leave, apart from them. She gestured to Harry. "It’s a deal."
"What did you ‘deal’ on?" Ron asked, eating the chocolate.
"Draco Malfoy", Harry said softly. "Great", Ron said happily. "I can’t wait to see him get what he deserves—sneaking into the girls’ bathroom, that’ll teach him a lesson! And he can’t even complain, because we’re kind of helping him!" He was in a great mood, as if he had already eaten several pieces of chocolate, his face beaming.
"I didn't say his name", Harry shook his head.
"Oh." Ron's eyebrows drooped. "I bet he won't thank you for letting him off the hook on this one."
Harry shrugged. "I wasn't expecting any thanks."
In the evening, the Great Hall was bustling with activity. The Ministry of Magic officials stayed after dinner to guide the students who had not passed their evaluations. "Put in a bit more effort, there are less than a third of the students left", Tarkus encouraged his colleagues.
"I need a break", Umbridge said coldly, and she left the Great Hall on her own.
"Vicky, I want to go out for some fresh air... I've been so tired these past few days. Sorry", Avery whispered. A few more people found excuses to leave, leaving Tarkus both puzzled and disheartened. He glared at the others from the Ministry, "Do you all need a break too?" This time, no one left.
"Tarkus, do you need help?" Professor Flitwick asked, always eager to assist.
"Oh, Professor Flitwick? It's your turn to be on duty with Professor Snape today?" Tarkus was overjoyed. "Thank you so much." Snape, standing beside Flitwick, remained silent, his eyes following Umbridge and Avery as they walked past the long tables and disappeared through the Great Hall doors.
Voldemort had not revealed his spy's identity to the two of them, which relieved Tarkus. It seemed the Dark Lord had regained a bit of sanity, though it wasn't necessarily a good thing. At the very least, he didn't have to worry about Voldemort suddenly going mad during a report...
On the other side, Umbridge and Avery made their way out of the Great Hall and through the entrance hall to a dark corridor. They hid behind a massive pillar, whispering to each other.
"You go!"
"Why not you?"
"I have more important tasks!"
Valen, passing by, curiously glanced at them. It smacked its lips and led the Slytherins away. Last night's failed negotiation with the Dark Lord had led Valen to conclude that its poor math skills were to blame. It needed to find someone to help! The last time it asked Astoria, it learned that many students at the school were unreliable and might not be as capable as it was. It needed to ask the right person.
Fortunately, it knew a top student.
Umbridge and Avery peeked out from behind the pillar, watching Valen's back.
"Do you think this little thing can help with the plan?"
"We can try. Once it succeeds, someone will open the door for you", Avery whispered. "I'll find an opportunity to contact Malfoy. If that fails, we have a backup." He left from the other side of the pillar.
Umbridge remained where she was, somewhat convinced.
The Ancient Runes Office in her mind was like a terrifying nest, but if someone could guide her, it would be much easier.
She stepped out from behind the pillar and cautiously pulled out her wand. Her wand was very short, only eight inches long, looking like a quill that had lost its feathers, unimpressive. Umbridge approached, having heard about this Niffler's exploits over the past few days. It was someone's pet... Hatred welled up inside her.
Umbridge slowed her breathing, constantly reminding herself that she only needed a Confundus Charm, just like when she convinced her father to retire early. It would be easy.
She moved her mouth, and a white light flashed. Umbridge almost thought she had succeeded, trying to control her urge to grin widely. But things didn't go as she expected. The yellow cap on the Niffler suddenly burst into a bright light, deflecting her spell.
Valen, carrying the Slytherins, stopped and turned its head, puzzled, to see a short, plump woman holding a wand, frozen in place. Valen blinked, took off the yellow cap, and noticed a clear burn mark on the back, with a wisp of smoke rising.
"Chirp?"
Valen stared intently at Umbridge.
---
Recommendation:
I highly recommend a book: Dragon Demotion, a new novel by the renowned author Liudan Pashui, set in a fantastical historical world.
This two-part series, previously written by the author, includes Reign of Song and Restoration of Han, both of which are of high quality.
---
In the world of magic, there are many kinds of dragons. Some roam the seas, others soar over mountains, some hide in the depths, and still, others rise through the clouds.
With a single roar, they can summon wind and snow, draw rivers and seas, summon thunder and fire, and split mountains and seas.
There are also dragons among humans. They have grand ambitions and wise strategies, with the power to encompass the universe and the will to swallow the heavens and earth.
With a single stroke, they can control the clouds and rain, shape the land, and claim their place as dragons.
As a lost traveler, Zhang Xing initially wanted to become a dragon, but he soon realized the competition was too fierce. So, he decided to change course and demote the dragons.
He aims to tread the paths of the world, making the world accessible, and demote the dragons of the world, letting everyone become a dragon.
(End of Chapter)
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