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Chapter 751: A Day at Hogwarts
Chapter 751: A Day at Hogwarts
"Where is this?" Kyle asked, gazing at the corridor before him with a bewildered expression.
It resembled a castle, but it was vastly different from the one in his memories. At the very least, the castle in his recollections didn't appear this... new?
It was as if everything in sight had been thoroughly washed and then coated with wax, making the surroundings not just a little brighter, but significantly more luminous.
To put it simply, it was akin to comparing Sirius Black's meticulously maintained new car with Mr. Weasley's old Ford, the disparity evident at a glance.
Even the positions of the picture frames on the walls had changed, and every portrait was new, with not even the slightest discoloration on the golden paint at the edges, sparkling brilliantly under the sunlight.
Kyle was certain that this was not the Hogwarts castle he remembered.
But hadn't he just taken a single step?
"Come with me," a voice whispered in his ear, belonging to Rowena Ravenclaw.
It wasn't a voice that directly echoed in his mind but one that genuinely existed.
Kyle turned his head and saw a tall witch standing beside him.
The witch's face was cold and calm, just like when he had first seen Rowena Ravenclaw in the Chamber of Secrets.
"Where is this?" Kyle asked again. A thought suddenly occurred to him, "Could this be Hogwarts from a thousand years ago?"
"No, this is the place you're thinking of," Rowena replied.
"The Room of Requirement?"
"Is that what you call it?" Rowena said indifferently, "This is what I left behind, a sort of Ravenclaw Chamber of Secrets."
"Its specialty is that it can simulate an environment from my memories. So, strictly speaking, you're still in the school."
"Incredible," Kyle murmured as he touched the nearby railing, its texture feeling as real as it could be.
No, it was real. It was another Hogwarts recreated by the Room of Requirement.
"But wasn't I just on the second floor a moment ago?"
"It's just a little trick. Come with me."
Rowena walked straight ahead, and Kyle hurried to follow her.
Along the way, he realized that he wasn't the only one here; there were many other students in the castle. They seemed to have a sense of awareness, and as they passed by, they would greet Rowena.
It wasn't until Kyle saw his hand pass through one of the students that he confirmed they were all illusions.
It felt like he had stepped into a massive Pensieve, a mix of reality and illusion, quite extraordinary.
Kyle even caught a glimpse of Godric Gryffindor in one of the classrooms, wearing a red cloak and teaching students sword techniques. In his hand, he held the silvery fairy sword.
"This is where you'll be catching up on your lessons," Rowena said, "You can audit all the classes here..."
"As for the content, I've made the necessary adjustments, translating them to a level you can understand. The only limitation is that you can't ask questions, you can only observe. As for how much you can comprehend, that's up to you."
Kyle's eyes lit up, and he immediately moved closer to the nearest classroom door, which happened to be the one where Godric Gryffindor was teaching.
At this moment, Godric had just defeated three students in a row, and he was proudly waving the three ropes, resembling belts, that he had captured with his sword, filled with the victor's pride and provocation.
The three defeated students stood by, their faces flushed with shame and anger, clutching their pants.
"Hey, Rowena!" Godric called out excitedly from the doorway, "Look at me!"
Rowena, returning, waved her hand expressionlessly, as if wiping away a dirty spot on the table... and the people in the classroom, including Godric Gryffindor, disappeared.
"You don't need to learn this," she said after a moment of silence, "For a wizard, sword techniques are merely auxiliary. Even Godric himself used his wand more often. Only when he was certain of victory would he draw his sword."
"Yes, I don't think it's necessary to learn this either," Kyle agreed, nodding in deep approval, and without looking back, he headed towards the next classroom.
In this classroom, there was a completely unfamiliar professor, hunched over, bald, and bearing a striking resemblance to Old Tom from the Leaky Cauldron.
But they were definitely not the same person.
The professor was likely teaching Spellcasting Class, and after listening for a while, Kyle felt a wave of dizziness.
The Spellcasting Class here was entirely different from what he was familiar with, as all the spells required the use of runes for assistance instead of incantations.
The content also varied significantly, not in terms of power but because Kyle had never heard of these spells before.
After auditing for twenty minutes, Kyle began to frown and hesitate about whether to leave.
Just as Kyle was feeling perplexed, the voice of the old wizard on the podium changed, and the unfamiliar spell he had been teaching suddenly transformed into the Freezing Charm that Kyle was familiar with.
Kyle blinked, realizing that Rowena's mention of "translation" had this additional meaning. Nonetheless, he was quite pleased.
Ancient spells, while sounding sophisticated, were selected based on the historical context and might not be suitable for his era.
Even the "Fire Path" spell that Kyle had learned was an improved version by Dumbledore, and the original might have been even more exaggerated.
Take the spell from earlier that wasn't translated, for example.
The Freezing Charm, when used with runes, could freeze all living beings within a one-mile radius in a second, turning them into ice sculptures.
It sounded powerful, but the issue was that it didn't differentiate between friend and foe. After all, this wasn't a game but a genuine alteration of the environment.
When the old wizard demonstrated the spell, both he and the rabbit in front of him became covered in a layer of hard, white ice.
As the white frost on Kyle's body began to melt, a rune suddenly appeared on him.
Kyle had seen this in books... inscribing runes on one's body was a popular practice among wizards a thousand years ago.
This method could enhance the power of spells and transform one's body into a different form of spell, avoiding situations where others might be affected.
However, every book warned of the dangers of this method.
The runes inscribed on the body would fade... or rather, lose their magic? In any case, these intricate details were so sensitive that even a slight change, like a missing corner or a little extra weight, could distort the symbols drawn on the body, potentially reversing their meaning entirely.
Whether those runes would still offer "protection" was hard to predict.
With good luck, it might result in a clash of magic, requiring only a few months of recovery. But with bad luck... an immediate explosion was not out of the question.
In essence, it was like dancing on a tightrope.
This was also why rune magic was quickly replaced by spellcasting, despite its diminished power. It was much safer, and when used skillfully, it could be just as effective as runes.
Like rewinding a movie, when the Freezing Charm transformed into the Ice Making Charm, everything in the classroom began to rapidly rewind, soon returning to how it was when Kyle first entered.
"Tom," the old professor said in a hoarse voice, "Although this spell is generally not very effective, when combined with Alert Runes, it can play a crucial role in critical moments."
"Remember, runes are always faster than your eyes, and more importantly, they have no blind spots." As he spoke, the old professor slowly raised his head, as if intentionally addressing Kyle.
...
Each class here lasted about an hour.
After one class, Kyle immediately went to another classroom.
Whether due to space constraints or by design, the classrooms here were all connected, with no need to go up or down floors. One could simply walk out the door and take a few steps to reach the next classroom, saving considerable time.
During this time, Kyle also attended Transfiguration Class, taught by a female witch.
To be honest, Kyle felt she wasn't as good as Professor McGonagall. Her Transfiguration spells were mostly directed at herself, such as transforming her head into that of a tiger or her arms into those of a bear.
But upon closer reflection, this style seemed to be in fashion back then...
The class that intrigued Kyle the most was Rune Class.
Unlike the Ancient Runes Class he had taken, where there were only a dozen or so students in his year, here, Rune and Symbolism was a compulsory subject, and everyone had to attend. They used the largest classroom to accommodate all the students, numbering around thirty or more...
"When using runes, don't just memorize them blindly. Think carefully about what each rune means and why it can't be replaced with similar runes."
A stern-faced wizard stood at the front and spoke loudly, "When you truly understand the meaning behind the rune formula, using it will become second nature, and you won't need to think about it."
For some reason, Kyle felt a sense of familiarity, but he couldn't pinpoint why. So, he quickly gave up trying to figure it out and focused on the class like the others.
An hour later, the classroom door suddenly opened.
Kyle, having experienced this before, knew it was the end of class.
Just as Kyle was about to leave for the next classroom, everyone around him suddenly disappeared.
Rowena Ravenclaw entered from outside.
"How was it?" she asked.
"Very fruitful," Kyle replied.
This completely different teaching system felt very fresh to him.
"Not bad. It seems you can keep up," Rowena said, "but today's classes are over."
She pointed to the window, and Kyle realized that, at some point, the sky had darkened.
"Can I stay a little longer?" Kyle asked. "The house-elves in the kitchen should be able to send food to the Room of Requirement, right?"
"No, and there's no need."
Rowena left the classroom.
Kyle had thought she would take him out of the Room of Requirement, but he soon discovered she was heading upstairs.
The two of them climbed the stairs, passing by a middle-aged wizard with a sinister expression—Salazar Slytherin.
Kyle had also seen him before...
He was followed by a group of students, all of whom kept their heads down, focusing on the books or parchments in their hands, seemingly indifferent to their surroundings.
"They are the purest wizards," Rowena's voice echoed again, "shouldering the mission of their families and forever seeking the mysteries of wizardry."
"But in my opinion, they are more like Ravenclaws," Kyle said, "I mean... Ravenclaw House."
"Ravenclaw seeks wisdom."
Her voice remained calm.
For a moment, Kyle couldn't tell if she was referring to herself or the house's philosophy.
The two continued up the stairs until they reached the highest tower in the castle. Even the height of the stairs was identical, making it feel like Hogwarts within Hogwarts...
Kyle was amazed to discover that the Room of Requirement could create such a vast space.
A minute later, Rowena stopped in front of a door.
"What is wisdom?" the Raven Knocker on the door asked, its beak open.
Kyle vaguely remembered that the door knocker of the Ravenclaw Common Room was an eagle's head. Had it been changed later?
Before he could ponder further, Rowena slightly shifted to the side, making room.
"Me?" Kyle asked, pointing to himself.
"Just a little test." Rowena said, "I always thought you'd be a better fit in my House."
"Alright." Kyle stepped forward, pausing for a moment as if in thought. "Ravenclaw is wisdom."
The Ravenclaw Knocker didn't budge, but Kyle felt a gaze suddenly fall upon him.
"Why is this thing so uncooperative?" Kyle muttered to himself.
The Ravenclaw students were right here, a perfect opportunity, and they didn't know how to seize it. No wonder they were replaced by the Eagle Knocker later.
Kyle grumbled to himself, but the Knocker remained unresponsive.
With no other choice, Kyle took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Wisdom is a cognitive ability based on physiology and psychology, encompassing perception, understanding, memory, analysis, judgment, and other abilities..."
Kyle spoke each word carefully, and with every additional word, the Ravenclaw's expression changed slightly.
"Therefore, in summary, wisdom is the ability to correctly perceive, judge, and create things."
Even before Kyle finished speaking, the Ravenclaw Knocker turned its head and clicked open.
Kyle turned around.
"Your answer is quite detailed." Rowena said, "I believe Godric, Salazar, and Helga would all be willing to welcome you into their Houses."
"Let's skip the first one, I don't want to be stripped of my belt." Kyle shrugged.
A faint smile seemed to appear on Rowena's face, so subtle that it vanished in the blink of an eye, and Kyle even thought it was his imagination.
Rowena didn't enter the Common Room but instead extended her hand and took the Ravenclaw Knocker from Kyle.
"This is the key." She said, "The memories here will last for a while, and during this period, there will be only one room here, and only those with the key can enter. You can come back whenever you like."
Kyle quickly reached out and took the Ravenclaw Knocker.
"But if I take this, what about the Common Room?"
No one answered, and Rowena just watched him quietly.
"Did you forget that this is the Room of Requirement, not the real Hogwarts... Do you think I can fit a thousand-year-old object into my memories and bring it here?"
Kyle immediately closed his mouth and scratched his head awkwardly.
He had forgotten.
In the Room of Requirement, he could have a hundred Ravenclaw Knockers if he wanted.
As for whether those knockers could be used as keys, that was another matter.
Subsequently, Kyle reappeared in the Entrance Hall.
The castle gates were tightly shut, and it was no surprise that this was the entrance to the Room of Requirement.
"I'll be leaving for a while after this. Do you have any other questions?" Rowena asked.
"Just one..." Kyle hurriedly said, "Can I bring others here to attend classes?"
"I wouldn't recommend it."
Rowena said, "Although I've translated the content, the essence of those classes remains rooted in Ancient Runes. This is the foundation and cannot be changed.
"For those who are not well-versed in Ancient Runes, it will be incomprehensible, and the clash of concepts may even cause a certain degree of magical instability, making it counterproductive."
"Alright." Kyle nodded.
He also thought about how, during the first Rune Class, the old professor had spoken almost exclusively about Ancient Runes.
If it weren't for his experience with Fire Paths and reading Merlin's letters, understanding the class would have been challenging.
"Well, that's all for now. Perhaps at another time, I'll seek you out again." Rowena waved her hand.
Then, Kyle found himself in the corridor on the eighth floor of the school.
The faded picture frames on the walls, the dimly lit railings, and the three familiar faces before him all clearly indicated that he had returned to the Hogwarts he knew.
Kyle instinctively touched his head, and as expected, the Crown was gone.
"Ah!"
A scream rang in his ear, bringing Kyle back to his senses.
"Kyle? When did you appear here?" Harry asked, looking at Kyle in shock as if he had been startled.
"Just now." Kyle looked at Harry, Hermione, and Ron calmly and said, "I just came out of the Room of Requirement. Didn't you see?"
"Huh?" Harry and the other two exchanged glances.
"Is that so?" Harry and Hermione assumed they had just missed it, but Ron, in particular, immediately looked at the top of Kyle's head.
Then, he fell into confusion.
No Crown?
How was this possible?
Did he really mistake it before?
...
"So you were inside. No wonder I couldn't open the door to the Room of Requirement." Harry said at this time.
"What are you holding in your hand?"
"Oh, this." Kyle raised his hand and looked at the Ravenclaw Knocker. "I found it inside and thought it was interesting, so I brought it out."
As Kyle casually held the Knocker, he asked, "Has dinner started?"
"It should start soon." Harry said.
"Then I'll head to the Great Hall." Kyle said, "What about you guys? Do you want to come along?"
"We'll wait a bit." Harry said.
He wanted to find something in the Room of Requirement before dinner started.
But what Harry didn't expect was that after walking back and forth in the corridor several times, the door to the Room of Requirement still didn't appear.
He tried several times, and it was the same each time.
"This is strange." Harry scratched his head in bewilderment and muttered, "Kyle has already come out. Could there be someone else inside?"
(End of Chapter)
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