https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-774-So-Called-Responsive-to-All-Requests/13454633/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-776-Educational-Decree-Number-Twenty-Two/13454635/
Chapter 775: The Essence of Magic
Chapter 775: The Essence of Magic
To avoid arousing Helena's suspicions, Ivan suppressed his excitement and continued probing, hoping to gather more clues.
They talked until the early hours of the morning before Ivan bid farewell to the Spectral Lady as usual.
"Hals, I have a favor to ask. Can you help me?" Helena suddenly said.
"Of course, no problem. We're friends, aren't we?" Ivan nodded. After all, Helena had told him the location of the Magic Power Storage Room, so he was more than willing to help her now.
"I want you to bring my mother's Crown to me..." Helena hesitated.
"Alright, I'll get it for you as soon as I can... But I can't find Dumbledore at the moment, so the Crown is probably still with him. Also, it's broken..."
Ivan looked at Helena with a slight hesitation. If he was right, as a ghost, Helena couldn't touch or pick up physical objects.
"I just want to see it one last time..." Helena said softly.
Thinking about Helena's tragic past, Ivan understood and felt a deep sympathy for the Spectral Lady. He then transformed into an owl and flew out of the open window.
By now, the sky was beginning to lighten, and the first rays of sunlight pierced the darkness, illuminating the earth.
Despite staying up all night, Ivan was still wide awake and had no intention of returning to the dormitory to catch up on sleep. Instead, he hurried to the eighth floor, pacing back and forth three times in front of the large tapestry, silently repeating in his mind:
"I need to enter Hogwarts' Magic Power Storage Room."
When Ivan opened his eyes again, a door had appeared on the previously flat wall.
"Good, it worked..." Ivan breathed a sigh of relief. This proved that he could enter the Magic Power Storage Room directly through the Room of Requirement.
However, such an important place was likely to have some form of protection, like statues or guardians, to prevent anyone from accidentally entering and destroying the castle's power system.
So, before opening the door, Ivan drew his wand, ready to defend against any potential threats.
Inside, the room was a square space, pitch black and somewhat eerie.
Ivan walked in without hesitation and cast Lumos Maxima to light up the area.
The bright points of light gradually dispelled the darkness, but to Ivan's surprise, the entire space contained only one ancient-looking Bronze Door, similar to the one in Ravenclaw's Common Room, with an eagle-shaped knocker on the handle.
Another door behind this one?
What kind of protection is this?
Ivan was a bit bewildered by the familiar Bronze Knocker.
It couldn't be that I have to answer a question, could it?
Ivan approached the door apprehensively. Sure enough, the Bronze Eagle slowly opened its beak and asked:
"What is the essence of Magic?"
Ivan fell silent for a moment, his face darkening to a frightening degree. The only sound in the square room was the mechanical voice of the Bronze Eagle echoing endlessly.
After a while, Ivan raised his wand and began to trace a pattern on the door, but then lowered it, deciding to give the knocker a chance.
"Change the question!" Ivan said calmly.
But the unyielding Bronze Eagle repeated:
"What is the essence of Magic?"
"Fine, since you're so eager to know, I'll tell you. The essence of Magic is—" Ivan raised his wand expressionlessly, a small, intense flame slowly forming.
"Confringo! (Exploding Spell)"
The flame grew with the wind, expanding into a massive fireball several meters high. It quickly collided with the bronze door, and in the next moment, a deafening explosion echoed through the space. A scorching sea of fire enveloped the entire area.
It took over a minute for the flames to gradually dissipate, but the bronze door remained unscathed, still repeating the same question.
"Is it that tough?" Ivan couldn't help but exclaim. After taking a few steps closer and examining the door more closely, he noticed something.
The door was inscribed with numerous protective charms, which was the only reason it could withstand his Exploding Spell.
Breaking through by force wasn't impossible, but Ivan estimated it would take him about four to five hours of relentless attacks. However, doing so would completely deplete the magic stored in the Room of Requirement, as the protective charms were powered by the castle's accumulated magic over the centuries.
"Rowena Ravenclaw, you've really given me a tough challenge..." Ivan stared at the bronze door, feeling a headache coming on. He had finally mastered those complex alchemical arrays and spent a lot of time and effort to gain Helena's favor, thinking everything was set for the Philosopher's Stone creation. But now, he was blocked by a door.
...
After a fruitless morning, Ivan returned to the Great Hall, his spirits dampened, to enjoy breakfast.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were already seated at the Gryffindor long table. When they saw Ivan entering from the entrance hall, Hermione quickly called out to him.
"Ivan, over here!"
Ron, curious, asked where Ivan had been so early in the morning.
"Practicing magic..." Ivan quickly replied as he took a seat at the empty spot.
Practicing magic?
Harry and Ron exchanged glances, feeling their breakfasts lose some of their appeal. Someone more talented than them was also working harder. Hermione, on the other hand, looked at Ivan with admiration and resolved to work harder herself.
As they sat in silence, a delivery owl flew in, circling above them before dropping a newspaper in front of Ivan and the others.
"It's the latest Daily Prophet!" Hermione quickly picked up the newspaper, her expression growing more serious as she scanned the front page.
"You should all take a look. We're about to have some trouble!" Hermione said angrily, spreading the newspaper out in the middle.
The front cover featured a half-length portrait of Dolores Umbridge, who was smiling broadly and blinking at them. The headline was glaringly obvious, causing Harry and Ron to draw sharp breaths.
Ministry of Magic Seeks Educational Reform, Dolores Umbridge Appointed as First High Inquisitor!
Ivan, who had expected this, wasn't particularly surprised. He quickly skimmed through the content and summarized it for the others.
The Ministry of Magic had recently passed a law called Educational Decree Number Twenty-Two, allowing the Minister of Magic, Fudge, to directly interfere with the appointment and dismissal of Hogwarts staff.
Fudge had also created a new position at Hogwarts, the High Inquisitor, to be filled by Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Umbridge.
This meant that the Ministry of Magic was about to take action against Hogwarts!
(End of Chapter)
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