Chapter 939: The Loophole in the Name-Based Magic
Chapter 939: The Loophole in the Name-Based Magic
"No wonder you defeated the Dark Lord, Savior." Rita Skeeter put her camera back into her handbag, "Thank you for your generosity."
"What does generosity have to do with defeating Voldemort?" Kyle shrugged, "Besides, that's just a joke. You mustn't write about it in the newspaper."
Rita Skeeter didn't finish listening to Kyle's words. In fact, when she heard that name, she shuddered instinctively and couldn't help but take two steps back until she hit the wall of the corridor and stopped.
"You really should get used to it." Kyle glanced at her, "As it turns out, Voldemort isn't that scary after all, and now there aren't any Death Eaters charging into battle for him. You can use his name without any worries."
"Perhaps you don't know that many students have already started calling him Voldemort, instead of that ridiculous... person whose name cannot be mentioned."
Kyle seemed to think of something and suddenly laughed, "Maybe after a while, Voldemort will regret casting that Name-Based Magic he was so proud of."
Although Kyle couldn't chase after Voldemort and Snape to Nurmengard, it didn't mean he wouldn't do anything.
Taking advantage of Voldemort's escape, he could finally test his hypothesis about Name-Based Magic from a few years ago... whether Voldemort could clearly hear every call of his name.
Kyle knew he couldn't complete this experiment alone; after all, he couldn't possibly keep muttering Voldemort's name all the time—that would be too foolish.
But fortunately, he had a group of like-minded friends.
After hearing Kyle's plan, Fred and George Weasley eagerly joined the team.
Then, utilizing the Weasley brothers' influence among the students and their innate social prowess, they quickly formed a team of over fifty people in a short time.
These people would be divided into several groups to ensure that someone would be chanting the name "Voldemort" during every time slot throughout the day.
As for what to say after the name, Fred was writing it down.
Kyle had taken a glance earlier... it was quite vulgar; even the term 'constipated' from the previous window display would be considered polite in comparison.
Kyle thought to himself that the first group should have started by now.
Rita Skeeter's eyes lit up across from him. Her intuition, honed over many years of her career, told her that what Kyle was thinking about must be a big news story that would shock the Wizarding World.
But soon, she realized that it might be related to the person whose name could not be mentioned.
Well, she wasn't really interested in knowing this news, and for a long time, the front page of the Daily Prophet would be reserved for this war.
Other news, no matter how explosive, could only be placed in the corners of the newspaper's folds.
She was Rita Skeeter, and her articles had to be published on the front page; having to turn the page was an insult to her professional abilities.
That's right, that's how it is.
Rita Skeeter muttered to herself, trying to convince herself that she wasn't afraid of the person whose name could not be mentioned.
"I think you can give it a try." Kyle suddenly said, with a hint of encouragement, "Try cursing Voldemort out loud. Trust me, it's a novel experience, and you'll be hooked."
"Next time, next time..." Rita Skeeter mumbled, changing the subject, "What did you mean by the newspaper nickname you mentioned earlier?"
"I'm talking about the Savior nickname." Kyle said, "You didn't use that title for me in the newspaper, did you?"
"Not in this issue." Rita Skeeter replied.
"What do you mean by this issue...?"
"Articles should be written in a progressive manner." Rita Skeeter's expression became more serious when it came to her area of expertise.
"The epic battle between the evil Dark Lord and the forces of good at Hogwarts... Such a sensational event in the Wizarding World can't be covered in just one issue.
"As the most important first issue, it should first inform everyone of the events... So the content above is what I witnessed, without any embellishment—it's the complete truth."
Kyle couldn't help but feel incredulous, never imagining that one day he would hear the words 'without embellishment' from Rita Skeeter's mouth.
"Hey, what's that expression on your face?" Rita Skeeter said discontentedly, "Although this isn't my area of expertise, it doesn't mean I can't do it. I didn't get into the Daily Prophet just by writing gossip."
"Alright." Kyle smacked his lips, "You're right."
"Of course." Rita Skeeter continued, "The content you mentioned about nicknames and such will appear in subsequent issues, specifically in the character analysis of the war's details."
"Rest assured, as my partner, you will definitely be the most important one."
Rita Skeeter confidently said, "I've already outlined the article, guaranteeing that it will make you surpass Harry Potter, the former Savior, and become the hottest figure in the Wizarding World."
"Good thing you didn't. That's what I wanted to say..." Kyle rubbed his forehead, "It's fine if you report on me, but please don't give me any nicknames in the article, especially not the so-called Savior."
"Why?" Rita Skeeter was puzzled.
"This is a rare opportunity to make your name known throughout the Wizarding World. If someone else had defeated the person whose name cannot be mentioned and had only cast a spell from a distance, they would be eager to claim all the titles for themselves."
"Moreover, this kind of reputation has a significant impact, especially after you replace the Savior. It's almost like having one foot in the door of the Minister of Magic's office."
"But I don't want to go to the Minister of Magic's office. There's nothing special about it." Kyle stopped in front of a huge fruit painting and skillfully reached out to scratch the large pear on it.
The pear emitted a squeaky laugh and, to Rita Skeeter's astonishment, transformed into a door handle.
Kyle pushed open the door and entered the Hogwarts kitchen, where numerous house-elves were busy. However, upon seeing Kyle, they all rushed over to him.
"It's an honor to see you again, Mr. Kyle," said a white-bearded elf respectfully.
"I feel like you've become more polite," Kyle said, a Hufflepuff who visited the kitchen regularly and was familiar with the house elves here.
The elf in front of him was quite familiar, and he was the... head chef?
Kyle wasn't sure if these house elves had a leader, but this one was the oldest and had a certain authority among them.
"You drove away the evil wizard and saved Hogwarts," the elf's voice trembled, "...and saved our jobs."
Kyle's gaze wandered, and saving jobs didn't sound like something worth praising.
However, he also knew that in the world of house elves, there weren't many complexities. When they expressed gratitude, it was genuine.
"You helped too, didn't you?" Kyle said, "But I'm a bit hungry now. Could you get me... two lunches?"
"Of course, sir, it's our honor," the house elf squeaked and ran off.
"This is... the Hogwarts kitchen?" Rita Skeeter curiously surveyed the surroundings.
"As you can see," Kyle said, "Didn't you know? I thought you had already uncovered all these secrets when you were a student."
"The Hogwarts kitchen isn't a secret. Even if I hadn't joined the Daily Prophet back then, I wouldn't have wanted to waste time on such things."
"No one cares what the Hogwarts kitchen looks like... They want to know if the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is a killer, a smuggler, or a member of St. Mungo's Department of Experimental Medicine and Magical Maladies."
"Experimental Medicine..." Kyle looked at her in surprise, "Was your Defense Against the Dark Arts class that exciting back then?"
"Isn't it always like that?" Rita Skeeter said matter-of-factly.
Kyle couldn't argue with that.
"But don't you really want to miss this chance to be the Savior?" Rita Skeeter tried to persuade him again.
The topic of the true and false Savior was too captivating, and it would be a bit of a pity to give it up so easily.
Moreover, the content of her planned report was also centered around the new Savior.
Kyle suddenly decided to drop the matter, and she would have to rethink a new article... This wasn't an easy task for someone accustomed to using a shorthand quill.
"I'm sure," Kyle said, "If you want to write, just use my name directly, without any of those silly nicknames."
"Why?!" Rita Skeeter still couldn't understand how someone could turn down such a great honor without batting an eye.
"As I said, I don't want to move to the Minister's office, nor do I intend to overthrow Amelia Bones.
"Therefore, this so-called honor of being the Savior is of no use to me, and... never mind, that's all."
Perhaps out of habit, when the word 'Savior' was mentioned, Kyle couldn't help but think of Harry.
This also made the nickname 'Savior' seem a bit... silly? It felt like carrying this title might even suppress one's intelligence, which was a bit dangerous.
Rita Skeeter wanted to say something more.
Fortunately, at that moment, the house elf who had just left returned at an even faster speed, placing plates of fried pork chops, pies, and roasted beef on Kyle's small stone table.
When the stone table couldn't hold any more, they started stacking the dishes on top of each other... Kyle realized that although he had only asked for a lunch, the food in front of him was enough for an entire house to hold a banquet.
"Enough, that's more than enough," Kyle quickly stopped the elf who was still bringing things.
"Huh? Is this enough?"
"This isn't a small amount," Kyle muttered.
...
Due to the house elves' overwhelming enthusiasm, Kyle and Rita Skeeter quickly finished their lunch and left the kitchen.
"What are you planning to do next?" Kyle asked Rita Skeeter as they walked down the corridor.
"What else can I do?" Rita Skeeter replied irritably, "Naturally, I'll be editing the article for tomorrow."
"Remember to highlight the others as well," Kyle said, "It's best if you can make them stand out."
Rita Skeeter's eyes twitched at the high demand, which was a bit difficult for her.
Publishing an article without any embellishments or personal touches was something she could do once, but doing it repeatedly would affect her personal style.
"Never mind, just don't go overboard," Kyle said, seeing her conflicted expression. He didn't insist further, as it wasn't a big deal anyway.
"By the way, do you have any news from the Ministry of Magic?"
"No," Rita Skeeter shook her head.
Her focus had always been on Hogwarts, so she wasn't aware of the situation at the Ministry.
"If there's anything you want to know, I can help you. I can find out anything," Rita Skeeter said confidently, "And it's all free, as a thank you for the camera you gave me."
"Oh, never mind, it's not necessary to go through all that trouble," Kyle said, directly declining her offer.
"I'm going to the Ministry of Magic later anyway, so I was just asking."
"You're going to the Ministry?"
"Yeah, I got a letter from the Minister."
"Then you should be careful." Rita Skeeter said.
"What do you mean?" Kyle pointed to the dense crowd around them, "I'm considered a hero now, so the Ministry won't lock me up as a Death Eater, right?"
"That's naturally impossible, unless Minister Bones wants to step down," Rita Skeeter said, "I mean, they probably want to use you.
"To be precise, they want to use your reputation to speak for the Ministry. It will subconsciously make people think you're on their side. This is also the best way to restore the Ministry's credibility after the war..." Rita Skeeter continued, "And it's not the first time the Ministry has done this. For example, Cornelius Fudge liked to use Dumbledore's name to achieve his goals.
"Yes, I know," Kyle nodded, recalling the times when Cornelius Fudge had visited Hogwarts late at night, and it wasn't just once.
But this time, the situation was different.
"Even if it's as you say, it doesn't matter..."
"Helping the Ministry regain its credibility and rightful capabilities is also a great thing. I'm more than happy to lend a hand."
"Then I have nothing more to say." Rita Skeeter stared at Kyle, momentarily perplexed.
She could tell that Kyle and Dumbledore had completely different personalities, and he wasn't the type to be indifferent to his reputation.
Yet, despite this, he was willing to give up the opportunity to gain fame in the wizarding world without hesitation and even used his popularity to help the Ministry.
It was incomprehensible, truly incomprehensible.
Rita Skeeter sighed, not saying anything further and not intending to probe deeper.
Although Kyle's current actions perfectly fit the characteristics of her chosen targets—famous, popular, and behaving strangely—she had never considered investigating him.
It wasn't because of their fragile working relationship but because she believed she had seen the real Kyle.
As the only person documenting the war, Rita Skeeter had been observing the battlefield, especially Kyle.
She had witnessed Kyle releasing hundreds of Mandrakes and controlling the Incendio Charm to surround hundreds of Death Eaters, even borrowing Voldemort's hand to kill them.
Rita Skeeter had seen it all, but she didn't speak of it, nor did she write about it in the newspaper; she even helped conceal some of it.
At one point, she had placed Kyle and Voldemort in the same category—a group of people one absolutely shouldn't provoke.
Picking on easy targets... This was Rita Skeeter's principle for staying alive.
After all, who else could use the Incendio Charm with such proficiency?
Kyle could mold the notoriously volatile and uncontrollable Incendio like clay, shaping it into various forms.
She even suspected that Kyle's control over Incendio surpassed that of Voldemort.
Aside from Incendio, the flying dragons in the sky also seemed to have a connection with Kyle.
Fortunately, the two were temporarily in a cooperative relationship, and within her means, Rita Skeeter didn't mind helping Kyle a little, deepening their friendship.
"Oh, right," Kyle suddenly said. "When the next issue of the newspaper comes out, can you place an ad for me? It doesn't need to be in a prominent position; a corner will do."
"An ad?" Rita Skeeter hesitated for only a second before agreeing. "No problem, but you'll need to send me a photo of the promotional item in advance."
"This... It might not be ready yet." Kyle thought of Fred, who was still pondering over the sentence, with a large piece of parchment in front of him. He estimated that it would only be completed later in the evening.
"Wait a bit longer. I'll send you the flyer later, and you can publish it based on the content."
"Okay, no problem," Rita Skeeter said, not realizing anything amiss.
It was just an ad; what could be so important? Surely it wasn't to provoke the Dark Lord.
The two returned to the first-floor Great Hall.
Kyle carefully scanned the Great Hall but couldn't find any trace of Conna.
She was probably still in Professor McGonagall's office.
Fred and George, on the other hand, sat there with serious expressions, flipping through books and searching for information, looking like diligent students from a distance.
"Tsk."
Kyle clicked his tongue and left the Great Hall, heading towards the Ministry of Magic.
As Rita Skeeter had said, Amelia Bones indeed wanted him to help salvage the Ministry's plummeting reputation.
There was no choice; almost half of the staff had been controlled and replaced by Death Eaters, and the Minister of Magic was completely unaware of it... Someone had leaked this information, causing a massive uproar among the wizarding community, even surpassing the joy of defeating Voldemort.
Upon returning to the Ministry, Amelia Bones wasn't greeted with flowers and applause but with howling letters from all directions.
It was no exaggeration to say that this oversight was enough to cause her to step down a dozen times. It was only because she had quickly made amends and helped win the war that she wasn't dismissed on the spot.
The only thing she could do now was to pin her hopes on Kyle, hoping he could restore her rapidly declining approval rating... No, it should be said that she hoped he could restore the Ministry's credibility in the eyes of the people.
Kyle was very cooperative, and aside from some issues of principle, he basically didn't refuse anything and readily accepted the interview arranged by Minister Bones at the Ministry.
The interviewer was also from the Daily Prophet, but it wasn't Rita Skeeter; it was someone who had never seen a wizard before.
Not only had they never met, but they also lacked fame, so the content of this conversation was unlikely to appear on the front page.
...
A few hours later, Kyle left the room.
Amelia Bones was already waiting outside.
To be honest, since Amelia became the Minister, Kyle had never seen her show such warmth towards him; it was almost as if she was genuinely concerned about him.
"Just as we discussed, Minister Bones," Kyle naturally knew what she wanted to ask and glanced at the Daily Prophet reporter behind him before saying, "I believe this incident of Death Eaters replacing Ministry staff was carefully planned by Voldemort. They used advanced Soul-Sucking Charms to control the department heads and gradually influenced those in lower positions.
"At the time, we were busy dealing with the Death Eaters' main forces and Voldemort, so it's understandable that we might have overlooked other aspects."
"Ah, yes, that's right," Minister Bones immediately nodded in agreement. "We really shouldn't have focused solely on Voldemort and neglected other areas.
"Fortunately, we managed to stop Voldemort's plan to attack Hogwarts in time; otherwise, I wouldn't know how to face everyone."
As she spoke, the sound of quills scratching on parchment could be heard from behind her.
...
(End of Chapter)
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