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Chapter 980: Sylas, Professor
Chapter 980: Sylas, Professor
The Bogart was on strike again.
After being blasted into a cloud of mist for the umpteenth time, the exasperated Bogart retreated into its bottle, refusing to come out, choosing silence to defy Kyle's unyielding heart. Even Fred and George were at a loss this time.
Previously, when the Bogart was angry, they could feign being scared with their impeccable acting skills, giving it a sense of accomplishment it had never experienced before.
Even if it was fake, it was still commendable, and once the Bogart was in a better mood, it would continue to cooperate with Kyle.
But not this time.
Perhaps due to being blasted too many times, even the mindless Bogart sensed something amiss. No matter how much Fred and George screamed, it remained hidden.
"It's learned its lesson!" George rubbed his throat and took a big gulp of water.
He had been screaming for half an hour, and his throat felt like it was on fire.
"It's not learning; it's developing instincts," Fred said, holding a cup in his hand. "Kyle has been blasting it since the Hogwarts break, and now Hogwarts is about to start again."
"To be honest, the Bogart is already one of the slower ones in its kind to rebel."
"That's true. Even I feel a bit sorry for it sometimes." George waved his wand and poured himself another cup of water.
"With a dozen Killing Curses a day, it's a good thing the Bogart has no feelings. Otherwise, it would definitely seek revenge."
Kyle stared at a stone in his hand, saying nothing for a long time before finally looking up.
"You can't say that. If other wizards see a Bogart, they will generally eliminate them.
"However, considering how much it has helped me, I've decided to find it a suitable habitat."
As he spoke, Kyle picked up the bottle from the ground and shook it, but seeing no movement inside, he casually placed it on the table next to him.
"You want to keep a Bogart?" Fred frowned, looking at it with the same disgust he had when Percy first brought home a grey-haired rat from the garden.
In the wizarding world, Bogarts, along with sirens, multicore beetles, and ghouls, were among the most annoying pests for any wizard.
Especially Bogarts, they would hide in a wizard's house without warning.
Imagine opening your wardrobe and being confronted with your worst fear.
It could be a spider as big as a tire, or a snake filling the entire wardrobe.
This explains why Bogarts are so unpopular.
Once the wizards who were scared regain their composure, they would usually choose to kill the Bogart out of anger... The Boggart-Banishing Spell has a low threshold, and any wizard can cast it, making it simple and convenient.
"What's wrong with a Bogart? The Burrow also has a ghoul," Kyle glanced at them, "They're all pests, you can't be biased against the Bogart."
"At least the ghoul has some intelligence and can communicate."
"It can also help guard the house. Last time, a gnome tried to sneak in through the window, but the ghoul chased it away."
"It also eats sirens."
Fred and George spoke in turn, seemingly trying to convince Kyle that even as pests, ghouls were more suitable to keep at home than Bogarts.
However, Kyle didn't mind.
He didn't plan to let the Bogart settle in the house anyway; there was plenty of space in the trunk, and any corner would be sufficient to hide a Bogart.
"Forget it, if you want to keep it, then do so," Fred waved his hand. "I'm more concerned about your Horcrux spell."
"I've got a lead," Kyle said. "I need to try a few more times. If everything goes well, I can go to St. Mungo's in a few months."
"A few more months?" Fred opened his mouth in surprise. "Why so long?"
He hadn't been to the shop in Diagon Alley for a long time, and business seemed to have declined significantly.
With the start of the new school year approaching, all Hogwarts students and newcomers would visit Diagon Alley, and they were hoping to make a fortune during this time.
"What else? Do you think I'm researching Skiving Snackboxes?" Kyle couldn't help but laugh. "And if I must say, I could go to St. Mungo's now, but I can't.
"Neville is my friend, and I can't use a spell that only exists in theory on his parents, especially a Dark spell.
"If it succeeds, that's great, but what if it doesn't? They are all Aurors who have dedicated themselves to the wizarding world, and I can't take that risk.
"But you're saving them," George said softly, his voice betraying a hint of uncertainty.
"That's the problem," Kyle shrugged, "What I'm doing is strictly forbidden in St. Mungo's."
"Keep preparing, study diligently, and ensure everything is foolproof. That's what Professor Sylas... no, I should say, Professor Sylas' intention is."
"Wait... what did you just say?" Fred grabbed Kyle's arm, "Who's this Sylas you mentioned?"
"Who else? The Headmistress of St. Mungo's, of course."
"But you just called her a professor..."
"Oh, it's like this," Kyle explained, "She retired just a month ago. She's been wanting to retire for a while, but some matters kept her from doing so. She didn't want to hold onto the position, so after handling most of the issues, she chose to retire."
"What does that have to do with a professor?"
"Hold on," Kyle glanced at Fred, who had spoken, "When Professor Sylas retired, she also submitted an application to Professor McGonagall, volunteering to teach Potions at Hogwarts."
"Professor McGonagall agreed. Within half an hour of receiving the letter, she sent the appointment letter and a reply."
"So, after the new semester starts, she'll be a professor at Hogwarts."
Fred and George stared, speechless for a long moment.
Sylas, the Chief Potions Master of the Extraordinary Potions Association, a First Class Order of Merlin recipient, and one of the few living individuals to grace Chocolate Frog Cards, was going to teach Potions at Hogwarts...
This all felt so surreal.
Hogwarts already had Dumbledore, making other wizarding schools envious enough to make their teeth sour. Who would've thought that right after Dumbledore's departure, Sylas would arrive?
Who's next? Newt Scamander or Nicolas Flamel...
Wait, these two seemed to have a good relationship with Kyle as well.
Forget about the other wizarding schools; even these two would have their teeth sour upon hearing this news.
After all, Dumbledore's fame and reputation couldn't be spent like Galleons.
But Sylas could... Any potion she brewed, even those meant for classroom demonstrations, would be snatched up by people at exorbitant prices if they were put on the market.
"So, you're just upset about missing the chance to make a small fortune?" Kyle looked at them with disdain, "Your business at Weasley Wizarding Wheezes isn't that bad, is it? You're worried about a few Galleons?"
"It's not about the Galleons, but our reputation," George shook his finger seriously.
"You don't understand," Fred's face was equally serious, "Let me put it this way. In the past decade or so, Sylas' potions have been nearly impossible to find on the market. If we could sell them, even our store's potions would instantly become best-sellers."
"Huh?" Kyle blinked.
To be fair, he hadn't realized that Sylas' potions were so... sought-after.
Perhaps it was because of their close relationship. Whenever Sylas developed a new potion using Basilisk ingredients, she would send Kyle a few bottles.
Moreover, a long time ago, she had given Kyle a whole box of various potions, so he wasn't particularly impressed.
And Snape, another renowned Potions Master, didn't receive such extravagant treatment.
Kyle smacked his lips, and when he looked up, he saw two identical faces.
"Hehe..."
"Kyle..."
The two brothers rubbed their hands, their faces oozing with flattery.
"Don't even think about it," Kyle spoke before they could, "I won't help you steal Professor Sylas' potions. If you have any ideas, go to Hogwarts yourself."
"Don't reject us so quickly," Fred continued to smile, "We can pay."
"I don't need money."
"We can help. We'll do whatever you ask."
"We can even offer our little brother." Fred thought of something, "He doesn't know about the Bogeyman yet. We can trick him into coming here."
There was nothing special about it; it was just an ordinary stone by the roadside.
But now, this seemingly mundane stone seemed to have an imperceptible layer of something on its surface.
It was as if a thin veil had been draped over the stone, so light that a mere breath of wind could blow it away. Yet, it seemed to be an intrinsic part of the stone, swaying and dancing with the wind but always returning to its original position.
"This is..."
"Could it be..."
"It's a fragment of a Bogeyman's soul, or perhaps a part of its body," Kyle nodded.
"Strictly speaking, I have succeeded, but the situation with the Bogeyman is special. So, I'm not sure if this stone can be considered a Horcrux."
"Now you understand. The Bogeyman is a special case for me. And if needed, I can find another Bogeyman. These creatures are not rare, and there are plenty of abandoned classrooms in Hogwarts."
Fred and George exchanged glances.
No wonder Kyle had said earlier that he could help the Lumbarton family right away.
Creating Horcruxes for others...
Without the need to study Horcrux magic or bear the risk of failure, Kyle could effortlessly help anyone achieve immortality as long as they could withstand his Killing Curse and remain alive.
If this news got out, Kyle's fame might surpass Dumbledore's overnight, making him the most sought-after figure in the entire wizarding world.
However, Kyle didn't seem to care much. He treated the stone casually, tossing and catching it as if it were an ordinary rock.
In fact, Fred and George had overthought it.
Whether creating a Horcrux themselves or with someone's help, the first step was always soul-splitting.
Kyle chose the simplest method, the original method—using the Killing Curse.
By the way, his understanding and application of the Killing Curse had improved dramatically since the Hogwarts War.
Before the war, his Killing Curse was weaker than the Stunning Spell in terms of damage. It was as weak as it could get. But after the war, his Killing Curse could even make Norbert feel fear.
He had used it once in the box, and for a long time afterward, Norbert kept his distance from Kyle. It was an instinctual fear, hard to overcome.
It had to be said that pure magic was not suitable for learning the Killing Curse. No amount of effort could make up for it.
So, Kyle didn't mind helping others as long as they could withstand his Killing Curse and stay alive. He could help create Horcruxes without any limit on quantity. He could even provide some meaningful Horcrux containers if needed.
No charge.
Fred and George didn't know what Kyle was thinking, but they simultaneously steered the conversation back to the original topic.
"Since that's the case, we can also help you with other things."
"Tell us what you want us to do."
"Don't hold back!"
"Then... I want you to help me improve Horcrux magic." Kyle knew what they were thinking.
"But you've already learned it, haven't you?" Fred blurted out.
"I'm talking about improving it," Kyle said, shaking the stone. "Have you ever seen a soul fragment floating outside?"
"You can just say no if you want to refuse," Fred rolled his eyes.
For some time now, Fred and George had been immersed in dark magic books, even during meals and drinks.
To be honest, they hadn't studied this hard even the day before their N.E.W.T. exams at Hogwarts.
But even with all their studying, they could only help Kyle by comforting the Bogeyman. If it weren't for the legend of Horcruxes, they would have given up long ago.
"Isn't my refusal clear enough?" Kyle chuckled coldly. "I said from the start that I would never help you steal Professor Saxia's potions."
"Why!" Fred and George were indignant, Fred with a stiff neck and George with a frustrated expression.
"We're friends, the best of frien..."
"Because of the love potion you sell in your shop," Kyle said calmly.
George's words stuck in his throat, and he closed his mouth silently.
"And the hair loss potion, the hiccup potion, the dungbomb, the wake-up potion, the night-time glow-in-the-dark hair dye, the clothing-only invisibility potion..."
With each potion Kyle mentioned, Fred and George became more and more uneasy. By the end, they couldn't even look at Kyle and just stared at the ground.
"If Professor Saxia finds out that I'm using her potions to promote these things, guess what she'll do to me."
...
(End of Chapter)
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